17/08/2012 - 20:41 Interviews

I have been talking to you about him for months (even years ...) and I regularly present his creations to you on this blog. Opinions are often very divided about its MOCs and I wantedOmar Ovalle can present himself and express in a few words his philosophy, his conception of the LEGO MOC.

He kindly agreed to take part in the interview game and you will find the answers to many questions below that will help you better understand his choices and directions in the LEGO field.

Bomb Squad Troopers - Omar Ovalle

Hoth Bricks:  Can you introduce yourself in a few words? How did you get into the world of LEGO?

Omar Ovalle: I am an AFOL (Adult Fan Of LEGO), and I have lived in New York since 1995. After a professional career as a designer / creative director spanning over twenty years, I decided to reinvent many sets from the LEGO Star Wars range with my own vision. this reinterpretation includes the design of the packaging of the set, which should be seen as an extension to present my MOCs in a realistic way, as if it were a LEGO product.

I caught the "Lego virus"(LEGO Bug in French), as my wife describes, in late 2010 and by accident: My wife had brought home some LEGOs for our son, and I took a closer look at those bricks.

My first experience with LEGOs was inconclusive. After a few weeks, I was literally annoyed by these little plastic parts. They were all over the house, and I remember the pain I felt when I stepped on some of them on my way to my bathroom in the middle of the night.

I had just discovered a new medium for artistic creation that was very different from those I had used until now, whether in traditional art (sculpture, illustrations, origami) or digital art (photography, 3D animation, works for various brands). I still have so much to learn on the LEGO planet, but the most difficult part is to manage to give visibility to my work to make it accessible to everyone.

Hoth Bricks: Your designs are unusual. Your MOCs in the form of alternate LEGO sets have caused a lot of reactions. In fact, your MOCs always generate a lot of discussion and I have the impression that a lot of people haven't necessarily understood the purpose of this series of MOCs. Can you tell us more about the philosophy behind your achievements?

Omar Ovalle: It's actually very simple: I can choose to stay within the strict limits of official products or on the contrary take more pleasure in expanding the LEGO Star Wars universe in a very personal way. For me, the second option is obviously more attractive, more fun, and the challenge is greater, with almost unlimited possibilities. I like to offer MOCs on subjects relating to the Star Wars universe which are not necessarily the best known (commercially speaking) or even non-existent to this day. I also appreciate reconsidering the existing sets by offering alternative versions.

As an artist, I obviously seek to constantly attract the attention of LEGO fans, and why not, the attention of the LEGO company which would allow me to be able to express my passion for the LEGO brick at an even level. superior.

Reek - Omar Ovalle

Hoth Bricks: What is your main source of inspiration, considering that your work is indeed inspired by existing illustrations or photos?

Omar Ovalle: My main inspiration comes from fans of LEGO and their work, but I also do a lot of research on the internet. A new MOC can be inspired by films (science fiction, anime / manga, animation), books, toys from the Star Wars universe or more simply by an everyday object.

Hoth Bricks: How do you go about your MOCs? Do you go through a phase of sketching or digital creation before returning to plastic bricks?

Omar Ovalle: I haven't sketched for a long time (after doing it for many years) and I don't use LDD (Lego digital designer) or other software. When an idea arises, I write it down. I then look for images or photos that can serve as a reference. I have learned not to waste hours around an MOC which gives me particular problems (which happens most of the time). Often, I work on several MOCs at the same time, with many pause phases. I put the MOC which poses a problem to me in parenthesis while I find answers, solutions, or in some cases, the bricks I lack to complete it.

Hoth Bricks: Are you a big fan of Star Wars, which would explain the choice of this universe for your creations?

Omar Ovalle: I am indeed a fan of Star Wars, but curiously only since the end of 2010 when I started to produce my MOCs on this theme. Before that, I didn't really pay attention to the original saga, The Clone Wars animated series or video games like I do today. I explored other themes and other styles like the Steampunk universe, or the field of motor vehicles with cars, planes and motorcycles. Even so, the Star Wars theme remains my favorite to this day.

Aurra Sing Speeder Bike - Omar Ovalle

Hoth Bricks: You have proposed many creations on the so-called "System" scale as well as many speeders for "Action figures". Do you plan to offer something bigger or bigger (or smaller ...) in the future?

Omar Ovalle: I am thinking of turning to the "micro" scale, which allows us to offer the best of Star Wars with the minimum of bricks. I could also turn to sculptures, which I would really like, but for now I'm going to focus on the "System" scale for the sets I offer (Star Wars Custom LEGO Set 1, 2 September, 3 September), on my series on Droids (Star Wars Droids), my other series on creatures from the Star Wars universe (Star Wars LEGO Creatures) and on the very renegade Speeders series (Star Wars Speeders Bikes) featuring Action Figures (Which I also take great pleasure in developing).

Hoth Bricks: You submitted some of your MOCs to Cuusoo before removing them permanently after a few weeks. Can you explain why? And more generally, what is your opinion on the Cuusoo project?

Omar Ovalle: I have written several times to the team in charge of LEGO Cuusoo to ask them why nothing was done to ensure a certain level of quality regarding the submissions made on the site. After some time, the frustration helping, I left this project as did other MOCeurs, because of the large number of poor quality submissions.

Recently, LEGO Cuusoo removed my last MOC citing rules that prohibit the use of the LEGO logo in submissions. I decided to let it go and my MOC Darth Maul Speeder Bike was retired. I lost all interest in this project. I think the original idea is interesting, but I only follow it from a long way off now and it seems to me that order has returned a priori and that the chaos that I experienced when the project was launched does not reign. more.

Hoth Bricks: What are your plans for the future? What can we expect from you?

Omar Ovalle: The LEGO universe is constantly changing. My intention is simply to continue to create and transform in order to inspire others and show them that life is a source of endless possibilities.
Have fun !

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