LEGO bricks let people create a wide variety of objects, including designs created by the company. These designs are varied but many people enjoy creating their own personal designs. These can range from small toys to larger, more intricate projects, such as sculptures. Making large LEGO sculptures can be a difficult process for many amateur builders. However, there is a basic process that can help more advanced builders create large and intricate LEGO designs.
Brainstorm an idea for your large LEGO sculpture. Past LEGO sculptures have included scale model humans, large pieces of fruit, cityscapes, animals and even abstract art. Be as creative as you want but be prepared to make changes to your design. Use design ideas from the LEGO homepage, the Environmental Graffiti website or even magazines at your home.
Download the LEGO design grids from the Apotome website. There are several grids, including a top-down orientation, a 32 x 32 piece mosaic pattern maker, a portrait orientation and a landscape orientation. Pick the grid that is specific to your design. For example, a cityscape design would use a landscape orientation.
Use colored pencils to draw your overall LEGO design into the grid. Each grid section represents one square LEGO piece. Color more than one square the same color to represent larger pieces, such as a longer rectangular piece or a taller square piece. Utilize straight lines, curves, triangular shapes and any other shapes necessary to create your design.
Create more detailed grid designs for your specific sculpture sections. For example, design each building in your cityscape on a separate piece of grid paper so that you can add details that are harder to add on your larger design, such as windows and doors. Write the name of each section down on the paper.
Take a moment to consider where your individual sections will attach when they are finally fully assembled. Make sure that the points where each section connects have the same width and height to avoid running into design problems. For example, the hand of a human sculpture should be the same width as the wrist or else it will ruin your sculpture's design.
Make a list of the LEGO pieces you want by consulting your design. LEGO pieces range from small basic squares, triangles, long rectangles, windows, plants, people, curved shapes, to use in your design. List them by color, shape and size.
Go to a LEGO store to find color-specific LEGO, or the LEGO.com or BrickLinks website. Purchase the LEGO bricks you will need here, including the colors and types.
Pick a building method that is efficient and natural given your design. For example, a cityscape would require several large, flat LEGO grids upon which you can directly construct your buildings. Building a human LEGO structure would require building each part of the body separate from the other and attaching the separate pieces later.
Build each section of your sculpture using the individual design grids as a guide. Start by making a base for the section, such as a bottom, top or side. For example, a building could start by first placing the ground floor and continuing to add extra floors vertically. Add a door at the bottom and windows every other floor.
Keep your colors consistent with your design and natural to your sculpture. For example, the colors of a human sculpture should vary between the shoes, pants, shirt, skin and hair. Buy more LEGO if you run out of a color before you’re finished with a section that needs a particular color.
Continue building your sections until they have all been finished. Pick an assembly method that makes sense for your sculpture, because creating large LEGO designs requires consideration of space and scale needs. For example, building a person could have you placing the feet on the ground level, adding the sections of the leg, then the waist sections, the torso sections, the arms and finally the head. (It would be difficult to create the upper portions first.)
Carefully attach your parts at the spots on each section that you have designed them to be attached. Have a friend or helper assist you in lifting larger sections to avoid dropping them or losing pieces. Push the sections together firmly until they snap into place.
Use ropes, threads, chairs or stands to help temporarily position large chunks of the sculpture when composing the finished design.