PERSPECTIVES IN MINIATURE: June 2018

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. .

Monday, 25 June 2018

Jaume Ortiz Figure Painting Workshop - Singapore 2018

Here are some highlights of Jaume Ortiz's figure painting seminar in Singapore held at the premise of Miniature Art Studio over the weekend of June 23-24. Undeniably it was a rare opportunity for us to glimpse into the materials and methodologies employed by a world class award winning figure painter to paint faces and camouflage patterns.

The seminar fees includes two painting sets from Vallejo Paints, one 1/35 scale Alpine Miniatures figure and 1/16 scale Fer Miniatures bust as well as a catered lunch and tea break.

Jaume's presentation was very well presented. The instructions were very clear and coherent. Adding on to the high value, each participant received a digital version of his pictorial presentation to serve as a visual guide during their hands on session. Jaume weaved in between each participant and worked along side with them to ensure that they know how to approach the exercises. It was not easy for the participants to catch up but Jaume's high energy in the studio helped to push everyone through - especially after consuming Nasi Lemak for lunch!

A display of works showcased at the studio to serve as reference and inspiration.

In all, it was an exhilarating experience for me as it has been several years since I watched Jaume weave his magic. There are notable differences between our approach towards painting and in particular his organization of his color palette, choice of brushes as well method of paint application. Some of the participants who had attended my workshop were able to distinguish the differences - which in my opinion a fantastic thing as it allows them to expand their repertoire of painting techniques. Even I too came out enlighten from this seminar by Jaume's approach in painting wool textures for the field grey trousers. Though I have studied his painting from photographs, nothing beats studying his work up close and watching him achieve those results in the flesh. After the last weekend, I can assure you that this will not be the last time we will be conducting such a seminar.

Next big ticket item on the list will be the Malaysia Miniature Hobby Show 2018 next week.....hope to see most of you there!

Cheers,

Calvin