a new lego project

November, 2010

i started a new lego project a couple of weeks ago, and i thought it might be interesting to post pics of the piece as it progresses. i've never done this before, as i am a terrible photographer, so bear with me, folks.

on the drive home from the p&m's a few weeks ago, i was thinking about starting a new lego project, and musing on a subject to choose. i started thinking about mythologies and heroes and legends-- five hundred years from now, who would be the iconic figures of the twenty-first century, our own robin hoods and king arthurs? it's only been a decade, so i only came up with two-- harry potter and captain jack sparrow. (no offense, rowling fans, but the choice between the two was obvious.)

i spent a week looking at literally hundreds of images in order to find the pic i wanted to work from; i found this as a screencap from potc- world's end, and cropped it to suit my purposes--

every morning, excluding the occasional day off, i will post a new pic here marking my progress; i'm already a week in, and the hard part is over!

november 21st--

working from the original photo, i graphed an outline sketch of the image on a 4'x4' sheet of pressed board. initially, i attach the lego blocks to the board with rubber cement. however, as the work progresses it become heavier, so the glue no longer provides the necessary support. at that point, i drill holes in the board and use nails as pegs to support the weight.

i always start with the eyes-- the eyes are where you capture the subject...or fail to capture him.

november 22nd--

yeah, i got him.

november 23rd--

please excuse the blurry-- you were warned.

november 24th--

the mustache gave me quite a bit of trouble-- he really should trim that thing.

november 26th--

yeah, yeah-- i know.

november 27th--

he's beginning to come together!

 update: november 28

darn it-- i'm runnng out of black bricks already! i placed another order yesterday; hope they ship quickly.

 update: november 29th--

wahoo- finished the lower right corner!

update: november 30th--

it's funny how the bricks making up the braid on the left side of his face are reflecting the flash-- shiny!

 update: december 1st--

two corners done, and halfway there! i may have to take a couple of days off, though, to heal; between the legos and the book project, i've got the tendonitis in my left arm stirred up again. ah, how we suffer for our art! :-)

 update: december 2nd--

close to two thirds done now; i need to start thinking about framing.

update: dec 4--

darn it, i'm running out of the 1x2's now; wish i'd thought to order them when i restocked my black 1x4's and plates.....this is what comes of letting my personal stock of legos fall below 15,000. poverty can really suck sometimes.

update:  december 5th--

almost done! gee, i hope the bricks i ordered are shipped soon!

update: december 6th--

i didn't have the patience to wait for the bricks i have on order, so i made do with what i had. but i wasn't quite satisfied, so i tweaked it a bit this evening.

i find it interesting how the lighting changes the image. see what i mean--

the image on the right is more how the portrait appears in person; when i use the flash, the reds get darker and the blues get lighter, which throws off the balance.

so what's next?......ya got me.

update: better pic.

update: march, 2011-- captain jack was accepted for the allied arts museum's spring juried show, along with one of my mosaic quilts. i'm excited; i hope he sells. the show runs through april, i believe, at the allied arts museum in richland, wa.