11/06/2026

LYFE THURSDAY | JUNE 11, 2026

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Making small wonders o Diorama maker Eddie Putera reflects on creative journey, joys of art, impact of tech

as it provides value and knowledge to himself and consequently, the people who admire his work. “Nothing is finished, as far as learning is concerned. You will never learn everything even if you have a PhD in the field you study... The more you learn, the more you know you don’t know.” That said, he makes it a point not to force himself to complete a project as quickly as possible. In fact, he has a work in progress that has been that way for half a year now. “I enjoy the process and I take my time enjoying the process of building it. Even the research time, I enjoy reading and learning.” Rebuilding memories He made it clear he is not a model maker – instead he “rebuilds memories”. One will likely never find him making a replica of the Taj Mahal or the Pantheon. He instead prefers making something closer to home like a kopitiam from yesteryear. “There have been many workshops I have rebuilt, old workshops that my uncle and father would take me (to). I still remember the smell of dirty, oily floors. When I paint, you can almost smell the place. “I want to trigger emotions with my artwork. Emotions are what make people remember.” For Eddie, there never really is a final finishing touch to his dioramas as there is always something to be improved. “I don’t go for perfection. I go for the fun, thrilling journey of doing it.” The only reason he ever stops working on a diorama is because the odd commissioner gives him a hard deadline to submit the work to them. According to him, making dioramas requires many skills. “You need to know how to paint, draw, cut and put together things. You need to know how things are built, how and where plants are grown.” Patience and passion are also prerequisites and having one but not the other is simply unhelpful, he said. Digital designs, human touch Additionally, the digital age has

W HILE most artists tend to have studios in cities to be closer to their clientele, Eddie Putera prefers to be on his lonesome. In fact, such is his desire to have his own space that he lives in a secluded part of Selangor, requiring a long drive through narrow lanes flanked by jungle simply to reach him. Yet, making the pilgrimage to catch a glimpse of the reclusive artist is often a worthwhile journey. After all, the artworks he puts his time and effort into are not the usual paintings you can see hanging from the walls of galleries. The former photographer takes pride in dioramas instead, creating little worlds populated with little people and brought to life with little details. So, how did someone like himself end up embracing such a niche hobby, let alone find it in the first place? Idyllic life “I was self-employed from the beginning of my career,” said Eddie, who described himself as having started as a visual artist. He worked on a variety of projects, including making visuals for annual reports and shooting footage using drones. Once he had accumulated enough wealth for a comfortable home and had cleared all his debts, Eddie decided to formally step away from the working life in 2017. “I wanted to retire because I had many hobbies, which I cannot do when I cari makan (make a living).” Hence, why he chose to make his home in a quiet corner of Selangor. He admitted to theSun he enjoys his own company and finds it hard to engage in small talk. Leaving home is rare, though he does occasionally provide Ű BY NOEL WONG YAN MING

educational talks to people willing to listen. No classes or workshops from him though, he added. “I didn’t go through the formal process of learning myself. To teach is different from building something for yourself,” he said. Lots of hobbies To keep himself busy, the 59-year-old Eddie has a myriad of hobbies, as evidenced by the lush gardens surrounding his home and his well maintained vehicles. First in his heart, though, is his collection of toys: Aeroplanes, trains, cars and robots. As satisfying as it was to put a model car together, completing the assembly of any one felt strangely anti-climactic. “ Aiyah , like this ah? Put on the shelf, then what?” Not satisfied to leave his work sitting idle on a shelf gathering dust, Eddie got the idea to construct a road for his cars to feel at home. Cue the idea to add a fence to the road, then a house. And that was how Eddie started thinking of and working on his first-ever diorama. He has not stopped since. Fascinatingly, he received no formal training in this art form, instead learning as he goes. He would visit websites and watch videos produced by fellow miniature makers, primarily based in Europe. Attention to detail Eddie said: “I have always been interested in architecture, especially in the old traditional ways of building structures – wooden houses, shophouses. I love old shophouses, especially the pre-war ones from the 1920s, 1930s in Penang and Malacca.” When crafting his little buildings, Eddie does not cut corners when it comes to research. Indeed, he studies the methods used by actual engineers and architects, so that his own miniatures will be made and look as authentic as possible. The research is important to him

Eddie is a diorama maker who enjoys what he does.

A miniaturised depiction of Eddie, driving off to more adventures.

when planning a new diorama, he would have to spend weeks or even months to do the necessary research needed to prepare a sketch. “Now, the time taken to think and gather information is cut short by AI,” said Eddie, adding afterwards, image generators help inspire him and his designs further. “The finishing part is still human. For now, no robot can do that.”

made it helpful to know how to create 3D designs, which can be sent to a 3D printer afterwards. Unlike many artists who are sceptical towards AI, Eddie embraces it wholeheartedly, saying that AI will eventually be accepted as yet another tool in the artist’s arsenal, alongside the camera and digital art programmes. He uses AI to help him conceptualise designs. Previously,

The art requires patience and passion. – ALL PICS BY NOEL WONG YAN MING/THESUN

Eddie’s workstation, with over a hundred paints, each with different purposes.