Besides admiring miniature artwork, miniatures are also my favorite type of artwork to draw or paint. Creating miniatures has many benefits for artists. Miniatures are less expensive because you don’t invest as much money as you do in buying larger canvases, papers, mats and other supplies. Miniatures artwork is also easier to reproduce as a miniature artwork, measuring 8” by 10” or less, can easily fit inside a scanner for copying.
What is Miniature Art
Miniature art is a specialty fine art form .Although many people think drawing or painting miniatures is a faster type of art to create, it actually takes just as long or sometimes longer to complete a miniature than it does to do larger art work. This can be because it takes time to mentally downsize a reference photo. There are many artists who create average or large drawings or paintings, but only a few artists are skilled or disciplined enough to produce miniatures.
Sometimes, miniature art is thought to be creating pieces or depicting subjects on a smaller scale, however this is another common misconception. Many types of miniature art work encompass large landscapes rather than just small still life subjects.
History of Miniature Art
Miniature art was used, centuries ago, to illustrate manuscripts and documents so people could understand ancient documents and manuscripts. They were first found on the papyrus scrolls of ancient Egyptian manuscripts. In the 7th century, miniature artwork illustrated manuscripts and book paintings. Artists were commissioned to paint miniature paintings of prominent world leaders.
Although photography was introduced in the mid-1800s, threatening the popularity of miniature art, today miniature art work is experiencing a renewal in popularity with many celebrated miniature artists painting and drawing in various mediums and subjects.
Tips for Painting and Drawing Miniatures
Painting or drawing miniatures involves certain considerations.
- First decide what to omit from a reference photo. When you work from a reference photo, don’t include every detail or item in a miniature. Consider what needs to be in a composition and what can be omitted.
- Use quality tools, brushes, paints and painting surfaces or drawing papers. Choose an exceptionally smooth surface, such as polymin, ivorine, vellum or porcelain.
- Verthin colored pencils on Bristol Board work better than using Prismacolor pencils on regular colored pencil papers.
- Use fine-pointed brushes rather than those with broad points used on larger scale art.
- For pen and ink drawings, extremely detailed work can be depicted using fine hatches and stippling techniques, using a pen with an extremely fine tip.
- Study miniature art work in museums, books and other publications to see how miniature artists handle colors and brush strokes.
Framing Miniature Art Work
Miniature art work is inexpensive to frame as pictures can be framed in ready-made 8” x 10” , 5" x 7" or even smaller frames. When choosing mats for your miniatures, you can have them cut in colors suited for your home décor.
Mats should be cut to fit the art work, keeping it away from the picture frame glass so it’s less prone to contract any formation of moisture condensation. Graphite drawings look good with pale greens, yellows and dark blue, according to the Toad Hollow Studio website.
Miniature art can be displayed in attractive groupings on walls, in addition to desks or shelves. Before hammering nail holes in your walls, first draw out a design plan on paper and then nail. On the other hand, many office supply stores sell various stick putties which leave no nail holes on walls, allowing for rearranging pictures without any holes on a wall.
Finally, practice drawing or painting miniatures and save those first drawings or paintings so you can compare your progress. It’s only after continuing to produce more miniatures that you not only improve your skills, but develop your own style.
Resources
Latham Studios: What is Miniature Painting (date accessed 1/6/2011).
Miniature Society of Florida: What is Miniature Art? (date accessed 1/6/2011).
Toad Hollow: Art Framing Options (date accessed 1/6/2011).
Venice Kichura - Venice Kichura is a freelance writer who writes on a variety of subjects. She holds a special passion for topics relating to art and ...
