...from when I previously left off.

I've finally slapped some colour onto the Cyber chick which will eventually be a coloured prototype for mass production.

Cheers,

Calvin

Home Again!

Hi All,

after a long day at work, I finally managed to get my photos downloaded from my camera. In the midst of sorting them on my desktop, the memory of the fun and excitement during my stay in Madrid, Torrent and Barcelona were naturally rekindled and here as promised, are excerpts of my experience.

On Saturday morning 14 April, I together with Jose Polamares hitched a ride in Samuel's car to make our way to Torrent. Midway along a highway petrol stop, we linked up with armour modeller Filipe Moreno and his family to continue the second leg of the journey.


Entering Torrent

Upon arrival, Samuel and Jose had to get their entries registered while I placed my exhibits and the judges' display stand. Up for judging this year for the figure classes were Maurizio Bruno, Danilo Catacci, Luis Esteban LaGuardia, Jose Luis Muñoz Bataller, myself and a few other Spanish modellers whose names escape me for this moment.

As mentioned before, it was a fantastic experience to have judged the Masters' Painters' class with Luis. And after our official duties, it was time for lunch and for the first time I had Negro Arroz. (Rice cooked in squid ink) One word describes it: INCREDIBLE!!!!



After lunch, it was time to get around, meeting familiar faces, viewing the exhibits and attending a sculpting demonstration by Maurizio Bruno.





Maurizio Bruno, Danilo Catacci and me!

Dani Serrano, Me and Luis Esteban Laguardia.


Me and Per Olav's group


Jose Flores, Stefano, Alessandro, Me


Me and Alberto Bernal

As mentioned before, Jordi graced his presence to the AMT Show this year dressed as a MG-34 Gefreiter and together with his friends from his reenactment group in a newly restored Opel Blitz made the whole event event more spectacular.




Me and Jordi



Dinner with Mario Eens, Adam Wilder, Ian and Walter.


Croquettes with some fruity jam compliment in the plate center; washed down with a glass of Sangria. Simply divine...!

Breakfast at the Hotel Lido was fantastic, probably one of the best I've ever experienced! They have a juicer that provides a free flow of fresh orange juice (something that's very expensive in Singapore), a wide selection of toast, cold cuts... absolutely divine! No grease soaked bread here... ;-)



And now some pictures of my favorite works on display:

Enjoy!

Calvin



by Ruben Gonzales

Adam Wilder



by M.Bruno and D Catacci

by Julio Cabos

AMT Diary Day 6

Hola Todas,

as you can probably guess, two days of absence from the net will give you an good idea that I was throughly having a great time at the show. Today, I´m now writing this from Jaume´s PC. I´ve just finished reviewing the pictures of the Torrent show with Jaume and will be heading out soon to buy some Escoda brushes. Fue concouso estupendo! My salute to the organizing committee of the AMT 2007 for making it an all rounded success.
I had the pleasure to do the judging for the Masters' Painting class with Luis Esteban Laguardia. It was a tough job as there were so many good works to assess.
And following after, a very delicious lunch on Saturday of Bravas, Russo Ensalada and my first time Arroz Negro! (Rice made from squid ink or literally black rice)














Unfortunately for this year, the paella dinner was canceled due to bad weather and I had to arrange my own dinner. Truly in recent years, the Torrent show has been truly an international show boasting the attendance of many non-Spanish military modellers like Adam Wilder, Per Olaf, Mario Eens, Christophe Camilotte, Maurizio Bruno and Danilo Catachi just to name a few.

Heading out to buy some Escoda brushes now.

More pictures and text to follow......

Calvin

AMT 2007 Diary - Day 3

Hola Todos,

I finally had the typical tourists´breakfast of Chocolate y Porras ( similar to Churrillos but smaller but more oilly) .The weather started out really fine in the morning but turned into a down pour when we had lunch with Jordi Escares from Maquetas 113. There is was introduced to another typical Spanish delicacy call "Supertoastas" or rather a huge toast with condiments such as meat, vegetables and fish. Again, a very pleasant gastronomical experience apart from the usual tapas. Jordi informs me that he will be part of an ww2 Heers reenactment group that will host some activities and demonstrations on the grounds of the AMT show. Sounds really exciting hearing the way he described the program.

After lunch, Samuel headed back to his office. I wandered around the city centre of Madrid before meeting Rodrigo again to view a protrait exhibiton at the Thessyen gallery. Again another insightful experience with Rodrigo and I exchanging our observations and opinions about the works of contemporary masters.

As Rodrigo had a prior engagement, we had to end the evening early and bidding farewell, I made my way back to Samuel´s office where I´m helping him take the photos for the box art of Alpine Miniatures next release. It was a new record for him to complete the two figures with four heads in under one week. Below is Samuel putting on the final touches to the groundwork of a joint entry with Felipe Morreno at 3am in the morning! Notice one of the figures lying on the table.

I also managed to download some pictures from my camera. As promised, here´s a glimse of the figure painted in Samuel´s modelling studio in two days over approximately 10 hours in three sessions with paints sponsored by Samuel.

Below is a picture taken on the first day of arrival into Madrid with my figure displays for Torrent on Samuel´s table. Notice the Russian soldier in black primer in the centre of the picture.

And finally, a picture of Julio Cabos and me at the Andrea Miniatures studio.

Tommorrow will gonna be a long day!!

Calvin

AMT 2007 diary - Day 2

Hola Todos, 

slow day today with no touristy activities but rather usually, some bench time in Samuel´s small studio. Managed to paint a figure in 10 hours over four session spread over yesterday and today. Will post some pics as soon as I can retrieve them from my camera. As usual I had to wait for Samuel to knock off from his morning shift before making a visit to the Andrea Miniatures factory located along the outskirts of Madrid for an interview with Figures International Magazine. Weather was rather wet and when we arrived, we were immediately greeted by Julio Cabos, principal painter for Andrea Miniatures whose familiar works grace many of Andrea´s box art. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant which was quite nice. I enjoyed the grilled hake with mushrooms. After completing the interview and some shopping for some friends back home, we returned back to Samuel´s office where he has to continue with his work and I continued the final session of painting of the figure. We settled dinner at a nearby restaurant with some Ali-oli and a Four Seasons pizza before returning to the studio where Samuel had to continue painting the box art of the a new Alpine Miniatures release.

I on the other hand caught up with some email correspondence to my wife and some friends. We will go tomorrow to visit to a friend´s hobby shop and possibly to the art galleries with Rodrigo.

 Hasta Manana,

 Calvin 

AMT 2007 Diary - Day 1

Hola Todos! 

After a 15 hours of flying plus a two hour transit at Schiphol airport with a nerve wrecking episode of seeing my box of exhibits passing through a long security X-ray machine, I´ve finally arrived to Madrid. On hand at Barajas was Samuel Perez who kindly took time off to give me a ride to my hotel. After checking-in, we made a trip down to Samuel´s office where I waited for him to finish work at his office and it was off to the EuroModellisimo Studios to meet Rodrigo Chacon for lunch at 3pm. Yes! you heard me right lunch at 3pm! Spain is on a totally new planet where lunch starts at 2 and ends at 3pm. No wonder their dinners start at 9pm. Anyhow, after that Rodrigo and I headed down to the Museo del Prado to check out the Tintoretto exhibition. Really invigorating visual and insightful experience which will no doubt inspire my modelling. I´m now waiting for head off for dinner with Samuel and Rodrigo. Not sure where they will be heading be something tells me it´s gonna be good ol´fashion Spanish Tapas :) Hasta Luego! 

 Calvin

....and off to Spain!!!

Hi All,

I've finally added the finishing touches to the Manga Cyber Girl project and now in the midst of packing my lugagge as I write this.

Really looking forward to seeing the best of Spanish modelling this weekend as I attend my third visit to the Torrent Show. But only this time I will be attending as a judge for the figure classes. Nontheless I will still be bringing along some figures for the judges' display and I'm also seriously looking forward to the giant paella dinner this Saturday night!

Un Abrazo!

Calvin

A Busy Month

It has been a hectic month of March with two pressing jobs to complete. One was the SAF commission and another the cyber manga girl. Hoping to see some closure to that before I head off to Spain for the AMT show in Torrent. Here's sneek peek of the work done so far. Only the hair and some minor details on her suit remains to be modelled and it's off to the casting foundry.

 

Cheers,

Calvin