Speaking about creating the new 76304 Batman Forever Batmobile, Senior Model Designer Mark Stafford explains the fascinating world of LEGO sketch models, both during the design process and after.
LEGO designers often create physical sketch models of LEGO sets they design – and Senior Model Designer Mark Stafford discusses the sketch models that led to 76304 Batman Forever Batmobile during a recent interview.
A LEGO set doesn’t appear out of thin air. Every set undergoes many iterations and versions, each made by one of many dedicated and talented LEGO designers working at the LEGO Group. Some designers prefer to build digital models, while others choose to go the old-fashioned route, constructing each stage of development with physical LEGO bricks. It’s the latter that the designer of 76304 Batman Forever Batmobile, Mark Stafford, favours.
“I much preferred building this physically,” Mark says about the Batmobile. “I had to make sure that everything worked. But the way we work is, we build physical versions, then we put them into LEGO Digital Designer Pro. And if that works, if that’s close enough on budget, then we know if we’re in the right ballpark.”
The last bit is the key when it comes to sketch models, particularly the very first ones – they are very rough outlines of what a potential set could look like, not a model of what the set should look like.
“In initial sketches, we’re just trying to sell the idea that this could become a LEGO set,” Mark explains. “They’re made just to sell the idea internally.”
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And that means LEGO designers have free reign in how they make these sketch models come together. They’re not beholden to the high standards of LEGO sets, nor do they have to worry about illegal building techniques. Or using actual LEGO pieces, for that matter.
“We can do whatever,” Mark laughs. “We can spray pieces. We can glue pieces. We can ask for parts to be 3D printed, even though we know we might not be able to do that at the end of the day. Then once it’s given the go ahead, it’s handed to somebody who has to go and do the actual making this into a LEGO set, trying to eliminate as many new elements being needed as possible.”
This means all sorts of different options are explored within the current LEGO parts catalogue, as designers do their best not to spend crucial budget on new elements.
“One sketch had the front with a LEGO leaf element in black,” Mark says. “But as soon as you see that, you think ‘LEGO leaf in black,’ rather than thinking ‘this is the Batmobile.’ So a lot of this had to change over time as we went on. And that was one of the things I hated to let go as a LEGO builder, that leaf.”
With glued pieces, illegal techniques and leaves kicked out of the final design, Mark was left with a bunch of different sketch models at the end of the design process, all of which had been built with physical LEGO bricks. But what happens to those unused builds and designs?
“I generally keep hold of sketch models for roughly a year,” shares Mark. “Because if I’m doing something like this, then it’s nice to have a refresher for myself. I’ve also taken them to fan events for things like Legends of Chima and NINJAGO back in the day.
“I have other sketch models around my desk. They’re the ones that haven’t made it to be sets yet or will never be sets. I still have sketch models for Exo-Force. I have a couple of sketch models from year two of Alien Conquest, which never happened. I kept these just in case I can reinvent them for something else. And most designers have a bunch of old sketch models around their desks.”
But for the models that don’t get to stick around as future inspiration or desk decorations, a much grislier fate awaits: “We don’t reuse bricks from sketch models,” Mark winces. “We don’t have time to put them back in the drawers. We have to put them into the bins that will be ground up and recycled, and we have to break them before we put them in the bins.
“So you have to take your sketch models, which you loved and cherished for all this time, and break them into bricks as you’re putting them in the bin. It’s still painful after 18 years.”
The bricks do get recycled into other LEGO elements, so they’re not cast entirely into the void, but the loss of the sketch models is still a shame. Though it is simply a necessity of keeping space open and usable, as most LEGO sets practically go through more sketch models than there are bricks in the final set. Slight exaggeration aside, the designing a LEGO set does rely heavily on the sketching process and making incremental progress towards the final product ready for shelves.
If you’re interested in picking up 76304 Batman Forever Batmobile, even though it no longer uses that black LEGO leaf element, consider doing so via our affiliate links to help support our work at Blocks, online and in print.
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