Go inside LEGO on NatGeo’s “Ultimate Factories”

Want to see something cool?

Want to see how a LEGO set is remodeled to create a newer version? Remember how that old police station set you had 10 years ago – well it’s changed a bit hasn’t it. The cameras go on a fun and fascinating adventure that would be the envy of any kid in the world inside the LEGO factory in Billund, Denmark.  We’ll see what it takes for Lego’s crackerjack team of international designers to update the Legoland police station.  Every single block of the new play set has to be designed with almost superhuman precision because every block produced has to fit seamlessly into the set it comes with, as well as every single Lego block ever made since 1958.  We’ll see the new police station evolve through design and development, molding, painting and decorating, packaging and distribution.

Tune in this SATURDAY at 8pm on the National Geographic Channel (US folks).

I can’t embed video for some reason, so go HERE to watch a preview!

Urban sprawl

The city street grows by a building…
(crappy camera phone pic because I am lazy)

Dan got this today…

Well, I know what I’m doing tomorrow!
(I have some photo ideas stewing as well, so stay tuned this week)

and the beat goes on

Happy 2012 everyone!

Aside from the success of this project, 2011 wasn’t exactly a banner year for me and the family. Here’s hoping that this year will bring better news, better health, and better times. To all of you as well who need it.

I’ll be purchasing some new LEGO sets with some Christmas $$ in the upcoming weeks, and I plan to start trying to take pics more regularly now that it’s a new year and I’ve had ample time to rest and relax. I’m looking to upgrade some of my photo equipment this year too so we’ll see what happens. It’s been 3 months since my book license request and I’m still waiting. I’m angry, and annoyed. Cross your fingers for a reply in the next few weeks.

Big thanks to everyone who supported this blog and the project by buying calendars, prints, donating, etc. You guys rock.

Good luck in 2012. Be safe. May the Force be with you.

-Dan-

Worlds Collide

“Well,” said the Inspector, “it’s an inspector!”

Mascots

Dylan and Steve took their jobs as dinosaurs a little too seriously.

The Match

TK-642 draws the short straw.

Arrrrgh!

This is basically how I feel right now toward the people who take care of licensing. I really really really wanted to have the photobook available for Christmas, but obviously it’s too late now. I’ve even told them I just want the one license now for one song – hoping that would speed things up. But no. It’s still been nearly 2 months. Dan angry!

I was in the mood to take a few photos, so I did. They’ll be popping up this week.

Why I Teach

Despite all the ridiculous things we face daily as teachers, whether from parents, kids, the public, or administration, there are certain things that make it all worthwhile. My grandma died suddenly last week and I had to go back to NY, leaving them for 4 days with a sub. I came back this week to a desk piled high with candy & chocolate, and a big stack of cards they made for me. The cards were hilarious and touching and amazing. Most of them brought a tear to my eye. These are the things that make me love what I do. And I wanted to share it with you. Here are some of my favorite cards:

Front – look at that amazing detail!

Inside – please read it. Please.

Card2
Front – I love how all the letters in my name are something sciencey! The M mountains, the lightning L, though I’m concerned that my S is giving off some sort of smoke —-or foul odor? heh

Inside. And yes, I did say that about science and magic

Card 3
The Unicorn Time thing really had me rolling. LoL – I’m also the only guy in TN Vols country rocking a Syracuse Orange penant & poster

Card 4
I laughed because there’s always one student who has to give you a class update! haha

I have WALL*E stuff all over my classroom – and they obviously know I love LEGO. It’s amazing what kids can do, say, and feel, if you give them a chance to express themselves. I can’t thank them, and my team of teachers and school that let the kids do this for me. This is why I teach.

On WIRED.com

So I just saw that the blog was featured on the GeekDad section of WIRED.com
Exciting!
This is the 2nd time GeekDad has featured a LEGO a Day – the first time was near the end of my first year of the project.

So, Hey! to all the people visiting from WIRED. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Check it out here.
Oh also, if you don’t subscribe to WIRED, you should. I do. And we all know how awesome I am, right?

2012 Calendars

I’ve added two new calendars for 2012 on RedBubble.

Miniature Adventures II

The Little Empire

Go check them out!
(Last year’s designs are still available because you can choose any starting month!)

Field Trip!

Got back from our awesome 5th grade field trip to River Ridge Environmental Education Camp on beautiful Watts Bar Lake in eastern Tennessee.

Here, Hiker enjoys the view from the point of the beautiful Watts Bar Lake with a few young campers.

Here, Hiker pauses for a rest at the fire pit before the campfire gourmet class. Yum.

LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia

Coming this September is a brand new book from the LEGO loving folks at DK Publishing: The LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia.

…and it’s pretty sweet.

The Character Encyclopedia comes with over 200 pages of information for every minifig in the series.
Taken from the from the table of contents:

“The book is divided into eight Star Wars sections – Episodes I – VI, the Clone Wars,
and the Expanded Universe. The minifigures are ordered according to the
Star Wars property in which they first appeared or mostly featured.”

There are all kinds of keys to follow on each page telling the reader if there are any variants to the minifig, while different versions of the same minifig are featured on their own page. It’s incredibly comprehensive.

Here’s a look inside. More of my review below the pics.

I must commend the folks at DK and LEGO for hitting the details hard. The book is lavishly colorful, with nice thick heavy pages, and a great hardcover. As you can also see it comes with an exclusive new minifig – in this case Han Solo from the throne room ceremony at the end of the original Star Wars.

The book is smaller in height than its predecessors (Star Wars Visual Dictionary / Harry Potter Magical World) so it is easier to fit snugly on a regular bookshelf.

Overall, I think this is another solid release from the combined efforts of LEGO and DK. With so many minifigs and sets to keep track of – and with so many collectors out there – here is a simple and effective way to keep track of your collection. Kids will love it because they can see all the figures they have, as well as read all about them – and adults will love it because – well, probably for all the same reasons your kids will love it. Also, if you’re like me you like to display cool stuff. File this book in that section.

Thanks DK!

 

Photo Contest Winners!!

Awesome work everyone. We had tons of entries, and tons of excellent photos.
I love that so many kids got in the game as well – coming up with ideas or even taking the photos themselves. We could only pick 4 winners, but everyone did great! It was hard to narrow it down to just 4. There were some great funny captions, some fun ideas, and some great builds. Even if you didn’t win this contest, keep taking photos! I hope we can keep so many bright minds interested in the field of photography.

And now on to the winners!

The three runner up prizes go to the following (in no particular order):

“The Claw!”
“I have been chosen!”
by Buzz Droid

“Ice Fishing”
It must be my lucky day!
by Kim & Ben Ackerman

“Belly Flop”
by alinraz

I will be sending each of you an email. Rank the 3 runner up prizes from 1-3 and depending on who emails me first, I’ll try to get you the one you want the most. Please also make sure you include your shipping address so I can forward that to the folks at DK Publishing.

And the GRAND PRIZE winner is………

…no one of consequence.

by Nathalie

“You seem a decent follow. I hate to kill you.”
“You seem a decent fellow. I hate to die.”

I LOVE The Princess Bride!

Congratulations everyone. And thank you everyone for participating. We got a lot more photos than I was expecting (but always hoping!).

Keep checking back here on a weekly basis. I’ve got a sneak peak at an upcoming LEGO book from DK coming out next month, and who knows when they’ll ask me to do more contests. I also still plan on picking up the camera every so often and doing a few photos. So, don’t abandon me completely LoL.

Until then!

~Dan

LEGO Ninjago Brickmaster from DK

The awesome folks over at DK Publishing, whom I’ve worked with quite a bit over the 2 years I’ve done the photo projects, sent me a copy of the new Brickmaster book/set release to check out. Last year, they sent me the Star Wars Brickmaster, and while at the time I didn’t give it a great review, in retrospect I really enjoyed the different builds. A Pirate, City, Atlantis, and Castle theme Brickmaster are also already available from DK & retailers like Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

And now, add the newest hit theme from LEGO, Ninjago, to the list. With 4 different builds, this Brickmaster set turns out alright.

My favorite parts of this Brickmaster set are the different shrines for the Sword of Fire in each build. They look slightly different, but all have a good look to them. I think it goes without saying they’re a cinch to build.

I was less impressed with the various 4-wheeler/buggy creations for the skeleton Frakjaw. My favorite was in the 3rd build, but I still tweaked it a little on my own with a few of the remaining pieces of the set. Since the skeleton minifig can’t sit like a traditional minifig, each of the vehicles are built around him in a standing position.

However, in the 4th build, you can create a giant mechanized suit for Frakjaw – leaving our poor Ninja seemingly screwed. My one gripe with the build is that the legs don’t have any hinges on them, so you can’t make it walk. Definitely a flaw. But I’m going to take apart the set I built (pictured below), and build the giant walker – but add a few pieces to make it mobile.

Overall, it’s another solid release from the DK/LEGO partnership. With 4 different builds in each Brickmaster release, pretty much everyone is guaranteed to find something they like. Like I said, after I finish typing this I’m taking apart the above set, and making the giant mechanized walker.

The Ninjago Brickmaster is currently available online from DK or at your local bookstore (assuming they’re awesome enough to carry LEGO stuff).

Stay tuned here for details on the Ninjago contest I will be running. I can tell you this: get your minifigs, and your cameras ready!

Day 365 – Outside The Wall

All alone or in twos
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand.
Some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and the artists
Make their stand.
And when they’ve given you their all
Some stagger and fall
After all it’s not easy
Banging your heart 
Against some mad bugger’s wall.

———————————————————–

Thank you to everyone for making this year even bigger than the first. Thanks to all of you who submitted suggestions,
bought prints, left comments, and participated in the contests. Special thanks to David, Mona, Sandra, Monica, & Don,
whose donations made it possible to purchase the box of bricks to complete this last photo. You all made it a hell of a lot of fun
once again to spend and entire year consumed by LEGO. Not that that’s a horrible thing…

As always, thank you to my loving wife for support, help, and understanding. I heart you.
Prints will remain available, and I will be updating the store with some more recent pics. If there isn’t one on there that
you’d like, just drop me a comment or an email.

2012 calendars will be available on my RedBubble site probably starting sometime in November.

Stay tuned to the blog here for upcoming contests, and more photos. I’m going to take a little break
for a while, and then probably start doing weekly(ish) photos again. After coming up with 730 ideas
my mind is a little tapped right now. Ha!

Thank you, again. Your enjoyment of this project made me see it through…again.
Make sure you watch the video linked above.
Best wishes,
~Dan

isn’t this where…

Day 364

“Well,” said the Inspector, “I’ve seen better.”

(Thanks to Stephane from Le Mans for the idea – though I tweaked it a little)

Day 363

The wizard waved his wand, repeated the incantation, and from the blocks was born…Darryl.

Day 362

Preparing some Pirate Stew.

Day 361

After the war, members of the Trade Federation turned to more agrarian solutions.