With a background in cinema and audiovisuals and a fascination with scenography and the treatment of space, Cerdà is a firm believer that characters can be defined by a space, even if they are not present at all. “I studied cinema in ESCAC, specializing in art direction, and when I had the opportunity to illustrate a children’s book suddenly 2D wasn’t enough for me,” she relayed in an interview with We Heart.

“I started cutting paper and creating little houses in 3D for the main characters in my first book, and I got hooked,” she says, adding that studying cinema had a great influence on the way she illustrates, not only taking influence from movies but also by the craft of making movies: the light, the mise-en-scène and, above all, the space.

Each piece begins with a sketch of what Cerdà has in mind, after which she hunts for reference images. “I like to find just the right tile designs or the best plants to go with the piece,” she explains. The whole process varies and can take between one or two days to more than three weeks.

Based in Barcelona, Cerdà is particularly inspired by the ceramic tiles that are a common feature in the city. “One thing that is repeated in my illustrations (and I think is totally influenced by my city) are the ceramic tiles,” she says. “Here in Barcelona tiles were very popular at the end of the 19th century; nowadays a lot of houses still have them. I’m also influenced by all the cities I’ve visited. Traveling is so inspiring.”

Take a look at some of her intricate designs in the gallery below:

The post The Tiny, Incredible Dioramas of Mar Cerdà appeared first on PlayJunkie.

All that changed after she started going to university, where she accidentally ended up taking a foundations art class. “Within less than a week I was completely in love (or addicted, depending on the point of view) – I knew that this was what I wanted to do, every day, for the rest of my life,” she says.

Now a full-time artist, she works as both a painter and a curator. A contemporary realist miniaturist, she admits that she likes to stick to smaller-scaled work. “I don’t think I was ever anything except for a miniature painter, although I’ve tried painting on all sorts of scales,” she says. “I remember my mother taking me to a children’s art school in Minsk that one of her friends was running – I must have been around 5. He asked me to draw a figure, and put me in front of an easel with a large pad of newsprint, I drew a figure that took up a tiny corner. He asked me to try again, bigger, and I drew something only slightly bigger- after a few attempts he told my mother he couldn’t really teach me.”

“I think I’m incredibly fortunate, because, within the last 15 years that I’ve been working as a professional artist, the art world has started to emerge from what I always thought of as a sort of dark age,” she says. “I think for a lot of the 20th century the mainstream art world has been dominated by art that is very commercial, conceptually heavy-handed and visually bland.”

Take a closer look:

The post Dina Brodsky’s Paintings Are Incredibly Detailed, and Incredibly Small appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Now a model maker and a creator of miniatures herself, her miniature wooden houses are shared on her Instagram account and sold online. “The first miniature I made was when I was around 10 years old,” she says. “I made it with toothpicks and it was a little house with small furniture. I remember that in order to open and close the door, I used a piece of cloth. I still keep it with much affection.”

Based in Spain, she incorporates in her work various types of wood, which include softwood like balsa or hardwood like linden, to which she adds detail in clay. The finished product is then painted using acrylic paint.

“One thing that I enjoy very much is making miniature versions of people’s houses,” she says. “It is very exciting for them and I have a good time.” She adds that she especially enjoys making small furniture, and adding details like plants, carpets, paintings, and televisions. “When you put them together they are like a small town,” she says.

“For me, the most difficult thing is to make very small objects without losing too many details,” she added. Step into her small (and quite delightful!) town:

The post Marina Paredes Creates Miniature Wooden Houses appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Tanak’s dioramas don’t depict grand events or remarkable people. His focus is on everyday life. He uses his medium to showcase people swimming in the pool, competing in sport, dancing. He will sometimes dabble with the fantastical, and create a miniature version of Aladdin on his magical carpet – but mostly, he likes to focus on the magic of the mundane.

It’s not just Tanaka’s medium or his subjects that are unusual. Even the materials he uses to create his dioramas are untraditional. Instead of using clay, metal, paper, or any other raw material that is usually used to create dioramas and sculptures of any size, Tanaka uses everyday materials. A blue icicle can be an ocean, and a yellow one can be a beach; An old CD becomes a skating rink.

Tanaka’s miniatures are charming not only because they are meticulously made, but because they focus on all the moments we’re used to ignoring on a daily basis, the simple materials that surround us and we discard so easily, and the moments that can be awe-inspiring is we only pay attention.

The post These Miniatures Will Remind You of the Beauty In the Ordinary appeared first on PlayJunkie.

“My work had become too big!” she explains on her personal website. “I was making massive design decisions for clients, yet I wasn’t feeling that same big joy I was helping them to create.”

Within days of this realization, a dear friend gifted her distressed and abandoned childhood dollhouse. “I decided to renovate this gifted dollhouse as a design piece for my office and I GOT LOST IN CREATIVITY,” recalled DomestiKate. “I had fallen out of practice of actually MAKING. THIS is what I had been missing.”

The work itself, as it turned out was just as inspiring and joyous as the finished products. “For me, joy comes from the craft,” she writes. “I like having paint under my fingernails and had forgotten how awesome it feels to stare at piles of assorted materials that are just waiting for me to morph them into something new, something different.”

Indeed, working in a 1:12 scale proves to be quite the challenge. But Kate is well prepared to take it – head-on! Take a look at some of her miniature works of art:

The post DomestiKate Revives the Art of Miniature Making appeared first on PlayJunkie.

A self-taught artist, for many years Almeda assigned to the notion that “the bigger the better.” But after coming across a book called Creating Ceramic Miniatures he dramatically changed his approach. He soon discovered that working small was much harder then he imagined, requiring him to test different clay bodies, make his own tools, and trying out new techniques.

Now, after 17 years of creating miniatures, Almeda has amassed more than 250k fans on Instagram. Pushing himself to improve all the time, he’s trying out new techniques with each of his creations. Scrolling through his Instagram page, you can’t but be impressed. No matter the scale, his ceramics are perfect, his glazes – varied and rich, with each piece truly a one of kind.

Talking about his inspiration with The Potters Cast, he says: “there are so many different things that I am interested in, music, photography, just all different arts. There would be too many to list just one. I pull inspiration from all different places.”

Follow his Instagram page for more:

The post This Miniature Ceramic Art is Mind-Boggling appeared first on PlayJunkie.

But it’s her miniature food items that really caught our attention. “My interest in miniatures really stems from my love of fake food and the realization that minis could be a relatively easy way to reproduce all kinds of food,” admitted Growden in an interview with Daily Mini. Indeed, her food looks good enough to eat (or, more likely, devour completely).

According to Growden, she began experimenting with miniature making after coming across videos on YouTube of a girl making miniature pastries, fast food, and candy. “I was working at an art supply store, so I just bought the supplies I needed there and went home to try making some mini food myself,” she recalled. It quickly took off from there.

“I generally draw inspiration for miniatures from whatever I wish I had in real life but, for whatever reason, don’t,” she says. “That may be a particular food, a vintage stove, or some antique painting I can’t afford. At least I can have a miniature version.”

Here are some of our favorite pieces by her:

The post Step Inside Rachel Growden’s Miniature Kitchen appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Drew Leshko

Drew Leshko’s miniatures serve as a critique about the ways in which society constantly disposes of its past. His carefully made sculptures recreate the architecture of his neighborhood at a 1:12 scale. Combined, they form a sort of three-dimensional archive of buildings that are in transitional periods. These recreations include things like dumpsters and pallets. A somber reflection about the cost of modern-day living.

Joshua Smith

Much like Leshko, Joshua Smith also focuses his work on the overlooked aspects of urban environments, creating miniatures in 1:20 scale of what he calls “urban decay”. Based in Norwood, South Australia, Smith recreates anything from grime and rust to discarded cigarettes and graffiti. “The interest stems from building model kits when I was a kid and I have always been fascinated with miniature scenes from model railroads,” he explained in an interview with The Daily Miniature.

Susete Saraiva

But sometimes, a grimy environment is simply the backdrop of a work of fiction. Such is the inspiration for Susete Saraiva’s horror movie miniatures. Recreating movie settings from iconic horror films like It and Psycho, her miniatures are just as unsettling as they are remarkable. “I love the idea of taking some of my favorite homes and bringing them to life in miniature form to display,” said Saraiva in an interview with The Daily Mini. “They are also my most challenging pieces, which in the end gives me the most satisfaction when finally complete.”

The post These Artists Recreate Our World in Miniature Scale appeared first on PlayJunkie.

“I love making food the most,” said Clay Girl in an interview with The Daily Mini. “I enjoy it because with each try I challenge myself to see how realistic I can make it. I also enjoy it because I spend a lot of time with my grandma, who loves to cook. I often try to make what she is making and she gets a kick out of it. After all, my clay station is in her kitchen next to the fridge.”

According to her, she first started making miniature food after going to occupational therapy in order to strengthen her muscles. “They made me knead a type of putty to build strength in my hands,” she recalled. “That was really boring, so I started making little ‘meals’ out of the putty. I’ve since left the putty behind. Hey, polymer clay keeps me toned!”

Her first miniature was a slice of watermelon, but she’s since moved to more complicated dishes. “I find making meat, like steaks, the most challenging,” she admits. “I just can’t seem to capture the texture. Maybe it’s because I’m a vegetarian.” Inspired by “Donuts and nice people,” her polymer creations are sure to put a smile on your face. Here are some of our favorites.

The post This Clay Kitchen on Instagram Features Miniature Meals appeared first on PlayJunkie.

She describes herself as a constant crafter and general animal enthusiast and she hopes to become an awesome artist and teacher one day. Wei grew up in a house full of plants, however, when she moved out she realized she was a plant “killer.”

“But I still very much love plants and gardening (about half of my vacation photos are of other peoples’ gardens…), so I decided to create my own out of paper, polymer clay, and a bunch of other art supplies I have lying around,” the artist shared with Bored Panda.

In addition to miniature plants, Wei also makes tiny animals, furniture, and other adorable creatures. If you are interested in seeinf her mini gardens, check out her Instagram page, or have a look at her Etsy store where she sells all of her creations.

The post This Artist Makes Adorable Miniature Indoor Plants appeared first on PlayJunkie.

With a background in cinema and audiovisuals and a fascination with scenography and the treatment of space, Cerdà is a firm believer that characters can be defined by a space, even if they are not present at all. “I studied cinema in ESCAC, specializing in art direction, and when I had the opportunity to illustrate a children’s book suddenly 2D wasn’t enough for me,” she relayed in an interview with We Heart.

“I started cutting paper and creating little houses in 3D for the main characters in my first book, and I got hooked,” she says, adding that studying cinema had a great influence on the way she illustrates, not only taking influence from movies but also by the craft of making movies: the light, the mise-en-scène and, above all, the space.

Each piece begins with a sketch of what Cerdà has in mind, after which she hunts for reference images. “I like to find just the right tile designs or the best plants to go with the piece,” she explains. The whole process varies and can take between one or two days to more than three weeks.

Based in Barcelona, Cerdà is particularly inspired by the ceramic tiles that are a common feature in the city. “One thing that is repeated in my illustrations (and I think is totally influenced by my city) are the ceramic tiles,” she says. “Here in Barcelona tiles were very popular at the end of the 19th century; nowadays a lot of houses still have them. I’m also influenced by all the cities I’ve visited. Traveling is so inspiring.”

Take a look at some of her intricate designs in the gallery below:

The post The Tiny, Incredible Dioramas of Mar Cerdà appeared first on PlayJunkie.

All that changed after she started going to university, where she accidentally ended up taking a foundations art class. “Within less than a week I was completely in love (or addicted, depending on the point of view) – I knew that this was what I wanted to do, every day, for the rest of my life,” she says.

Now a full-time artist, she works as both a painter and a curator. A contemporary realist miniaturist, she admits that she likes to stick to smaller-scaled work. “I don’t think I was ever anything except for a miniature painter, although I’ve tried painting on all sorts of scales,” she says. “I remember my mother taking me to a children’s art school in Minsk that one of her friends was running – I must have been around 5. He asked me to draw a figure, and put me in front of an easel with a large pad of newsprint, I drew a figure that took up a tiny corner. He asked me to try again, bigger, and I drew something only slightly bigger- after a few attempts he told my mother he couldn’t really teach me.”

“I think I’m incredibly fortunate, because, within the last 15 years that I’ve been working as a professional artist, the art world has started to emerge from what I always thought of as a sort of dark age,” she says. “I think for a lot of the 20th century the mainstream art world has been dominated by art that is very commercial, conceptually heavy-handed and visually bland.”

Take a closer look:

The post Dina Brodsky’s Paintings Are Incredibly Detailed, and Incredibly Small appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Now a model maker and a creator of miniatures herself, her miniature wooden houses are shared on her Instagram account and sold online. “The first miniature I made was when I was around 10 years old,” she says. “I made it with toothpicks and it was a little house with small furniture. I remember that in order to open and close the door, I used a piece of cloth. I still keep it with much affection.”

Based in Spain, she incorporates in her work various types of wood, which include softwood like balsa or hardwood like linden, to which she adds detail in clay. The finished product is then painted using acrylic paint.

“One thing that I enjoy very much is making miniature versions of people’s houses,” she says. “It is very exciting for them and I have a good time.” She adds that she especially enjoys making small furniture, and adding details like plants, carpets, paintings, and televisions. “When you put them together they are like a small town,” she says.

“For me, the most difficult thing is to make very small objects without losing too many details,” she added. Step into her small (and quite delightful!) town:

The post Marina Paredes Creates Miniature Wooden Houses appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Tanak’s dioramas don’t depict grand events or remarkable people. His focus is on everyday life. He uses his medium to showcase people swimming in the pool, competing in sport, dancing. He will sometimes dabble with the fantastical, and create a miniature version of Aladdin on his magical carpet – but mostly, he likes to focus on the magic of the mundane.

It’s not just Tanaka’s medium or his subjects that are unusual. Even the materials he uses to create his dioramas are untraditional. Instead of using clay, metal, paper, or any other raw material that is usually used to create dioramas and sculptures of any size, Tanaka uses everyday materials. A blue icicle can be an ocean, and a yellow one can be a beach; An old CD becomes a skating rink.

Tanaka’s miniatures are charming not only because they are meticulously made, but because they focus on all the moments we’re used to ignoring on a daily basis, the simple materials that surround us and we discard so easily, and the moments that can be awe-inspiring is we only pay attention.

The post These Miniatures Will Remind You of the Beauty In the Ordinary appeared first on PlayJunkie.

“My work had become too big!” she explains on her personal website. “I was making massive design decisions for clients, yet I wasn’t feeling that same big joy I was helping them to create.”

Within days of this realization, a dear friend gifted her distressed and abandoned childhood dollhouse. “I decided to renovate this gifted dollhouse as a design piece for my office and I GOT LOST IN CREATIVITY,” recalled DomestiKate. “I had fallen out of practice of actually MAKING. THIS is what I had been missing.”

The work itself, as it turned out was just as inspiring and joyous as the finished products. “For me, joy comes from the craft,” she writes. “I like having paint under my fingernails and had forgotten how awesome it feels to stare at piles of assorted materials that are just waiting for me to morph them into something new, something different.”

Indeed, working in a 1:12 scale proves to be quite the challenge. But Kate is well prepared to take it – head-on! Take a look at some of her miniature works of art:

The post DomestiKate Revives the Art of Miniature Making appeared first on PlayJunkie.

A self-taught artist, for many years Almeda assigned to the notion that “the bigger the better.” But after coming across a book called Creating Ceramic Miniatures he dramatically changed his approach. He soon discovered that working small was much harder then he imagined, requiring him to test different clay bodies, make his own tools, and trying out new techniques.

Now, after 17 years of creating miniatures, Almeda has amassed more than 250k fans on Instagram. Pushing himself to improve all the time, he’s trying out new techniques with each of his creations. Scrolling through his Instagram page, you can’t but be impressed. No matter the scale, his ceramics are perfect, his glazes – varied and rich, with each piece truly a one of kind.

Talking about his inspiration with The Potters Cast, he says: “there are so many different things that I am interested in, music, photography, just all different arts. There would be too many to list just one. I pull inspiration from all different places.”

Follow his Instagram page for more:

The post This Miniature Ceramic Art is Mind-Boggling appeared first on PlayJunkie.

But it’s her miniature food items that really caught our attention. “My interest in miniatures really stems from my love of fake food and the realization that minis could be a relatively easy way to reproduce all kinds of food,” admitted Growden in an interview with Daily Mini. Indeed, her food looks good enough to eat (or, more likely, devour completely).

According to Growden, she began experimenting with miniature making after coming across videos on YouTube of a girl making miniature pastries, fast food, and candy. “I was working at an art supply store, so I just bought the supplies I needed there and went home to try making some mini food myself,” she recalled. It quickly took off from there.

“I generally draw inspiration for miniatures from whatever I wish I had in real life but, for whatever reason, don’t,” she says. “That may be a particular food, a vintage stove, or some antique painting I can’t afford. At least I can have a miniature version.”

Here are some of our favorite pieces by her:

The post Step Inside Rachel Growden’s Miniature Kitchen appeared first on PlayJunkie.

Drew Leshko

Drew Leshko’s miniatures serve as a critique about the ways in which society constantly disposes of its past. His carefully made sculptures recreate the architecture of his neighborhood at a 1:12 scale. Combined, they form a sort of three-dimensional archive of buildings that are in transitional periods. These recreations include things like dumpsters and pallets. A somber reflection about the cost of modern-day living.

Joshua Smith

Much like Leshko, Joshua Smith also focuses his work on the overlooked aspects of urban environments, creating miniatures in 1:20 scale of what he calls “urban decay”. Based in Norwood, South Australia, Smith recreates anything from grime and rust to discarded cigarettes and graffiti. “The interest stems from building model kits when I was a kid and I have always been fascinated with miniature scenes from model railroads,” he explained in an interview with The Daily Miniature.

Susete Saraiva

But sometimes, a grimy environment is simply the backdrop of a work of fiction. Such is the inspiration for Susete Saraiva’s horror movie miniatures. Recreating movie settings from iconic horror films like It and Psycho, her miniatures are just as unsettling as they are remarkable. “I love the idea of taking some of my favorite homes and bringing them to life in miniature form to display,” said Saraiva in an interview with The Daily Mini. “They are also my most challenging pieces, which in the end gives me the most satisfaction when finally complete.”

The post These Artists Recreate Our World in Miniature Scale appeared first on PlayJunkie.

“I love making food the most,” said Clay Girl in an interview with The Daily Mini. “I enjoy it because with each try I challenge myself to see how realistic I can make it. I also enjoy it because I spend a lot of time with my grandma, who loves to cook. I often try to make what she is making and she gets a kick out of it. After all, my clay station is in her kitchen next to the fridge.”

According to her, she first started making miniature food after going to occupational therapy in order to strengthen her muscles. “They made me knead a type of putty to build strength in my hands,” she recalled. “That was really boring, so I started making little ‘meals’ out of the putty. I’ve since left the putty behind. Hey, polymer clay keeps me toned!”

Her first miniature was a slice of watermelon, but she’s since moved to more complicated dishes. “I find making meat, like steaks, the most challenging,” she admits. “I just can’t seem to capture the texture. Maybe it’s because I’m a vegetarian.” Inspired by “Donuts and nice people,” her polymer creations are sure to put a smile on your face. Here are some of our favorites.

The post This Clay Kitchen on Instagram Features Miniature Meals appeared first on PlayJunkie.

She describes herself as a constant crafter and general animal enthusiast and she hopes to become an awesome artist and teacher one day. Wei grew up in a house full of plants, however, when she moved out she realized she was a plant “killer.”

“But I still very much love plants and gardening (about half of my vacation photos are of other peoples’ gardens…), so I decided to create my own out of paper, polymer clay, and a bunch of other art supplies I have lying around,” the artist shared with Bored Panda.

In addition to miniature plants, Wei also makes tiny animals, furniture, and other adorable creatures. If you are interested in seeinf her mini gardens, check out her Instagram page, or have a look at her Etsy store where she sells all of her creations.

The post This Artist Makes Adorable Miniature Indoor Plants appeared first on PlayJunkie.