Let's Build It - How to Build the Arii Skull Head Ghost Box - Episode 1 - A Model Kit Build Video
Channel: Monster Hobbies Monster Model Dungeon
Date: 2019-08-08

In the dark, dark cellar of Monster Hobbies, the ghosts stay up late and build ghost banks from Arii. You can too and I'll show you how! (But I am not a ghost!)

Today on the Monster Hobbies Monster Model Dungeon "Let's Build It", I will show you how to build the Arii Skull Head Ghost Box. This is  episode 1 of our model kit build video.

You will need the following tools for this project, as well as an Arii ghost box that you can find at http//:www.monster-hobbies.ca in the Monster Models section. 

These are the tools:

A hobby knife, hobby side cutters, a hobby file, sandpaper block, paints - I use Citadel, a bowl for water, a mixing dish, and paint brushes. 

Tonight's video will concentrate on cleaning up the seam lines and painting the skull head actuating arm. I will show you how this is done in the video, but here's the basic "Text" run-down:

We want to carefully clip the arm off the parts tree and use our hobby file to remove the sprue connection points. Use your sandpaper to smooth out the file marks. Use your hobby knife to remove the seam lines and flash off your actuating arm.  Make sure not to remove the two little pins on the bottom of the skull head's teeth as these are used to catch and drag the coin into your Skull Head Ghost Box bank. 

You need a good "tooth" for your paint to adhere to the skull head. I am using 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper from 3M to scuff up the gloss plastic so the primer paint will stick to the plastic. 

To simulate my bone color, I am using Citadel paint by Games Workshop. 
The colors I am using are : 

Zandri Dust - Base
Seraphim Sepia - Shade
Ushabti Bone - Layer #1
Screaming Skull - Layer #2
Praxeti White - Dry Paint

I am using Acrylic paints, but you could use Enamel paints and thinners if you like those better. 

You want to start with the Zandri Dust as a base coat once you have primer painted your model and after watering down the paint slightly, you want to apply a solid coat to the skull and neck vertebrae. Allow that to dry, then apply the Seraphim Sepia Shade Paint to the model. You can apply this more liberally because it needs to work it's way into all the cracks and details. Once you have the model covered, allow it to dry before you apply the Ushabti Bone as your layer #1 and the Screaming Skull as your layer #2

To apply the layer paints, you need to use a dry brush technique, which would be to use the end of the brush bristles in the paint, wipe your brush on a paper towel to remove the wetness of the paint, and then drag your brush over the top surfaces of your model. You want to use this technique so that you don't smother your model in paint, but highlight the upper portions, leaving the shade paint in the cracks of the model kit. Allow the layer paints to dry between colors. 

For your second layer paint, you only want to highlight the top surfaces where sunlight would actually hit the model. This will give the skull head a more realistic look for natural shadows and depth. Keep in mind that sunlight shines from the top down, so you don't want to paint a lighter color where a shadow would be. 

The final paint is Praxeti White. This will put more "White" into the bone color, but you want to use this sparingly and on the top ridges and teeth of the skull. This will really highlight the bone for that final touch.

As an added bonus, I used Agrath Earthshade Shade paint in the eye and nose sockets to darken the tone of the eye and nose sockets and make them really stand out. the final coat was placed between the teeth to make them more pronounced. 

You may be asking yourself "Where can I purchase the Arii Skull Head Ghost Box Electric Monster Bank?".

Check out our supply here : https://www.monster-hobbies.ca/Hobby_Products/c8-ghost-banks/

Thank you for watching Let's Build It - How to Build the Arii Skull Head Ghost Box - Episode 1 - A Model Kit Build Video. It means a lot to us! 

And if you love these videos, please support us on Patreon today! 
https://www.patreon.com/Monster_Hobbies

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