Painting the HG Hashmal: Part 3 of the Custom Gunpla Build Series

TL;DR: This third part of the HG Hashmal Custom Gunpla Build Series focuses on painting the kit after seam line removal and custom scribing. The goal was not to completely redesign the HG Hashmal, but to refine the existing colours, add subtle tonal variation, improve armour separation, and make the Mobile Armour feel more realistic, mechanical, and display-ready before the final detailing stage.

After seam line removal and scribing were complete, the HG Hashmal had already started to feel like something more than a straight build.

The surface was cleaner, the armour looked sharper, and the newly created panel lines gave the design far more structure. What began as a standard High Grade kit was starting to feel more intentional, more detailed, and more personal.

But this was the stage where the build would truly come to life.

Painting is where a Gunpla kit stops looking like coloured plastic and starts becoming a finished display piece. It is where tone, depth, and personality begin to show. For this HG Hashmal custom build, the goal was never to completely redesign the kit or push it into heavy weathering. Instead, the aim was to refine what was already there.

The original identity of the Hashmal still needed to remain intact.

The focus was subtle colour changes, soft shading, and cleaner detail separation. These choices helped make the Mobile Armour feel more realistic, more mechanical, and more worthy of display while still respecting the design from Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.

Refining the Red Armour Sections

The first focus was the red armour.

Straight out of the box, the red on the HG Hashmal looks bold and eye-catching, but it can also feel a little too bright and clean for the kind of presence the Hashmal has. It looks good as a model kit, but it still carries that unmistakable coloured plastic feel.

For this custom build, I wanted the red to feel more mature.

The aim was not to change the colour completely, but to soften the tone and give it a smoother, more refined finish. By slightly adjusting the red armour sections, the overall mood of the build started to shift.

The red still drew attention, but it no longer dominated the kit.

Instead, it became part of the overall balance. It helped keep the Hashmal’s aggressive look while making the finish feel more controlled and less toy-like.

This is one of the most effective parts of painting Gunpla. Even small changes to the original colour scheme can make a kit feel more premium without making it look like a completely different machine.

Painting White Armour Without Losing the Clean Look

The white armour was the real challenge.

White is one of the hardest colours to work with because it shows everything. Too much shading and the armour can start to look dirty. Too little shading and the surface can feel flat and lifeless.

The HG Hashmal relies heavily on large white armour sections, especially across the wings and body, so getting this balance right was critical.

The goal was subtle tonal variation.

Rather than using harsh contrast, I focused on soft shading and gentle transitions that would create depth without losing the clean aesthetic. I wanted the armour to feel like layered mechanical plating rather than flat plastic surfaces.

This is where restraint matters most.

It is easy to keep adding more shading, more contrast, and more visible detail. But with a design like the Hashmal, the best finish often comes from knowing when to stop. The shading needed to support the shape of the armour, not overpower it.

When done carefully, white armour can still look clean while having much more depth than bare plastic.

Adding Contrast with Grey and Brown Details

The darker grey and brown accents became just as important as the main armour colours.

Areas around vents, joints, and inner frame sections needed stronger contrast to separate them from the white and red armour. These smaller painted details are often easy to overlook, but they play a major role in the final result.

Without them, everything can start to blend together.

With them, the machine starts to feel believable.

The frame feels like it supports real weight. The vents look more functional instead of purely decorative. The armour plates feel like they sit over an actual mechanical structure rather than being simple outer shells.

These smaller details helped give the HG Hashmal more visual depth.

They also made the larger armour sections stand out more clearly. Instead of relying only on the main colour changes, the darker accent areas helped guide the eye across the model and break up the overall shape.

How Paint Changed the HG Hashmal Wings

The wings showed the biggest transformation during painting.

Because of their size, every small adjustment had a major impact. The HG Hashmal’s wings are one of the kit’s most recognisable features, and they play a huge role in making the Mobile Armour feel massive.

In the previous stage, the added panel lines helped break up the large smooth surfaces.

Once paint was added, those scribed details became even more effective.

The combination of cleaner paint separation, subtle shading, and added panel detail made the wings feel far more complex. What had once been broad, plain surfaces now looked more layered, engineered, and purposeful.

The wings are what give the HG Hashmal so much presence.

Once the paint brought those details forward, the entire silhouette became stronger. The kit no longer felt like a simple High Grade with large parts. It started to feel like a much more complete custom project.

Trusting the Painting Process

This is also the stage where confidence matters.

There is almost always a point during painting where the kit looks unfinished, awkward, and sometimes even worse than before. Colours are still mid-process, details feel disconnected, and it can be hard to trust the direction of the build.

That moment happens on almost every custom Gunpla project.

The key is pushing through it.

Eventually, the colours begin to connect. The tones balance out, the shapes sharpen, and the details start working together. What felt uncertain during the middle of the process suddenly starts to make sense.

That moment happened with the HG Hashmal during the final armour sections.

Once the wings, legs, and body all came together under the same finish, the transformation became clear. The surface work from the previous stage finally had the paint finish it needed. The colours felt more balanced, the armour felt more detailed, and the whole kit looked more cohesive.

It no longer looked like an upgraded High Grade.

It looked like a display piece.

Why Painting Was the Turning Point

Painting was the point where this HG Hashmal custom build really changed.

The straight build showed the strength of the original kit. The seam line removal and scribing stage cleaned up the surface and added new mechanical detail. But painting brought everything together.

The red armour became more refined.

The white armour gained depth without losing its clean look.

The darker details helped separate the frame, vents, and mechanical areas from the main armour.

Most importantly, the whole kit started to feel like one complete design rather than a collection of individual upgrades.

That is always one of the most rewarding moments in a custom Gunpla build. Not necessarily when the project is finished, but when you realise it is becoming what you imagined at the start.

For me, that is what custom Gunpla is really about.

Not perfection.

Not competition.

But taking a kit you love and pushing it closer to the version you see in your head.

For the HG Hashmal, painting was that turning point.

Key Takeaways

• Painting helped transform the HG Hashmal from a refined custom build into a more complete display piece.

• The red armour was adjusted to feel more mature, less toy-like, and better balanced with the rest of the kit.

• The white armour needed subtle shading to create depth without making the model look too dirty or overworked.

• Grey and brown details helped separate vents, joints, and mechanical sections from the main armour.

• The wings showed the biggest transformation because the added scribing became much more visible once painted.

• Restraint was important throughout the painting process. The goal was to enhance the HG Hashmal’s original design, not cover it with unnecessary changes.

FAQs About Painting the HG Hashmal

Why paint the HG Hashmal instead of leaving it as a straight build?

The HG Hashmal already has a strong design, but painting helps reduce the plastic look and gives the kit more depth, realism, and display presence. Even subtle colour changes can make the model feel more premium.

Do you need to completely change the colours when custom painting Gunpla?

No. A custom paint job does not always need a full colour redesign. For this HG Hashmal build, the goal was to refine the existing colour scheme rather than replace it. Small tonal changes can still create a major improvement.

Why is white armour difficult to paint?

White armour can be challenging because it shows imperfections easily. Too much shading can make it look dirty, while too little shading can make it look flat. The best approach is usually soft, controlled tonal variation.

How do darker accent colours improve a Gunpla build?

Darker accent colours help separate armour panels, vents, joints, and inner frame sections. This creates stronger visual contrast and makes the model feel more mechanical and believable.

Why were the HG Hashmal wings important during painting?

The wings are one of the largest and most recognisable parts of the HG Hashmal. Because they have so much surface area, subtle paint changes and scribed panel lines have a major impact on the final look.

Should beginner Gunpla builders try shading?

Yes, but it is best to start subtle. Soft shading can add depth without overwhelming the kit. Practising on spare parts or less visible sections first can help build confidence.

What makes a Gunpla paint job look more realistic?

A realistic Gunpla paint job usually comes from balance. Clean colour separation, subtle shading, careful contrast, and small mechanical details all help make the kit feel less like plastic and more like a finished model.

Is restraint important when painting Gunpla?

Yes. Adding too much shading, contrast, or detail can make a build look overworked. Sometimes the strongest result comes from knowing when to stop and letting the original design remain visible.

Final Thoughts

The painting stage was where the HG Hashmal custom build truly started to come together.

After seam line removal and scribing, the kit already looked cleaner and sharper. But paint added the tone, depth, and finish that made those earlier upgrades stand out. The red armour felt more refined, the white armour gained subtle depth, and the darker mechanical details helped separate the different sections of the build.

The biggest transformation came from the wings.

With the added scribed detail and cleaner paint separation, they became far more layered and visually interesting. The HG Hashmal’s silhouette was already strong, but painting gave it the presence it needed to feel like a finished display piece.

• Read Part 1: HG Hashmal Straight Build Review to see where this custom Gunpla project started.

• Read Part 2: HG Hashmal Seam Line Removal and Scribing to see how the surface work prepared the kit for painting.

In the final blog, I’ll cover the finishing touches, including panel lining, final highlights, decals, and the small details that pushed this HG Hashmal custom build from great to complete.

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