MOCing for beginners

[Andrzej777]

So I finally got around to organizing my loose bricks (By color, in bins) and now that everything is at my fingertips, I of course would like to mess it all up and build something cool.

The problem is, I don't build much. I've made some small, decent things, but I've never really made a "serious" MOC.

So what should I do? Do I draw up a concept of some sort? Where do I begin?

Same problem here! :)

I usually start building something and then I have trouble finishing it, or not the time and when I get back to it I somewhat lose interest. Or I get stuck, or realize I would need to re-assemble everything because of a new idea, or actually do need more bricks, the list goes on.

As an advice, dont think too big! I have been doing that - my expectations far exceed my creative possibilities!!!

[dulsi]

So what should I do? Do I draw up a concept of some sort? Where do I begin?

Try things out. Not everyone works the same way. See what works best for you.

For my biggest MOCs (which aren't very big), I started by prototyping key features I wanted. For Roon's Raccoon Car, that meant fiddling with gears until the tail spun as it moved forward. It meant looking at the face of a raccoon from a google search. The first raccoon face design didn't work right so I had to spend time reworking it. After getting those two pieces I figured out how to attach them together and built the rest of the vehicle around it. Not everything I originally envisioned made it into the design. I originally wanted a grappling hook instead of a ladder but realized that the spinning tail made that problematic. For my M:Tron Enterprise I built part of the saucer and nacelle. I decided I didn't have enough pieces to build what I wanted and stopped. The next day I decided to keep going anyway. It's not exactly what I envisioned but it was nice to figure out how to build it with what I had.

I do use digital tools (leocad in particular) but only after the fact. I tend to build everything I can and then build a digital model. For the raccoon car, I polished it in there and ordered the parts to complete it. For the Enterprise, I ran low on the right pieces towards the end so I searched for the pieces in the model and figured out different combinations that could free that piece to be used elsewhere.

[Littleworlds]

For a spaceship I built last year (about 40x36 cm, no idea about the piece-count), it took me quite a few attempts to get the layout right: I started with technic-beams I planned to use as structural foundation, but abandoned that idea, since they would have taken too much space. So eventually I laid out its footprint with plate-pieces, to get its proportions right and literally built up from that foundation, which turned out to be a very organic process. This reminds me that I really should take pictures of it!

My steampunk-inspired castle, which hasn't been documented in pictures yet either, I originally wanted to make it from modular wall-elements, a bit like the LOTR sets a few years ago. I was never happy with the stability though and the limitations the hinges put on the design. So I went for the conventional "lets-just-use-a-ground-plate"-approach and that worked pretty nice. Its not not foldable or anything like that, but the actual building and decorating went smooth and so very naturally.

I think, generally speaking, my building technique is about having an overall idea to start with, then testing layouts and approaches, whichis basically my planning phase, till I find something that works. The actual building process just flows. I have an idea in my head how it should look like, but that's it. Many ideas get modified/replaced as the building process happens.

[rodiziorobs]

I think, generally speaking, my building technique is about having an overall idea to start with, then testing layouts and approaches

This is my approach, too: I get an idea in mind and think out some features I want to include. Once that's decided, I let my fingers do the thinking, clicking pieces together until my eyes are satisfied. Sometimes I come across some really organic solutions that I don't think I would have discovered if I had planned everything perfectly before starting.

For example, last week I was building a pipe organ for a build on Andromeda's Gates, and had planned to just have it be a minor part of the build. I started putting things together and as I built my vision of it evolved. It ended up a lot bigger than I intended (still smallish), but better as well, because I just kept physically testing things out until I liked what I saw. You can see pictures of the final result here.

As a practice, I don't make Bricklink orders unless I have a very specific build in mind. Occasionally it can be a little frustrating when I build myself into a corner (usually when I realize I just don't have enough of a certain piece) but struggle breeds creativity.

Edited June 16, 2016 by rodiziorobs

[Littleworlds]

As a practice, I don't make Bricklink orders unless I have a very specific build in mind. Occasionally it can be a little frustrating when I build myself into a corner (usually when I realize I just don't have enough of a certain piece) but struggle breeds creativity.

Oh yes, it does! And your organ looks absolutely stunning

[Khasen]

I am relatively new to Lego compared to others, but have built Lego Technic sets and MOCs.  One thing I have noticed (which should not be surprising) is there is a great variation in the quality of MOCs and the instructions.  Some MOC instructions are easy to follow and build.  Others are difficult to follow and the pieces do not go together in a logical order, so the sub-assemblies do not easily stay together before they are assembled into bigger components.  I have started to pay a lot more attention to the sample pages of MOCs whenever they are offerred before I buy MOC plans/instructions, to get an idea how easy the instructions would be to read and follow.  

Edited January 14, 2022 by Khasen
clarification

[Khasen]

Another thing I am learning is to try to figure out which parts are on the interior structure of an MOC, and will not be seen.  Those parts can be any color, as long as I can keep track of them during the build.  I am currently sourcing parts for a large MOC with over 5800 pieces.  If I can use parts from my spares stock, even if they are a different color but won't be visible, I can save money on buying parts.  A few MOC designers make a list of which parts can be any color but so far, I have to go through the instructions and try to figure out which parts can be any color.  In my case it is worth it to save a lot of money on parts.

[Khasen]

One more thing I have started to look for.  Some MOC instructions are a series of photos, others are pdfs from Studio or wherever.  I find the pdfs from Studio easier to interpret and follow, because each step is often highlighted, either in a brighter or different color, or the newly added parts have red framing around them.  

[koalayummies]

On 1/14/2022 at 11:24 AM, Khasen said:

One thing I have noticed (which should not be surprising) is there is a great variation in the quality of MOCs and the instructions.  Some MOC instructions are easy to follow and build.  Others are difficult to follow and the pieces do not go together in a logical order, so the sub-assemblies do not easily stay together before they are assembled into bigger components.  I have started to pay a lot more attention to the sample pages of MOCs whenever they are offerred before I buy MOC plans/instructions, to get an idea how easy the instructions would be to read and follow.  

 

3 hours ago, Khasen said:

One more thing I have started to look for.  Some MOC instructions are a series of photos, others are pdfs from Studio or wherever.  I find the pdfs from Studio easier to interpret and follow, because each step is often highlighted, either in a brighter or different color, or the newly added parts have red framing around them.  

Yeah it all depends on how the instructions were created. For example if they use LDD's 'instruction' feature then it'll do that weirdness where it breaks it up into arbitrary sub-assemblies that make little sense to the flow of a build. In those cases it'd be best for the creator to just turn over the digital file and not rely on the software-created instruction.

[MaximillianRebo]

On 1/15/2022 at 6:24 AM, Khasen said:

I am relatively new to Lego compared to others, but have built Lego Technic sets and MOCs.  One thing I have noticed (which should not be surprising) is there is a great variation in the quality of MOCs and the instructions.  Some MOC instructions are easy to follow and build.  Others are difficult to follow and the pieces do not go together in a logical order, so the sub-assemblies do not easily stay together before they are assembled into bigger components.  I have started to pay a lot more attention to the sample pages of MOCs whenever they are offerred before I buy MOC plans/instructions, to get an idea how easy the instructions would be to read and follow.  

I'd say that the ability to create a MOC, and the ability to create logical, easy to follow instructions for that MOC, are two separate sets of skills. It's like not everyone who excels in their chosen field can necessarily teach or train others to do what they do.

[MAB]

1 hour ago, MaximillianRebo said:

I'd say that the ability to create a MOC, and the ability to create logical, easy to follow instructions for that MOC, are two separate sets of skills. It's like not everyone who excels in their chosen field can necessarily teach or train others to do what they do.

Very true. I like building MOCs but I couldn't care about creating instructions. But then, I am not creating MOCs to sell or for others to build.

[Peppermint_M]

Oh flip, making instructions is impossible. The way I build is not conducive at all to making instructions and I can barely explain it to people. I might be able to get angles people can use to build a replica but not exactly what I did to build it.

[TeriXeri]

I guess it depends how the MOC is made in the first place.

If it's pre-planned, digitally especially, instructions should be easy to reverse-engineer from the digital build, or split in sub-assemblies.

If it's an unplanned free-build from bricks, making instructions would be a secondary focus for me.

I can understand the demand for instructions though, especially alternate builds are the type of MOC that intrigue me.

 

[Khasen]

On 1/26/2022 at 9:50 AM, MaximillianRebo said:

I'd say that the ability to create a MOC, and the ability to create logical, easy to follow instructions for that MOC, are two separate sets of skills. It's like not everyone who excels in their chosen field can necessarily teach or train others to do what they do.

You have a very good point.  They are two different skill sets.  I keep finding MOC instructions that can be improved, only by comparing ones that are super easy to follow.  I noticed another feature on some MOC instructions that I like, that I didn't miss until I built one MOC that didn't have it.  The parts used in each step listed in a box or whatever, up at the top of the page, is immensely useful.  Sometimes I can't figure out what part to use, especially on MOCs that use photos in the instructions.  Janotechnic on ReBrickable is for me the gold standard.  He creates excellent MOCs and his instructions are easy to follow and logical.  His MOCs reflect that he is an automotive engineer (he mentions that somewhere in his profile.)  I built one of his MOCs as my first one, and even though I had never built an MOC before, it was easy to follow and the end result looks great.  I kind of compare all others to his work.  

On 1/25/2022 at 6:29 PM, koalayummies said:

 

Yeah it all depends on how the instructions were created. For example if they use LDD's 'instruction' feature then it'll do that weirdness where it breaks it up into arbitrary sub-assemblies that make little sense to the flow of a build. In those cases it'd be best for the creator to just turn over the digital file and not rely on the software-created instruction.

Maybe it is obvious to everyone else, but what is "LDD" in this context?  I googled the acronym and there are so many meanings I can't figure it out.  Thanks in advance.

[CastleRail]

1 hour ago, Khasen said:

Maybe it is obvious to everyone else, but what is "LDD" in this context?  I googled the acronym and there are so many meanings I can't figure it out.  Thanks in advance.

Lego Digital Designer. Famous for producing instructions that require 11 hands, X-Ray vision and the ability to move one solid structure through another.

[Khasen]

1 hour ago, CastleRail said:

Lego Digital Designer. Famous for producing instructions that require 11 hands, X-Ray vision and the ability to move one solid structure through another.

  Thanks for letting me know!!