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Fotos:Jesus Gamarra
Translation :
Daniel Serrano
My name is Jesús
Gamarra López and I was born in
Alcobendas, a little village in
Madrid, on November 22nd 1964. There
I cursed my studies and then I
joined Local Police on November 22nd
1983, then I met Reme (my best
support in life and in the hobby), I
got married with she and had two
childs: Jesús, 7 years old, and
Raúl, 5. Now, and maybe forever, I
live in El Casar, a little village
in Guadalajara.
Since I'm able to remember, I've
always loved drawing and painting. I
was 9 years old when I asked my
fathers to let me join the painting
school of my town, where I drow with
CARBONCILLO and painting with oils
since 14 years old. I don't remember
when I started to build kits but I
remember they were Matchbox kits. I
only built them and without painting
I sticked the calcos. Then I started
to build armors and tanks (and
painting them now).
One day during a rest in a class
related to my job, the teacher told
me that he also was building kits
and he let me some magazines called
Modelismo e Historia where they were
explained some techniques to paint
armor and there was an advert of a
shop called 'Juguetes 113' where
they sell a lot of accesories for
tanks. In that shop I bought some
books about painting figures and how
to improve tanks and vehicles. Those
were Verlinden books.
I continued doing tanks and the
truth was that what I loved the most
was painting the soldiers with them.
The first one used to be acceptable
but the rest where worst because it
was boring to paint the same uniform.
Also on that magazines I saw there
was a shop that was selling out
Humbrol ennamels, the paints I used.
In that shop, called "El soldado de
plomo" I met Juan Manuel Moreno and
he told me that he painted figures
with acrylics and offered me the
figure he had made to conmemorate
the aniversary of the Marine
Infantry; as an anecdote, I have to
say that I bought that figure but I
forgot to paint acrylics and Humbrol
paints so I had to return the next
they to buy them (and more metal
figures).
I've always been interested in
history in general and in the
spanish one in particular so I found
it very attractive to paint the
figure, investigate about the era,
uniformology... That meant the end
of WWII tanks and soldiers and the
beginning of a new era in this
wonderful hobby that I began on
1987.
The first figure painted with Plaka
and Decorfin looked fine... until I
showed it to Juan Manuel and I saw
his figures. He explained me the
basic technique to use acrylics and
with practice and a lot of hours, I
get better results on each figure.
One day I went to buy figures in a
shop in Mercenado street where I met
Fernando Martín Beneito. I asked him
about the painting classes he gave
to Juan Manuel and he asked me to
bring him some of my figures to see
my level. When I showed my figures
he asked me to paint figures for his
brand. That was amazing, he let me a
figure painted by Jose Manuel to
take it with me and see how it was
painted. When I got home I started
with the figure, it was one of the
new releases of Beneito, an
Artillery man in the Elizabeth II
era. I remember that it took me 5
hours to paint the face and that fig
meant a 'before and after' in my
painting. I was using acrylics from
Vallejo. When I finished the figure
and showed it to Fernando he asked
me to do the next painting classes.
That was incredible, I went to the
shop to take some classes and,
surprisingly, I was going to be the
teacher!
I spent some years painting the new
releases from Beneito and teaching
to new students, trying to help a
friend and giving something from me
to help the expansion of the hobby.
I've always been a self-taught
painter but I must admit that those
classes help a lot, like a good
article with good pictures. I also
think that a good research of
information it's essential to paint
a figure.
Fernando encouraged me to go to
shows. I started with the Lojume
Show in 1990. He also spoke me about
international shows as Euro-Militaire
and Sevres so that year I went for
the first time to Folkestone (where
I go every year since then) and,
with Fernando and Oscar Ibañez (who
was starting to sculpt for Beneito)
we went to 'conquer Great Britain'.
That year I didn't get any award but
it helped me to paint with more
passion and I couldn't wait for the
next year.
In 1991 I got my first international
award at Folkestone, a bronze medal
in the Dioramas category. After de
award ceremony, Fernando, Oscar and
I celebrated it properly.
The next year I couldn't assist but
Fernando brought in my name a
Samurai on horse getting me a gold
medal. That year born the 'spanish
school' because 3 spanish guys won a
gold medal: Miguel Felipe Carrascal,
David Mencia and myself.
After that, year after year, I've
been in shows in England, France,
Belgium, Germany, Italy, USA and
Spain, and I've won about 214 awards.
I wish to get better day by day, or
trying, at least. What I love to do
is painting figures, having fun with
my friends (some of them passed away
sadly) that i've know because of the
hobby and they are like part of my
family.
The painter and sculptor I admire
the most is, without a doubt, Raúl
García Latorre; I think he's the
most complete modeller. Others I'll
remark are Rodrigo Hernandez Chacón,
Miguel Felipe Carrascal, José Fco.
Gallardo, Román Navarro, Luís
Esteban LaGuardia, Ángel Terol, Juan
Carlos Avila, Joan Masferrer, David
Romero, brothers Gros, Diego
Fernández Fortes, José Hernández,
Jaume Ortiz, Gianfranco Esperanza,
Adriano Laruccia, Pietro Balloni,
Luca Marcheti, Diego Ruina, Danilo
Cartachi, Philippe Gengembre, Mike
Blank, Greg DiFranco, Bill Horan,
Adrian Bay, Young B. Song, Marin Van
Jils... and many others I don't
mention because the list would be
huge.
My favourite theme is the Spanish
Army because our country has a lot
of history and as often as I can,
after consulting the right
documentation, I transform into a
spanish any figure.
Since I started (but those 2 first
years) I've always painted with
Vallejo Acrylics, for me the best
acrylic paints nowadays in the
market because of its exceptional
properties. I always paint with
brushes with Marta hairs from
Escoda, Vallejo or Casa Pontes, all
of them are great quality brushes.
When I'm going to paint a figure,
what I do first is eliminate line
molds and watch for imperfections,
then I study it with caution. I use
clips to pin the pieces, glued with
Araldit 90 seconds. I also use a
soldering with a white metal
aleation to 'glue' some pieces and I
put pins in the legs. I paint the
accesories and then glue them on the
fig. Before I start the painting I
do the terrains trying to seat the
feet perfectly on it.
For the transformations I've done
I've used Magic Sculp putty. I also
use it when I need to fill gaps
between pieces. For terrains or
trees I use A+B putty.
I've colaborated in some shows,
doing showrooms or being jury.
In 1999 I had the honor of being
asked by the State of the Army for
being jury in the Army Awards, what
i've been doing since 2003 and in
2004 i was honored with the Cross
for the Militar Merit.
I'm also jury in Folkestone since
2001.
Since 2000 I also colaborate and
organice the jury of the "Soldat de
Plom" show organizated by 'El
Baluard', an association that I'm
member of. I will also have the
honor of doing the same in World
Expo 2008 to be held in Girona.
I find the future of the hobby very
positive because the kids are
getting into wargames and so, and I
think that when they grow they'll
try historical miniatures, as all of
us have made; now it's easier to
learn because of all the books and
magazines, the media, classes and
the opportunity to find good
painters in the shows of our
country.
Regards,
Jesús Gamarra
Álbum Personal de Fotos
Galeria Jesus Gamarra
Medallero
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