We can all agree that this set is splashing! So, fish fans from around the world, show your support for Betta Splendens by Farmfarm in the comments below!
ABOUT YOURSELF
- What is your name?
Maren Wilker.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
I have an Instagram account, @legofarmfarm.
- Have you created any LEGO MOCs (my own creations) that you’re particularly proud of?
Besides my various LEGO Ideas submissions, I love to design custom sets for my friends and family. Last year, my kids and I built an “unhinged Christmas parade” that now functions as a holiday centerpiece on the dining room table. The point was to make it as weird as possible and we had a blast! I did a digital version just for photos. In addition to that, since my wife was the one who introduced me to LEGO building through Pirates of the Caribbean™ sets many years ago, so I repaid her by designing a pirate ship for her to build. I cut and measured the sails and generated instructions for her to follow.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
As I mentioned above, my wife introduced me to LEGO sets and so I didn’t have any experience with it until I was an adult. The first Medieval Town Square set is the one that inspired me to try my hand at MOCs.
- What does the LEGO hobby mean to you? How does it fit into your life?
I am very much into hobbies, regularly picking up new interests and new things to learn. But LEGO building continues to be a favorite hobby. I have not yet found a creative outlet that could replace the way it fits into my life.
- What is your favorite LEGO theme (current or past)?
My favorite has always been and continues to be the Ideas line, although the Icons line is a close second. I generally favor non-IP sets, both official and Ideas, with the exception of the video game systems and NASA™ products. For me, the most important aspects are the build experience and clever design. The sets geared toward adult builders have really encouraged me to find unique building techniques in my own designs.
- What is your favorite official LEGO set ever? Why?
It’s so hard to choose! My current top three are PAC-MAN™ (10323), the Titanic (10294), and Lion Knights’ Castle (10305).
- What is your favorite LEGO element? Why?
I am currently getting a lot of use out of the various brackets available. I find them really useful for creating surfaces that are “flush”, or for supporting SNOT techniques.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
Milan Madge has designed some of my favorite sets. The space shuttle was so much fun to put together!
- Is there one or more particular LEGO websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
New Elementary is my favorite. It’s such a great resource for finding new parts and colors, and getting detailed set reviews.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I have loved Betta fish for many years. They are beautiful, clever little fish, and a joy to interact with. There is a lot of misunderstanding around Bettas and many products out there that perpetuate that misunderstanding. For example, tanks that are too small, decorations that are dangerous, and improper supplements or medications. I thought that a Betta LEGO set would be challenging and fun to design, and a way to spread good information. The fish that inspired this set was a female veil-tail named Pam. She had such a fantastic personality! Whilst learning to care for her, I discovered how popular Bettas are and how people who have them are just absolutely in love with them, me included!
- How long did the process of making the project take and what did you have to research? What kind of prep, research and design phases did you go through to produce your creation?
The project took a few weeks to design and build. I didn’t have to do much research as I already had good knowledge about Bettas and tons of pictures of my own Bettas through the years. Deciding on the fin-type and color was the most challenging prep work. I decided on a Crown tail, as I think they are iconic and recognizable.
- What special challenges or frustrations did you face creating the model?
The fins were definitely the most challenging part, along with trying to represent the movement of the fish. I also struggled with the scale of the surrounding decorations, as Bettas are small compared to anything identifiable around them, so I experimented with different decorations. Finally, deciding on the color was really tough, and this is where I decided to go with Pam’s blue coloring. I thought this could be a good opportunity to offer some customization of color – from feedback I received on my Facebook posts, people would love to build versions of their own fish!
- If you could talk to yourself before you started on this project, what would you tell him/her? What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
I would tell myself to be patient, and be ready and willing to put in the work to promote the project.
- How long did it take to complete the model?
The build time was a few weeks, but the support period was long, about a year and a half. I had to get outside my comfort zone online to promote it.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
It was amazing, and such a surprise! I knew I was getting close, but I thought it would be at least another month before it happened, and then I saw the email after work one day. It was a solid year and a half to get to 10K.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
The model is a little over 1,300 pieces.
- What is your favorite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
I really like how well the dragon wings work as fins. I had to do a bit of trial and error to come up with a characteristic Betta “flare”, but I think it worked out well. One of my favorite things about the build was the little snail, a common Betta companion.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I used BrickLink Stud.io.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
I only did one custom sticker for this build. It’s a basic sign that I made in Illustrator and then applied to a tile via PartDesigner.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas Product Idea?
I’d say to not forget that the key word is “Idea”. It all starts with having a good idea that will appeal to a wide variety of people. I’m an analyst in my day job, so I approach everything by asking questions. Based on what I know about products that have been approved in the past, I ask myself these questions: Will this idea appeal to all different demographics and age groups? Is it something I feel capable of executing in a way that will look good? Could this idea be a good gift or something someone requests as a gift? Will the idea be fun to build and something someone is proud to display? Would the idea look “at home" in various settings like a bedroom, living room, classroom, office, bookshelf? Is the idea something that that could be personalized? Will the idea appeal to people that aren’t already LEGO fans and potentially be a first step toward a new lifelong hobby? The build execution itself is obviously important, but I think the idea is the most important factor.
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
I really don’t have a large social media presence, so this is the toughest part for me. Luckily, Bettas have a large fanbase of their own, and there are a lot of Betta care groups out there. I identified a bunch of them on Facebook and Reddit, and asked admins for permission to create posts. Most approved, and the posts were popular. The majority of my support came from this promotion.
- What is your favorite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
I will forever love the Globe and Typewriter sets, because they look at home in my office. In terms of overlooked sets, I was really hoping for a Sea Turtle set, and there have been some recent ones that didn’t pass review.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
I love the variety. I really appreciate the effort The LEGO Group makes to be inclusive and introduce all kinds of topics for challenges and activities. It makes it a lot of fun and gives me a chance to learn about new things. My main advice is to read the rules! Before you create any images, check what the specs are.
- 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 definitely have something in the works right now. It’s a big idea, so it is going to be awhile before I finish!
