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In lugnet.build.microscale, Ashley Glennon writes:
> Welcome to all and thanks to Todd for adding this new group. Micro-scale
> building now has a home and is sure to grow as people discover and
> re-discover the joys of building small.
>
> As one of the self-proclaimed pioneers in Microfig, here are a few of the
> links that have influenced me.
>
> Shortly I hope to post my entire list of microfig links either here or on
> their own page. I hope this list serves as just a small sampler of the
> great creations ahead.
Ashley--
I rarely post, but I have been a fan of small-scale creations for a long
time. That cathedral of mine that you linked to, for example, is the last
remnant of a medieval walled city all built to the same scale. I wish I had
photos. (One of these days I will get a digital camera....) Thanks for your
enthusiasm in small-scale building. I will try to dig out photos of past
creations to contribute here. I might have some old pictures of a lunar
base, an airfield, and an old Saturn 1-B rocket somewhere.
Just out of curiousity... I have always thought of the pre-minifig
(including pre-proto-minifig) period as "classic" scale. The doors from
this period did not open and were 2 wide by 3 high; common windows included
the 2-wide by 2-high square windows, 4-wide by 2-high windows, and 6-wide by
3-high windows. I have often built at what I call "half-classic" scale
whereby the old 1-wide by 2-high windows serve as doors, with the 1x1x1
windows, the 2-wide by 1-high windows, and the 3- or 4-wide by 2 high
windows serving as the 'equivalent' windows with regard to the "classic"
scale. I also have built at what I call "quarter-classic" scale where
basically a door is two plates high and a window is 1 plate high. Do others
call these scales by these names? If not, how are they usually designated?
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Ashley Glennon writes:
> Welcome to all and thanks to Todd for adding this new group. Micro-scale
> building now has a home and is sure to grow as people discover and
> re-discover the joys of building small.
>
> As one of the self-proclaimed pioneers in Microfig, here are a few of the
> links that have influenced me.
>
> Shortly I hope to post my entire list of microfig links either here or on
> their own page. I hope this list serves as just a small sampler of the
> great creations ahead.
Ashley--
I rarely post, but I have been a fan of small-scale creations for a long
time. That cathedral of mine that you linked to, for example, is the last
remnant of a medieval walled city all built to the same scale. I wish I had
photos. (One of these days I will get a digital camera....) Thanks for your
enthusiasm in small-scale building. I will try to dig out photos of past
creations to contribute here. I might have some old pictures of a lunar
base, an airfield, and an old Saturn 1-B rocket somewhere.
Just out of curiousity... I have always thought of the pre-minifig
(including pre-proto-minifig) period as "classic" scale. The doors from
this period did not open and were 2 wide by 3 high; common windows included
the 2-wide by 2-high square windows, 4-wide by 2-high windows, and 6-wide by
3-high windows. I have often built at what I call "half-classic" scale
whereby the old 1-wide by 2-high windows serve as doors, with the 1x1x1
windows, the 2-wide by 1-high windows, and the 3- or 4-wide by 2 high
windows serving as the 'equivalent' windows with regard to the "classic"
scale. I also have built at what I call "quarter-classic" scale where
basically a door is two plates high and a window is 1 plate high. Do others
call these scales by these names? If not, how are they usually designated?
--Muze
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Brian,
Until late 1999 to early 2000, small scale building really did not seem to
have a common name. Of course, there were references to quarter-scale,
half-scale, etc. but as far as I know, nothing stuck. The irony is, prior
to the advent of the minifig, LEGO building was just...LEGO building!
Your references to "Classic" and "half classic" are interesting, and if you
don't mind, I will add them to my microfig history presentation as good
descriptors of pre-minifig creations.
My presentation presently reflects set(s) 200? from 1957 that shows small
homes, a playmat and what appear to be common die-cast cars. At this time,
LEGO products were presented as the LEGO system of play.
Per your post, it would be great indeed to see your lunar base, rockets and
airfield.
Once again, your cathedral is great and has been visited many times by my
browser!
I look forward to seeing more creations of yours in the future.
Ashley
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Ashley Glennon writes:
[snip]
> Your references to "Classic" and "half classic" are interesting, and if you
> don't mind, I will add them to my microfig history presentation as good
> descriptors of pre-minifig creations.
Feel free. I know I'm not the only person who used the terms classic,
half-classic, and quarter-classic in the past, but I don't know who
originated the terms.
> My presentation presently reflects set(s) 200? from 1957 that shows small
> homes, a playmat and what appear to be common die-cast cars. At this time,
> LEGO products were presented as the LEGO system of play.
Interesting microscale designs from the Lego company include:
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0240/0240-03.html
[most of the page is classic scale, but the upper left of the left page
is half-classic (tall windows as double doors) and the lower right of the
right page is quarter-classic (1 brick = 1 storey).]
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0240/0240-09.html
[the REAL original Yellow Castle ;) ]
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0240/0240-17.html
[airplane and ship]
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0226/0226-50.html
[harbor scene, quarter-classic scale]
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0226/0226-39.html
[bottom: futuristic house w/ hovercraft, classic scale]
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0226/0226-64.html
[yellow interstellar spacecraft, probably quarter-classic or smaller]
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0226/0226-38.html
[The bottom scene with the factory and the windmill (and crenellated
wall!!!) is dear to my heart. This is the picture that inspired and
hooked me on half-classic building. I would be very grateful to Lego
if they were to bring back the three styles of window used in this model
in a parts pack! Of course, given their use of 'headlight' bricks for
the re-issued USS Constellation, I such a possibility seems far-fetched.]
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0222-1975/0222-06.html
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/0000/0222-1975/0222-07.html
[simple quarter-classic buildings]
> Per your post, it would be great indeed to see your lunar base, rockets and
> airfield.
I'll try to look for them this weekend. I had to put lots of stuff in boxes
in the basement, so I no longer know where anything is. :( I also might
find a few designs that pay homage to Dan Siskind's mill, blacksmith shop,
and Golden Tap Inn in the quarter-classic scale.
> Once again, your cathedral is great and has been visited many times by my
> browser!
Thanks, Ashley! :)
--Muze
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Ashley Glennon wrote in message ...
> Brian,
> Until late 1999 to early 2000, small scale building really did not seem to
> have a common name. Of course, there were references to quarter-scale,
> half-scale, etc. but as far as I know, nothing stuck. The irony is, prior
> to the advent of the minifig, LEGO building was just...LEGO building!
>
> Your references to "Classic" and "half classic" are interesting, and if you
> don't mind, I will add them to my microfig history presentation as good
> descriptors of pre-minifig creations.
"Classic" scale was in common use as a term when I started on LUGNET in
1999, although few people apart from Gary Istok built in it. (See here for
an example post: http://news.lugnet.com/town/?n=15 ). When I started in Lego
in the 1960s that was the scale we used then (although without the name),
since those were the windows and doors available. An adult person was
represented by 2 1x1 round bricks stacked (we used some special color
combinations as uniforms for eg police, fire etc) and a child was a single
1x1 round brick.
I really don't think of classic scale as being microscale, it seems too big
to me! Brian's use of half- and quarter- classic scales is very interesting
though, I haven't seen anyone else describe those scales.
Kevin
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Custom building kits: http://www.lionsgatemodels.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
LEGO TOWN PLANNING information:
http://www.lionsgatemodels.com/COntent/Townplan/townplan.htm
BrickLink Lego parts store: http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=Kevinw1
The Guild of Bricksmiths(TM): http://www.bricksmiths.com
Personal Lego Web page:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kwilson_tccs/lego.html
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In lugnet.build.microscale, Kevin Wilson writes:
> Ashley Glennon wrote in message ...
> > Brian,
> > Until late 1999 to early 2000, small scale building really did not seem to
> > have a common name. Of course, there were references to quarter-scale,
> > half-scale, etc. but as far as I know, nothing stuck. The irony is, prior
> > to the advent of the minifig, LEGO building was just...LEGO building!
> >
> > Your references to "Classic" and "half classic" are interesting, and if you
> > don't mind, I will add them to my microfig history presentation as good
> > descriptors of pre-minifig creations.
>
> "Classic" scale was in common use as a term when I started on LUGNET in
> 1999, although few people apart from Gary Istok built in it. (See here for
> an example post: http://news.lugnet.com/town/?n=15 ). When I started in Lego
> in the 1960s that was the scale we used then (although without the name),
> since those were the windows and doors available. An adult person was
> represented by 2 1x1 round bricks stacked (we used some special color
> combinations as uniforms for eg police, fire etc) and a child was a single
> 1x1 round brick.
>
> I really don't think of classic scale as being microscale, it seems too big
> to me! Brian's use of half- and quarter- classic scales is very interesting
> though, I haven't seen anyone else describe those scales.
>
> Kevin
When I was growing up, I caught the tail end of proto-minifigs. My very
first set (that I remember) was a 111 universal set which had a maxifig and
the transitional 3-wide by 4-high door that opened; I think my first set
with proto-minifigs was the 550 Windmill (362 to Europeans) which had two
proto-minifigs and 2-wide by 3-high classic doors. Then the modern minifigs
arrived, as did the new 4-wide by 5-high doors. As a result, I never used
cylinders for people when growing up. I also had a fairly flexible sense of
scale since doors could be smaller than people and cars did not need to let
people inside. :)
Unless I'm conflating a few memories together, I recall that a number of
years ago I had an email conversation with Gary during which I asked him
about half- and quarter-classic scales. (Gary, I've misplaced your email
address -- please drop me a line!) I do remember that he said he had built
in those scales from time to time, but I don't remember whether the
terminology was new to him or not.
--Muze
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