What started as a side job quickly became a staple for 4 years running. 'Building with Light' takes on a whole new meaning when you're designing new parts for an existing system, coming up with new ways to play and creating an original IP for the brand.
Posable Action Figure
This was a complete redesign of the existing action figure so I was able to go through the entire 'Design Process' from Research to Production!
What's out there? Action figure sizes and features
Figure Studies and materials - ABS + Rotomolded?
Refinement and Hand Studies, knowing that the new figure would have to integrate with the current bricks - Do we use a single figure or allow for male/female/child? Heads and Face Design?
3D models followed by 3D prints and further refinement towards production
The action figure design went into a line of Steampunk sets, a Mech Warrior set, and we used it as the basis for creating a stacking game...LOTS of deco iterations here.
Roller Brick
Wheels are apparently REALLY EXPENSIVE to produce. The design challenge was to create a cheaper alternative. Here again, Design Process comes into play...Recalling the old SST racers and Sorry Sliders, I conceived a roller ball replacement that would fit into a 2x2 brick. I tried my hand at designing the parts in Rhino and printing the initial proof of concept parts myself. The team turned this into a line of Sci-Fi themed 'hover' racers integrating the Roller Brick into the design. The line was shown but did not sell-through.
3 Baller Plates
Design challenge was to create a unique part that allows for more flexibility in building creatures and reducing overall brick count. This is another project where I went right to 3D Design and prints to create a proof of concept. The 2x2 '3-baller' design made it into production for the Explorer's Inc. Sets. I used it for a bunch of other Creature prototypes as well.
Microsparks
This is a line of small, collectible builds with light at their core we created to compete in one of the only ways possible - price. I worked on logo, packaging and build concepts which were made more 'real' by the veteran buildings on the team.
This is a multi-price point line, conceived in tandem with a Steampunk IP for which I wrote characters, script, dialog, designed the posable action figures and did the concept work on a few of the models. A true team effort and labor of love. I might post up some sketches of the initial concept work as well.
Bobblehead Concepts
Below are just a few of the 30+ concepts I created for Laserpegs for the Novelty space. Built on a 4x4x4 Body and Head core, they all use a flexible 'axle' part to provide the bobble effect. These were built using a 3d program specifically for testing brick builds.
Arctic Fox
Spotty Dog
Drakulia
Dragon
Frankenheim
Froderick
G. Zilly
Goldbrick Bear
Indy-J
Jayson
Mr. Bones
Wednesday's Child and Handy
Wulffrick
The flexible Bobble Core
Tissue Holder Covers
This series of buildable concepts was intended for Novelty as well. What's represented here are just the top part where the tissue comes out. It was assumed that the walls of the holder would be molded with a grid of studs on top. In all cases, the objects were designed to have the tissue pass through and become part of the 'theme'. Some have more 'narrative' flavor than others but the design challenge was interesting.
Briny Beach - Tissues would represent a wave, crashing over the unsuspecting sunbathers.
Stinky Toilet - Yes, the tissues would represent the malodorous contents.
Hibachi Grill - Tissues would be the savory steam - mmmm.
Lighthouse - Tissues would be a crashing wave
Pirate Cannon - Tissue = Kaboom!
Pipe - Tissue = smoke
Sky Castle - the tissues would be the waterfall plume
Stinky Cheese - Yes, the tissues would represent the stink.
Typewriter - tissue = pages
Witches Cauldron - the tissue would emerge as steam from the brew
Teapot - More tissue as steam.
Steam Train - The tissue would come out of the smoke stack.
