Introducing Jack Carleson, aka BigPlanes-Customs on LEGO Ideas, the creator of Southwest 737-800! Jack will be hoping that his product idea can take him to dizzying heights. Maybe even the heights of a Fan Designer?
Please do help us congratulate Jack down below in the comments too :)
About Yourself
- Who are you?
Jack Carleson.
- Where are you from?
San Diego, Southern California USA.
. - How old are you?
17 Years old.
- What hobbies do you have?
My hobbies include Aerial photography, LEGO building and a passion for anything that flies!
- Have you created any LEGO MOCs (my own creations) that you’re particularly proud of? What is it, why are you proud it and do you have a photo of it?
Yes, I have my YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-cJAp3DIphthxTErH7AGtg?view_as=subscriber
And my Flickr page:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/166701137@N06/
- Have you created any LEGO MOCs (my own creations) that you’re particularly proud of? What is it, why are you proud it and do you have a photo of it?
I have created all different types of custom LEGO airplanes ranging from small experimental aircraft all the way to a massive Air Force One. Here’s a picture of air force one. https://www.flickr.com/photos/166701137@N06/49312896316/in/album-72157713220919863/
- How and when did your interest for LEGO come about?
I first became Interested in LEGO when I was young and had an interest in Ninjago. I’ve since become passionate about aviation and started building airplanes.
- 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.
Working on my LEGO models acts as a nice escape from the more stressful parts of life and is a fun hobby to do when there is some downtime. I am also part of a local Lego User Group named SandLUG and we will have our meetups and will often display our custom models at events.
- 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 LEGO theme would have to be Ninjago just for nostalgic reasons. I learn the most from Creator Expert sets such as the Saturn V and the Lunar lander.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set? Why?
My favorite Lego set would probably be the Saturn V because of how it's constructed in such a complicated yet sturdy way.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
My favorite LEGO element is the 2x4 curved slope because it allows me to create smooth and rounded fuselage and wings for my planes.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
I often find inspiration from others on Flickr.
About Your Project
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
My interest in this model came from my personal experience flying southwest 737s. I have always loved the color scheme that southwest uses and was inspired to create a model based off of that.
- 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?
Building my model took roughly 3 months from start to finish. Before I started building, I printed out a scale blueprint of the 737-800. I also attempt to solve the trickiest parts of the model before I put any bricks together so I don’t hit any hiccups once construction begins. I don’t use any sort of digital designer for any of my models. It's all done by hand.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
The most difficult part of this model was building the stripes going through the tail. This part was challenging because I had to go through multiple different iterations before I was happy with how it looked.
- 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?
Funny enough I spent about 3 months building the model and it took roughly 3 months to reach 10k supporters on Lego ideas.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
It took roughly 3 months to reach 10K and it felt satisfying.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
My favorite part of this model are the engines. Each engine has a motor in it which allows it to spin and also has the iconic flat bottom that makes the Boeing 737 stand out.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
I used custom stickers on my model. I created them myself in Inkscape.
About LEGO Ideas
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
Have an existing fan base already. Having an existing fan base through YouTube, Instagram or Flickr will help you spread the word about your build and achieve 10k.
- 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 the idea that a fan can have the opportunity, however small it is, to have a chance for their model to be turned into 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?
Yes, Something that is a small airplane at a larger scale.
By
JacobM366