Displaying Multiple Themes

[WesternOutlaw]

One of my challenges in having limited space to set up my Lego Tabletown display is the integration of multiple themes one one table. When I was a kid, this was no problem at all. I just added castle to city, then space, then pirate, and kept building. As I've gotten older, I've become more focussed on making the display look more realistic.

Blast from the past:

How does one display multiple themes? City, Indy, Batman, Adventurers, oh my!

How can Indy sets look good next to a modern-day city?

Is the answer to display like-themes on bookshelves away from one another? But that's no fun! :-(

I've also considered running a large train layout around a few tables setting up different themes in sections. I call this the Disneyland Classic Railroad Concept. "Hello boys and girls, after we make our way through the Country Bear Jamboree, we'll be going back one million years to Grand Canyon Dinosaur Land"!

I'm not sure about this idea either as it would take a lot of space.

Any ideas out there in EB land? What's a good way to integrate multiple themes into one display? Share your thoughts with Tabletop Trouble. *wacko*

[Stauder]

Here's a idea - Indie - Make some Out door Historical Park thing, good excues, Adventurers - see indie, Space - Hmm.... Maybe a "Furtureistic Museum" ? Like the one i nfrence?

Stauder

[WesternOutlaw]

Here's a idea - Indie - Make some Out door Historical Park thing, good excues, Adventurers - see indie, Space - Hmm.... Maybe a "Furtureistic Museum" ? Like the one i nfrence?

Hmmm... An amusement park. Amusing idea. Outdoor? Do you mean displaying Lego outside. If so, my Lego doesn't go outside, not even for awesome Western sunset pictures.

Forget the Space (sorry Snefroe). It's been a long time since I've wanted to set up my Galaxy Explorer. I'm thinking more Indy, City, Batman, Train, and Adventurers. I'll forget about Harry Potter and SW (what a mix...) Oh, and I forgot Western. OK, this is pretty much impossible.

Oh, and that's Mr. Indie to you ;-). Thanks for the ideas, Ms. Walters (or wait, that's me :-$ ).

[Matn]

I'm going to have this problem too. In my city there will be three (or more) parts. In the right there will be a City display. In the middle the forest with in the center of the forest Castle and Harry Potter and left there will be a Western, Adventurers and Indie display. And one the right (or on both) sides a sea for any kind of boates.

And on a apart bench on the will there will be my display of space and SW. And now I want even more my attick. C'mon, rebuild it! :p Only a few months to go, or longer.

[Axle]

Well, this works for two or three themes, display one theme on a window sil(My ones huge and fits a Black sease Barracuda and small piratey town),one on a table and another on another table.

[WesternOutlaw]

I knew someone would have the same issue.

[Hobbes]

Actually I have a mixed layout in mind. I grew up the same way you did, mixing everything I had (which wasn't that much, mostly Castle and 4.5V Train). And today I collect all of the classic themes just because I like them.

And thus I want to set up a "Time Travel Layout".

The main part is a present day city/town, with sets mostly from the 80s and 90s and similar MOCs/MODs. This city includes a container harbor with adjacent container terminal for trains, a marina, big train station, off shore rig, research vessel with under water research facility, airport, shuttle port for the research facility on the moon (i.e. Classic Space), and everything else the 80s and early 90s offered. Trains would include the 7740 as the inter city train and other 80s and 90s favorites. Track is 12V for cargo trains (because of 7760) and 9V for passenger trains.

From this city a passenger train (the Santa Fe) would travel through time once a week.

After leaving Present Day it would arrive in the 70s, comprised by a few sets from that time for the passengers to admire.

From there it's onward to the 1930s/40s, or Indy's and Johnny Thunder's time. Here passengers can use the time during the stop to go on a short bi-plane flight (not included in the ticket).

Next the train would arrive in the Wild West, the gate of Fort Legoredo acting as some sort of gateway through time. BM's Legoredo Station would be the perfect station. A drink at the local saloon is included with the ticket, so are two chips for a poker game.

After the Wild West come Pirates Times, passing ITP and Eldorado Fortress. Passengers optionally can purchase a guided tour through the mysterious lagoons.

From there the train continues through the medieval ages, passing a few old castles and medieval villages. After a snack in the village pub (included in the ticket) the journey goes back home.

I just lack the room at the moment...

[WesternOutlaw]

And thus I want to set up a "Time Travel Layout".

Back to the Future. Excellent idea. A combination of the Disneyland Classic Railroad concept and the Time Machine. I love it! :-D

Well, this works for two or three themes, display one theme on a window sil(My ones huge and fits a Black sease Barracuda and small piratey town),one on a table and another on another table.

Direct sun on Lego. Not a good idea at all. I keep my Lego in dim light to prevent yellowing and other sun damage. You're idea works if you live in Seattle; but if not, I'm thinking yellow brittle sails and dirty white Storm Troopers. Not good at all.

[Minifig Lecturer]

I usually separate City from e.g Castle by using some nature display inbetween, i.e. a forest or woodland. If you have enough bricks to add some kind of small mountain to hide the two different themes from each other it can look good. To some extent it is like the Time Travel approach Hobbes mentions but probably more like a Lost World. I've also used sea to separate the themes.

[WesternOutlaw]

I usually separate City from e.g Castle by using some nature display inbetween, i.e. a forest or woodland.

The Camouflaged Wall approach. Very good idea. I had never thought of doing this, but I like it. Some mountains or forest, excellent!

[Axle]

Direct sun on Lego. Not a good idea at all. I keep my Lego in dim light to prevent yellowing and other sun damage. You're idea works if you live in Seattle; but if not, I'm thinking yellow brittle sails and dirty white Storm Troopers. Not good at all.

When you live in Ireland you don't get much sun :-( .But you don't get yellowin'!

I'll probably put them somewhere else if we get sunlight. IF.

Edited January 21, 2008 by Axle

[Minifig Lecturer]

If you made your city look more like a middle east or Eastern style city you might be able to assimilate the adventurers minifigs and pieces easier :)

The yellow Castle in the centre of the city looks good in my opinion. Many cities grew up around the defensive walls of a castle so it is realistic. Not sure about the yellow colour though :) You can also integrate castle soldiers as old-style troops are used in many nations to guard historical buildings, eg beefeaters in Tower of London, Swiss Guards etc etc..

I used these two techniques (nature i.e. Sea and Castle theme used to represent the city's old town walls) in the past which are shown in this pic:

The Camouflaged Wall approach. Very good idea. I had never thought of doing this, but I like it. Some mountains or forest, excellent!

I have ordered a pile of the "<insert that tiresome argument>" mountain/rock pieces to make such a mountain. I'm not sure if I will use it for separating Castle from Town, but I'm playing with this idea. I will post a pic if I ever get anywhere with it.

[steelharbingerofdeath]

well my city is built in the post apocalyptic north and my backstory is a huge city came under attack and a force from space known to them as the protectors, came and surrounded as much of the city as they could, with sheild walls. but really they were the heralds of the harbinger under my control and used the humans to create starships from the nearby ore rich mountainy region. that will explain the mix of real cars etc. and spacecraft. as for indy- aging vehicles?

steel...

[Norro]

I don't display, so haven't encountered the problem. But the two most common Lugnet solutions from yesteryear were mountain divides and theme parks with the odd ride to indicate the fact...

God Bless,

Nathan

[Batbrick]

Um, not sure if this helps, but I just display my themes in a separate cupboard space, I think it works pretty well, here is one wall:

Just excuse my clothes and rubbish everywhere :-$

I think its rather effective though.

However, I think if it is a table display, then maybe different areas are the way to go. Don't care about "mixing", because mixing the themes, like City blending into Wild West, gives it a very otherworldly, lego feel :-)

Batbrick Away! >:-)

[WesternOutlaw]

Um, not sure if this helps, but I just display my themes in a separate cupboard space, I think it works pretty well, here is one wall:

Great display. I could do something similar with my bookshelves, although I'd have no place to put my books and other items. :-/

Perplexing dillema...

Oh, BTW: the pictures I shared above are sets that are stored away in the garage. The only sets that I have built right now is the Indie collection. I want to break out the City sets again (thanks to Lego's new City collection).

[Batbrick]

Great display. I could do something similar with my bookshelves, although I'd have no place to put my books and other items. :-/

Perplexing dillema...

Oh, BTW: the pictures I shared above are sets that are stored away in the garage. The only sets that I have built right now is the Indie collection. I want to break out the City sets again (thanks to Lego's new City collection).

Thankyou. If it is mainly City to be focused on, then I wouldn't go cupboards. Cupboards take up far less space and look good, but City needs to be on a large flat surface, or else it just ends up being a bit of a mess.

Depends on what you want really, Dr.S's great Tabletown has many strange happenings and citizens, you could go down that route and include the Batmobile and Indy cars. However, if you want a more orderly City, then perhaps you could put your collections in shelves, and have city on display, or mix the themes evenly like other members have suggested :-) .

Batbrick is Back! >:-)

[Athos]

I wonder if you made little displays from each theme (i.e. Adventurers, Castle, Space, Star Wars, Town, etc.) and then separated them with walls of burps. Kind of like how the train ride at Disneyland was done, with the train travelling through the tunnels to visit various scenes.

Steve

[iamded]

My solution is simple, only collect Castle! :-P Then again I have to seperate the different Castle themes. X-D I don't have a table town, but a 3 layered shelf and a table that connects to just about the right height of the bottom shelf of the shelves. SO I have 1 long display, and 2 displays half the size, so that really doesn't help you. 8-| You could intergrate Indy in easy enough. You can use the toll booth in the city, the motorcycles too, as they're modern enough. The temple could be an ancient ruin, or and archaeological site. The 2 vehicles could be in a garage somewhere, or in a war museum. Or just on a display in the middles of town, with a small fence around it and cover on top, as a vintage car display. Adventurers could be, well, it really depends what type of Adventurers. If it's the desert ones, then an archaeological dig site could work, same with the Indy temple. If it's the jungle ones you could have them hidden in the jungle, like ancient ruins. And, hm, lets just hope you don't have any dino Adventurers. X-D

Okay, where are we up to now, ah, Castle. They could be medieval ruins, or a medieval museum. Space could be... in a separate area that's actually on the moon?

My suggestions. *sweet*

~Peace

[simonwillems]

Tough problem this is.

I once made a large filmset: that was a great way to include adventurers and Western sets in a modern town, just put some camera's, lights and Steven Spielburg on his little seat somewhere and close down some streets using police barriers. Then an Indiana Jones scene can take place without any strange effect.

It worked out pretty well back then...

I also included a large castle ruin in my town once, made a snackbar inside and put some signs here and there to make it a tourist attraction.

Good luck!

[SirNadroj]

Perhaps have subtle bounderies that blend in to eachother, or put similiar themes next to eachother. :-)

[wulf]

I have the same problem!I have two sections Town-Castle and combine the two with a train,and the rest of my themes like (exo-force or space etc)sitting on a shelf but I would like my castle to be in there own time line(1600-1700)and not a tourist destination.

[brickzone]

I don't have enough space to display all that I have built up, but I generally keep City and Castle apart on separate surfaces. I currently have a table-sized area arranged from Lego S@H DHL packaging boxes, a set of shelves for models to sit on for display on their own, and a counter area along one wall that has to serve as my building area too.

Hah, yes, there wasn't much chance of Lego yellowing due to sunlight here in Ireland this year. It seemed like it rained solidly from May to September. That said, I wouldn't keep Lego on the windowsill, cause despite the jokes, we do get sunshine from time to time, and the ambient light wouldn't be great for the Lego either.

Some of the sets I have plans for (as part of a display or for amending) are actually packaged away, for example I have a cupboard full of spaceship sets that will come out when I put away some other Lego (City or Castle) and build a space port.

[WesternOutlaw]

What I'm gathering from many of you is the idea of creating a divider between displays. I really like this concept, esp, with a train going through the different theme displays. Great idea! *y*

I also included a large castle ruin in my town once, made a snackbar inside and put some signs here and there to make it a tourist attraction.

Very creative idea SW. I like how you did that.

[Athos]

What I'm gathering from many of you is the idea of creating a divider between displays. I really like this concept, esp, with a train going through the different theme displays. Great idea! *y*

Thanks! X-D

Steve