Blog | Jul 09, 2024

10K Club Interview: Sequoia Tree Trail by PieceOnEarth

The latest 10K Club Interview takes us climbing high in the sky! Meet Daniel, a.k.a. PieceOnEarth, and their Sequoia Tree Trail project. Inspired by their love for nature! Show your support, and find out more below.

ABOUT YOURSELF

Who are you?
Hello, my name is Daniel Smith. I’m known on LEGO Ideas as PieceOnEarth.
Where are you from?
I am from Ottawa, Canada.
How old are you?
I am 26 years old.
What do you study or do for a living?
I studied mechanical engineering and currently work as a systems engineering coordinator at SanEcoTec Ltd.
What hobbies do you have?
LEGO is my primary hobby, but I also compose music, play the violin, and enjoy going on adventures! :)
How, and when, did your interest in LEGO products come about?
My interest in LEGO first started in 2004. I was walking through the toy section at Sears with my mom and saw the new Knights’ Kingdoms (II) sets on the shelves. I was immediately captivated by the sets’ designs and characters. That Christmas, I received set 8778 Border Ambush, which was my first LEGO play set! Ever since then, I have never stopped building with LEGO.
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 for me has been a channel for my creativity and imagination, and it is something that is a big part of my daily/weekly routine. When I was younger, I did a lot of building and playing. As the years have gone by, I continue to build and play with LEGO, as well as now designing models and displaying. LEGO is also something that I have enjoyed with my two brothers, who share the same passion and joy for building.
What is your favorite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
I would have to go with the Kingdom's theme from 2010-2012. In addition to my nostalgia for the theme, I love the classic castle storybook feel, and it brought with it some excellent sets. The Lord of the Rings theme would be a very close second. I would say that LEGO Ideas sets and the modular buildings line have inspired my building techniques and the level of exterior and interior detail that I put into my designs.
What is your favorite official LEGO set ever? Why?
My favorite official LEGO set ever would be 7946 Kings' Castle. It has important sentimental significance to me, and it is also a beautiful castle model that can be rearranged in different layouts. I still have it built and on display!
What is your favorite LEGO element? Why?
Part #11010 - Minifigure, Utensil Ring 1 x 1 would be the one! I love its original designed purpose (my precious!), but I also find it very useful for certain building techniques that require two studs to be connected.
Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
There are so many talented fan designers and official LEGO designers. Bjarke Lykke Madsen is an official LEGO designer who was involved in the creation of so many fantastic sets, many of which I grew up building and continue to be inspired by.
Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you often visit and/or are inspired by?
I usually visit Brickset and BrickLink daily, and also frequent other LEGO websites, such as Eurobricks.

ABOUT YOUR PROJECT

Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I have always been fascinated by the beauty and magnificence of the Giant Sequoia and Coastal Redwood trees. The idea for this project was born when I visited the Big Basin Redwoods State Park back in 2019. I walked around the visitor center and spent a lot of time hiking through the trails. I was amazed and fascinated with how massive the trees were. I remember thinking at that time how it would be awesome to build something like that in the form of a LEGO set. Ever since then, this idea has been on my mind. I decided to focus this project specifically on the giant sequoias, as they are the largest trees in the world.
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?
I started prep for this project about a year ago. I have family in California, so I was able to visit the trails there a couple of times throughout the year to take photos of the trees, trails, and wildlife. I also did quite a bit of research into the giant sequoia trees to help with the design of the trees for this model. Once I had all the pictures and information, I sketched out a few layouts, and built the first model.

Doing justice to the largest trees in the world was a daunting but enjoyable challenge. I had to do a couple versions of the large sequoia to get the sizing to a point which seemed fitting, while also appropriately sized for a LEGO set. After multiple iterations, I began refining the model, adding more detail, and finished the build with the minifigures. Once the model was complete, I began the rendering process and polishing the images for submission.
What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
The most challenging part was building the large sequoia tree, specifically replicating the tapering of the trunk, and getting that build to a point where the structure seemed solid enough for a real life model.
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?
The build itself and preparing the project for submission took about a month total to complete, which was less than the 3-month period it took to reach the 10,000 supporters.
How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes, and how long did it take?
It was an unbelievable feeling reaching the 10,000 vote milestone. I stayed up late that night on a call with family counting down the final votes, it was a very exciting moment. It took this project 87 days to reach the 10,000 mark. A big thank you to everyone who supported this project!
Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
2,940 pieces were used in the build of this Sequoia Tree Trail model.
What is your favorite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
The mounted deer head inside the visitor center was a building technique that I have used in some personal builds over the last several years. I am glad I was able to use it in this project.
If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I used BrickLink’s Studio 2.0 software to build this model and used the built-in Photoreal renderer to render the model.
If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them, or where did you get them?
The custom prints in this model and the project background I made using Krita.

ABOUT LEGO IDEAS

Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
Build something that you are passionate about, and that passion will show through in your project. I would also recommend rendering your model, creating a clean background image, and doing a little touch up afterward to make the model eye catching.
What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
Support for this project really grew quickly on its own, and I am so grateful to everyone who supported and shared this idea around. I did do some promotion initially on a few social media channels, such as Reddit, Flickr, and YouTube.
What is your favorite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own, of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
There are so many great Ideas projects. My favorite Ideas set is probably 21310 Old Fishing Store by RobenAnne, which has such an excellent design.
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 that LEGO Ideas is a creative outlet where passionate LEGO fans and creators can share their builds for what they believe would make a great LEGO set. I’d recommend building something that you are passionate about and something that you would love to build if it was an official LEGO set.
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 have a few ideas in the works, so stay tuned for future projects :)