The.lego.Adventure.book.Vol..1.Cars.castles.dinosaurs..More

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The LEGO® Adventure Book

Cars, Castles, Dinosaurs & More!

Megan Rothrock

San Francisco

For years, I've wanted to learn to be a better builder, to do more with the LEGO bricks I have been creating with my entire life. So today, I decided to do it. I packed up my stuff and headed into the unknown. What will I build? What other LEGO builds might I encounter ? It's going to be fun finding out!

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The LEGO Adventure Book: Cars, Castles, Dinosaurs & More! Copyright © 2013 by Megan Rothrock

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher.

Printed in China

First printing

16 15 14 13 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

ISBN-10: 1-59327-442-4ISBN-13: 978-1-59327-442-9

Publisher: William PollockProduction Editor: Serena YangCover Design: Chris LongInterior Design: Megan RothrockDevelopmental Editor: William PollockCopyeditors: Serena Yang and Riley HoffmanProofreader: Alison Law

For information on book distributors or translations, please contact No Starch Press, Inc. directly:No Starch Press, Inc.38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CA 94103phone: 415.863.9900; fax: 415.863.9950;[email protected]; http://www.nostarch.com/

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataA catalog record of this book is available from the Library of Congress.

No Starch Press and the No Starch Press logo are registered trademarks of No Starch Press, Inc. All trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective holders. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, we are using the names only in an editorial fashion and to the bene� t of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. LEGO, the Brick and Knob con� gurations, and the Mini� gure are trademarks of the LEGO Group.

The information in this book is distributed on an “As Is” basis, without warranty. While every pre-caution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor No Starch Press, Inc. shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in it.


CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Building the Idea Lab 4

Chapter 2 A LEGO Town 28

Chapter 3 Hot Rods and Cool Rides

Chapter 4 From Below!

Chapter 5 The Sky’s the Limit

Chapter 6 The Turtle Factory

Chapter 7 Starfighters

Chapter 8 Mighty Mecha 102

Chapter 9 Medieval Village

Chapter 10 Triassic Park

Chapter 11 Making New Friends

Chapter 12 Full Steam Ahead

Chapter 13 Steampunk

Chapter 14 A LEGO Legend

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56

68

82

90

120

134

156

166

182

190


4

1

Building the Idea Lab

Before I begin my travels, I'� n� d to set up my

home base first. I'� ca� it the Idea Lab!

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Building TipMake sure your hinge plates are aligned correctly. This allows the final building to open.

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I’ve built the basic structure... Now all I have to

do is move in.

Shame I could only bring a little of my equipment.

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Cool! Turns out I have everything I need and the kitchen sink.

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I still have a lot to do. I nee d an

aSS istant—and I know just how to build him!

Boot sequence initiated.

Power on. New Grey test

complete.

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Hello. I am Brickbot. I must take inventory of your

laboratory equipment so I will know how to use it.

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A chair and a lamp? I do not require

these items.

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1Awesome! With the power coils in place, my amazing Idea Lab is now complete.

I’ve got a few ideas, but for inspiration I want to see what

other people are building! Even though My truck is coo l, I’m going to nee d

something a litt le faster.

Transport-o-luxTransport-o-lux

All finished!

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4×4 TruckBuilding Journal

As I was working on the Transport-o-lux today, I remembered my first creation: my 4×4 truck. It was just in my head one morning, and I had to build it.

I knew the secrets of building a car, like getting the right distance between the wheels; making a good chassis; making the front look right; and adding lights, a fender, side mirrors, and wheel arches. I wasn’t a vehicle expert, but building my truck gave me experience with the basics. From that day on I knew I was creator — one of the special ones who can think of a thing and then build it!

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TrailerMy new truck was

absolutely epic, but it didn't have roo m for all

my stuFF . So I decided to add a trailer!

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Building TipA simple two-stud connection makes your trailer easy to attach and detach from your truck.

Building TipAdding a kickstand lets you park your trailer.

Building Journal

I had to think about my trailer's purpose and then add the appropriate details, just like I did with my science equipment.

Adding a trailer can change the look and utility of a vehicle. Now my 4×4 truck can carry much more! I think I'll call it my Idea Truck.

Now that I know which pieces I need for the Idea Truck, I can build it in other colors, too.

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Everything’s finished. I can’t

wait to try out my Transport-o-lux!

I shall remain here and monitor your travels with this

excellent laboratory equipment.

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That’s a great idea, Brickbot. Thanks

for loo king after the Idea Lab.

Erm, thanks.

Power up!

I will scout out places for you to explore. If you survive the transporting

function, that is.

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Wow! This LEGO town loo ks neat! I nEE d to find the builder and

ask him how he built it. Time to land!


ask him how he built it.


ask him how he built it.

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Craig Mandeville

Nickname: Solitary Dark

Profession: Aircraft Parts Manager

Nationality: British

Website: www.fl ickr.com/photos/36416029@N06/

A LEGO Town

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Hi Megs. I’m Craig, and this is my town. That’s an interesting vehicle

you have there.

Thanks. I built it myself so I

could explore.

Hi, I’m Megs.Where am I?

I like to travel, too . I always take my

camera with me and take lots of pictures so I can build what I sEE on my trips.

I saw a cable car like this in San Francisco. I’ll show you how I built it.

1 2

Cable Car

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Thanks for showing me how

to build your cable car!

Placing your cable car on some LEGO train tracks and

add ing buildings helps to bring your LEGO

town to life.

You’re welcome. Would you like to sEE how I

make a building?

Sure! How about the coFF EE shop I saw

on the corner?

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Certainly! This is a great example of how to build a small shop. It’s a coFF EE shop, but you can create any kind of shop you’d

like. Maybe a candy shop fill ed with candy!

21Coffee Shop

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Building TipThe sides of this building and some of the slopes on this model are unstable until locked in place.

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14Building Journal

Craig has a way of subtly changing a few details to make each of his buildings unique and iconic. The window styles, the colors, and the sign outside say that this is a coffee shop. I have to remember how important these details are!

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Exactly! Okay, let’s explore more of

my town!

Brill iant! If I change the

colors and some of the details, I can build any type of shop!

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2

Building Journal

Tire choice is important for vehicles. Use smooth tires for racing cars and electric vehicles like Craig's Zoo Buggy.

Zoo Buggy

Well , let’s pick something

small , like my Zoo Bugg y over there.

Here is another one of my favorite places: the Zoo . You can build

anything with LEGO bricks.

1

That’s true, but when you’re building

something so large, where do you start?

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Bridge

This bridge is another small model that you can add to any scene.

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Here’s the bridge in place. Check out my alligator house too,

but watch out—he bites!

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Here’s a house. With just a few changes to the windows and doo rs—and a diFF erent color scheme—this

could be a bakery or a café.

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Of course, every town nEE ds a garage, and this one has plenty

of vehicles to be serviced. Watch out for the cat, though!

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By changing colors and adding a few new details,

like a light bar or spotlights, you can turn one car design into many!

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Wow, Craig! Thanks for showing me how to build some of your beautiful

LEGO town models. I have some great ideas now!

You’re welcome, Megs. Come back and visit

anytime. I loo k forward to sEE ing the models

you come up with.

Will do. Do you know any other car builders? I’d like to

learn more!

You should visit Are. I’ve heard he makes some amazing cars.

Alright! I’m on my way!

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Hi there! You l� k a bit

mysterious!

Yeah, I know. It’s an image thing. I never remove my visor.

That’s o� . Okay. Anyway...what kind of car is that?

This is top-secret technology, but come m� t my friend Ace of Spades. (We ca�

him that because he se� s shovels.) He can show you how to build his Ace of Spades Truck. Maybe you’� learn a trick or two

that wi� help you build my car.

Ace, can you break things

down for Megs?

Sure. Here we go!

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Hot Rods and Cool Rides

Ace of Spades

Are J. Heiseldal

Nickname: L@go

Profession: TV Journalist

Nationality: Norwegian

Website: www.flickr.com/photos/ legolago/

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My Truck is ready to roLL !

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Let me show you some other

swee t rides.

Building Journal

Are's cars have lots of engine details. Before building my car, I think I'll put aside a few small elements and see if I can build an engine block that will fit in my design. Hot rods tend to have exposed engines so you can see their craftsmanship. Sports cars cover their engines with smooth, curved hoods so they'll go faster!

Building TipYou can add more character to your vehicles by decorating them with stickers, like the ones on the Ace of Spades truck.

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Nice wheels, Ace. Here are some

of my SuperCars ready to race.

Whoa! What’s that rumbling sound?!

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Jee pers! Why is everything

shaking?!

Bye, guys!

WOW! epic vehicles!

We’re gonn a get outt a here! See ya, Megs!

From Below!

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Oh, soRR y, did we disturb you? We were just on our way to help round up some escaped Rock Monsters!

Yes, they’re some serious machines! I’ll show you how I built this one behind me.

escaped Rock Monsters!

Your equipment is amazing. Do you mind showing me how you built it?

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3 4

Jackknife

Fair warning, building the Jack knife is not easy.

Let’s start by building these four small modules.

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Moritz NoltingNickname: nolnet

Profession: Creative Director

Nationality: German

Website: www.flickr.com/photos/ nolnet/

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Lay out the modules like this and keep building up each of them separately.

they will all connect in step 10.

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6 7

8 9

Even though we built these modules in step 7, they aren’t att ached to the

jackk nife until later.

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Any wheels with a diameter similar to these will fit on this vehicle.

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The jackknife is loaded with functions for crushing, cutting,

scraping, and melting rocks—a very handy piece of equipment

for us Miners.

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Wow, that jackk nife is a tough build, but what a great vehicle.

Thanks!

Building Journal

Looking at Moritz's mining equipment, I can see that all of the machines have some key details in common: protective roll cages, big industrial-looking engines, lots of lights, and, of course, bright colors. Bright colors make these big, dangerous vehicles easy to see. I should remember these details when I'm building heavy equipment.

No problem, Megs. Here are some of our other

machines. fee l free to copy any of them

should you nee d some heavy machinery.

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Building Journal

Moritz showed me how a few slopes and some basic LEGO bricks can make a nice little house for a pet.

Here is where we house the captured

Rock Monsters.

Hehe. Yes, the problem is they get in our way all the time! This gree n guy is Brutus. He is a Rock Dragon, and he helps us kee p the wild Rock Monsters in line. As long as we give

him a few crystals, Brutus is happ y.

Aww , it loo ks they have everything they

nee d: foo d, water, and a nice house, too .

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MINE!!!

Yikes! I’m outt a here, Moritz!

Wow, Brutus is awesome!

Uh-oh, more Rock Monsters on the

loo se! Stop eating all our crystals!

Oh no! Brutus is on an energy

crystal rampage! Time to go, Megs!

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What is that?! Watch out!

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Ack! Activate evasive

maneuvers!

Coming through!

Hey, we’re in a race here!

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Skywolf

I have no idea, Brickbot! I’m too high

to sEE the ground, but I’m suRR ounded by some awesome flying machines!

Megs! My readings show an emergency

beam out! What are your coordinates? Did you say awesome?

Yes, I supp ose so. FoLL ow me to our

hangar, and I’LL show you some of my planes!Brickbot! I’m too high

to sEE the ground, but I’m suRR ounded by some awesome flying machines!

Brickbot! I’m too high to sEE the ground, but I’m suRR ounded by some awesome

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Gryphon

Jon Hall

Nickname: jonhall18

Profession: Graphic Designer


Website: www.fl ickr.com/photos/25163007@N07/

The Sky’s the Limit

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Scarlet Fury

Viper

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Steel Wind

Skyhammer

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Here’s one of my planes: The Phoenix.

I can show you how to build it, but watch out—it’s tricky! Let’s start

with the cockpit.

The Phoenix

1 2

3 4

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8Building TipMake sure that your minifigure can fit into the cockpit before you build too much of your plane!

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Building Journal

Jon's planes take advantage of the many curved and circular LEGO pieces. He has a talent for using elements so they flow from one into the next as if they belong together. This is something I should look at more closely in my own building. What slopes and curves can I use to smoothly form a cohesive shape? There must be millions of combinations.

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Thanks! she is pre� y fast. How about your ride?

The Phoenix is a real beauty.

I bet she goes rea� y fast!

We� , I’m not exactly sure, but it must be pre� y fast since I can beam in and out of worlds instantaneously. Brickbot, clock my sp� d!

S� you later, Jon!

Building Journal

Jon says: ˝Vehicles with interesting paint jobs often have sections that are painted bright colors and sections that aren't. You can re-create this effect by using differently colored bricks in different parts of your model.˝

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Whoa, that was fast! Where am I?

Sorry about that—I’m on

an adventure.

Argh! What are you doing on my factory floor?!

An adventure? Well, why didn’t you say so? I’m Pete,

and this is my ship, the Marauder. Let’s have a tour of my spaceport!

The Turtle Factory

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We have everything we

need here.

What are you doing?! Don’t pet the Combat

Turtles! That’s a highly sophisticated robot!

Oh, sorry. But he’s such a nifty turtle!

Come on, then.let’s go visit my Turtle Factory.

Awww, isn’t he cute?

Pete Reid

Nickname: Legoloverman

Profession: Author


Website: www.flickr.com/photos/legoloverman/

These barrels are full of essential survival supplies. And over here...

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Whoa, Pete! This is all built with LEGO pieces?

Absolutely! I build only with LEGO pieces. After a Turtle

is assembled, the lifting arm grabs it and places it in a

box for shipment.

Building journal

Pete told me it can take a long time to build a cool LEGO robot. I should gather my smallest pieces and consider the best combinations.

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Turtle Factory arm variants

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1 21 3 4×4

5

Space Turtles

You don’t n� d a factory to build your own Space

Turtle-bot. Try building them in di� erent colors, and use other LEGO pieces to make di� erent legs and guns.

Go on, have a go!

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6 7 8

9

10

×2

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And that’s how you can build a space turtle.

I can’t wait to get back to my idea

lab and build one!

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If you want to learn more about outer space building, I can give you the location

of another spacer.

Sure, that sounds great. I’� leave you to it then. Brickbot, beam me to these

c� rdinates!

Take care, Megs! Okay, Megs,

the coordinates are locked.

Beaming you now.

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Now, I just have to a� ach the last ABS

module...

Rea� y? That would be

great!

Whoa! You just a� eared out of nowhere!

StarfightersWow, this is supersonic

sp� d!!

Don’t be alarmed. I’m just here to s� your LEGO

starfighter co� ection. I hope you’re not t� busy to show me some

of your ships.

Oh, don’t wo� y. I’m a bit of a grease monkey. I’m just pu� ing the finishing

touches on my Seraph Starfighter right now. I can

show you how the whole thing was built, if you like.

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1 2Seraph Starfi ghter

Peter Morris

Nickname: peterlmorris, aka Rival M

Profession: Stay-at-Home Dad

Nationality: American

Website: www.fl ickr.com/photos/rival_m/

Okay, get ready to build my Starfighter! Pay close a� ention.

you’� have to study my breakdown closely.

×1

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5×2

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7×2

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3Building TipThe far side of the model is a perfect mirror to the side you can see here.

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10×2

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Cockpits

why do you use so many of these

brackets? So you can build

sideways?

Yes, using them I’ve created a simple way to build di� erently

configured starfighters quickly. I have a lot of sketches and

Ideas for ships, but if I built a separate cockpit for each one I’d never finish! So I have designed

a series of simple cockpit boxes that a� ow for lots of

variations. Here, check out these cockpit schematics.

1

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These cockpit instructions are a starting point. Each starfighter has slight variations, and the

boxes just provide a foundation. The po� ibilities are endle� . Just remember, when you are designing

your cockpit be sure to leave r� m for a pilot!

Where do you get the

inspiration for your fighters?

Absolutely. Sometimes I just put an unfinished build in a drawer

and come back to it later, but I never give up. If I can imagine it, I can usua� y build it. It’s LEGO bricks that make that po� ible!

What ha� ens when you’re stumped? Do you ever get frustrated with a

build?

Sometimes I start with a pencil sketch; other times I’m inspired by someone

else’s LEGO model or some concept art. And sometimes I just build with LEGO pieces

that I think l� k c� l.

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Starfi ghter: Inspirational Models

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These are epic ships!

They give me lots of ideas!

Thanks! If you’re l� king for more sci-fi ideas, you should try visiting Mark.

He’s easy to find: just head east from here and fo� ow the sound of big guns and

plastic bricks!

No problem, Megs. I’m always ha� y to give building advice.

Thanks for everything,

Peter.

LEGOadv_04.indb 101 8/13/2012 5:55:18 PM

102

Nah, Mecha is new to a lot

of people, but it’s so much fun

to build.

Hi, I’m Megs. Cool robots!

I’m Mark, but these aren’t robots—they have pilots. That makes them mecha, or mechs, if you prefer.

Okay, sorry if I insulted you!

LEGOadv_04.indb 102 8/9/2012 5:50:10 PM

103

Mighty Mecha

I’d love to! What a great opportunity

to see how you build these things.

Mark Stafford

Nickname: Nabii

Profession: Designer


Website: www.flickr.com/photos/nabii

The red model is the Counterblast. It’s about to set off on a patrol. But I’m

here to fix a problem on the Gunrunner, this big grey one.

You look like you could handle some building—wanna help?

LEGOadv08_04.indd 103 8/13/2012 6:40:55 PM

104

See the problem here? The arm is

all floppy. I made a basic building error when I first built it.

So we just swap out that hinge for this

one here?

That’s the idea.

Yes?

I chose the wrong hinge for the shoulder. Normally a ball joint like this would hold the weight of an arm, but this mecha has really heavy arms. I should have used one of these click hinge ball joints instead.

LEGOadv_04.indb 104 8/9/2012 5:50:17 PM

105

How’s it look up there?

Yeah, what a lucky break. The two

hinges are almost the same size. Sure. It looks like

the Counterblast is back from patrol. How about building

that one?

Cool!

Things look much

better!

Could you show me how to build one

of these from scratch?

LEGOadv_04.indb 105 8/9/2012 5:50:21 PM

106

Counterblast

LEGOadv08_04.indd 106 8/13/2012 6:41:10 PM

107

Building TipIf you don’t have these LEGO elements in these colors, just use whatever you have.

LEGOadv08_04.indd 107 8/13/2012 6:41:14 PM

108

2

3 4

1

×2

6 7

8 9 10

×2

5

LEGOadv08_04.indd 108 8/13/2012 6:41:18 PM

109

12

13 14 15

17 18

Building TipBuilding in a stop (a point beyond which the leg will not bend) will keep the legs of your mecha strong and increase stability.

11

16

LEGOadv08_04.indd 109 8/13/2012 6:41:22 PM

110

19 20 21

Now that you’ve built the left leg, you

need to mirror it to build the right leg.22

LEGOadv08_04.indd 110 8/13/2012 7:40:42 PM

111

24

25 26 27

28 29

23

32 33

30

31

LEGOadv08_04.indd 111 8/13/2012 7:40:52 PM

112

34 35 36

37 38 39

40 41 42

43 44

LEGOadv08_04.indd 112 8/13/2012 7:41:03 PM

113

46

48

47

49

50

×2

45

51

LEGOadv08_04.indd 113 8/13/2012 7:41:07 PM

114

52 53

54 55

×2

56

57

LEGOadv08_04.indd 114 8/13/2012 6:42:02 PM

115

Building TipOf course, your mecha doesn’t have to have two identical arms. How about adding a rocket pod or a power sword instead?

Yeah, those are some coo l

alternative arms!

LEGOadv08_04.indd 115 8/13/2012 6:42:09 PM

116

Building Journal

Mark explained to me the frame of a mecha is the most important thing to figure out. You need to plan your mecha's proportions from the start. Does it have long legs or arms? Does the pilot sit in the body, or is there a head on top? Does it have two, four, or more arms and legs? Do the knees bend backwards ( like in the Counterblast), or do they work more like a human's?

Only once you've built a basic frame is it time to decide on other key apsects, like whether it will be heavily armored and slow or lightly armored and fleet footed. But mecha aren't all military. They can be walking forklifts, farming mecha, or even racing mechs. I wonder what my Transport-o-lux would look like with legs?

Mecha Inspiration

LEGOadv_04.indb 116 8/9/2012 5:51:18 PM

117

Building TipTry finding LEGO parts that fit with the theme of your mecha. These small details add a lot of character to your model.

LEGOadv08_04.indd 117 8/13/2012 7:36:18 PM

118

Building TipYou can break up color schemes by adding accent colors. Try creating stripes or blocks of color.

LEGOadv08_04.indd 118 8/13/2012 7:36:33 PM

119

Megs, I’ve been tinkering with your space-time controls. I think I can

beam you to a builder in another time period.

This grey Counterblast was the first one I built.

I think the design is strong enough to build in whichever LEGO brick

colors you have.

Definitely! Thanks for showing me how you build mecha, Mark.

My pleasure!

Really, Brickbot? Let’s do it!

Take care, Megs. Come back

sometime, and I’ll show you some of

my starships!

I will. Promise.

LEGOadv_04.indb 119 8/9/2012 5:51:34 PM

120

1

Ahhh! A wizard! Don’t smite me! Even thy cart

hath no wheels, oh powerful

wizard indeed!

Sure thing. How about if we start with a merchant

wagon?

Haha! I was hoping you could show me some medieval building

techniques, something that would work we� with a castle.

Merchant Wagon

What? Where? Oh, Me? No, I’m Megs—just a traveling

builder l� king for some historic LEGO building techniques.

Hah! So� y, Megs, I’m just f� ling with you. I’m Aaron.

Sometimes we have a starfighter fly over. We know there’s a lot of

amazing stu� out there. These are my medieval-

inspired models so I thought I’d gr� t you in character.

LEGOadv_04.indb 120 8/9/2012 5:52:00 PM

121

2 3

4 5

Medieval Village

Aaron Andrews

Nickname: DARKspawn

Profession: Music Teacher

Nationality: Australian

Websites: www.fl ickr.com/photos/darkspawn/www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=DARKspawn

LEGOadv_04.indb 121 8/9/2012 5:52:03 PM

122

6 7

Now let’s build a butcher shop. First,

create some land by stacking LEGO plates on

top of one another.

LEGOadv_04.indb 122 8/9/2012 5:52:05 PM

123

1

Butcher Shop

LEGOadv_04.indb 123 8/9/2012 5:52:11 PM

124

2

3

LEGOadv_04.indb 124 8/9/2012 5:52:13 PM

125

5

4

Building TipPlace a 1×6 black plate underneath the roof so it does not slide off.

LEGOadv09_04.indd 125 8/13/2012 6:43:24 PM

126

6

LEGOadv09_04.indd 126 8/13/2012 6:43:26 PM

127

Building Journal

Texture is very important for adding detail to your models. There are several LEGO bricks with patterns in them, and you can use these to give your models a more realistic look. Aaron has also added interest to his stone walls by placing tiles sideways so they look like bricks sticking out of the stonework. He has also laid out the tiles on the roof to look like square slates, just like on a real old building!

LEGOadv_04.indb 127 8/9/2012 5:52:25 PM

128

Harold’s House

LEGOadv_04.indb 128 8/9/2012 5:52:28 PM

129

Hilltop TowerYes, it’s a tribute to the first ever LEGO castle

model: the cla� ic ye� ow castle. I had it as a child.

If you ever m� t the original

designer on your travels, te� him how many of us

he inspired!

This ye� ow tower reminds me of

something from when I was younger...

Oh, yes! Me t� !

LEGOadv_04.indb 129 8/9/2012 5:52:30 PM

130

LEGOadv_04.indb 130 8/9/2012 5:52:34 PM

131

Medieval Market

Building Journal

I noticed in Aaron's medieval models that the LEGO black and brown colors both represent wood. This technique adds visual detail simply by using color. If he had used just brown or just black, his models would have been very bland. In his market model, for example, I can see how he separates the browns of the ground from the browns of the wooden beams in the town well by using light grey ˝stone˝ tiles to break things up.

LEGOadv_04.indb 131 8/9/2012 5:52:37 PM

132

Here is a simple W� dsman’s

Co� age. A� ing sma� outbuildings helps grow your medieval vi� age.

Remember when building in the Mi� le Ages theme to show

animals, flags, fences, tr� s, and other detail elements to make

your models l� k more authentic.

Woodsman’s Cottage

LEGOadv_04.indb 132 8/9/2012 5:52:44 PM

133

Aaron, it l� ks amazing when you bring a� of your models together. Thank you for showing me how you build your

medieval models.

Further back in time, I think.

Bye, Aaron!

It was fun, Megs. Where are you heading now?

Fare thee well, fair maiden!

LEGOadv_04.indb 133 8/9/2012 5:52:49 PM

134

Roo aoo h?

Oh, he’s calmed down now. He must like you.

I’m Mike. I built him myself, but I should have made a cage for him first.

Ahh ! He’s gonn a eat me!

RRR OO oa aRR RR !

Wow, what a beauty! And Such lovely

stripes!

You built him? That’s amazing! Do you have any

other dinosaurs?

Oh yeah, there’s a Pterosaur, a Brachiosaurus, and a Stegosaurus. I love

building these guys.

Hi, I’m Megs. Where did this

stunn ing creature come from?

LEGOadv_04.indb 134 8/9/2012 5:52:53 PM

135

1Safari Truck

I bet they can run quite fast. Maybe you should build a vehicle to k� p up with them.

Building TipBoth sides of the truck are symmetrical, so think carefully about how the model is built. Study the parts you can see to � gure out the parts you can’t see.

Great idea. Let’s build a safari truck!

Triassic Park

Mike Psiaki

Nickname: Psiaki

Profession: Mechanical Engineer


Website: www.fl ickr.com/photos/pmiaki

LEGOadv10_04.indd 135 8/13/2012 6:44:29 PM

136

2

3

LEGOadv_04.indb 136 8/9/2012 5:53:01 PM

137

Pterosaur

Now that we can outrun them, let’s get dino building! First try building this Pterosaur.

LEGOadv_04.indb 137 8/9/2012 5:53:06 PM

138

LEGOadv_04.indb 138 8/9/2012 5:53:12 PM

139

Stegosaurus

1 2

The stegosaurus is a more complicated build. Let’s start with

his head.

LEGOadv_04.indb 139 8/9/2012 5:53:17 PM

140

654

3

LEGOadv_04.indb 140 8/9/2012 5:53:40 PM

141

7 8

9 10

LEGOadv_04.indb 141 8/9/2012 5:53:48 PM

142

1 2

3 4 5

6 7

T. Rex

For an experienced builder like you, Megs,

of course. This is a challenging build!

Awesome Stego. Any chance you can show me how to build that T. rex?

LEGOadv10_04.indd 142 8/13/2012 6:44:57 PM

143

8 9

10 11 12

13 14

15 16

LEGOadv_04.indb 143 8/9/2012 5:54:06 PM

144

22

1817

2119 20

23 24

LEGOadv_04.indb 144 8/9/2012 5:54:35 PM

145

25 26 27

28 29 30

31 32 33

34

LEGOadv_04.indb 145 8/9/2012 5:54:41 PM

146

44

3736

38

45 46

35

4039

41 4342

LEGOadv10_04.indd 146 8/13/2012 6:45:10 PM

147

47 48

49

50 51

LEGOadv_04.indb 147 8/9/2012 5:54:58 PM

148

55

52

5453×2

×2

LEGOadv_04.indb 148 8/9/2012 5:55:05 PM

149

56 57

58

59

×2 ×4

LEGOadv_04.indb 149 8/9/2012 5:55:15 PM

150

60

61 62 63

LEGOadv_04.indb 150 8/9/2012 5:55:23 PM

151

64 65

66 67

68

69 70

LEGOadv_04.indb 151 8/9/2012 5:55:33 PM

152

71

73

74 75

72

LEGOadv_04.indb 152 8/9/2012 5:55:42 PM

153

LEGOadv_04.indb 153 8/9/2012 5:55:45 PM

154

If you would like a big chall enge, you can always try to build my

Brachiosaurus.

Dang! He sure is tall ! I’m not sure I have enough grey LEGO

bricks to build him, but I could try a blue one! HEE hEE .

Thanks! I have one in brown, too . Sometimes it’s fun to build a copy of a LEGO model with a

diFF erent color scheme.

That was a long build but totall y worth it!

LEGOadv_04.indb 154 8/9/2012 5:55:53 PM

155

Ruh-rooh?

ROOOA A ARRRR!

Oh no, now there are two of them! Where

did I park that truck? Ahhh!!

Thank you, Mike. I’m going to continue my exploration now, so I’ll say good-bye.

Bye, Megs. Good luck out there!

LEGOadv_04.indb 155 8/9/2012 5:55:56 PM

156

I’m back to the present, but why are the minifigs so weird

loo king? What did I do? Step on a buTT erfly in the

past and change evolution?!

Relax, we’re mini-do� s, not minifigs. There are stiLL plenty of minifigs around.

Whew! That’s a relief. I’m Megs, by the way. and what a stunn ing poo l! It loo ks

great from up here. I love the waLL , flowers, and aLL of the details.

LEGOadv11_04_alt-lime.indd 156 8/13/2012 6:46:19 PM

157

Making New Friends

Thanks! It was aLL built by Katie, our minifigure fairy.

Katie, can you show our new friend

Megs how you built some of our stuFF ?

Katie Walker

Nickname: Eilonwy77

Profession: Elementary School Teacher


Website: www.fl ickr.com/eilonwy77


158

I’d love to share my techniques! Building a curved waLL starts with a simple brick

subaSS embly.

1 2

3 4 5

Building TipSwitch directions with each layer to make your wall more stable.

Curved Wall


159

1

2

3 4 5

Mosaic

Now I’LL show you how to build a mosaic that’s six studs wide and nine

studs long. Mosaic building is a liTT le

unusual. We’LL start by building a frame to hold the pieces. After that, we just slot in slope and

tile pieces sideways. The paTT ern wiLL nEE d to fit

the frame exactly.

LEGOadv_04.indb 159 8/9/2012 5:56:33 PM

160

6 7 8

9 10 11

12 13 14


161

Building TipThis design is really tight, and you might think several pieces won’t fit. The last piece of the hexagon is especially difficult to squeeze in. Try squeezing the smallest part of the piece into the gap first and then push hard. When you’re finished, you might be able to hold the mosaic upside down without any of the pieces falling out.

This mosaic is designed with several pieces attached to each other, which makes them easier to place. Having fewer loose pieces also increases the tension that holds the mosaic in place and makes it less likely to fall apart.

This would be a nice rug for

my Idea Lab.

The same mosaic pattern built with different colors

You can also build a mosaic using

other LEGO bricks, like this pink and

blue one.


162

Building Journal

Katie told me mosaics are really finicky. Sometimes just modifying the frame slightly will completely change how a mosaic fits into place. She recommends trying different ideas, no matter how crazy they seem. Even if the original idea doesn't work, it might lead to another one that does. I think that's true for any design project!

Here in the blue room I have used my mosaic techniques

in many places.


163

Building TipI sometimes use toothpicks or tweezers to push pieces into place. They’re more precise than your fi ngers, and if a piece tips over it’s much easier to pull it out.


164

1

2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

10 11 12

Grandfather Clock

Here’s how you can build a grandfather

clock for your study.


165

Wow, your courtyards and interior spaces

complement each other beautifuLL y. I wish I could sEE more

amazing environments like these.

WeLL , I am a fairy, and wishes are my

specialty. Goo d luck with your travels, Megs. FareweLL !

Here are some courtyards and

interiors that use my mosaic techniques.


166

Wow! Loo k at all those

steam engines!Hey! You there!

Get out of there, or you’ll end up covered in soo t!

Thank you, sir. Where am I? And who are you?

LEGOadv_04.indb 166 8/9/2012 5:57:23 PM

167

Full Steam AheadCarl Greatrix

Nickname: Bricktrix

Profession: LEGO Model Designer at TT Games


Websites: www.flickr.com/photos/bricktrix/ www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=309654

This is Corfe Castle—well, the LEGO version,

anyway. I’m Station Master Carl.

Some areas of Corfe Castle use model railway parts (like the grass and the gravel), but all of the vehicles, buildings,

and plants are made from LEGO pieces. Would like to see some

more of my trains?

that would be lovely!

Wow, Katie’s magic really worked! You made all this? I’ve never seen a floor

like this before.

LEGOadv_04.indb 167 8/9/2012 5:57:28 PM

168

LEGOadv_04.indb 168 8/9/2012 5:57:38 PM

169

Building TipWhen you’re building a train, think about what cargo it might be hauling.

Bricktrix is one of my favorites, which is why I named it after

myself.

LEGOadv_04.indb 169 8/9/2012 5:57:51 PM

170

Jinty Tank Engine

1

2

3

You will need to put your engineer’s thinking cap on

for this build—it has a lot of working parts. Take your time and

study the instructions closely. I recommend that only the most experienced LEGO Builders try to

tackle this model.

LEGOadv12_04.indd 170 8/13/2012 7:38:33 PM

171

7

4

5 6

8

LEGOadv12_04.indd 171 8/13/2012 6:48:46 PM

172

10

9

11 Building TipSet aside the assembly in step 12 for now. We’ll need it later in the build.

12

LEGOadv12_04.indd 172 8/13/2012 6:49:11 PM

173

13

14

15

1716

LEGOadv_04.indb 173 8/9/2012 5:59:04 PM

174

18

19

Building TipThis very complex model is difficult to build. Carefully study the pictures and concentrate on building the small subassemblies correctly.

LEGOadv12_04.indd 174 8/13/2012 6:48:35 PM

175

21

22

20

LEGOadv12_04.indd 175 8/14/2012 3:51:35 PM

176

British Railways 0-6-0, Fowler Class 3F, “Jinty” Tank Engine (in operation 1924–1967)

Train Features

Working brakes (via cab brake lever)

Working lit firebox (light brick trigger via boiler)

Removable cab section (access to the brake lever)

Well, you were right, Carl, that was a difficult

build. It does give me some good ideas for

building on train tracks!

Yes, I like a good challenge! Here, I’ll show you more of

Corfe Castle station.

LEGOadv_04.indb 176 8/9/2012 5:59:46 PM

177

Building Journal

Carl uses stickers to great effect. He cuts the edges off official LEGO sticker sheets and uses them to make window frames and even stripes on some of his vehicles. He's also used his own printed stickers to create unique and accurate LEGO models. These techniques are a great way to make models look a lot more realistic, but it takes practice to get them right.

Corfe Castle Station

LEGOadv12_04.indd 177 8/13/2012 6:49:20 PM

178

Building TipThink about your passengers. For example, build a bridge over the tracks so they can walk to the other platform safely. A railway station needs more than trains, too. Check out the other vehicles that workers and passengers might use.

LEGOadv_04.indb 178 8/9/2012 6:00:17 PM

179

Building the surrounding environment is a great opportunity to add in

some fun details.

I’ll say. Hey, is that Superman?

No, that’s just Bob. Hey, Bob, you’ve put

your underwear on last again!

LEGOadv_04.indb 179 8/9/2012 6:00:34 PM

180

Building Journal

Carl's trains gave me lots of great ideas. They have working lights, actually move, and are really powerful. When I get back to the Idea Lab, I'll try building something that runs on rails. I'm just not sure it will be a train like his!

Of course, you don’t have to build just steam trains. You can build diesel engines or even electric

locomotives if you want to.

LEGOadv12_04.indd 180 8/13/2012 6:52:31 PM

181

No problem. Beaming you to a new

location now, Megs.

This is my pride and joy, a model of the Mallard. It has held the world

speed record for steam locomotives since 1938.

What an achievement!

I’ve always liked the steam engines from the grand days of travel,

and this one is brilliant! I wonder what else steam

power can accomplish. Brickbot?

Bye, Carl. Thanks for everything!

Good-bye, Megs. What a peculiar lady. Quite nice,

though.

LEGOadv_04.indb 181 8/9/2012 6:00:53 PM

182

Steampunk is a genre of science fiction. It depicts what the world might have b� n like if we had continued to develop steam-

powered vehicles instead of internal combustion engines, like the ones in

today’s cars. Gears, boilers, and steam exhausts are e� ential to steampunk! Here,

let me show you some of my models.

Ooh! Now that is c� l. Erm...gr� tings, my g� d man! I’m Megs,

an explorer.

Steampunk?

Gr� tings, Milady. I’m Captain Smog, at your

service. What a strange contraption you have. We s� m to get a lot of explorers around here. Comes with the steampunk te� itory, I gue� . How may I

satisfy your curiosity?

LEGOadv_04.indb 182 8/9/2012 6:01:06 PM

183

1 2 3

Steampunk

Arms of Toil

Let me introduce you to the Arms of Toil. I created it

to help men ca� ying heavy loads. You wi� be using a lot

of sma� parts to build it; fo� ow the a� ows and you should be su� e� ful. We

sha� begin with the core of the exoskeleton: the boiler.

Sylvain Amacher

Nickname: Captain Smog

Profession: Graphic Designer

Nationality: Swiss

Website: www.fl ickr.com/photos/ captainsmog/

LEGOadv_04.indb 183 8/9/2012 6:01:10 PM

184

5

4

6Building TipThe color scheme is important. Gold, copper, black, brown, dark green, and dark red all help create the right Victorian feel.

LEGOadv13_04.indd 184 8/13/2012 6:49:25 PM

185

7

Contraption completed! This is only one of many steam devices you can

create. Let me show you some other contrivances.

LEGOadv_04.indb 185 8/9/2012 6:01:25 PM

186

Here we have the Urban Steam Monorail! It’s a very fast way to travel to exotic

destinations. Each car can take up to eight pa� engers comfortably.

LEGOadv_04.indb 186 8/9/2012 6:01:28 PM

187

These are ind� d some

curious devices, my g� d sir.

Imagination, you say? We’ve plenty of that to go

around here! Come, mi� , let us explore the infinite

po� ibilities of the Iron Legs.

A� h, that is a handsome device you have there. Is it powered by the almighty steam t� ?

Of course, I have my own device: the Transport-o-lux.

It a� ows me to explore ingenious LEGO creations through time and other

dimensions.

No, g� d sir, ‘tis imagination that drives this

fine craft.

LEGOadv_04.indb 187 8/9/2012 6:01:33 PM

188

Building Journal

Steampunk seems like a really difficult genre to get right. It’s part steam power, part clockwork, and part science fiction. I should look at some real steam-powered vehicles from the Victorian era and borrow some details from them. The metal parts are often painted bright colors to stop them from rusting, the machinery is metal cogs, and the delicate parts are made of brass. Steam engines need big boilers and have chimneys, too.

The Iron Legs Spi� ing, my g� d man.

These are quite ta�

contraptions, ind� d.

My syntax sensors detect that you must be in a steampunk empire!

Megs? Can you hear me?

Ind� d, I am, my shiny friend! What is it that you require?

Ah, Brickbot, my clever mechanical

wonder!

LEGOadv_04.indb 188 8/9/2012 6:01:36 PM

189

We� , that is an unexpected turn of events. Beam me at your earliest convenience to those

distant c� rdinates. Let us depart posthaste!

Thank you kindly for sharing your knowledge, Captain Smog. Sadly, I must

take my leave now for parts unknown! I wish you fine luck with your future

creations.

It was my pleasure, milady.

Bon voyage!

We� , that is an unexpected turn of events. Beam me at your

I just received a message from someone named Katie that says, “Megs, I think you’ll like this.” She has attached some coordinates.

LEGOadv_04.indb 189 8/9/2012 6:01:42 PM

190

This is just a small castle. Why would

Katie send me here?

Hi, I’m Megs. What a nice house you have.

Good to meet you. I’m Daniel. My house is based on a

castle I designed for the LEGO Group a long time ago.

Follow me then. I have some cool buildings

just over there.

I’m traveling to see what people have made and to get inspiration for my own models.

It does look a little familiar, like Aaron’s

Hilltop Tower.

You? You designed the Yellow Castle? It was my favorite thing in the world when I was a kid!

Thank you, on behalf of so many people.

It was just one of the LEGO sets I designed, but I am really glad to hear people liked it. What can I do for

you, Megs?

LEGOadv_04.indb 190 8/9/2012 6:01:48 PM

191

A LEGO Legend

You may Try building my yellow castle house if you like.

Daniel August Krentz

Profession: Retired LEGO Designer

Nationality: American/Danish

LEGOadv_04.indb 191 8/9/2012 6:01:56 PM

192

You know, a long time ago a friend and I also traveled

through many diFF erent worlds exploring diFF erent creations.

I think the LEGO Group even wrote a boo k about it.

Reall y? I wonder if anyone would be interested in my adventures.

I think they would. YOu should get a boo k made! Anyway,

let’s have a loo k inside my thinking tower.

LEGOadv_04.indb 192 8/9/2012 6:02:06 PM

193

Wow! It’s beautiful!

Why, Thank you, Megs! I do like to build

fantasy LEGO models.

I also like to add details, like door handles, flowers, and banisters. They

make my models more realistic.

Thinking Tower

LEGOadv_04.indb 193 8/9/2012 6:02:16 PM

194

Building TipTo � gure out the diagonal possibilities of LEGO bricks, take a brick (or a plate) and put any 1×1 element on each end. Attach one end of the brick to a baseplate, and rotate it until it reaches a stud. Does it � t without being forced? Congratulations, you have discovered a usable building connection. To create a smooth surface between your connection points, cover the exposed studs with tiles.

These twisty stairs are great.

Oh yes, I f� l it’s important that it makes sense how a person can get from one

level to the next.

These angled corners are interesting.

That’s LEGO geometry! A six-stud arch wi� line up if it is twisted until it is four studs up and five studs over. There are quite a few ways bricks can be placed

diagona� y, and it’s quite di� icult to build large structures with them. I enjoy that kind of

cha� enge.

LEGOadv14_04.indd 194 8/13/2012 6:49:48 PM

195

Now come with me. You need to see this!

LEGOadv_04.indb 195 8/9/2012 6:02:34 PM

196

Idea Temple

Neat!

This is my Idea temple. Its shape is based on

a six-pointed star.

LEGOadv_04.indb 196 8/9/2012 6:02:40 PM

197

It’s nice but kind of dark

in here.

This is the front hall.

Oh, yes. Let’s get some light in here. You can probably tell I like building things that open up.

LEGOadv_04.indb 197 8/9/2012 6:02:49 PM

198

Building Journal

I can’t really describe what it was like in the Idea Nexus. I don’t even know how long I lay there. All of the places I had visited and all of the models I had seen suddenly merged together in my head. I felt my creativity levels boosted, and I knew I had to get back to my Idea Lab and Brickbot and start building.

Thanks so much for showing me around, Daniel. And thanks, too , for everything you designed

for the LEGO Group!

It was My pleasure, Megs. Goo d-bye,

and goo d building!

Wow, what is this roo m for? This is my imagination

focus. It draws in ideas and energy from all over

the world.

Oh, wow! This is awesome!!!

Here, give it a try. Just lay your head

down at the Nexus Point.

That’s bett er.

LEGOadv_04.indb 198 8/9/2012 6:03:11 PM

199

THE END(for now)

LEGOadv_04.indb 199 8/9/2012 6:03:13 PM

Pete Reid6

Jon Hall5

Moritz Nolting4

Are J. Heiseldal3

Craig Mandeville2

Daniel August Krentz

14

Sylvain Amacher13

Carl Greatrix12

Katie Walker11

Mike Psiaki10

Aaron Andrews9

Mark Stafford8

Peter Morris711

Megan Rothrock

Nickname: megs/megzter

Profession: Toy Designer


Website: www.fl ickr.com/photos/megzter/

Thank you to all the wonderful and creative featured builders:

LEGOadv_back03.indd 200 8/14/2012 3:58:16 PM

LEGO-cover-final.indd 1 8/15/12 12:32 PM

The.lego.Adventure.book.Vol..1.Cars.castles.dinosaurs..More

Documents

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long time

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