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About a year ago you may remember I knocked up this bad boy for the Laced Munny Competition. Since then the folks down at Melbourne pictorial publication Damed Magazine liked it so much they wanted to feature it in their second issue which was focused around post apolcalyptic futures and recycling – which sums up the Diodon Battle Droid perfectly!

We braved endless pigeon poo and dead carcasses to grab a shot for the mag as well.

Issue #2 finally went on sale a couple weeks ago, however being a niche Melbourne publication its only available in selected outlets and directly from their website, so for those that can’t get a hold of a copy we have included the whole waffling pre-editor cut interview below.

If you have any questions, hit us up in the comments or on the Soulbridge Media Facebook page.

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If you would like to tell me what inspired you to created this piece?
Inspiration for any of my creative stints usually comes from either “haven’t done one in a while” or “never done that before, might give it a try”. I’ve built and painted a few of these in the past but never to this extent. I wanted to give a proper whole hearted shot from initial design and configuration, to prep, to build and finishing and really take my time with it. Like anyone, when youre excited about a project, you get impatient and just want to get it finished as soon as possible but I am learning that its much better to let it evolve in an organic way, let ideas simmer and to just try different approaches. If it doesn’t work then I can usually fix it and just start over.

Materials used?
You know how in the movie Wall-e where he goes about his day but if he sees something he likes or that may be useful, he collects it – so he ends up with 20 zippos but doesn’t smoke? Yep, that’s me, minus the awesome rotating bin organisers. I have boxes and drawers full of bits and pieces that I can use to scratch build (or repair) things around the house or for projects or photoshoots, so the materials were “just stuff I had lying around” 😉
Some notable mentions would be:
computer parts – breaking down just one mainboard can give you enough capacitors and inductors for several projects;
juice bottles, disposable shot glasses – the thin plastic from these are easily cut and shaped.
old stationery supplies, craft items, jewellery – beads, broken thumb tacks, I cut up an old biro as well
old toys – an old gag gift made up some of the bigger pieces after I cut it up and rebuilt the parts how I wanted. The swivel ball joints and
pin hinges were perfect to articulate the rocket launchers.
xmas lights – rewired the lights with a bit of soldering for some of that wow factor

How much is recycled?
Almost 100% – apart from the original figure and the batteries

What are your ambitions as an artist/creative person?
Im definitely more creative than I am artistic, and most of that creative energy goes into my photography, but just like my photography, if I shoot too much of the same thing, after awhile I get a hankerin’ to try something different. Under my creative construction hat I’ve also rebirthed and repurposed furniture and other items but its more just another outlet to keep the juices flowing than any thing with a defined destination. Plus we all know artists don’t get paid any where near what they should… and Ive grown rather accustomed to my current lifestyle 😉

Can people order or get there own little munny’s in your style?
This was a one off piece – with over 70 hours of work, it was definitely a labour of love which I probably wont be taking on again any time soon, however if anyone has any special requests or ideas for an interesting piece they’d like to commission parts for then Id be more than happy to discuss it. Though, while this or any kind of replica is not in the works, I am in the process of getting a few limited run made-to-rder custom pieces together for sale (of a pocket sized weathered robotic variety – there will be the option of choosing a colour and the degree of weathering). Details will be posted through my “soulbridge media” photography page.

10.13.2012

Its no secret we’re quite the fans of Kidrobot over here at SBM HQ so its great to see they’ve cracked double figures in toy and fashion world, no easy feat!

They have alot happening in the way of celebrations but one interesting thing is a timeline of milestones and some back stories of artists and creations that have graced the ‘robot’s brand over the years, a worthy read for newcomers and old vets alike. Happy Birthday KR!

The 10 year story of Kidrobot here

So where was I the last couple weeks? Why, getting head spins from paint and glue fumes of course!

Some of you may know I also moonlight under the Saru Venom/James Saru monikers for my creative projects, in this case it was for the Laced Munny customising competition held in conjunction annually with the Kidrobot Dunny release. With top notch entries in previous years I really had my work cut out for me, not to mention one of the biggest hurdles of just getting it started (unlike previous years!). So I decided to go all out and create the Diodon Battle Droid based loosely on Robotech Mech Warriors and incorporating some freshly learned painting techniques thanks to a resurging love for model kit building. Also threw some LED’s at it for good measure 😉

The competition itself had really taken off this year with 39 entries from some talented artists but the hard work paid off as I took home 1st place in the competition! 😀

Special thanks to Laced and their sponsors for hosting another great event, now how to follow it up next year??

Check the spec sheet for build information and the detailed photos below.

Brisbane gets a royal sampling!!

We’ve known for awhile that Brisbane is packed full of awesomeness, you just have to know where to look. So we at soulbridgemedia rounded up a couple of our good friends and thought we’d help the uninitiated out by hosting a cultural festival encompassing.. well, cool shit!

Expect to see and hear goodies from up and coming and established music, dance performances, art and fashion designers. It will be a day full of live music, DJ’s, dancers, fashion shows and market stalls selling anything from sneakers and collectible toys to clothing and art work and there will even be sample bags!

Best of all, you too can be part of it. We’re on the look out for businesses, promoters, DJ’s, artists, designers or even private sellers wishing to be part of or even help sponsor the event. Even if you just want to get your flyers/business promo/demo material out to the greater community, we can help!

For more info, updates and full brief go to: www.facebook.com/freshoutfesitval

So lock in Saturday October 2 in the Chinatown Mall (Duncan St. Fortitude Valley) and stay tuned for live entertainment and market sellers announcements!

08.23.2010

Image courtesy of www.daymonart.com

Those of you who frequent sneaker nut site Sneaker Freaker or have been to a few big name festivals will be familiar with the work by Daymonart, or if you’re a Melbourne local you’d probably know him as Daymon Greulich.

The bold and colourful sneaker pieces are of course our faves but there are heaps of other designs and concert/gig posters available in his web store.
Standard A2 sized posters are around a very affordable $25. Some pieces aren’t listed in the store but drop him a line and see if he can do a limited edition print for you.

With our move to the new SBM HQ winding up and the decorating beginning, we couldn’t help but to snatch up a couple more works to deck out the new digs!

If your place is looking a bit drab we suggest you do the same and check out Daymonart and drop Daymon a line, great personal service and an all round stand up guy. He is also a dab hand at animation and design so if you need work done along those lines we’re sure he’s more than happy to oblige as well.

Cheers Daymon!