Interview with miniature model painter, Zuke continued.

What else do you like to do aside from your model painting? Do you have other hobbies?

I am a 3D buff; I like making 3D models on computers, which is my job, creating buildings and that sort of stuff, architectural style. That and playing D & D on weekends, that’s a fantasy game, and surfing the net I suppose.

Is there an active group of artists & craftspeople where you live?

Not on the Sunshine Coast yet, they just recently opened a place in the Big Top shopping centre, which is small. As it’s only new to area not a lot of people are involved in it but every other major city in Australia has Games Workshops, which is the main place where they teach, paint and get together and play games.

How did you go about learning how to paint models? At workshops?

No I haven’t actually been to any of the workshops. In younger days, when I was about 12, I used to play a game called Hero Quest and they had little models back then similar to the ones we have now and I had a go back then. That’s where it started. It was all studying out of magazines like White Dwarf, all the hints and tips and stuff.

Is there something that you do differently to other people in your craft?

Everyone’s got their own techniques. There’s a few different ways to paint. Its just like, I suppose, painting a normal picture, everyone’s got their own style from finger painting through to perfect painting via a paint brush. Everyone’s got their own technique and it’s not straightforward. Some people have got better styles for different models than others.

Have you got any advice for people that are considering doing this?

Patience. Some models can take up to 40 coats of paint before your happy with finished job. Which when you see the size of the models is crazy. But surprisingly enough you can quite easily fit that many coats. So definitely patience.

Is there any particular piece of advice you’ve been given that you would like to share?

Not really I haven’t ever spoken to anyone in the field. Most of the time I’m into the shop looking at what other people have done and not really spoken to anyone about them. But I would say patience would definitely be the thing that anyone else would say.

What kind of workspace do you have?

When I first started I used to have a little tackle box with just a few paints and a few models in it and just did it on the kitchen table. But now I have a normal office desk, which has continually got junk everywhere ready for painting.

Is this something that you could do as a business?

I have been thinking about it and it could possibly work but it wouldn’t just be painting. You would also have to sell the miniatures and all that sort of stuff and run classes. By itself no but there’s definitely room for a business if you were willing to expand in the area.

Do you think if it became a business you would stop loving it?

Probably not but it depends on how big the whole thing can get. No I don’t reckon I’d ever get bored of it.

Do you enter any competitions, shows or exhibitions?

As of yet I haven’t but I plan to enter a few coming up. The Golden Demon awards which are held by Games Workshops, that’s the largest award in Australia. Basically the best painters all over the country come together in Sydney once a year and display what they have created and the best one gets the Slayer Sword which is effectively a multi million-dollar prize for a painter.

So are you working on something special for that or will you be entering something that you’ve already done?

I am in the early stages of planning for next year for that particular event. It will take me a while to get something together. It’s a long process for that particular award. The previous winners have come up with some really, really good pieces and sometimes you just wonder how they do it.

Miniature Model interview continued on next page

Miniature Painting Page 1  Miniature Painting Page 3

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