Materials & Effects – Borja Calvo (Borjammer)

Helvetian Brushes organizes this workshop in Zurich.
The ticket purchase is securely processed through Miniature Art Academy, Borja Calvo’s official training platform.

Skill level:

Suitable for intermediate painters.
Basic experience recommended but not required.

Two-day intensive competition painting workshop with 2025’s Slayer Sword Winner Borja Calvo. This workshop is focused on high-level competition techniques, not a simple step-by-step. Borja will guide you through advanced approaches to:

• Realistic fabrics with convincing volume
• Natural skin tones with depth and nuance
• High-impact NMM for display and competition pieces

Throughout the workshop, Borja will share his full painting mindset, explaining why decisions are made, not just how, helping you push your work to the next competitive level.

The Workshop

Two-day intensive competition painting workshop with 2025’s Slayer Sword Winner Borja Calvo. All materials included. Each participant will work on Ólafur, sculpted by Joaquín Palacios and provided by Aradia Miniatures. This workshop is focused on high-level competition techniques, not a simple step-by-step. Borja will guide you through advanced approaches to: • Realistic fabrics with convincing volume • Natural skin tones with depth and nuance • High-impact NMM for display and competition pieces Throughout the workshop, Borja will share his full painting mindset, explaining why decisions are made, not just how, helping you push your work to the next competitive level. On the evening of the first day, we will host a casual meet & review session, where Borja will give personal feedback on participants’ work, discuss competition pieces, and share insights from his experience at the highest level of miniature painting.

On the evening of the 10th we will host a casual dinner where Borjawill review models, offer personal feedback and share his perspective on composition, painting and the judging of miniature pieces. This extra session provides an invaluable opportunity to understand how a professional evaluates artistic work.

Note: By attending our workshop you adhere to Helvetian Brushes’s Code of Conduct

Borjammer is an internationally acclaimed miniature artist and highly respected painting instructor, known for his striking use of colour, bold contrast, and competition-level finish. With a distinctive style that blends technical precision and strong visual impact, he has become one of the most recognised names in the miniature painting scene. Teacher at the www.miniatureartacademy.com.

His most notable achievements include:

Slayer Sword – Golden Demon 2025
Masters Gold – Golden Demon 2025
Multiple top placements and medals across the international competition circuit

Beyond his awards, Borjammer is widely appreciated for his ability to teach complex techniques in a clear, approachable way, helping hobbyists of all levels push their work further and achieve competition-ready results.

What’s Included

Aradia Miniatures model Ólafur

What You Should Bring

Hobby lamp and extension cord
Brushes:
- Natural hair Kolinsky sable brushes (sizes 0, 1, and 2)
- A large old/worn brush
Your wet palette (if you don’t have one, Red Grass sponsors us and you can use one of their palettes)
Your own paints, we recommend bringing a variety of paints: heavy body, fluid and inks. Brand doesn´t matter.

Friday Evening Social Event (10th of April)

Informal dinner with Borja and all attendees (each pays their own)
Borja will review participants’ models, discuss initial concepts and share insights on composition and storytelling
Opportunity to receive early feedback before the workshop starts
A relaxed setting to ask questions and understand how Borja approaches miniature painting

Workshop Format

This workshop, designed by Borjammer, will guide you through advanced techniques and key concepts to help you tackle a wide range of materials and effects, such as fur, wood, and skin, reflective surfaces, and more. You’ll also work on refinement, brush control, and light placement using color filters.