I find the best way to get started with a new MOC is to make individual details you want to incorporate into the finished product. I recently made a round house for my lego locomotives and the first items I worked on were the windows. I knew I wanted a certain look and size for the windows so I played around with a bunch of ways to make them. Then the doors, arched top, square top, paneled, studded etc. I must have tried 6-7 different ways to hinge the doors but eventually figured out what gave me the look I wanted. I like your point at the end of this video, just start. Once you start with litle details and merge them together, the tree or building kinda makes itself. Great video!
Well said, i've stared looking at my inventory for a long time and not been able to create anything. A kind of paralysis. But then setting small goals and putting at least something on the table has helped occassionally
I gathered the pieces for that same MOC with the intention of making the tree more pointy, only red leaves and using it as a castle for Vampire knights. Funny to find a video about it. Glad you worked thru your feelings. I've heard that quote before and often think about one I associate with it "Your work can only be as good as your taste," possibly also by Ira Glass but I'm not 100% sure.
As a MOC builder myself, I agree it can for sure be a daunting task, and can very well be expensive to start out as well. MOC building is an absolute rabbit hole of a hobby... even sets like Rivendell and the Lion Knight's Castle I was MOC'ing up even as I was building it the first time 😂
That looks genuinely great! And such a creative idea! As they say, it's easier to edit than it is to make from scratch. Once you have something, then you can see what's good and bad about it and improve it, and you learned some things for next time. I recently completed my first official MOC (as an adult), a house, and I am very happy with it, but it went through some stuff before getting to this point. And now I can build its neighbour with more confidence.
Thanks man! Yes it’s so much easier to edit! But still hard to jumpstart sometimes. Your MOC neighborhood is gonna look better and better with each house 😂
Hey thanks so much! It just felt like I had to share my thoughts on it. I love this hobby so much and I just want to share what I can to help others and hopefully entertain a little along the way. Appreciate it ❤️
You could make some drawings of the piece until you think it's good, then draw some top and side views. Then it'll be easier to build it with bricks. I think your wheel is too complex, big and crowded. You could simplify it down a bit so the set doesn't get too big and it's easier on the eye.
It is definitely big. I think I want to thin it out so it’s not so tall. I will probably have to revisit that. I think I want to start building out the tree top it sits in and see how that feels first spacial wise
I needed this. I've never done mocs before, but Ive got a idea in my head that I want to build and ive been second guessing myself. In my head I've been saying it won't be good, or I cant do it, not enough skill, etc. I know the vision is good, I've just have to start working on it, bit by bit.
Yessss! I’m so glad to hear that! It’s so important to just dive in. That blank space can be so intimidating and your vision is complex and filled with lots of different parts and pieces. All you can do is lay one brick at a time though. You got this!
In engineering we have different methods to work around creative and skill based blockades. First we would look at a product as a black box with input and output. The input here could be bricks and the output can be your envisioned moc. Then we dissect the black box into different functions and aspects that interact with each other and how they do so: the tree, the waterwheel, the river… then we would put these functions into a morphological box: you come up with several solutions for each of these aspects/functions. For the waterwheel you could use one big round piece or you could achieve the round shape with hinges and smaller parts. Or with slopes on their side or wedges and wedgeplates. Then you try to combine these partial solutions to a few solutions of your moc and then you weigh out pro‘s and cons (achievable diameter of the wheel, available parts) The best solution for your situation is your starting point. Now you start building it and on the way you reiterate and reevaluate each partial solution. This way you progress from the rough shaping to the finer details without sacrificing creativity
I find the best way to get started with a new MOC is to make individual details you want to incorporate into the finished product. I recently made a round house for my lego locomotives and the first items I worked on were the windows. I knew I wanted a certain look and size for the windows so I played around with a bunch of ways to make them. Then the doors, arched top, square top, paneled, studded etc. I must have tried 6-7 different ways to hinge the doors but eventually figured out what gave me the look I wanted. I like your point at the end of this video, just start. Once you start with litle details and merge them together, the tree or building kinda makes itself. Great video!
Yes these are great points! Glad you liked the video! Thanks for watching!
Well said, i've stared looking at my inventory for a long time and not been able to create anything. A kind of paralysis. But then setting small goals and putting at least something on the table has helped occassionally
Thank you! Yes! You just gotta start!
I gathered the pieces for that same MOC with the intention of making the tree more pointy, only red leaves and using it as a castle for Vampire knights. Funny to find a video about it. Glad you worked thru your feelings. I've heard that quote before and often think about one I associate with it "Your work can only be as good as your taste," possibly also by Ira Glass but I'm not 100% sure.
Oooh a vampire knights castle! That’s something I would love to build at some point as well!
As a MOC builder myself, I agree it can for sure be a daunting task, and can very well be expensive to start out as well. MOC building is an absolute rabbit hole of a hobby... even sets like Rivendell and the Lion Knight's Castle I was MOC'ing up even as I was building it the first time 😂
Haha right? It’s so fun though!
That looks genuinely great! And such a creative idea!
As they say, it's easier to edit than it is to make from scratch. Once you have something, then you can see what's good and bad about it and improve it, and you learned some things for next time. I recently completed my first official MOC (as an adult), a house, and I am very happy with it, but it went through some stuff before getting to this point. And now I can build its neighbour with more confidence.
Thanks man! Yes it’s so much easier to edit! But still hard to jumpstart sometimes. Your MOC neighborhood is gonna look better and better with each house 😂
This is such great advice. Thank you
My pleasure! It hit me so hard when working on it, I felt like it was important to make for others!
This would have to be one of my fav video of yours. I plan to share this to my lug when they are in a stuck in a creative funk.
Hey thanks so much! It just felt like I had to share my thoughts on it. I love this hobby so much and I just want to share what I can to help others and hopefully entertain a little along the way. Appreciate it ❤️
The thing about Lego is u can take it apart and redo and reuse it. Unless ur a fan of the evil kragle😂
Haha Definitely!
I feel this video
You could make some drawings of the piece until you think it's good, then draw some top and side views. Then it'll be easier to build it with bricks. I think your wheel is too complex, big and crowded. You could simplify it down a bit so the set doesn't get too big and it's easier on the eye.
It is definitely big. I think I want to thin it out so it’s not so tall. I will probably have to revisit that. I think I want to start building out the tree top it sits in and see how that feels first spacial wise
I needed this. I've never done mocs before, but Ive got a idea in my head that I want to build and ive been second guessing myself. In my head I've been saying it won't be good, or I cant do it, not enough skill, etc. I know the vision is good, I've just have to start working on it, bit by bit.
Yessss! I’m so glad to hear that! It’s so important to just dive in. That blank space can be so intimidating and your vision is complex and filled with lots of different parts and pieces. All you can do is lay one brick at a time though. You got this!
Just keep building, get something built. Then revise and refine.
Absolutely!
Indeed it can be, but its also very rewarding when done lol
100% you just gotta start!
Great video
Thanks Jay!
Quilters do this. They use a design wall to rearrange their pieces until they are pleased with the composition.
Yes! That’s awesome. Great idea!
💯
In engineering we have different methods to work around creative and skill based blockades. First we would look at a product as a black box with input and output. The input here could be bricks and the output can be your envisioned moc. Then we dissect the black box into different functions and aspects that interact with each other and how they do so: the tree, the waterwheel, the river… then we would put these functions into a morphological box: you come up with several solutions for each of these aspects/functions. For the waterwheel you could use one big round piece or you could achieve the round shape with hinges and smaller parts. Or with slopes on their side or wedges and wedgeplates. Then you try to combine these partial solutions to a few solutions of your moc and then you weigh out pro‘s and cons (achievable diameter of the wheel, available parts) The best solution for your situation is your starting point. Now you start building it and on the way you reiterate and reevaluate each partial solution. This way you progress from the rough shaping to the finer details without sacrificing creativity
Love this! Thanks for the in-depth description!