Small Subjects

• Episode 61: Barry & Jim on their latest box dioramas and trying something new with every project

  After epic conversations about big topics with multiple guests on the last two episodes—Perspectives on digital sculpting with Alan Ball and Nello Rivieccio in Episode 59, and a recap of World Model Expo in Versailles with Joan Biediger, Joe Berton, and Pat Vess in Episode 60—your hosts talk amongst themselves in this one, with Barry giving an unusual (for him) but very welcome (by Jim) step-by-step on the creation of his latest box diorama “XOR,” his eleventh (see his gallery here).Watch where you step; there are a few profanities uttered this time.

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• Episode 60: World Expo 2025 in Versailles

  Incredible art, great camaraderie, a beautiful and historic locale—and some sketchy organization, long lines with overflow crowds, and none of the artist’s names on any of those incredible pieces! In this episode, Jim (who could not attend) and Barry (who could and did) discuss the good and the bad about the twelfth World Model Expo, which took place from July 4 to 6 in Versailles, batting it all around with special guests Joe Berton, Pat Vess, Joan Biediger, and U.K. correspondent Chris Meddings of the Model Philosopher podcast.

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• Episode 59: Perspectives on Digital Sculpting vs. Toothpick & Putty

  With our last episode recapping MFCA 2025, your hosts—with help from Lou Masses and Dennis Levy—kicked up a bit of a hornet’s nest by addressing a major recurring topic of discussion at the show and in our small section of the miniatures world in general: Should digital sculpting and 3D printing be judged differently than the “handmade/toothpick and putty” sculpts that have predominated in this odd art form of ours for the last five and a half decades?Okay, it was mainly Jim doing the kicking. But since he was in part recounting a long and thoughtful conversation in Pennsylvania with master-sculptor Alan Ball, first featured with his master-painter wife Marion on Episode 20 of our podcast, we invited Alan to come back to have the discussion in real time—“for the record,” so to speak, and sans paraphrasing. As always, he graciously and eloquently shared his thoughts and insights as one of the deepest thinkers about this passion we share.Now, when anyone talks about digital sculpting in the historical as opposed to the fantasy category of miniature figures today, the name Nello Rivieccio inevitably comes up. Based near Naples, he is as much of a master on Zbrush as he was for many years with a toothpick (or similar tool) and two-part epoxy putty.To be clear, we do not intend these dual chats as a Pro/Con, Point/Counterpoint pairing: Alan and Nello have as many areas of agreement with each other (and with your hosts) as they do differences. But since the conversation about the advent of digital sculpting is certain to be a major topic of conversation again at World Model Expo, we wanted to drop this epic episode with both of them at the same time, so folks can have their perspectives (and our own) in mind as they view the work on display in Versailles from July 4 to 6.

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• Episode 58: Talking about MFCA 2025 with Dennis Levy and Lou Masses

  The Miniature Figure Collectors of America’s 82nd show took place on May 9 and 10 in Trevose, PA, just outside Philadelphia. On Saturday night, Lou Masses and Dennis Levy—both in a rather, um, well-lubricated mood—told Barry they’d love to bum-rush our podcast. They didn’t have to twist our arms—your hosts are always game for a good chat with friends who are equally devoted to this little hobby/art form of ours—and this episode is devoted to that talk.Once again, this episode is marked as explicit for some profanity (It would have simply ruined the flow if we had taken it out!)For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects

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• Episode 57: Why do we abandon some projects? And: Considering the effects of tariffs on the hobby

  In this episode, your hosts mull over why some modelers (like Jim) rarely abandon a project, seeing even the dogs through to completion, while others (like Barry) regularly start one and then set it aside.  And, at the risk of abandoning our policy of avoiding politics, which is generally a very good one these days, the boys felt compelled to consider how the current moment is impacting the hobby.  Please note that this episode is marked as explicit as there are a couple of f-bombs.For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects

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