Belmat delivered...

I dropped Belmat off with Jennifer Collier yesterday for the Contemporary Craft Open Exhibition, which opens to the public from the 1st Nov - 25th Nov 2012.

Jennifer referred to me as a 'Maker', which is the term used to describe people who are in the craft world. I quite like the term. Looking around Unit 12 I'm certainly feeling inspired to make some more robots and have something in mind to enter next year, it won't have the charm of Belmat though so we'll see how it goes and how it is received.

Belmat gets selected for a Contemporary Craft Open Exhibition

On the insistence of my wife, I entered Belmat in the Contemporary Craft Open Exhibition at Unit Twelve, in Stafford. And he has been selected.

Both my wife and I love visiting galleries and workshops around the country and we have been drawn more to the 'craft' side of the art world these last few years.

I would never have considered entering Belmat, but Jane was convinced that he deserved to be seen by more more people and so I agreed, never expecting for him to be selected, but there you go, the little guy won through.

The exhibition will run 1st - 25th November, and all visitors will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 voucher to spend with madebyhandonline.co.uk

Sadly One-Eye wasn't selected, but he'll get over it I'm sure.

If you've not been to one of these Contemporary Craft Open Exhibitions before then I'd recommend it. Very inspiring and it's amazing how many ideas from one medium can leak into another, so I'd be surprised if any comic creators who might happen to attend don't come away with some new ideas.

Belmat at Kapow!!

Colin has emailed me the photos of Belmat manning ... err .. robotting the table at the Kapow Con.

He had a great first event.
He was almost sold twice, manhandled about 10 times by people who couldn't work out how he was made, asked a question once and met another cool robot (someone dressed up as part of the Cosplay).

All in all a great Con and one we will certainly do again next year.

Belmat goes to Kapow!!

Well, he's finished...

 ... and ready for his trip to London this weekend.

 I'm really pleased with how he has turned out ...

 it took quite a while...

 but he's worth it ;o)

 The final touches were his hands...

and then the handle on his loading door ...



not that the door opens on this model of course... not like it does on the real thing...

So, if you're at the Kapow Comic Convention this weekend then please do pop over and say 'Hi'. as well as seeing Belmat up close, we also have our new WesterNoir comic for sale (with artist Gary Crutchley on hand to sign copies with me) and hopefully the latest themed anthology, Zombies 2 or 2OMBIES as it says on the cover.



Belmat... as far as I got in 2011.

Well, this is as far as I managed to get with Belmat in 2011...

looks like my first project for 2012 will be to finish him off.

Belmat with head attached.

I decided to fix his head at a slight angle.

and used a couple of very small washers and plastic pins (no idea where I got them from) from the eyes.I think the multiple washes on the arms and legs have done the trick. Of course I still need to do the hands but I'll do them last of all. Need to fix the door now, and finish his back.

Belmat with rusting effect brown wash.

In order to age him a bit I've given Belmat a brown wash ... lots of water and not too much paint.

oops ... amd made a bit of a mess of the TVTimes whilst doing it. ..just need to darken the arms and legs now ... and then I can start to attach his head and the washing machine door and details.

Table Robot.

OK, so The Mite-E figurine is really a little too small for a table display, so I've been collecting bits and bobs with a view to making a model of Belmat.

So far I'm at the stage of cutting and taping, tomorrow it's time to glue and paper mache.