FABULAND Castle

[Hinckley]

Here are some pics from my FABULAND Castle display at Brickworld Ft. Wayne last weekend. I hope to continue to expand on this display for Chicago.

It was amusing to me how many kids were offended or "creeped out" by the FABULAND figs. Or, as they put it, "those weird animal people." A slight majority of people wanted to know what it was. Sometimes they meant, "Where did the figures come from?" Some asked if they were Mega-Blok. But, I was surprised by how many people expected it to be something. And this is true of all displays I've brought to conventions. If it's not an instantly recognizable license or theme, people need to know what it is I'm representing. There's little room for new, imaginative creations in some people's world views. Well, enjoy and please feel free to leave feedback. Thanks.

[Zerobricks]

Hmm no pic works?

[Hinckley]

Hmm no pic works?

They appear for me.

[Itaria No Shintaku]

Too bad they don't even plan a Fabuland revamp.

[Slegengr]

Pictures work for me.

This is quite the build, Hinckley! I love the greebling around windows and doors, as well as on the walls! Until I received an odd-looking goat-headed minifigure in a random LEGO eBay lot, I did not even know of the existence of Fabuland. I researched it after that and discovered a very interesting new LEGO world. Though I do not have much Fabuland, nor do I build for Fabuland, I still find it very interesting to see the animal characters instead of humans. The water in this build seems a little bit plain, and yet I think it fits the Fabuland theme well.

My favorite detail are the guard dogs with crossbows over the gate.

Nice work and keep bricking, Hinckley!

[Zerobricks]

Now they work I love the way you built the metal grid with window frames!

[tkatt]

I see lots of great details in this build. I like the tiled snot walls. Using curved fences over the windows is something I hadn't seen before.

I really like the Fabuland figures, and their accessories are fun and unusual. I never cared for the Fabuland colors though, so your Fabuland build is the most eye pleasing one that I've seen.

[TheLazyChicken]

Nice Job Hinkley! Fabuland is a theme I wish to own these days.

Also, I think I can recognize those tree's from The Forest right?

[Robert8]

Well.... I understand them. Those Fabuland minifigures are creepy as heck. They could be in a Courage the Cowardly Dog episode

[Mencot]

Well.... I understand them. Those Fabuland minifigures are creepy as heck. They could be in a Courage the Cowardly Dog episode

Noo, how are they creepy. Big blocky figures with animal heads, how cute (my favorite Lego as a child)

I love this, great architecture and details on that castle. So many cool valves, detailed windows, snot walls, pillars, etc etc. And it is tan, that makes it nice compared to all those grey castles, do you have a pieces count.

My favorite part is that bridge, it is great and it has some nice details on the side of it.

Great job.

[Artanis I]

Too many natural colours, Hinck! Fabuland building colours should be so intrusive that everyone goes blind.

Looks great, excellent detail! Are those pillars on the front (right of picture) supposed to not be stuck down all the way?

Too bad they don't even plan a Fabuland revamp.

Chima meets Juniors meets Friends meets City?

[slovakiasteph]

Yay, finished! It was fun watching ya'll build. It's easier to appreciate all the detail from the pics, I think, rather than in person. Looks great!

[Peppermint_M]

The question is: Just how many frogs are hiding?

That is excellent and I hope to one day see it in person Hinck! The design of the central keep is so rich in detail.

As for expansion, is that a bigger castle or a more populous layout?

[Hinckley]

Thanks for all the comments and feedback, guys. Much appreciated.

The water in this build seems a little bit plain, and yet I think it fits the Fabuland theme well.

I agree. I had the parts there to do the lake like we did the river in Rio Bricko. However, I ran out of time and I didn't bring anything to build around the edges to stop the tiles and round plates from falling off of the display. The goal with this is to add more water and hopefully a waterfall. But then, I have to build some mountains...

I love the way you built the metal grid with window frames!

Thanks! A lot of people asked how those were made. I love simple builds that look like a new element or when people can't immediately identify the technique. I had to order a lot of windows, though!

Also, I think I can recognize those tree's from The Forest right?

You are correct! I continue to order parts for more of these. They are especially appropriate for a lake environment as river birch do really well with a high water table.

Noo, how are they creepy. Big blocky figures with animal heads, how cute (my favorite Lego as a child)

I think people need to identify it as something because a large portion of displays are from a license or an existing story. I've never liked doing that. I like creating original content. Even if it is FABULAND, I want them to live in a big castle. A few people identified it as Chima but then quickly realized it wasn't. One kid said "but they don't have a castle." Some people didn't identify it as a castle... Some people said "Oh, here's Friends!" !!!! ??? Some people had explanations I couldn't identify. "Oh, I know what this is from. It's a cartoon LEGO had a long time ago." Or there was some other elaborate cartoon plot I couldn't identify. Most people had to ask in their dire need for it to be from something. Once I told them it was just made up, some were impressed by that. Some parents made it a point to make sure their kids understood that things can be built just from their imagination (as if existing games and cartoons didn't come from someone's creative imagination). At that point, the kids usually lost interest to go find something that did come from something. Some older kids really liked the architecture and it was nice to talk to them about it. My display didn't really attract the attention the other displays did. I think if I want a crowd around it (which I'm not sure I do) the display needs some movement. I wonder if I should turn the base back into the DaVinciPunk monorail station and revive our Dome City from Brickworld 2014, but that would really confuse people. Either way, FABULAND is not creepy. Anyone who has a differing opinion is wrong. (that's a joke)

do you have a pieces count.

I get this question a lot. I never count the pieces. Does anybody? I'd estimate 2500+.

Too many natural colours, Hinck! Fabuland building colours should be so intrusive that everyone goes blind.

Yes, the brightness is something I'd like not to be part of my FABULAND world.

Looks great, excellent detail! Are those pillars on the front (right of picture) supposed to not be stuck down all the way?

I don't know why they wouldn't stay! The same happened with the version I brought to Brickworld Chicago. I thought it was do to the table not being level. Apparently something is wrong. I tried to push it down, but I was really afraid I would just shatter the entire tower. I built a good portion of it there. We were a day late getting there, so I ignored that and accepted it in order to get the rest done. Notice that it doesn't have a roof.

Yay, finished! It was fun watching ya'll build. It's easier to appreciate all the detail from the pics, I think, rather than in person. Looks great!

Thanks! What group were you with. I see your name all the time here, but I assume you are from the Slovak Republic (like my grandmother's family). Do I know you by name and face? Sorry, I don't already know.

The question is: Just how many frogs are hiding?

Ugh!! None. I forgot the frog. I was so annoyed. There was a turtle under the bridge on Sunday but it just wasn't the same. It was too much of a family affair to add a FABULAND edge.

As for expansion, is that a bigger castle or a more populous layout?

Both! As mentioned above, the vision is to put it on a mountain with a waterfall (coming through the walls, of course). But, I'd also like to add more trees and little cottages. I have a lot of FBG cottages but none of them are very...castley. So I'll just start from scratch.

[Alasdair Ryan]

Really nice castle and scene Hinckley,perhaps some rocky outcrop on which the castle would of sat on might of looked even better.

[Hinckley]

Really nice castle and scene Hinckley,perhaps some rocky outcrop on which the castle would of sat on might of looked even better.

Perhaps you didn't read my last post then.

[Peppermint_M]

Both! As mentioned above, the vision is to put it on a mountain with a waterfall (coming through the walls, of course). But, I'd also like to add more trees and little cottages. I have a lot of FBG cottages but none of them are very...castley. So I'll just start from scratch.

Linky

(Cheeky I know, but it fits!)

[Hinckley]

Linky

(Cheeky I know, but it fits!)

[Captain Nemo]

Nice pictures! Even though I saw this in person, it's still impressive to see pictures of. It always amazes me how builders can keep things together for so long to--all my Brickworld builds were a pile of brick-dust the day after the event ended! And it's good to see all those sidewalks still standing strong!

It is a bit disappointing to hear that there was little interest in viewing it though, at least in comparison to licensed/themed/non-animal builds. While I obviously sit on the side of licensed builds, I think it's disappointing that custom creative builds don't seem to get nearly as much attention; at least that's what I felt at Brickworld. Everyone would gravitate towards creations that were either instantly recognizable or simply massive. Some kind of visual story or moving mechanisms might help in getting views. That and maybe display signs--I think that's what I'm going to do next year since it'll just stop lots of ridiculous questions right out the gate. Most of all I think something crazy and attention getting would help--make something huge and crazy; build a giant massive tree with purple elf leaves in the center of the castle! Then thrown a monorail in there too--everyone loves monorails! Something like that would both draw people in and want to know what it is.

That or free candy. No matter how cool my Batman build was, the Candy Push next to me drew all the kids' attention!

[Artanis I]

Notice that it doesn't have a roof.

Most castles around the world don't have a roof! But then again they're 100s of years old and in disrepair... Perhaps yours is ahead of its time

[Artifex]

Great technique! Very impressive display.

[Hinckley]

Nice pictures! Even though I saw this in person, it's still impressive to see pictures of. It always amazes me how builders can keep things together for so long to--all my Brickworld builds were a pile of brick-dust the day after the event ended! And it's good to see all those sidewalks still standing strong!

Unless you were at Brickworld Ft Wayne, you haven't seen this one. It's a combo of the last two years of Brickworld creations I brought for our collaborative displays:

+ =

It's twice as tall as either one of the originals. I miss aspects of both the monorail station and the lake castle and I really miss some of the architectural details of the station like the columns and the friezes. So, we'll see what the future holds for this model...

It is a bit disappointing to hear that there was little interest in viewing it though, at least in comparison to licensed/themed/non-animal builds. While I obviously sit on the side of licensed builds, I think it's disappointing that custom creative builds don't seem to get nearly as much attention; at least that's what I felt at Brickworld. Everyone would gravitate towards creations that were either instantly recognizable or simply massive. Some kind of visual story or moving mechanisms might help in getting views. That and maybe display signs--I think that's what I'm going to do next year since it'll just stop lots of ridiculous questions right out the gate. Most of all I think something crazy and attention getting would help--make something huge and crazy; build a giant massive tree with purple elf leaves in the center of the castle! Then thrown a monorail in there too--everyone loves monorails! Something like that would both draw people in and want to know what it is.

Well, the year we won best display was Pirates with no monorails. We've been nominated every other year (except this one ) and we have never relied on an existing license. I too am disappointed that things need to be explained to people or they don't understand it if they don't recognize it as an existing license, but for the most part AFOLs like to discuss it. It's just repeatedly explaining it to the public. If people's imaginations are collectively dying, fine. Mine is still alive and kicking and so are most AFOLs. We're having all of the fun!

That or free candy. No matter how cool my Batman build was, the Candy Push next to me drew all the kids' attention!

When in doubt, bribe them. Luckily, none of us care enough to attract the most viewers. We're all there to create! Public days are more of a nuisance. Although I did have fun talking more to the public at Ft. Wayne. I avoided them altogether this year at Brickworld Chicago. Talking to people has its place.

[Bob De Quatre]

That castle is fabulandous

[GmaBlu]

Well, I love Fabuland. I bought it for my kids and it went the way of all the world during their dark ages. And I love the colors, the curved fence arched windows and the trees the most.

[Kalais]

Ha, loving it :) Great project!

I forgot about Fabuland. When I was a child I hate it. But few days ago viewed some old Lego catalogs and there is something about that theme.

Anyway, like "Artanis I" said would be even more nice if you make castle more colored in Fabuland style.