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Daily Mini Interview: Mighty Oak Brings Miniature Sets to Life for HGTV and Sherwin-Williams

June 24, 2018June 25, 2018 admin

Mighty Oak’s Miniature Sets for HGTV and Sherwin-Williams

Interview with Emily Collins, Creative Director at Mighty Oak

Tell us a bit about your recent collaboration with HGTV and Sherwin-Williams.

Our team created a series of miniature rooms inspired by the 2018 Sherwin-Williams color collection. Each room was modeled to look like a contemporary living space, with details as tiny as half-inch shampoo bottles crafted by hand.

How many rooms did you create, and how are they distinct from one another?

We created 7 rooms in total. Each unique room showcases a living space, including a bathroom, kitchen, 2 living rooms, a bedroom, and a sun room. They range in style, from minimalist decor, to plant-filled lounges, rustic interiors, and even a seaside-aesthetic.

How many team members helped to bring this project to life?

Our team was made up of 11 creatives, including our producer and director, animators, fabricators, and post-production crew. We worked closely with our clients to ensure that each room represented their new color line in the way they imagined.

What was your team’s favorite room to create?

Everyone seems to have their own favorite! My personal favorite was the Minimalist Danish Living Room because it feels the most realistic. It looks life-size to me in camera before you see the hand reveal the scale.

What was the most challenging room to create?

The kitchen cabinetry was probably the most challenging to create because there were so many angles and lines to consider! The artist Sam Shumway had to delicately measure and craft each individual cabinet to make sure everything lined up properly.

The shower in the bathroom was another challenging custom build, but artist Hillary Barton did a great job. The shower door is actually functional, and could slide open and closed which was exciting to see in action.

About how many miniatures did your team create by hand?

The team created about 70% of the pieces by hand including the couches, bed, shower, wall paintings, contemporary chair, tables, dressers, planters, and… I could go on. We’re lucky to have a skilled team that specializes in crafting miniatures, as stop-motion animation often calls for it.

Where did you source some of the miniature home décor and accessories from?

The few pieces that we did source came from Amazon, Tiny Doll House on the Upper East Side in NYC and our very own studio. My business partner Michaela Olsen has been collecting miniature vintage dollhouse furniture for a long time that we were able to use.

We also sourced all of the wood flooring from my husband’s company, Tri-Lox, which sources sustainable lumber to create custom designs. A lot of the flooring and some of the furniture is made out of Redwood that previously was part of NYC water towers!

Did you have to use a special paintbrush to create the wall art?

We used very thin-tipped brushes!

What did you learn about miniatures along the way?

I learned that it is wise to think in 1:12 scale as much as possible, as that is the easiest size to source! I also learned that I love miniatures very much. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a contemporary scene, room, piece of furniture or plant at a tiny scale.

What did you learn about interior design through this collaboration?

I learned that when I design my future home, I will mock-up my plans first in Photoshop, as we did with these rooms. It’s a great way to plan out a space. Most retailers have photos of their furniture from various angles, so it’s possible to grab an image and resize, and angle it to fit your mock-up.

What other services does Mighty Oak offer?

We specialize in hand-made design, crafting items out of paper, clay, wood, textiles, and even food. We primarily work in stop-motion animation, but also offer a lot of options for hand-drawn animation, illustration, and motion graphics.

Our full-time team of 7 employees with about 40 specialized subcontractors to offer services that blend art, branding, and design. This hybrid of strengths makes our work unique.

What’s next from Mighty Oak?

As we continue to create mini worlds for brands, we’re also starting to work more with TV networks like HBO and Netflix, which is really exciting! We’re also expanding our services to consumers directly, creating hand-crafted video games, .gifs, stickers, and templates that anyone can easily download and use. But you can see how we’re making all of this on our Instagram or brand new YouTube channel, where we’ll be posting behind-the-scenes videos of our process.

If any mini-makers want to collaborate — Instagram is the best place to find us!

The Mighty Oak studio is located in Red Hook, Brooklyn. They’re on the lookout for talented makers, so feel free to get in touch to learn more! Check out their latest projects on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo. And make sure to read more about their extensive project portfolio on the Mighty Oak site.

Daily Mini Feature: Casper’s Miniature Nap Pillow is Just the Right Size

June 15, 2018July 9, 2018 admin

Casper Nap Pillow is a Mini of the Original Best-Seller

| Nap Pillow |

A post shared by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Jun 5, 2018 at 7:08am PDT

Casper recently revealed a miniature pillow that’s the perfect size for travel… a little relaxation… and well, naps.

The Casper Nap Pillow is a miniature version of the best-selling original (standard-sized) pillow, which has earned more than 2,500 five-star reviews. It’s ridiculously comfortable. And now, adorably miniature. Plus, it comes with a pillowcase and drawstring bag for on-the-go adventures and bigger travel plans.

Get your mini pillow here, and get to napping later. Because now you can finally “snooze wherever you choose.”

Check out our photoshoot with Sadie Hawkins the dog and Sadie Hawkins the miniature, created by miniature crochet extraordinaire SuAmi:

Daily Mini Interview: Miniatures by Little Architecture

February 7, 2016March 15, 2018 admin

Little Architecture

What’s your earliest memory with miniatures?

I have always been obsessed with the microcosm. All my play as a child explored this theme; I loved miniatures because they were small and secret… something most people walk right by without noticing. My favorite game from as early as I can remember was to run around and pretend I was a bird flying in the sky, imagining the patterns on the sand at the beach, grass or carpet were vast landscapes. Crouching down close I could see all their tiny and intricate details as a giant. I also loved to create tiny houses and towns in the garden for the fairies. When I was five, I discovered dollhouses existed and from that point on, I collected anything which looked miniature, including all sorts of junk (bottle cap chairs or shell plates). By the time I was 10, I had a significant collection of random objects which were very precious to me!

Can you share a first memory with architectural design?

When I was 10, we moved from the far north of the Queensland to southern Victoria. The architecture in the south of Australia is vastly different to far north Queensland and it blew my mind. There are no decorative or historic houses up north due to the destructive tropical climate. Victoria however is full of whimsical Victorian era houses with decorative ironwork and beautiful eclectic designs. The age of the houses was also amazing to me. Up north most houses are modern, and there is no sense of longevity or history in them. These houses down south captivated me with their antiquity. From that time on, I became obsessive… drawing houses and riding my bike around mapping their locations and looking for more. By the time I was in my later teens, I was familiar with all the historic houses in my city and could tell you their location if I saw them in the real estate pages of the newspaper. My fascination with architecture and building history has never relented.

How did you first get started making miniatures?

My interest in miniatures stems from my interest in architecture and my fascination with microcosms. I began to seriously try and make miniatures when I was around 13. I planned a large dollhouse, and got as far as making the shell. However, I didn’t really know how to complete it and it was left unfinished and had to be thrown out (it was also structurally unsound!). However, I tried a few more times and had properly finished my first dollhouse by the time I was 19. The architectural style of my dollhouses is always in accordance with the architectural period I am interested in or studying at that time. I have finished about six more houses in the decade since: three Victorian houses, two mid twentieth century, one Georgian and one Swedish Gustavian Style house.

Do you remember the first miniature you owned?

The first “proper” miniature I ever had was a tiny plastic cognac bottle which came off the decoration on the front of a full size bottle which my Uncle bought in Switzerland when I was five. He took the real cognac and threw me the tiny one. I treasured that bottle because it looked so realistic to me and I still have it today!

What is the most challenging miniature to make?

For me, furniture is the most challenging. I move through phases with miniatures. At the moment, I am focused on 1:24 furniture, in particular chairs. Before that, it was 1:24 houses, and before that 1:12 houses. I expect I will get back to the architecture side soon, after I have mastered furniture! Furniture is difficult because you must build it from many constituent parts, all of which must be designed so they fit together properly and are at the right scale too. Sometimes you can create a piece of furniture which looks nothing like what you set out to achieve, and so it is a process of trial and error.

Make your own Victorian hall lantern: DIY tutorial here!

What’s your favorite period and type of architecture?

In my architecture studies I have been most interested in pre-industrial revolution architecture. The great thing about miniatures is that you can explore whichever historical period or modern movement you are interested in in a tangible way without having to spend lots of money or travel around the world. I am coming out of a two year phase of serious interest in neo-Gothic architecture. It has been so interesting to study the genesis of the movement in Britain, but then learn how it mutated when it arrived Australia and later the U.S., and how each country has interpreted it through their own sense of climactic conditions and social. I have been exploring this period at the moment while having fun making Gothic style furniture and a 1:24 middle class American style Carpenter Gothic house.

Currently, I am working on a project in which I am trying to create an exact miniature replica of a pre-fabricated colonial cottage producing in 1833 for settlers to Australia from Britain. I found details and plans of the cottage in an historic book published in 1833 (Loudon’s Encyclopedia of Cottage Farm and Villa Architecture, Vol 1). I am halfway through the project and you can follow my progress on Instagram. It has been a great way for me to learn more about colonial architecture in Australia, as well as the framing and structure of the building.

In addition to neo-Gothic architecture, I adore the austere colonial Regency and Georgian Architecture of the early settlement of Tasmania. Tasmania was the first state of Australia to have a significant settlement, and most of the oldest buildings in Australia are there. I have spent many trips traveling to Tasmania to study and photograph these beautiful (and often forgotten) buildings.

Who are some of your favorite miniaturists?

My favorite miniaturists are usually those who have managed to achieve a great degree of realism and quality in their work. These include some obvious names, such as Mulvany & Rogers, Pat and Noel Thomas, as well as Tarbena Miniatures and Small-Time Miniatures. These miniaturists are professionals who only produce miniatures of the highest quality. Another favorite of mine is Patty of MinisX2 on Etsy, who produces wonderful handmade mid century modern furniture.

Favorite architects you’d like to cite?

I particularly love Sir John Soane. He was a British architect practicing in the late 17th and early 18th century in Britain. His impact was so great that buildings built by some of the great twentieth century architects, such as Venturi and Kahn were influenced by his work. I find it fascinating how architecture is a fluid thing. One movement influences another, sometimes imperceptibly, but it is always possible to trace the kernel of ideas back in time, sometimes even hundreds of years.

What advice would you give to new miniaturists?

I would advise miniaturists to immerse themselves in experiencing and/or looking at real images of the objects or buildings they want to recreate in miniature. Too often, poor quality work is produced because the maker does not have a good visual understanding of the real object they are trying to recreate in miniature. When I find a new topic of interest (for example, Victorian parlour furniture) I study it obsessively, and immerse myself in images of that type of furniture. I will borrow dozens of books and relentlessly scour the Internet for reference material. I visit antique shops and study the shapes, sizes and materials. This is because I always strive for realism in my miniatures, and this can never be achieved without observing life very closely.

What is the most memorable miniature you have ever seen?

I visited the most amazing dollhouse shop in London while I was there this past June. The shop was run by an elderly lady and was packed from floor to ceiling with incredibly high quality miniature things. The lady who owns the shop is famed for her habit of not selling a tiny thing to a customer whom she does not deem worthy of the object. After about 30 minutes in the shop chatting to the lady and her devoted assistant, she must have decided I was worthy because she called me over to see “her best miniature.” It was a tiny working Swiss army knife created by miniaturist Laurence St. Leger. The object had won him the 2015 Perfection In Miniature Award at the Kensington Dollshouse Festival. Notwithstanding the object’s significant value, she allowed me to hold it and photograph it. She also told me that he had made another one a couple of years before, but it had fallen out of his hands and took him three years to find again…

What is your hope for the field of miniatures?

I would like to see more realism in dollhouses in terms of architectural accuracy. I hate it when companies create mass-produced houses which look awful because they are out of proportion or because the designers haven’t bothered to understood how houses of a particular style actually look. The Jasmine Victorian Dollhouse Kit by Laser Dollhouse Designs Inc. is the perfect example of this. Unfortunately, there is too much mediocrity in the mass-produced, cheap market. It can be difficult to get an authentic and well-designed house kit which does not cost the earth. In the long term, I plan to create a line of dollhouse kits which are architectural accurate but also inexpensive, for collectors and architectural enthusiasts who can tell the difference.

What would you like to see replicated in miniature that you have not yet seen?

I would love to see more architecturally accurate dollhouses from a range of periods beyond the standard Victorian and Tudor. There are so many wonderful movements and styles from throughout architectural history that are never really explored in miniature. I would also like to see more miniatures which are not just focused on English or American architectural styles as well. For example, traditional Japanese and Chinese architecture is incredibly beautiful and would translate wonderfully into miniature houses.

What’s to come from Little Architecture?

In addition to the new website, I have begun research for a range of commercial dollhouse kits which are architecturally accurate. I want to produce a wide range of houses, both from historical time periods as well as different cultures.

Emily Boutard of Melbourne, Australia is the creator behind Little Architecture, formerly known as Architecture of Tiny Distinction. She quit her job as a corporate lawyer to study architecture. You can see her miniature architectural designs and mini creations on the Little Architecture Website, blog and Instagram. Make your own by following her latest tutorials!

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Feb 9, 2016 at 12:31pm PST

Daily Mini Interview: TeenyTiny_Things Manila

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015 admin

Miniatures by TeenyTiny_Things Manila

| Instagram | Facebook |

Where does your interest in miniatures come from?

I very much owe my fixation for miniatures to my grandmother. She has actually influenced all of her children and grandchildren with her various collections. Each of us has a collection of some genre. She has a vast collection of dolls from different countries, eggs–real and manmade–coins, toy cars, animal figurines, commemorative spoons, Swarovski crystals, refrigerator magnets, tea cups, and of course miniatures!

When we were little, her collection was so precious to her that we were only allowed to peek inside her glass cabinets–but never allowed to touch or play with her miniature collectibles. All of us cousins would spend hours sitting in front of her cabinets, exploring in amazement the details inside that we were NOT allowed to touch. I think in some way, it has affected us all because now that we have the means to buy our own and source our own, we go all out to make up for the years of deprivation!

My beautiful, amazing grandmother is currently bedridden due to old age. I recently made a tribute for her on my IG page. I featured 10 of my most favorite things from her miniature collection—please do check it out if you have time! Just key in #forLOLAmaria on Instagram.

How many years have you been collecting minis?

I’ve been collecting minis for as long as I can remember! Friends also know how much I love miniatures, so they try to pick up something for me when they see one in passing when traveling or otherwise. I am particularly obsessed with minis that are part of my everyday life: groceries, food, furniture, household appliances, and more.

As for shooting photos of my minis, it was not since the start of this year 2015 that I decided to put up an Instagram page. Social media has a great effect on collectors, on everyone! Here I was able to share how I see miniatures compared to the world, the BIG world, and also hear from fellow mini lovers such as myself. It started on my personal account where I always put up photos of my minis and I noticed I received more likes posting minis than when I post my personal stuff! So I figured why not put up an Instagram account for my minis so other collectors can see it? It just blew up from there.

What’s your style of photography on the site?

I take photos using only my iPhone 6! My shooting style usually comprised of comparing the miniature’s scale to a true size object. When I shoot, I also try to enjoy myself so I seldom go out of my way to shoot something. I just shoot when I feel that I am at the right place, at a convenient time. What’s nice about miniatures is they are so small you don’t need to carry much weight just to do a shoot! I carry miniatures in my purse all the time! So whenever I see a perfect opportunity or perfect spot, I just take them out and shoot there! People look at me funny when we are in a restaurant and food comes out and OH I HAVE A MINI OF THAT… and I bust out my minis on the table just to shoot. It’s great for killing time too! I shoot even when I am stuck in traffic or when I’m waiting on line, haha! People just stare at me when I take out little toys when paying bills.

Favorite mini you own by another artist or have made yourself?

I am very fascinated on how Re-Ment miniatures are made and conceptualized to be a set. They really have mastered making daily household items or food sets in the scale of 1:12 where you can actually appreciate details! For durability as well I commend Re-Ment brand and Orcara. Japanese artists and designers make excellent miniatures.

Fellow miniaturists that inspire you?

Works of Minivenger, Nunu’s House, Shay Aaron, Valentina and Maritza never fail to amaze me. I am in awe of their talent and attention to detail.

What’s to come from TeenyTiny_Things?

Since I get to have a lot of boxes coming in from my orders abroad, I’m planning to put up a YouTube account for when I’m unboxing my new mini orders. I’ll also include videos of when I set them up for a shoot and so forth. I think that would be fun and interesting for mini lovers! I just need to find the time.

Anything else you would like to add?

My name is Kimberly, and I am crazy about all kinds of miniatures. I run the page as a hobby, but as my followers grew, many were asking if I sell minis so I figured, maybe I should! I now do it part time while I work full time in the fashion retail industry. I am 31 years old, a working mother of two healthy energetic boys. I am a happy wife to a very supportive husband. Aside from miniatures, I love to travel with family, eat generously and lavishly. I love museums, reading books and family time. And yes—please do let miniature lovers know about my TeenyTiny account I would love to share my miniatures with them!

Kimberly del Rosario lives in Manila, Philippines. You can see many more of her teeny, tiny things on the TeenyTiny_Things Instagram or on Facebook.

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Jun 24, 2015 at 8:48am PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Miniatures by Ludwina Mini Carpet

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015 admin

Miniatures by Ludwina Mini Carpet

How did you first get started in miniatures?

I am originally from Belgium and studied textile art in Antwerp and Ghent. From a very young age, I loved to paint and craft. I wanted to try all kind of crafts. It was so bad that my mom used to say my hobby was changing hobbies. Until I discovered weaving. There are so many different techniques and possibilities that it never becomes boring for me.

After marrying my Turkish husband, we moved to Turkey, and I left my looms in Belgium. Once in Turkey, we opened a real size carpet shop, and I started knotting carpets in the shop, because that was the only loom I had. A carpet loom is different from the weaving looms I had before, but in my textile art training I had used a very similar loom.

I started with a medium size carpet but after working on it for several weeks, I decided to make it a square—to finish a bit faster—and after doing this, I learned to make the carpets smaller because it takes so long to finish a piece that it started to be boring. And also because customers asked for smaller sizes and nobody made these small sizes at the time. One of the first real small carpets I finished was sold to a Dutch customer for his dollhouse. And here the idea was born to make dollhouse carpets. It must have been around 1997.

It was a long way to make smaller, better and finer carpets, not only small carpets but real miniature sized works. In the beginning, I made wool carpets for 1:12 scale, but when I wanted to make finer and finer pieces I began also to use silk. Some of those smaller fine silk carpets work well in smaller scales.

After some time, when I started selling on eBay, I began making miniature crochet. And when I saw the possibilities with petit point embroidery when I was at the Chicago International Show, I wanted to try this. I really love to make pillows and now and then a carpet. The designs I make for my knotted carpets are perfect for petit point carpets in smaller scales.

What can’t you live without?

My crochet needle, a box of silk sewing threads, and needles is always close by. Often times, I will take a project in my bag if I go somewhere. It is easy to take with me, and here in Turkey, it is not strange to sit somewhere and do some handcrafting… although the younger generations are not as interested in crafts anymore.

What inspires you?

When I was working in our carpet shop, I was surrounded by carpets and had inspiration all day. Now that I am retired from the shop, I still have my books and I can find a lot of information and inspiration on the Internet. I am not weaving as much anymore but I’m creating more and more embroidery and crochet. I’m enjoying life, my cats and my garden.

Here in Turkey we do not have much dollhouse miniatures and surely not in the days I started. So I am happy I found miniature friends online. I am member of the Yahoo! group The CAMP where we share ideas, show our miniatures, and have a lot of miniature-related fun.

Upcoming projects planned?

At the moment, I am not doing any shows. Making my carpets takes so much time that it is not possible to have new work every year. Maybe in some time, I will be back at a show again, because it is so nice to see all the beautiful work I can see there…. and to meet new friends!

Ludwina Akbulut lives in Turkey. For more handmade work from her ludwinaminicarpet brand, visit her website, check out eBay, Facebook, Etsy or take a peek at miniature carpet designs on her blog.

Daily Mini Interview: Hungarian Miniatures

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015 admin

Hungarian Miniatures by Erzsébet Bodzás

How did you first get started in miniatures?

I wanted to give my daughters a dollhouse for Christmas but the available ones on the market were so impersonal and way too expensive. I decided to make a dollhouse by myself. I had no clue how to start, so I started to search on the Internet and I accidentally found some very impressing miniature works. I had never heard about miniatures before. It was love at first sight.

I’ve been making miniatures for five years, and I’m self-trained although I capitalized on everything I could find online. Any time I have aside from caring for my family and my garden, I use working in my workroom.

How has your work in miniatures evolved over the years?

Through the years, I meddled in almost every territory of the miniature world. I made foods, furniture, roomboxes, scenes, and more. Although I enjoy creating all of them, after a serious inner debate, I opted for miniature food making as my specialty. I prefer the traditional homemade foods, rustic breads and pies, heirloom vegetables, and fruits. I also love arranging my foods into little scenes where I can set together the elements like in a three dimensional still life painting.

What materials do you use to make miniatures?

I use polymer clay, paper, wood, fabric—practically everything except glass and precious metals. Nowadays my personal favorite is paper. You can’t believe how many things you can do if you have proper templates and apply some layers of acrylic paint.

Advice for new miniaturists?

It’s never the perfection that makes a miniature real, but the natural flaws. I like to show the little imperfections, the brown spots on the apples, the scratches on the fresh pear skin, the pale places of the cucumber where the sun couldn’t reach it. So use your eyes to find the unique features in everything to make it alive.

Tool you can’t live without?

My X-ACTO knife is my best friend in the workroom, I use more toothpicks than a restaurant, and I am emotionally attached to my lathe tool.

Most treasured miniature you’ve made?

I made an old cottage kitchen with a furnace just like my great grandparents had. I filled it with all the things I remembered from my childhood. It was great to make, and this is the only miniature work I could never part with. It’s in my living room now and I look at it every time I go past it.

What’s been the most difficult miniature to create?

My kryptonite was making early cherries. Half yellow, half red with the slight groove on one side and the thin light green stem. My first attempts were terrible. I tried to get the coloring by applying chalk powder with a brush on the tiny cherry balls. I used polymer clay and wire for stems. But my cherries were just fake polymer clay cherries, nothing more. It took me three years to figure out my own method to copy nature. Now I brush my palm over with red, orange and yellow chalk powder and I rolled the tiny light yellow balls on it, then press a groove and a hole into them with a pin. The result is a bunch of perfect, various shades of yellow-red cherries. For the stems I use painted sisal fibers. Many times I wanted to give up, but I couldn’t get over it. I had to find a way to make realistic cherries because I had a miniature still life with them in my head and I desperately wanted to make it real.

Artists you look to for inspiration?

I admire some Russian photographers, Elana Tatulyan (Елена Татульян) and Карачкова Татьяна. Their still life photos are wonderful, just in the same country style I love to try to show in my miniature scenes. Another favorite artist is a Russian painter, Николаев Юрий Викторович, who I like also for his still life paintings.

Fellow miniaturists that inspire you?

My first shock was when I found Kiva Atkinson’s works. I couldn’t believe my own eyes. I didn’t know it’s possible to make such realistic foods in miniature. The quality of her miniatures was a real goal to reach in my own works.

And I think everyone just loves Tomo Tanaka’s Nunu’s House and his miniature foods. I still think there is a magic wand involved.

What is the most memorable miniature you’ve seen?

Lori Nix‘s miniature scenes are a fantastic mix of art and precise engineering. Choosing the post-apocalyptic world as a theme is very interesting. Her dioramas could be sad, but they are oddly invigorating and sometimes humorous for me.

Why miniatures?

I feel like a genie in a bottle or a wizard with a wand. I’ve always been a creative person. If I had time and money in limitless amount, I would try every craft in the world. I would make furniture, pottery baskets, and more. Since I’m not that lucky, I had to find a close enough substitute. In miniature, I could do anything I couldn’t do in real size.

Upcoming news you’d like to share?

I’m one of the five new IGMA Fellow members that the International Guild of Miniature Artisans (IGMA) elevated this year. That means a lot to me. I worked hard on my miniatures application, and fortunately it paid off.

There’s an exhibition in October in Budapest where some miniaturists including myself show their works. This will be my first exhibition, so I’m very excited about it.

Other hobbies you enjoy?

My other love is my garden. Actually I’m a landscape architect, but after the births of my daughters, I couldn’t work as an engineer in an office anymore. The necessary overtime, the travelling and the stress of imminent deadlines couldn’t work for me as a mother. But my green thumb still exists and I spend long hours in my garden almost every day.

IGMA Fellow Erzsébet Bodzás lives in Hungary. You can shop her work in miniature on Etsy and eBay. Check out her latest work on her “My Tiny World from Hungary” blog or Pinterest.

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Jun 12, 2015 at 11:38am PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Miniatures by Fanni Sándor

June 11, 2015September 18, 2018 admin

FannimiNiATURE: Miniatures by Fanni Sándor

| Blog | Shop |

How did you first get started in miniatures?

I have always loved miniature things since my childhood. I made my first dollhouse out of a shoe box when I was 7 years old. I first saw professional 1:12 scale miniatures 10 years ago on the Internet, and it was love at the first sight. In my country, this art form is totally unknown. So after that, I started to try to make my own miniatures, and after a few years I became a professional miniaturist. I have been making miniature things since my childhood, but professional 1:12 scale miniatures now for around 5 years.

Were you trained in the arts?

I learned drawing and painting through 7 years of art school. But I learned how to make miniature animals by myself, no one taught me. I have two miniaturist idols: Beth Freeman-Kane and Kerri Pajutee. I think they are the best wildlife and animal miniaturists ever, in all the world. Their art gave me lots of inspiration to become a professional miniaturist. Thank you to them both.

Do you create & sell miniatures full-time?

I have a three years old son and a one year old daughter. So now I’m a full time mother at home, and making miniatures part time for hobby, and for sell. Any free time what I have (it’s not too much because of my children), I try to do my craft, because it’s relaxing me totally. But I plan in the future I become a full time miniaturist.

How has your miniature work evolved over the years?

Nowadays, I mostly make birds, insects, and small mammals, but I used to make accessories and dolls. Thrice my dolls won the second price in an international doll exhibition and doll making competition in Hungary. My first exhibited 1:12 scale miniature work was a shadowbox, called Queen Elisabeth’s Kitchen. It was the beginning of my professional miniaturist life. In the kitchen there were foods, vegetables, fruits, pheasants and mounted deer trophies. Making the pheasants and the trophies were most enjoyable, so after this creation, I wanted to make more and more animals. It’s not a surprise, because I’m a biologist, so nature inspires me principally.

What materials do you use to make miniatures?

I don’t need too many supplies. I just need polymer clay, acrylic paint, feather and cotton thread in a various color, paper wire, and glue. All of my sculptures are made out of polymer clay. I love this material very much, because I can make really fine, detailed and lifelike figures with it. All of my works are hand sculpted, without the use of any mold.

Advice for new artists?

You have to do it with your heart and soul, and then any piece of your work will be unique.

What can’t you live without?

My hand, eyes, brain and polymer clay.

Favorite miniature you own by another artist?

I have a framed diorama by Beth Freeman-Kane, called The Racketeer, which includes a hummingbird and orchids. I love it and cherish it so much.

Most treasured miniature you’ve made?

I have a lot. All of my miniature sculptures contain a little part of my heart. I love all of my creations, I can’t choose a favorite.

Upcoming projects you’d like to share?

In Hungary, dollhouse miniature making is an unknown art form. Almost no one knew about it. In this country, there are just 12 of us making miniatures. This year, we established the Hungarian Miniature Guild. We started to organize the first miniature exhibition of Hungary, which will be held in September 2015. We would like to promote and popularize the professional miniatures as an art form in Hungary.

Other activities you enjoy?

I love to take trips in nature. I love cooking, reading a book, painting, drawing, and sculpting.

Anything else you would like to add?

In 2014, I received the IGMA Artisan title in Animal Figures category. It was the greatest honor for me. I’m 34 years old. I married the most fantastic man in the world four years ago. We have a 3-year-old son and a 1-year-old daughter. I’m a microbiologist, but now I stay at home with my children. Beside making miniatures, I love to paint, draw, and sculpt.

Fanni Sándor currently lives in Hungary. Shop her FannimiNiATURE miniatures on Etsy, or check out new creations on her “Parányi valóság” blog.

Daily Mini Interview: Miniatures by Drew Leshko

June 2, 2015June 2, 2015 admin

Miniatures by Paper Sculptor Drew Leshko

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What’s your very first memory with miniatures?

My first memory of miniatures would have to be from attending an annual church auction. There was this woodworker who built the most amazing custom dollhouses. They were unfinished, but the detailing and precision was on point.

How did you first start working in miniatures?

I always think back to building dioramas for middle school English class as a component to a book report… but I think the first real experience working this way was in 10th grade. I had a serious surgery to correct pectus excavatum, a chest deformity. After having my ribs spread apart, xyphoid process shifted, and sternum moved around, I was stuck in a bed for a while. My father had purchased a kit for me to build a miniature half pipe. The half pipe was for fingerboards, those mini skateboards that were popular for a minute. I never found any interest in fingerboarding, but have really vivid memories of building ramps, then covering them with pencil drawings of skate brands and punk music imagery. A technique not too far off from the way I’m working now when applying street marketing and graffiti to my miniature dumpsters.

Were you formally trained in the arts?

I studied fine art in college and feel that I developed some strong composition and design skills, but honestly the way I work isn’t taught in schools. My 3-D design class really opened my eyes and focused my attention on making dimensional objects. However, now I make my sculptures mainly out of archival papers and paper sculpture, which just doesn’t fall into any of the class programs.

How long have you been creating minis?

I’ve been creating small sculptures for the past 10 years, but I feel like I’ve really focused my work and found a strong rhythm in the past 5 years. Now, I predominantly work at 1:12 scale with a variety of acid-free materials.

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

I started making architecturally based miniatures to be displayed on a tabletop or pedestal. I realized that I was running out of storage space in my studio and that any potential collector would need to devote so much space to show the works in a domestic setting, so I needed to make a revision. Eventually I came up with the idea of creating the works as only facades so that they could be wall mounted. My thought was that people are able to clear wall space much easier than floor space. At this point, it’s not much different from the way a painting or photograph is hung.

The buildings are huge undertakings and take a lot of time and patience. Additionally, they can be brutal to ship around the country. So I began to think about some smaller sculptures I could make, but most importantly, what type of objects can be constructed of paper? Thinking about some of the detailing on the buildings, I realized that recreating sheet metal with paper is great. I started to think about tractor-trailers, vans, food trucks, and similar vehicles when I landed on camper trailers. My work has always included commentary on the temporal nature of things, so the transient nature of “RV culture” fits right in to that idea.

You’ve created a number of documentary studies of architecture from your Philadelphia neighborhood. Do you foresee creating building replicas of other cities?

It’s hard to say. Right now, I’m very happy to be done with the buildings and to be working on a new series. I spent a portion of my life designing and creating the 17 buildings and I’m a bit burned out on them.

What materials do you use to make miniatures?

I love using paper. It’s extremely versatile. It can be easily manipulated, folded, cut, sanded. Illustration board, mixed archival paper, wire, plaster, varieties of wood, and inkjet prints are the main materials for most of my projects. I then finish them with enamels, acrylics, airbrush, oil pigments, and charcoal.

Tool you can’t live without?

X-ACTO knife, without a doubt.

Unexpected material you’ve used in your work?

I learned of a rusting technique from an amazing artist, Alex Lukas. Mixing hydrogen peroxide, iodized salt, and white vinegar results in a solution that will rapidly rust steel. It can be sprayed on surfaces, or applied with a paintbrush. Sometimes I’ll add pieces of metal to the works. This is a great solution for weathering.

If you could only describe your work in one of these words, which would it be? Art. Miniature. Design. Architecture.

Art. This isn’t a hobby, this is my job and I am a sculptor. They aren’t models for something to be designed or constructed either. Actually they are the opposite. A recreation of what was. With that mindset, they are documentary studies similar to a painter rendering a scene or a photographer capturing an image.

What’s a day in the studio look like?

A day in my studio is an exercise in patience! Everything is a slow process, so patience is a virtue. Typically it’s me cutting, gluing, and folding paper to create individual components that become integral parts of the overall sculpture. I try to break down the objects into manageable pieces and then apply them like a collage to the panel I’m working on. All of this typically happens to a soundtrack of hip-hop and punk rock, though I listen to a wide variety of music.

Favorite miniature or work of art you own?

Oddly enough, I don’t collect miniatures, but I have a pretty nice art collection. I own two hand-woven tapestries from one of my favorite young artists, Erin M. Riley. If you don’t know her work, you need to.

Most treasured miniature you’ve made?

I think Ampere Electric is my most treasured artwork, though I didn’t treasure it enough to keep it, haha! This piece was collected by Kasseem Dean (Swizz Beatz), and is now installed in his home; part of an amazing contemporary art collection, The Dean Collection. I love the balance of beauty and decay in the piece.

Non-miniature artists, designers, books you look to for inspiration?

Thomas Demand, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Walker Evans, Roxy Paine, Alex Lukas, and William Christenberry.

Miniaturists or mini makers that inspire you?

EVOL, Tracey Snelling, Lori Nix, Lois Renner, Kim Keever, Thomas Doyle, and Patrick Jacobs.

Most memorable moment in your miniature making career thus far?

Last December in Miami was amazing. Art Basel, Miami, is always a great time but last year was wild. Philadelphia’s Paradigm Gallery + Studio sold Ampere Electric to the Dean Collection and I was able to meet the legend, Swizz Beatz. He was the most genuine, nicest, collector ever. At a party Swizz was DJ’ing, I then got to hang out with 2 Chainz. 2 Chainz and I had a nice conversation about one of my sculptures Caring Pharmacy and the impact of pharmaceutical dependency and addiction in urban areas. I think that trip will stick with me for a long, long time.

Advice for beginner artists?

You only get out of it what you put into it. Making a go at an art career is difficult at best. If you’re not willing to 100% of your focus into the work, then you should find something else to do with your time. Don’t get frustrated, it took me years before I was starting to get included and invited into good exhibitions.

What is the most memorable miniature you’ve ever seen?

Lee Stoetzel created miniature McMansions entirely from McDonald’s food products. The finished work is a photograph, but definitely a weird one.

Why miniature studies of your neighborhood? Why miniatures?

I’ve always been interested in documentary studies in art, capturing moments in time regardless of media. My project with the buildings in my neighborhood is just that, a documentary project or archiving project.

“Why miniatures?” is a great question, one that I really can’t answer. It just feels right. There is something inside of me that pushes me to take on these works, but I can’t identify what that is.

News about upcoming exhibitions and shows?

Yes! I have a solo exhibition, Relics, with 11 building sculptures at the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington, that will be up through mid-August. Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles has curated my work into upcoming exhibitions in Detroit, Fort Wayne, Indiana, London, Miami, Honolulu, and Los Angeles. In June, I have a summer group show at Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco. Paradigm Gallery + Studio will be taking my work to Art Basel, Miami, in December and also hosting a solo show in Philadelphia in March of 2016. Beyond that, I will have a small solo show in Portland, Oregon at Antler Gallery in the fall of 2016.

What’s the best way to purchase your work?

My work can be purchased online through Paradigm Gallery + Studio. Additional works are currently available through Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles and Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco and the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington. For works at these galleries, inquire for a price-list as they’re not listed on their web shops.

Other activities you enjoy?

When I’m not in the studio, I like to enjoy family time with my wife, dogs, and cats. Cycling, camping, and fishing are some of my hobbies.

Motto that keeps you creating?

“They don’t finish themselves.”

Want to dive into more of Philadelphia-based Drew Leshko’s miniature worlds? Check out his website, latest blog posts, and follow along on Instagram, which Drew uses to show daily process images as well as a vehicle to promote work to a new audience.

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Jun 3, 2015 at 1:29pm PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Fairchildart Miniatures

May 29, 2015July 13, 2018 admin

Fairchildart Miniatures

How did you first get started in miniatures?

I credit my mom as she’s always been an avid collector of miniatures. There’s something inherently magical about tiny replicas so real you’d think there was a shrink ray gun lying around.

How many years have you been making minis?

Since the summer of 2008.

What materials do you use to make your miniature food?

Sculpey and Fimo brands of polymer clay. Since I stick to mostly food, my collection of pastel squares has come incredibly handing for blushing fruit and “toasting” pastries.

Advice for beginner artists?

Don’t stress about your first miniatures being perfect! As Adventure Time’s Jake the Dog wisely said, “Dude, sucking at something is the first step to becoming sorta good at something.” The Internet has a wealth of information when it comes to miniature making.

Tool you can’t live without?

My trusted needle.

Favorite mini you own?

A pink tinted hand-blown glass bowl (a gift from my mom).

Where do you look for inspiration?

Lately, I’ve been studying Casey Baugh‘s charcoal portraits. The light captured in his subject’s eyes is incredible.

Fellow miniaturists that inspire you?

From the beginning, I’ve admired Stéphanie Kilgast of PetitPlat, Betsy Niederer and Tomo Tanaka of Nunu’s House. There are so many more but they were my welcome into the mini world.

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

Paris café fare by Nunu’s House: a tiny suitcase fashioned to hold sweets, jars of candy and cup of tea. His eye for detail is uncanny.

Why miniatures? Why miniature food?

I love being able to complete a sculpture in one sitting (the instant gratification is a big pull). I’ve gotten amazing feedback from the miniaturist community and being able to send my miniatures all over the world is completely surreal. Food is always appealing from the sheer variety of textures and shapes involved (and the references are delicious).

Kim of Fairchildart Miniatures hails from Minnesota. Is your interest piqued? View many more miniatures on Kim’s website, Etsy shop, Instagram, and DeviantArt accounts.

A photo posted by The Daily Miniature (@dailymini) on Jun 1, 2015 at 5:17pm PDT

Daily Mini Interview: Ella-Rose Miniatures

May 28, 2015May 28, 2015 admin

Ella-Rose Miniatures

I have always had an interest in dollhouses and miniatures. In 2004, a new shop opened up on our local High Street that sold dollhouses. I saved up funds and was soon able to purchase my first “grown-up” dollhouse.

How has your work in miniature evolved?

I began making my own miniatures in 2004, immediately after purchasing my first dollhouse. I found that I enjoyed creating these minis immensely: it was very rewarding and also something that I discovered I had a talent for. Soon after, I opened up an eBay shop and began selling my handcrafted miniatures. Then I opened up my Etsy shop, launched a blog, Facebook fan page and Twitter account. The rest, as they say, is history.

What materials do you use to make your miniatures?

I mainly use Fimo, liquid Fimo, acrylic paints and genesis heat paints.

Advice for beginner artists?

Find your niche. Have patience and persevere. Your work will improve over time as you begin to use new and interesting techniques. Buy a few good books on making miniatures (I recommend any miniature food books by Angie Scarr) and simply add your own unique touches.

Material you can’t live without?

I cannot live without Fimo, white in particular. I use a lot. Liquid fimo is also a must for me.

Favorite mini you own by another artisan?

I have a small pumpkin with a rat on it from the wonderful Mags-nificent Miniatures that I simply adore.

Artists, designers, books you look to for inspiration?

I take most of my inspiration from real-life bakers and cake makers, in particular Miss Lola’s Bakehouse and her amazing creations. I also created a Marie Antoinette collection after watching the film of the same name. Inspiration can come to you in many forms, maybe a color combination that you have seen or a certain design of furniture. Inspiration is all around us if you keep your eyes open and have a creative imagination.

What is the most miniature you have ever seen?

I think it would have to be anything by Ron’s Dollhouse’s. He creates the most beautiful, unique and interesting abodes for dolls.

Why miniatures?

I am fascinated with creating real-life items and food in miniature form.

What’s to come from Ella-Rose Miniatures?

I am exhibiting at the Dolls House & Miniatures Fair in York next month. I exhibit twice a year at York. I am always creating new minis and strive for perfection.

Other activities you enjoy?

I enjoy watching films, horror films in particular. I also enjoy reading, training my two dogs, cooking, baking, oil and watercolor painting, as well as spending quality time with my loved ones.

Words you live by?

“Being creative is not a hobby, it’s a way of life.” I love that saying.

What do you want miniature fans to know about you?

When I bought my first dollhouse as an adult many of my friends and family didn’t understand the interest and would ask, “what on earth do you want that for?” However, now that they have seen the end results of my work with miniatures, many of my family members have more dollhouses than I do and are just as enthusiastic about the hobby as I am! My biggest fan (and critic) has always been, and will always be my son.

Kerry of Ella-Rose Miniatures hails from Great Britain. If you’d like to view more of her marvelous miniature creations, head on over to her shop, blog, Facebook, or Twitter.