This week we say hello to a well known figure in the LEGO and LEGO Ideas community, as we have a quick chat with Jason Allemann (aka JKBrickworks), the mastermind behind the Pursuit of Flight project and countless other impressive MOCs! Learn more about his creation here and please help us congratulate him in the comments down below!
About Yourself
- Where are you from?
Ontario, Canada.
- How old are you?
46.
- What do you study or do for a living?
I’m a software developer.
- What hobbies do you have?
I love exploring the outdoors in many ways - canoeing, hiking, rock climbing, camping. Really, any excuse to get outside and discover the wonderful world that we live in.
- Do you have a personal portfolio website that you can share with us?
Sure, you can find information about most of the models I design on my website at jkbrickworks.com.
- How and when did your interest for LEGO come about?
I’ve been a fan of LEGO for most of my life. When I was a child, I was blown away by the early Technic sets, which probably played a role in my ongoing fascination with mechanical creations. I really got back into the hobby about 20 years ago, with the release of the first LEGO Star Wars sets and the first Mindstorms Robotics kit.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set? Why?
This time I’m going with set 7189 Mill Village Raid. I adored all the farm animals that came in that set.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
Lately, I’ve been using part 2853 Technic Engine Crankshaft a lot, as it can be used to build pistons with a very small travel range. It also happens to be a key element in the crankshaft of the Pursuit of Flight project.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why
Two designers that come to mind are Chris McVeigh, a former fan who recently joined the LEGO group, and Jonas Kramm, who I wouldn’t be surprised to see work for LEGO in the future. Both are brilliant artists that constantly amaze me with the models they design.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
I still keep tabs on most of the major fan sites, but lately I’ve just been spending more time following builders I like directly on their various social media sites, especially YouTube and Instagram.
About Your Project
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I’d been thinking about building a small kinetic sculpture for a while. A model that could easily be displayed on a desk to provide some visual and mechanical interest. At some point Chris McVeigh posted a small Star Wars themed model of the Millennium Falcon that could tilt from side to side and that planted the seed in my mind to start this project.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
For this model, the mechanism came together pretty quickly, and I think I spent the most time working on the airplane designs. The scale is quite small, so capturing as much detail as possible and making them recognizable was probably the biggest challenge.
- How long did it take to complete the model? Did you finish it fairly quickly, or did it take a long time?
I think it took a few weeks to finish the preliminary design, but I kept coming back to it throughout the year. In the end, I designed a handful of different planes and several different versions of the full model.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes – again- and how long did it take?
It took just over a year to reach 10,000 supporters and it’s always exciting to see a project reach that magic number. I was definitely checking the site pretty frequently towards the end.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
There are around 400 pieces in it.
About LEGO Ideas
- This is your fourth 10K project. What’s the secret formula to your success?
No Idea, to be honest. I just design models that I’m interested in and it seems other people are interested in them as well.
- What is it about the LEGO Ideas platform that attracts you and makes you want to keep posting new projects?
The prospect of potentially having one of my own designs inspire an official set always brings me back.
- Are you already planning further projects?
I have nothing in the works at the moment, but I have been casually thinking that it might be time to start another project.
- Which upcoming LEGO Ideas set are you looking most forward to?
The submission for the piano was absolutely brilliant. I can’t wait to see what it becomes.
By
hasanjensen