Son of an amateur oil paint, Belardinelli went in to animation in the 1960s, inspired by the film Fantasia. His initial work in animation and comics was drawing backgrounds for the Sergio Rosi Studio, followed by work with the Giolitti Studio. His agent, Alberto Giolitti got him work in Italy, the U.S.A. and the U.K until Giolitti's death on 15 April 1993. Belardinelli was the only artist in the initial line-up of 2000AD Prog 1 to receive a byline. He was particularly noted for his aliens, alien spaceships and alien landscapes.