Exhibition&Display - Model Makers Bristol / Amalgam Model Making

Cutaway Models – Compost, Insulation and Secrecy

March 31, 2014

This last week we have made a number of models which share a common theme - having bits cut out of them to see what's going on inside. The first was a set of wall insulation models for Concept PR, made with the permission of the Centre for Sustainable Energy with whom we designed the original set. Concept PR's set brings our total up to 14 sets of these popular units. They are simple cutaway models showing the different layers of wall insulation that can be applied to the interior and exterior of a house, depicting the necessary layers of render, mesh, insulation and other materials to make a home more energy efficient. Meanwhile, our new trading arm, Recycling Displays, has been hard at work making cross-section compost bins, showing the strata of decomposing vegetable matter and how household waste can be recycled into nutrient-rich compost for gardens and vegetable…

Recycling Displays website launch

March 14, 2014

Our new trading arm, www.recyclingdisplays.co.uk, is up and running! Go over and have a look at the products available. Through the website orders can be placed for specific products, such as cutaway compost bins, games and activity sets, perfect for schools, waste management companies, event organisers, recycling officers and local councils. The recycling displays are informative and engaging products that encourage recycling practices, and how household waste can be better managed, reduced and reused. As well as made-to-order displays, we are also able to make bespoke items. Our team of exhibition design specialists and fabricators can offer advice and support through all stages of a project, from design right through to completion, providing a comprehensive in-house fabrication service along the way and organising transportation and installation. Head to Our Work to see some of our projects. We have made a range of models for environmental concerns over the…

Julio Bashmore stopframe animation props

March 7, 2014

A while back we made a set of stopframe animation props for Blinkink and the Julio Bashmore music video they were creating. The video for the Bristol producer's single 'Peppermint' is available to view online. Among the other animation props made by various techniques, the video includes the hands of our own Andy Wright, which were deemed holy enough to be cast in both Jesmonite and the role of God, where they can be seen clapping out a TR-808 style drumline and giving divine life-energy to a developing golden foetus. Our propmakers have lent their setbuilding and sculpting skills to range of stopframe animation projects over the years, including hundreds of cast Creme Egg props for Aardman and the Goo Games, and a set of hand-painted Russian dolls for an Eircom television advert. As well as the sculptural and artworking side of stopframe animation props, we are able…

The lure of the bright lights calls Laurens Nockels to Pinewood Creative

February 18, 2014

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Laurens Nockels has left the building" Pinewood studios is a name synonymous with the film industry and UK film in particular. So many blockbuster productions have been made there it is hard to know where to start on any list of film and TV credits. Little wonder then that when one of Amalgam’s team of sculptors and project managers, Laurens Nockels got wind of an opportunity to work there he found it was a temptation well beyond resisting. It is therefore, with some sadness, that we have to announce “ Laurens Nockels has left the building.” We totally understand of course that people need to follow their dreams and wish him every success with his new venture as Head of Pinewood Creative, his cheerful personality and optimism, not to mention his creative talents will be missed by us all. Laurens has of course been a popular and long-standing member…

CSE Home Energy Display Model

January 9, 2014

Our portable, engaging Energy Display Model made for the Centre for Sustainable Energy can be seen on the CSE website. This model was made to illustrate various methods for creating a more energy efficient home, featuring energy usage monitors, solar panels, roofing insulation and draft snakes. The model is also populated with other engaging features such as bedroom posters, furniture, houseplants and modern appliances. We built the display model to be portable; when stored, it fits snugly together as a single block, but can be unclipped and opens out to slot together into a cross-section model of a modern home. We had a great deal of fun adding all the miniature features to humanise the model and are very glad to see it still being used. Other models we have made for CSE include the Wall Insulation Models, of which we made many sets. Models along similar lines…

‘The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box’ clip and film props

January 8, 2014

We have made a broad range of film props in the last few years, many of which were for the film adaptation of G. P. Taylor's Mariah Mundi novels. 'The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box' opens in cinemas this year, and a clip can be viewed here: While we cannot yet show you what we have made for this production, we have made a range of weapons, sets and ephemera for the BBC fantasy drama 'Atlantis'. These included rubber stunt-safe swords, axes and daggers, huge setpieces of demon goddesses, crumbling seafloor ruins and vials, boxes, locks, and petrified stone rats. These projects drew on the talents of our sculptors and artworkers and made use of our comprehensive vacuum casting facility to create exquisite replicas of the original objects. Head to Our Work to find out more.

Western Power Distribution – sixth Energy Display Interactive Completed

November 20, 2013

Recently Amalgam modelmakers completed the sixth in a series of energy display interactive models for Western Power Distribution. The series of models formed part of Project F.A.L.C.O.N (Flexible Approaches for Low Carbon Optimised Networks), a project led by Western Power Distribution. The project will test six alternatives to reinforcement, to see how they work in practice. Ultimately FALCON will provide guidance so that network planners can select the best technique from a range of options. Four of the options are based around novel engineering approaches and two are based around changing energy users' behaviour. The energy display interactives were designed to demonstrate this range of techniques in an engaging manner whilst maintaining a very clean and sleek look. The image above is our designers sketch for one of the six designs built, by clicking the link you can find out more in our Energy Display Interactives case study on the main…

Henrietta Lacks Exhibit Open at Science Museum

November 18, 2013

Over the last year, Amalgam's Laurens Nockles and Ben Taylor have been involved in the creation of the Henrietta Lacks exhibit installed in the Wellcome Wing of the Science Museum. The project is a 3D extension of the work of Helen Wilson-Roe, a Bristol-based artist whose work is primarily 2D portraiture on a large scale. Laurens and Ben provided assistance in translating the ideas into the 3D realm, from initial visualisations for pitches and marketing to technical CAD drawings, graphic design elements and assembly of the final piece, which was a mixture of graphic elements, 3D forms and Helen's signature painting style. The exhibit was successfully installed in the Wellcome Wing and opened to the public on October 16th as part of the Who Am I? gallery. The story of Henrietta Lacks is a remarkable one; having a rare cellular mutation, she succumbed to cancer at the age of…

Come and talk Product Prototyping at Venturefest 2013

November 11, 2013

Venturefest Bristol 2013 Is, once again, organised by Science City Bristol in partnership with the Technology Strategy Board. This years event is taking place on Thursday 14th November 2013 at the UWE Conference Centre in Bristol. Bristol prototyping and model making specialists Amalgam will be there, offering free advice on Product Prototyping, general product development and a range of allied subjects, all relevant to inventors, innovators and designers looking to turn their good ideas into commercial realities. The Venturefest show is in it's third year and promises to be better than ever. Our stand at the 2012 show drew a steady stream of visitors throughout the day asking a wide range of questions about Product Prototyping, Product development, CAD, 3D printing and much more besides. This year we are back, with a range of samples showing some of the processes we can offer for product prototyping, case studies of previous…

The Adventurer: Curse of the Midas Box – Trailer Online, Props by Amalgam Propmaking Services

October 28, 2013

Propmaking Bristol A while back we made a range of props for The Adventurer: the Curse of the Midas Box, a production filmed on location in Bath and at the recently renovated Bottleyard. The facility adds to Bristol and the South West's strong heritage for creative talent, stunning locations and cutting edge facilities. While we cannot give away all the details just yet, some of our past projects can be seen by heading over to Our Work. Our propmaking facilties are comprehensive and cutting-edge, and we are able to offer CNC machining services, vacuum casting services for batch productions runs of props in a range of materials and hardnesses, as well having access to a wealth of creative talent in the form of set designers, sculptors, artworkers and artists to bring the props to life. Our large workshop and flexible setup means we can take on…