TLC Lego Designers

[xenologer]

I was just thinking, that with for example, Hotwheels diecast cars, more serious collectors know the designer's by name and can even recognize their products by the styles used.

We don't really have that kind of thing here with Lego sets do we?

Ever see two sets and say, 'those have to have been designed by the same guy'?

It might be kinda cool to know who designs sets and their various styles and techniques (if any)..

[Lost Viking]

Well most sets (and series) are usually created by groups of people and a lot of times the designers move from project to project. I met one who was working on Dino Attack (before it sucked) and now she is working on Duplo, so you really can never know :-) .

[Freddie]

Here are two.

Alright, Brick Star, a.ka. Kristi Klein is a Legoland Model Builder in California, and not one of those who designs sets. Nonetheless, it's a very interesting blog which is more regularily updated than Jamie's, but Jamie is probably one of the better known designers (the only one?). He created several of this year's early Creator sets, and even reveals who designed the alternitves for each of them.

[Minifig Lecturer]

If I knew the current ones, I think I'd shoot them.

Metaphorically speaking anyway.

[xenologer]

If I knew the current ones,...

Or at least send them comments/compliments/impressions.

That would be cool now.. if the designers were well known enough in the community that they could hear what people want directly...

[Brick Miner]

If I knew the current ones, I think I'd shoot them.

now, i admit to not knowing much about the process of LEGO set and theme design. but id be willing to bet their preliminary models and drawings run through several focus groups, before being accepted for production.

for example, my good friend draws the current bionicle comic (ignition), and his art passes though two focus groups ( based on age). one younger age group (child) and a second (pre-teen). i bet, like his art, new themes and/or set designs must get an ok from focus groups similar to the bionicle comic panels.

you might want to look at blaming focus group marketing stratagies for faults in LEGOs current products.

but then again, maybe they aren't offering much to choose from in the focus groups :-D

just a thought - BrickMiner

[Lost Viking]

Yep, the designers actually do great jobs on the preliminary sets, for example, in the original Dino Attack sets the Dinosaurs were originally brick built.

[phoinix]

Yep, the designers actually do great jobs on the preliminary sets, for example, in the original Dino Attack sets the Dinosaurs were originally brick built.

really?? do you have pictures of those?

as one of the designers says in his blogs the preliminary products do pass through focus groups

so lets blame the children of those groups for the designs we are getting!! :-P

[Chuck]

really?? do you have pictures of those?

as one of the designers says in his blogs the preliminary products do pass through focus groups

so lets blame the children of those groups for the designs we are getting!! :-P

Todays sugar-wridden children love to see things shot out of cannons repeatedly, ala Exo-Force and LoM2!

-l2k-

[Asuka]

you might want to look at blaming focus group marketing stratagies for faults in LEGOs current products.

but then again, maybe they aren't offering much to choose from in the focus groups :-D

just a thought - BrickMiner

That

[Norro]

you might want to look at blaming focus group marketing stratagies for faults in LEGOs current products.

but then again, maybe they aren't offering much to choose from in the focus groups :-D

For example when a massive pile of recently destroyed SW sets were dumped in front of said focus group and they were asked why they couldn't enjoy them once the model was gone... They replied that the material was too specific and all they had were SW accessories, also the pile was overwhelmingly grey... Result: one positive, bright coloured creator with multiple instructions, one world-ending negative as the interviewer latched onto the word 'grey' and decided that rather than changing the set composition, it would be better to change the shade, because a huge pile of luminous bluish grey is so much more inspiring...

rant over...

God Bless,

Nathan (who has often pictured and lamented this conversation taking place within TLC)...

[Brick Miner]

For example when a massive pile of recently destroyed SW sets were dumped in front of said focus group and they were asked why they couldn't enjoy them once the model was gone... They replied that the material was too specific and all they had were SW accessories, also the pile was overwhelmingly grey... Result: one positive, bright coloured creator with multiple instructions, one world-ending negative as the interviewer latched onto the word 'grey' and decided that rather than changing the set composition, it would be better to change the shade, because a huge pile of luminous bluish grey is so much more inspiring...

:-D your sense of humor is impeccable !!!

though, it brings up and interesting point... what ever happened to alternate models on the back of boxes ???

- BrickMiner

[ellerb]

:-D your sense of humor is impeccable !!!

though, it brings up and interesting point... what ever happened to alternate models on the back of boxes ???

- BrickMiner

The time it takes to design new sets was decreased drastically. Some sets still have alternate models. Creator sets, some of the best that LEGO makes, still have atleast 3 models. I think that all sets should have alternates. Building other creations from a set is what LEGO is about.

Ben Ellermann

LEGO Ambassador

[Minifig Lecturer]

For example when a massive pile of recently destroyed SW sets were dumped in front of said focus group and they were asked why they couldn't enjoy them once the model was gone... They replied that the material was too specific and all they had were SW accessories, also the pile was overwhelmingly grey... Result: one positive, bright coloured creator with multiple instructions, one world-ending negative as the interviewer latched onto the word 'grey' and decided that rather than changing the set composition, it would be better to change the shade, because a huge pile of luminous bluish grey is so much more inspiring...

rant over...

God Bless,

Nathan (who has often pictured and lamented this conversation taking place within TLC)...

I like grey.

[Capn Frank]

For example when a massive pile of recently destroyed SW sets were dumped in front of said focus group and they were asked why they couldn't enjoy them once the model was gone... They replied that the material was too specific and all they had were SW accessories, also the pile was overwhelmingly grey... Result: one positive, bright coloured creator with multiple instructions, one world-ending negative as the interviewer latched onto the word 'grey' and decided that rather than changing the set composition, it would be better to change the shade, because a huge pile of luminous bluish grey is so much more inspiring...

rant over...

God Bless,

Nathan (who has often pictured and lamented this conversation taking place within TLC)...

i miss grey 8-| .

If that's how we really got to bley, that's a really sad and stupid move for lego. :-|

Though it explains why the new xwing was white instead of grey.