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.
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.
Stop struggling with skin tones. Start painting them. I’ve spent years failing so you don’t have to. This set is the culmination of my experience as a figure painter, distilled into an easy, effective system. With 6 hand-picked 3Gen and Quick Gen colors and my personal technique booklet, you’ll bypass the frustration and go straight to stunning miniatures. Experience the difference and level up your skills today.
Do check out my Podcast interview with Barry Biediger and Jim DeRogatis at Box Dioramas.com
I developed this instructional DVD with Model Art magazine to help beginner armor and diorama modelers master the art of the 1/35 scale figure. In this video, I demonstrate easy-to-follow techniques for painting injection-molded plastics—from choosing the right brushes to the 'little tricks' I use for fine details. This is a complete showcase of my personal methods, and I’m confident it will help any modeler take their work to the next level. For your convenience, the DVD is available in both English and Japanese."
This video presentation documents the process of rendering a highly detailed 1/35 scale after-market resin figure. Watch as I take the viewer through the process of rendering of leather, uniform insignia as well as camouflage patterns using the techniques and materials presented in the beginner's guide to achieve convincing results. It is available in both Japanese and English.
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.
One more evening spent deepening the shadows with AK Interactive's new Acrylic Washes. I'm seriously impressed—the flow is perfect for glazing straight from the bottle. No thinning, no fuss, just great results in record time before the Mrs. gets jealous. 😝
Here’s something a little different for me: a 1/10 scale bust from MD Models. The subject represents the Women's Special Service Company of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (中国工农红军第二独立师女子军特务连) during the Sino-Japanese War.
The painting process was fairly simple. I achieved the smooth skin tones by brush, using AK Ultra Matt Varnish as a medium and 3Gen thinner for dilution. It took about three evenings from start to finish—a fun, easy exercise that I’d highly recommend.
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Cheers,
Calvin
A short update on this painting assignment from Dynamo Models. Only one more figure to go before calling this done.
Cheers,
Calvin
This is my review of the Nevskaya Palitra round brush (size #2).
I just completed a quick 1/35 scale painting assignment from DEF Model.
I have completed painting the driver. Moving on to the loader as we speak.
Cheers,
Calvin
Calvin
This is my overview of the Tamiya Pro II brush.
I’m often asked about my go-to tools, so I wanted to break down my brush kit for you.
My workflow relies on three main types: round, flat, and filbert brushes. For flat and filbert brushes, I’m not loyal to any specific brand. Since I use these primarily for general coverage and aggressive dry brushing, I treat them as 'expendable assets'. They take a beating, so the bristle quality is less important than the price tag. I stick to affordable synthetic bristles that I can replace without guilt.
Round brushes are a different story entirely—I view them as a long-term investment. A poor-quality round brush with a splitting tip is a nightmare that wastes time and ruins fine details. Being a 'prudent artist', I look for the sweet spot between high-end performance and reasonable cost. While some European brands are difficult (and expensive) to source here in Asia, I’ve found my perfect balance with Tamiya Pro II and Nevskaya Palitra. For me, these two brands offer the best precision for the price."
Cheers,
Calvin
Here is another piece completed for this month of January. What started out as a side quest got completed ahead of my box art assignment. This is the first time I experimented with AK Quick Gen paints to render the U-Boat leather jacket. I found it relatively quicker and easier to replicate the black leather effects as compared to using artist inks. Employing AK's Ultra Matt Varnish as a painting medium has been a game changer for me to achieve smooth tonal transitions without struggling with watermarks.
Cheers,
Calvin
The groundwork is coming along. Tellermines are from HD Models. Sandbags from Miniart.
Cheers,
Calvin
As the enthusiasm for the box art assignment for Dynamo Models started to wane, a side quest appeared. The premise was simple: I attached the spare head from Alpine Miniatures 35324 WSS Grenadier & Flare Gun on the body of 35075 Joachim Peiper in the Ardennes and a new idea was conceived. Such is the bane of an overactive imagination.
The first figure from Dynamo Model's #35DM108 WSS-Tiger "222" Crew Normandy 1944 (Big Set) is completed. Moving forward to the other three figures (2 full and one 1/4 for the driver.)
Calvin
A little more progress today in refining the camouflage pattern. It involves a lot of back and forths and may appear messy in the beginning, but essentially it is about getting things wrong first to determine what is right later.
Calvin
I am starting on a new 1/35 scale box art assignment on Dynamo Model's #35DM108 WSS-Tiger "222" Crew Normandy 1944 (Big Set).
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