When it comes to dioramas, Eddie Putera has already given many interviews and shared all there is to know about his passions. But what he hasn’t shared a lot about – or perhaps wasn’t asked enough of – is how he goes about pursuing it.
That’s because Eddie is a man of many talents, and he doesn’t pursue them on a surface level. Everything he’s ever done – from architecture to photography – has been a source of income for him. And if he’s getting paid for his work, it’s safe to say that he’s attained techniques that provides value to others.
There’s techniques to his craft in dioramas too. Namely the use of cigarette ash to produce the look of rust, or herbs to make up the trees and foliage in his creations. Eddie can go on and on about how plaster of Paris makes up the backbone of his work, and how he could transmute everyday toys and accessories into tiny cityscapes.
But what’s more interesting is his approach to life, which affects how he pursues his art. “I sleep when I’m tired, and wake up when I’m rested,” he said. “I also cook whenever I’m hungry, so I don’t really adhere to any pre-set schedules. Sometimes I work till the wee hours of the mornings. Other times I go to bed early.”
For Eddie, it’s this freedom that allows him time to best pursue his true passions. And it must be working, as he’s found an audience for his work despite pursuing his art at a later age in life, circa 2016.
But how exactly does he improve his craft? What benchmarks does he set on something that’s so subjective? According to Eddie, it’s as simple as finding the ‘wow’ factor.
“I know a piece of work inspires me when I look at it and I go ‘wow’. That’s when I try and recreate the feeling on my own. Some people may call this copying. But to me, art is replicating the techniques you admire until you’ve mastered them. Only then are you able to add your own spin to things.”
So Eddie spends time finding his ‘wow’ moments. Sometimes that involves long hours from midnight to sunrise. Other times it’s chipping away at a specific element, one small step at a time.
“Generally, I may not be able to capture the full ‘wow’ moment instantly. But I’ll be able to sleep well knowing that I’ve learned a new skill that brings me closer to that goal, such as painting a face with more detail, or being able to make skin look more realistic.”
With art being such an endless pursuit, Eddie says that these tiny ‘wow’ moments are what creatives should strive for. “Oftentimes you’ll find that you can’t recreate your favourite pieces from the get-go. And you may struggle for years, not being able to reach your desired outcome. But it’s important to sometimes look back on how far you’ve come. Because while you haven’t earned your big ‘wow’ yet, you’ll have earned hundreds of little ‘wows’ that would’ve made you a better artist. This is what most people take for granted.”
Therein lies the wisdom that Eddie has gleaned from his years in many of his fields – architecture, photography, diorama. That life is a pursuit of stacking small wins consistently. That it’s not about the home run moments, but about the correct daily choices that would inevitably lead to your success, no matter what you do.
And in Eddie’s case, he’s managed to learn big lessons from the art of tiny things.
WORDS Stuart Danker PHOTOS Raja Mokhzairi
