Welcome, GenericStud, to the 10K Club. 17-years-old, and with a 10K project already under their belt, GenericStud is one to watch. Inspired by Ninjago, ED AND EDNA'S SCRAP JUNKYARD is sure to please fans of the theme. Give a like to show your support!
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
Generic Stud.
- Where are you from?
The UK.
- How old are you?
17.
- What do you study or do for a living?
I’m a YouTuber and study at a local sixth form full-time, too!
- What hobbies do you have?
Obviously YouTube, but one of my major hobbies has to be creating my own custom LEGO sets based on things I’ve always wanted to see in brick form!
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
I’d say my YouTube channel acts as a sort of portfolio because pretty much all of my custom builds get posted over there!
- Have you created any LEGO MOCs (my own creations) that you’re particularly proud of? What is it, why are you proud of it and do you have a photo of it?
I’d have to say my creation of Dareth’s Mojo Dojo is a big stand-out. Ninjago was my favourite show growing up and Dareth was (is) my favourite character, so it was a no-brainer!
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
I always knew I wanted to give LEGO IDEAS a go because I think it’s a fantastic way of hearing what the fans want! So around January time, I collected a ton of suggestions from viewers of my channel and ultimately this seemed like the most obvious one to create!
- What is the LEGO hobby to you? What does it mean to you? How does it fit in your life? E.g. build, display, meetups, play the games or 'just' watch the cartoons.
Growing up, LEGO building has always been huge in my life. From the shows (such as Chima and Ninjago) to the sets; I’ve always taken immense enjoyment from playing with friends and creating my own content with it. It’s allowed me to create things I’d never imagined were possible and meet so many brilliant people!
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
Ninjago definitely is my favourite LEGO theme. Growing up in the early 2010s it was everywhere. The show played a huge role in my life and many of its themes still hold true today! I love the ninja aesthetic of the sets and the temple builds have to be some of my favourite LEGO sets ever!
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
That’s a tough one but I’d have to go with Ninjago Gardens, I think, because it feels like the ultimate Ninjago set. It’s got so many great minifigures and references to the show and was an absolute blast to build. Definitely one of the best experiences I’ve had with a LEGO set (if not with anything!).
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
I’d definitely have to say past 26047, the 1x1 round plate with bar handle. It’s so versatile and really played a huge role in my continued love for LEGO building. An absolutely classic piece.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
Without a doubt, Tiago Caterino has been a huge inspiration to me. He’s shown just how transferable LEGO building skills can be to other endeavours in life (such as YouTube!) and just how successful you can be at it!
- Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
Generally just interacting with the community on Twitter or Instagram and asking for ideas gives me huge inspiration, because everyone in the LEGO space is so creative and has some great ideas.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I think its prominence in the Ninjago TV show definitely played a huge role, not to mention the massive nostalgia factor.
- How long was the process of making the project, and what did you have to research as well? What kind of prep, research and design phases did you go through to produce your creation?
I think this project took me about 2 weeks to complete. I began with an ideas phase where I sifted through thousands of suggestions until I came to the JunkYard! I used the show as my reference material because it honestly just allowed me to rewatch some great episodes!
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
Definitely the car build. In the show, it’s very complex and detailed so it was a real challenge to try and cram in as much of that as possible!
- If you could talk to yourself before you started on this project, what would you tell them? What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
Probably to give myself a greater time span to actually finish the model! My goal was 2 weeks which was very tight, but I’m happy with the result so I don’t know if I’d change much.
- How long did it take to complete the model? Did you finish it fairly quickly, or did it take a long time? And how did the build time compare to the time you spent promoting your Product Idea to reach 10,000 supporters?
Around 2 weeks of building and 6 months of promoting!
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
I was honestly very surprised. It was a huge honour and I felt a massive achievement which showed just how enthusiastic the community is about LEGO creations!
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
Around 800! (723 to be exact).
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
Probably the Ed and Edna sign because it took me so long to try and make it similar to the show, and also physically possible with LEGO bricks.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
Stud.io.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
I had a friend of mine create the designs using Photoshop for the minifigures.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
Create something you’re passionate about and can be proud of, and others will see that through your designs!
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support for your Product Idea?
I posted 2 YouTube videos about my set to try and advertise it, and get viewers on board with my idea.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
It’s probably the idea of having a chance to interact directly with the LEGO Group; a company which I’ve loved my whole life and the possibility of having my creation be a real set!
- Do you have plans to submit any other Product Ideas in the future? If yes, can you give us a hint of what that might be?
I may or may not have a few ideas, but we’ll have to wait and see!
