Yee-haw! We're back with another 10K interview. Today we welcome Łukasz Łyciuk, aka llucky, into the 10K Club. Building from his enjoyment of the fantastical elements of the Western theme which captivated him as a child, Łukasz's Western-inspired set seeks to spread the magic to the rest of us LEGO fans! What do you think of this idea - Sheriff's Office - Wild West?
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
Łukasz Łyciuk.
- Where are you from?
Poland.
- How old are you?
34.
- What do you study or do for a living?
IT Architect in an international consulting company.
- What hobbies do you have?
LEGO building and Clive Cussler novels.
- 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?
The Imperial Soldiers Fort - My first meaningful MOC after returning to my childhood passion.
The King Kahuka Palace - I like the approach I have taken. I just started building with blocks. No planning, no designing - It was purely spontaneous. I love this model just for that. It is a little bit crazy and a little inconsistent. But it's still one of my favourites.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO come about?
From my very childhood. When I was 5 years old when I got my first set and I fell in love with it. I could enter the world I created with the bricks for hours. My childhood was during the political changes in Poland. It was a very difficult period in my family. We could not afford LEGO sets. And still, my parents tried to buy me at least the smallest sets. It was the small number of bricks that taught me to be creative.
- 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.
For me, LEGO building is a break from the world and problems. It brings me back to that 5-year-old for whom only his created world exists. Plus, it's a great way to spend time together with my kids. They love LEGO products, and dad builds the best models now! My wife also supports me in my passion. This is the best way for me to spend my free time. What I like the most is when the whole family sits down to a new LEGO set.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
Past: Pirates, Imperials, Islanders, Western! Because that's my childhood. I spent a huge amount of time staring at the wonderful LEGO catalogues. Those catalogues from the 90s had something special. I dreamed about those sets. I imagined that I was a pirate. That I was a sheriff in the wild west. That's why nowadays I come back to these themes in my projects.
Current: All the sets are technically interesting. I never got into them, only Star Wars and Technic.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
Pirates of Barracuda Bay – a set that while building gave me the feeling that I am 6 years old again and the world around me doesn't exist. This set is the main reason why I started to create projects in Ideas myself. I wanted to give a similar feeling to others. That is why my project is also a reference to the classic series from the 90s
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
Tiles – all tiles. I love the effect of smooth surfaces. It gives us realistic effects.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
Paoko Sánchez - THE PIRATE BAY. This project brought back my passion for LEGO products. As soon as I saw this project on LEGO Ideas I fell in love.
Daniel August Krentz – I think there is no need for an introduction. Great classic sets.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
From a certain Facebook group. I saw some great sets from the Western series from the '90s. I remembered sitting with my nose in the catalogues dreaming of a Fort LEGOredo. I decided that I had to design something from the Wild West. At that time, I didn't think about LEGO Ideas. It wasn't until I was working on it that I felt that what I was getting was really good - that I thought it was worth sharing with others. That, perhaps, this is a good moment for the return of the Wild West to LEGO sets!
- 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?
I watched a few westerns. While I was working, I listened to Ennio Morricone's soundtracks nonstop. I wanted to transfer this mood to my project. That's why I worked very long on the colour scheme. I researched if these colours were used in real buildings from the wild west. I was looking through old drawings and old photos.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
Details. I wanted to achieve interesting effects that would not be a copy of existing solutions. I wanted to enter a new level of my creativity. Often an insignificant detail took me a few days to work out.
- 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?
About 200 hours – 2 months. Probably the promotion lasted far less time.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
It took me exactly 83 days to get the required support! I was happy and proud. One of my dreams had come true. I immediately wanted to share this with everyone! And I especially wanted to celebrate a little with my family. It was also thanks to them that I was able to do so. It was my wife who spent several hours evaluating my project and suggesting improvements.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
2700.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
BrickLink's Stud.io
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
Get all the details right. Sometimes an idea isn't everything. We're used to great designs. Sometimes a small detail can make the difference in a staff pick. And that's a big advantage right now.
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
Promotion on Facebook groups and promotion on Instagram. Additionally, I got a lot of support from a Polish portal Wykop. I also shared my project on Reddit.
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
The Medieval Bakery and The Crown - A Piece of History.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
Another creator from LEGO Ideas once told me that we are not in competition with each other here; that we have one common goal. What advice can I give? Be kind. Appreciate other creators. Help others. LEGO building is meant to unite us, not divide us! We have the same goal. To bring great ideas to LEGO builders! A great example is the creator of a medieval bakery (Check out this project. It's awesome). He contacted me and said that a vulture would fit my project perfectly. And he sent me his vulture design. How great it is!
- 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 don't plan to. But you never know if I won't design something else I want to share!
