The LEGO Group has confirmed members of the design team for the first KPop Demon Hunters set, revealing which aspect was crucial to get correct.
Following the reveal of 72537 Derpy Tiger and Sussie Bird earlier today, the LEGO Group has lifted the curtain to give us a peek behind the scenes of how the first KPop Demon Hunters model was made. Wes Talbott, Senior Design Master at the LEGO Group, was a part of the team that brought this model to life, sharing some initial thoughts on the movie and the build.
“I had already watched the movie a few times, and as soon as I heard about it, I knew I wanted to work on it," Wes said. "It's just one of those stories you want to share!
“In the team, we knew exactly what look and feel we wanted for the model. One of my team members did a very good sketch model exploration, so I was able to jump straight into building.”
The LEGO KPop Demon Hunters was only announced in February, leaving a minimum of five months for this model to be designed. That's an incredibly short turnaround compared to most other LEGO sets. One aspect of the model was more important than any other for the team to get right.
Graphic designer Conrad Hallenburg Sode Rasmussen was brought on board to help handle the decorations in 72537 Derpy Tiger and Sussie Bird. Wes goes on to detail how Derpy's iconic eyes were so crucial to the look of the build.
“The eyes are such a big part of the character," Wes continues. "It’s not just about the shape, but also how they sit on Derpy’s face. Even small design changes in the eyes made a big difference to how the whole character comes across. It took a lot of testing to get both the shape and the angle right.”
Beyond the graphics and the build, another important aspect of designing LEGO sets comes from play features and posing options. While 72537 Derpy Tiger and Sussie Bird is more limited in this area, the few moving parts play a huge role in representing the character's personality.
“Those moments guided a lot of design decisions," explains Wes. "Especially where movement and interaction would add to the storytelling and building experience.”
All of these efforts combined to quickly make the first LEGO KPop Demon Hunters set. More models based on the movie are confirmed for 2027, but 72537 Derpy Tiger and Sussie Bird will launch on August 1 for £59.99 / £69.99 / €69.99.
Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO using our affiliate links. Thanks!
Comments
Be the first to comment!