Meet a member: Hoanggy
Posted by Huw,
Today we're interviewing Hoang Dang, aka Hoanggy and Know.your.pieces, who's a vehicle designer in Hanoi, Vietnam:
What is your first LEGO memory?
My first LEGO set was Pirate set 1713 Shipwrecked Pirate. My grandma bought it for me from a promotional stall at my school. Back in 1994, my country just got its sanctions lifted with the west, so we experienced the first wave of western goods then. LEGO was among all of those products.
As a kid, I didn't know much but now when I think back, it was a very exciting time to live because there were new things every week, generally speaking, and of course LEGO sets too!
Fun fact though: LEGO back then was categorised as "luxury goods" so they got taxed on the high bracket. Therefore, the pricing for them wasn't for everyone. My grandma spend her entire week of retirement salary on that little set, which makes this memory even more incredible when you think about it. And that's how it all started.
Did you have a dark age and if so what caused you to emerge from it?
Yes, I did. And I believe most AFOL did too at some point, right? My dark age started in 2002 to 2009. I started collecting back after I started design school and had a part-time job. At the same time, I started doing builds of my own. I thought LEGO was very suitable to help develop ideas for my design classes.
Which set or theme has been most influential upon you, as a LEGO fan?
I could think of a dozen themes that influential to me being a industrial designer. Technic played a very important role in helping me understand from basic to intermediate mechanic. However, at the end of the day, I am a lover of excellence shapes and forms, and LEGO Creators line fits right in.
I remember in around 2003, 4404 Land Busters came out under the theme Designer sets and that was it! Of course, I wanted that set, but I was at the point to be considered odd to ask my parents for new "toys" so I passed. However, that theme later on emerged into today's Creator line and since then, those sets have had an important role in both shaping my LEGO builds and in my career.
What are you building right now?
Official sets wise, I'm building the Architecture set 21042 Statue of Liberty
How do you store your LEGO?
I have a LEGO room where I create my MOCs, a storage room for my new sealed sets and many many closets...
Do you build MOCs? If, so what?
For my personal projects, I'm working on a series of vignettes or facades if you will of my country's iconic architecture style. I have a few so far and my goal is to make a dozen of them.
What is your favourite part?
Without a doubt is part number 4070 brick modified 1x1 with headlight. You could make so many things with them.
What theme would you like LEGO to produce?
Please, please bring back a proper pirate theme!
Do you have a presence on Instagram, YouTube or elsewhere?
My instagram is @know.your.pieces
My flickr is Know Your Pieces
What is the availability of LEGO like where you live?
In Vietnam, there is only one distributor at the moment and there is not official LEGO store or certified store. I hope that will change soon (TLG I am looking at you!) It is very challenging for MOC builders to get spare parts for their creations and pricing is still on the higher end compare to other markets.
Do you have any interests or hobbies other than LEGO?
I would be hard to have any other hobby after LEGO and a job! But I think as time goes, I will try to get into bonsai with my dad. And maybe combine the two, Bonsai LEGO. Why not?
How long have you been visiting Brickset?
I've been an official member since Sep 2011. But I know I visited way before I opened an account.
What's your favourite/most used feature of the site?
I use Brickset to list my collection. It's hard to keep track if I don't have a database like Brickset.
Are you a member of a LUG?
I am not part of any LUG yet because where we are, we don't have one yet! However, I'm a founding member of a growing LEGO community called We love LEGO on Facebook.
Have you been to a LEGO event?
I have not been to a LEGO event actually. Again, because of the geographical distance between where I live at all the events. Actually, this year I had planned to go Korea for a LEGO event in April, Singapore Brickfest in Jun and Italy's Brick Generation Days in September but all those plans are scratched due to Covid-19. Hopefully, I will have better luck next year!
Thanks Hoang!
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25 comments on this article
Wow, that's alot of lego in those draws. Must have taken an age to sort.
can u tell me about all steps to make a moc because i'm a huge fan of lego but i don't know how to start making my own model
What can one say about those MOCs other than "Wow!"...?
I'm happy for you that 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay has happened :-)
Those are some very impressive MOCs. Did you think about posting them to Ideas. You got my vote... One of them facades will look very nice on my desk.
Incredible mocs - just wow!!! I have seen a few already when they are showcased on many different websites but a visit to your flickr page was well worth it. What I find really interesting is that you have a very large range of creation. Most do either castle, train, technic, military, mecha or something else. You seem to be comfortable with just about any theme or medium - variety is the spice of life!
The mocs are incredible, such attention to details. The apartment looks like it has a history, there are many mocs of dilapidated buildings, but this one has something more, like it feels more real.
Amazing facades! Respect to your Grandma! How small initial ideas can change or lead our lifetime. Your example resemblance the story of grandma of F1 driver Kimi Räikkönen or the grandma of the actor Jamie Foxx.
Those are literally some of the best mocs that I have ever seen! Your plants in particular are incredible.
At the back, there are some diamond signs with words on. Are they supposed to represent something? I can’t quite read it...
@Slobrojoe said:
"At the back, there are some diamond signs with words on. Are they supposed to represent something? I can’t quite read it..."
It says "Happy Lunar New Year" Common decoration pieces during that time.
I've been following you on Flickr for some time, and absolutely love your work! It's great to hear a little more about you!
@legocrazy1234 said:
"Wow, that's alot of lego in those draws. Must have taken an age to sort. "
Took me 10 years LOL!
@manh_le1 said:
"can u tell me about all steps to make a moc because i'm a huge fan of lego but i don't know how to start making my own model
"
I can’t speak for Hoanggy, but I recommend studying official LEGO sets, especially how professional designers achieve what they do. You don’t need to buy the sets to learn from the masters: instructions for most sets are available as free downloads from LEGO and elsewhere.
Once you have a grasp of the many techniques LEGO uses, buy a set you like the look of and modify it using parts from Bricklink and other secondary markets. From there, it’s a small step to MOCing from scratch.
Some AFOLs design using CAD, but I prefer to design as I go with real LEGO bricks.
@bananaworld said:
"What can one say about those MOCs other than "Wow!"...?
I'm happy for you that 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay has happened :-)"
Thank you. I'm going to buy that set for sure!
@manh_le1:
This is a common question, and the simple answer is that there's no simple answer. There's no single path that everyone follows to reach a point where they can make MOCs. Some people dive right in and make stuff that looks like it was built by professionals. Others never get past building stock sets.
My LUG does a ton of shows, and one of the most common comments we get is when someone (usually a parent) says they wouldn't have the patience to build what we've built. I always get a bit of a chuckle at that because anyone who has seriously built MOCs knows that patience isn't really high on the list of requirements. You need an idea for something that you want to build. For some people that can be as easy as having someone suggest a subject. Others may have to wait long stretches for an idea to pop into their heads. Then you have to have the drive to design it. If you think it's just going to be a matter of sitting down for a few minutes and slapping together something amazing, you're probably going to be disappointed. For many people, this ends up being a process of repeatedly designing, tearing it apart, and redesigning until there's no more ways left to improve it. Sometimes you might build something where you can tell immediately that you got it right the first time, but for those days when that's not the case, you need to be able to forge ahead and not just give up and abandon it after the first attempt.
Then you also need a way to build. Many people like to build exclusively with parts because they like the tactile experience, but a lot of people prefer to design on a computer. Most of the other people in my LUG fall into the former group, and I'm one of the few who primarily designs using a digital design program. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. For physical pieces, the most obvious is that you need physical pieces. This can be an expensive prospect, as there are always new pieces coming out, as well as all the variety of colors, and you'll never know in advance which ones you'll need. But with actual pieces you can tell exactly what works and what doesn't, and you can pick the model up (depending on size, of course) and turn it around to look at from all angles, maybe play with the moving bits, and of course you can also display them in public. For digital design, you have an endless supply of parts in every color ever made, physics doesn't exist if you don't want it to, and there are cheats you can do that don't work in real life (copy/paste for repeating sections, swapping parts in the middle of the build without having to rip anything apart, and my favorite is that you can design the exterior first and work your way into the core once you know the space you have to work with), but you do need a computer (an actual computer and not a phone or tablet), every piece of software takes some time to learn, and something that is super simple to build in real life may take hours longer to do digitally because the programs are designed around a strict XYZ set of axes where in reality it's easy to attach a piece at any angle you choose.
So, ideas, drive, and a means of designing are the bare minimum required to start making MOCs. It doesn't guarantee you'll make good MOCs, but everyone has to start somewhere. A few lucky people just start out amazing, but most people need to develop their skills over time, and some just won't ever get very far with that. But not everyone needs to be the best at it. The only thing that really matters is that you enjoy it, and you're happy with the results.
Your MOCs are absolutely stunning. :)
Your mocs are amazing! I remember seeing your boats on Flickr a while back.
@PurpleDave said:
" @manh_le1:
This is a common question, and the simple answer is that there's no simple answer. There's no single path that everyone follows to reach a point where they can make MOCs. Some people dive right in and make stuff that looks like it was built by professionals. Others never get past building stock sets.
My LUG does a ton of shows, and one of the most common comments we get is when someone (usually a parent) says they wouldn't have the patience to build what we've built. I always get a bit of a chuckle at that because anyone who has seriously built MOCs knows that patience isn't really high on the list of requirements. You need an idea for something that you want to build. For some people that can be as easy as having someone suggest a subject. Others may have to wait long stretches for an idea to pop into their heads. Then you have to have the drive to design it. If you think it's just going to be a matter of sitting down for a few minutes and slapping together something amazing, you're probably going to be disappointed. For many people, this ends up being a process of repeatedly designing, tearing it apart, and redesigning until there's no more ways left to improve it. Sometimes you might build something where you can tell immediately that you got it right the first time, but for those days when that's not the case, you need to be able to forge ahead and not just give up and abandon it after the first attempt.
Then you also need a way to build. Many people like to build exclusively with parts because they like the tactile experience, but a lot of people prefer to design on a computer. Most of the other people in my LUG fall into the former group, and I'm one of the few who primarily designs using a digital design program. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. For physical pieces, the most obvious is that you need physical pieces. This can be an expensive prospect, as there are always new pieces coming out, as well as all the variety of colors, and you'll never know in advance which ones you'll need. But with actual pieces you can tell exactly what works and what doesn't, and you can pick the model up (depending on size, of course) and turn it around to look at from all angles, maybe play with the moving bits, and of course you can also display them in public. For digital design, you have an endless supply of parts in every color ever made, physics doesn't exist if you don't want it to, and there are cheats you can do that don't work in real life (copy/paste for repeating sections, swapping parts in the middle of the build without having to rip anything apart, and my favorite is that you can design the exterior first and work your way into the core once you know the space you have to work with), but you do need a computer (an actual computer and not a phone or tablet), every piece of software takes some time to learn, and something that is super simple to build in real life may take hours longer to do digitally because the programs are designed around a strict XYZ set of axes where in reality it's easy to attach a piece at any angle you choose.
So, ideas, drive, and a means of designing are the bare minimum required to start making MOCs. It doesn't guarantee you'll make good MOCs, but everyone has to start somewhere. A few lucky people just start out amazing, but most people need to develop their skills over time, and some just won't ever get very far with that. But not everyone needs to be the best at it. The only thing that really matters is that you enjoy it, and you're happy with the results."
thankssssssssss
thankssssssssss
@manh_le1 said:
"thankssssssssss
"
All of the above recommendation, my friend!
@PurpleDave
Thank you for your comments. What you said is spot on.
Personally, I prefer working with real bricks because I work with 3D program all day already and I want to get away from computer during my spare time.
It's so cool to see another AFOL whose love of LEGO has led them to be an Industrial Designer. And it's awesome just to see something from another Industrial Designer, most people dont even understand what it is that we do.
@PurpleDave's comment would be a great article, or at the very least a good starting point for one.
those vignettes are gorgeous!!! im really glad to hear you're doing more :D and i SO agree with you about your favourite piece, that little brick has infinite potential and is so fun to build with.
i may have audibly gasped when i saw all your build table. it's a beauty, i'm so jealous
@manh_le1:
I know, it sucks. It's not even remotely the answer that you were looking for, but it's an honest answer. I had a coworker a few years back who told me he was jealous of me because I had a hobby that I was passionate about (I reminded him how expensive it is, and how frustrating it can be to have an idea twisting around in your head for days that you just can't work out). And he tells me that he wants to get into acting. After talking to him about this a bit, it turns out he's not really passionate about acting, but he wants a hobby that he can be passionate about, like me. And he hopes that acting can be that hobby for him if if he gives it a try. He ended up quitting a good job to pursue the idea of a dream.
If you really want to build MOCs, there are a lot of potential starting points. You can do like Zander suggested, and study the instructions for official sets, or even try to build them in a computer program. You can pick a subject (besides this one) that you _really_ care about and design something based on that. Or have someone challenge you with a random topic and see what you can do with it. Look up other peoples' MOCs and see if any of them inspire you. But you have to pick a starting point. And you have to be willing to stick with it, even if it seems like you're not getting anywhere. Post photos if you can, ignore any comments that say nothing more than "that's great" or "that sucks", and really dig into any constructive criticism you get and try to learn from it.
@hoanggy:
And I only worked 6 hours today and still logged over 19,000 steps, so sitting in front of a computer isn't so bad.
But seriously, I really do prefer to design a lot of things from the outside-in, particularly cars. I've more or less completed a design recently for a vintage 60's Ford Good Humor Ice Cream truck, based on a restored one that we shared a building with at a show last year. It's 6-wide, minifig scale, and it still uses just shy of 300pcs. In terms of my cars, I think that sets a new record for part density, but to get the look I needed on the outside I ended up having to incorporate a half-plate height adjustment around the entire freezer box which is considerably more narrow than the rest of the truck. I just can't design stuff like that building up from the bottom. I need to figure out the shape of the body first and see what I've got left in terms of interior space to fill. Sometimes the interior is pretty straightforward, and sometimes it's far more complex on the inside than it is on the outside.
Now, that's not to say that I _don't_ design stuff "in the brick". I mostly only do that for really small stuff, running less than 50pcs. That or the velcro shirt-plates that I got from ThinkGeek (16x20 baseplates that you could build on, and then attach to the included t-shirt). And I do have one car that I know I designed with parts. One of the other advantages I get out of doing it this way is I don't have to maintain a huge collection of loose parts. I can figure out what I need first, then collect what I have available, and finally order whatever I don't.