I've built a few small MOCs and a biggish one (48x48) recently and I'm not satisfied with any of them. I have one month to enter a contest in my LUG but I can't come up with anything creative. I've tried various themes and all my attempts failed badly. I can't think of anything to build. I have builders block! What do you suggest for inspiration? Not buidling made be very upset very quickly, damn addiction :( Will I come back with my very own "8½" or will I go through an endless dark age ?? I feel like Jack Torrance right now.

Well, when I have builders block I usually look at concept art or other peoples creations to get inspiration. I hope that helps .

Artwork, Artwork, Artwork.

Got a theme for it? Go the your local library and get a book full of photos or artwork within that theme. Stuck still? Look up other peoples MOCs and take a few pointer ideas.

Still Stuck?

Find some music that matches the theme and listen to it without doing anything else. Let the ideas flow in.

Then write them down.

I have found that my recent-ish purchases of SF artwork along with some Vangelis has fuled my space MOC building. The new photos of Kingdoms alongside some more fantasy adventure soundtracks has pushed me into a castle tangent. I write all my ideas down, with sketches and scribbles and notes. Then when I get time to build I go build.

If you are super stuck just go look at your lego, see what parts catch your eye and try and build something from them.

Don't stress about getting an entry built asap and let the idea come to you instead of you chasing it. Attract it with some inspirational things and catch it with notes.

Sometimes it's good to step back and do something else. An enforced break can do wonders. Take a walk around outside. Look around. You will be surprised what inspiration seeps into your subconscious.

I wouldn't recommend looking at other people's work at this stage. It may only lead to mental confusion, overstimulation and feelings of inadequacy!

If you still can't resist the ABS urge, another thing to do is go back to basics and build (or rebuild) a favourite official model. Sometimes it's just nice to build for the pleasure of it It can be downtime between your flights of creative fancy but still with that satisfying clickety clack of bricks bumping each other.

ah... builders block... hmmm.... yes.... familiar... well first... what's wrong with models you used to make? is there really something wrong with them or are you just trashing them because you can?

i'd say, just do something else for a while... drop Lego building untill you get an idea for a moc... a builders block is just your mind saying you kinda need to focus on other stuff for a change...

I start sorting and organizing bricks when I get stuck. First it is a productive use of time. Second I see elements I haven't thought of or used in a while and sooner or later some element will trigger an idea and I end up building an entire moc around one little detail that captured my imagination. I think sorting also helps me because it is a non creative exercise. Its more analytical/organizational and you use a different part of your brain. The creative part just switches back on when it gets that spark of an idea. Good luck.

Edited December 24, 200915 yr by Commodore Hornbricker

If you still can't resist the ABS urge, another thing to do is go back to basics and build (or rebuild) a favourite official model. Sometimes it's just nice to build for the pleasure of it It can be downtime between your flights of creative fancy but still with that satisfying clickety clack of bricks bumping each other.

What svelte said here is the key to fixing builders block. One time i got bored and rebuilt my wolfpack tower set , later i took it apart and took a few of the key feautures like the sloping red roofs and towers made them into a tree fort seen HERE

You should dig through your bins of lego looking for random and intresting parts if it's for a space or steampunk contest.

If it's anything else think randomly and put a couple of unrelated words together Ex. Steampunk Flying Barstool

Another thing that can be done is combining themes like space and castle.

What is the criteria for this contest?

Edited December 24, 200915 yr by Black Rabbit

I like many of the others said above, I use photos, music, and movies to get my building in gear.

Lately for my Japanese style buildings I have built and am building, I just place my big Ol' 40 inch TV on my build table and watch my favorite anime series for inspiration, if something cool pops up, then I pause it, do a sketch if needed and build!

I hateBuilders Block, ive had it on and off for a few months. However i got a few pirate sets today which inspired me to start work on a port. Other times i draw plans for a build and eventualy i sit down and try to make some of it.

I can feel your pain, I havent done anything creative since I got out of my dark ages becasue I've been so fixated on the new sets I've been buying that I can't get past their designs, I just don't know what to build.

Sorry I'm no help, but I think we have all at one time gone through this.

I get the dreaded 'builders block' from time to time as well. When it happens, I usually do a couple things. First, I will sort Bricklink orders and half-parted sets that I have laying around from when I am in my creative mode. Next, I will usually pull out a set or two and build them, just to keep my fingers moving. Finally, I will often take MOC's that are existing and improve them. This can be a way to get back to MOC-ing and not be creating something from scratch. I recently did this with a number of my modular buildings in preparation for a library display case show that Stacy and I are doing in January.

Good luck and I hope your builders block goes away soon!

-Dave