In fall 2020, LEGO released its first wave of Art sets. While I hadn't fully returned to the hobby at the time, I was still following along, and seeing those sets made me want to try creating something of my own. I remember experimenting with mosaic generator tools, turning Destiny 2 emblems into pixel-style designs that could translate into physical builds. I never ended up making one, but the idea of working in that “dots” style always stuck with me.

My dad has always enjoyed LEGO, but I had never seen him build a set himself. He mostly just loved that I did. That's why, for Christmas 2023, I decided to make him his own custom LEGO piece: an art build of his favorite team, the Buffalo Bills. The style was relatively simple, but it still took iteration to make the logo read clearly and stand out. This project also became my introduction to Bricklink Stud.io, which I now use for all of my LEGO work. Without it, none of my later projects would have been possible.

Fast forward to Christmas 2025. That year, I really focused on making thoughtful, personal gifts for each member of my family. One idea stood out immediately: revisiting the Bills piece, but pushing it further with a fully brick-built buffalo.

Using everything I had learned, I designed a more advanced model that relied heavily on SNOT techniques to capture the curves of the standing buffalo. While I considered creating the charging version of the logo, I knew I wouldn't be able to execute it at the level I wanted within the time I had, so that's something I may return to in the future.

I'm especially proud of how closely the final model matches the original logo, since achieving organic shapes with LEGO is always a challenge. The lettering was another hurdle, requiring careful scaling, consistency, and integration with the back panel.

This collection of projects capture my growth over time, not just in technical skill, but in how I approach design, problem-solving, and creating work that feels meaningful, not just to me, but for those it's for!

Instructions: Dots Art // Standing Buffalo
Parts Lists (.xml): Dots Art // Standing Buffalo