Today's interviewee is sculptor Roberto Chaudon. 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.
I’m a mexican artist living in France since some years ago. I studied fine arts in my natal country and made some exhibitions of painting and sculpting there as well as in France, U.S.A. and Chile. I like to play strategic games, principally chess. My first approach to the world of modelism was this: While I was walking on the street I saw a store where there were small characters and creatures that I like it very much, so I came in and everything began!! As a combination of the activities I have made I figured that making a chess set with some of the little figures could be fun, so I bought two boxes, then three and so…I had some armies already. Then I started to sculpt and paint special characters and monsters for them. One day a friend told me to participate in a contest held in Paris called “Golden Demon” in 2005. That was a great experience indeed. Then I had some commissions of sculpting and came the idea to start an own line of figures and busts with my own designs. Both, sculpting my own pieces as my mark and working as a freelance sculptor has taken my production time and since then I’ happy to live of that!! I have collaborated with companies like Fenryll, JMD, Pegaso Models, Knight Models, Mierce Miniatures, Gripping Beast, Battle Front Miniatures, etc. as a sculptor. I also paint (and I love it so much) but don’t have enough free time for that as I would like ...
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
My favourite tools are the ones I have made myself, there are others I’ve bought which are great obviously but the ones I have constructed even if they are simple, give me the possibility to work more comfortably, I try to make them the way I feel as a kind of extension of my hands and mind. They are made mainly to sculpt with wood, wire, metal, silicon …
How would you describe your own style?
This is a difficult question to answer but I’ll try to say something … One thing I like to represent very much is the theme of dynamics, in a physical but in a mental way, too. I’m going to split the idea in two parts, A & B. A being busts and B figures.
A: I believe that when is about making a bust I try to give it a feeling of more static but strongest presence about character. Mmm… speaking about action or experience for example is like if it’s given through a look in the eyes as if it is in there ready to explode but contained with a static and pose … I personally believe that sometimes putting a bust in a very dynamic pose is like too obvious that lacs of truth …
B: With figures something different happens to me. I need more motion in a physical way, the balance, composition, etc. even painting ask me to play deeper with the space. Also tension is treated differently, I believe …
I don’t know if all this “describes my style” but is something I experiment as a need when I sculpt or paint some model. Maybe if you take a look at my website at the small gallery called “Fine Arts”. It can tell you some more … at the end the best is that people could see a personal version about the author!
You can take a look to this small video, too.
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
I think as everybody I’m influenced about all I live, all I see, all I read, all I listen to, but for me the fine art creators are the ones who influence me the most. In sculpture people like Rodin, Michelangelo, Henry Moore, Brancusi, Calder, Bernini, etc. In painting, Rembrandt, Da Vinci, Rafael, Picasso, Monet, Bacon, Goya, Bosco, etc. among many others are great inspiration. Illustrators of our time (mainly Fantasy) are such a help for the spirit of creative living.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
At this moment (as always) I’m working on several projects but unfortunately I can’t talk about that now…but I do about the last one I’ve sculpted for my brand. It’s an Aztec bust which has a particular meaning for me because it represents some period of the history of my country. I can still see this people in an anatomical way through the heirs of that empire on the streets of Mexico as well as their cultural side and nature, I have tried to catch some of that. Anyway, I think this is a great subject for painting.
Today's interviewee is Javier "Arsies" González. 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.
Well, my name is Javier González but most people know me as Arsies. I’m from Gijón, a city in the north of Spain, but i’m living in a small village in the mountains in the south spain since 4 years ago.
Currently I’m a professional miniature painter, if it’s possible to say that with the current economic situation.
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
My favourite tool is my mind and my eyes. It’s easy for me to see the hole miniature painted before I start it, so it makes the process easier.
No, seriously, my favourite tool is the airbrush, I use it in about 80% of the miniature steps. I use a H&S Evolution with Citadel and Vallejo Model Color paints.
How would you describe your own style?
Clean, balanced, atmospheric and gray.
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
Well I clean it very often, maybe almost every week and I like to be organized so it’s not very dirty even without cleaning it (Video of the workspace)
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
I started learning looking at the spanish team forum, and I liked a lot the realistic paintings that some artist did there. Not fare to say only a few, but I learned first from Alfonso giraldes (Banshee), then I started to work a little bit with José Manuel Palomares, but after a while I decided to fly alone and put some space between internet and me to make my own things without influences. Even with that I did more friends than I can say. Currently I’m very inspired by the works of my club’s members The Cursed Monkeys, they showed me that there is another way to do things, not in painting, but with the hole scene. Objetive is to tell something new. Of course as this is my work I can not do it everytime.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I’m working on a big golden demon level grey knights army, and I’m trying to paint at least 4-5 miniatures each month, plus my other works, so now i’m painting another squad. My last finished project was the second version of Knight Models Gandalf which you can see on this site.
Today's interviewee is Andreas "Feanor" Pettau. 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.
I am 32 years old and I live in the central south of Germany in a small town 40 km away from Stuttgart. I am married with a wonderful women and together we have a sweet two years old daughter. I have a diploma degree in biology and currently I work as an application specialist in sales for an international biotech company.
I started painting miniatures for about 9 years now. Like the most I began with 28 mm Miniatures from Games Workshop, but since 5 years I switched completely to larger scaled models with a prefer to 75 mm scale and busts. I paint historical figures as well as fantasy stuff, depending on the style of the model itself.
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
I do not own much fancy technical equipment like an Airbrush or stuff like that. To be honest, I think the only things you need for painting miniatures beside your hands and mind are a good brush and some colors, nothing more. I mainly paint with acrylics (GW and more and more Vallejo Model Color). I also like to use oil colors, for the moment only to create certain effects like intensify light and shadows, or for giving a surface a special finish. I also like to use Inks (mainly those from Andrea Miniatures). I think they are a little bit underestimated since a few years, but with a good Ink you can create great colorful effects.
How would you describe your own style?
Difficult question. Generally, I do not think much about styles. I try to achieve a technical fine but also a very atmospheric painting, always depending on the miniature itself. I want to give the figures a colorful look and bring it to life only with the painting. I like using colors and playing with textures and/or color-effects on different surfaces. So I try to achieve a combination of a realistic, natural but also a colorful and atmospheric look on my miniatures.
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
I think inspiration comes from everywhere: Life, nature, music, movies, etc…
My influences are very wide spread, as I am one of those guys who learned painting only by themself through try and error experiences, and by study tutorials and other perfectly painted miniatures. From the historic side I love the works from Danilo Cartacci, as he is a true master when it comes to technically perfection. I also like the paint jobs from Diego Ruina, who perfectly combined technical high end work with atmospheric elements like mud and dirt, which brings the figures to life. From the fantasy side, I always was a big fan of the works from Chris Reckerth (Bestienmeister) and Jürgen Wagner (Crackpot) with their ultra smooth and clear way of painting. I also still like the stuff from the Games Workshop Eavy Metal Team, because their way of painting was the first big goal I wanted to reach in my beginnings and therefor they influenced me very much.
But these are all only examples, as there are many and many more fantastic painters out there who give me inspiration.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
Currently I work on the 75 mm Elrond from Knight Models. He is supposed to take part at the Bananalicious contest from our german ape crew.
Today's interviewee is Roman Lappat. 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.
Hi! I am Roman Lappat from Augsburg, Germany. Augsburg is close to Munich just in case you need a bigger city to locate Augsburg. I am passionate figure painter who decided in 2006 to make miniature painting my daily life and daily work. I really love to paint figures, tell other fellow painters about my way of painting and always search for something new for me in the miniature painting world. I enjoy the spirit figure painters share and I am very happy to meet a lot of great artists, nice people and deep friends in this tiny world of figures.
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
Music is my favourite tool beside a brush. Without music and emotions my brush would not dance and paint. I also like my hands as tools. I sometimes use my fingers to paint and do the blending work – no not really just kidding, but honestly working with colours and my hands is something I really like. Saliva is great too while figure painting, I am a brush licker, yes.
How would you describe your own style?
Emotional, sometimes. Athmospheric. Boring. Powerful.
All in a healthy mix.
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
Emotions, love, nature, friends, life, beauty, history, music, movies, books, computer games, experiences, figures, colours – I think those are my main influences. Sounds like a tree hugging grizzly bear, but well when I break it down it is all about those points.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I am working on a big commission right now: Bellerophon fighting the Chimera, an ancient greek tale for a collector. I have a lot of freedom in this project and it grows slowly but steady. I am doing some smaller fun projects beside it.
Keep on happy painting!
Best Wishes
Roman
Editor’s note: Roman is the Kong of MASSIVE VOODOO. Check it out for some neat tutorials, and fun articles about painting, sculpting and more.
Today's interviewee is Aleksander Michelotti. 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.
I’m an italian “new generation” painter: carry on my shoulder the whole weight of years of history, culture and creativity unique in the world, people who have made the history of the figures and not only .... I can only start from where they came and put my personality in the work to which I give life. And I put it all myself.
After a few years spent in knowing our little / big world and improve my technique,
from this year I’ve chose to make my position more professional, devoting all the effort and time I have available to painting and at figures in general. I have many plans for the immediate future, not exclusively pictorial! What better satisfaction of doing the work you love?
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
Brushes and colors are the tools with which to express myself better, but they are and remain tools . The important thing is that I have an idea in mind. At that point, I just have to find the right tools to achieve it: putty, trowels, hammers, screwdrivers, saws, welding ... everything I need to make an idea a reality.
How would you describe your own style?
Colorful! :-) Because I love the colors and how they react with each other. This is what I think, those who appreciate my work most of the time called them “dreamlike ” (especially fantasy) .... maybe because I’m a dreamer ....! ;-)
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
Technically I’m influenced by the great painters who are close to me and from whom I learned a lot: Pietro Balloni and Massimo Pasquali first, that there is also a great friendship. I admired many works of Danilo Cartacci, trying to snatch the subtleties of painting. For a long time I have been attracted by the technique of Diego Ruina, then I realized that Diego has a way of seeing the color and shapes unique in the world, that never again be repeated. At the level of interpretation, the ideas and the ability to express, my reference points are Marijn van Gijls and Kostas Kariotelis (which unfortunately I do not know, but I know every detail in their work!) ... I hope one day to be able to realize how their works that go beyond the figure, are fully included in the art. This is just to mention my inspirations in modeling, if I had to list everything that I like in the world of creativity, it would take a book!
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I just finished a job sculpted by Andrea Benussi, “Poseidon’s Son” as well as attracted the idea, it was a great way to see how the paint is important to add value to a sculpture. Working on a non-commercial figure, sculpted exclusively according to the capacity and taste of the sculptor, without iconographic references (in addition to an illustration in black and white, which was more useful to him than to me), required an effort of imagination very stimulating. Usually I paint historical subjects, where it is not necessary to imagine anything except the atmosphere, because it’s all documented, or (in the case of fantasy) of ideas that come to me ... in this case, the documentation is in my head ! Of what I’m working now? I have a few projects of historical subjects to accomplish, and some fantasy work to achieve ... I always have a lot of work! :-)))))
