With just a little sandpaper, glue and paint, Stefan Izeboud (48) from Breda builds the most beautiful dioramas. And his miniatures do not go unnoticed. A well -known magazine for hobbyists regularly places photos of Stefan’s work and he has even won prizes with it.
The attic of Stefan Izeboud is full of tassels, pieces of wood and tubes paint. A large loop hangs above his work table. “Yes, you do need it if you do model buildings,” he explains laughing.
Stefan started building miniatures three years ago. “I got a burnout and came to sit at home. The doctor asked if I had a hobby that made me calm. I didn’t have that, but I did have a train track. So I decided to build something around it. When I first went to a stock exchange for model builders, I was immediately sold. You create your own world where you can lose you completely.”
It soon became apparent that Stefan has talent. He already won two prizes. “The first prize for a diorama so small that it fits on a five-cents coin. And I won the third prize for my diorama of the skippers of the Kameleon. That should not be larger than an A4 sheet.”
To ensure that it looks as realistic as possible, he even went on a journey to study the landscape. And that characterizes Stefan’s work. “Details are very important. Just look at this drinking house.” Stefan takes a small, beautifully painted house from the Diorama. If he lifts the roof, you will also see that every detail has been thought of inside. “There are bottles on the counter, the stove burns and the trash is waste. Everything has to be right.”
All figures have their own story, nobody is just there. Stefan paints them all themselves. A priegwerk? “No, I can imagine that some people see it that way, but it gives me peace. I have a busy job with many incentives. This is my moment of zen and peace.”
“With a dental hook you can very well make paving stones.”
In addition to all the official tools, Stefan also often improvises. For example, there is a hook on his work table with which the dentist removes tartar. “That way you can make paving stones very well,” he says laughing. And a toothbrush and a nail file are regularly used for making paint splashes and updating figures. ”
Stefan is now working on a miniature from Lisbon. “I recently went on vacation. Instead of hanging a photo on the wall, I make a 3D miniature of the facades and the iconic tram.”
His big dream is to ever have his own model building store. “That seems great to me, but it will stay with dreams,” he says honestly. But hey, he can always build a miniature of it.
