Techniques I would never use when working with Lego (Part 1)...
- Feb 1
- 3 min read
I have enjoyed this hobby a great deal over the years and have learned a great deal through trial and error. Here are 3 techniques I would never use during a Lego shoot and why, hopefully this can help you with your own Lego creations/art works.
Using Flour as snow...
It's fairly common to see regular Flour being used as snow, its simple, you pour out a load of flower and stab your Lego minifigures in there and just like that, they're walking in the snow.
So here is why I would never do this, firstly flour is not white like snow. It has a yellow/creamy tone to it and whenever I see this technique it's something I instantly notice. In addition to this it is so rarely shaped, most just pour it out and leave it at that. The area should be shaped and all the lumps sived out, this helps with the scaling. Scale is something that matters to me also, I try to avoid anything with large grains such as sugar and so, flour isn't bad in this regard but the colour alone is reason enough not to use it. It can also be messy and tricky to clean afterwards. When shooting snow scenes, I tend to just use a sheet of paper as the ground and combine this with plenty of depth and post production.
Working without Diffusion...
Lego is a very tricky thing to light, it's small, shiny and there are curves in pretty much every direction. All these things make it a difficult thing to light.
I cannot fathom setting up without Diffusion. Diffusion is very simple, you are placing something between your subject and your light source that will scatter your light/break it up. This will result in it being less harsh and more even. As Lego is plastic and shiny this is a must, you don't need anything crazy to do this, normal A4 paper or Grease Proof paper can be great for trying this out and it'll definitely improve the lighting and feel of your works...
Smoke and Fog Machines...
Now this one may seem like an awesome idea/investment, however there are some issues.
Now I would like to make it clear, I am discussing working with Lego minifigures here. When creating works with Lego sets, especially large ones (UCS AT-AT) I think Fog Machines can add a great deal. However when getting up close and working with figures I think the Fog Machines don't scale well at all, the Fog is often too thick and doesn't generate the required effect. It is also a very difficult medium to control, gets expensive and if you aren't careful can leave residue behind on your Lego. If you are trying to add Smoke and Fog effects I find it so much easier to apply it in post, it's quick and easy plus the more you do it the better you get at it.
Here is a work that relates to every one of these techniques mentioned above, I hope this is a useful read and can help you with some of your creative choices, may the force be with you...
