How do you do it?

[Lord Felix]

I have built a few MOCs but I am never satisfied with them. I feel as though they are just thrown together; not a wonderous MOC that looks excellent. I was asking if any of you had some good hints on building techniques that would make my next building project (A keep) a real success.

thanks and happy building,

[eNiGMa]

I know how you feel; I feel that everything I build is missing something, that pizazz that separates the boys from the men, so to speak. I don't have any tips for you on building technique, but I would suggest asking yourself, "Self? What is this MOC missing?" Look for empty places on your MOC that could use a bit more detail, and also remember to put in some landscaping.

Happy building!

[Slobey]

I have built a few MOCs but I am never satisfied with them. I feel as though they are just thrown together; not a wonderous MOC that looks excellent. I was asking if any of you had some good hints on building techniques that would make my next building project (A keep) a real success.

thanks and happy building,

As some others have said elsewhere I think it is a matter of building a MOC, let it sit there for a certain period of time. Once you've done this either rebuild it, add extra details or if you think it is beyond help put it down as experience.

I don't know about everyone else but I've had plenty of the latter.

Another thing is to not think that you can wake up one day and build a huge castle, it takes a lot of practice to get good building techniques. You might want to check out the 'How To' section which is linked off the front page of the CC website, it helped me a fair bit.

[Bruce N H]

I really think that part of the distinction between a good MOC and a great MOC is in the presentation, including both the presentation and the "dressing". As to the first of these, look in the publishing forum for various threads on photography and photo-editing. By "dressing" I mean the figs and other details placed around the keep. Try to make it look alive by thinking of each fig as having a story, and think how they would be moving through the scene. Also make some small MOCs like carts or animals (sheep are very easy) and include them.

Here are just a few examples of "dressing":

Josh's Dragonsbane siege
Sean's Inn at the Bridge
Pretty much anything by Jon Furman
Jimmy Park's jousting tournament
Pretty much anything by Martin (particularly look at his city square)
Takeshi Itou's Snow Field Castle
And if I may be so immodest as to include a couple of my own with the luminaries above my Carnival and my wall building

If you look at the above, some of them have tons of figs, while others have only a few, but in each they're placed in such a way as to tell a story.

Bruce

[JoshWedin]

I totally agree with Bruce. A MOC needs to look alive and lived in, and that's all in the details. The landscaping, the figs, the interior, etc. Do something to give it life, think about what would be going on if it was real and put that in there. A major area that people often mess up is there fig posing. Give them as much life as possible.

Hope this helps,
Josh

PS.

Josh's Dragonsbane siege

Bruce, thanks for the mention, I appreciate it.

[Blueandwhite]

I really think that part of the distinction between a good MOC and a great MOC is in the presentation, including both the presentation and the "dressing". As to the first of these, look in the publishing forum for various threads on photography and photo-editing. By "dressing" I mean the figs and other details placed around the keep. Try to make it look alive by thinking of each fig as having a story, and think how they would be moving through the scene. Also make some small MOCs like carts or animals (sheep are very easy) and include them.

Bruce

I have mixed feelings on this one.

While I will agree, "dressing" can add alot to a MOC, I don't think that "dressing" a MOC necessarily makes it great. Personally, I feel that the reason dressing is so common in great MOCs is that the builder's talent is so complete that she or he will automatically dress up their work.

Also telling is the fact that many great builders do not dress up their work {including Dr. Carney). Other elements are equally important.


Now what I have to say next is going to sound cliche, but it will always hold true. PLAN AHEAD! Even if you don't intend on using blueprints, have a vivid idea of what your going for. Choose a couple of unique building techniques/elements that you are going to include in your work. I would even suggest sketching your work out, or playing with bricks to see if your ideas will pay off.

If you don't plan ahead, you may not be able to incorporate details you otherwise wanted to. You may build to large, quickly depleting your supply of bricks, or conversely, build your MOC far too small. A good strategy and list of techniques you plan to incorporate could very well turn your MOC from a good oneto a great one.

Later



No matter how much you dress up an average MOC, your not going to hide the underlying structure.

[Romas]

Although I do think minifigs can add a lot to a MOC (kinda the classic castle sets), I do not think it is a requisite for it to look good. A beautiful building should look beautiful no matter what. Sometimes, it's even more beautiful without the "interference" of the townfolk.
But one thing I do agree with: planning, specially for larger MOC's, can be extremely useful. Plan ahead, because when you plan, you're not limited to the amount of bricks you have. Just plan whatever you want to build trully, without the restrictions of the lack of bricks. Then, as you start building, if you need more bricks, just try to get them.
If you simply start building without a previous plan, eventually, you're going to be held back by an eventual lack of bricks, thus twisting your original and true intentions.
Don't ever be a slave of your brick colection. Plan what you want, then make your brick collection keep up with your grand plans.

[HenrytheV]

I just try to keep my mind (and budget ) focused on one thing. For the MOC that I am currently building I only had enough pieces to finish the second story, and it has five. A couple of times I wanted to get sidetracked but I just had to turn myself around stay on target. So my tip is just keep your mind focused.

[stawastawa]

i too believe that a MOc can look ebtter with dressing but it shoudl also look good without dressing.

i fins that you have to have a nice balanc eof elements and not too many ro too few wiondows (in a castle) and i must aggree that sketching helps. or making a moc in stages so you can more easily go back and add details. (like a castle wall make it so that each section is 5 bricks higha nd then a tile or something. once you are done adding you can take out the tiles.

just some things i ntoicing as i continue to build

off topic: bruce what head did you use on for the drumme rin your carnival?

[Norro]

First off, I personally always feel agitated when I look at a MOC I've just completed and yet again it isn't at that 'higher standard' of the great builders... though that normally makes me build more.

Secondly I have to agree with Bruce's assesment. I am infamous for my poor photography (see almost any thread of my MOCs) but I do think finishing details and figs make (not add to) a MOC. For example this scene would look barren without the figures...

God Bless,

Nathan

[stawastawa]

i think tahts cene would look fine without figs =D

[Blueandwhite]

First off, I personally always feel agitated when I look at a MOC I've just completed and yet again it isn't at that 'higher standard' of the great builders... though that normally makes me build more.

Secondly I have to agree with Bruce's assesment. I am infamous for my poor photography (see almost any thread of my MOCs) but I do think finishing details and figs make (not add to) a MOC. For example this scene would look barren without the figures...

God Bless,

Nathan

Honestly, the figures add to the scene, but they don't make the MOC. Without the foliage, nice staircase or colourful assortment of buildings, the MOC is also incomplete. I'm not saying that dressing doesn't help make a MOC better, but I don't think that dressing alone is enough.

Think of it this way:

The minifigs are merely actors. Without a worthy set to partake in, the MOC will be less than perfect, no matter how nicely it is dressed.

Later.

[Modesty]

Good photography, the 'white abyss', often enhances pics and can add to a MOC's awesomeness.

Beleive me, it's hard to get it nice though.

[Norro]

Honestly, the figures add to the scene, but they don't make the MOC. Without the foliage, nice staircase or colourful assortment of buildings, the MOC is also incomplete. I'm not saying that dressing doesn't help make a MOC better, but I don't think that dressing alone is enough.

Think of it this way:

The minifigs are merely actors. Without a worthy set to partake in, the MOC will be less than perfect, no matter how nicely it is dressed.

Later.

I'm not saying you can have a MOC without the buildings... just that I don't think it is finished without the dressing...

God Bless,

Nathan

[Bruce N H]

Sorry, didn't mean to start a whole debate. My intent was not really to differentiate between two different builders (obviously, an unpopulated MOC by Takeshi Itou is head and shoulders above my best populated MOC), but how a given builder (Lord Felix, in this thread) can push themselves to greater excellence. In my opinion (humble of course), even a master improves themselves with "dressing." For instance, compare Bob Carney's Auchans to his Drum. Drum is actually the more interesting castle, and an extremely well-done recreation. However, the Auchans with the "dressing" (the figs, the snow, and that great snow-covered-tree idea) is, to me, more eye-catching.

Bruce