miniature Archives - Page 6 of 13

Daily Mini Interview: Mini Southern Millworks

September 10, 2015September 10, 2015 admin

Mini Southern Millworks

How did you first get started in miniatures?

After a motorcycle accident in 1982, I was unable to work for several months and I needed something to do to pass the time. I always liked putting together the plastic model kits of cars, airplanes, and more. One day, I ran across an article in a magazine for The House of Miniatures kit of the month club. I love woodworking and antiques so I knew this would be something I would like doing. Also, I would be able to have the “antiques” (in miniature) that I couldn’t afford in real life.

After doing the kits for a little while, I realized that I could scratch build scaled-down, full-sized pieces with even more detail put into them.

Why the interest in millworks?

Millworks, in my case, is simply taking raw material and transforming it into a functioning, working model of a full sized piece down to the actual joinery of the original piece.

What are some of your favorite miniatures to make?

I really enjoy the country painted pieces that I can distress and antique to make them look and feel as though they are a hundred years old and ripe with history.

What miniatures have proven to be the most challenging?

One of my most challenging pieces was a commissioned piece of a Chippendale bookcase on desk. It was a combination of several different furniture designs with a modern twist. It had claw and ball feet, a broken pediment top, flame urn finials, seven secret compartments, wood trimmed glass shelves, and lights in the bonnet. This piece was done before email and Internet, so my client and I collaborated over the phone to come up with the piece he wanted.

Advice for beginner artists?

Choose something that you really like and learn as much as you can about it. Make this your area of expertise. But remember to always try new and different things or it will become mundane.

What inspires you?

The details in other artists’ handmade miniatures as well as the craftsmanship of original antiques.

What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen by another artist?

I have to say the most memorable miniature would be a 1/6 scale running Harley Davidson engine made by Jerry Kieffer.

Why miniatures?

I have always liked tiny things but the main appeal is the problem solving that goes into doing each piece. Working out how to build the different styles of furniture and doing the original joinery in 1/12 scale is always challenging.

Upcoming projects planned?

I want to create even more detailed pieces. I have hundreds of photos and plans of different types of furniture just waiting to be done in miniature. I would also like to start making my own period hardware for my pieces and mill my own lumber.

Mini Southern Millworks is headed up by Mario Messina from Louisiana. You can follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or visit the Mini Southern Millworks blog.

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Sep 21, 2015 at 1:18pm PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Miniature Glass by Kiva Ford

September 7, 2015May 8, 2018 admin

Miniature Glass by Kiva Ford

| Website | Facebook | Instagram |

How did you first get started in glassblowing?

My first memory of glassblowing is at a small town fair. I was enchanted by the process of glassblowing and the way the glass moved while it was molten. After seeing the glass being made, I knew that I wanted to try glassblowing someday.

What types of blown glass do you make? How has your work evolved?

I have been creating glass going on 14 years now. I am scientific glassblower by trade, and currently I manage the custom scientific glassblowing shop at the University of Notre Dame. I create custom glassware for chemistry, engineering, and physics. I make artistic glass after I get home from work. I feel like my work is constantly evolving. I really enjoy the technical aspect of glassblowing. It is a very difficult and unforgiving material to master.

Describe your process. What’s a day in the studio like?

My creative glass studio is in a community based art space called Fire Arts in South Bend, IN. There are all sorts of craftspeople at Fire Arts from bronze casting to stone carving. It is a very inspiring environment. I like to keep my workshop clean and utilitarian. It is important for me to have a clean and organized shop where I can focus on my work without any distractions. I enjoy being next to the St. Joseph River and being able to look at the beautiful water falls that were once used as a source for a hydro-electric power plant in the early 1900s. If you were to walk by my shop when I am working you might hear an eclectic mix of music coming from the garage. Any artist from Ray Charles to The Rolling Stones, to Loretta Lynn.

Before I heat up the glass I need to put on special didymium glasses, which will filter out a bright orange flame that occurs when I heat up the glass. I start by slowly warming in the glass, and introducing it to the heat. If you heat up the glass too quickly, thermal stress will occur which will shatter the glass. Just like an ice cube will crack if you put it in a glass of hot tea. Once the glass is hot enough, I can increase the temperature of the fire to bring the glass up to a working temperature. Glass is a poor conductor of heat, so I can hold on to the glass while I am working with it in the fire and my hands will not get hot. I use a Carlisle CC torch which runs on propane and oxygen. The flame will get hotter than five thousand degrees Fahrenheit. I use a variety of tools to form and shape the glass including tweezers, graphite paddles, graphite reamers, knives, and tongs. Once the glass is finished, I place it in my annealing oven. The oven brings the glassware up to its annealing temperature and removes any of the stress that occurs in the glass while I am working with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHh062Idu9w

Why the interest in miniature works of glass?

I lived in Jersey City, NJ for nine years. Apartments can be very expensive there which usually translates to a tiny living space. Most of my friends had small apartments with limited space to put things. When I was first trying to sell my glass a lot of people told me that they loved my work, but didn’t have room for it in their house. I then thought that if I made tiny glassware, my friends would have room to put it in their house. The miniature glassware has received a great response, and I haven’t stopped making it since.

Advice for beginner artists?

Make exceptional work! Make things that no one has ever seen before. Be innovative. Don’t get discouraged if your work doesn’t sell right away. Think about the long game. Remember, you do this because you love it, not because you are trying to make tons of money. Give yourself permission to be creative and to make what is in your head, even if you think it might not be received well. And also, make exceptional work!!!

Tool or technique you can’t live without?

Most of the tools and techniques that I can’t live without at this point are things that I have innovated.

Who do you look to for inspiration?

Dante Marioni, Cesare Toffolo, Joe Peters, Daniel Coyle, Jupiter Nielsen and many others.

What’s to come from Kiva Ford?

I just finished a very busy schedule of teaching all over the country and demonstrating at the Corning Museum of Glass to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Pyrex glass. Right now I am looking forward to staying in my shop and working on a few new ideas. I do have a few big things planned for next year, but nothing is totally set in stone right now, so stay tuned!

Other activities you enjoy?

I love juggling. I was a professional juggler for 13 years. Juggling really keeps me in the present and keeps me focused, almost like a meditation.

Kiva Ford is currently based in Indiana. View more of his incredible miniature glass work on his website. You can also follow Kiva Ford on Instagram and Facebook.

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Sep 15, 2015 at 4:16pm PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Adore Mini by Julia Cissell

September 5, 2015March 5, 2018 admin

Adore Mini by Julia Cissell

| Etsy | Instagram |

How did you first get started in miniatures?

Ever since my first memories, I have felt a sense of magic in tiny things that have an unexpectedly large degree of detail! For me, seeing things that have great intricate detail presented in a small scale, has a special way of magnifying the beauty I see that is hidden in things that are commonly overlooked in that way. As a kid, I think my Barbie dolls were the first things that inspired me to start creating tiny things; I would make shoes, necklaces and intricately detailed hair barrettes for them from thin copper wire. I would make dresses for them from fabric scraps left by my mom’s sewing machine, taking care to make every small stitch in the hems evenly spaced so that it looked just like a real dress to me.

Why butterflies in miniature?

I could go on all day about my life-long fascination with butterflies! They are my favorite insects for so many reasons. Their mysterious communication behaviors and ability to see colors we can’t. How there are tens of thousands of butterfly breeds, yet, like people, they each have such unique characteristics that give them their special identity.

In 2000, when I was brand new to polymer clay, I discovered the special technique of building a “cane” (a log of the clay that is constructed in such a way where a design runs throughout the middle, that can be seen when you cut it crosswise with a razor. After making a cane, it can be stretched out to a very small diameter, baked in the oven to cure, then cut slices from). Well that flipped a switch in me, and I was immediately inspired by both my passions for butterflies and for tiny things. I used this idea to make the wings of butterflies in miniature! Soon after, I discovered the popular scale of miniatures, “dollhouse” scale or 12 times smaller than actual size. I knew that would be the perfect scale to make them in! On average, the wingspans of the butterflies I make in this scale range from 1/16″ (1.5 mm), up to about 1/4″ (6 mm), depending on the breed.

Adore Mini used to be called “Gods’ Flying Flowers.” Where did the name come from?

In around 2005, I was selling my miniature butterflies on eBay before I discovered Etsy. A lady ran across a group of 3 miniature Anise Swallowtail butterflies I had listed on eBay, telling me she felt blessed to have found them in a search. She said that all throughout the past month since her son passed away, she had seen the same 3 Anise Swallowtail butterflies each day flying around her kitchen window outside, and referred to them as “God’s flying flowers,” reminding her of her son’s spiritual presence. She then bought them to keep on her kitchen window sill. I was so touched by her story that I wanted to use her reference to the butterflies as the title for my business!

What is the most challenging part of completing a butterfly miniature?

Easy question: the high humidity level in the air! When the humidity is over 75%, working with a tiny speck of super glue at a time is pretty much impractical. In high humidity, the mini butterfly parts aren’t visibly moist, but it becomes apparent that they are when the glue won’t adhere the parts to each other firmly. I only work on dry days.

Do you have a favorite species of butterfly?

My favorite species of butterfly tends to change a lot… But I think my favorite one that I have made is the Purple Spotted Swallowtail. Something about the combination of the colors in the wings, and the overall wing shape is just so beautiful to me. It is my favorite one to show, out of the 8 breeds I keep in my poison rings I wear.

What inspires you?

I’m inspired by anything that gives me a magical feeling. I love using what I learn from my experiments with relative physics that working on a miniature scale provides for me. I love to put as much passion and creativity into coming up with the custom tools I make, as I put into in making the actual miniatures themselves.

What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen by another artist?

I’d have to say that the work of Willard Wigan sums it up! He works under a microscope, and comes up with some of the most fascinating micro sculptures.

Advice for beginner artists and miniaturists?

When first starting out, as well as after you’ve gained experience, don’t lose sight of what you want to get out of it. So be slow about it, and have fun! I am motivated by learning, so I look at failed experiments objectively and let them inspire me to keep going, rather than seeing these as a measure of my ability. Don’t judge yourself, or compare your work to that of others. Join artists groups, and don’t feel shy about asking “dumb” questions — every artist has been in that boat.

Why miniatures?

Making things in miniature is just what feels natural for me. I love intricate detail, and the creative process behind the resourcefulness alone that’s required in coming up with the ways to make it possible. Not to mention it is very profitable. My materials cost practically nothing, when it comes to how such a little bit goes an infinitely long way.

What’s to come from Adore Mini?

Ultimately I plan on expanding my variety of Adore Mini miniature butterflies to more than 100. But in the near future, I plan on adding a section of customizable miniature terrarium cork-top bottles with different kinds of miniature flowers, that the miniature butterflies can be mounted on inside, which can be used in a necklace or as earrings. Also, I just made 10 new polymer clay butterfly wing canes for new breeds I will be adding to my variety in the near future.

What do you want miniature fans to know about you?

People commonly ask me things like:

“What kind of magnifying device do you use for making these?”
“What do you do with them?”
“How do you have the patience to make something that tiny and detailed?”

I can’t have anything in front of my eyes when I work, not even my glasses or contacts. I’m very nearsighted, and I only need very bright light in a low-humidity environment to work in.

My favorite thing to do with them is keep them in my poison rings I wear on my fingers! They’re like magical hidden compartments to keep them with me in at all times. Also they can be displayed in a 1″ acrylic magnifier box I have in my shop. It’s great for keeping in any display cabinet or shadow box. For dollhouse scale miniature collectors, my miniature butterflies are the perfect accents for any outdoor miniature scene.

For me, when it comes to true passion for what I am doing, the term “patience” just doesn’t apply. I don’t see my experiences on a scale of successes and failures, but it’s simply the element of cause and effect that keeps me intrigued with it.

Julia Cissell is the creator of Adore Mini (formerly named God’s Flying Flowers). She’s currently based in Bartlett, Tennessee. Shop her miniature butterfly collection on Etsy or follow along on Instagram!

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Sep 14, 2015 at 10:53am PDT

Daily Mini Interview: S P Miniatures

September 3, 2015September 3, 2015 admin

S P Miniatures by Carol and Ken Singer

| Website | Facebook | Twitter |

What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?

When my daughter was little, I took her to FAO Schwarz® and they had a lighted dollhouse on display. I fell in love with it and I made a vow that one day I would have a dollhouse with lights.

How did S P Miniatures come to be in 1995? Were you both avid collectors of miniatures?

I was a collector when the shop near me went out of business. The owner asked me if I wanted to buy her inventory and go into business and although I had a “real” job at the time I thought I would try it. Ken figured it could be fun. At the time, the only venues to sell at were shows, so we started selling at shows. In 1999, the Web became a viable place to sell minis, and I set up a crude website which has evolved over time.

Have either of you created miniatures before?

We have never made miniatures. I put together a dollhouse and outbuildings and decorated them. They were featured in Miniature Collector Magazine in 1999.

What is it about the field of miniatures that so inspires you?

The amazing talent of the artisans who do such detailed work.

What can modern day miniature enthusiasts do to preserve this industry?

As a dealer, I play an important role in not only preserving the hobby, but also ensuring its future by backing, encouraging, and inspiring artisans. I continue to stress the importance for collectors to avoid the “made in China” copies and to buy artisan pieces. That will both encourage current artisans to continue making work, and will encourage new artisans to enter the field. I believe that online selling is creating a new boom as those who didn’t have access to shops and shows can now be involved in the hobby.

What is the selection process like when considering a new artisan to represent?

I look at what I buy from a collector’s point of view, not as a dealer. The first thing is that I have to like it and it has to be quality work. Price is important, and it would be an amount that I would be willing to pay as a collector. Of course I would also have to have a price that makes a profit although the profit doesn’t have to be a lot. Sometimes, I’ll buy things that sell for a very small profit because I believe that it will make my website fun to visit.

How many artisans do you presently represent, and from how many countries?

Approximately 200 artisans from 13 countries.

Is there a most popular selling item on your site?

Food and kitchen utensils are very popular.

What’s your favorite miniature by another artist?

Barbara Stanton did a painting of a reclining nude that was amazing.

How has the trend of online shopping for miniatures changed from 1999 to today?

There hasn’t been much change in what people want. Some of the things that were good sellers when I first went online are still popular. I have gotten into “modern” miniatures (1950s and beyond) and those have been well received. There seems to be less interest in Victorian and more interest in rustic or country themes.

How has your work with miniatures evolved over the years?

When I first got into minis as a collector, I bought anything that was “cute” regardless of the quality. After going to shows and seeing the work of artisans my tastes changed dramatically.

Favorite material, tool or technique you cannot live without?

Needle nose pliers and a dremel.

How did you first become involved with the Guild Show presented by the International Guild of Miniature Artisans?

I subscribe to Miniature Collector Magazine and I saw their advertisement.

What other annual miniature events would you recommend that miniature enthusiasts attend?

The Chicago International Trade Show by Tom Bishop should be on every miniaturist’s bucket list.

Advice for beginner entrepreneurs, miniaturists, artists, or collectors?

For collectors – buy what you like. It’s your dollhouse and don’t worry what others think.

For entrepreneurs, find a niche. The market right now is saturated with mini websites and auctions.

For artisans – work with experienced dealers who know the market, offer advice as to what may or may not sell, and give artisans exposure.

What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?

A working guillotine.

Is there anything you haven’t seen in miniature that you would really like to?

Light switches for each room. I think they were made at one time (and may still be available) but they didn’t work very well. They were a bit flimsy.

Why miniatures? What appeals to you most about what you do?

I see something in full size and it doesn’t do anything for me. I see it in miniature and I’m in love.

What’s to come from S P Miniatures?

I recently attended the wholesale show run by Aztec Imports in Ohio, will be attending the Molly Cromwell show in Virginia in September and the Philadelphia Miniaturia in November. I continually look for new artisans and unique miniatures.

What do you want miniature fans to know about you?

I work very hard to find unique and well-made miniatures at prices that are not outrageous. I don’t think that people are aware of how time consuming selling online is.

Carol and Ken Singer hail from Hightstown, NJ and they are the team behind S P Miniatures. S P Miniatures has been in business since 1995 and online since 1999. You can shop their extensive collection on the S P Miniatures website, or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

Daily Mini Interview: Watch Parts Motorcycles

August 23, 2015August 23, 2015 admin

Watch Parts Motorcycles by Dan Tanenbaum

How did you first get started making miniature motorcycles in 2010? What was the inspiration?

I was an Art Director in advertising back in the day, which I loved. Then I became a technology entrepreneur, starting tech companies and selling them. I just sold my last company in the gambling industry. I wanted a way to access my creative juices… I needed a way to use the creativity inside of me.

I’ve been a watch collector for about 20 years now. To me, a watch is the greatest miniature of all. The mechanisms that go into a watch… the design required to make these pieces so small… it’s extraordinary. I’m fascinated by the movements of a watch. After frequenting antique shows, watch dealers and flea markets for several years, I had amassed buckets of watch parts and antique watches. At first, I began making cufflinks. I was selling these for a while, but in the end of the day, it wasn’t challenging enough for me. So I started playing around with watch parts.

The biggest piece of a watch is the case, so I worked backwards from that. I never want to manipulate a piece too much – that risks losing the integrity of the watch parts. I decided upon a motorcycle after putting two watch cases next to one another. As long as it has, handlebars, two wheels, an engine and a gas tank, it can be recognized as a motorcycle. Because so many motorcycles are custom designs, it allowed me to be very creative with these works.

Soon after creating a few, I launched a Facebook page and received very helpful feedback from members of the motorcycle community. They’ve been a great group of people who have helped me to perfect this hobby and allowed me to work harder to create the best representation I can.

Did you transition immediately from watch parts cufflinks to Watch Parts Motorcycles?

It was a seamless transition. Sometimes I stray from motorcycles here and there. But for the most part, I’m obsessed with watch parts motorcycles. Every time I make one, it doesn’t look like the last one. I don’t want them to be an assembly line. So, I will research what’s happening in the moto world in order to decide what to make next. I’ve enjoyed making them as small as I can. And as big as 8 inches by 4 inches. I’m limited by the size of the watch case, which becomes the motorcycle wheel. For certain stop motion videos, I’ll incorporate a watch parts character made by a steampunk artist.

Do you only use watch parts in your creations?

Yes, I only use watch parts when creating these motorcycles. For photoshoots or stop motion video projects, I will use miniatures as props when the scene calls for it.

What technique do you use to create your art?

The truth of the matter is that I don’t consider myself an artist. I was an Art Director. Not a sculptor. I use soldering glue for my watch parts motorcycles. The brand is Loctite glue.

Do you sell your Watch Parts Motorcycles?

The only pieces I sell are custom designs. Someone will send me a photo and I’ll work off of that. Those are the most stressful and challenging works for me, because I want to create the best representation of the bike. I only use watch parts, I never try to manipulate the pieces too much, always respecting the general shape of the mechanism or its parts.

Sometimes people have asked to send me a watch, but it’s not just one watch that goes into a motorcycle. Just the wheels alone are made from 4 different watch cases!

How many watches go into one Watch Parts Motorcycle?

A motorcycle could have parts from 50 different watches in it! I don’t kill any watches in my creations. I breathe new life into an otherwise antique object.

What types of watches do you use in your Watch Parts Motorcycles?

I primarily use watches and pocket watches from the 1900s. Most of my collection stops around the 1940s or 1950s, around the Art Deco period.

How many Watch Parts Motorcycles have you made?

Since 2010, I’ve probably made about 150 of them. I’ve made bigger ones and smaller ones. The more miniature ones are roughly about 1 inch by ½ inch. I’ve probably made about 75 bigger motorcycles.

Where do you keep all the miniature motorcycles you’ve designed and built?

My workroom is in my furnace room. With three young children, a full time job, and this passion, I don’t sleep very much. So, I’m usually in my workroom by 11 at night and I spend a few hours in there, depending on the type of watch parts motorcycle I’m currently working on.

How long does it take you to create a Watch Parts Motorcycle?

The smaller pieces are akin to doodles, and only take about 2 or 3 hours to make. I work on these because I need to get the creativity out of my system somehow. As for the bigger ones, these take about 50 hours to design and build.

How would you describe your work?

My work appeals to a very different cross section of people. You have motorcycle fans, watch lovers, steampunk enthusiasts, those that appreciate art, and another group that loves miniatures.

Can you describe the process behind your photoshoots?

I absolutely love using perspective in my photoshoots of my watch parts motorcycles. I’ll browse online until a particular miniature or collectible catches my attention and then I will use it in one of my photos. There’s also a great miniatures store in Toronto, The Little Dollhouse Company, that I’ve been to a few times when I’ve needed a prop. Whether a canoe, ladder, wine glass or otherwise, I’ve been fortunate enough to find it in miniature and use it for a watch parts motorcycle photoshoot. I recently purchased a miniature carry-on bag from Pat Tyler. And I also picked up an amazingly intricate guitar for another shoot.

Most often, I’m not looking for a particular prop, I’m looking for something that catches my attention. I immediately start thinking of the story behind a miniature. And I then start thinking of all the stories I could tell with that miniature. That’s the greatest thing about people making miniatures. Miniaturists are helping other people tell stories. So it’s great to have access into this community. The miniature world truly takes storytelling to the next level.

Do you have a few favorite miniaturists?

I love work in the eye of a needle. Those micro miniatures are astonishing. I also love the carved sculptures of Dalton Ghetti. I enjoy dioramas that use very small train figures. One Toronto artist, TALWST, is doing a nice job with these. Whenever the viewer loses the perspective of a miniature, you have to admire the work that photographers are doing.

I once picked up 100 miniature figurines and worked on dioramas with my children. They really ran with the project and created the own. It was a great way for them to express themselves, just using a bowl filled with dirt and moss. In fact, my daughter has even built a few watch parts motorcycles! She’s done an amazing job. I think the perspective really comes naturally – it’s all about the placement of the wheels in relation to the handlebars and the engine.

What’s your favorite watch parts motorcycle you’ve built?

I’d say the Triumph Bonneville. It’s the first piece I made that got really intricate in the design and build. I always want my work to be the best representative of the motorcycle. I enjoy making existing, popular motorcycles and hate to select a favorite most days.

I collect many different things these days. I’m an art collector, and I collect watches but don’t have a favorite watch. I try not to do that with most of my endeavors. I don’t want to reach a turning point in my work where I only focus on one type of motorcycle. That being said, I have started liking café racers a lot. I love their visual simplicity, vintage feel, and their quintessential gas tank design. So, I’ve been trying to find pieces for café racers recently. Perhaps I’ll dabble in crotch rockets and dirt bikes at some point, but I won’t want to manipulate the watch parts beyond reason. I don’t want to lose the feel of the watch parts.

Do you ever work on multiple pieces at once?

I like to work on one piece at a time. If I’m working on two pieces at once, it feels too much like an assembly line.

I never complete a large bike in one sitting. Sometimes I have to walk away, put the work aside, and start something else. Eventually, I’ll come back to it. If I’m too close to a project, then I’ll need to take off a few months.

Advice for beginner artists?

If you’re going to do art, you have to do it for yourself. It absolutely has to come from yourself. Art must be an expression of what you’re feeling, or what you want other people to feel. It should cause you to emote from within. Art should be a representation of your creative spirit. You cannot do art for anyone else. Put your own spin on things – whether art, business, marriage, or anything else. Express your individuality. That’s important in whatever you do. Don’t try to be anyone else. And lastly, be spontaneous with your art.

What’s to come from Watch Parts Motorcycles?

I’ll soon begin work on a custom order for a Honda CBX 1000 out of watch parts. I build most of the pieces in my head first. Once it’s about 70% done in my head, I’ll begin executing it.

Anything else you would like to add? What’s to come from Watch Parts Motorcycles?

More stop motion videos, definitely! I am planning to dedicate more time to these projects and dive into stop motion animation. I’d love to make videos that are more than 15 seconds long. Until motorcycles become non-challenging or boring, I’ll continue to work on these sculptures.

What do you want miniature fans and motorcycle enthusiasts to know about you?

I love the community of miniatures and miniature artists. At first, it felt like a part of the brain I don’t have, but I guess I fit into that category. I absolutely love seeing the non-typical, creative ideas out there in the miniature world.

Now I believe that the more creative the miniature, the better the imagination of the recipient becomes. Miniatures are allowing us to become more creative. And my Watch Parts Motorcycles project is something I’m passionate about and I love. It’s totally different from my day job and it’s proven to be a great way to meet new people in the art, motorcycle and miniature worlds.

Dan Tanenbaum, creator of Watch Parts Motorcycles, is based in Toronto. You can follow his miniature motorcycle adventures on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Shop the Watch Parts Motorcycles collection online.

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Aug 26, 2015 at 10:36am PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Musée Miniature et Cinéma Director Dan Ohlmann

August 16, 2015August 16, 2015 admin

Musée Miniature et Cinéma Director Dan Ohlmann

| Website | Facebook |

What are your earliest memories with miniatures?

Le dortoir de Dan Ohlmann CMJN — *Le dortoir* by Dan Ohlmann

As a child, I was very attracted to miniatures. I especially liked to create mini interiors of wooden huts, hunters’ homes with all their furniture and utensils. I was building works perched on real branches, and soon they became tropical forests. I built small streams that became big rivers. I was six years old and my pleasure was in search of maximum realism. I never put figures or figurines in my spaces because it totally interfered with my desire to create a “visual illusion.”

Do you remember the first miniatures you created between 1985 and 1987 before you produced the 1:12 Chez Maxim restaurant in Paris?

Before Chez Maxim, I created a whole mahogany interior featuring the cellist Rostropovich. He had asked me to make this miniature for his friend Herbert Von Karajan’s birthday.

Prison Saint Paul Dan Ohlmann — *Prison Saint Paul* by Dan Ohlmann

Do you have a favorite work currently in the collection of the Musée Miniature et Cinéma (Museum of Miniature and Film)?

I founded the museum for public awareness around the art of the miniature through the eyes of different artists. I did not found it to show my art, but also because I am a huge fan of ten other talented miniaturists. I love the hyperrealist miniature ruins by Laurie Chareyre, and very messy scenes by Ronan Jim Sevellec.

Who are your favorite contemporaries?

I love the work of Alan Wolfson and his New York atmosphere scenes. We exhibited a retrospective of his work at the museum earlier this year.

Other than that, I have no preference when it comes to the specific type of a miniature scene. Everyone has a different style, and I do not wish to compare them.

What miniaturists do you wish to feature in the Museum?

I have not yet had the opportunity to exhibit Charles Matton, who has had a very beautiful career. My greatest desire would be to achieve an exhibition featuring this great artist in Lyon! Maybe someday…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — *Le hangard abandonné* by Dan Ohlmann

What inspires you?

I like to reproduce places full of past spaces, where one feels the presence of a human is not far away. The presence of certain objects in my miniature scenes help to create a moving, breathing piece of work.

Why miniatures?

If I was not a miniaturist, I would probably be a filmmaker or a film set designer. I am very fond of the various spaces in which human beings move. “Tell me where you live and I’ll tell you who you are” is a sentence that rings true for me.

What has been the most difficult miniature project to create?

There are some interesting miniatures I would have liked to create. I always wanted to make the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. After getting special permission to photograph the Conservatory, and take thousands of photographs on site (over 5 days), I never started its production because I did not have the courage to launch into 4-5 years of miniature work for all the necessary micro-sculptures. Having previously created the Maxim’s de Paris, which took 15 months of continuous work, I realized that the Hall of Mirrors would be too difficult and would take too long for me to make. I would prefer to make 5 different miniatures over a period of time, rather than work on one. I like to have a bit of choice.

Museum Director Dan Ohlmann with an animatronic prop from *Gremlins 2*

What is the most unusual miniature you have ever seen?

Stuart Little 2 carrée — *Stuart Little*

The miniatures of the late Charles Matton are especially beautiful. I am touched by the beauty of a scene first and foremost. I am not affected by the dexterity required to make a piece, because performance is not art.

What is your favorite period of History of Art?

I love Art Deco.

Career highlights thus far?

The best moments for me have been the encounters made at a location that I am studying to miniaturize. Whether at Le Havre in Normandy, at Maxim’s in Paris, in an incredible zen temple in Japan, in Cuba, or in the Drôme Provençale, there is this aspect of a “reporter miniaturist” that is so exciting! Whenever I start to photograph and analyze a rare and unusual place, I usually meet rare and unusual people!

What’s to come from the Musée Miniature et Cinéma?

We will celebrate this year the 10th anniversary of the Museum in its current location (a 16th century historical building, the Maison des Avocats), but also our 20 years of miniature and cinema in Lyon since the museum was actually founded in Lyon on January 1, 1990. In 2000, the museum had been in the Paris regions for 5 years (operated by Grévin of Paris) and was reopened again in 2005 in the capital of Gaul.

What do you want fans of miniatures know about you?

I want them to know that this museum exists only because of their love and support for over 20 years now!

Today one of my other passions is to restore objects that were used for filming movies before the era of “all-digital.” These numerous sets, costumes, prosthetics, animatronics, and more are very fragile due to materials which were poorly resistant to passing time. Thanks to our visitors, we preserve these props in our workshops. A big thank you to the public for its help in preserving nostalgic art!

Created by miniaturist artist Dan Ohlmann, the Musée Miniature et Cinéma in France presents two rare and exclusive collections: miniature scenes and film props and artifacts. The museum features over 100 miniature scenes exquisitely crafted by world-renowned miniaturists while the film collection boasts over 300 original film props and artofacts. To learn more about Dan Ohlmann or the Museum of Miniature and Film, visit the Musée Miniature et Cinéma website or head on over to Facebook.

Trice_25_06_2015_light — Dan Ohlmann with an animatronic triceratops from Jurassic Park

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Aug 18, 2015 at 12:39pm PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Paperholm by Charles Young

August 10, 2015August 10, 2015 admin

Paperholm Miniature Paper Sculptures

| Website | Shop | Tumblr |

How did the idea for Paperholm come about?

The project came about as a way to keep myself making new work every day. Small paper models seemed like something that I could complete without it taking up too much time. The animations came about by chance really as I’d never made any before starting the project.

Do you save all the miniature paper sculptures you created?

I still have every model from the project and they’re now taking up quite a lot of space. I’d love to exhibit them as a constructed city, but I don’t have anything planned at the moment.

Do you have a favorite miniature sculpture thus far?

I think that my current favorite is number 281. which is a house in the form of a giraffe. I was just really pleased with the way that it came out, nothing deeper than that.

Most challenging miniature sculptures you’ve made?

The most difficult sculptures are the ones that feature complex curves. The way of making these shapes from single pieces of paper means that you can’t hide your mistakes. The watercolor paper that I use it great for work at this scale. It’s thick enough to hold its shape, but thin enough to bend fairly well.

Will you be retiring Paperholm in August 2015 at the 1-year mark?

tumblr_nsayam4Uos1tjhih8o1_500 Even with just a few days to go before the one year mark, I’m still not sure about whether I’m going to carry on or not. I feel like a year of models would be a good block of work and Paperholm has fulfilled its purpose of keeping me making but I think i’d feel bad for stopping.

Advice for new artists?

I know that I’ve improved my skills a lot over the year just by making something small every day. Regular practice really helps and although it can be hard to get started, once you get established in the rhythm of doing a daily project it becomes very natural.

What inspires you?

Inspiration for my work comes from all kinds of sources, existing buildings, things I read or illustrations in books but sometimes an idea is hard to trace and it’s not always clear where it originated. I’m interested in the full breadth of architecture, from Alvar Aalto to Jean-Jacques Lequeu, which is hopefully reflected in my work. It’s one of the great things about producing such small works so quickly that you can experiment with widely varying styles without worrying too much about how it will come out in the end.

Charles Young is based in Edinburgh, UK. To see the full collection of Paperholm miniature paper sculptures in photo and animation form, visit the Paperholm website, shop the Etsy store, or check out his Tumblr.

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Charles Young on successfully reaching 365 days of Paperholm! This dailymini article was published days before the 1-year mark of his delightfully designed paper city.

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Aug 14, 2015 at 9:59am PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Miniature Landscapes by Louise Smith

August 6, 2015August 6, 2015 admin

Miniature Embroidery by Louise Smith
Landscapes in Silk and Thread

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Tell us a bit about your background as an artist.

As a teenager, I saw an exhibition of free motion machine embroidery on silk, and was intrigued by how the stitched foreground appeared so near and the painted background so distant, making me feel I’d traveled miles while standing on the spot. But a little research on the subject—in books, in those pre-Internet days—left me feeling this was too tricky and time-consuming an art form to learn at the time.

I must have held onto the idea somewhere, though, and seven years ago when I was seeking something creative to do in my spare time, it popped straight into my head. By this time, the Internet, artists’ blogs and YouTube videos had made learning a bit easier. Despite having done neither painting nor sewing since my schooldays, I went all in, buying a sewing machine and a bunch of silk, paint and thread, determined to make a go of it.

I did some painting on silk first, getting used to that medium, then took on the task of learning free motion machine embroidery. They’re very different disciplines, but they do share a common power to exasperate! When a painting or sewing session goes well, though, you feel like you’ve climbed a mountain.

Nowadays, I also incorporate a lot of other techniques such as hand sewing, gluing, ribbon work, and using thread lint—whatever’s demanded by the scene I’m trying to create.

What unique materials have gone in to your work?

I doubt it’s unique to me, but I use thread lint sometimes, which is just regular sewing thread chopped finely. I use a toothpick to stir different colors together to get the exact shade I want. It’s great for depicting fields or trees in the middle distance, that are too near for paint and too distant for embroidery. I attach it to the silk using acid-free tacky glue.

Since I work with woven silk, sometimes when I’m looking for a really fine thread, such as for boat rigging, I’ll pull a single strand of silk from the side of the piece and use that.

One piece featuring seagulls had me stumped, because I tried thread, then ribbon, and still wasn’t happy with the look of the gulls. I ended up using tiny slivers of Tyvek, which is used for everything from envelopes to house wraps, but counts as fiber.

I sometimes use snippets of ribbon or cotton. And I’m a fabric store’s nightmare because I’ll drag out a big roll of some fabric with an intriguing texture and buy a quarter-yard of it.

Although I embroider mostly with regular sewing thread, I do subject it to processes that make it look different. My work should look absolutely nothing like traditional embroidery with its very tidy, recognizable stitch patterns, because nature doesn’t look like that. So, I might do some free motion machine embroidery and then rough it up with an emery board to make it look like windblown grass; or chop into it with scissors. It sometimes feels like hairstyling on a very small scale.

Why do you find yourself predominantly working in a small scale?

With the medium of embroidery, it’s partly determined by the diameter of hoop that can fit within the arm of the sewing machine. Much larger than a 10-inch hoop, and you’ll find the edge of the hoop bangs into the arm of the machine and compromises your stitching. And even on pieces that don’t involve the machine, I still aim small because it would take too long to hand-sew a large area.

As for why embroidery as opposed to, say, large-scale landscape painting, I think it’s because I’m compelled to do something different. If embroidery on a small scale suddenly became a very mainstream hobby, I’d probably look for something else to do. There’s something special to me about bringing a relatively obscure art form to light.

Artists that have inspired you?

Alison Holt, who’s based in the UK, is one of the first artists to have inspired me in this particular medium. And Kirsten Chursinoff is a fiber artist local to British Columbia, whose work I’ve been lucky enough to see in person. I’m afraid I’ve never been able to find out the name of the artist whose exhibition originally inspired me as a teenager, but I’m very thankful to them!

I’m also inspired by artists in all media, because they all have so much to teach me about composition and color, and I enjoy participating in art groups both local and online.

Favorite artist working with miniatures?

Alison Holt creates small-scale landscapes using free motion machine embroidery—and magic, I think—on silk. Janet Granger, a fellow member of Stitchin’ Fingers, creates exquisite miniature dollhouse furnishings.

Advice you’d share with beginner artists or those working in small scale?

I count myself as a beginner still, but I’d say: don’t hesitate to create a website and/or blog to help publicize your work. In real life, miniatures can be overlooked when displayed beside larger-scale artwork, but in the virtual world nothing can be larger than the size of a screen, so your visual presence can be as large as anyone else’s.

What is the most memorable miniature work you have ever seen?

Maarten Meerman’s miniature wooden sculptures are probably the smallest-scale I’ve ever seen in person. I also admire the work of sculptor Willard Wigan; and I can’t name any one above the others, but I’m intrigued by eggshell carvers.

Why small scale for your miniature landscapes?

I love making people look more closely. I love a double-take. I love outright disbelief. But beyond the initial reactions I sometimes see, I love when somebody looks for a long time because a piece makes them feel something.

What’s to come from Louise Smith?

I’m working on pieces now for exhibition this winter in a group show called Positively Petite, featuring small-scale artwork and sculpture. That’s in Coquitlam, BC. The qualifying dimensions are around 3 x 4 inches or smaller, so after that I’m usually ready to bust out and do some comparative whoppers at 5 x 6 inches.

What do you want miniature fans to know about you?

Regardless of the scale of my work, my aim is always to create a piece that evokes an emotional response, rather than solely a reaction to the small dimensions or unusual materials. So, as much as I’m trying to master techniques and push boundaries in fiber, my true goal is to move you—miles and miles, and a mood away—through that little scrap of silk and thread.

Louise Smith is based in Vancouver, Canada. View many more of her miniature landscapes on the Threaded Views website, Threaded Views blog, and check out her Stitchin’ Fingers profile.

World’s Smallest Circular Saw by Lance Abernethy

August 5, 2015June 8, 2017 admin

Lance Abernethy recently 3D printed the world’s smallest circular saw. Based in New Zealand, you may remember Lance from his work on the world’s smallest cordless drill! Both tools really work!

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Aug 5, 2015 at 6:15am PDT

Daily Mini Interview: The Museum of Working Miniatures

August 3, 2015August 3, 2015 admin

The Museum of Working Miniatures

| YouTube | Twitter | Blog |

Describe your earliest memory with miniatures.

Great question! I remember having a couple of working miniatures when I was a child. I still have a couple of them (a miniature board game and a Rubik’s cube-style puzzle.) But I didn’t follow up with a collection until much later in life.

Where did you come up with the idea for the Museum of Working Miniatures?

The Museum of Working Miniatures YouTube Channel was established to showcase a unique collection of fully working miniature toys, games, electronics and gadgets.

By coincidence, I was gifted a couple of working miniatures in my 20s, (a miniature briefcase and a tiny working Etch A Sketch). They sat in my cupboards for many years—and when in my 30s I found them again, and wondered if you could get anything else that was a functional miniature. I found a few in High Street shops, but they’re not easy to find! But it was also the early days of sites like eBay, and it opened up a whole new avenue for finding them. Pretty soon, I had hundreds in the collection! It’s been slowly growing ever since. About a year ago, I finally got the whole collection together into cabinets—and then thought “what am I going to do with this now?” If I ever lost them all, I don’t think I could ever find some of them again (and it would be a huge undertaking)—so I wanted to do something to record the collection. It was going to be a blog with photos, but then I realized it was best to show the items working, you really needed to see them move—so why not video? That began the creation of the channel—it was really just for me initially, to have some permanent record of the pieces.

Do you have a favorite working miniature you’ve featured?

Tough one! I’ve always got a soft spot for the working Victrola (Gramophone record player) that I featured in the very first video. I just love how it not only looks like a perfect miniature scale model, but also works with real miniature records. I also love the Basic Fun Mouse Trap game key chain—perfect miniature replica of the board game down to every last piece—and it all works!

Do you have a favorite “non-working” miniature object?

I often order miniatures thinking that they’re working and then find out they’re not. I may do a video of these ‘Working Miniature Fails’ soon. I was recently given a miniature ship in a bottle, which I like.

Favorite mini maker?

It has to be Basic Fun. In the 80s, they started making replica mini key chain versions of classic games and toys, and buy the end of the 90s, they had a massive range. Their range of working arcade games are my favorite (Miniature Pinball, Crane Grabber, Rod Hockey, etc.) — and they’re also the rarest to find.

Have you ever made miniatures yourself?

I nearly did with the working miniature TV set. I struggled to find anything that fitted what I wanted (able to play a video through its own speaker and look like a TV set.) I was going to make my own from a little MP3 video player. But the collection is about curating existing items, not creating new ones.

Advice for those that love to collect working miniatures?

As far as I know, I’m the only one who seems to have this kind of collection—can’t find any trace of anyone else. But I’d advise learning to love Internet searching—you’ll be doing a lot of it. And make use of all the tools that sites like eBay have for helping you monitor keyword searches.

What inspires you?

The YouTube Channels that really influenced me are the work of Ashens, who was a pioneer of reviewing something without showing his face (only his hands). Also, Grand Illusions, for showing that there may be an audience for unusual curios.

What is the most memorable miniature you’ve come across?

On Etsy, there is someone selling an extremely small working coffee maker. You can fit it on your finger. It comes with a tiny spoon and cup and a stand for a candle—it boils and a single drop of coffee drips out of the pot into the tiny cup. Absolutely insanity—but I have to get one one day! I also once saw a guy who made perfect working miniature lavatories—with perfect flushing mechanism! But he didn’t sell them as a business, so I’m not sure if that should be in the collection. I was really going for items that anyone (at the time) could have bought, not just one-offs.

What appeals to you most about what you do?

I really don’t know. Something about the very tiny world appeals to me. I’m quite tall, so maybe it stems from not wanting to stand out physically? But I also really love the design, craftsmanship, and engineering that goes into making such tiny things really work. It’s amazing!

What’s to come from the Museum of Working Miniatures?

Well, I still have hundreds of exhibits to film. I want to continue to plough through and record them all eventually. The ‘miniature fails’ video would be funny to do. And maybe another cooking video—the Cooking Bacon in Miniature video is still by far my most watched. I’m trying to find a tiny metal oven replica that you could theoretically cook with—I’ve got close recently. Fingers crossed. Oh, and I’d like to do some more competition giveaways. I have a few duplicates—a couple are the extremely rare Basic Fun arcade games so they would make great prizes.

What other activities do you enjoy?

The Curator only knows Curating. There IS nothing else. That and tormenting Colin, my robot assistant.

What do you want miniature fans to know about you?

I get asked a lot why I don’t speak in the videos and what I look like. I actually did speak for the first few. The environment I film in just doesn’t allow me to do voice-overs. Plus, I really like my videos in ‘pantomime’ style. There are many other channels that do the same, and some are extremely successful. So… no plans to start speaking again. And as to what I look like? A little like Colin, only with a beard.

The Museum of Working Miniatures YouTube Channel was established by The Curator to showcase a unique collection of fully working miniature toys, games, electronics and gadgets. Based in London, you can subscribe to working miniature videos on YouTube, follow the fun on Twitter, and check out the Museum of Working Miniatures blog!