Let's meet Alex Sahli aka Galaxy333, the designer of LOG CABIN. His model is inspired by the architecture in the area where he lives (the Pacific Northwest) and it is his first in the 10k Club. Help us congratulate him and learn more about his creation.
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
My name is Alex Sahli.
- Where are you from?
I am from the US state of Oregon.
- How old are you?
I am 16 years old.
- What do you study or do for a living?
I am currently in school, mainly focusing on science & engineering.
- What hobbies do you have?
Besides LEGO, I enjoy studying countries, making maps, and learning about geography in general. I also play soccer for fun.
- 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 try to put lots of effort into all of my MOCs, so I usually feel happy with how they turn out. One MOC that I’m particularly proud of that isn’t on my Ideas page is the Temple of Time from the Legend of Zelda.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO come about?
I got my first LEGO when I was very young. It was a hand-me-down box with old space and castle pieces mixed in, as well as construction vehicles set. I loved it because it allowed me to build whatever I wanted to. Since then, I’ve pretty much always enjoyed LEGO.
- What is LEGO for you? What does it mean for you? How does it fit in your life? E.g. build, display, meetups, play the games or 'just' watch the cartoons.
LEGO is a hobby for me, as well as a great way to relax. I also find it to be one of the best ways to bring out my creativity and to express myself. Most of my MOCs are designed digitally because there are fewer limitations, although I like to build physical sets as well.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
My favorite theme is probably either Ideas or Creator Expert. LEGO Ideas always produces such unique sets that never would have been made without the creativity of fans (including my all-time favorite set). Creator Expert sets are always very detailed, with so many cool building techniques, and look great on display. To answer the second part of the question, I think the style of Ninjago can be very inspirational for certain builds, although my builds usually reflect the style of Creator Expert more.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set? Why?
This is a tough question; there are so many great sets. But if I had to pick one, I’d choose the Ideas Saturn V rocket. It represents such an important moment in history, and is very accurate to the real thing, both in appearance and the ability to separate into stages. I’ve always been interested in space and space travel, so this ends up being the perfect set for me.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
In general, I think jumpers are one of the most useful pieces, and I use them in almost every single one of my builds. I also think 18969 is a really interesting part. It’s most commonly used in sets to build up hot air balloons, but I love seeing all of the other creative uses people have found for it.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I really enjoy building houses in different architectural styles, and this was one I thought would be especially fun to make. It was also inspired by the region I live in (the Pacific Northwest), as the environment is very similar to what’s depicted in my model.
- How long was the process of making the project did, 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?
In total, it didn’t take too long to make. At first, I decided in my head roughly what I wanted to create, and then wrote down a list of things to include in the final design. From there, with the help of some reference images, I started modeling it in Stud.io. I also made sure to do lots of testing with different building techniques before finalizing it. In the end, I probably spent a couple of hours a day working on it over the course of a week.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
The hardest part for me was actually the interior. Due to the thickness of the walls, there wasn’t a ton of space inside to put things. I ended up adding an update to my project with a more detailed interior, which added a bookshelf and some accessories.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
It felt amazing to reach 10,000 votes. 10k has always been a dream of mine, and it means so much to have achieved it and know that my hard work has paid off.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
It’s about 2,600 pieces.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
I tried out lots of new techniques on this model that I love, but I think the chimney and log walls are my favorites. They were really fun to make, and I think they also translated well into LEGO form.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I used Stud.io, which I highly recommend.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
My four main tips are:
- Be creative with your idea
- Add lots of detail
- Don’t rush yourself
- Promote it for visibility
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
There are so many great projects and I can’t just choose one. In this review stage though, the A-Frame Cabin and Mini-Golf projects stand out to me, and I’d love to see them as sets. As far as overlooked projects go, I think @Abluent has a bunch of cool projects that deserve more support.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
What I like so much about this platform is seeing all the creativity and awesome ideas that fans have come up with. The ability to put your own idea up here is just a really cool concept. As for my tips, I recommend building something you’re interested in and spending lots of time perfecting it.
- 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 do plan on submitting more projects in the future! I haven’t started working on any yet, but I have some ideas in mind :)
By
Kamila9