The latest 10K Club Interview invites us to explore Costa Rica´s enormous biodiversity! Meet Mario Zorita, a.k.a. Mario Vela, and their Rainforest Frogs project. Inspired by their passion for wildlife! Show your support, and find out more below.
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
I would like to be called Mario Zorita if possible.
- Where are you from?
I'm from Madrid, Spain
- How old are you?
I just turned 22 recently!
- What do you study or do for a living?
I am currently studying an Aerospace Engineering degree and I do have some interest in entrepreneurship, investing etc… I like trading
- What hobbies do you have?
Well, my main hobby right now is mainly LEGO mocs, rc tanks, video games, watching movies like Jurassic Park and traveling (to tropical countries overall). I love using STUD.io or LDD in order to make and post cool renders and mocs mostly.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
Currently I don't have any, but I have planned on doing so eventually in the near future.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
I would say since I have a memory, but I recall my very first LEGO kit, my father and I saw the famous LEGO tv spot “a man has fallen into the river in LEGO City!” in which the helicopter set #7903 was portrayed rescuing the drowned man. He bought me the set for my 6th birthday.
I still have it.
- 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.
LEGO has always been a big part of my childhood, and it will always stay in my heart, no matter what. It's an eternal way to reconnect with my childhood, nothing will change that, time passes on but LEGO stays in your heart, always. I feel that's what makes LEGO so unique and loved, that's it's true pure essence, which has stayed incorrupt for all this time. That's what LEGO means to me.
On the other hand, thanks to LEGO forums and social media and communities I have met and known so many people and friends.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
I knew this question would be asked! Well I have several favorite LEGO themes, but after considering it for a while, my very favorite LEGO theme must be LEGO STAR WARS (I love clone wars sets and UCS), closely followed by LEGO Jurassic Park/LEGO Dino, and LEGO INDIANA JONES.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
My very favorite? That's a tough question, I´d say LEGO STAR WARS AT OT with Republic Dropship#10195 (which I luckily had for Christmas at 10 yo) thats a huge part of my childhood and I just love it, I also like the 2022 AT TE #75337 which I got about a year ago. I also love the UCS Star Destroyer #75252.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
My favorite lego part has to be the 2 x 2 wedge tile #35787 triangular since it´s studless and allows sharper shapes. (Please Lego, we need more studless wedges! ;) )
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
Well I have known “Hachiroku24” for a long time, he's a great person and a friend of mine, he's super talented in making well …. Anything? He's just great. He did the Insect Collection a while ago. Another REALLY talented Lego builder and also a friend of mine, David Aguilar, it's just a super smart guy, really joyful and an inspiring person. You probably know him from his prosthetic Technic Lego arm.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
Well I am mostly inspired by Bricklink it's a great deal for LEGO users in general, STUD.io etc… There's a lot of material.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
It came from my travels to the different jungles I´ve been to. I love
going abroad, grabbing a backpack with some energetic bars and water and exploring the jungle alone. There´s something magical about it, you can see the wildlife where it should be, as it is. And when I saw the tropical frogs I just fell in love with them, and I had the urge to represent that admiration.
- 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?
Well I'm a really spontaneous person so I don't plan most things, I like to improvise. For example, the very first thing I did for the LEGO frogs project was making some sort of big log, with holes in order to have each frog on one of them, with flowers etc, but when I made it, it was too much and then I did the big leafy plant you see, and then the frogs. But honestly it didn't take that much, I wasted more time wondering how to render them properly without crashing than making them.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
The renderings… I may have like 40+ different renders, some with raindrops and water. But it couldn´t be uploaded to the platform. That was frustrating.
- 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?
Get yourself to know how to handle some photo editor better.
- 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?
If I take into account the previous Log I did with flowers etc… It may have taken like one month or so. But regarding the frogs, and just the frogs. Maybe ten days of just that, on full focus as I say. I was really inspired to make them.
Well I honestly have not promoted my LEGO ideas, in fact I kept it very secretive, I didn't want to influence the flow of followers and I liked reading their true thoughts on the project. The whole process of the 10K supporters I think started from 2 August to mid November.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
It was crazy, I honestly don't believe it yet. The whole process of the 10K supporters I think started from 2 August to mid November 2023.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
It uses 1625 LEGO parts
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
I am glad I got this question, THE ARTICULATIONS are incredibly built, I shouldn't say it myself, but it honestly works the same as a real articulation I watched several videos of frogs in order to understand what LEGO parts would make the motion I wanted, where did it need larger joints, how to place them etc… If you had them physically I guarantee you they could be articulated in almost every fashion you want, jumping with the legs extended, curled, hiding etc… I am very proud of that to be honest.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I used STUD.IO 2.0 for the making of the model and renderings.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
I didn't use stickers although I thought about it, the main reason I didn't was that I already found plenty of printed bricks that fitted perfectly the skin tone, spots, eyes etc…
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
Make something that truly motivates you to make/feel passionate about. Just that.
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
I mainly like:
LEGO Ideas fossils #21320 (I love dinosaur fossils)
LEGO IDEAS International Space Station #21321 ( I am studying Aerospace engineering so I had to mention it)
Also the LEGO Ideas insects which I have, love it.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
I like that people are super nice and they really follow your project. I love how supportive they are, the merit is all theirs. I have not seen any company listening to their potential buyers as much as LEGO does, and LEGO Ideas is a great way to do it and to add “normal people” into the LEGO equation. Which is great.
-Build with your heart.
- 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?
Yes, I do, if this goes well , I have started another naturalist conservation effort related topic… That was my main goal. Still is.
By
BrickSon