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IAPLC CREATOR’S FILE #05 João Luís Pinheiro
IAPLC Creator’s File interviews top winners of the IAPLC, the world’s leading planted aquarium contest, and introduces the secrets of their progress and their passion for the planted aquarium hobby.
IAPLC 2022 WORLD RANKING 0022
The Place of Gameleira
Aquarium Size W120×D50×H45(cm)
Aquatic plants: Eleocharis minima Kunth / Micranthemum sp. / Marsilea angustifolia / Staurogyne sp. / Hydrocotyle tripartita / Hygrophila pinnatifida / Bucephalandra sp. / Pogostemon helferi / Anubias barteri var. nana ‘Petite’ / Microsorum pteropus var. Windelov / Microsorum pteropus / Fissidens fontanus / Taxiphyllum barbieri / Hemianthus micranthemoides / Limonophila helferi / Rotala rotundifolia / Rotala nanjean / Rotala sp. ‘Vietnam’ / Rotala wallichii / Hemianthus callitrichoides ‘Cuba’ / Helanthium tenellum / Callitriche
Fish & Invertebrates: Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi / Hyphessobrycon amandae / Paracheirodon simulans / Paracheirodon axelrodi
The Place of Gameleira
Aquarium Size W120×D50×H45(cm)
Aquatic plants: Eleocharis minima Kunth / Micranthemum sp. / Marsilea angustifolia / Staurogyne sp. / Hydrocotyle tripartita / Hygrophila pinnatifida / Bucephalandra sp. / Pogostemon helferi / Anubias barteri var. nana ‘Petite’ / Microsorum pteropus var. Windelov / Microsorum pteropus / Fissidens fontanus / Taxiphyllum barbieri / Hemianthus micranthemoides / Limonophila helferi / Rotala rotundifolia / Rotala nanjean / Rotala sp. ‘Vietnam’ / Rotala wallichii / Hemianthus callitrichoides ‘Cuba’ / Helanthium tenellum / Callitriche
Fish & Invertebrates: Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi / Hyphessobrycon amandae / Paracheirodon simulans / Paracheirodon axelrodi
A shot of the layout. A tense moment that concludes the long process of creating the work.
Q What made you get into the planted aquarium hobby?
I have always liked aquariums since I was a child, When I was about 8 years old, my father took me to a shopping center that had a very large marine aquarium store, I fell in love and wanted to have an aquarium. Since then, until 2015, I always had aquariums. It was in 2016 that I became passionate about planted aquariums when I saw a photo on the internet posted by the Aquabase Layout Team. I was fascinated, wondering how it was possible to have a real garden inside an aquarium. From that day on, I started researching and gaining knowledge about planted aquariums.
Q What do you find attractive about planted aquariums?
Planted aquariums are a refuge for our minds trapped in the world of cities and civilization towards a unique nature, where peace, imagination, and inspiration take us. Let’s say I see a piece of the natural world in my house, and I can idealize it the way I see nature.
Q Where do you get themes, motifs, and ideas for your layouts?
There is no better place than nature to understand the meticulous details that exist in nature itself. A photo is not the same thing as being there and observing details and feeling nature in person. Many places in nature here in Brazil are fascinating and bring us endless possibilities for creations.
Q Were there any difficulties or points you had to devise in the process of creating your work?
Yes, for my work in 2022, I was planning a scenario, but it wasn’t turning out well, so that I had to adapt it and ended up creating a new scenario that was more incredible than my original plan. In some moments in our life, a plan does not happen as you plan, and we have to know how to adapt, that’s life.
I have always liked aquariums since I was a child, When I was about 8 years old, my father took me to a shopping center that had a very large marine aquarium store, I fell in love and wanted to have an aquarium. Since then, until 2015, I always had aquariums. It was in 2016 that I became passionate about planted aquariums when I saw a photo on the internet posted by the Aquabase Layout Team. I was fascinated, wondering how it was possible to have a real garden inside an aquarium. From that day on, I started researching and gaining knowledge about planted aquariums.
Q What do you find attractive about planted aquariums?
Planted aquariums are a refuge for our minds trapped in the world of cities and civilization towards a unique nature, where peace, imagination, and inspiration take us. Let’s say I see a piece of the natural world in my house, and I can idealize it the way I see nature.
Q Where do you get themes, motifs, and ideas for your layouts?
There is no better place than nature to understand the meticulous details that exist in nature itself. A photo is not the same thing as being there and observing details and feeling nature in person. Many places in nature here in Brazil are fascinating and bring us endless possibilities for creations.
Q Were there any difficulties or points you had to devise in the process of creating your work?
Yes, for my work in 2022, I was planning a scenario, but it wasn’t turning out well, so that I had to adapt it and ended up creating a new scenario that was more incredible than my original plan. In some moments in our life, a plan does not happen as you plan, and we have to know how to adapt, that’s life.
Q Is there anything that you always keep in mind while creating layouts?
I tend to like landscape layouts, scenes surrounded by mountains and caves. I always take my memories of the places I visited in nature before starting work because they are my inspirations.
Q Do you have any secrets for winning awards on the contest?
Yes, patience and persistence. A good layout construction is not done in days, but in months. It’s important to take breaks during the layout creation process, to refresh your mind, go back and create new ideas some days later. Even when you think you’re done, there’s still more improvement to be made. The opinion of friends and people who understand the subject is very welcome in this process.
I tend to like landscape layouts, scenes surrounded by mountains and caves. I always take my memories of the places I visited in nature before starting work because they are my inspirations.
Q Do you have any secrets for winning awards on the contest?
Yes, patience and persistence. A good layout construction is not done in days, but in months. It’s important to take breaks during the layout creation process, to refresh your mind, go back and create new ideas some days later. Even when you think you’re done, there’s still more improvement to be made. The opinion of friends and people who understand the subject is very welcome in this process.
Q Why did you enter the IAPLC and what do you think is the best part of the contest?
The IAPLC gives us a door and a chance to show our works to the world, we are artists of nature. The part I like the most about the IAPLC is the awards ceremony, very formal and involving, it creates a very nice expectation.
Q If you belong to an aquarium club, please tell us about its activities.
I belonged to the “Aquabase Layout Team” until last year. It’s a fantastic team, and it taught me a lot about aquascaping and I met great friends there. I took a break this year and intend to return soon.
Q Please give a message to all planted aquarium enthusiasts around the world.
The planted aquarium hobby is a hobby that involves all nature lovers. We are creators of natural art. Therefore, always be you, and what you create is your vision of nature, and that is fantastic, and show this vision to the world and immerse yourself more and more in the world of aquascaping because it is magical.
The IAPLC gives us a door and a chance to show our works to the world, we are artists of nature. The part I like the most about the IAPLC is the awards ceremony, very formal and involving, it creates a very nice expectation.
Q If you belong to an aquarium club, please tell us about its activities.
I belonged to the “Aquabase Layout Team” until last year. It’s a fantastic team, and it taught me a lot about aquascaping and I met great friends there. I took a break this year and intend to return soon.
Q Please give a message to all planted aquarium enthusiasts around the world.
The planted aquarium hobby is a hobby that involves all nature lovers. We are creators of natural art. Therefore, always be you, and what you create is your vision of nature, and that is fantastic, and show this vision to the world and immerse yourself more and more in the world of aquascaping because it is magical.
