Optical modding: Find inspiration and get started!
The optical enhancement of blasters is one of the two core areas of the modding scene. In this series you will learn the basics and some tips and tricks.
In the beginning there is a stock blaster. What should the Blaster be used for? Why should it be optically modified? Some people just change the look of their Blaster for fun or because they find the original color scheme too boring. Some blasters have even been adapted to the usual color scheme of Nerf’s Elite line because the Zombie Strike look didn’t fit the Elite Blue collection. Some modders just paint on it and experiment with different colors and techniques. But many also have very specific visions. In many cases the blaster is supposed to fit to a costume, for example for larp or a cosplay. Historically, optical modding in Germany has its roots clearly in the field of live role-playing, for which blasters should look realistic. For use in sports, which is a growing field, another kind of paint jobs become more and more important. They’re usually going for a clear and bright look. However, it doesn’t matter how the Blaster should look in the end, the basics of craftsmanship are the across all styles.
So back to the question of where Blaster will be used later. This ought to have an impact on the characteristics of the Blaster: optics, functionality, volume, size, price, ammunition quantity, fire rate, and much more.
Usually you’ll already have a blaster and then consider how it can be adapted to your ideas. If you don’t have a Blaster yet and are still looking for one, I recommend my article on „The best Blaster for beginners“ and the shop category “ dartblasters“ on Blasterparts.com.
For the next step you should settle on the blaster and the style you want to go for. Now it’s time to look for some inspiration. Inspiration can of course also be the first step if you don’t have that much experience with blasters or don’t have an overview of the available models. Luckily we have the internet at our disposal these days so we can look for a few examples to see what other people have made of the Blaster. The following searchterms
Google image Search:
„Blaster name“ + „Paintjob“
„Blaster name“ + „Mod“
„Nerf paintjob“
Pinterest:
„Blaster name“ + „Mod“
Deviant Art:
„Blaster name“
Blasted.de:
„Blaster name“
After and during inspiration you have to decide if the blaster should stay as it is or if you want to change the shell. If you want the blaster to stay the way it is, you can proceed with coming up article 3. Optical modding: Blaster paint step by step. In case of extensive changes I recommend reading step 2. Optical Modding: Integrations, add-on parts, custom parts which will be released soon.
Author: SirScorp
You can find a variety of Blasters and modding parts on Blasterparts.com
