For interview number 12, Keith Goldman turns to an Editor-in-Chief of a major LEGO media outlet not named Andrew. Take it away, Keith!

I sat down with Joe in his BrickJournal offices above the Second Empire Restaurant and Tavern in beautiful Raleigh North Carolina. We talked about never forgiving Disneyland for removing the Adventure through Inner Space attraction, General Chow’s chicken vs. General Tso’s chicken, and why America is still not out of Iraq. We also talked about LEGO.

The Build

Keith Goldman: You are so busy hop-scotching around the globe, living the dream of mannkinder everywhere….do you still have time to build? What percentage of your LEGO life is devoted to actual building? What motivates you to make time to build?

Joe Meno: Do I still have time? Usually, I make time.

I live in a strange world where my job is showing what others build (among other things), which inspires me to explore more, but doesn’t allow me the time to focus on actual building. My building time has declined quite a bit (and because of that, I don’t buy many sets — I need to build them!!) in the past few years, so what I do now is devote time to one big project each year.

Last year was my Just Another Day at the Bay micro layout, and the year before was Wall-E. This year, I had two projects, but one was too small (my iPad) and the other failed miserably (the NXT shark — it sank upon it’s first test swim in the tub.)

I build when I can because it’s a way to keep in touch with my roots in the hobby. And it’s hard to take someone seriously about a subject when they have little or no experience in it…so I build to keep my credibility.

KG: As an international man of LEGO mystery, you are uniquely qualified to comment on building styles from around the world. Is there any difference between building styles here in the States and abroad? Is there any real difference between builders?

JM: Good question — it’s something I have to look at every so often. The building styles of a region are a reflection of their environment, for the most part.

The US style of building is simple with detail, which shows best in space building. The European style in train layouts is much more refined, but that’s because the architecture is much richer there, the train is much more common there, and the AFOL community there is about one generation beyond the US community. The Far East building that I have seen has been a completely different design direction driven by mecha design.

So the best train builders are in Europe, the best mecha is in Japan, and the best space stuff is in the US. Keep in mind this is a general observation — there are outstanding builders everywhere of every type.

And the real difference between builders? Europeans can hold their alcohol MUCH better! :-)

More of Keith’s interview with Joe after the jump: Continue reading →

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Shannon Sproule: LEGO bricks are a listless bunch – Boilerplate & Beyond Vol. 11 [Interview]

For interview number 11, Keith Goldman heads back to Australia for the second time. Take it away, Keith!

My next guest is an Australian builder who loves long walks on the beach, kittens, and seafood. Although he would never admit it, Shannon “Ocean” Sproule has quietly become a household name in the hobby through his ‘less is more’ style and often comedic models, and enjoys a big following on both MOCpages and Flickr. Shannon also created the ‘Cyborg Racers’ fad that swept MOCpages and abroad.

I sat down with Shannon Sproule in my hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, backstage at the Excalibur Hotel showcase where he was performing with a dozen of his countrymen in the Thunder from Down Under all-male revue. We talked about how Vegas consumes 60,000 pounds of shrimp a day, studded thongs, and the horrible truth of what really happened to Paul Hogan. We also talked about LEGO.

The Build

Keith Goldman: Describe your strengths and weaknesses as a builder. What have you gotten better at over the years, and what remains a challenge?

Shannon Sproule: It might sound funny but I don’t consider myself to be a very good builder; I think ideas are my strength and I force them into mocs through lazy building or sheer stubbornness! Patience, or lack thereof, is definitely a weakness of mine. I can rarely be bothered finishing a model properly; it’s enough that I achieve the essence of an idea in a build and the viewer can fill in the details themselves. I’m like a LEGO impressionist, or so I like to think! Random studs here and there, no-matter, it’s the spirit of the creation I focus on. Minute changes to details can alter the appearance of the whole model which can be a slippery slope.

KG: When is a creation ever really “finished”?

SS: I’ve gotten better at general building skills I think through experimenting and receiving great tips and advice from other builders. I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve these days as far as technique goes and although I rarely try anything too advanced, it’s nice to have them there when and if I need them. Large and highly detailed mocs are a challenge. My mind wanders a lot and it’s hard to stay committed to one project for a decent amount of time so most of my stuff ends up quite simple and uncluttered.

KG: It seems pretty clear that you were inspired by the completely awesome toys of the 1980’s: what are some of your favorites, and is it just nostalgia that drives your interest?

SS: Ahhh, toys of the 80’s…

As a loner through my school years imagination was a great comfort to me, so my toys and my drawings played a big part of my childhood; if I wasn’t playing with or building toys I was sketching designs for cooler ones. My uncle has been an avid toy collector most of his life and always had way more toys than me, the childless bastard!

I guess it’s nostalgia that drives me and there’s a cute and innocent feeling with LEGO that I like to tap into, that playful look I really enjoy.

KG: Do you find that building affects your mood or vice versa? Do you have to be in the right mood to build?

SS: I’m always in the mood for building but if I get stuck for a few hours (or days) on something it definitely gets me down. I feel like I have to achieve something every time I sit down to build or it’s wasted time (which it isn’t really because learning comes from mistakes. Or so I try to tell myself…) Music really helps me create, especially aggressive music like metal. LEGO bricks are a listless bunch, lying around all day, they need some discipline. One has to attack them if one is to achieve anything, you see?

More of Keith’s interview with Shannon after the jump: Continue reading →

Dan Rubin: The last thing you need is some clown trying to buck the system – Boilerplate & Beyond Vol. 10 [Interview]

For interview number 10, Keith Goldman chats with on one of our own. Take it away, Keith!

Although my next guest prefers to build in one genre, he is a bit of a Renaissance man in the hobby. Dan “Happy Weasel” Rubin has been an Ambassador, Administrator for CSF, convention coordinator, Brother Brick, active WamaLUG member, contest sponsor… And the list goes on. Dan and I have twice shared the low-budget convention experience, and the abject terror of a fellow AFOL emerging from the bathroom in a pair of too-tight red briefs… and nothing else. Dan is also a lawyer, but we won’t hold that against him for the purposes of this interview.

I sat down with Dan Rubin during my trial for manslaughter in the nation’s capital. During a recess for a witness to compose himself, we talked about art-school chicks, Gymkata vs Rexkwondo and the horrors of Kentucky. We also talked about LEGO.

The Build

KG: How early in your build process do you decide the color scheme in a build? You’ve publicly declared a foot fetish and admitted that this MOC was based in color scheme, off of this sneaker, is there any other garment, item, or device you have taken inspiration for your palette?

DR: The color scheme of a build is a very early choice for me. Usually, I’ll decide on a shape/style, and then the color scheme is the second choice, before I put two bricks together. That is, unless I want to try to create a shape that I’ve never attempted before, and I have to prototype it. Sometimes I’ll change the exact placement of stripes, and finer details of a color scheme as the build progresses, but the color combination, and general color blocking are early decisions.  

As far as inspiration is concerned, I suppose that it can come from just about anywhere. The shoe-inspired ship is definitely the most explicit example of an inspiration for a color scheme among my builds, though. I built a police ship once that drew its color scheme from the ubiquitous “black and whites” of the LAPD, but since that was intended to be a lineal descendant of the inspiration, I’m not sure it’s what you’re looking for.

Right now, I’m working on something in dark blue and lime, which is a color scheme I cooked up playing around with the colors while sorting. As you may have noticed, I like contrast between the colors of my models. I’ll usually use one neutral color for greebles, and then two more colors that will set each other off, or possibly just one color that contrasts with the greeble color (dark bley is a lot less neutral than old light gray, for instance).

KG: Can you think of any attitude towards building that you used to adhere to that you no longer do?

DR: This is a tough question, it’s going to take some thought. Generally speaking, I’ve had to make LEGO building a far smaller part of my life lately, as real life issues have taken hold, but that’s not really an attitude towards building as much as it’s a forced change in priorities. Lately, I have been trying to embrace colors that I once disliked. I’ve tried to take on orange and red in particular, as well as lime, to which I used to be ambivalent.

When I first joined the AFOL community, all the spacers were building in themes, and I jumped on that bandwagon. Lately, I’ve been trying to cast my net wider, and embrace any idea that I find, rather than trying to force another creation on a theme that’s likely already stretched thin. That’s not to say that I don’t build things into a theme on occasion, but I am trying for more variety. 

KG: Do you have a different approach for building models for a convention as opposed to a standard internet posting?

DR: Absolutely! There are a lot of considerations that arise when you’re building for a convention, rather than for posting on the internet. Stability is a pretty major difference, as you have to be prepared for tables to be jostled, or worse, your creation to be grabbed in a fragile spot. Viewing angles are also important. Building a diorama for internet posting, you can leave large spans of back-side completely un-treated. When you’re going to display a diorama at a convention, you have to consider where people will be able to view your creation from.

When Nick and I built the Faded Giant, we decided on a triangle shape, which would allow viewing from a much wider angle than a rectangle with three tall sides. It also allowed us to force our own background on more viewing angles, rather than leaving the chaos of the convention hall visible behind the display.

Transport is also a huge factor. When building something to post on the internet, it doesn’t have to be able to fit through the door of your legoratory, or into your car. I built the landscape and most of the vehicles for the Faded Giant display, and they all come apart to be transported. The entire landscape splits into a series of 48×48 baseplates, which all fit in a box about 16 inches tall. The details all got thrown on for the first time at the convention. Similarly, Nick built the building to split into more manageable sections for transportation. After all, nobody wants to carry something six or more feet long.

More of Keith’s interview with Dan after the jump: Continue reading →

AFOL parody, a comic about Mark Kelso

I occasionally love a good comic, especially if it involves someone I know. Do you think you know Mark Kelso beyond his brick monstrosities? Check out this comic by Jeff F. on MOCpages and you might learn more about the legend, more than you need to that is. If you care about the building techniques in the setup, visit Brickshelf for easy viewing of all the pictures.

Fedde: You got to love your monkey – Boilerplate & Beyond Vol. 8 [Interview]

For our 8th installment of interviews with LEGO fans from around the world, Keith Goldman journeys to the land Down Under. Take it away, Keith!

H.P. Lovecraft once wrote “Men of broader intellect know that there is no sharp distinction betwixt the real and the unreal…”

If that is true, then our man Fedde (Karf Oolhu) must be one broad-minded Aussie. Fedde has a wide open, often comedic style and a large following of fans who look forward to his almost daily offerings on Flickr.

I sat down with Fedde in the 2nd floor cafeteria at Miskatonic University where he is currently employed as an adjunct professor of Astronomy specializing in the search for the ancients. We drank absinthe and talked about X-ray art, Sir John Eccles, and whether or not a new horror can be more terrible than the daily torture of the commonplace.

The Build

Keith Goldman: Your builds are known for the wide variety of elements you employ. Have you ever met a part you didn’t like? Has there ever been an element you wanted to use, but just couldn’t find the right way to use it?

Fedde: No, never met a part I didn’t like, but then, I haven’t met them all yet… Oh, some of those large castle pieces (especially the printed ones) are a bit on the rude side, but I’m sure there’d be a good home for them, somewhere.

Pieces I want to, but can’t find a use for as yet? Hard to say.

I do have quite a few packets of pieces I’ve bought on Bricklink, usually as order fillers, things that look cool or different. Most are still in the original packets — I want to use them, but so much other stuff keeps overshadowing them. And quite a few part combos that aren’t able to finds homes yet either.

But to be honest, any part just needs time. An interesting use will appear.

KG: You crank out models at a clip few can match. Is there a reason you favor quick builds to longer, more involved projects? Have you ever hit a creative wall? Do you have a long list of models to call on, or are you more spontaneous?

F: Limited space is a big issue; my smallish bedroom holds basically everything. I do the bulk of my photo shoots on the bed. I’m surrounded by my LEGO, TV, computer, music, my photography equipment; it’s too easy to build, photo and upload within an hour without having to do or move much. I can only really have one decent MOC in progress. Most of my shelves are covered in tablescraps of various types — clear four away, and six try and crowd back in. And spontaneity is a big driver; I’m a very lateral thinking guy. Even when I’ve bought a set because of elements it has for a dio in progress, discovering a new piece will easily create a new build. I have at least a dozen projects all being worked on, in cycle — some will die, some get pushed back by newer growths, some even get photoed and posted. : )

KG: Your models are appreciated in part because they typically have a comedic element. Is there a specific comedian or style of comedy that influences your build?

F: I’ve always been able to see multiple meaning in things, seen the words that are open to misinterpretation, or contain words within words. I love deliberately misinterpreting a MOC’s name or comment; word mis-use is a fun tool.

But I must admit, I’m very fond of the crew of Monty Pythons Flying Circus… And now for something completely different…

More of Keith’s interview with Fedde after the jump: Continue reading →

LEGO: A Love Story by Jonathan Bender [Book Excerpt]

Back in October 2008, I had the pleasure of spending some time with writer Jonathan Bender during BrickCon, who at the time was working on a book about adult fans of LEGO. A year and a half later, LEGO: A Love Story is out from Wiley.

I’ll let one of our other contributors do a more formal book review, but Jonathan’s book is that rare story about a hobby that’s actually about a whole lot more. It’s about how a deceptively simple children’s toy brings people together, as has become painfully self-evident over this past week, but it’s also as much about growing up yourself.

The Brothers Brick is pleased to bring our readers an excerpt from this new book.

I never expected to come face-to-face with my worst nightmare at LEGO headquarters, but there it is: a snarling red dragon — the namesake of the roller coaster at LEGOLAND. A 3-D model of the LEGO dragon is dissected into parts on the designer Jette Skovgaard Jensen’s computer monitor.

“That’s only the second roller coaster I’ve been on in my life. I’m a chicken,” I tell Jette as she walks me through how the model was built.

“I’m chicken too. I can’t look. But the challenge of something when it’s for LEGOLAND — we have to think about the whole family, like how to make it cool for a twelve – year-old and not too scary for a three-year-old,” says Jette. I ignore that I’m more than ten times the age she is trying not to scare.

She has the trendy glasses and spiky red hair of a designer in the 3-D Model Center. We’re at her desk inside Havremarken, the LEGO offices adjacent to the manufacturing plant. The building immediately makes me think of a Google campus, with employees on scooters whizzing by basketball hoops and table tennis tables in the hallways. The environment is certainly creative. A massively over-scaled red LEGO fire truck sits between cubicles, and nearly every employee’s workspace is decorated with a LEGO set or miniﬁg.

I’m trying to get a sense of who the people are behind the brick creations I’ve been surrounded with for the past several days. Jette is a second-generation LEGO employee. She grew up in Billund, while her dad worked as a technician on the electronics and structural supports for the models that her mom glued.

“When I was a kid, I remember coming in the doors, it was very open. I thought I might leave Billund, but I was afraid. And here it was also easy to get a job once you are inside the company,” says Jette.

Download Chapter 16, “A Guest in LEGO’s House” right here to read the rest. For even more, LEGO: A Love Story is out now.

And yes, Nathan Sawaya built the book cover.

The best of nnenn: Verbotian Strider

It is one of my personal pet peeves when a builder becomes famous for one thing and never does anything different. Nnenn was very well-known for his starfighters and was often accused of never branching out. However, in his case, this accusation was unfair and untrue.

If you browse through his Flickr photostream or his Brickshelf gallery, it becomes very clear that he built many other things than his iconic starfighters. This particular one has always made me laugh. I love the whimsy.

Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.

The best of nnenn: Hermitage

As Josh pointed out, nnenn’s influence on the LEGO community extended past his favorite theme. Hermitage is an excellent example of his more Earth-based creations.

Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.

A message from Nate Nielson’s family to the LEGO community

LEGO nnenn avatar Though nearly all of us knew him only as nnenn, Nate Nielson was so much more to those with whom he lived his life.

We received the following message from Nate’s family today and — with their kind permission — we’re privileged to share it with our fellow LEGO fans.

My sister Elizabeth and I want to express our appreciation and thankfulness to you and your site for the amazing tribute to our brother. All of the comments have been a comfort to us. They are difficult to read at times, because we miss him so much, but to know how loved he was, well, there are no words. What a neat community you have. I hope his legacy will live on here for as long as legos are around. Thank you for this. His personality was the same as his persona on here. He was a true artist.

Our mom and dad would also like to express their appreciation to you. All the kind words have been a help in such a difficult time. What a wonderful father, husband, brother, son and man. Your site has brought as many tears as smiles to us. This has been the most difficult time in our lives, but you have given us a little peace in the outpouring of love.

Liz and I would like to come to the Lego convention you have in Seattle this year if you think there will be a tribute to him. You were a huge part of his life and he loved all of it. Nate made lego spaceships and castles for us since we were very young. He even would, very reluctantly, build us a house once in a while. He was just a grown up kid.

We miss and love him so much. Thank you.

Emily and Elizabeth

Though the sadness is not diminished, it is perhaps some consolation to know that our voices have been heard by those to whom Nate mattered most.

If you haven’t already, please join us in adding your own thoughts and feelings to the growing tribute to Nate “nnenn” Nielson.

The best of nnenn: Nglotki

In so many ways nnenn‘s love of the Vic Viper epitomized what building with LEGO is: finding and creating ways to make a vast array of beautiful and varied things, limited only by imagination, skill, and budget. He was a craftsman and an artist pushing the boundaries of a seemingly limited form. There’s a certain beauty in that. His ability to combine sharp and organic forms was phenomenal.

Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.

The Best of nnenn: MRMP

As we’ve said, nnenn‘s building was as much about making fun toys for his sons to play with as it was about style.

This creation is a great example of where he really brought playability to his work. The roving city/base has a great style, and the aircraft with it aren’t shabby either. The great thing is, you don’t just get one of those things, you get them all. It looks like more fun than Autobot City, and I’m sure most kids could spend countless hours playing with this thing. I love it.

Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.

Farewell to a Legend: Mourning the passing of Nate “nnenn” Nielson

Over the last couple of months, Keith has brought us joy every Sunday with his interviews. Today, the burden of responsibility falls on Keith’s shoulders to bring us tragic news…

nnenn It is my unpleasant duty to report the passing of our friend and fellow builder Nate “nnenn” Nielson. Nate’s death was the result of an automobile accident earlier this month. A resident of Tekoa, Washington, Nate was a father, an artist, and a professor specializing in graphic design. Nate is survived by his beloved wife and two sons ages 3 and 8.

It is important to Nate’s family that he is remembered by our community, one that he took great joy in participating in. Above all they want Nate to be remembered as a devoted husband and father, and for us to know that his interest in the brick was inseparable from his love for his boys. Nate was notorious for his brevity, and when I was searching through his models, interviews, and comments for inspiration, this quote jumped off the screen:

“Ha! Spring break a week ago. Rainy day today. No friends. Two boys.”

Nate’s other great passion was teaching the principles of design and graphic art, something that should seem obvious to our community. It was Nate’s goal to encourage others and to push people to their creative potential. In our small corner of the universe, I think it is safe to say: mission accomplished, Nate.

I didn’t know Nate very well, certainly not as well as I would have liked. We did however share a love of the brick, 70’s sci-fi and being a father. I always imagined I’d run into nnenn at a convention…that he’d slip out of the crowd on public-day looking like a dead ringer for Christopher Walken. In this fantasy he would walk up to my model on display and say something like:

“Guess what Goldman?! I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription… is more cowbell”.

I’ve always been a fan of Nate’s models, even when I initially disliked him in a superficial way for his heretical tendencies with my sacred bricks. In time I grew to respect him for his uncompromising stance and commitment to form over purist devotion. It was my distinct pleasure to interview nnenn last month, and in the process we exchanged some fun emails; I only wish I’d asked better questions.

You know a builder is big-time when he not only gets an entire scale named after him, but an element as well. Nnenn’s consistent level of quality and production since his debut in late 2006 is nothing short of extraordinary. I can say without exaggeration that Nate influenced a generation of builders, and even an old man or two like me. Nate had 1347 contacts on Flickr, 1347 students for a guy who loved to teach. I think time will prove that he taught us well.

For those of you missed it, James Wadsworth of LAML Radio conducted an audio interview with Nate last summer. Tom over at Masoko Tanga also has a wonderful interview with Nate on his site.

Missing Man Vic Viper Formation – BrickWorld & BrickCon

I’m organizing a fly-in style community build for the Brickworld 2010 fan convention in Chicago, and potentially at BrickCon 2010 in Seattle. Anyone who is interested in celebrating the life and models of nnenn is invited to bring or mail a small space-fighter in his iconic Vic Viper style to the convention. The vipers will be arranged in the traditional “missing man formation” common to air forces around the world.

Nate drew inspiration from his father who served the US as an F-16 fighter pilot, making the fly-in seem even more appropriate. So if you’d like to participate in the formation, contact me at Legomankeith AT aol DOT com for further details.

Guestbook

It only seems fitting to close this tribute to a legend with a word or two from some familiar voices in the community. The Brothers Brick and I invite all of you to add your thoughts to this memorial guestbook. There is no rhyme or reason to these first 20 fans; they are simply friends that I reached out to, to help make sense of Nate’s untimely passing. The one exception is Peter L. Morris, who contacted me after speaking directly with Nate’s widow and graciously invited me to participate in this tribute. Pete was closer to Nate than most of us, and his insights into Nate as a friend have been invaluable as we prepared this tribute.

Rest in peace nnenn, you’ll be missed.

Read the guestbook and leave your own comments after the jump: Continue reading →