Glassblower

Since the last post, that wasn't even that far ago (last week) I've taken part on one LUG event, bought eight bags of parts, built two new character builds and half of a two-module-modular. I've still got exactly one week of four-month summer holiday left, so my pace with the hobby will slow down soon. Fortunately, my studies should be interesting, too.

Glassblower is a design professional, or an artist, who makes glassware using traditional methods. This built wasn't going to be a glassblower; just something similar. You never know where you'll end up in life, or possibly in building. I was simply inspired by Alphonso Mucha's self-portrait with national costume and was inspired by such dress designs, colours and patterns. At the same time, I wanted to experiment with some beard designs, as beards are inspiring. I ended up with a long white shirt with pattern using dark red, sand green, dark tan, tan and medium blue pieces. The bushy, wide moustache formed a mouth that was whistling or surprised. It was somewhat sufficient, if odd. I also built sand green trousers. They're a bit stiff ones, but slight angle at the hips makes the posture a bit more realistic. I'm now bit unsure about the cones near the knees, but maybe that isn't such important. The shoes are basic and sensible.

After finishing the legs and some versions of the arms, I left the model stewing for couple of months. It didn't have a theme, or a purpose - it was just a bearded, surprises fellow with traditional clothes (they are not specifically national; just stylized so). After some time, I remembered the existence of glass-blowing in general, and though it was cool. And the fellow, who looked like an artist, became a glassblower, with fitting pipe and a cool trans-purple vase in its end. The mouth was perfect for this setting!

There might be bit of an self-portrait here. Not exactly - I don't have that wide moustache, nor my hair's not parted on the middle, and I have some hair on the back of my head, and I've never blown glass in my life. But hair and beard colours are quite close, and I wear glasses. Probably it could be said that a builder puts a part of themselves in every build they make. Among the various other pieces. 

-Eero

Kiirus Ögonblick and Carp speeder

This build was indented to be entry for LEGO Speeder bike Flickr group's contest in late spring. However, I never had a realistic chance on making it in time. School year was just about to end with all the deadlines, and I was leaving for two-week adventure around Northern Sea with Pinja a day after the last critic. But I built it anyway, as person and a speeder felt an interesting proposal. This was mainly due to fun I had with RESIST-BOISTEROUS IV - a figure and a cycle, rewarding to compose, rewarding to pose, worth of taking dozens of pictures. Which would work in similar manner without needing some big wheels, usually rare and expensive parts? Only thing I came up with was a speeder bike, a sci-fi trope most familiar from Return of the Jedi's intensive chase scene in the forest moon of Endor. Thinking this now, maybe a traditional mount could work too, and here's bit of that too, as the speeder is carp-inspired; but there was a contest, without forced minifig scale, working as an excuse, so I started working on a speeder.

The frame began with two 4-wide rail parts and some trans-light-blue tubes inside them. I don't remember when it became a fish-themed; quite early on, probably because the unusual curved shape the rail parts gave. Orange colour block formed the fish's head and strong complimentary colour contrast with the dark blue; There is also contrast with the smooth, curved surface of the orange part and more mechanical dark areas of the speeder. The carp's whiskers where going to be the steering handles for a while, but they were bit too puny for it, so I made a larger, better-placed handles with meters, levers and all. Their grey colour and mechanical motif enhanced the contrast. The back area was more challenging, as I wanted to make the speeder aerodynamic and naturally flowing, while still keeping the curved shape. The stand is angled to keep it natural; originally the point of balance was too far back and the rider didn't stay on the saddle. Looking back now, the special trans-clear liftarm was probably a mistake; it stands out more than a black one would have.

The back of the speeder became a composition of aether supercharger (inspired by Magic the Gathering's Kaladesh world and its vehicles), trans-orange tail fins and the actual jet engine block. The supercharger was one of the first things built here. I don't really like trans-light blue colour, especially as the windows; I prefer trans-clear one over it any day. I had gotten a set of those garage door parts somewhere, and wondered where use them. They formed a nice cylinder over those dark bley hub pieces. The fit is very snug and couple of Scala bowls cap them nicely. The cylinder was placed under the speeder at first, forming internal organs of the carp, but it didn't work; It broke the flow. It finally set behind the seat. Rising the tubes from between the rails and connecting them to the supercharger was obviously a right choice, giving good profile to the bright tube section, also making sense thematically. The trans-orange tail fins balanced the colour scheme. The engine block became ultimately a composition of smoothly-shaped light-bluish grey pieces. I hope it doesn't clash too severely with the rest of the speeder; personally I like the maze of macaroni tube pieces.


The driver was built partially within the speeder. The main theme was colours, extravagant and bright. I also wanted to use lots of printed pieces to create rich and hyperactive, even commercial look, something urban and international. The leather coat of Resist-boisterous was a starting point, but with brighter colour. I began with some tight yellow trousers. The lower legs weren't going for this build at first, they were only a tablescrap hanging around. But I gave them a try and they were stylized enough; I think they're just stockings or something. They're on trousers so they don't make much sense; Or maybe they are just shorts; But hell, Batman wears underpants over his long johns and everyone thinks Batman is cool, so why not... It's not about sense, that would be bit boring at least on this build. Anyway! The footwear is some high and pink okobo platform shoes; again something bizarre and unusual.

The jacket is short-sleeved and open medium blue thing; there's some light bley as joints as you can't have everything in medium blue, but it didn't stop me using this pleasant colour. It's some light denim, probably. I'm particularly happy with the collar. Connection of aeroplane tail fins is bit messy but their shape is very sharp and striking; they frame the shirt quite naturally. I might use this trick in future builds, probably with some printed pieces. The shirt uses vibrant colour pieces. I bough handful of them from Bricks&Pieces and they have been used here; Yesterday I got my LUGBULK and some 2000 more, but that was after completing this MOC. A LEGO movie 2 heart piece forms the bust, while other one is used as such, giving the shirt aggressively cheery feel. It's a tad bold composition, but I think it works just fine. Printed pieces are used on the jacket's shoulders (some old Racers prints) and sleeves as badges (and upper legs, too; the dark purple Nexo Knights ones reminded me of those badges student's sew into their overall, at least in Finland, and their energizing grinning fit the theme nicely). There is a spiky stud belt between the shirt and the trousers, as an another underculture nod. The driver also sports yellow fingerless gloves with vibrant coral ribbon-like add-ons. Why not.

Lime green hair had been on my shortlist for a while, as I had gathered plenty of dinosaur tails and curved slopes in that colour. It's unnatural and striking hair colour, often seen on plastic anime conventions wigs, and as such was perfect idea for the build. The hair is big and wild and has one, huge pigtail on side. As if it wouldn't been rad enough, I adorned it with goggles, hairpins and earrings - later two using very angry-looking printed red balls from Nexo Knight line. Thus Kiirus Ögonblick was born. Kiirus means speed in Estonian, and is also sometimes used as unofficial Finnish to mean haste or being busy; Ögonblick is blink of an eye in Swedish, a word familiar from Swedish lessons ten years back.

The next build will be an elderly professional of arts and design, an after that, a mysterious warrior. I've been catching up a bit, with only five builds in line. The last one, finished (probably) today, is another part of this "series" of person and a speeder; more of it later on.

-Eero.