Do you enjoy the adventures and challenges that role-playing games can take you on? The opportunity to express your imagination are endless. Look no further because today we treat you to this week's 10K Club member Yvonne Strijbos a.k.a. Ymarilego, whose Quest Builder project allows you to let your fantasy loose!
Help us congratulate Yvonne on joining the exclusive LEGO Ideas 10K Club and for sharing her story with us!
About Yourself
- Where are you from?
I live in Milsbeek, the Netherlands.
- How old are you?
I am 51 years old.
- What do you study or do for a living?
I am a geography teacher.
- What hobbies do you have?
I love reading and watching movies, especially sci-fi, fantasy, thrillers and movies with detectives. Playing computer games (RPG, survival, MMO’s), and of course collecting/building LEGO sets.
- How and when did your interest for LEGO come about?
That must have been some 45 years ago. I remember as a kid I got that Spanish Villa (set 350) and the House with Car (346) for my birthday. I still have them! We already had a fair amount of LEGO sets and I spent hours and hours building a whole town.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set? Why?
That is hard, there are so many. From my childhood, the Spanish Villa. After my “dark ages” it is the Space Monorail (6991). As a sci-fi lover, you just had to have that! Nowadays, I would say the Millenium Falcon (10179). I was 12 when I saw Star Wars in the cinema and have been collecting LEGO Star Wars ever since.
^ We're not in doubt that Yvonne is a BIG Star Wars fan!
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
Probably the 1x1 plate and 1x1 round plate. I like models with a lot of small details and those can be used to give that extra bit of texture. Bricks I really do NOT like are big preformed chunks, like for example the dragon bodies, the slides, etc.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
Luke Watkins Hutchinson aka Derfel Cadarn.
His builds are simply stunning! I love that he took the time to make an online manual about how to create those huge landscapes. Inspiring.
^ The details are important in Yvonne's MOCs.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
• Brickset
• Brothers Brick
• The Brick Fan
• Flickr
• Pinterest pages
• Several FB pages such as: LEGO Biggest Fans (Thanks Andrew!), Brickgeekz, LEGO Verzamelaars, etc.
About Your Project
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I used to be a dungeon master for several RPG groups. I missed that and so I started fiddling with the idea in LEGO Digital Designer. I enjoyed it so much that one thing led to another. I still have so many ideas for Quest Builder bubbling in my head. It is a shame there is a limit of only 3K bricks.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
Keeping the brick count below the limit was the hardest part. I wanted to have a fair number of room tiles, but I also wanted to make each one different. As a Dungeon Master, I used to make cardboard parts and simply created the scene along the way. The rooms, therefore, had to be flexible in a sense that you should be able to create different rooms instantly. Simply by picking the room tiles you want, you can adapt the size/shape and looks of your room.
^ Yvonne's self-proclaimed building chaos is probably a common sight in an AFOL's building space
- How long did it take to complete the model?
Not very long, about 3 to 4 weeks.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
Baffled, stunned, dazed.
The first 2 weeks it was a steady trickle, going up to 200, then jumped to 500 in a short time. On February 18, it started escalating and by the end of February 19 there was an increase of 9500 votes! Insane!
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
The maximum amount allowed by the guidelines - 3k.
^ Yvonne's LEGO storage will make any AFOL drool!
About LEGO Ideas
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
The best tip I think I could give would be: build something you like, build it in a way that you would buy it instantly. Most important: enjoy the designing and building. - What is your favourite LEGO Ideas project (besides your own of course)?
I have a top 3 if that is allowed.
• Merchant’s House by bigboy99899
• Rey’s Speeder by Robert Lundmark
• Lighthouse by Robenanne
All three I would buy instantly
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
Well, I think it is any LEGO fan’s dream to have your model picked to be produced. My kids said they would love to go to a LEGO store and say: “my Mom made that”!What can I say about tips that the other 10K members have not already mentioned…
The obvious of course, make sure you have a sharp, clear picture. Make different versions because the picture that looks good on LEGO Ideas, may look crappy on other websites (at least I noticed that). Edges being cut off, text not readable and things like that happen.
Keep building, do not focus on that one project. More projects equal more chances of one taking off.
Relax. “Que sera, sera” (That is a famous song from an old Alfred Hitchcock movie for all those young people out there). “Whatever is going to happen, is going to happen”.
Thank you all for this insane race to 10K! Follow your passion!
^ Star Wars is not the only LEGO theme that Yvonne collects!
By
hasanjensen