Exterobots

The Exterobots are a group of full-size but non-wearable masks, originally inspired by beetles, that I began working on in 2021. The name is a contraction of Extra Terrestrial Robots, which is how I think of them. They are made of veg tan leather, cold cast aluminum, and vacuum-formed plastic. They are all hand-stitched.

Proboscis

The long “nose” is the proboscis as found in certain insects. The eyes were fun to make using a small dental vacuum former to pull the malleable plastic through formed leather parts. It has a samurai style neck guard, and twisted leather feelers.

Golden Eye

Golden Eye has vacuum-formed eyes similar to the Proboscis, only larger. The beak and two horns are cold cast aluminum. The back of the mask is decorated with braided leather.

Beetle

This was my first Exterobot, and the inspiration for the others. It was created quite by accident.

Zippered Proboscis Bug

This fellow has an all-leather schnoz, made by braiding and twisting the three pattern pieces together. There is no thread, no rivets, nothing to hold the leather pieces together except the way the cut edges interlock. I originally used this leather fastening technique in 2009. You can see the way I cut the leather to zipper together here. The eyes are black found objects set into cold cast aluminum stalks, with the intention of making them look alien. The main body of the face is three parts wet-shaped over a wooden form before being stitched together.