Following the creation of our first duel scene (Luke vs Vader), this build presented a significantly greater challenge. The dynamic and contrasting poses of both characters, Maul’s double-bladed Lightsaber, and the added complexity of sculpting two distinct faces made this a truly daunting task to even begin.
LEGO® BRICKS
BUILD HOURS
LEGO® BRICKS
BUILD HOURS
As with all our character battle scenes, our process began by creating non-LEGO® 3D digital models of both QUI-GON JINN and DARTH MAUL. This crucial step allowed us to precisely capture their poses, mirroring the key moments from the film as closely as possible. This digital representation was then submitted to LucasFilm for approval, ensuring accuracy well before taking LEGO form.
Once the poses received the green light, we commenced the intricate process of building them digitally in LEGO. This digital blueprint served a dual purpose: not only did it allow for further approvals before committing to real bricks, but it also enabled us to meticulously plan the internal support structure and create dedicated channels for the wiring that would bring their Lightsaber blades to life with light!
Once the digital groundwork was complete, the physical build of Darth Maul progressed relatively quickly. With the majority of his body constructed from Black LEGO bricks, our primary focus shifted to shaping and detailing his flowing costume to convincingly replicate the movement and texture of the fabric.
The most significant hurdle in Maul’s construction proved to be the seemingly simple task of positioning his double-bladed Lightsaber at the correct angle between his two hands while simultaneously providing power to both blades. This connection also needed to be exceptionally sturdy to withstand the inevitable interaction from curious visitors grabbing the centre of the blade. Ultimately, the Lightsaber hilt underwent minor design adjustments to allow it to be securely held within Maul’s hand and seamlessly accommodate the necessary wiring.
DARTH MAUL’s instantly recognisable and intricately tattooed face was built as a separate sub-assembly and then retrofitted into the main model using SNOT (Studs Not On Top) bricks. Recreating his complex network of red tattoos, with their multitude of varying shapes and sharp angles, was a fascinating challenge that involved some inventive “NPU” (Nice Part Usage), including the clever use of a sword element to define the bridge of his nose!
The colour palette for QUI-GON JINN’s body was comparatively straightforward, offering a decent range of parts to work with, with the notable exception of the Dark Brown LEGO pieces used for his boots and belt, where the available brick shapes were surprisingly limited!
Working out how the Lightsaber precisely interacts with the hands in particular was essential. It not only needed to look visually correct but also be robust enough to protect the delicate electronic components inside. Hundreds of transparent LEGO 4 x 4 round plates make up the tube of the Lightsaber blade.
Like the majority of our large-scale character models, Qui-Gon Jinn features an internal metal frame to provide crucial safety and stability, especially given his dynamic leaning pose. This internal framework provides essential support to his torso, preventing any potential cracks or stress fractures caused by the forward pull of his weight.
Qui-Gon’s face proved to be by far the most time-consuming element of this particular build. Constructed primarily in Light Nougat, a LEGO colour with a relatively limited part range, we developed and refined numerous techniques to capture Liam Neeson’s likeness – techniques that we would later apply to the faces of other characters in the exhibition. We used brackets, SNOT, jumper plates, and any other LEGO building method we could think of to achieve smaller “steps” between parts than standard brick or plate stacking, allowing us to sculpt the shaping as naturally as possible. The completed face was then securely attached to his head using SNOT bricks.
Witness these incredible models and more at the world-first LEGO® Star Wars: The Exhibition. Embark on an epic, hands-on adventure through the Star Wars galaxy – Created by Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught and his talented team with over eight million LEGO bricks and 25,000+ build hours. Now open at Melbourne Museum.
