Faelestial Gundam Archive

Project Overview

Faelestial Gundam is my long-term original mobile suit project. It began as a physical custom Gundam build and gradually evolved into a full design and fabrication archive involving scratch-built parts, silicone molds, resin casting, Blender modeling, resin printing, rendering, animation, and technical documentation.

The project started from a simple goal: create a Gundam that matched the machine I imagined in my head. Over time, that goal expanded into a much larger design challenge. I wanted the mobile suit to feel elegant, functional, and physically believable. I wanted it to move naturally, support a pilot-centered cockpit concept, and combine mechanical engineering logic with the emotional design language of mecha.

Faelestial Gundam became a place where my interests in engineering, fabrication, art, animation, and storytelling all connected. This archive records the full development process: what worked, what failed, what was redesigned, and what I learned from each stage.

Replace this with the strongest Faelestial Gundam render or photo.

Full Body View

Use this for a full-body render, resin model photo, or current redesign view.

Workspace / Development

A photo showing the project in progress: parts, tools, Blender, printer, or desk.

1. Early Proportion Study

One of the first major design decisions was the frame proportion. Many Gundam designs use heroic proportions, especially the Katoki-style look, with short thighs, long lower legs, wide torsos, and strong box-like silhouettes. I liked many of those designs visually, but I wanted Faelestial Gundam to follow a different logic.

My goal was to design a Gundam that could move more naturally. I wanted it to be able to kneel, lower its hand toward the ground, and interact with a pilot in a way that felt believable. In many mobile suit designs, those basic actions can look awkward because the proportions prioritize heroic presentation over natural body mechanics.

To solve this, I increased the thigh length and studied human body proportions. I noticed that many Gundam torsos are extremely short compared to a human spine. Since I was inspired by body-linked mobile suit concepts, especially the idea of a machine responding like an extension of the pilot, I wanted the frame to feel closer to human anatomy.

This led to a longer torso and a spine-like central structure. The result looked unusual compared to standard Gunpla proportions, but it matched the movement logic I wanted. The design was not trying to copy a traditional mobile suit silhouette. It was trying to solve a different problem: how to make a giant humanoid machine feel like a synchronized body.

Early Frame

Early frame or scratch-build proportion photo.

Human Proportion Study

Use a skeleton comparison, drawing, or body proportion reference here.

Movement Goal

A pose test showing kneeling, reaching, or pilot interaction.

2. Frame Philosophy

The frame was designed around the idea of controlled motion rather than only visual impact. I wanted the mobile suit to have long, natural limb placement and a central body structure that made sense for a pilot-synchronized machine.

I experimented with adding mechanical details such as pistons, but many of those parts interrupted the flow of the design. Straight pistons often created harsh triangular shapes along the sides of the body, which made the frame look less elegant. Instead of adding details only because they looked mechanical, I chose to keep the form cleaner and more futuristic.

The final direction emphasized a long spine, extended thighs, natural arm placement, and a human-like balance. The hands were positioned to fall near the lower pelvis and upper thigh area, similar to my own standing proportions. This helped the mobile suit feel less like a box with limbs attached and more like a body-shaped vessel.

This frame philosophy became the foundation for every later design decision. Armor, joints, weapons, and cockpit concepts all had to support the same idea: Faelestial Gundam should feel like a machine built around body synchronization.

Frame Revision 01

Early frame inspired by iron-blooded orphans proportions.

Frame Revision 02

Transitional frame exploring longer torso proportions.

Final Frame Design

Human-aligned frame w/ anatomical reference study.

3. Arm Armor Development

After the frame proportions were established, the next major challenge was the arm armor. A standard boxy Gundam arm did not fit the design. Because the frame had more human-like proportions, the armor needed to create a flowing silhouette instead of a flat rectangular shape.

I wanted the arms to have an hourglass-like form, with armor that felt elegant from the front and side. This required a lot of shape exploration. I made sketches, studied silhouettes, and tested how different armor masses changed the overall body line.

At this stage, I was still working physically, so I began scratch-building the parts with epoxy putty and clay. This allowed me to sculpt the shape directly and evaluate the design in real space. The process was slow, but it helped me understand volume, curvature, and how mechanical shapes look from multiple angles.

The arm armor became one of the most important parts of the project because it had to make the unusual frame proportions look intentional. If the arms were too boxy or too short, the entire design lost balance. Solving the arms pushed the project toward digital modeling later, because I needed more control over scale, symmetry, and repeatability.

Arm Sketch

Early drawing or design sketch of the arm armor.

Epoxy Armor

Scratch-built epoxy or putty arm armor.

Test Fit

Arm armor mounted onto the frame for proportion testing.

4. Traditional Art and Sculpting Background

Before Faelestial Gundam became a digital project, I had already developed physical art skills through ceramics and sculpting. In advanced ceramics, I made Gundam-inspired work including a Unicorn Gundam head sculpture and a decorative bowl with a Gundam figure integrated into the lid.

Those projects helped me develop spatial awareness, hand sculpting ability, and a stronger sense of form. Ceramics also taught me that an object needs to work from every viewing angle. A design can look good from the front, but if the side or top view is weak, the whole object feels unfinished.

Although I later chose mechanical engineering as my academic path, the art foundation stayed with me. Faelestial Gundam became the project where both sides connected: physical sculpture, engineering logic, fabrication, digital modeling, and visual storytelling.

Unicorn Gundam Ceramic Head

Ceramic Gundam head sculpture or related class project.

Gundam Forest Bowl

Decorative ceramics project with Gundam-inspired form.

Ceramics Work

Additional sculpture, class display, or art award photo.

5. Silicone Mold and Resin Casting Era

After creating hand-built armor parts, I began experimenting with silicone molds and resin casting. The goal was to replicate custom parts more consistently, especially the arm armor and spine components.

The first attempts were not successful. Some resin copies trapped air bubbles, lost detail, or did not fill completely. Instead of treating those failures as the end of the process, I used them to understand what the mold needed: better venting, better flow paths, and a cleaner way for trapped air to escape.

Once I improved the mold design, the results became much better. I was able to create usable resin copies of custom parts. This stage taught me the difference between a handmade prototype and a repeatable fabrication process.

The mold era was important because it gave me early hands-on experience with manufacturing thinking. I had to think about part geometry, material behavior, air flow, curing, cleanup, and repeatability. Those lessons later carried into 3D printing and digital fabrication.

Silicone Mold

Mold setup used to duplicate scratch-built parts.

Failed Casting

Early casting issue with air bubbles or incomplete fill.

Successful Copy

Improved resin copy after adjusting the mold process.

Spine Copy

Resin copy of a spine or internal frame component.

6. First Joint Integration

After producing resin armor pieces, I began testing how to integrate them with existing Gunpla joints. I experimented with different joint systems, including parts from 00 Gundam kits, to see which joints could support the custom armor while still allowing useful articulation.

This stage was about combining handmade parts with existing mechanical systems. The parts needed to connect securely, move correctly, and maintain the visual proportions of the design. Even when a joint worked mechanically, the appearance still had to match the overall silhouette.

I eventually created a working arm assembly, but the proportions were not fully resolved. The armor was too short in some areas, and I attempted to compensate with larger wrist and hand elements. The result was functional, but the design still felt visually unbalanced.

That limitation became the reason I moved toward digital modeling. I needed a workflow where I could freely scale, stretch, revise, and mirror parts before committing to a physical version.

Joint Test

Testing existing Gunpla joints with custom resin armor.

Working Arm Assembly

First functional version of the custom arm assembly.

Proportion Test

A test showing what needed to be revised in the arm design.

7. Learning Blender

The limitations of physical scratch building led me to Blender. I wanted the ability to adjust scale, length, curvature, symmetry, and fit before making real parts. At first, 3D modeling felt intimidating because I had not learned it through a formal class.

I considered hiring someone to model the parts, but I knew the design was very specific. I needed to be able to make small decisions myself: how long an armor piece should be, how sharp an edge should feel, how a curve should flow into the next surface, and how the part should fit into the larger body.

Because Blender was free, I downloaded it and began learning through tutorials, experimentation, and repeated failed attempts. Some beginner tutorials were not useful for mechanical design, so I focused on hard-surface modeling workflows that were closer to what I needed.

My early models were difficult to edit because I used far too many vertices. At the time, I thought high vertex count automatically meant a smoother and better model. Over time, I learned that clean topology, controlled surfaces, and intentional edge definition were much more important.

This stage was frustrating, but it was also where the project began accelerating. Once I understood enough Blender to control the design myself, Faelestial Gundam was no longer limited by what I could sculpt by hand.

First Blender Hand

Early attempt at modeling a mechanical hand or armor part.

Early Digital Armor

First hard-surface armor experiments in Blender.

Blender Workspace

Screenshot of the Blender workspace during development.

8. Curve-Based Modeling Breakthrough

While learning Blender, I discovered a curve-based modeling workflow that dramatically changed the way I approached mechanical design.

One of my biggest challenges was translating sketches into clean 3D surfaces. I could draw shapes from multiple views, but converting those drawings into smooth geometry manually was difficult and time-consuming.

Curve-based modeling provided a solution. Instead of manually positioning every vertex, I could define the shape using curves and allow the software to generate the surface. This made it possible to iterate much faster and focus on design instead of constantly fighting geometry.

The first results were not perfect. Surface seams and topology issues still needed refinement. However, the workflow allowed me to create forms that were much closer to the original concept sketches.

This stage also taught me the difference between visual smoothing and real geometry. Learning about subdivision, edge control, and surface continuity became essential skills that improved every later version of Faelestial Gundam.

First Curve Model

Early successful curve-based armor model.

Refined Surface

Improved surface quality after workflow refinement.

Design Process

Curves used to generate complex mechanical surfaces.

9. First 3D Printing Tests

Once digital models existed, the next challenge was turning them into physical objects.

At the time, I primarily had access to FDM printers. These printers were useful for testing proportions and large shapes, but they struggled with the small details needed for custom Gundam armor.

The first prints revealed an important lesson. Models that looked smooth inside Blender were not always smooth when exported and printed. Surface preparation, subdivision, and print-ready geometry all became important considerations.

Through repeated testing, I learned how digital geometry translates into real objects. This experience became a bridge between modeling and manufacturing.

FDM Test Print

Early print compared against a Gunpla kit.

Surface Issue

Example showing low-poly geometry becoming visible.

Improved Print

Later print with improved geometry preparation.

10. Resin Printer Era

A major turning point came when I gained access to resin printing.

Compared to FDM printing, resin technology allowed significantly higher detail, smoother surfaces, and far greater precision. Small panel lines, armor details, mounting features, and custom mechanical parts became practical to manufacture.

This transformed the project. Instead of adapting designs around manufacturing limitations, I could focus on creating the parts exactly as I envisioned them.

The transition from hand-built components to digitally designed and resin printed components dramatically accelerated development. Parts became cleaner, more consistent, and easier to iterate.

At this stage, Faelestial Gundam evolved from a custom build into a complete design and fabrication project.

Resin Printer

Primary resin printer used during development.

Printed Armor

Custom armor components manufactured through resin printing.

Head Development

Original head design printed and assembled.

Torso Components

Custom torso and structural armor sections.

Head Concept Art

Early concept direction for the custom head design.

Initial Resin Build

First assembled form after early resin printed components.

End of Summer Build

Intermediate build state before returning to UC Merced.

Pre-Mk I Transition

Final development stage before completing the Mk I version.

11. Faelestial Gundam Mk-I

By late 2023 and early 2024, enough components had been modeled and fabricated to create the first complete version of Faelestial Gundam.

This version represented years of experimentation across physical fabrication, digital design, and manufacturing.

The Mk-I incorporated custom armor, an original head design, redesigned body proportions, and many of the visual themes that would define the project going forward.

For the first time, I was able to create renders, blueprint-style imagery, and full-body visualizations that matched the machine I had imagined for years.

The Mk-I successfully proved that the core concept worked. However, studying the physical model and renders revealed areas that still needed improvement.

Rather than treating the project as finished, I treated Mk-I as a prototype that would guide the next stage of development.

Mk-I Render

Full body render of the Mk-I design.

Mk-I Physical Build

Resin printed version of the Mk-I design.

Mk-I Head

Original head design.

Blueprint View

Technical style presentation render.

12. Faelestial Gundam Mk-II Redesign

After reviewing the Mk-I prototype, I began redesigning the project to better match the original vision.

Several areas were revisited, especially the head design, lower leg structure, overall silhouette, and visual balance.

The Mk-II redesign focused on improving identity. The goal was not to completely replace the earlier version, but to preserve its strengths while addressing areas that could be improved.

The lower legs received additional structure and mass, helping balance the body more effectively. New thruster elements and revised armor shapes created a stronger silhouette from multiple viewing angles.

The head redesign became one of the most important improvements. It established a clearer visual identity and brought together many of the influences that had inspired the project from the beginning.

The Mk-II phase demonstrated something important about long-term design work: the first successful version is not always the final version. Iteration, evaluation, and refinement are essential parts of the engineering and creative process.

Head Redesign Sketches

Early silhouette and form exploration.

Low-Poly Head Models

Initial blockouts used to refine proportions.

Head Test Prints

Physical prototypes for testing scale and fit.

Final Head Version

Completed Mk-II head design.

Leg Redesign Process

Development images for the revised legs.

Mk-II Line Art

Original concept line art by me.

Mk-II Full Render

Final rendered presentation of the Mk-II.

Mk-I vs Mk-II

Direct comparison highlighting the evolution from the original Mk-I to the redesigned Mk-II.

13. UC Merced, Research, and Engineering Applications

As Faelestial Gundam continued to evolve, the skills developed through the project began supporting academic and engineering work.

During my time at the University of California, Merced, I worked on research, engineering visualization, fabrication projects, and mechanical design tasks. The experience of creating custom parts, solving fabrication challenges, and learning Blender independently translated surprisingly well into engineering problem solving.

Many engineering projects require the ability to visualize systems before they exist physically. Through years of design work, I became comfortable creating 3D models, concept visualizations, assembly ideas, and design iterations long before a physical prototype existed.

The same mindset that drove Faelestial Gundam also helped with engineering projects: define a problem, build a solution, test it, learn from the result, and improve the next version.

Bicopter Project

Engineering research and development work.

Research Visualization

Using 3D tools to communicate engineering concepts.

Capstone Development

Engineering design and project work.

14. Japan and Portfolio Development

In 2026, I traveled to Japan while continuing to develop both my engineering portfolio and Faelestial Gundam project.

The trip became an opportunity to present my work, explore career paths, and gain a better understanding of industries related to robotics, entertainment design, manufacturing, and engineering.

By this stage, Faelestial Gundam had become more than a personal hobby. It had grown into a portfolio project demonstrating fabrication, modeling, design, visualization, and long-term project management skills.

Seeing the project from a professional perspective helped me realize how much technical experience had accumulated through its development.

Japan Trip

Travel and portfolio development.

Portfolio Presentation

Presenting project work and design concepts.

Tokyo

Exploring opportunities and inspiration.

15. Character Development and Creative Collaboration

As the project expanded beyond physical fabrication and design, storytelling became a larger part of the creative process.

During the animation phase, I incorporated a co-pilot character based on Rika, who served as a visual reference and creative inspiration for portions of the project.

The addition of a second pilot changed the way I thought about cockpit layouts, character interactions, animation scenes, and story structure. It encouraged me to think beyond the mechanical design itself and consider how people would interact with the machine.

This marked the point where Faelestial Gundam became both a design project and a worldbuilding project.

Character Reference

Visual inspiration and design reference.

Dual Cockpit Concept

Two-seat cockpit developed for animation and storytelling.

Creative Inspiration

Photos and experiences that influenced story development.

16. Pause, Reflection, and Redesign

After several years of development, the project reached a natural pause.

Graduation, engineering work, research activities, portfolio development, and major life transitions all competed for time and attention.

Rather than forcing development forward, I stepped away from the project for a period and allowed myself time to reflect on earlier design decisions.

Looking back at the project with fresh eyes made it easier to identify areas that could be improved. Ideas that once seemed complete could now be refined, simplified, or redesigned.

The pause ultimately became valuable because it created enough distance to view the project objectively.

Project Storage

Parts, prototypes, and previous versions.

Earlier Design

Previous version before redesign.

Updated Design

Redesign work after returning to the project.

17. Film and Animation Project

One of the most ambitious parts of the project involved creating a short animated story using Faelestial Gundam.

The goal was to combine character animation, mechanical design, environment creation, visual effects, and cinematic storytelling into a single project.

The story follows Kenneth and Rika responding to a mobile suit attack within a large city. The sequence provided an opportunity to visualize the dual cockpit concept, mobile suit combat, environmental destruction, and character interaction.

For the first time, the project brought together nearly every skill developed over the years: modeling, rendering, animation, worldbuilding, visual design, and storytelling.

Cockpit sequence and character interaction.

Mobile suit combat animation.

Opening Scene

Tokyo apartment environment.

Rooftop Investigation

Discovering the attack.

Final Scene

Ending shot of the animation project.

18. Future Development

Faelestial Gundam remains an active long-term project.

Future development plans include additional redesign work, updated fabrication methods, expanded animation sequences, improved rendering workflows, and more complete technical documentation.

The project has evolved significantly from its original form, but the core goal remains the same: create an original mobile suit that combines engineering thinking, artistic design, fabrication, and storytelling into a single body of work.

What began as a custom Gundam modification eventually became a personal archive documenting years of growth in design, fabrication, engineering visualization, and creative problem solving.