{"id":6562,"date":"2019-07-26T14:18:49","date_gmt":"2019-07-26T12:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/52.30.207.235\/interview-up-close-and-personal-with-the-microdudes\/"},"modified":"2019-07-26T14:18:49","modified_gmt":"2019-07-26T12:18:49","slug":"interview-up-close-and-personal-with-the-microdudes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.footdistrict.com\/en\/interview-up-close-and-personal-with-the-microdudes\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview: Up Close and Personal with the Microdudes"},"content":{"rendered":"

They say that sneakers are all about perspective. Never has that been more true than through the eyes of Nick Glackin. The talented Scot, who goes by @glackster<\/a> online, has reduced the world of sneakers to a microscopic level through his pint-sized creations, the Microdudes<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Microdudes\"<\/p>\n

This quirky venture imagines iconic sneakers from the perspective of his vertically challenged compadres, who unite to bring our favourite footwear to life stitch by stitch. We recently caught up with Nick to find out more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Interview W\/ Microdudes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Matt Williams (M.W.) \u2013 Hey Nick, thanks for chatting with us! Where did the idea for the Microdudes come from?<\/b><\/p>\n

Nick Glackin (N.G.) \u2013 <\/b>No worries and thanks for the invite! It\u2019s always nice to get a chance to talk about the little folk. So, the Microdudes originally came about as an idea for an Instagram competition that the sneaker store size? was running in conjunction with Nike<\/a>. It was to coincide with the first Air Max Day celebrations in 2013. The outline of the brief was to take a creative photograph of what Air Max meant to you. From there, I knew I wanted to demonstrate how any Air Max was a big shoe, in relation to the sneaker world, but it had to have a fun element to it. I wasn\u2019t really making any progress in my head on how to convey that idea in a fun way, especially one that I hadn\u2019t seen before, but one day I was walking past a model shop and spotted some tiny architectural figures. The idea just suddenly popped into my head. Scale was going to be the way forward and what better way to show how big a shoe is than to actually make it look larger than life?<\/p>\n

The very first Microdudes image I put together was based on Gulliver\u2019s Travels<\/i>. I staged a little scene with ropes tied over my legs and several figures climbing over me. I then posed more at the base of the scene as if they were hammering in pegs to hold me down, much like when Gulliver wakes up in Lilliput and is completely tied down. I think I used the tag line \u2018Air Max, a big shoe in anyone\u2019s world\u2019. From that moment on, I was hooked on the concept of pairing miniatures with sneakers, as I hadn’t seen that specific idea done by anyone else. Sure, there are loads of people making scenes from architectural figures, but I certainly hadn\u2019t seen it being done with shoes.<\/p>\n

M.W. \u2013 Two specific Microdudes, the rather prim and proper Harold and Maud, have become your mascots. Why did you take a shining to these two in particular?<\/b><\/p>\n

N.G. \u2013 <\/b>For me, Harold & Maud are almost the antithesis of the sneaker-media world. They\u2019re not cool, they\u2019re not trying to be edgy and they\u2019re not coming up with absurd ways to connect with consumers. They just like doing them \u2013 that\u2019s why I like them. They don\u2019t care about brand activations or parties for the launch of new shoes, all that kind of stuff has no meaning to them, they just like doing what they do, in their own little world, and having fun. Besides, you have to remember, they\u2019re old. They make me smile.<\/p>\n

\"Microdudes<\/p>\n

M.W. \u2013 Don\u2019t need any other reason than that! So, what adventure have Harold and Maud been on lately?<\/b><\/p>\n

N.G. \u2013\u00a0<\/b>At the moment, they\u2019re recovering from a really hectic past few months. They were super lucky to get involved in some amazing projects during the first half of this year \u2013 namely with Twitter x\u00a0adidas<\/a><\/strong>, Nike and also a series of scenes for StockX created with Archive.DNA<\/a>.<\/strong> It\u2019s even crazy for me, just typing those names out, to think that such prestigious brands want to create pieces with Harold and Maud! It\u2019s certainly been an unexpected first half of 2019.<\/p>\n

Recently, the challenge has been how to progress Harold and Maud, and get them to develop beyond the static two-dimensional images that you see on Instagram. This is where the recent StockX and Nike projects have really let them shine. Harold and Maud were commissioned to create some pieces for display in a gallery floor environment, which meant that you had to be able to walk around them, a full 360 degrees. That was testing, what you can\u2019t see in the Instagram photographs is all the tape, strings, glue, wooden frames etc. that is used to hold the staging up and keep the image together. It requires a completely different approach, so the fully three-dimensional model scenes were born.<\/p>\n

If you find yourself in Nike\u2019s London office, you might spy my \u2018Summer of\u00a0Love\u2019 installation, made to celebrate the release of Jasmine Lasode\u2019s winning \u2018On-Air: London\u2019 Air Max 97. Or, if you head to any of the upcoming European Sneakerness events, you\u2019ll most likely catch a glimpse of the six pieces I created for StockX with shoes from the collection of Archive.DNA. All of those were really fun to create.<\/p>\n

\"Microdudes<\/p>\n

M.W. \u2013 Can you take us through your creative process? Do you create scenes based on specific shoe designs or are you inspired by the miniatures you find?<\/b><\/p>\n

N.G. \u2013\u00a0<\/b>Each scene has got to relate to the shoe. If it doesn\u2019t, then what\u2019s the point? It just becomes an image or scene with no real meaning behind it. Sure, you may create a nice looking image, but, at its core, it\u2019s worthless. Normally I\u2019ll tie into some element of the design of the shoe, or its origins. Granted, sometimes they are quite tenuous, but there will always be a connection and the majority of people that are into sneakers will get it.<\/p>\n

The bulk of the time, the initial concept comes first, then I give myself the task of finding the little folk and\u00a0supporting\u00a0staging to create the scene. It\u2019s about a 50\/50 split so far, as to whether the miniature elements I have in mind exist or not. I often have to butcher a few figures to make the exact ones I want, then paint them all by hand. And it doesn\u2019t help that I have the shakiest hands ever, so that part is probably the most frustrating for me\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Microdudes<\/p>\n

M.W. \u2013 You could have fooled us! Are there any sneaker grails you are hoping to bring into the Microdudes universe one day?<\/b><\/p>\n

N.G. \u2013\u00a0<\/b>There\u2019s nothing really sneaker-related that I\u2019m planning for. The ones I create for myself are all very spur of the moment. When I get an idea, I have to make it happen almost immediately. I\u2019m very impatient from that perspective. I set myself a little non-sneaker related project a year ago and I still haven\u2019t found or made all of the figures and parts that I need. I should really pull my finger out!<\/p>\n

M.W. \u2013 We\u2019re inclined to agree! [Laughs]<\/i> Your photography truly brings your scenes to life. Are there any specific camera tricks and techniques you use?<\/b><\/p>\n

N.G. \u2013\u00a0<\/b>That\u2019s really kind of you to say, thank you. But in all honesty, there are no real tips or tricks to taking the photographs. Some good lighting and a macro lens is all that is really needed. The main work goes into creating the figures and staging the scenes. That part is the most time consuming.<\/p>\n

M.W. \u2013 The sneaker scene is abuzz with creativity at the moment. Are there any creatives in the scene that have really impressed you lately?<\/b><\/p>\n

N.G. \u2013\u00a0<\/b>There are so many amazing people out there pushing themselves daily, trying to progress and hone their skills. I really respect that and you can see how hard they are working.<\/p>\n

In particular, it\u2019s incredible to see people I\u2019ve followed for years deciding to leave the security of their jobs, follow their dreams of becoming a freelance photographer and making a success of it. It\u2019s very inspiring. There are too many people to list without accidentally leaving someone out, but the ones who take that leap to pursue their dreams, those are the ones who are nothing short of amazing.<\/p>\n

\"Microdudes<\/p>\n

M.W. \u2013 Can\u2019t agree more! We\u2019ve noticed that brands have taken a shining to your work. Any big projects in the works?<\/b><\/p>\n

N.G. \u2013\u00a0<\/b>It\u2019s funny you should ask that. After what the little folk have been through over the last six months \u2013 and what they\u2019ve created in the timeframes that they have had available to them \u2013 I actually told myself they were having the rest of the year off to recover\u2026 but they were recently asked to get involved in a project that they would have to be insane to turn down! That\u2019s all they can say on that for the time being, we\u2019ll just have to see how it pans out and where it might take them in the world!<\/p>\n

\n

Keep up to date with the Microdudes\u2019 shenanigans on Instagram @microdudes<\/a><\/strong>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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