Moc question?

[Derfel Cadarn]

Hi all, seeing as im new to this, i was wondering how often people usually make mocs. Ive noticed a lot of suburb designs from the same people within weeks. Is there a limit i should keep to. Im trying to get a new one posted every week, but its tough

[Grrr]

In my opinion; a MOC is a work of art; and as such, you should never try to mass produce them within a limited timeframe - it just won't be as good as when you give it more time and revisions.

Imagine if Picasso where to have sold his works without having spent enough time to finish them. They wouldn't have been as good, and therefore wouldn't have stood the test of time.

The same goes for the MOCs you see on this forum. Those members who make truly excellent MOCs spend a lot of time on them, and only post them when they feel they are complete.

The people that produce those MOCs dont' worry that their reputation will somehow be tainted if they don't post a MOC within a specific timelimit; and you shouldn't either.

As for how long it takes to build a MOC, it depends a lot on your collection and your experience. Builders with a well stocked and sorted collection will be able to build a lot more rapidly than those without.

Experience and part knowledge also comes in; when you have built many MOCs and you are familar with your collection; you will know exactly the part you want for a certain spot. Builders with more expansive collections also have an advantage here, as they do not need to look for an appropriate substitute part as often.

Finally, the type of model being built carries a lot of weight too. Large expansive models are often easier to build in a shorter timeframe than smaller, more detailed models where every piece counts more.

Really, my conclusion to all this is that you should not put yourself under pressure to build MOCs in any sort of timeframe. You should be building them for your own reasons - because you enjoy building for example.

You should certainly not be building to try and earn respect from fellow members. If it is respect you want - think Quality over Quantity anyway.

[RichardAM]

Build when you want to- don't push yourself.

[Derfel Cadarn]

Yes, that makes more sense. I was told that because im new i have to get a load of mocs out there to prove myself, but i have nothing to prove, i build for my own enjoyment. And mocs are works of art and they should have a bit of time spent on them. Thats cool now you've told me that, i can spend more time on a moc without worrying about time limits.

[Lewa Rocks]

Who said that? I don't see why you have to prove yourself?

[outcast]

Yea, this is a nice website. You don't have to prove nothing to nobody

[legokilt]

It really depends, I make a lot of vignettes and only one or two mocs a year, but I don't dismantle them. Some folks dismantle them and reuse parts, it is cheaper, but I like to look at my old stuff and figure new ways to do things. How many mocs and how often really are a personal preference.

[Derfel Cadarn]

I always dismantle my mocs after ive photographed them. I think it makes them more special looking back at them knowing i once built that. Plus i always need the parts for the next one

[Lewa Rocks]

Ha ha I wish I could keep my MOCs assembled but I also need the pieces!

[Aliencat]

As Richard said, you make a MOC when you feel like making a MOC.
If you're really inspired and excited and can build all day long and finish one in a day, good job! If it takes you 3 months to finish it, either because it's very big, because you didn't have the time, or simply because you didn't feel like building, also good job!
You shouldn't force yourself to build, ever, then it becomes more of an obligation and less of a fun way to spend your time. Remember it's a hobby: build because you want to, not because you have to.

Being new has nothing to do with how much you "have" to build. It took me 3 months to build my first MOC when I had come out of my dark ages. I was gathereing old sets and sorting my old childhood collection first.
I also still like to take my dear time building a MOC. If it takes me 2 months to finish something, who's gonna tell me "well you sure took your sweet time!"? That's never happened to me personally before, and I don't think it will happen to you if you don't build a MOC every week.

As for keeping MOCs assembled, that's a personal preference really. I have a pretty big collection, but every time I'm building a new MOC I keep somehow (subconsciously) finding ways to convince myself that I need that single part from an already built MOC and I just take the old one apart again. At the moment I don't have any single MOC intact. I'm sort of in between MOCs at the moment, and yeah I'm gonna take my sweet time

[BreadMan]

I was told that because im new i have to get a load of mocs out there to prove myself

Whoever said that has a lot to learn. Quantity doesn't get you respect, no sense in having a huge portfolio of shoddy, rushed MOCs. Quality, however, does get you respect, and from what we've seen of your work so far Derfel I don't think you have anything to be afraid of - I look forward to seeing what you're able to do when you spend more than a week on a MOC.

[DaleDVM]

I do things completely different. I build my stuff for a very large display that will be made up of 20 - 24 huge MOCs. I don't even take pictures of my creations, but I do take them to conventions. I don't take my MOC's apart so I figure one day I will take pics of the entire display and share them.

I appreciate the great pieces of art that are posted on this site and find the builders here are absolutely amazing. I guess I am rather selfish as I don't go to the trouble of sharing my lego online right now. I hope it doesn't make me evil.

So don't feel like you have to prove anything. You should do with your lego whatever makes you happy. If you like to share your efforts with the rest of us even better. We love to look at what people come up with.

[Bruce N H]

I was told that because im new i have to get a load of mocs out there to prove myself,

I know this is from last week, but I wanted to address this. There is no need for someone to "prove themselves" by posting MOCs. Whoever said that should be fed to the orcs. (Yay, I got to use Tony's new smileys.) Some people post a lot of creations, but others very few. Some of our very prominent members, even the admins, don't build new things all that often. At least speaking for myself here, I've built little and posted nothing since my daughter was born 18 months ago. If someone wants to "prove themselves", the key is being a good member of the community. This may involve posting creations, it may involve discussion of official sets, it may be pointing out others' creations found on-line, or it may just involve participating in conversations in a thoughtful manner. If I had my choice between someone who built like MrTS (most recent CCC winner) but posted like _____ (I'll let you come up with your own pick of immature board members), or someone who built as often as I do but was a regular part of intelligent discussion on the boards, I'd go with the latter every time.

Bruce

[CastleLord]

Eh Bruce dubble post?

CastleLord.

Oh and i build a moc when i feel like building a moc.

[greenglo]

The only thing I tried to accomplish other than creating one MOC people could recognize as mine, was to become an active member of this forum. Shirking the title of gong farmer was also a good motivator .

Build and post as much as you can, without ignoring those around you. Non-Lego people need love too! ... unless you make tiny mini-figs of them... and spend time with them instead .... then you are golden!