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Paintings and Photographs within The Art Institute of Chicago

Some of you know that late last month I was in Chicago for job training and meetings. It was my first time visiting the city and you’ve seen many of my images from my time there over the past few weeks. I had a wonderful time one morning visiting the art institute. I wish I had been able to stay longer, but the visit was squeezed into the time between work events. No doubt I will return one day. Within the walls of this museum is one of my all time favorites – Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. I adore Hopper and draw much of my inspiration from his work. So here is a collection of photos I took of the gorgeous work within the museum. Over the next couple of weeks I will also share my images from the Thorne Miniature rooms housed within these walls. Let me know your favorite of the below.

I’m Selling Prints!

Hello everyone,

Today is a great day. I finally have a place where you can buy my photographic prints – if you’d like of course.

Each photo ordered will be professionally printed on high quality lustre finish photo paper. You can choose from sizes 5×7, 8×12, 11×14, 16×20 and 20×24.

As of right now there are 65 images to choose from!

jnw.instaproofs.com

So, if you’re so inclined, click through and see if anything strikes your fancy.

And a thank you in advance from me.

Monachopis – Behind the Scenes

Monachopis, as you’ll be familiar by now, is my newest series. It consists of 65 images in total. I completed it throughout January, February and March. While You got a hint of the items used to create this series through various blog posts here, I now present a final behind the scenes look.

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, finale.

Set Design

I designed the set as a sort of abandoned basement of a bombed out building. The walls, columns and sidewalk are cardboard, lined in printed cement texture, that was then muted by painting over with watered down grey acrylic paint. The desert and accompanying dust is play sand. The various accessories are either toys or 3D printed items as outlined in the below list and above diagram. That said, I did re-size each of the 3D files after download for 1:18 scale.

The outside desert area is simply playsand in a file box lid. I later added a second location in the desert using a building from the brand Word Peacekeepers.

Figures & Scenery: Acid Rain’s The Tase of Coffee, Argus, King and Forsetti Viking by Kit Lau in collaboration with Ori Toy, Pose Skeleton Child, Dog, Cat and Human 2 by Re-Ment, Hasbro GI Joe and Indiana Jones items, Lil Bratz locker and chair, Fashion Polly toys, various other childhood toys, DND figures, handmade/painted items and discount store pieces
Closed Crates: 3D printed from file http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:45107 then painted, and World Peacekeepers items
Open Crates: 3D printed from file http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:445717 (printed without lids) then painted, and World Peacekeepers items
Beds: 3D printed from file http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:683478 (removed pillows, modified in scale and cut in half for easier printing with my specific printer) then painted
Chair: 3D printed from file http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:18545 then painted

Photographic Technique

For most interior scenes I photographed through 1 to 2 sheets of textured transparency film and backlit the subjects. For all outdoor scenes I used a fog machine and lit the subject from directly above.

Learn more about photographing miniatures and toys:

How to Make Realistic Images of Miniatures

Toy Photographer Meet-Ups

[Updated 4/14/17]

Hi everyone,

A second helping of MMM for you today.

As a follow up to my Toy Photography Communities post, I’d like to share some info about Toy Photographer Meet-Up Groups.

A Meet up group is typically a group of locals that supports and learns from each other by occasionally meeting up in person. Where photography is concerned, a meet up will involve taking photos together. They’re great ways to network and grow.

As far as Toy Photography is concerned, the best way to learn about future meet ups is by joining toy photography based groups or following along with toy photo blogs. I highly recommend Toy Photographers and Stuck in Plastic. The Toy Photographers Google + Community even has a thread regarding meet-ups.

Meet Up Groups/Organizers

Toy Photographers
Lizzi S – London
StuckinPlastic
Luigi
Brickstameet – Melbourne, Adelaide & Brisbane, Australia
Jason/Ohio Toy Kicks
Jennifer Nichole Wells/Florida Toy Photographers (see below)

Scheduled Meet-Ups

A Few Past Meet-Ups

I’ve recently created my own facebook group for Florida based toy photographers. We don’t have any meet-ups planned yet, but I hope to start working on one as soon as the group gains more traction. If you or someone you know is a toy photographer in or around Florida, or you’d be interested in traveling over this way for a meet-up, I’d love for you to join us.

We’ll use this page to get to know one another, share our work and other tips and tricks and plan future meet-ups in the state.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1475611562460820/

Monachopis Part 2

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on a new series that I call ‘Monachopis.’ From the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, monachopis means ‘the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.’ You can read more about this series and see 8 exclusive images from the shoot in Exclu issue 3. I’ll be posting images from this series twice daily on instagram – you can follow along here.

I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about the ideas behind these images and the items within them.

**These images tell a story in a sense, so I encourage you to visit Part 1 before perusing the below.

Even leaders have to sleep sometimes. But it’s not a very restful sleep. Not here.

Acid Rain Bob figure (from a Taste of Coffee set), fabric blanket, handmade pillow, 3D printed bed

World Peacekeepers tent, Acid Rain Bob figure (from a Taste of Coffee set)

What we call home.

3D printed bunk beds, fabric blankets, Fashion Polly shoes

There are so many strange things here.

Metal DND figure

We have become friendly with those we can. But danger is always near

Plastic DND figure

A temporary shelter in the midst of exploration.

World Peacekeepers tent and fire (modified with an led light), wooden bead log, Acid Rain Bob figure (from a Taste of Coffee set)

Away.

3D printed chair and crates, dollhouse food cans

Prepared to go alone.

Acid Rain King figure, World Peacekeepers backpack and tent

We stockpile what we can.

Dollhouse food cans, 3D printed chair

What else is out there?

Acid Rain Demian figure (from a Taste of Coffee set), misc. O scale model cardboard building

Monachopis Part 1

Hi everyone,

I’ve been working on a new series that I call ‘Monachopis.’ From the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, monachopis means ‘the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place.’ You can read more about this series and see 8 exclusive images from the shoot in Exclu issue 3. I’ll be posting images from this series twice daily on instagram – you can follow along here.

I hope you enjoy learning a bit more about the ideas behind these images and the items within them.

Here are this week’s images and a bit about how I made them.

All outside images were shot using play sand for the terrain, printed gradient for the background and a fog machine for the atmosphere. The adult figures in all shots are from the 1:18 scale (3.75 inches tall) Acid Rain line by Kit Lau/Oritoy. The interior images, for the most part are backlit and photographed through textured transparency film. I will be sharing a behind the scenes post later on for more details on the objects within the scenes – I’ve also included some details below.

The world of Monachopis leads to a strange existance. Out of place, out of mind, we exist day by day, unsure of what is to come. This place we temporarily call home is the basement of a bombed out building.

Here a figure climbs the ladder that leads to the outdoors. Acid Rain Demian figure (from the Taste of Coffee set), Maurader’s laddar, Mega Construx chain, Lil Bratz locker.

“In a world like this, you find friends anywhere you can.”

This world is a barren wasteland, full of fog and sand for miles and miles. The air isn’t right and we have to wear gas masks to get through it. Strange creatures roam about. Most are friendly. Some are not.

Here a little girl shares her robot toy with a real robot. Hand made polymer and air dry clay large robot, quarter machine small robot, early 2000s Dollar Tree dollhouse baby body, Acid Rain gas mask head.

“Our days are numbered.”

Acid Rain bombed gas mask head.

“Over everything we swore to protect her.”

Acid Rain Argus figure, early 2000s Dollar Tree dollhouse baby body with Acid Rain gas mask head.

“Our leader. His chair. You take the good that comes.”

Acid Rain Bob figure (from the Taste of Coffee set), 3D printed arm chair & crates, Fashion Polly water bottle, dollhouse canned food.

“Don’t think about how it got here, she’ll love it now, that’s all that matters.”

Acid Rain King figure, Fashion Polly bear toy.

“And here it will stay.”

3D printed crate, Fashion Polly bear toy, Lil Bratz soccer ball, worry doll and misc dollhouse bear.

“Always by the wall. Always with that toy.”

Cardboard wall, quarter machine robot, early 2000s Dollar Tree dollhouse baby body with Acid Rain gas mask head.

“The best available.”

3D printed bunk bed, quarter machine robot, dollhouse baby mat, fabric.

“Chin up kid.”

Maurader’s gas mask, Acid Rain Demian figure (from the Taste of Coffee set), cardboard wall/sidewalk, quarter machine robot, early 2000s Dollar Tree dollhouse baby body with Acid Rain gas mask head.

JENNIFER WELLS

I recently had the honor of collaborating with Exclu Design Collective. They gave me the theme of ‘Survival’ and this is what I came up with. I so appreciate their encouragement and their mission of giving exposure to toy photographers. See all 5 pieces and learn about my process behind below and be sure to click through to Exclu’s site to see work from so many wonderful photographers.

THE EXCLU COLLECTIVE

We were incredibly fortunate to recently collaborate with photographer Jennifer Wells to create a new series of images based on a single concept. We tasked Jennifer to show us her interpretation of the word ‘Survival’ and the results really blew us away. We knew when we first spoke with her that she was a true talent behind the lens, but the end product of this collaboration truly raised the bar and pushed the boundaries of what we should expect when we say the term ‘Toy Photography’. Below is the process that Jennifer undertook to reach her final series of images …

one

“When considering the theme of survival I thought of it in two forms – mental and physical. I was first drawn to responding to it in the mental fashion, as much of my work revolves around this concept – depicting longing and isolation, and hinting at depression and anxiety…

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