Small Subjects
49 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 47 ratingsSmall Subjects is a podcast devoted to discussing big topics in the worlds of scale modeling, diorama-building, and sculpting and painting miniature figures, as well as presenting interviews with some of the top artists in the field, including every era, and ranging from historical to fantasy subjects. Co-hosts Barry Biediger, who is based in Salt Lake City, and Jim DeRogatis, who lives in Chicago, are the editors of the Web site boxdioramas.com. Both have decades of experience as modelers, though they maintain that they are always curious and always learning. They are dedicated members of the Military Miniature Society of Illinois, where they considered the great Sheperd Paine a friend and mentor. Barry is also a member of his local chapter of the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society, while DeRogatis has written, co-written, or edited ten books about popular music and two about miniatures and modeling (Sheperd Paine: The Life and Work of a Master Modeler and Military Historian and Shep Paine’s Armor Modelers Guide). You can contact the hosts at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!
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Episodes
Episode 45: Erik Swinson
March 21, 2024 06:00 - 1 hour - 61.9 MBIn this episode, your hosts talk with Virginia Beach-based professional miniatures painter Erik Swinson, one of the most stunning talents on the scene today. Erik streams on Twitch most Wednesday evenings: https://www.twitch.tv/erik_swinson If you can't make those live streams, you can watch them later on his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@erik_swinson Follow Erik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erik_swinson/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erikswinson We also tal...
Episode 44: Abstraction in Miniatures and Digital vs Traditional Scratchbuilding
February 22, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBOn this episode, your hosts tackle two big ideas they’ve been thinking and talking about a lot lately. First up: The notion of throwing away all the “rules” and thinking more abstractly. They also talk about digital modeling and 3D printing in terms of it's advantages and disadvantages versus traditional scratch building. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: ...
Episode 43: Jon Harbuck
January 18, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 68.5 MBWe chat with Alabama-based modeler Jon Harbuck, an attorney, a true Southern gentleman, and a favorite for the powerful storytelling in his work. We also talk about Barry and Joan's recent trip to Las Vegas for a painting workshop taught by Matteo di Diomede held at Verko's Vault, the exciting new miniatures museum. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: Histor...
Episode 42:Current Projects, Various & Sundry
December 21, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 73 MBIn this episode, your hosts talk about what’s been happening at their work benches, and (as usual) a few other things, including a movie they’d been eagerly anticipating but which, alas, let Jim down. Barry gives an update on his restoration of the classic Shep Paine box diorama “A King of Shreds and Patches (Hamlet Sees the Ghost of His Father),” and Jim talks about two box dioramas he is working on. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdior...
Episode 41: Bob Sarnowski
November 16, 2023 07:00 - 2 hours - 88.8 MBWarning: Unlike most of our episodes, this one has some profanity. We talk to veteran MMSI member and expert painter Bob Sarnowski. We also recap MMSI 2023. Listen to find out why there will be one less thing Jim can tease Barry about. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: Historex: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallsubjectshistorex Flats: https://www.f...
Episode 40: Barry and Jim on their Favorites (and their Failures)
October 12, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 78.7 MBYour hosts aren’t at all sure that anybody will be interested in this rather self-indulgent episode, but hey, we were just responding to a request from one of our loyal listeners, Jamie Stokes in Australia, who left a voice mail for us on Telbee (and everyone is welcome to do the same by clicking here!). You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Join us on Facebook: Historex group build Fantasy bust group build or ha...
Episode 39: A Conversation About the Open System With Marijn Van Gils
September 14, 2023 06:00 - 2 hours - 101 MBAnother illuminating chat with Marijn, this time on the subject of the open system of judging miniatures and models. We also answer a listener voice message from Grant Mayberry about what to expect at your first open miniature and modelling show. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Join us on Facebook: Historex group build Fantasy bust group build or hang out in the Small Subjects Hospitality Suite. Check ou...
Episode 38: Dave Youngquist and IPMS 2023 Nats
August 17, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 63.8 MBJim and Barry talk to Dave Youngquist of the ace online hobby shop Last Cavalry. They also chat about Barry's recent trip to the IPMS/USA National Convention. Photos of the pieces we discuss can be found on our blog on Boxdioramas.com
Episode 37: Gary Baker, hair and Historex
July 20, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 82 MBIn this episode, your hosts have a fascinating chat with British native, now San Diego-based painter and modeler Gary Baker. In addition to being big fans of his work, and agreeing that he’s one of the finest gents we’ve met in the hobby in recent years, we were eager to hear Gary’s thoughts about sculpting and painting hair—he’s a professional stylist and the creative director at UNITE Hair—and he made us think even more about how much character hair adds to a figure, as well as paying atte...
Episode 36: Mike Hilleary
June 22, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 66.7 MBBarry and Jim had a splendid chat with Mike Hilleary, the Connecticut-based modeler they consider one of the best painters in America today. The boys also used the opportunity of a question left on the show’s voice mail to discuss that recent editorial in the IPMS Journal by the group’s president David Lockhart, which effectively claimed that there would be no modeling shows in the U.S. without the group, and that people who come to and exhibit at its shows without being active members of ...
Episode 35: MFCA 2023
May 25, 2023 06:00 - 1 hour - 62.4 MBOn May 5 and 6, your hosts once again traveled to the outskirts of Philadelphia for the 80th Annual Show sponsored by the Miniature Figure Collectors of America, one of the premier exhibitions of miniature arts in the U.S. In this episode, Barry and Jim offer some thoughts on the show recorded after the fact, as well as some live recordings amidst all of the fun on Saturday morning—an audio vérité first for Small Subjects! You can find photos and links to information discussed in each ...
Episode 34: Joe Berton
April 20, 2023 06:00 - 2 hours - 105 MBJoe has been an active modeler since his teens in the early 1970s, and he is one of the most acclaimed artists and well-loved friend-to-all in the miniatures hobby. A retired art teacher, he’s a man with a million stories (and a rather famous alter ego, at least among baseball fans). We enjoyed every minute of talking with him, and feel like we’ve only scratched the surface, so we may well have to consider a recurring segment. (We do love the idea he floated of “Travels with Shep.”) You ca...
Episode 33: Ingvild Eiring
March 16, 2023 06:00 - 2 hours - 91.9 MBYour hosts have been big fans of Ingvild Eiring’s box dioramas since she first made us aware of them by emailing this Web site and asking if we thought it would make sense to add a gallery for her. Heck yes!, we said, and what’s more, we thought we could learn a lot by chatting with this extraordinary artist, since she straddles the worlds of our pursuit, the dollhouse hobby, and fine art. (She has had several gallery exhibitions, and her work is much sought-after by collectors.) You can fi...
Episode 32: Travis Haussener
February 16, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 81.4 MBOn this episode, we talk with one of Barry’s fellow modelers from Utah, Travis Haussener, who, despite the shared passion for miniatures and modeling, differs from him and co-host Jim in two pretty significant ways: Athleticism (you won’t find either of us getting buried in an avalanche, mainly because you’d never find either of us on skis), and, um, he holds a PhD in organic chemistry. We thought we could glean some insights into a lot of stuff we use on the workbench all the time without h...
Episode 31: Tools (and Other Stuff) We CAN Live Without
January 12, 2023 07:00 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBTools (And Other Stuff) We Hate (according to Jim), or Tools (And Other Stuff) That Just Haven’t Worked for Him (according to Barry, who is overall a kinder person). You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE to leave us a message about anything in any of our episodes, or to pose a question you’d like to hear us address...
Episode 30: Will Pattison
December 15, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 67.1 MBOne of our favorite and most outspoken voices in the hobby, we thought it was long overdue for us to chat with Will Pattison, especially since Jim needed some advice on chipping, and Will is the master! Will frequently posts to the Scale Modelers Critique Group on Facebook, shares his knowledge on his YouTube Channel, and talks modeling and other things with co-hosts Tracy Hancock and Chris Meddings on the Sprue Cutters Union podcast, and he’s written for several hobby magazines. He is also...
Episode 29: Mike Good
November 17, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBThe name of California-based miniature sculptor Mike Good should be familiar to many in our hobby. We talk with him about his work, his interests, and his methodology. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE to leave us a message about anything in any of our episodes, or to pose a question you’d like to hear us addre...
Episode 28: Greg Cihlar
October 20, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 51.1 MBBarry and Jim talk with Chicago-area modeler Greg Cihlar, a consistently gold-medal maker of striking dioramas and vignettes in the historical world (World War II a specialty) who’s also branched out to do some stunning work in the fantasy realm. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE to leave us a message about an...
Episode 27: Tools (and Other Stuff) We Can't Live Without
September 22, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBIn this episode, Barry and Jim wax rhapsodic about tools and other stuff they can’t live without on their workbenches—and they have A LOT of fun doing it! We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE to leave us a message about anything in any of our episodes, or to pose a question you’d like to hear us address, and we’ll air it in an upcoming episode. Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 26: Pat McGrath
August 18, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 51.4 MBhttp://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects/2022/8/19/episode-26-actor-playwright-and-modeler-pat-mcgrathhttp://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects/2022/8/19/episode-26-actor-playwright-and-modeler-pat-mcgrathBased in Dublin, armor modeler and orc sculptor Pat McGrath is a talented miniaturist, as well as a fine artist, an actor and a playwright; he performed a brilliant one-man show about our hobby, Small Plastic Wars (which we urge you to listen to here), that stands, as far as your hosts Barr...
Episode 25: John Bonanni/IPMS Nationals
August 04, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 55.1 MBJim and Barry chat with John Bonanni about the 2022 International Plastic Modelers' Society USA national convention (the "Nats",) which they attended in Omaha, Nebraska in July. John is the second vice president of IPMS/USA and happens to share some of our views on how IPMS contests might be improved. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com We want to ...
Episode 24: Pat Stansell
July 21, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 71.4 MBIn addition to being a fine armor modeler, Pat is a helluva funny guy, who wrote to your hosts saying he’d be eager to chat with us, after we mentioned our enduring fondness for the late, lamented magazine he edited, Military Miniatures in Review. Eager to get the story behind the sad demise of that fine mag, as well as to hear what Pat is currently up to in Delray Beach, Florida (his new publishing company can be found here), we had quite a few laughs, and thoroughly enjoyed our chat. We ho...
Episode 23: Calvin Tan
July 07, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBCalvin Tan has been recognized as one of the most talented sculptors and figure painters in the world, especially among those working with WWII subjects. A graduate of RMIT University who is now the Department Chair at DigiPen Institute of Technology, he’s one of the most eloquent artists we’ve interviewed on this podcast in terms of drawing connections between what we do in miniature (his favored scales: 1/35 and 1/16) and what some of the grand masters did in the realm of fine art; as he ...
Episode 22: Box Dioramas
June 23, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBYou can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com And, in the wake of MFCA 2022 and a continued period of busy modeling by people stuck inside avoiding COVID, we've added a ton of new updates to boxdioramas.com, all of which are charted on the News page, though it's also a lot of fun to just click around." Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 21: Taesung Harmms
June 09, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 54.2 MBTaesung Harmms is the driving force, artistic director, and primary sculptor behind Alpine Miniatures, one of the highest-quality producers of resin figures in the hobby’s marketplace today. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com And, in the wake of MFCA 2022 and a continued period of busy modeling by people stuck inside avoiding COVID, we've added a ton of new updates to boxdioramas.com, all of which are charted on ...
Episode 20: Marion and Alan Ball, plus the MFCA Show 2022
May 26, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 80.1 MBPainter Marion and sculptor Alan, happily married since 2003, are one of the most dynamic duos in the world of military miniatures. This episode features a chat with them, along with our recap of the 2022 MFCA Show outside Philadelphia in mid-May. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 19: Marijn Van Gils
May 12, 2022 06:00 - 2 hours - 83.9 MBMarijn Van Gils has been high atop our list of guests who we were most eager to talk to ever since we launched this podcast, some 18 episodes ago now. We’re both big fans of the sculpting, painting, and composition of his dioramas and vignettes, which almost always offer unique views of their subjects and a sly sense of humor. Please visit Chris Meddings' Inside the Armour Publications and order Models for Ukraine, all profits from which will go to humanitarian aid to Ukraine. You can fi...
Episode 18: Jack Lynch - Also, a discussion about transporting figures to shows
April 07, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBIn this episode, as we gear up for the Miniature Figure Collectors of America Show just outside Philadelphia on May 13 and 14, 2022, we chat with one of the event’s organizers and a veteran member of the long-running club, Pennsylvania modeler Jack Lynch. We talked about the club and the upcoming exhibit, as well as about the many roles Jack has played in the hobby, as a dedicated sculptor and painter, a professional model-maker, and a retailer, working with toys, model railroads, and his o...
Episode 17: Chris Meddings.
March 10, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 75 MBBristol, England-based Chris Meddings is a master modeler whose scratchbuilding skills are especially stunning; the co-host (with Will Pattison and Tracy Hancock) of the Sprue Cutters’ Union podcast; the owner of Inside the Armour Publications, and a budding figure sculptor and painter. We talked with Chris about all of this and more, and followed up on a few questions you, our listeners, have posed. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog...
Episode 17: Chris Meddings.
March 10, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 75 MBBristol, England-based Chris Meddings is a master modeler whose scratchbuilding skills are especially stunning; the co-host (with Will Pattison and Tracy Hancock) of the Sprue Cutters’ Union podcast; the owner of Inside the Armour Publications, and a budding figure sculptor and painter. We talked with Chris about all of this and more, and followed up on a few questions you, our listeners, have posed. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog...
Episode 16: Talking painting in acrylics and the benefits of modeling clubs with Pat Vess and Joe Berton
February 24, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 68.1 MBJim and Barry talk to Joe Berton and Pat Vess about the Military Miniature Society of Illinois. They also discuss Pat's recent switch from painting in oils to acrylics. Jim and Barry talk about the benefits of belonging to a modeling club. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 16: Talking painting in acrylics and the benefits of modeling clubs with Pat Vess and Joe Berton
February 24, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 68.1 MBJim and Barry talk to Joe Berton and Pat Vess about the Military Miniature Society of Illinois. They also discuss Pat's recent switch from painting in oils to acrylics. Jim and Barry talk about the benefits of belonging to a modeling club. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 15: Dennis Levy and more (Including Barry almost gets tased by a Swiss security guard)
February 10, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 81.7 MBDennis Levy has been a huge inspiration to the two of us for years, and he was high atop our list for interview subjects from the day we started this podcast. We had a blast talking with Dennis about boxes and more. Jim and Barry also chat about abandoned projects and discuss some unreasonable actions by Barry which almost caused an international incident. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some othe...
Episode 14: Bill Horan
January 13, 2022 07:00 - 2 hours - 91.3 MBBill Horan needs no introduction, at least in our small world. Barry and Jim talk to the master painter and sculptor, and, as always, discuss some of their favorite pieces from his extensive and impressive canon. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 13: Bill Merklein
December 16, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 60.8 MBIn this episode, Barry and Jim talk with veteran East Coast painter, sculptor, educator, and miniatures enthusiast Bill Merklein, a thoughtful artist and great raconteur. A towering figure in the world of G.I. Joe collectors, he brings a truly unique perspective to the world we cover in Small Subjects. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com Contact us ...
Episode 12: Game-Changers
December 02, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 53.7 MBOn this episode, Barry and Jim discuss some of their personal “Game-Changers,” pieces they saw that blew their minds, inspired them, and got them thinking in different ways about the possibilities for miniatures. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Check out some other great modeling podcasts on modelpodcasts.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 11: Nick Infield
November 18, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 73.9 MBNick has earned an international reputation for his boxes—many of which touch on his other passion for film—and his was one of the first artists galleries we added to boxdioramas.com! We also offer some useful tips when sculpting or converting for scaling your work. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 10: Michael Kontraros/2021 MMSI Chicago Show
November 04, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 82 MBMichael Kontraros is one of the top sculptors in the world in the fantasy realm. For years, he won gold medals and wide renown for his one-off sculpts, which are painted by some of the top artists in Greece, and which are greatly sought-after by collectors. He now runs his own company, Michael Kontraros Collectibles, where he produces stunning figure kits. We also talk about the 2021 MMSI Chicago Show and give a couple of wet palette suggestions you might want to try out. You can find pho...
Episode 10: Michael Kontraros/2021 MMSI Chicago Show
November 04, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 82 MBMichael Kontraros is one of the top sculptors in the world in the fantasy realm. For years, he won gold medals and wide renown for his one-off sculpts, which are painted by some of the top artists in Greece, and which are greatly sought-after by collectors. He now runs his own company, Michael Kontraros Collectibles, where he produces stunning figure kits. We also talk about the 2021 MMSI Chicago Show and give a couple of wet palette suggestions you might want to try out. You can find pho...
Episode 9: Joel Glass and a discussion about collectors
October 21, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 63 MBWe talk to Joel Glass, a collector of miniatures and a supporter of the MFCA show in Philadelphia as well as World Expo. We also share our thoughts about the world of collecting miniatures. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 8: Greg DiFranco
October 07, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 72.4 MBThis episode features an interview with Greg DiFranco, a master painter renowned for his use of shadows, light, and color, as well as a damn fine sculptor and a champion of flats who has raised that aspect of our hobby to new heights. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 7: Mike Blank
September 23, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBThis episode features an interview with Mike Blank as well as a discussion of last Saturdays online MFCA show. We also talk about one of our favorite online shops, Last Cavalry and a few other things. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 6: Our Favorite Books and Periodicals
September 09, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 51.4 MBIn this episode, your hosts Barry Biediger and Jim DeRogatis talk about some of their most beloved, must-own modelling tomes filling their book shelves, as well as magazines present and past. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 5: Ben Komets
August 26, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 53.1 MBThis episode features an interview with Ben Komets, a talented and inspiring fantasy miniature painter. You can find photos and links to information discussed in each episode at our podcast blog on boxdioramas.com Contact us at [email protected]
Episode 4: Penny Meyer
August 12, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 43.7 MBThis episode features an interview with our friend, the excellent flats painter Penny Meyer. Pics of some of the pieces discussed and links to further information can be found at the Small Subjects Blog, which is part of the Box Dioramas website.
Episode 3: Why are so many modelers reluctant to paint figures?
July 29, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 52.7 MBWe discuss some of the reasons plastic modelers might be reluctant to paint figures. Also, why does it seem to be so difficult to explain the process of figure painting? We will attempt to convince a few more modelers to give it a try by talking about why figures can add something to your models. We also give some tips for beginners that will hopefully help take away some of the apprehension. For some helpful images and links, visit our blog post here: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubj...
Episode 3: Why are so many modelers reluctant to paint figures?
July 29, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 52.7 MBWe discuss some of the reasons plastic modelers might be reluctant to paint figures. Also, why does it seem to be so difficult to explain the process of figure painting? We will attempt to convince a few more modelers to give it a try by talking about why figures can add something to your models. We also give some tips for beginners that will hopefully help take away some of the apprehension. For some helpful images and links, visit our blog post here: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubj...
Episode 2: John Rosengrant
July 15, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 50.7 MBIn this episode, we interview John Rosengrant, who is not only an excellent modeler and figure sculptor, he has one of the coolest day jobs as a special effects artist. John has created some of the most memorable and iconic characters in movies and television. Legacy Effects, the special effects company John co-founded: https://www.legacyefx.com/ A lot of John’s modeling work can be found on the following thread at the Planet Figure forum: https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/101st-airbor...
Episode 1: Entering Your Work In Model Shows and Accepting Critiques
July 05, 2021 22:00 - 52 minutes - 36 MBWelcome to Small Subjects! In this first episode, Jim and Barry share their thoughts on accepting critiques and having your models judged at shows. Also, some thoughts on the different types of exhibitions or competitions.