This is Portola II the Space Pirate custom minifig 1st place winner from ‘Nickre, its a fantastic custom minifig, with a generous use of rubber bands as well as unconventional use of lego parts. the description and character of the custom minifig is also really good, so here the interview with ‘Nickre:
Than you very much! Below I have written my responses to your questions.
1) So congrats on your win at the Space Pirates competition, you must be really cuffed! Tell us a little about your self?
I’m very excited to have been a part of the first LEGO Space Pirate contest here on Flickr; it was a blast creating my minifigure! I’ve been involved in the online LEGO community for nearly a year now, and so far I haven’t created very many entries for building challenges. This is the second contest I have entered on Flickr and it’s my first first-place win! I intend to continue building as long as I can, and hopefully I’ll be able to practice creating custom minifigures while I remain active!
2) So obviously Lego and minifig customization is still quite an underground thing how did you find out and what made you start customizing minifigs?
How did I find out about custom minifigures? Well, it’s difficult to miss ’em, since there are so many on Flickr. After seeing some pretty amazing creations from fellow builders, I decided I’d give customizing a try back in 2008.
3) What inspired your design for your entry in the Lego space pirates competition?
My design wasn’t inspired by anything in particular; I just threw on whatever looked “space-piratey”. However, I did get the idea of using the bandanna piece as headgear from Michael Jasper.
4) It must be tough finding the right parts or even coming up with a good idea, how do you come up with your custom minifigs, is it just a case of working to a preset theme? Or is it something more sporadic?
Usually, ideas just pop into my head at random moments. If I try too hard to think of an idea, I either waste a lot of time and accomplish nothing, or I abandon the MOC entirely. I believe working to a preset theme could certainly help you design your minifigure and create his/her character traits, but I much prefer to create my own themes.
5) As a relative new comer, I am always trying to get more tips, so any tips or tricks or advice you’d give to others just starting out making Lego custom minifigs?
Well, I have a problem with over-detailing my minifigures. They sometimes lose their quality when I place too many rubber bands and accessories on them. I suggest trying to first find basic elements for your minifigure, such as the head, torso, and legs, then think about any extra details you might wish to add. I have attempted to jump right into detailing many times, but I think it’s always best to start simple.
6) Of course we’re excited to see more of your custom minifigs, are there any that you are particularly proud of?
Thanks. I’ve only built several custom minifigures in my time as an active MOCer, but I do like my wastelander character (inspired by the video game Fallout 3). I used some of my own techniques on that one that I found useful while I was building my space pirate.
7) Are there any other customizers that inspire you?
I’ve always loved the work of Morgan190 and Michael Jasper. Their excellent, creative minifigures intrigued me when I first discovered them, and I suppose they served as my inspiration.
Alright, thanks again timeforacatnap! Let me know if there’s anything else you would like me to do.
