Name: Gael Goumon (Sorry, I'm not a girl :D )
Birth: 04/11/1971
Residence: Lingolsheim, a village near Strasbourg (France)
Household: 1 baby (who is a little devil), a wife and a lot of gnomes slave who sculpt the greens for me when I sleep
Favourite Movie: BladeRunner, Brave Heart, Brazil, very big fan of Terry Gillian and Tim Burton
Favourite Music Band: "old" heavy metal like Iron Maiden , Manowar
Favourite RPG's: Warhammer RPG, D&D, Runequest, Stormbriger, Call of Cthulhu
Favourite Computer Games: Neverwinter Night, Fallout
Other Interests: loves read comics, art books (Royo, Gimenez, Vallero)and tattoo magazines ... to found new ideas for new figs
G.G.:
I work at home so I keep my little monster during the day and work during the night. I have no artistic training and I'm a very bad drawer. I have a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry/Genetics and also in Computing and I have worked in a school as a Biology teacher .
I have started to sculpt in 2000, but I'm professional since 3 years. I also do jewellerys and art objects in bronzes, solid silver and gold .
G.G: Hmm, fairly easy... I am small, with big ears, a large nose, hairy feet, a goatee, and a big belly.... my god... I'm a gnome!
You are a passionate miniatures collector. How long do you collect figures? How did you get into the miniatures hobby?
G.G: A friend of my father had one of the first editions of Dungeons and Dragons sent to him, and I became fascinated with the universe within those volumes. I bought my first miniature with my twin brother, when I was around 13 years old. It was a knight from Ral Partha. Since then, when I see a mini I like, I buy it… and I put it in a box (it's now a big box:).
Biology teacher and miniatures designer, they're worlds apart. How did you manage that, the way from the classroom to the putting tools? When did you decide sculpting would be your career? Did you just say - hey, let me try out that and it have worked out?
G.G: I enjoy playing tabletop games but rarely get the chance. I get too bogged down in the quality of my painting and never get enough minis painted to play with. I do plan to get back into gaming sometime soon though (and I've been saying that forever).
How long did the transitional phase "teacher going to sculpt" take?
G.G: The transition was rather fast; it took me one year to get a good basis in sculpting.
Were there people in your life who encouraged you and helped you become who you are today?
G.G: My wife was my first fan, then my brother, and my friends, Thierry Crabouillet (the owner of Fenryll), Sandra Garrity whose assistance helped me a lot to progress, Jeff Wilhelm of Dragon Forge, who encouraged me and presented me to Ron Hawkins (Reaper Miniatures). Sorry to all the other people that I haven't mentioned.
You have sculpted over 400 miniatures since 2000. How did you do it? Are you so quick or is there a secret trick to sculpt 3-4 miniatures per week? Have you invented a green sculpting machine? Where could I buy it? Gnome slaves? Could you lend me the guys for a week?
G.G: When I began, I was paid approximately $100 per mini, therefore I didn't really have a choice. It is in fact a question of discipline, when a mini is curing, I work on others. I work until very late (normally until 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning) and I rise early. I take very few holidays, I also work on weekends and public holidays (my wife has chained me to my desk and whips me when I do not work quickly). However, for the last few months, I haven't been sculpting as intensively, as I have been spending more time taking care of my family.
Do you regard sculpting as an art or rather a trade? Maybe a way of life?
G.G: For me it is more a way of life.... I really do not regard myself as an artist, I am a man who has a "job" and I am fortunate enough to enjoy doing it. I have the opportunity for my works to reach lots of people who may take pleasure from them, and that is enough for me.
As far as I can see, you have sculpted mainly 28mm fantasy and 54 mm historical miniatures. Would you like do sometimes other themes, 28 mm historical for example, science-fiction?
G.G: The problem with historical miniatures is that the uniforms have to be accurate, and this is very limiting for creativity. I cannot really make any changes to clothing and this is frustrating. I am interested in doing more Science-Fiction minis in the future, and will look to do more when I have the opportunity..
How would you describe your style of sculpting?
G.G: This is really a very difficult question. I try to make figures with more realistic proportions, and no oversized heads or hands. I like small details, decorations like Celtic knotwork etc, and this features a lot on my minis.
What responses to your work have most pleased you? What is the nicest thing that someone can say to you about your work?
G.G: I am always pleased to see painted versions of my minis, and to see that someone has enjoyed painting my work. I thank them for having spent time creating such attractive renditions of my work. Probably the nicest thing someone could say about my work, would be to compare my minis to those of my sculpting gods like: Tom Meier, Sandra Garrity, Julie Guthrie… but I feel I have a lot of things to learn before that.
Is there something that had a pronounced effect on the kind of sculpting you do?
G.G: Jes Goodwin's works have influenced me a lot, and I think that I owe him a lot for that. I am always filled with wonder when I see his excellent work.
Fenryll Miniatures The Spirit of the Wizard painted by Manfred Hautz (Fredy) ...click to enlarge...
Are you of opinion that it is possible to learn sculpting in a sort of "sculpting school" or do you mean this skill is the god's gift?
G.G: I think a school of sculpture would be a good thing to learn the basics. Nevertheless, a sculptor must develop his own style. I do not think that it is a question of being gifted, more it is a question of practice, technique and patience.
Have you ever thought about founding your very own miniatures company?
G.G: I have already thought about it, but for the moment I have too much work.
Let's suppose, you would have an own company. What would you like to do? A new game like Chris Fitzpatrick's Gods? A certain theme? Just loads of nice looking figures?
G.G: I think it would be a series of beautiful figures in very small editions (200 to 250 copies).
Do you have a favourite sculptor?
G.G: Sandra Garrity, Jes Goodwin, Julie Guthrie, Juan Diaz, Raul Garcia Latorre, Mike Good, Tom Meier, Bill Horan, Chris Fitzpatrick, Werner Klocke, Steve Buddle… Sorry I can't list them all.
What other sculptors did you learn from? What designers do you feel a kinship with?
G.G: I learned a lot by studying the proportions and faces of the figures and busts of Raul Garcia Latorre and Mike Good, two historical sculptors with huge talent. Large figures do not allow for errors, and they are very good to learn from. I do not really feel a relationship with any designer in particular.
Let us talk about the older sculptor generation. Is there one of the Oldies who in your opinion could be called as The Sculptor, who had influenced most of the things in the miniatures world, who had set the points quasi?
G.G: For large scale figures there was Bill Horan, and for small scale miniatures Jes Goodwin. Both still influence much in the miniatures world today.
In my opinion, these two sculptors were the main catalysts in the trasition of miniatures from their previous status as simple 'toys' to being the works of art they are today.
The miniatures design quality level has been growing in last 10 years. The authenticity, details, variety, all this things have reached the very high standard. Do you see the possibilities for the further growing?
G.G: The present level of quality is excellent, and I don't think there can be much more improvement with the quality of sculpting, just perhaps with the technology of molding the figures. The future is certainly with figurines sold already painted (but there is still a lot of work to be done in that field).
How does your "normal" day look like?
G.G: I wake up at 7 o'clock. I then sculpt until my son wakes up at 9 o'clock (I work in the house and look after my son, whilst my wife goes to work). At 11:30 I start to prepare the meal for my family and me. I can then sculpt from 1:30 for 3 hours whilst my son sleeps, and then I sculpt from 5:30 until 7:30. After eating my evening meal it is then back to sculpting until 2 o'clock in the morning. Yes I know it is terrible and that is only a brief list: D.
How important is it for you to be accurate in terms of details? Does it make any difference, for instance, whether the figure will be cast in metal or resin?
G.G: For me details are very important. I take a long time to sculpt the face and hands, and I try to add details that people might miss on first viewing, but later see when they look closer (for example the teddy pigs in my dwarf Tingrim's bag).
Yes there are differences if the mini is intended for metal, or resin casting. The resin uses a very flexible mold which allows for poses which metal casting molds do not (with metal casting you have to have multi-part minis when sculpting some poses). The resin also makes it possible to have much thinner and finer cloaks or weapons. The molding process for the lead figures also means you have to exaggerate the thickness of the mini (because of mold compression).
There is no accounting for tastes. Although, how would you define a good miniature?
G.G: I think that good a miniature must be original and well sculpted. It must also present a narrative or history of the character to the viewer.
Do you have any tips for an amateur designer?
G.G: Working, working, working…. One of the most important things is to know the properties of the greenstuff well, especially how it changes if one adds more yellow or blue to the mix. This property also varies if you use it just after it is mixed or if you wait a little. Always wet or oil the tools to aviod the tools sticking to the greenstuff (and to help keep the green smooth) Also learn to use a Clayshaper. Work by successive layers. Wear gloves and be sure to take care with the scalpel blade (I cut myself only last week).
There are the two big miniatures companies in France, Rackham and Fenryll. Both have an independent and quite exceptional style of miniatures. What think you about the "French sculpting"? Is there something that could be called so?
G.G: Rackham makes some marvellous figures, but they are a little too restrictive in style for me. The range is designed for gaming though, so I suppose it is necessary to have a theme for them. Fenryll on the other hand gathers many different styles and this is what makes them very original. I do not think there is really a French school. The only difference is that one tries new experiments with new concepts, which have similar standards.
As a general rule I don't judge a sculptor by how long they've been in the industry, I judge them by their work. If it's great it's great. If it's not, it's not.
Do you regard yourself as a representative of "French sculpting school"?
G.G: Frankly, I can't really define the 'French style'. I sculpt without worrying about the standards which exists (a dwarf without beard, a sexy angel…).... perhaps it is that originality, or new point of view which is really "the French touch", or French style.
You have a twin brother who isn't a sculptor. Unfortunately. What does he do? Does he teach in your past school? :)?
G.G: My brother does research into Neurochimicals and I am very proud of him.
After some years of being as sculptor would you say that it was worth it to give up your biology teacher carrier
G.G: I work a lot but I do not regret anything, I love this work. Every day I do new things and more importantly I make things that I like.
I would only be more happy if the days could be a little bit longer :.
What are your plans for future work?
G.G: I will make bigger scale minis, if I can find time. I would also like to remake some jewels as well as bronzes.
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