Sole and all that girly stuff

Dutch artist Niels de Jong (1982) lives and works in Berlin and is found most of the time in The Lunartik Studios of Matt JOnes from lunartik.com. Niels de Jong has a background in various disciplines such as model making, urban design, sculptures, drawing and painting. You will find his drawn or painted art pieces often portrayed as a group of colourfull characters in a multitude, huddled together in a composition on the canvas. His work is constantly evolving and his characters are transforming continuously. Niels de Jong is currently working on a project called SOLE, a multiple series of mini sneaker sculptures. Self-produced art toys are designer collectibles created and manufactured independently by the artist or small teams without the backing of a large toy company or mass-market brand. These toys are often highly personal, artistic expressions and are usually made in limited runs. Key Characteristics include independent creation where the artist is in control of the entire process from concept, sculpting, and painting to production and packaging. These are usually made in small batches, often 10–100 pieces, which adds to their rarity, made using materials like resin, sofubi (Japanese soft vinyl), or 3D-printed components.