Happy Friday all! Today we meet the newest member of the 10K Club, Wilson Du (a.k.a. QuaintWolf082) and his serenely beautiful BABY GREEN SEA TURTLE. Find out more about Wilson's interesting story here and leave a comment to show your support!
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
Hi, my name is Wilson Du. My LEGO Ideas username is supposed to be Allouryuen, I got a little confused with the nickname and username and accidentally changed it right before my project hit 10,000 votes. However, Quaintwolf082 is growing on me.
- Where are you from?
I was born in Vietnam and then moved to Finland for 7 years, and now I’m in Melbourne Australia!
- How old are you?
I am 45 years of age, but I feel as if I’ve been stuck at 25 for a rather long time.
- What do you study or do for a living?
I am the director at Equilibrium Engineering, a Civil Engineering Company. I also do a bit of advertising modelling as a hobby on the side.
- What hobbies do you have?
Drawing and illustration are among a few of my favourite things. Alongside this passion, I also co-run Hung Hing Cultural Association, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Chinese Lion dance. Our organisation volunteers to teach Lion dancing to young people, with the goal of spreading the rich cultural heritage behind this art form. The association has become very popular in our community, and we even won first place in an international freestyle competition held in Malaysia in 2019. So when the LEGO Chinese Lion dance sets came out I was ecstatic.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
Yes, I have flickr and a rebrickable account.
- 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?
Certainly! Excluding the creations I made when I was 8 years old (as I can't envision them being very good), my first custom LEGO build was in 2019. It was of Grogu or better known as Baby Yoda, an alternate build derived from set 75255 Yoda. It was received positively in the LEGO community, which motivated me to continue building custom LEGO creations.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
I recall playing with LEGO bricks for the first time in the early 80s. It was at a family friend’s house, where their son had a few sets. It was the most innovative toy I had ever encountered with seemingly endless possibilities! It was like having a million toys in one, my mind was blown!
- 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.
The LEGO hobby is incredibly fascinating to me as it serves as a form of relaxation and stress relief after a long day at work. These days I view it as a form of art medium, like drawing or sculpting; it allows me to express myself through the unique creations I build. For me, the LEGO hobby isn’t just limited to building, but also the joy of displaying my creations. It is a great conversation starter.
In essence, the LEGO hobby fits seamlessly into my life as a source of creative expression, entertainment, and relaxation.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
As a huge Star Wars nerd, it's no surprise that it's my favourite LEGO theme. In fact, my love for Star Wars is what led me back to LEGO building in my adult years. Circa 2012, I received the R2D2 and Death Star sets as a birthday gift, and I would spend each night building one bag of LEGO bricks with relaxing music playing in the background and a nice drink by my side. It was one of the most peaceful times I had experienced in years. The intricate engineering and clever design of the sets immediately captivated me and rekindled my love for LEGO building.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
Right now, my favourite LEGO set would have to be The Majestic Tiger 31129. I've purchased four of these sets already because I am simply in awe of its design and execution. The attention to detail is outstanding, from the intricate eyes to the realistic body shape and how it all comes together is purely ingenious. The tiger even has internal organs, and the addition of the flower is a charming touch. The anatomy and proportions of the tiger are spot-on. This set is so versatile that I have used it to create other animals, such as a Red Fox and Rocket Raccoon. The Red Fox has been particularly well-received, and I just completed Rocket Raccoon MOC using the Majestic Tiger, Baby Groot and Iron Monger Mayhem sets.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
I don't have a specific favourite element, but I enjoy using brackets and any piece with studs on more than one side. These elements provide the opportunity to assemble pieces in unique ways, resulting in interesting shapes and designs. This allows for endless creativity in building and constructing organic shapes.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
Yes, I have great respect for both official LEGO designers and fan designers. Personally, I am particularly inspired by LEGO designer Justin Ramsden, especially for his work on the Marvel series. I appreciate the intricate Easter eggs and innovative building techniques he incorporates into his designs, such as in the Yellow Submarine and The Upside-Down sets. Additionally, I am a fan of George Gilliat's animal designs, which are just remarkable.
My favourite fan designer is Henry Pinto, who was the winner of the first season of LEGO Masters in Australia. He is known for creating incredible mechs/humanoids, and he imbues his creations with remarkable character and life through his unique posing and photography. He generously shares his building techniques with others through his YouTube channel The LEGO Dark Knight. Henry is not only an exceptional LEGO designer, but he is also humble and a super nice guy!
- Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
I really enjoy ramblingbrick.com. Whenever I'm considering purchasing a set, I always check out his reviews first. They are entertaining and engaging, and often provide historical context for the sets he reviews. I really like how he (mainly his wife) lays out all the pieces and highlights any new elements included in the sets. This helps me get a better understanding of the sets and consider alternate building possibilities or ways to incorporate the new pieces. Another website I frequent is jaysbrickblog.com, where I can find interesting news and updates.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
It all started with a MOC build I made of a Ninja Turtle. I was so impressed with the shell I built that I wanted to further develop it. My love for sea turtles and the hope to initiate discussions about their conservation fuelled my interest in this model. The project started small, but as I became more invested in adding detail, it grew to its current size. - 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?
The process of creating this project took several years, starting in 2020. To create an accurate representation of the sea turtle, I did some research on their anatomy and different species of sea turtles, with a focus on the green sea turtle. During my trip to Hawaii several years ago, I took numerous photos of sea turtles and observed their swimming behaviour for countless hours. My goal was to accurately portray the calm personality of the sea turtle, with a focus on making its swimming movements as realistic as possible.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
The motorisation of the rotating front flippers posed a challenge as I needed them to move in a circular motion rather than just rotating. I initially devised a sophisticated system with multiple gears and axles to rotate each flipper at a 45-degree angle to the body, but it didn't run smoothly. I finally opted for a simple solution but had to compromise on the accuracy of the anatomy.The form of the shell was a challenge as it had to be round and taper towards the end. It was difficult to achieve the right shape and angle for the scutes and have them securely fit into one another while also being sturdy enough to handle without breaking. The green sea turtle has five scutes along its back shell, and it was challenging to recreate this feature accurately.
The next challenge was figuring out how to attach the shell to the turtle without interfering with the gears and staying in place during movement. I wanted the turtle to be sturdy and not fall apart, so I came up with lift arms that would guide the shell onto the turtle and click on with the studs. The final result is a very swooshable turtle that can be assembled by anyone.
- 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?
Keep it simple, especially for the moving parts. It will make the building process smoother and more enjoyable. Take plenty of pictures for record-keeping, as there's no undo-redo "Ctrl + Z" in the real world. Lastly playing music in the background can help motivate or get you through tough or challenging moments.
- 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?
Building the model took a long time as I wanted to build it physically rather than using software because of the motorisation. I wanted to ensure that it would work, so I purchased parts on Bricklink and had to wait for them to arrive, only to realize that I no longer needed the parts. I also bought the Mindstorms set to learn and experiment with gears, gear ratios, and torque resistance.I'm not very proficient with social media, so I only used Facebook to promote my product idea. I didn't want to overload the LEGO pages, so I posted it twice, once when I finished building the turtle and the second time when I completed the base. I also tried Instagram and TikTok, but I don't think I was successful on those platforms as I didn't know how to utilize their full potential.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
Reaching 10,000 votes was an incredible experience, almost like getting a new furry pet - almost! It drew a great deal of joy and thrill. The journey to hitting the milestone took a total of 1 year and 10 days.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
It's difficult to give an exact number, but I would guess that I used around 2500 LEGO bricks to construct the model and base, as there are a lot of tiny pieces. The finished product weighs approximately 1.5 kilograms.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
My favourite part of this product idea is the shell, specifically the way in which the scutes interlock seamlessly into one another. I really like utilising hinge plates with locking fingers and ball and socket joints, as this allowed for a two-way curved shell design that can be locked or held into place.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
One useful piece of advice is to limit the number of ideas within a set. Even if you have a multitude of great ideas, it's important to narrow them down to the most essential ones. It's easy to get carried away with adding features and details, but it's crucial to consider whether each of these elements is necessary and whether they will appeal to a broad audience. Remember that what you may find exciting may not be universally appealing, so it's essential to consider the tastes of potential builders.
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
I found that taking unique, captivating photos in distinctive locations can make the idea more attractive. For example, I edited an image of the turtle swimming from the back of its shell with a coral reef in the background to create a documentary-like feel. I was particularly happy with the result. I primarily used Facebook and posted my idea on many LEGO-related pages.
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
It's a tough choice, as I like so many, and I've acquired almost all of the sets, except for the first two. However, if I had to pick one, it would be Wall-E. It’s a great build and it looks fantastic - the bonus is that the Ideas designer worked on the actual movie! How cool is that?!
I believe that the Planet Express Delivery Ship would have made an excellent set, it looks true to the original source and I’m a big Futurama fan. I was disappointed that it wasn't chosen to be an official set.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
The LEGO Ideas platform's concept of “Anyone could be a LEGO designer” appeals to me greatly. It gives the average person a chance to be able to put a little bit of themselves out to the world and celebrated through LEGO building.
It's such a brilliant idea. As you can see from my profile, I have been a long-time follower for 8 years before I even submitted an idea. Never have I thought that I would reach the 10,000 Club! I never imagined that I would become a 10k Club Member!
Regarding tips for uploading an idea, always check what IP can be submitted to the LEGO Ideas platform first before you commit countless hours to your project.
- Do you have plans to submit any other Product Ideas in the future? If yes, can you give us a hint what that might be?
I sure do! I'm already in the midst of experimenting with my next project, which will be a larger build. I'm especially fond of animating LEGO sets with moving parts, as it brings them to life, and I plan on doing that again in my next idea.
