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Brick Breakdown: LEGO Ideas Doctor Who

by Thita (admin) on January 18, 2016

in LEGO Exclusives

(Written by William)

In this Brick Breakdown series I review official LEGO sets, from the perspective of looking at interesting building techniques we can all learn from. Today we will be looking at the #21304 LEGO Ideas Doctor Who set. You can also check out the previously discussed LEGO techniques found in official LEGO sets at the end of this article. 🙂

LEGO on Amazon - #21304 LEGO Ideas Doctor Who

Let me begin by saying I am not a fan of Doctor Who. That is not to say that I dislike the show; I have just never watched it. So it seemed rather unlikely for me to have a chance to build this LEGO Ideas set. Turns out, my in-laws are big fans and they had my wife and I not only buy the set for them, but also put it together for them. This I believe gives me a unique view of the set. I have no real vested interest in how good anything looks. I’m also not blinded by a fanatical level of expectations that may be hard to live up to in real life. Put plainly, I feel I can see the set for what it is. Consequently, I cannot talk about the details this set has that may relate to the intellectual property of Doctor Who. With that said, is this a good set? Absolutely, it is an amazing set. The sheer amount of angles that bring about a very unique look is astounding. Plus there were some interesting techniques that make all the shaping possible.

➡ ANGLING WITH LEGO

For the most part, LEGO tends to be rather square in nature. This is partly from a design system built around a lot of right angles. Therefore, it’s a hallmark of a good designer to find ways to introduce various angles in their creations. This set in particular gives us three different examples.

First are the stairs. The ladder gives an obvious tilted angle, but each step goes further and adjusts the angle to be once again flat. This type of build uses similar connection methods in a series in the same direction. The outcome is the ability to take an angle and segment it into smaller angles. This is great in reproducing a series of repetitive angles in a design.

Next we see the rounded console. This bit of magic is all done through a series of pivot connections. Essentially, you have a piece or series of pieces form a perpendicular connection that can rotate around the vertical point. Think of it as an evolution of positioning a flag on a flag pole. However, in this case the flag is replaced with something more complex. Take into consideration the interior angles if you put these structures next to one another and you can literally bend angles.

Finally we have a network of connections in the railing’s posts. In this part of the model we have a structure pre-angled that needs to fit exactly. This is best accomplished be creating a transition with two end connectors, clips in this instance, and a rotating center. The connection points you choose may even offer more flexibility. In this case the clips attaching to the base unit can move up and down allowing you to change the radius of the curved section you want to connect. In other words, if you want to make a bigger railing that is a tad further out, you can use this same set up to attach it.

➡ STACKING WITH LEGO

With all the many shapes that LEGO pieces come in, it is interesting to see what shapes they form when stacked, whether it is right-side up, inverted, bottom to bottom, or even on their side. This is all possible when you use a coring technique. Previously when I talked about coring it was to stress the structural stability that it offers. Stacking is the artistic side of coring.

#21304 LEGO Ideas Doctor Who Announcement

As long as you have an internal rod or bar, you can play with the wide array of pieces that can utilize an axle or bar through their centers. The idea is that you are sculpting a shape rather than building one. In building you need to figure out the connections that would work best. In stacking you know that each part is skewered by the core. Examine the center column of the console in this set to get an appreciation for the possibilities that exist.

➡ APPLYING WHAT YOU LEARN

Since I am not familiar with the characters, I didn’t focus on them even though they look amazing. What captured my attention was the exquisite detail work in the set. Angling is a technique that is primarily focused on adding detail rather than structural support. Depending on the needs of your model, it is a great way to smooth edges, add texture, or create a unique mounting for your models. I recommend starting by augmenting roofs since they often require the least amount of support.

It is safe to say that stacking is another detail oriented technique. Essentially they are decorated pillars, so they tend to be functional as well as pretty. Take a moment to work in an interesting way to mount something and you can combine the two techniques found here in a very remarkable way. Just keep in mind, the limitation of stacking is that there is often very little in the way of horizontal stability. So watch out if you make your stack too tall.

So what do you think? How do you like the #21304 LEGO Doctor Who set? And what do you think of the building techniques used in the set? Did you learn something new that you can incorporate in your own creations? Feel free to share your own experiences and tips, or ask questions in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the other reviews in this series:

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LEGO Angry Birds website now open!

by Thita (admin) on January 17, 2016

in Other LEGO Sets & Themes

As we discussed previously (see links at the end of this post), LEGO is going to release a series of Angry Birds related sets this spring. While we still have a bit to wait for the actual sets, we can now see more detailed pictures of them through the official LEGO Angry Birds website, which went live just a few days ago. The sets actually look better than expected, and there are some interesting new elements and accessories also. 🙂

Here is the official description of this new line of products: All New April – LEGO The Angry Birds Movie! Now you can replay all sorts of adventures from LEGO The Angry Birds Movie! Just like the movie and the mobile game, LEGO The Angry Birds Movie sets have all your favorite characters fighting over the eggs. Can Red help the Angry Birds save their eggs from the pigs? Or will King Pig get to have his favorite breakfast after all? Fantastic models with funny features to build, explore and play with in your quest to help the Angry Birds!

➡ #75821 LEGO ANGRY BIRDS PIGGY CAR ESCAPE: Speedy Chuck is racing after the Piggy Car as the naughty piggy has stolen some of the bird eggs! Dodge the flying ice cream as you catch up with the pesky piggy! Rescue the eggs safely and return them to the flock, or play out your own chaotic and fun scenes inspired by The Angry Birds Movie.

➡ #75822 LEGO ANGRY BIRDS PIGGY PLANE ATTACK: Prepare for take-off! Those tricky piggies will try anything to get the flock’s eggs out of Bird Island—even jetting off on a plane! Grab the catapult and prepare for some bird-flinging fun at high altitude! Help Red rescue the eggs from the plane, but watch out for the flick missile shooters.

➡ #75823 LEGO ANGRY BIRDS BIRD ISLAND EGG HEIST: Red’s hot temper has landed him in an Angry Bird Anger Management Class at Matilda’s House—but he’s even angrier when a naughty piggy steals the eggs! Catapult Red at the Piggy Trike and take the eggs from the box in the back of the trike! Play out action-packed scenes from The Angry Birds Movie and return the eggs to the flock.

➡ #75824 LEGO ANGRY BIRDS PIG CITY TEARDOWN: Use the catapult to shoot Red and Stella into Pig City! Cause a chain reaction by firing the birds above the boulder, and use the piggies’ own TNT against them! Chase the piggies all over Pig City to get the eggs back, but keep your eyes peeled for the sliding piggy in his umbrella! Will the birds even find their eggs in all this piggy-crashing excitement?

➡ #75825 LEGO ANGRY BIRDS PIGGY PIRATE SHIP: Shiver me timbers, those naughty piggies are escaping Bird Island¬ with stolen eggs! Quickly fire Red and Bomb off the jetty using the catapult before it sails too far away. Land the Angry Birds on the Piggy Pirate Ship, search the decks and battle the piggies to stop them stealing the eggs!

➡ #75826 LEGO ANGRY BIRDS KING PIG’S CASTLE: King Pig has stolen the eggs and is preparing a feast! Prepare for some seriously feathery fun as you catapult Red at the castle and watch the piggies go crashing! Fly Mighty Eagle in with a swoosh, but watch out for the TNT box with wings. Race to the top of the tower and rescue the eggs before they slide into the cauldron. Stop Chef Pig putting boiled eggs on the menu, and serve up your own side order of awesome bird-slinging action!

While personally I have no interest in LEGO Angry Birds as a theme, I’m looking forward to all the new LEGO elements and accessories. The eggs are going to be very useful, so are those hotdog buns, and printed wood tiles (at least they appear to be printed rather than stickered). And if you are interested in the theme, I think you won’t be disappointed. The sets look great with excellent details and play-features. You can check out more detailed pictures at the official LEGO Angry Birds website.

So what do you think? How do you like the LEGO Angry Birds sets now that you had a chance to see more detailed pictures? Are they better or worse then you expected? Do you plan to get any of them? Feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

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Brick Breakdown: LEGO Ideas Doctor Who

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