INTERVIEW: FRANCO CARLESIMO, KILLY ELITE SOLO 3D SCULPTOR

With the preorder of Blame! Killy Elite Solo just around the corner, we "sat down" with 3D sculptor, Franco Carlesimo, for insight on Figurama Collectors' first sci-fi piece!

How is Blame! Killy Elite Solo Statue unique from all your previous creations? What sets it apart?

I would have to say the amount of extreme details I had to put in there. Killy is a character that doesn't emote a lot of expressions or feelings. He’s not a character that’s going to be very dynamic or expressive, but he compensates for all that with the crazy style and gear he wears that makes him interesting to look at. Once you start looking at him, you get lost in all the parts that conform him.  

What do you hope collectors will most appreciate about your work on Blame! Killy Elite Solo Statue? What do you hope they “take away” from it?

I would like them to take away the feeling of Killy being ripped straight out of the manga pages and also from the anime. I want them to feel that it just jumped out of the pages or the screen to their physical world.

What is one thing about the behind-the-scenes design process of Blame! Killy Elite Solo Statue that someone might not know just by looking at the physical statue?

One of the hardest challenges was to convey the movement that he is going through a tunnel that he just created with his blast. I had to try to capture that dynamic scene without making Killy himself very dynamic.

Who are some of your biggest artistic inspirations? What are some of your favorite fandoms?

I love movies. One of the first animated movies that I remember blew my mind was AKIRA. As a young boy, seeing that animation could be more edgy and adult made me change the way I saw the world of animation. Also, creatures movies, like Alien, Predator, Gremlins, and many, many more have been my inspirations. 

What is one piece of advice you would give aspiring 3D sculptors and artists?

Keep going. Don´t waste too much time seeing what other artists are doing. Focus on getting better at whatever skill you’re going for. Take inspiration from reality. Make friends with similarly minded people. That way you can help each other grow.