Meet a member: SeekerBear
Posted by Huw,
Today we are catching up with Adam, aka SeekerBear, who's a high school student in Oregon, USA:
How long have you been visiting Brickset?
I have been visiting Brickset for a bit over two years, and I've been a member pretty much since I've joined (I created my account on January 27, 2018). I access the site nearly every day, if only to see what's new.
What's your favourite/most used feature of the site?
My favourite features of the site are the parts listings and the collection management features. I like them because they allow me to easily find parts needed for my MOCs from sets that I own. In fact, there are several sets that I am in the process of scrapping for this exact purpose.
What is your first LEGO memory?
The earliest LEGO memory that I can think of at the moment would be of 8014 Clone Walker Battle Pack. I received this set from a friend for my 5th birthday, even though I had no idea what Star Wars was at the time. In fact, my friend later asked my mom if he could have the set back if I wouldn't enjoy it because I had no knowledge of the subject material! My mom said she was sure that I would enjoy the set either way!
Once the set was built, my brother had many great battles with the clone troopers fighting off various brick-built enemies and such. Unfortunately, I no longer have the set in an assembled state, though now and again I will come across one of the stickered 2x2 round tiles from the sides of the walker, or a few of the minifigures. This wasn't the first LEGO set that I received (at least I don't think it was), but it's the earliest one that I have a distinct memory of.
Did you have a dark age and if so what caused you to emerge from it?
Fortunately, I don't think that I've had a dark age yet, but I'm only in high school, so who knows?
What is your favourite set that you own or have owned?
I can't narrow it down to just one, so I'll provide a top 5 list (in no particular order):
4439 Heavy-Lift Helicopter
This set, from the Forest Police subtheme of City from 2012, is on my list because it is a fantastic rendition of a Boeing CH-47 Chinook and is also within the top 10 largest sets I own, at least when compared in terms of size.
It also has a large amount of playability with the included vehicle in the cargo hold, and is very aesthetically pleasing from all angles.
60052 Cargo Train
This train, apart from being the last (I think) to include the Power Functions control system, which I quite prefer to the new Powered UP app-based system, comes with a whole host of accessories and cargo to be hauled behind the locomotive.
Not only that, but the set also includes a large cargo platform with an overhead gantry crane that makes the set even more entertaining.
10265 Ford Mustang
The Creator Expert Ford Mustang is one of my more recent acquisitions, and is the second-largest set I own. This vehicle has an impressive variety of building techniques, as well as a set of customization options that radically change the appearance of the vehicle.
All in all, it's a very, very amazing set and makes it easily onto my top 5 list.
21309 NASA Apollo Saturn V
How can this set not make it onto my list? It's the largest set I own (with a very fitting 1969 pieces), and it's a phenomenal model of the Saturn V rocket that took Americans to the Moon. It's awesome!
4441 Police Dog Van
To go back to the Forest Police subtheme for the last set on my top 5 list, 4441 is definitely one of my favorite sets. It's a slightly unusually shaped yet very rugged vehicle, with the blunt hood being offset by quite chunky tires, a large grille guard, and a roof-mounted headlight bar and siren.
The inclusion of two police dogs was a huge play feature for me, especially when compared to more recent sets in the Police subtheme. This set, as simple as it is, definitely has a permanent place in my top 5 favorite LEGO sets.
Which set or theme has been most influential upon you, as a LEGO fan?
I think that the theme that's been the most influential on me and my building style would be LEGO Star Wars. The Star Wars theme is all about sci-fi vehicles, which by themselves are really fun to build.
However, the theme also emphasises both studs and tiles on the surfaces of many of the sets in the line, which inspired me to, when I build MOCs, only have necessary studs showing. This way the studs themselves become details, rather than simply a base for details to be added to. The Star Wars theme also provides me with many useful parts, of course!
How do you store your LEGO?
I store most of my loose LEGO in the same way that I'm sure many other people do: a big bin. However, I have recently tried to start sorting this bin by part size (e.g. 1x1s in one area, 1x2s in another, 2x2s and 2x3s in a third, etc).
A fairly decent part of my assembled LEGO collection, consisting of sets and MOCs, is displayed on shelves in my bedroom. A larger quantity is stored in drawers in the same room, and the remainder is broken up by set into a series of clear plastic shoeboxes.
Do you build MOCs? If, so what?
I do build MOCs, yes. I typically build small vehicles scaled to the LEGO husky dog, including mechs (the fourth iteration of which is currently gathering support on my LEGO Ideas page) and other vehicles.
Some of these include a simple airship made with a rubber raft (element 6099480), a steampunk-style sidewheeler canoe, a small twin-rotor flyer, an aircraft with retractable landing gear, and a mech walker, currently gathering support on LEGO Ideas.
I also occasionally dabble in microscale building, and will sometimes modify existing LEGO sets as well. One of my most obvious set modifications is the SUV from 4439 Heavy-Lift Helicopter. I went over the entire vehicle and essentially converted it into a post-apocalyptic survival vehicle, which was really fun for me to do as it was a step outside what I normally build, and also changes the entire look of the set.
What are you building right now?
I am currently working on adding some finishing touches to a small space fighter MOC, using parts from and mostly following the color scheme of 75147 StarScavenger. I enjoy building smaller sci-fi spacecraft, as they allow me to experiment with new techniques and different ways of shaping various components, without requiring too many pieces or an extended amount of time. I'm also almost constantly revising and tweaking other MOCs that I've already finished.
What is your favourite part (or parts)?
Hmmm. Well, I'd have to say that my single favourite LEGO part would be the husky dog introduced in 2014. These little guys are just so cute! They're also interesting to build vehicles or other creations for, because they are slightly more than one stud wide due to the shape of their heads.
As far as my favourite element for building goes, I would say that my favourite part is the back plate. This part is extremely useful for building in small spaces, or for adding details without being too obvious, especially if a flat surface is desired and a standard angle plate wouldn't work. I also find the jumper plate to be a common staple of my builds, because it allows for sections or details to be centred quite nicely.
What set/theme/part (take your pick) would you like LEGO to produce?
A part that I've been wanting LEGO to produce for a long time would be a sort of double-sided 1x1 round plate. Rather than having the tube on the bottom as is normal, this element would have another stud on the bottom, allowing for bricks or other elements to be connected to both sides with the studs facing away from the element. There have been a few other brands that have made this sort of element, and of course there are online designs that can be 3D-printed, but I would prefer an official element.
Another piece that I would find incredibly useful would be an inverted cheese slope, with a stud rather than a tube on the bottom.
Do you have a presence on Instagram, YouTube or elsewhere?
I don't have a social media presence at this time, though I can be found on LEGO Ideas.
Have you been to a LEGO event? Which one(s)? Do you have a favourite?
I have attended the Bricks Cascade event in Portland, Oregon for three years, including the most recent convention last month.
Thanks Adam!
This interview was published with Adam's parents permission.
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9 comments on this article
Thanks, SeekerBear. You exhibit and impressive writing style for such a young man. Wishing you a wonderful lifetime of collecting and building!
I second the recommendation for the 1x1 plate with stud on top and bottom - although, instead of round, I would prefer square and in all size (i.e. 1x1, 1x2, 1x3, 1x4). In the same vein, a part with anti-stud on top and bottom would also be very handy (I guess two plates thick). I also definitely second the inverted cheese slope. For that matter, I think that every Lego piece should have an inverted version of itself - while you can often figure out a way to invert the stud direction to use the same piece, sometimes it is just not possible due to space restrictions. Interesting to see what will become the "nostalgia" of the next generation.
What are "back plates" and "angle plates"?
I love your mech and supported it on IDEAS! The husky signature thing is such a cute idea; I can't resist the idea of a husky piloting all sorts of spacecraft and other vehicles.
The inverted cheese slope is a good suggestion; I would like to use one for the bottoms of those little fluted bits of architectural detail that liven up walls...
I NEED to build vehicles for my huskies now. SeekerBear, you're an inspired genius.
@PineRoots said:
"I NEED to build vehicles for my huskies now. SeekerBear, you're an inspired genius."
Thanks! I just find them really fun to build with. Note, however, that their heads are slightly more than one stud wide, so a 1x3 space will be too narrow.
@Huw
The SUV MOC that I made used the vehicle from 4433 Dirt Bike Transporter, not 4439 Heavy-Lift Helicopter.
A million yeses on that wanted piece. I have wanted that piece for at least 25 years. It would be so useful.
Also a fan on the dog mech, super awesome.
I love the simplicity yet instant recognizability of the small air blimp with husky & teddybear ^_^