LEGO Star Wars Helmets 2020: some questions for the designers

29/03/2020 - 14:02 Interviews Lego news LEGO Star Wars

new lego starwars helmets 2020

Today we are talking about the three helmets that will be marketed from April 19 in the LEGO Star Wars range, the references 75274 Tie Fighter Pilot Helmet (724 pieces), 75276 Stormtrooper Helmet (647 pieces) and 75277 Boba Fett Helmet (625 pieces). I was able to ask some questions by email to the three designers in charge of the project, Niels Mølgård Frederiksen and César Carvalhosa Soares, designers and Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, Design Director, and I give you their answers below.

Will: LEGO has already produced two busts of characters from the Star Wars universe in 2019 [SDCC exclusive 77901 Sith Trooper Bust & 75227 Darth Vader Bust], are the helmets launched this year an evolution of these busts or a totally independent concept? Will the idea of ​​busts be declined again in the future with new models?

Jens: The two busts already on the market are not directly related to the new helmets that we have just announced, they are totally different ideas and projects.

The helmets are therefore not intended to replace the concept developed around busts already marketed and the two ideas could probably coexist in the future. We obviously cannot communicate explicitly on the future evolution of these two concepts.

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Will: This new range of products is identified as intended for an adult audience. Apart from the packaging stamped 18+ and the marketing effort that presents them as exhibition models, what other arguments are at work to make these products real models for adult fans?

Jens: These new helmets are in fact part of a range of products primarily intended for an adult audience. We also wanted this target to be displayed explicitly through the design of the packaging of these new products, but also through the products themselves. These are models intended to be exhibited, they are not intended to be used as children's toys.

The editing experience is clearly designed to satisfy an adult audience and the 18+ label has allowed us to free ourselves from certain constraints relating to the complexity of the model and the techniques used. We were thus able to develop truly detailed models that are faithful to their real counterparts.
Will: How did you determine the final scale of these reproductions of iconic helmets from the Star Wars universe? Some fans were undoubtedly expecting something more substantial or bulky.
Niels: We tried to find the best possible balance: We wanted these helmets to be neither too bulky nor too compact.

As these are three-dimensional models, a 10% increase in the size of the product would have involved a significant increase in the volume of the object and therefore the presence of many additional elements, which would also have impacted the public price. of each of these helmets.

75277 lego starwars boba fett helmet details

Will: What was the most difficult challenge in designing these helmets?

Niels: For Boba Fett, the biggest challenge was to reproduce the yellow stripes on the side of the helmet because we absolutely wanted to integrate this characteristic detail by using parts and not stickers or decorations that would not have worked there in the model. It didn't take long for me to find an acceptable solution but I think this is the detail that gave me the most difficulty on this model.

Will: There is a very marked presence of the studs on the surface for each of these helmets. Is this a deliberate artistic choice, or the consequence of a particular constraint?

Cesar: The presence of the studs was a deliberate choice for several reasons: We wanted it to be immediately visible that these are LEGO products even to someone who is not familiar with our products.

The LEGO DNA of these helmets should show through at first glance. But it's also important to remember that the techniques used here have made it easier for us to "sculpt" some of the organic details that are difficult to interpret on these reproductions of helmets.

lego starwars 75276 stormtrooper helmet stickers

Will: Despite all efforts to present these products as collector's items and exhibits for adult fans, we cannot escape the usual stick-on stickers. What to answer to all those who regret the presence of stickers in these sets?

Jens: We know that many adult fans prefer the parts to be pad printed rather than having to stick stickers on their models. On these helmets, we use a combination of the two processes to achieve the result that you have been able to discover.

One of the reasons why some elements are not pad printed: some parts / shapes are difficult or even impossible to pad print. It should also be remembered that we cannot add an unlimited number of pad printed elements on each model.

On the other hand, we have decided that the identification plate of each of these helmets will be pad printed because it is an important element of these exhibition models which will remain visible from all angles.

Will: Can fans prepare to collect a whole range of helmets from the Star Wars universe or will these three products remain one?one shot"no further action? Will other licenses [Marvel, DC Comics] get the same treatment in the future?

Jens: As you can imagine, there is not much we can say about future products, it will take patience to find out more!

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