Sometimes, great things comes in small sizes. Love it as an art display or flaunt it as an accessory, these artists have mastered the knack of making every inch counts.
Artist at work. Photo by Eddie Putera
A veteran artist on Malaysian grounds, Eddie Putera, is an expert in the business of art from painting, sculpting and photography for as long as 20 years. Pre-armed with skills and natural talent., he ventured into diorama and miniature art that he calls “an extension of my visual stories from 2D to 3D”.
A nyonya dining display. Art and photo by Eddie Putera
Eddie’s work resonates with most Malaysians as he is keen to built based on memories of things from the past. He wishes his art could be a historical archive for the future generations. “I try to replicate the materials and the effect of weather on buildings, vehicle and landscape so that they be as realistic as possible. That is why [my creation has] the rust and rustic look.”
Also a frequent traveller, Eddie takes his references from his collection of pictures as an inspiration to create. His proudest project so far is a diorama he did on the story of successful people from Malaysia; which was filmed into a 3-minute short movie for Independence Day.
A sinking boat. Art and photo by Eddie Putera
How do you decide what to make into a miniature art piece?
I love to replicate landscape, seascape and sceneries. Nature has the most exciting forms, shapes and colours. They excite my design senses. The most difficult part to recreate is water. Sea water especially. The colours are unique and different weather condition and geographical influences effect the colours. Waves are also difficult to be realistic.
An old WV. Art and photo by Eddie Putera
Do you have other side jobs/profession or do you fully commit to this passion?
I am semi-retired, spending most of my time at home which is also my studio. Yes, I am always making something or carving some cliffs, painting figurines, so yes, we can say I do this full time.
A heritage building. Art and photo by Eddie Putera
For amateurs like us, it looks like an extremely tedious project to complete. Normally, how long did it take you to finish a piece?
In miniature and diorama work, there are various discipline involved. Wood cutting and paper cutting. Sculpting, shaping and forming clay. Metal work, plastic work. Painting and finishing. Some may involved all of the processes, some not. It takes from 4 – 8 weeks for me to complete my projects. And I could be working on 3 -4 projects at the same time. While waiting for the plaster to dry for example, i start paintng the other project. The longest one is 6 months and I have not completed it. It is a huge 4’x 3’ diorama, consisting of different houses and buidlings in a village. To tell the story of racial harmony in a Malaysian village.
Eddie works on commission basis and his collection are also available purchase on his website.
Interview by Jessy Wong
