Ayrlego

There is some great advice here already! I should point out that I don't consider myself a very good builder - if anything I'm still very much in what I call 'Stage One - Imitation"! I generally have an idea of what I would like to build, then look for similar examples from better builders than myself for inspiration and to 'borrow' ideas and techniques. Only recently have I started dabbling in 'Stage Two' which I consider looking at real-life examples and starting to try and replicate them in Lego. I am certainly not at skilled as the other two builders you mention in the first post! If it makes you feel better, I frequently get frustrated and am disappointed at the final result of a MOC when it does not match the expectations in my head. This is really good advice - we do this for fun, the minute it starts to become too stressful, take a step back and take a break. As for advice, @Slegengr probably sums up a lot of my opinions above, and is one of the builders I take inspiration from (he has some awesome tree tutorials on flickr that I am very much going to try out!). Nonetheless, here some of my opinions that I have formed in the (short) time I have been in the community. 1. Imitate builders you admire So as I said before and like many here have already said, start with imitation and smaller builds. Find a build or technique you like and just try and imitate it. It doesn't have to be for publishing, just as a learning process. Here is one of the very first builds I did - a direct copy of a @Mark of Falworth build that I loved. (LoR) A Safe Return. by Mark E., on Flickr - my version Also look for tutorials and tips - also peoples WIP shots or build logs are really useful in seeing how they constructed the buildings. A great resource for this is Brickbuilt 2. Seek Feedback Some of the most useful learning experiences I have had have been collaboration builds where a group of us get together and post WIP pictures in private and bounce ideas back and forth - two heads are always better than one! One of my favourite builds is the result of a collaboration and I got some great advice from @Bregir and @Elostirion If you like, why don't we collaborate on your next BoBS build? PM me and we can plan something out - maybe get a couple of others involved as well! As for ships, I'm terrible at ships - mine are mostly variations of @Captain Green Hair's Build a Frigate tutorial. The BoBS Shipwrights Guild is a great place for feedback from those I consider to be really good ship builders! 3 Presentation I think the thing that may set some of my builds apart from other similar size and quality builds is the presentation. I believe quality, clean photos are really important and if you want to enhance your MOC to a higher level, you need to invest some time and effort into your photography setup. The Review academy here on Eurobricks has a really good section on photography as well as some example setups. Also post production editing - don't overdo it, but I'd recommend removing the background in a photoshop type program and playing with the white balance if required. Anyway hope that was of some use - keep plugging away at it, you'll be amazed at how quickly you improve sometimes without even realising it!

A pottery workshop has been licensed as a small artisan supporting the needs of the settlement.

The plan for Port Woodhouse began with it being a primarily military settlement, however a range of craftsmen, trades people, farmers and their families have naturally followed the military to make a living providing for the soldiers and sailors needs. Indeed it is only now, months after initial settlement that the authorities are beginning to realise just what an important position the settlement holds. Rumour has it that Colonel Allcock, Colonial Governor for the Paradise Isles will move the seat of the Governorship from Jameston to Port Woodhouse! One example of some enterprising craftsmen who have set up in Port Woodhouse are the Elliot twins. Both potters by trade, they have set up a small workshop that produces quality cups and mugs for the use of the garrison and Royal Navy vessels that stop by the developing port. Benjamin takes a load of mugs out of the kiln, while his sister Doris shapes raw clay on their pottery wheel. ---- Just a quick build that I've actually had about ninety percent complete for a couple of months. I finally had the time this morning to pull it off the shelf and finish. Licensed as a small artesian in Port Woodhouse.

That is one dashing looking highwayman! Nice selection of coaches as well. I look forward to seeing where the story goes!

Thank you all for the comments! Without the pressure of a deadline we'll continue to expand the city. If anyone feels like trying their hand at some meso-American themed builds, feel free to place them in Myzectlan... hmmm maybe a mini-challenge is in order? It's possible... who knows? Nice pick up and yes, Zia's name comes from 'The mysterious cities of gold'. The 80's version is pretty much the first television show I remember ever watching...! It came on just before dinner when I was probably around 4 or 5.

@Phred/ @Captain Genaro I just licensed a property in the new settlement of Myzectlan. Let me know if you need anything else. Thanks!

Colonel Allcock, Governor of the Paradise Isles, is pleased to announce the following new settlements and maps for his domain. Settlements: Port Woodhouse, Garma's Key. Jameston, Celestia Myzectlan, Cascadia Maps: Garma's Key Celestia Cascadia Long Live the Queen!

Name: Myzectlan Ownership: The Crown of Corrington (A semi-autonomous city of the Myzec) Location: The hidden valley of the Myzec, Cascadia, Paradise Isles Map: Mayor: Trade Value: See account spreadsheet Town Bank: See account spreadsheet Who can own property in Myzectlan: Anyone Who can freebuild in Myzectlan: Anyone Description: Myzectlan is an ancient city located in a hidden valley deep in the interior of Cascadia. Home to the Myzec people, legend has it the city was cut off from it's parent civilisation hundreds of years ago. Over time, the Myzec have lost the advanced building techniques of their fore-bearers and the city is now an eclectic mixture of the older style stone buildings and newer repairs in wood or mud bricks. The Myzec primarily farm maize, sweet potato and beans in 'floating island' plots or chinampas on Lake Myzec. The meat in their diet includes fish and water fowl and dugout canoes are used to transverse the lake. Very few mammals are farmed in the Myzec valley although there are some pigs and goats. They weave cloth from goat wool and produce leather from animal hides hunted outside the valley. A basket ball type game is a very popular recreational activity. The Myzec are a matriarchal society where most positions of authority are held by women. They are a well developed and organised society and practice a dualistic region where they strive to balance the eagle, which symbolises peace, wisdom and order; and the jaguar, which symbolises ferocity, war and chaos. Original Information: Builds in Myzectlan Please help us out by posting your a link to your Myzectlan builds in this thread. Licensee is listed after the type of licence. Properties: 42/61 Size for EGS purposes - Level 4 'Large Town' Required for Level 8 'City' 19 properties including at least x4 artisans, x1 commerce, x4 factories, x4 residences, x1 education and one Royal. Residences: 4 Myzec House, medium residence, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+2 settlement size) Stone House, medium residence, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+2 settlement size) Factories: 4 Boat Yard, medium factory, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+2 settlement size) Dye Factory, medium factory, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+2 settlement size) Artisans: 4 Community Kitchen, small artisan, Darnok (+1 settlement size) Macuahuitl Craftsman, small artisan, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+1 settlement size) Amanteca Workshop, medium artisan, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+2 settlement size) Commerce: 7 Through the Falls, large commerce, Silentwolf (+3 settlement size) Levanta, small commerce, Myzectlan (via Elostirion) (+1 settlement size) Myzectlan Market, small commerce, Myzectlan (via TomSkippy) (+1 settlement size) Agricultural Market, medium commerce, Wellesley (+2 settlement size) Art and Culture: 14 Tikal Temple, large culture, Ayrlego (+3 settlement size) Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Golden Eagle, large culture, Bregir (+3 settlement size) Temple of the Feline Gods, large culture, Elostirion (+3 settlement size) Throne Room, medium culture, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+2 settlement size) Pyramid Ruins Southern Cascadia, medium culture, Myzectlan (via Elostirion) (+2 settlement size) Snake Temple, small art and culture, Wellesley, (+1 settlement size) Educational: 2 Moon Tower, medium education, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+2 settlement size) Plantations: 5 Corn plantation, small plantation, Bregir (+1 settlement size) Maize and Waterfowl on Lake Myzec, small plantation, Myzectlan (via Elostirion) (+1 settlement size) Poinsettia Plantation, small plantation, Myzectlan (via Ayrlego) (+1 settlement size) Egg poaching, small plantation, Myzectlan (via Ross Fisher) (+1 settlement size) Chinampa on Lake Myzec, small plantation, Corrington (via Ayrlego) (+1 settlement size) Mines: Forts: 2 Jaguar Tower, small fort, Ayrlego (+1 settlement size) Watchtower on Lake Myzec, small fort, Myzectlan (+1 settlement size) Troops: Other Builds: Waterfall in the Jungles of Cascadia, Elostirion Southern Cascadia, Elostirion Patrolling the Grasslands, Ayrlego

Thank you for the comments all. A few quick points, @Bregir, @Professor Thaum and @Brandon Stark The candles are actually copied from @Garmadon - you can see them in this build here: Corrington Fortress by Robert4168/Garmadon, on Flickr What I meant is that it was very difficult to come up with a scenario where you could build for Mardier (as I feel we needed to at least make you guys work for your victory! ) but your main character doesn't openly assist them. For a pro-Eslandolan build all you needed to show was Mardier not getting the gold - so easy to come up with a story that doesn't directly support Eslandola, yet counts for their side. Not so with Marider, as you have to show Mardier directly benefiting, which is difficult to do if you want to involve your main character and yet still maintain your factions neutrality. Hope that makes sense - also definitely no ill will towards Eslandola (my CatA entry was pro-Eslandolan!) but like I said I feel you guys with your legions of talented builders needed to actually have a sense of challenge!

Love the scene Garmadon, especially the transition from wall to windows (those windows are great!). I really think the height of the ceiling adds to the atmosphere of the build, and I like the way you used the half-arches to add to the grand feel. A very tidy little MOC that looks great - well done!

I love the use of the all-Lego scenes for story telling, and yours here are really good. Great posing and photography and I appreciate they are all the same size (I know that can be trying sometimes!). Nice story and I look forward to reading the next part.

Wow, great collaboration guys! I think that by concentrating on one build each you've been able to bring a quality to each build that is sometimes missed by trying to do three each. The tavern is really well done. Great palate for the colours and loads of good little details. The mini-fig choices are really good as well. The pyramid is everything I would have liked mine to be... The overgrown feel is really captured and the variety of vegetation really adds to this feel as does the use of the dark and olive green on the building itself. The details such as the microfigs complete the look! The Mardierian soldiers are also an elegant solution to a tricky colour choice. The fort is a great shape, the rounded bastions at the corners especially. The dark red looks really good, so many dark red masonry bricks!!! The gallows add a rather ominous touch - especially for those poor Eslandolan pirate prisoners! Overall top quality MOCs with a great story - I think we may possibly have a winner here!

As others have said, that pyramid is truly amazing, the sheer size of it... and it's gold! As much as it pains me to say it however, I think the best way for it to be build with real bricks would be to use any colours and spray gold when finished! Surely that many real gold bricks don't exist, and if they did would anyone be able to afford them! Seriously though, I like the way you used a SNOT technique for sloping the sides of the pyramid up, I like it looks much better than simple stepping them up like I did and probably allows for a much bigger structure (if building in real bricks). Overall great entry KB!

Really nice entry Faladrin. The first build is great with all that lava, and of course your native headgear is always well executed! In the second build the Mardierian soldiers look very good - nice choice of orange torso. The highlight of this build for me however in both the second and third builds is the yellow strip in the wall, it really accentuates that meso-American type feel. All over a great entry!

lol, the military is the same world over! Down here it's known as the 'bath tub' method.

ah, apologies, I hadn't made it to that one yet!

@Gideon posted an entry for cat E on flickr last week, I assume something came up and he wasn't able to post here (or at least I haven't seen it). I'd like to petition that it be included as well, as it is (like all his work) simply stunning. Jungle temple by Jonas Wide ('Gideon'), on Flickr

They came out really nice Bregir, especially the waterfall and our first glimpse of Dr Brickingstone! The fire is very nicely done as well. Pity we didn't get to finish, but I look forward to continuing to develop the Lost City with you!

Usually I'd wait for the story before commenting, but in case I don't get time I wanted to say that is a lovely little tavern. The texture of the brick work looks very, very good. I shall probably steal borrow it at some stage!

Very original story and quite amusing as well! Lovely presented builds as well - great work!

Great scenes and nice Indiana Jones reference. The Eslandola Jones minifig is my favourite - so perfect for a 1600's Indiana Jones! The last scene with the soldiers turned to gold is a nice touch as well - great work!

Wow the waterfall really turned out great Silentwolf, as did the tunnels and caves. Great job!

Well the city didn't contain the large amount of gold rumoured, or if it does, it belongs to the natives and Corrington will surely not seize it! Dirk however in Part One did have to pay a confidential (yet rumoured to be significantly large) amount of gold to Mardier for the map... So by stopping potential Eslandolan plunderers, and by paying Mardier for the map (funds which will surely go towards their war effort), this entry is for Mardier.

The Lady Jacqueline - Formally Class 5F now possibly a Class 4??? The Alexander Keith (ex-Alejandro de Vargas) - Formally Class 5T now... well I guess a Class 6 as she is the example at the top of the page! HMS Royal Oak (ex-Black Oak) - Not licensed as I was waiting on the new ship classes. I think she would be a Class... actually I have no idea hence why I've listed her here for review. I won't licence straight away as I want to fix her up a bit (especially the rigging) and re-photograph.

Ayrlego - Category E: The Lost City [FOR MARDIER] Part One - The Map (16x16) Part Two - Venturing up River (32x32) Part Three - Returning the Golden Seal (unrestricted)