In today's 10K Club Interview, we introduce I-yan Ha, creator of the beautiful and powerful ship that existed in ancient times and was reborn from LEGO bricks.
Please welcome I-yan Ha (aka Iyan Ha) and his creation Roman Warship. Help us congratulate him and learn more about his creation.
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
My name is I-yan, Ha.
- Where are you from?
I'm from South Korea.
- How old are you?
I am 39 years old.
- What do you do for a living?
I majored in architecture and art, and now I'm in the art field.
- What hobbies do you have?
My hobby is LEGO creation. It's really fun. I've been creative for nine years.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
I use Facebook and Instagram.
www.facebook.com/iyan.ha.58
www.instagram.com/iyan.ha.58
- 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 made the movie Titanic into a MOC a few years ago. It's my favorite movie. Maybe that's why I like this work the most. The actors in the movie customized it and expressed the inside of the ship. Sooner or later, I'm planning to renew this work.
- How and when did your interest for LEGO products come about?
I first got acquainted with LEGO products when I was young, but after I became an adult I started to create LEGO creations. It's hard to find something as pretty and fun as LEGO products. It's been about 9 years since I started to create.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
LEGO became part of my life. Like my hobby, I always create, participate in exhibitions, share with many people, talk about it, and enjoy it. LEGO is always with me.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set? Why?
I like the Castle and Pirates series the most. I especially like castles and pirate ships the most and still have them. Because I get a lot of imagination and good inspiration by looking at things that existed in the past. It is interesting that there was such a world and culture before I was even born. It's great that they're expressed in LEGO bricks.
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
There are many advantages of LEGO but the most compatible one is the best. Because of its good compatibility, many people can create with it, and LEGO Ideas is also possible. The compatibility of LEGO bricks will not catch up with any toys.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
I respect all the designers, but I especially respect Jamie Berard. The reason can be seen from his work. There are so many great works such as modular series, aeroplanes, London Bridge, etc. Among the modulars, the Parisian Restaurants is the best.
- Is there one or more particular LEGO related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
I usually see pictures on Flickr. Because there are many good quality MOC pictures. I also communicate with talented creators there.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
I was inspired by a model of a Roman ship in my father's room. It was an old ship. It was the colour of a tree overall. I've always been interested in Western culture, and when I saw the old ship, I thought I should make it.
- 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?
The work took about a month. I looked up several images of ancient ships on the Internet. I also researched while looking at various models. What the shape of an ancient ship is overall. How it looks inside. I investigated how the row forms and how they play a role. I didn't use LDD and did it spontaneously. So, I repeated myself trying many things to implement the structure. It was pretty fun.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
I had a hard time making the sails. I think it's because it's my first time working on a sail. There are two sails used, and I thought about how to make them be firm, and I connected the strings to the sails to strengthen them. I didn't know how to make sail. I didn't even know if I had to use fabric. After many attempts, I got the right ingredients and succeeded in printing and completed the sail.
- 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?
Calculate the length of the strap on the sail and decide the location of the mast in advance. Don't try to paint the sail with hard brush strokes. Print with the printer from the beginning.
- 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?
I worked on it for a month and released it on my personal blog or the Internet in March 2019. It was originally created for the purpose of exhibiting at the exhibition. So I posted it on LEGO Ideas after a year. It took about half a year to get 10,000 supporters.
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
Ten thousand supporters in about half a year, and I couldn't believe it. I also submitted my work without thinking about getting full support. I was so happy that I posted a screenshot on the Internet and bragged about it to my acquaintances. I still feel good.
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
I don't know exactly, but I think 1,500 parts were used.
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
The way I usually used it was using a bracket to make a ship shape. I combined the slope with the bracket and added flexibility using the hinge brick. My favourite part is using a string on the sail. The string was used to add realism and the sail was firmly connected.
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I always prefer the improvised assembly method without using the program.
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
I printed it by myself. I printed it on the genuine LEGO Brick with my own UV printer. I printed part of the ship and part of the sail. The design program used was Illustrator.
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
It would be nice if the item does not overlap with the existing product. I think it would be good to have a lot of creative experience and challenges.
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
I posted a photo on SNS to promote it.
- What is your favourite LEGO Ideas Product Idea (besides your own of course)? Are there any Product Ideas you think have been overlooked?
I like Birds the most among LEGO Ideas products. It has a different charm than other things. I love how animals are expressed in LEGO bricks. It's a really pretty set.
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
Many people's creations are so good to see. I can get inspiration and see and learn a lot.
The tip I can give you is to create, create and upload many works. I want to tell people that it is good to have a lot of creative experience.
- 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 will continue to do creative activities. I will submit it whenever I think it is appropriate to submit it to LEGO Ideas.
By
Kamila9