Transforming an AK74U Toy Gel Blaster into a Lifelike Movie Prop on a Budget
Every military enthusiast dreams of having a perfectly replicated firearm, and the AK74U has always been my favorite. As a member of team Triggertoy, today I'm going to share in detail how I transformed an AK74U toy Gel Blaster into a prop that looks as if it had stepped right out of a movie, using just a few bottles of paint.
The JINGMING 12 Model AK74U gel blaster on Triggertoy.com offers remarkable cost - effectiveness. It not only comes at an affordable price but also has a high level of accuracy in replicating the appearance and structure of the real AK74U. As a prop & toy gun fun, the excitement was palpable when I laid eyes on such an affordable yet high - quality AK toy gun. Without further ado, it's time to unbox and start the transformation journey.
Disassembly Preparation
The split - type structure of this gun makes the disassembly process relatively simple. First, gently knock out the pins using the appropriate tools and carefully remove the gear box. Then, disassemble movable parts such as the switch selector one by one. Although these parts are small, they are crucial for the subsequent assembly.
Therefore, the gear box and screws should be stored separately and properly. As for the outer shell parts, to ensure a good painting effect, soak them all in soapy water to thoroughly clean off the surface oil. Oil residue can severely affect the adhesion of the paint.
Painting of Some Components
The transformation begins with the relatively simple parts like the magazine and grip. I chose the red - brown paint from Sanhe. The red - brown color of Sanhe is highly similar to that of the real gun's corresponding parts, adding a touch of authenticity to the toy gun. During the painting process, follow the principle of applying thin coats in small amounts multiple times. This ensures an even color coverage and avoids issues such as uneven coloring or overly thick paint. After spraying, place the parts in a well - ventilated area to dry.
The painting of the handguard is a bit more complex. Two colors, walnut brown and red - brown, were used. I can't quite remember the brand of the walnut - colored paint, but it's easily available on Amazon. First, spray a layer of red - brown paint evenly as a base coat, laying the foundation for the subsequent color layering. Then, apply the walnut - colored paint to create the basic tone of the handguard. Finally, spray a small amount of red - brown paint again to further deepen the color and enhance the texture. After the color is completely dry, spray a layer of matte oil from Sanhe to add a smooth and refined touch to the surface. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures during the process of spraying the matte oil. The pictures show the handguard before the matte oil was applied.
Simulating Wood Fiber Texture
To make the handguard more realistically resemble wood, prepare some acrylic paints of specific colors (where I used BURNT SIENNA 684, BURNT UMBER 687, RAW UMBER 688, BLACK 793) and mix them. Blend the paints into a shade similar to the natural color of wood. Then, use a brush to touch - brush the paint onto the handguard. When touch - brushing, be careful not to load too much paint on the brush, and there's no need to dilute the paint. Dip a little paint on the brush, wipe off some of the excess on another surface, and then gently sweep it across the handguard. This technique can skillfully simulate the wood fiber texture.
After that, use black and other dark - colored paints to gently dot on the handguard to create the effect of wood grain. So far, the painting process of the handguard is temporarily complete.
Painting the Gun Body
First, use the black spray paint from Sanhe to prime the gun body. When painting objects with a metallic finish, a black base coat is an excellent choice. It can effectively enhance the metallic color, especially silver, making the metallic texture more prominent. Additionally, the plastic shell of the water - bead gun is not extremely smooth and delicate. Applying model paint directly on the plastic shell may result in poor adhesion. Therefore, it's quite necessary to spray a layer of black paint as a base.
After the black base coat is completely dry, use the gun iron - colored paint from Xingying and apply it carefully to the gun body with an airbrush to create the initial metallic texture. On the edges and raised parts of the gun body, lightly spray a bit of dark stainless - steel color with the airbrush to highlight the three - dimensional effect. In the recessed areas, spray a thin layer of black paint to enhance the contrast between light and shadow, making the gun body look more realistic.
To create the effect on muzzle, spray a thin layer of transparent blue paint on it. Although it's just a light layer, it adds a lot of detail and authenticity to the entire gun.
After the above painting steps are completed, dry - brush the gun body with stainless - steel - colored paint. Apply the paint with a moderate force to simulate the wear and tear of the gun during long - term use, giving the prop a sense of age.
Detail Adjustment and Overall Protection
After the gun body is painted, some detail adjustments are needed for the handguard. Use the transparent yellow paint from Xingying to fine - tune the handguard's color by adjusting the spraying angle and amount, making it more harmonious with the overall look of the gun body. At the same time, spray a little black paint in the recessed areas of the handguard to further emphasize the contrast and enrich the handguard's layers.
The bottom part of the magazine can be removed and also painted with metallic colors and dry - brushed to match the overall style.
When all the painting work is completed, to protect the hard - won paint job and prevent the paint from being scratched during subsequent use, use a matte oil spray can from Sanhe to evenly apply a protective layer to the entire gun. After this protective layer is completely dry, reinstall the previously removed gear box and then assemble all the small parts one by one.
At this point, the painting and modification of the JINGMING 12 are basically complete. By comparing the before and after pictures, it's clear that even a plastic - made toy gun can showcase a realistic wood grain and metallic texture through careful painting and treatment, making it look like a real gun fresh from the battlefield.
A simple and efficient painting job is done. All you need is a toy gun purchased from Triggertoy, along with a few bottles of paint from AMAZON. Then you can easily recreate a perfectly shaped AK74U that can also fire Gel Balls.