Reddit mentions of Krylon K05353007 ColorMaster Acrylic Crystal Clear, Flat, Clear, 11 oz.

First off, Welcome to /r/Gunpla and the plastic crack hobby


A few simple things that I think can help make a kit pop for cheap are

1.) Panel lining- basically just drawing in those recessed grooves that are all over. It gives depth and brings out details. The ones i use are like this. Brown for reddish colors, grey for light, and black for darker plastic. Usually $2-4 per marker depending on how you buy em

2.) Nub removal- there are tons of resources for how to do this "properly" and everyone finds their own way. The general consensus is first cut about halfway between the runner (the rounded pipe like stuff that all the parts come in) and the gate (where the runner narrows down and connect to the piece you are actually using).
Then using an exacto knife cut that remaining little bit off and buff the rest with high grit sandpaper 500 or higher works well. Its ok to be a little bit sloppy here because...

3.) Top coat- This stuff will coat the model and make all those sand marks go away. It also makes the model look less "plasticy" and more like the "real" thing. There are primarily 3 types: Matte/flat which is not shiny at all like a military vehicle would be, gloss which is very shiny like a sports car, and satin which is somewhere in between. I prefer matte lke this. Just pop the arms and legs off and spray.


From there you can get into the deeper stuff if you are so inclined such as painting, modding and scratch building. There are plenty of great resources here such as the sidebar guide or falldog's guide which is how I learned.

Sorry for the long post but,

Happy Building!

Special thanks to u/jack2game for the waterslide decal inspiration and tips.

Decal paper (Clear backing, for inkjet printers)

Krylon Topcoat Spray, Clear (Not currently pictured, as these are still drying. I did a test run though and it REALLY takes down the shiny “sticker” look, as well as smooths out all the edges so you don’t feel it beneath your fingers. It also adds a slightly rougher finish, that feels more similar to PBT than smooth ABS.)

Like any hobby the initial cost to start will always be high. You may be tempted to buy cheaper tools but whats the point if you plan on building Gunpla for a while and will end up replacing them. If you only want to build 1-2 kits then you can get away with 2 dollar clippers and a box cutter but it won't give you good results.

Despite the cost these are still the tools I recommend that EVERY Gunpla owner who doesn't plan on painting their kits purchase

A) Tamiya 74035 Sharp pointed side cutters, worth every penny

B) Xuron 410 Side Cutters, very durable at an affordable cost

C) X-Acto X3000, Comfort rubber grip, comes with 2 blades

D) 3 Fine tipped Gundam Markers, Black, Grey and Brown

E) Krylon Acrylic Flat Coat, large can for only $5-6


And that's it.

1. Use the Xuron side cutters to cut the part off the runner. Cut on the fat part (the runner) not the thin part next to the part (the gate). This will decrease the stress on the plastic and will maintain the sharp blade on your more expensive Tamiya side cutters.
   
   2)Use the Tamiya cutters to cut the remaining nub, with practice you can get it practically flush to the part.
   
   
   3)Clean up the nub with a hobby knife. You don't need sandpaper or a file if you did the steps above correctly and the flat coat will mask any scratches.
   
   4)Use the Gundam markers for lining
   
   
2. Apply your sticker (peel one of the corners and then "scoop" and apply it using the hobby knife, no tweezer needed).
   
   6)Finally finish with a top coat
   
   Total cost with amazon prime is $65. Yes the Initial cost is high but the tools above will last you for 20+ kits (you will need to buy more blades and flat coat). If you really can't afford that you can save up for the Tamiya sharp pointed side cutters and use the Xurons in the mean time (you will have more work to do).
   
   So $38-65 initial investment to me is really not that expensive
   

Its all about putting on a coat or 2 of clear acrylic spray paint after painting (like this kind). Another good thing to do is to sand it down with 400 grit or higher sandpaper before painting if you're painting the entire body.

If you're painting a model kit, try your best to acquire paints and topcoats specifically for plastic/plastic models. If you're in the US, Testors, Tamiya, and even Krylon can work as good flat coats and each brand has a respective gloss and semigloss spray.

I'm based out of the US so I don't know what brands are available to you. I've used two brands:

Krylon: I bought a big can like this from a local hardware store for about 3 USD. It does an okay job. It's a sort of flat finish but there's still a touch of shine to it. For bulk spraying it seems like a good deal but it's not the most beautiful finish. I assume most of the clear flat/matte sprays will be roughly this quality. One of these has lasted me through like 4 or 5 HG kits so far.

Testors: I bought some of this from a local hobby shop for about 5 USD per can. It's a lot less spray for a bit more money but the finish on this was great. One of these seems to do one or two HG kits.

I've never tried it, but maybe you can use Clear Matte paint. I've used it for paper, so it'll probably work with card stock.

I've had my copy for like 5 years, and it doesn't show much wear..

Sorry, I wandered off. That link is more glossy, I like the gloss finish personally, but for a flat coat you want something more like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001C42OXY

These markers are the best (in my opinion) for panel lining without paint.

http://www.amazon.com/Uni-Pin-Technical-Fineliner-Assorted/dp/B00F38T9C4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451351956&sr=8-1&keywords=unipin+fineliner

Since you don't want to paint yet, I'd suggest simply doing your best with removing nub marks with some sanding sticks.

http://www.amazon.com/Squadron-Products-Value-Sanding-Stick/dp/B000CDR5K8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451352159&sr=8-2&keywords=sanding+sticks

and buffing blocks

http://www.amazon.com/Shiner-Buffer-Sanding-Manicure-Product/dp/B00GOIKKCA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451352223&sr=8-1&keywords=nail+buffing+block

In the future when you are ready, try out a flat topcoat. It can even be used after the entire model is put together and makes the model look less like a toy.

http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-53530-Acrylic-Interior-Exterior/dp/B001C42OXY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451352349&sr=8-1&keywords=flat+top+coat

I hear this is good:

Krylon 53530 Flat Acrylic Crystal Clear


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C42OXY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3V9RXJZXB2E25&coliid=I2YG2ZWFETWUWO&psc=1

or should i even consider these generic brand..I just searched for acrylic top coat flat.

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https://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K05353007-ColorMaster-Acrylic-Crystal/dp/B001C42OXY

https://www.amazon.com/Aleenes-Spray-Finish-Acrylic-Sealer/dp/B003W0BZHC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Matte+Clear+Acrylic+Coating+Spray+Paint&qid=1568356454&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Wisix above is in the right direction. Additionally, get some painter's tape to cover parts you don't want painted (like eyelenses). After you put two coats of gloss black paint over the helmet, apply two coats of clear coat gloss for that Vader shine!

I used to use this a lot for Matte finishes. I could usually find it at my local hardware store for $5-6