443 - Patio and Living Room

The framework of the entire first level is finally actualized, although not yet fully complete. I had been waiting on a large order of white bricks to come in, and that has finally allowed me to lay enough foundation to be able to start work on the second level.



My challenge now will be to calculate and properly recreate the rooms of the second level in relation to the bottom level, as well as adjust the build to accommodate the modular nature of the build so far.



The living room has also seen a few minor adjustments. I've added an air conditioner, a small dresser, and adjusted some decorative elements on the side table and on the wall. Also added is what is supposed to be a clock table of sorts, represented by what is supposed to be a circular map piece that was in the set that my children got me for Father's Day (thanks guys!).

I know I say it often, but it remains true: there's more to come. I have a lot of work that I want to and am able to do (in terms of available pieces) in the next week or so, should I have the free time for it. So, stay tuned!

Church of the Master: Concept

It has been a busy month for me personally and professionally, and the blog is long overdue for an update.

That said, even though I have not spent as much time recently with LEGO as I'd like, the blog has been left unattended mostly because my work recently hasn't been cosmetic. For example, I've had to do a foundational adjustment to 443, and I've adjusted The Dark Tower so that I can add to the top half easily using random pieces for a proof of concept (rather than something I'm ready to show).

What I do have to show is a small piece of what I hope will someday be a larger work.

The Church of the Master is a Presbyterian church that I drive by every day as I head home from work. For years, I drove by it, not really noticing it, until recently when my new LEGO hobby opened my eyes to small architectural details in buildings that I once thought I was familiar with and could describe with my eyes closed.



What I liked most about the architecture of this particular church is the tower that features multiple crosses. It sits on the corner of a major intersection and looks quite nice, especially with the sun shining through it at right times of the day.

My hopes for this would be to eventually expand this out into a larger building, and maybe take some creative liberties as far as adding some stained glass and other features from similar churches.

All in due time though; I'm hoping to display some major progress on 443 soon, and that is the project that is closest to completion, so that's where my budget is going for now. Some day though...

443 - Furniture

Now that my build has progressed to the point where I can make adjustments to the living room, I have been spending most of my time building the living room furniture.



Furniture building can be a very simple or very complex process depending on what you need done. There are simple and obvious ways to create couches and chairs, coffee tables and dining room tables, even shelves and cabinets. Then there are complex ways to do the very same things.



Deciding which route (simple or complex) to go, I feel, is the challenge. The important thing is to not sacrifice scale for detail. An ornate piece of furniture won't sit well in a living room filled with other furniture much bigger or smaller than it.



Another thing I've learnt to do is to use color as texture. Little breaks in the color scheme can give the impression of texture, so you don't have to worry as much about complex curves or complicated detailing.



And like a good on screen adaptation of a book, you need to know where to take creative liberties based on the medium. In other words, don't be so caught up in staying "true to the original" that you end up with something less than desirable.



I've also found that you have to be constantly willing to evaluate and change as you build. Compare the antique wooden safe above (brown and gold on the left) to two other versions of it pictured in other pictures in this post. I've yet to decide what I like best, or that I've even found one that will be in my final version.



What I do know is that I shouldn't consider anything done just because I've built it. Unlike other "true" arts, LEGO is a medium that allows for decisions to be reversed. I'm never locked into doing something a certain way, and I certainly don't need to start from scratch if I've made a mistake. As someone who learns a lot through trial and error, this is something that highlights why I loved as a child, and have come to love as an adult, this great hobby.