Hi World, Gunjap Interviews Today with Waylander !!!
Hi World, Gunjap Interviews Today with Waylander !!! Let’s Start!
[G: Gunjap]
[W: Waylander]
G – Who is Waylander in the Gunpla Modelers World? And where do you come from?
W – I’m from Singapore and friends know me as Yihui. Waylander is the name of some warrior in a fantasy novel series that I read in my school days. Nothing to do with mecha! Who am I in the Gunpla world? Just another dude with plastic fantasies and occasional works that I hope can inspire others.
G – When did you start building Gunpla?
And when did you made your first Custom?
W – I was first introduced to Gunpla by a friend back in 2005, the lowest point in my life because I I was fresh outta school, without a job, and had just broken up with a long-time girlfriend haha. Gunpla was my way of escaping reality. I didn’t pick up much skills though, except snap-fitting and painting OOB. After a coupla months I moved on and forgot about Gunpla. Then somewhere around 2009-2010, I came back to the hobby again, and met Toymaker, who happens to live just a few blocks from my place. The rest is history LOL. My first custom was my first ever competition entry in 2010’s GBWC. It was a PG Astray with the Aile Strike backpack.
G – Do you have some inspiration for your creations?
W – I would credit Toymaker as my teacher, since he opened my eyes to true plastic-bending skills LOL. In the early stages, I would use a lot of his work as inspiration. Later, I would look at other masters overseas such as Keita and more recently, Seira Masuo. I don’t really like to copy a style wholesale, but rather to ‘steal’ some of it, mix it up with someone else’s, and make it my own. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but adaptation is the highest form of learning.
G – After you have finished snap-fitting a model, from where do you start to mod it?
W – There isn’t really a fixed procedure, but I usually like to start from the torso and shoulders, because from there, you get a rough feel of how your entire form is gonna turn out. Sometimes I cut up bits or stick other armour parts onto the figure, then prime everything to see how the shapes fit together.
G – What do you think about Gunpla in all the World? modelers, attitude, modelers behavior etc..
W – I think each country has their own distinct style and culture when it comes to Gunpla. It is ultimately, an art form, and all artists have egos and pride. Sometimes within communities, there can be healthy rivalries but also poisonous ones. I’ve tasted my fair share of drama winkwink! Ultimately though, all this detracts from the hobby and might scare off newcomers. I think it would be good for Gunpla if there is a forum-based website like Japan’s modelers-g.jp, for English speakers around the world, where everyone can share their works and vote for others.
G – What do you think about GBWC Event?
W – I think that it is something that should definitely exist to allow Gunpla builders to showcase their works. But it would be good if rules, assets and judging were standardised across countries. Better still, if at least one judging/organising member for a country’s GBWC is a modeler himself, so he understands the passion and hard work that goes into each entry. If judges are profiled and presented to the public like how Ora Zaku, japan’s highest form of gunpla competition, does it, we can reach take this hobby to new heights! And we will not be always seen to be behind the true masters – the Japanese.
G – Please some advices for modelers that wanna start building a gunpla for the very first time!
W – Don’t be afraid to try new stuff. If you are a working adult with income to spare, don’t stinge on just 1 or 2 kits. Buy more to test your skills and have more parts to play around with. After all, how can you be an artist if you don’t have a wide enough canvas to work on? Is Bandai reading this? They should pay me for advertising LOL. For kids, the Internet is your biggest resource. Look up tutorials and other modellers’ blogs. Collect all kinds of mecha concept art for inspiration and reference, don’t just limit yourself to the anime or your own imagination. Lastly, seek out other like-minded modelers. No matter how good you are, this hobby only becomes enjoyable if you’re not alone.
G – Have you a Website/Blog to show your Works?
W – My blog: http://waylander9.blogspot.hk/
My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Waylander9
G – Future Projects?
W – I’m currently working on a movie Optimus Prime, based on his new design for the upcoming film, Transformers: Age of Extinction. I don’t know why Gunpla modellers and Transformers fans are mutually exclusive, because I find synergy in both. After all, are we not both playing with robots? Also, I have a Zgok project in the back-burner that I hope to revisit after I’m done with Prime 😉
I would like to thank Gunjap for this opportunity, and of course all those who have influenced me in this hobby, and dear friends I have made because of it – The folks at Hobby Art Gallery (HAG), my supper kakis Kenny (Toymaker), Jonathan and Jeong (MechaMan), and overseas friends such as Jose and Don (DC23) from the Philippines.
G – Many Thanks to Waylander for this Interview 
See You soon for the next!
GUNJAP
