Having already built this model before writing this post, I can confidently say that the following things are true:
- This model has great part separation
- The parts themselves are largely lacking in surface detail
Normally this wouldn’t be a problem. The part separation in and of itself should create a lot of interesting details to look at. But that’s not really the case here. The pieces are so flat and angular that they run the risk of running together.
What to do then? In this case, I decided to use a bit of silver weathering compound along the corners, and then brushed an even smaller amount across each body part once assembled. I figured it would add a little bit of extra texture, as well as give the model the illusion of very minor weathering (as if its paint is very slowly starting to flake off).
In retrospect, I’m not sure it was a great idea. The silver compound reflects light, and that made it difficult to get good photos (at least with my smartphone). Without getting ahead of myself, I had to futz around with the settings on my mirrorless camera in ways I’ve never had to before.
But we’ll get to that later. For now, let’s start from the bottom and work our way up.
Feet
I could have sworn I took photos of the feet during the build, but I can’t find any.
It’s not a huge loss though - the feet both resemble and are assembled like the wide, long, sledlike feet that you’ll find on most GMs. If you’ve read any of my GM builds, then you pretty much know how these are assembled.
Detail-wise, there is some nice detail on the bottom, but the tops are square and flat:
Copper Paint
The feet are the first of many body parts that I touched up with a copper paint I have named “Antique Copper”. I’ve been falling in love with it ever since I bought it a few months back - I think I’ve used it in the last two or three builds at the very least.That being said, I don’t think it paired as well with those other models as it does here. It fits perfectly with the dark blues of the Jesta, and while it’s not quite the same color as the mobile suit’s visor, it’s at least in the same neighborhood.
Legs
This might be the most complicated part of the build.
First you build the “normal” section of the leg:
Then you add on an extra layer of shin armor (which is made of two pieces:
Next you add the side mounted grenade rack (which is made of four pieces):
And don’t forget this little thruster section in the back:
And then we’re done!
It’s all quite intricate for a High Grade, though a little bit of shading makes it look even better. I also had to paint a few spots, namely two small crevices in the front, and the thruster in the back.
In terms of visual design, I like how chunky these are. They’re a far cry from the narrow, celery-stalk legs of a GM.
Differences with standard Jesta
While I don’t have a standard Jesta to compare with, here is what I think is different between the legs:
- The rack of grenades is replaced with a flat panel
- The extra grey armor on the shins is not present
Extra Piece Count
I figured I might as well document all the extra pieces we get from the standard Jesta, section by section. Regarding the legs, the only extra piece we get is this piece of shin armor:
The Jesta Cannon has this same piece of armor, but with holes in it so that the extra grey armor can plug in. The fact that we only have one piece of this flush variant is one of the main reasons why we cannot convert this model kit into a standard Jesta.
Lower Torso
The “inner frame” of the lower torso is massive, presumably because of the sheer size of the Jesta’s body:
Once again we get some nice part separation. You get some in the skirt-mounted grenade racks (again), as well as the front skirt armor. These rectangular, light blue “cutouts” at the bottom of each front skirt are made out of separate pieces (though I did paint the inside of them black).
However, a similar design on the rear skirt amor does need to be painted:
I guess that’s the right call to make, considering how less likely it is that anyone will be viewing the back of the model.
Here is the lower torso fully assembled:
It definitely has the same vibe as the legs, what with also having grey armor plating and having even more grenades.
One last thing - you can swap one of the grenade racks with a holster for the beam saber:
Differences with the standard Jesta
- The grenade racks are a different color.
- The front skirts lack the extra, grey armor plating.
Extra Piece Count
We get the alternate front skirt armor, as well as the pieces to create one of the grenade racks.
Also pictured in this photo is one of the side panels that goes on the legs. I didn't quite realize what it was until after the fact. Woops!
Conclusion
At this point in the build I was impressed by just how little detailing was necessary for the body. Between the decals and the part separation, most of the work is already done for you. I’m not going to go so far as to say this feels like a Real Grade model or anything, but it is impressive for a High Grade nonetheless.