LEGO BrickLink Series 8 was 'ready for another big castle'

The fan designer for the next big LEGO BrickLink Designer Program castle concluded that the program was ready for another after Series 6.

As part of the promotion for crowdfunding for Series 8 of the BrickLink Designer Program, the team have been sharing insights from the fan designers behind the finalists. That now includes some words from BrickHucker, who has created Dustmark Keep.

They discuss the origins of their massive castle creation and how they settled on the unique design and desert locale.

"I started Dustmark by first coming to the conclusion that the BrickLink Designer Program was probably ready for another big castle," shares BrickHucker.

"So, I set out to brainstorm castle ideas by gathering references and browsing online. After a while, I came across some illustrations of castle-like structures, one, which was set in the desert with a dark orange colour scheme, really stood out."

It goes to show just how much research can influence the design of a LEGO model. The vast majority of castle creations officially released by the LEGO Group, or submitted for the BrickLink Designer Program, are set in either fields or by the water.

Few have been positioned in a desert, but that niche makes Dustmark Keep that much more appealing. BrickHucker continues by delving into the design of Dustmark Keep and how they landed on the angled wall layout. Sketches have been provided to showcase how Dustmark Keep came to be.

Images: BrickLink

"From here, I set out sketching a few quick ideas in an effort to determine silhouette, general presence, and certain key details," said BrickHucker. "I'm quite proud of the angled design and how it can open. This design worked out surprisingly well and even, inadvertently, allows two Dustmark Keeps to be seamlessly combined together."

That latter point is interesting to hear. Multiple BrickLink Designer Program sets have been able to be combined, but this has never been mentioned in the promotion for Dustmark Keep. Official imagery has not showcased how two sets can combine, and we look forward to seeing how fans mix two copies when they are shipped out from November.

"Following this was a variety of test builds for detail techniques, and most importantly, understanding how to create the angled and opening design that would result in a legal build," continues BrickHucker. "This was time-consuming and included plenty of trial and error.

"I'm also happy with how the ringing bell mechanism works. The mechanism includes a counter-balanced weight, swings smoothly, and has a lever which fairly naturally blends in with the build."

You can crowdfund Dustmark Keep starting from June 9 at 8:00am Pacific Time, alongside the other four BrickLink Designer Program Series 8 finalists.

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