Any tips for Lego newbies?

[ficbot]

Hello everyone, I posted an intro already but I was hoping I could get some general feedback on how to learn to build your own creations. I got a Lego idea book with my first big lego purchase and it was great, but many of those creations use a lot of specialized pieces. I really enjoy putting the little sets together but can't buy a million of them, so I want to learn how to build my own stuff, but I don't feel like I have a natural inclination for it. Here is what I have tried so far:

- We have a starter set of general bricks, and some fancy ones from the brick wall, and we have been building the inside of a house with them. It's been fun so far but requires sitting at the table and getting out a big box and an organizer with the bits and pieces in it, so we have to be in a certain mood...

- I have a few of the Creator kits and what I am doing with them is building them, keeping them out for a few days, then disassembling them and putting them in tins (my fiance has tons of these for storing baseball cards). So, when I feel like building something and don't want to work on the big house, I can get out one of these smaller tins and build one of the alternate models.

- I also have the first master academy kit and while I don't care much for spaceships, I enjoyed the book and the projects. I am saving up for at least one more kit from that series.

I was thinking that I might start treating my little Creator tins like little pieces collections and instead of building the model, just pulling one out and using that as my pieces for the evening, to try and create my own thing. I don't like the idea of mixing up the sets, and I think having a smaller sample of pieces to work with will be easier for me. But I still feel like I need to learn HOW to invent my own thing. I did have lego as a child but all I remember doing with it was building a motorhome for my barbie dolls because my mother wouldn't let me have the real barbie one :)

So, any ideas for books or blogs or simple projects I could try to learn how to do it better? I am open to all suggestions.

[Godtshep]

Hello there;

From what my son and I have learned about Lego over the years, this is my advice:

Firstly, you DON'T always need to start big. Try building what you can with pieces you have, even if the model looks really crude in the end- I remember when my son was about 7, he got the 2006 City Harbour set for Christmas. He built dozens of weird and whacky creations with the hull piece (one of which was a Naboo Cruiser). And then, about a year ago, he was inspired by tBone-tbl's Serenity Cuusoo project, and made the majority of a large spaceship which was then submitted to Cuusoo.

So, it took just over 4 years for him to properly develop his building skills.

Another tip would be to buy lots of sets and use techniques used in them creatively- if you really like the way the trap door is made in the Attack on Weathertop set, where else could it be used? In a pirate ship? Or perhaps in a large Castle display MOC?

Lastly, try to develop your own building style.

Some people use a lot of illegal techniques, whilst others never use them.

Hope this helps!

[ShaydDeGrai]

As I touched on in your "Hello my name is…" thread, learning by example is a great way to get started and the Creator is an excellent starting point both for techniques and as a source of good, generic bricks at a reasonable (comparatively speaking) price. In addition, there are lots of lego instruction books out there that you don't even need to buy the kit for, websites like brickset and the lego shop at home website have archives of old (and current) instruction books (as PDFs) for hundreds of sets. Many of these sets are retired now, but the techniques used to build them are no less valid. Obviously this is most useful if you have the parts to actually build the things being described, but even just following the illustrations can be a useful way to get the mental gears spinning.

As your collection grows, sites like rebrickable can also come in handy. Rebrickable takes the set numbers of kits you already own to get a parts inventory and offers suggestions as to what else you could be building with them.

Another source of insight and inspiration is other AFOLs themselves. Go to MOCPages or Flickr or brickshelf (when it's up these days ) and see what others are doing and ask yourself how a particular shape was achieved; try to imagine what parts went into the MOC and how the designer managed to combine them to realize his/her vision. If you can't figure it out, ask, most of the AFOLs I've dealt with don't bite - the worst they'll do is ignore you and even then it's usually not on purpose, they may be off building something new and just don't realize you've left a comment on their page. A lot of them are happy to share their insights and take it as a compliment that you want to know more.

I went to my first convention last year (Brickfair New England - but there are all sorts of events happening all over the planet all year long so chances are there'll be some sort of event happening somewhere near you sometime.) I had a wonderful time seeing other people's work and displaying my own. I lost count of the number of people who asked questions about how my stuff was built; questions came from all sorts of people with all levels of experience and I did my best to answer them. I thought it was great that they cared and I'm curious as to what sort of things people created as a result of comparing notes with me. Likewise, I asked questions of others; no one turned me away afraid I was going to steal their trade secret; no one was too busy to talk. As a general rule of thumb AFOLs are proud of our MOCs and when someone wants to know how we've achieved what we've built, the problem isn't getting us to talk, it's getting us to shut up.

None of this, however is a substitute for just sitting down and playing - seeing how parts combine to form new shapes, etc. Most official sets stick with very conservative construction techniques (things that are easy for a child to follow, stable enough to withstand a child's play habits, careful not to over torque or otherwise unnaturally deform the parts, etc.) AFOLs on the other hand, like to push the envelope with SNOT (studs not on top), clips, flex hoses, dismembered mini-figures, franken-parts, torqued beams, wedges, cantilevers, string, magnets… (I think I've seen everything but duct tape). You won't learn most of those tricks from an official instruction book, but you can find references online (there's a Flickr group or two devoted to just these sorts of things). You also might stumble upon one or two of them just by fiddling.

I like to keep a small collection of odd parts on my desk. Not enough to actually build something mind you, just enough to fiddle with. While my mind is elsewhere trying to debug a programing problem or cook up a new algorithm, I'll just let my fingers explore the Lego, to get a feel for how many ways the parts can combine and what shape the resulting mass can assume. I try to start with odd parts with lots of non-obvious connection opportunities, like antennae, clips, cheese wedges, lamp holders, technic pins, minifigure accessories. The goal is to take the parts out of context so that I can see them for their form and potential rather than their "intended" use. Most of the time I end up with an abstract lump of parts, but every now and then I stumble upon something and have to make a mental note: "this would make a good window molding" or "that looks like half of a killer robot" or whatever.

Your own style will evolve with time. If you're like most people it will be driven in part by subject matter, color palette, scale and range of techniques employed. Some people strive for accurate models of things they have photo references for, others build straight from their imagination. Some people look at an official kit and think, "it would be better if…" and modify the design; others buy kits solely for their parts and never build the official model at all; still others, build nothing but the official model and (effectively) never take it apart. Some people use insanely elaborate techniques to build visually simple, everyday forms; other use incredibly simple techniques to realize grand but intricate designs. I think the only thing all AFOLs and their styles truly have in common, is that they are all born of a love for the hobby.

[Boettner Builds]

So many good tips here. The only thing I could add is : Organize EARY. Makes eveything easier and keeps the bricks/minifigs/printed parts/windscreens in better shape!

[mattfl]

Ya organizing your collection is very important and makes things much easier down the line!

[ficbot]

I am just starting to organize. I have some baseball cars organizers I stole from my fiancé which have spots for different things (we have 3 lego stores near us and have been to every brick wall) and a big bin for the basic pieces. I also am keeping the kits intact in their own tins for rebuilding when I want them.

I want one more of the academy kits but I have to wait until next month :-)

[robuko]

The creator sets are very good for parts to start making your own models. I think what you are doing is a good start. The next step might be to mix 2 of the sets together in one tin and see what new possibilities open up for you. Happy building!

[rodiziorobs]

Here is one tip that I have found very useful (and it sounds like you are kind of doing this already): every time I get a new model, after building it I take it apart and build something new from just those parts--kind of like how older sets came with alternate builds on the box, or the current line of 3-in-1s. This technique has several benefits:

1. The big picture: if you decide what you want to build before you start, you have that vision of what you want the final product to be. But having the limitation of only the pieces from that set forces you to get creative with them in order to accomplish that vision. This is even more true if the alt build is from a different theme than the original (for example, making a spaceship out of a City set).

2. Individual pieces: even if you don't decide early on what your going to make (let your fingers do the thinking), the limitation of using only that set means you will still try several different methods of connecting the same pieces for a different result. Making tablescraps like this can lead you to find unusual uses for ordinary parts, or ways to make a fragile build more stable, for example.

3. Familiarity with your own collection: the most important thing (IMO) with a small collection is knowing your limitations--on size, color, part variety, etc, so that you don't undertake some huge MOC only to discover that you simply don't have enough to finish it (groan!). Handling the same pieces multiple times in a short period to build different things helps you know and remember what you have in your collection as you add to it. That way, when later on you are working on a MOC using your whole collection, it is easier to know exactly what part you need and about how many of that part you have. Granted, this is easier if you build your collection slowly and with smallish models, as was my childhood, but even now as an adult, with my collection growing more quickly and with larger sets, I think I have a pretty comprehensive idea of every single piece.

So while you have already done some of this, try taking one of the Creator sets (or a different one, whatever) and build an alt model that doesn't come from the instructions. There's no reason why every set can't be a 3-in-1.

Finally, I'll respond here to others' comments about sorting and organizing: it does keep your pieces nicer, esp. the transparent ones, but complex sorting methods aren't that important when you are first starting out--for a long time I just kept everything in a big box. Unless you suddenly get several hundred dollars' worth of LEGO at once (which while awesome makes sorting a logistical nightmare), I wouldn't worry about it; wait until you know how to build effectively with what you have, and then you will be able to sort and organize according to your own building style, rather than trying to create a building style from the arbitrary way you have sorted without really knowing what you were doing. But sorting really is a whole other issue to itself, and there are other threads for that. I'm now 25 years into this hobby, and while I have left the big box sorting system behind, I still haven't discovered how to make my system perfect yet. So don't fret too much over it.

Welcome, and Good Luck!

[333watch3r]

I second the suggestion of redtrooper27 above, better have a systematic way of sorting. Find good bins that suits your needs. In my case I mostly buy used legos so part of the fun is finding other treasures in the bulk set ( I hate megablocks still ;). While this is the cheaper way It does come with a lot of hard work and sorting (that is half of the hobby of lego).

But maybe its just me I find peace in sorting things, Nope I don't have OCD as my friends joke about, but it does gives me peace when I sort and have music at the background. I limit my collection to star wars sets, while my younger boys are into ninjago.

[bricklayer]

Im EXACTLY where you are at.

Couple things I found so far:

1)Im not finished, but get this book: the unofficial lego builders guide

One thing I learnt is to skecth out a something and build it like you see it.......say start simple by modeling Lego after a desk/chair in your house.

2)Take a small set, and just put pieces differently together to see what you can make(make a small variation on the original set)

3)Use youtube and search for lego building techniques etc etc.

Im still trying to figure it out, but I think it also comes down to been exposed to different building stuff you learn from putting together official sets.

Sometimes im like "WOW, thats How I can make that"

You will never be less creative with Lego than you are right now......you can only get better!!

[bricklayer]

The beauty is that you are only limited by your imagination....example:

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=92598

And this post, someone is just creating In lego what they see in real life:

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=93635

Last one, great use of pieces from 2 seperate sets,(7700 & 7001 just put together in a different way)

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3882

Edited March 19, 2014 by bricklayer

[ficbot]

Thank you so much, everyone, for the very generous welcome! I finished my first big project today, a Lego park I did mostly myself (with help on one thing) and mostly from my imagination (with one exception, the Friends parrot house. I welcome any suggestions anyone has for improving it.

I posted a thread already and am not sure if I am allowed to post the picture again. If I am not, I will edit this post and take it out. But I really welcome any suggestions for how to improve it and refine my skills. So, in that context, here it is and I welcome any comments.

Lego Park! by ficbot, on Flickr

[B-Lister]

Youtube has a ton of great videos about how to build out at all sorts of angles, pretty informative.

[rzetlin]

Over my 25+ years of collecting Lego I have few tips:

Get the small sets: Looking back my collection, the majority of them are very small sets. If you spend all your money on a large set, you find yourself having no money to buy more Lego later on.

Get sets that you can use in MOCS: It great that you assembled that X-Wing, but it very unlikely you will take it apart to use for something else.

Organize your Lego: If you only a few bricks you can throw everything in one bin. But once your Lego collection grows, I recommend organizing your bricks into plastic boxes. It makes it easier to find the piece you are looking for.

I recommend getting a few of these sets to quickly expand your collection:

LEGO Bricks & More Builders of Tomorrow

Edited March 20, 2014 by rzetlin

[Godless-Mimicry]

Another thing I would mention that I find very helpful personally is using Lego Digital Designer to design my MOCs before committing them to brick. Not only does it help you experiment with different types of bricks and techniques to find what suits your needs best, but it also is an enjoyment all in itself.

[brickfan27]

ne chercher pas a faire une couleur uni si vous n'avez pas assez de brique."Tout bon fan commence avec rien".

ne chercher pas a faire Une couleur uni si vous n'avez pas Assez de brique. " Tout fan commence Avec rien".

[rob-cubed]

My suggestion to get the creative juices flowing would be to start with official LEGO models you really like and begin modifying them. That way you have a base to start with, vs creating something completely from scratch. As you complete more builds, you'll learn new techniques and eventually won't need instructions to understand how things can fit together.

Try building in different scales, not just mini-fig size. Micro scale is a lot of fun: doesn't require a lot of pieces and it forces you to see beyond a typical use for a piece.

All of the official LEGO instructions can be downloaded online. Most times, you can partly or completely recreate new sets with what you already own.

Don't be afraid to mix parts sets up. You'll need to decide how to best organize your collection so you can find specific parts, which can be a maintenance headache. But LEGO can and should be allowed to make new things. If you keep everything separated by set into separate tins, it will never become anything else.

[Rick]

ne chercher pas a faire une couleur uni si vous n'avez pas assez de brique."Tout bon fan commence avec rien".

ne chercher pas a faire Une couleur uni si vous n'avez pas Assez de brique. " Tout fan commence Avec rien".

EB is an international community and as such we only allow posts English. Feel free to contact other members in your own language through PM (personal message).

[naf]

Don't be afraid to mix parts sets up. You'll need to decide how to best organize your collection so you can find specific parts, which can be a maintenance headache. But LEGO can and should be allowed to make new things. If you keep everything separated by set into separate tins, it will never become anything else.

This right here. Sets are great, and a lot of them are favorites and display well, but part of Lego is taking them apart and reusing the parts for something else. I had most of my sets set up on my shelf at one point, but I couldn't MOC anything due to lack of parts. I took everything apart, sorted the bricks, and now I have a pretty large selection of parts to use. And now you have empty shelf space to display those MOCs ;)

[KringlesBricks]

My suggestion to get the creative juices flowing would be to start with official LEGO models you really like and begin modifying them. That way you have a base to start with, vs creating something completely from scratch. As you complete more builds, you'll learn new techniques and eventually won't need instructions to understand how things can fit together.

All of the official LEGO instructions can be downloaded online. Most times, you can partly or completely recreate new sets with what you already own.

X2 This is the approach I am taking - I started modding sets, then created an entire train station from scratch understanding how modular buildings are made (from techniques online and by sets)...and now I am building sets from a long time ago from either extra pieces from sets, PaB walls, or Brink-linking.

I get a lot of inspiration from prior Lego sets, or looking through posts from AFOL's on their latest Modular MOC's.

You'll want to start small at first...then from there you'll start acquiring more sets, more pieces, and eventually have A LOT as time progresses. I started small in 2002 with one modular. Now 12 years later, I have ALL the modulars up-to-date, a few trains, track, PaB pieces, 8000 piece Train Station, and landscaping parts from the PaB wall.

Patients...your collection will grow as well as your techniques - it takes time to acquire new skills

[rzetlin]

Buy sets that you like: This sounds obvious, but sometimes you may find yourself buying the set to complete your collection. (E.g. license theme sets). When you buy it you have to ask yourself, would you have fun with it at the end?

[brickfan27]

la vidéo de 333watch3r est très instructive même si je me limite au bac de rangement lego=creation voila ce que j'aime et je fait beaucoup de vide grenier et j'ai toujours des surprises

[DuckBricks]

I was extremely lucky to have an awesome cousin who (luckily for me) went into his dark ages and gave me his entire LEGO collection! There was classic space stuff in there! Anyway, I was young and just starting off at LEGO and my very first MOC was a minifig standing on a bunch of BURPs. I tried to keep all my old childhood MOCS together for memories, unless I really needed a part... Sorry spaceship with 7 trans-green Bionicle Miru masks as wings... :)

Sorry for reminiscing, but just some few tips as stated earlier: don't start big, first gain techniques from sets (I admit I was MOC free for about 12 years of my LEGO love besides random bits.) and trust your feelings in building! I know it sounds cliche-ish but it has helped me a lot!

And nice first MOC! Certainly better than my first! :)