KUALA LUMPUR: Miniature figurines of anime characters are often made from synthetic materials such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), resin or PVC (polyvinyl chloride), but a labu sayong (clay pitcher) entrepreneur decides to make a difference by using clay to produce them.
For Izudddin Isham, 28, who has four years of experience making ceramic craft items, his deep interest in this art coupled with his love of watching anime, prompted him to produce custom-made clay miniature figurines.
“This is my hobby, producing miniature figurines, from the time when I was young by taking inspiration from animated cartoon series on television.
“After SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia), I was looking for opportunities to learn more in this field, to turn it into a career,” he told Bernama when met at the Warna-Warni Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2021 (WWA 2021) organised by the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation recently.
Among his miniature figurines which are in high demand are Wargreymon from the Digimon series, Groudon (Pokemon) and Gomora (the monster from the Ultraman series) which are sold between RM20 and RM40.
“Although using the same material as labu sayong, the technique used in of making these small figurines is more complicated and thorough compared with labu sayong that use (mould) techniques.
“Apart from being easy to carry, small figurines also have a lower manufacturing risk compared with large size sculptures which are more at risk of breaking during the firing process due to soil density factors,” he explained.
Izuddin, a holder of a Diploma in Art and Craft (Ceramic) of the National Craft Institute, also said that figurines in the shapes of robots and vehicles were among the most difficult to produce due to their complex features, apart from requiring special equipment.
As for the colouring process, he uses a stain, glossy glaze and matte glaze which are done manually after the firing process, either using a brush, spray or dyeing technique according to the suitability of the material.
“The glossy glaze will produce a glass-like effect while the matte glaze will produce an even colour,” said Izuddin, adding that he took between five minutes to two hours to complete each figurine.
Izuddin who owns Izzue Craft, also produces other ceramic products such as decorative lamps, water pitchers and various wedding souvenirs including tepak sirih (betel leaves container), and hopes to expand his products in the future. – Bernama
