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DeanLearner

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Everything posted by DeanLearner

  1. DeanLearner
    Detectives office also have coloured-semitransparent bricks, but not in a pattern. Probably the closest to what you might be thinking is Brick Bank, which has an ornate print on large door glass panes.
  2. DeanLearner
    I’m slightly wary of speculating about the next modular now, with nearly a year still to fill! However, assuming it will be 1.5 baseplates wide, my preference would be for some combination of smaller buildings (as in AS) as single large buildings (TH, NHM) often end up being both repetitive and underwhelming. A tower block of any sort is extremely unlikely, and the Marvel sets that have done something similar are pretty boring from an architectural point of view. I would love to see a post office included, especially after Denmark recently closed its last remaining post offices. A printing press would also be great, in terms of fitting with the era and enabling some cool mini-builds (and new tile prints). A third building with a retro toy shop (or sweet shop) would be a perfect accompaniment for me.
  3. DeanLearner
    While going back through designer interviews with the major outlets to mark previous modular releases, I re-read Anderson Ward Grubb’s 2022 interview for the release of the Jazz Club, in which it sounds very clearly like the concept for Shopping Street had been around for a number of years. https://brickset.com/article/86726/interview-with-anderson-ward-grubb-designer-of-10312-jazz-club “Actually, it did not start out as a start out as a jazz club, although a music hall was something we talked about doing. We hadn't thought it through much more than that, but no thoughts about the size of the building or what that would look like. When I first started doing some sketches for it, we were exploring things like a shopping street, where the layout might have been completely different with an aisle down the middle. That wasn't really working for us, partly because we were trying to fit too many things into a space and physically getting your hands into one building, fitting in a street and a second building was a little too much.” *** It’s kind of telling that years later, they never came up with a better set name than that placeholder.
  4. DeanLearner
    Thanks for the link - that was really interesting. Curious that it wasn’t on the website, or linked through any of the other LAN-issued press releases. Definitely gives the impression of a rearguard publicity campaign after the decidedly mixed initial response. Good to also get a few more glimpsed insights into the design process too, though I remain firmly of the position (alongside several other posters) that the set felt like it lacked sufficient Beta testing. I don’t have time for a full rundown of my thoughts, but the video added some additional perspective to several of my concerns with Shopping Street. 1. In a number of interviews/videos Dang Hoang has emphasised the importance of the alleyway within the design (including his personal reasons), however the set itself seems to do everything it can to conceal the alleyway, such that it is barely even noticeable from most angles. I agree that it could have been a cool idea, but could have done with more architectural features to highlight its existence, and something far more interesting at the far end to draw you in or provide a better story hook than a leaking sewer. 2. The intended style of architecture was not remotely clear from the initial press releases, though from the combination of the smooth facade and curved windows of the music shop, I assumed that they were going for something like the Art Nouveau/Jugendstil style seen in the Norwegian town of Alesund. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jugendstilsenteret Instead, the latest video directly states that Copenhagen was the inspiration for the architecture, though the buildings shown in the video are all of a more decorative style (which fits less with the very smooth facade of the round turret). Either way it was interesting that both the inspiration photos, and Dang’s early sketches all show the left hand building with a conical turret, rather than a rounded dome, which I think would have been a massive improvement, and far more architecturally coherent. Interestingly the 2024 Friends Castle B&B set https://brickset.com/sets/42638-1/Castle-Bed-and-Breakfast did a great job of capturing this style, albeit with single large pieces for the turrets, which the Modular designers may have been keen to avoid. Regardless of all of this, I still consider the roof on the music shop to be extremely ugly, with the large hoops across the roofline looking both unfinished and way out of keeping with the rest of the style. Given the previous instances of great part usage in Modulars (e.g. Unikitty tails in DO), this just feels like such a mess. 3. I still dislike the colour blocking. After the master class of TC, and some previous great examples (PS stands out for me), both of which made interesting use of colour that still adhered to the principles of colour theory, this feels extremely uninspired and generic. Comparisons with https://brickset.com/sets/31036-1/Toy-Grocery-Shop are hardly unfair. 4. The thematic content is weirdly depressing. If the inspiration was Danish (and repetition of business from AS wasn’t considered a problem), then a bakery and coffee shop would have far more redolent of the location. Or even a statue of a mermaid (the cat is inexplicable, unless it died heroically fighting rats). Either way, I’m staggered that the designers thought that it was a good idea to combine rodent infestation, a crumbling structure, and a business forced to not only discount, but actually throw away its unsold products. Hardly the sort of thing likely to produce a cosy sense of wellbeing among its customers - would be more cheering to read a newspaper! *** Ultimately, I like the idea of designers bringing in their own life experiences and knowledge, but I would have much preferred Dang to have built something in a style of vernacular architecture he was more familiar with. The Ninjago City series has shown how amazing sets with a (loosely) Japanese style of architecture can be. It would have been great to see something of Vietnamese architecture, especially given its fusion with a French Colonial style. Instead, we end up with something too close to the clumsy pastiche of the French Cafe https://brickset.com/sets/10362-1/French-Café which unfortunately looks like a bad AI approximation of Art Nouveau. Ive not yet decided whether I will buy the set. I’m still holding out on NHM, and so haven’t yet skipped a modular in over 10 years, but seriously considering missing this one. If I do buy it, then it will only be to do some serious Mods, like I did with PC, AS, BH, and JC before.
  5. DeanLearner
    Maybe that’s just my perspective, but it feels like while Lego have massively expanded their “Adults Welcome” offering over recent years, the flagship status of the annual Modular (and arguably Winter Village) releases has faded, even just in terms of the associated publicity campaign. I could well be completely off the mark there, but it does feel like a shame, given that I think the Modular series sits in a sweet spot between the sets you play with as a kid, and what you can afford as an adult, arguably also does more to encourage repeat custom than some of the standalone 4000+ piece sets.
  6. DeanLearner
    Still, it really does feel like the Modular series is rapidly falling in the order of priorities for both LEGO and the association LAN (or whatever it’s called these days). I’ll await to see more of the set before further assessment, but there is a lot about SS that feels like it missed a Beta testing phase, and it feels like a far cry from a Modular building being the “reward” for years of proven service and accomplished set design. I think it’s notable (with TC maybe being the exception) that most of the highest-regarded Modulars have been designed by more experienced designers. For a whole host of reasons, too much of SS feels like middling Rebrickable MOC.
  7. DeanLearner
    Does seem odd, given that Brickset have continued to put out other reviews. Nothing up when I just rechecked, but I’m definitely keen to see the review from Brick Architect. I’m interested to see their take on what feels like a bit of an architectural mish-mash, particularly the building on the left, which has some weirdly pseudo art-nouveau flourishes, but which feel more like a lack of alternative ideas, given the inconsistent style seen elsewhere in the building.
  8. DeanLearner
    Snap! Yes I’d like to make a separate Science and Technology museum that somehow incorporated Classic Space colours without looking wildly out of place from the rest of the era of the rest of the modular series (maybe vaguely Bauhaus inspired). I’ve got various bits from 21302 (Big Bang Theory), 21312 (Women of NASA), and 60077 (Space starter set), plus a few others to fill out the exhibits. No idea when I might have a chance to do this though, or how I’d find the space for it though! Mainly focussing on modding existing modulars when I do have the chance.
  9. DeanLearner
    I like the sound of this! From my perspective I think the biggest reason why NHM has been a bit underwhelming (based on pictures/initial reviews) is that it feels a little too sparse inside. Although there were aspects I didn’t quite like, what was so fun about AS was the density of interest, both in terms of building detail and Easter Eggs from prior modulars. While the exterior of NHM was bound to be fairly plain (and if anything I think they’ve overdone it - the statues add little); what I think it needed was a far more densely filled interior. Not a modular, but the Old Fishing Store had such a wow-factor because of how packed it was. I wouldn’t have wanted something that busy in NHM, but could imagine how much fun it would have been if they had maybe narrowed down the theme (E.g. removing the science stuff) and made it more a “Lego history museum” full of references to old historic themes. I’ve been collecting historical minifigures for years (mostly CMFs) and plan to try to include some sort of waxworks figures/diorama section.
  10. DeanLearner
    Thanks for the link. I really like Brick Architect; I think Tom generally has some of the most insightful analysis of sets. Really interesting to see some of the precursor designs. I like the shapes in the design above, though you can see how the Neo Classical look isn’t really the best fit for a jazz club. Interesting that olive green was recurring part of the initial designs, and that the medium azure was a later addition. I’m a little bit sad that they didn’t follow through on the neon sign though. Could have looked stunning in something like trans dark pink (or even better if Lego still did some of the fluorescent trans colours).
  11. DeanLearner
    Here are some Studio renders of some mods to the Jazz Club. The first shot is obviously the original version, for comparison. The main changes are: - Medium blue for the ground floor of the club - Colour swaps for the facade of the pizzeria (plus addition of a shop sign) - Additional navy for the club signage - Variation of 1x1 tile colours to give a more authentic/random look of rusticated brick - Decluttering of the street front, with the table moved to the pizzeria roof I also made up an alternative with sand green for the club ground floor. I thought I might prefer this (with the club then also mirroring the colours of the Italian flag), but am not as taken with it as I’d expected.
  12. DeanLearner
    Great work, thanks! I’m assuming all the furniture should fit in the van, but it looks incredibly tight. Did the Studio build make that any clearer?
  13. DeanLearner
    Oooo just seen the leaked photos. That is actually quite nice.
  14. DeanLearner
    Huh - how does that serve as a tie-in or incentive to buy the Jazz Club? Unless it’s a simultaneous Home Alone tie in, and includes a band (with John Candy) in the back.
  15. DeanLearner
    Currently part way through building the set in Stud.io: The colours never come out perfectly, but this is the ground floor of the club in medium blue. I have also swapped out some of the black in the sign for navy (according to part availability). I’ve made some colour swaps for the pizzeria to more faithfully match the sort of neo-classical style, and exchange some of the black for lighter/warmer colours. There are two variations of the pizzeria, one with the original white trim around the windows, one with it in the pale yellow. I was worried that two much white would make it look a little too all-white when the side wall is covered up, but I think design is a little too plain when it’s all in yellow.
  16. DeanLearner
    I agree the Jazz Club looks good, though may be a bit repetitive depending on which other buildings you place it alongside. Not a fan of the grey pizzeria but I am planning to do the same with the columns in white. Judt out of curiously, given how many bricks you’re going to have to replace, will you buy the original set or just BrickLink the whole thing?
  17. DeanLearner
    Yeah I think that Police Station is actually even one modular that looks pretty good next to Downtown diner (on the newspaper vendor side), as the recessed facade allows the white section of DD to look suitably prominent. At least that’s what I’m hoping! DD is still sat in my attic, waiting to be built.
  18. DeanLearner
    Got to say I disagree with your conclusion there. A central part of the charm of the modular series is the ability to immediately chain together several of the sets together to give a detailed and eclectic, but also coherent, street scene. While I’m sure there will be some who display modulars individually, I expect that most would (means allowing) want to place several modulars together. On that basis, I think we’ve tended to see some revisionism in people’s opinions of modulars, as they’ve gone from first impressions to trying to integrate buildings within layouts. While I personally like what DD did individually, there is no doubt that it is tricky (but not impossible) to place it alongside other modulars without looking too odd. The same also goes for BH to a certain extent. Ironically, I think that from a silhouette/overall shape perspective, JC is reasonably easy to integrate, I just think that it’s the colour choices that make it a L more difficult (though I’m in the dark red, rather than navy, camp). Conversely, and in answer to @Captain Settle’s question, I think that Police Station is by far the most versatile modular still available (and perhaps in general). There is enough variation in both style and colour that it doesn’t make other modulars look either too boring or outlandish, and I would say that you can easily split the bookshop and have it look good on either side of PS (house next to the doughnut shop), and then Parisian restaurant next to Birch Books itself.
  19. DeanLearner
    That looks pretty good. The lower height of the pool hall/detectives office fits in nicely with the pizzeria. In terms of architectural style, I think the doughnut shop from PS may be a better fit on that side. I think that Corner Garage may work quite nicely next to the Jazz Club (though there is a chance they may be too close in appearance).
  20. DeanLearner
    From what’s been released so far they look to be an entirely different scale to the modulars. If there is to be a specific Jazz Club GWP then it’s going to have to be a significant improvement.
  21. DeanLearner
    Wow, good work! It’s really interesting to see that alternative. I do like the light tan for the upper floors of the Jazz Club and it helps to make the sign stand out (I agree that leaving it navy without including at least some navy accents elsewhere in the design was a major oversight). I guess one problem is that tan has been used quite commonly for both MOCs and official modulars, and so it risks repetition. Ultimately I plan to keep the dark red, and try to make it work; partly because I agree that it’s a pretty uncommon colour within the modulars, and partly because it would be far too expensive (and colour options may be limited by part availability). Grey for the pizzeria really doesn’t work. The style of building most fits a pale or pastel colour. I think the light yellow works well, but would look better by replacing the medium nougat around the windows with yellow, but making the pillars white.
  22. DeanLearner
    I think bright red would run into the same problem in standing out too much from the other colours. A more balanced solution would be a pastel tint, one of the sand tones, or one of the earth shades (though two dark colours would likely be too much). I have the bricks to try medium blue and sand green; I think the latter may look best.
  23. DeanLearner
    Thank you for that! Is that in Stud.io then? I was hoping to make up the set there myself, but don’t think I’ll get the time. It is an interesting demonstration of the impact of “cold” and “warm” colours. To that end, I’ve been reading up on colour theory. There is an excellent article by Tom Alphin on the Brick Architect https://brickarchitect.com/color/ that makes explicit reference to the Lego colour palette. I can now articulate my discomfort with the colour selection a little better! The dark red is a shade (i.e. a hue darkened with black), while the bright yellow is a tint (a hue lightened with white). In each case, the luminance is either decreased or increased so as to give a less “bright” appearance (though confusingly this is distinct from saturation). The same can be said for many of the accent colours (E.g. the earth blue, earth green, and medium nougat). By contrast, the dark azure is a both highly saturated, and with a neutral luminance, so that it appears very bright. Other accent colours in this bracket include the red, coral, and bright light orange. My contention isn’t with the use of different hues, but rather too broad a range of brightness. The bright colours make the dark red and yellow look too “washed out”, and this is why changing the dark red to earth blue (navy) doesn’t help that much. The warm/cold colour thing is a slightly different question, but the colder blue hues within the dark red colour washes out the light yellow in a way the similar (but warmer) dark orange would not. Examples of colour theory done most effectively (for me) in the modulars include the Detective’s Office and Police Station. In each case, there are some very varied (even “unrealistic”) colours chosen, but the slightly muted colours (shades, tones, and hints) mean that the colours clash less than a “pure” blue/orange, or purple/green, otherwise would. The Friends comparison is also good. Historically they were occasionally eyesores, not because of the range of colour, but because of the clashes in brightness, however they have generally got much better over time.
  24. DeanLearner
    Yeah I’ve been thinking about this (and I maintain that the colour blocking in JC is almost the worst of any modular). In the end, it would be too difficult (part existence and cost) to swap out the dark red for any blue, so I instead tried to think of what colour would go with the dark red. From a colour theory perspective, the obvious option would be a green, and I think sand green will actually look pretty good in place of the the dark azure of the club. It also has the added benefit of mirroring the Italian flag, as well one of my all time favourite sets: the ICS Slave One! In addition I’ll be making a number of recolours to the facade of the pizzeria, and bringing some of the dark blue in elsewhere around the signage. I’m hoping the whole thing will look a little more pleasing.
  25. DeanLearner
    That looks excellent! Surprised I’ve not actually seen it used before, given how nicely it fits with the baseplate system. I guess the only disadvantage is that it leaves the uncovered sections of the ground floor black, but it’s easy enough to solve. I can imagine the stability (and prevention of the “curling” baseplates) is a real advantage. I’ve never seriously considered a MILS approach before, but this is a lot simpler. Just debating whether I really want to shell out £10 per modular, based on current BrickLink prices.
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