Today's interviewee is Myeong-Ha Hwang. Thank you for sharing in.
Spotlight are short interviews to introduce some of the artists here at Putty&Paint.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about you.
My name is Myeong-ha Hwang, I was born in 1986 in Seoul, Korea. I like to build toys, Lego and scale models since my childhood. I started to build miniatures when I discovered a small hobby shop in my town when I was 12 years old. After I graduated from high school, I went to art university and started to study painting and graphic design. I went to military service when I was 21 years old, (Every man in South Korea has to go to military service for about 2 years). After military service, I worked as a painting teacher. But I was in searching for something more more funt o make me happy. Finally I discovered figure painting, it totally changed my whole life.
I already paintend for 3 year, when I met many fellow artists in Korea like Sang-eon Lee, Jun-sik Ahn, Ju-won Jung and Ki-yeol Yoon and so on.
About a year ago Benny Sa and Jun-sik Ahn and I built the Nutsplanet team together, and I am working for the team as a painter. Recently, I am interested in building dioramas and sculpting and I try to collaborate with many painters and sculptors from all over the globe.
There aew actually very few figure painters in Korea, but they are very enthusiastic. So I am trying to educate and spread the figure painting culture in Korea.
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
I usually use Jo Sonja`s acrylic colors and Tamiya enamels. I use them, because they are easy to get in Korea and I am accustomed to use them. I use enamels when I build scale models and Josonja`s since I was in university painting. Recently, I am interested in Vallejo and Citadel colors. I don`t make any limits in painting materials because every material has pros and cons.
I like to use Kolinsky brushes by Davinci and KF series by Hasegawa. I don`t exactly know the name of the airbrush though, I use amiddle priced airbrush (I don`t really care about the brand).
How would you describe your own style?
I don`t think that I have my own style. So far, I simply try to improve my painting skills, watching closely other painters painting and following their style. I think I am concentrating to describe reality. If sometime in the future people say they want to paint like me, I can say I have my own style.
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
I grew up watching works of Douglas Lee and Young Won. They actually influenced me a lot to choose my work now. When I was studying art, I liked pictures of Marc Chagall and Caravaggio. Contemporary artists like Marc Quinn, Damien Hirst‘s work was a big shock for me. In my country, works of Young B Song, Sang-eon Lee, Ju-won Jung and Jun-sik Ahn influenced me so far.
What’s your current favourite music/movie/series you enjoy while working?
I like to work in a quite environment, to be focused. I used to work fast with focusing and rest like a dead man. I really enjoy painting without any music and movies. When I rest, I like to watch anime, movies and TV series, I don`t really care about the category. One day I watched TV more than 16 hours. (One piece, Naruto, Walking dead, Games of thrones and so on)
I listen to music variously. Recently I mainly listen to K-pop Girl group – Girls Generation, Girls Day, Boa, Kara, Fx and so on. I totally recommend you to watch movies of Korean Girl groups if you have no chance to meet them.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I currently work on a box-art painting for Nutsplanet and some commission painting for private collectors. I can`t show box-art work though. Recently I finished the 101 Airborne from Nutsplanet.
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Visit Myeong-Ha Hwang at Putty&Paint
And on his Facebook page
Today's interviewee is Alfonso "Banshee" Giraldes. Thank you for sharing in.
Spotlight are short interviews to introduce some of the artists here at Putty&Paint.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about you.
My name is Alfonso Giraldes aka Banshee. I was born in 1983 in Madrid, Spain. I started painting miniatures when I discovered Games Workshop when I was 12 years old and my first job was in a GW shop where I discovered games days and golden demon, a contest that gave me the opportunity to start showing my ideas and my vision of painting and it was the perfect environment that showed me that miniature world would be my future.
Nowadays I am an artist currently working for Scale75. Developing several jobs such as art direction, design, concept art, painting and sculpting. I have been working for this small industry for almost 10 years.
I started working for Andrea Miniatures many years ago and since then i have worked for several companies such as Andrea miniatures, Tale of War, Coolminiornot, Ron&Bones, Kabuki Models, Sergeant Blackart, Knight Models, Games Workshop at Forgeworld Team and Scale 75 .
My main passion are miniatures because this world let me develop many skills and each new project makes me better. I am passionate for improving. I have been giving classes for years, having a lot of students, some of them are nowadays some of the most renowned painters , people like Diego Esteban, Marc Masclans, Arsies, Ruben Martinez, Lotina, Emuse and many many others. This is one of the most interesting tasks I have been doing, because teaching is a very good way of learning. Doing courses I felt forced myself to understand my own painting and how works the colours, light and volumes to be able to translate it to a student.
I use to share all my works and processes in my professional facebook. so if you want to join, you will find many interesting pictures here.
This profession allowed me to travel to many places, know a lot of people and have had the chance to live fantastic experiences.
Modelling is not only my passion, is my life. My main goal in this aspect of my life is to bring the idea that technique is only a method and a tool to create and show our ideas.. that’s why i encourage all the newbies to run away from recipes and try to understand things without being constrained by the pure searching of the perfect blending.. painting miniatures must be not limited and it should be considered only as “just painting”, same as illustration or 2D painting, where every different style is well welcome.
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
Sculpting: I made my own tools and my favourite always change to the new one i have just done. ;)
I started to sculpt with Milliput and Duro, but nowadays i am in love with SuperSculpey Firm grey, however i still don’t feel completely comfortable with it. I think is a very versatile clay.
I love also freexing sprays, which allows me to work the clay in many different hardness stages
Painting: Paints: I love the old Citadel range and nowadays i am moving to Scale75 colours mixed with inks from Inktensity range and old Citadel inks. I love Windsor & Newton inks, Golden Acrylic colours and many others. My brushes are always Windsor & Newton Series 7, and my laser sabre airbrush is an Iwata high performance plus.
How would you describe your own style?
Expressive,..I hope..and risky. I love to reach new levels of impact. And that’s what I have tried in many artbox, specially some that i did in the past for Knight Models such as the duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan, the Ironman bust or the Ghost Rider, which are probably the most difficult challenges I have done in my painting career.
Sculpting I don’t have yet a specific style. I am just learning and in the way to become what I want to be as an sculptor.. so there is a long road to walk.
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
The first one is my workspace at Scale75 office
The second one is at my home.
This was my table when I was living in nottingham.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
Many many artists. If we talk about painters I would say artists like Caravaggio, Velazquez, Sorolla, frazetta, Miguelanxo Prado, Drew Struzan, Kekai Kotaky, Michael Kommarck, Kopinsky, Dainton, Bradstreet and many many others.
My favourite sculptor is Bernini. And some other like Corradini or Rodin are genious to me.
In the miniature world I admire the work of people like Raul Latorre (the big master of this miniature world) , Marjin Van Gils, J-A Gillois, Romain Van der Bogaert, Kostas Kariotelis, Pedro Fernandez, Andrea Jula, Sang-Eon Lee, Kiril Kanaev, Roman Lappat, Raffa Picca, Fabrizzio Russo, Diego Ruina, Mirko Cavalloni, Jose Manuel Palomares, Allan Carrasco, M Bigaud, Patrick Masson, Mike Blank, Maxime Penaud, Joaquin Palacios ... and many many others
What’s your current favourite music/movie/series you enjoy while working?
I am watching Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and yes….i must admit..Grey’s Anatomy jejejejejeje ;)..
I use to listen spanish hip hop all the time because it allows me to work very concentrate, people like Capaz Fernandez, Suite Soprano, Agorazein, Cheb Ruben or Violadores del Verso but I love other styles and artists like The Doors, Birthday Massacre, Rihanna, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Linkin Park, Korn, and many others. I don’t refuse any kind of music. I have an open mind in this regard.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I recently finished a bust for Scale75 ( sculpting and painting).. and now I am working at my place in Marvel’s Colossus for a private customer.
I am also working on a personal project but is just the sketch
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Visit Alfonso “Banshee” Giraldes at Putty&Paint
And on his Facebook page
Today's interviewee is Michael Kontraros. Thank you for sharing in.
Spotlight are short interviews to introduce some of the artists here at Putty&Paint.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about you.
My name is Michael Kontraros, I reside in my birthplace of Athens, Greece where I was born in 1980. I have acquired a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a Master’s degree in art and design/visual communications and interactive media at the age of 23. I have my own business and have been working as a freelance graphic designer for some time now. But what has really won me over is miniature sculpting (not painting).
Eight months ago, I decided to start a company of my own, a company dedicated to producing and selling high quality figures for collectors, sculptors and painters, “Michael Kontraros Collectibles” will offer sculpts and figures in a variety of scales basely for fantasy enthusiasts. You can visit the online store at: www.mkontraros.com
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
I use AB, AVES green, DURO, Super Sculpey and a lot of materials such us wire, plastic rods etc.
...and these are my favourite tools
How would you describe your own style?
I don’t know if I have a specific style. I just want my miniatures to be part of a story…
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
I have been influenced and inspired by the work of Kostas Kariotelis, Raul G. Latorre, Andrea Jula. I have also been influenced by the style movie directors such as Tim Burton and Zack Snyder.
What’s your current favourite music/movie/series you enjoy while working?
Favourite music: rock, hard rock, heavy metal
Favourite movie: LOTR, 300, Edward scissorhands, Headless Horseman, Prometheus, Alien 1&2 and many more…. I am a movie maniac
Favourite series: Game of Thrones, Big Bang Theory, Walking Dead
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I am working on a lot of projects. Some are for collectors and some are commercial pieces. Here is a detail from one (I don’t know when it will be released)
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Visit Michael Kontraros at Putty&Paint
And on his Website mkontraros.com
Today's interviewee is Enrique "Emuse" Velasco. Thank you for sharing in.
Spotlight are short interviews to introduce some of the artists here at Putty&Paint.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about you.
My name is Enrique Velasco, also known as emuse, born in 1980. I am a professional freelance miniature painter from Madrid, Spain.
I finished history degree some years ago with not many professional expectations. I was studying for a public examination but yes, the fu***** economic crisis started and the public jobs were drastically reduced. The inability to work in something connected with my studies made me decant for something completely different, something that had always liked me and I realized it could be an interesting and motivating activity. I have been working the last five years as freelance painter and still I have many doubts about my future.
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
I have no particular attachment to any tool… maybe only the Winsor & Newton brushes. In this life all the material things are replaceable, and the market has plenty of good options to choose from. In fact, I’m very standard in everything that I use: An evolution airbrush, Citadel, Vallejo and Andrea paints, Winsor & Newton brushes as I said, wet palette, pigments, etc… The same as 90% of the painters. What I usually advise is that always, of course if it´s possible, invest money in the best tools. Miniature painting is a complicated labour, so try to avoid external obstacles.
How would you describe your own style?
I think that If you don´t be a conformist person, you always will be absorbed in a learning process, so your painting style always will be changing. In the last year I´ve noticed that a certain style is being formed. All this has been a long process of trial and error that did not bother me find a style but rather try to absorb and practice all possible. Every time I am more aware of what I look for in a figure and I’m starting to feel that I can pull it off, but I still have a lot do. It is obvious that each figure has a style that favors more or less, but overall I love the figures with great contrasts, with a dramatic aspect. Every time I’m more interested in the atmosphere, in represent by the color rather than with the technique, and in achieve a final result near a illustration. It was always said that I am a extremely clean painter, but you should see my way of painting to verify that this is not true! And who knows, maybe in five years I have a different style! Get back to me with this question in a few years!
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
I´m very organized. I always clean and arrange my workbench after a working day. I hate chaos.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
I would not be honest if I did not say that I entered in this world after seeing some of the first works of Alfonso Giraldés like his ogryns, the blood pact or Rawnee. There was nothing for me in the miniature world beyond Games Workshop. I was not aware you could get to that level with a figure, and was what made me start practicing based on what I read and saw online. In that time I followed many artists and their works, initially valuing more technical features and now focusing more on what the artist wants to convey. Artists like Diego Esteban, Fabrizio Russo, Kirill Kanaev, Sang-Eon Lee and of course Alfonso Giraldés are an inspiration and an example to follow in terms of what I get to achieve with my painting. I am strongly influenced by films, comics, illustrations, history and 80s and 90s popular culture. All these influences are captured in some ideas that attempt to express in my works.
What’s your current favourite music/movie/series you enjoy while working?
I hate the silence for work. There is always playing a film on a small tv that I have but obviously I can not see it. The dialogues break the silence, but It’s funny because if a play a record, it distracts my attention, but not the movies. I play all kind of films that I have seen before, mostly fantasy films, from the Universal classics to the latest movies of the genre, but I’m a big fan of cinema and of course I like to see all genres in my free time. An yes, it´s a crime dubbing a film but I must say I love the voices of some old spanish voiceover actors.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I have a lot of work now. I am working at the same time on several projects, as you can see in the picture. All of them are commissions except the Crystal Brush Project (under the top secret image). I´ll dedicate all February and March to finish the project at time. It has a big conversion process and 12-14 figures will be in the diorama. A lot of work, but I´m very motivated. I hope it will be my best project for the moment. I am also finishing all the details to announce a new round of painting classes in my studio. Oh, and I´m planning my display for the World Expo. I´m exhausted but happy!.
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Visit Enrique “Emuse” Velasco at Putty&Paint
And on his Website emusestudio.blogspot.com
Today's interviewee is Fernando Ruiz. Thank you for sharing in.
Spotlight are short interviews to introduce some of the artists here at Putty&Paint.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about you.
My name is Fernando Ruiz, I was born in Málaga but now I live in Barcelona, Spain. I work as a freelance videogames translator and I love painting miniatures.
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
My weapons of choice are brushes and acrylic paints. I also use some other mediums and tools when I need them of course (airbrush, oils, enamels, whatever). I started painting that way and it’s kind of a “comfort zone” for me. But I’m always eager to try new techniques and stuff.
I haven’t tried yet too seriously to sculpt something from scratch, but I’m starting to feel comfortable with putty… Who knows?
How would you describe your own style?
Well, I always try to go for two concepts: balance and naturalism. There are multiple ways to achieve that, depending on the way you use to do things. For me, the real challenge is to make every part of the painted miniature work together as a whole, integrated in your own style and, at the same time, tell something with it. It would be arrogant to say that these two concepts define my style, as these are hard objectives and I’m in the road of improvement, as anyone else. But it would be nice to master that.
My way of doing things has changed a lot along the years but a constant obsession of mine has been cleanliness when painting.
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
I try to keep everything as tidy as possible, as I don’t like to have a crowded table, but chaos always finds a way… As I have a table with room for two people, the empty “guest” seat easily ends up as a junkyard. And the junkyard invades also my workspace if I let it be for too much time. The only solution I have found during these 20 years of hobby is to relax and put some order between projects.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
I have to answer this one from two points of view, as I am involved in this hobby in a professional way.
As a painter, there are too many good artists out there to be able to write down all of them who have served as inspiration. I always say the same three names, as they have been the most direct and continuous influence for my style at some point: Jaume Ortiz, Raúl García Latorre and Pepe Gallardo. Also they are very nice guys and good friends of mine. What more can I say?
From my position at the artistic direction and coordination in Heroes & Villains Miniatures, I’m always inspired by ideas and projects that show some new angle on a theme or tell a story behind the miniature. Also, I like to devise the projects keeping in mind how I (as a modeller) would like things to be, taking care of all small details.
What’s you current favourite music/movie/series you enjoy while working?
I use to listen music while painting, but my preferences are quite eclectic. I like artists like The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Belle and Sebastian, The Who, The Kinks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, B-52’s, Johnny Cash or The Velvet Underground, but also classical music, lots of jazz and old movie scores.
Maybe the most curious fact about the relation I establish between music and miniatures is that I name all my personal ventures after or inspired by songs I love.
Heroes and Villains Miniatures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blRPcqg6-94
Ziggy Starbrush and the Figures from Mars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsVEWeBkDY0
Also I love cinema of all sorts. My favorite movies are the classic Star Wars trilogy.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I can’t show you yet the two last finished miniatures, as they are part of a huge release we are planning for this year’s Euromilitaire, but I can show a recent version I did of our medieval knight bust.
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Visit Fernando Ruiz at Putty&Paint
On his Website ziggystarbrush.com
And at at FeR Miniatures
