PERSPECTIVES IN MINIATURE: April 2009

ARTIST STATEMENT

In the words of Wilbur Smith "War is the game played by old men with the lives of the young". The pawn in this game is the combat soldier, represented by the miniature toy soldier; an insignificant being on the battlefield. Combat is the most intense moment of war, where life and death balances on a knife's edge. The results are terrifying and reveal the worst part of our human nature. Conversely, there are moments when it exudes the best of our human spirit. Most of the miniatures you see here are diligently researched from historical sources and handcrafted between scales of 1/35 to 1/16 (approx 50mm to 120mm). The intricate rendition of human expression and fine details not only demonstrates the level of craftsmanship but also serves as a reminder of the fragile nature of human life. I represent no political bias though my miniature creations. My aim is to portray humanity through the chronicles of military history and thus it is my pleasure that I present to you my weblog Perspectives in Miniature.

Calvin Tan

WWII GERMAN UNIFORMS - PERSONAL MIXES BY CALVIN TAN

In conjunction with AK Interactive, this exclusive Gen 3 acrylic paint set is specially composed with the essential colours that I use to render WWII German Uniforms. It contains 18 colours and a small pamphlet with my personal colour mixes. If you are keen to acquire all the colours on my palette to paint a field grey tunic, a splinter pattern zeltbahn, an oak-leaf pattern smock or the Kharkov anorak, look no further, this is the set for you to get started.

CALVIN TAN'S BASIC GUIDE TO FIGURE PAINTING

This instructional DVD published by Model Art magazine was primarily developed for the beginner armour and diorama modeller in mind. The video presentation will feature a variety of easy to master techniques used to render a 1/35 scale plastic injected moulded figure.Topics include proper paint application techniques, choice of brushes as well as some little tricks for painting fine detail. It is fundamentally a showcase of some of my methods and techniques for painting military figures and I am certain it will prove beneficial for any modeller who wishes to improve on figure painting. It is currently available in both Japanese and English.

CALVIN TAN'S GUIDE TO CONVERTING AND PAINTING FIGURES

In this third instalment, I will share my techniques and materials to customize and detail an inexpensive stock plastic figure. Watch as I take you through the steps on how I modify a pose, model details such as hands, belts and webbing and insignias. Learn about working effectively with epoxy putty as well as plastic styrene and paper. As a continuation from my first two DVDs, I will demonstrate how to model and paint a simple groundwork as well as an alternate approach using a monochromatic underpainting to render both a field grey tunic and the World War 2 German Splinter Camouflage pattern on a helmet cover. If you have enjoyed and benefitted from those previous titles, this edition will be a welcome addition to your journey in scale figure modelling – regardless of your current skill level. It is my sincere hope that this could inspire you to embark on your own creative adventure in this fantastic hobby. .

Friday, 3 April 2009

Young Miniatures - US Marine, Iwo Jima 1945

Labels: Young Miniatures - US Marine Iwo Jima 1945 Posted by CALVIN TAN at 15:17

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Well, here it is after a week of refinements to Young Miniature's study of an US Marine Leatherneck from the epic battle of Iwo Jima; immortalised by the iconic flag raising at Mount Suribachi. Truly it was an enjoyable experience painting this fine sculpt. Rendered almost fully in acrylics, enamel-based metallic and oils were employed on features depicting metal and leather surfaces respectively. It is a deftly crafted and engineered kit that's bursting with character. Obvious challenges to the painting would be that of the "Duck Hunter" camouflage pattern and the vertical stroked lines of the herringbone uniform. All of which would not only require the proper technique but also a high level of concentration, focus and the all important discipline to complete.
That is why there are no real secrets to painting; only passionate hard/heart work.As with each veil of paint, every feature and detail comes alive, revealing a soul beyond its material core to resonate with our humanity....
Ok..before I digress into a load BS, do enjoy the pictures of completed work. Avaliable are more pictures HERE.