Forget step-by-step instructions — you’re ready to design your own LEGO creations! The LEGO Builder’s Handbook is the only guide you need for building totally out-of-this-world, wholly original models.

How do you make the leap from following explicit instructions for constructing official LEGO sets to designing your own original models? The answers are all right here in The LEGO Builder’s Handbook.

Within this compendium of useful techniques for eye-catching LEGO creations, you’ll master basics like structuring sturdy walls, then move onto more sophisticated concepts like half-stud offsets and sideways building (SNOT). You’ll learn how every technique works conceptually as each chapter builds upon the previous one, and benefit from examples of the author’s expert methods used in real LEGO builds. 

Inspired by interesting insights and detailed explanations, you’ll soon see the world like a LEGO artist, leading you to approach each build in a thoughtful way. From understanding the trade-offs involved in choosing the scale for a model, to knowing how to capture real-world details in bricks, you’ll gain the tools and confidence to bring your own LEGO designs and ideas to life. Along the way, you’ll learn how to:

• Break free from LEGO’s regular grid of attachment points
• Build angled walls and gracefully curving forms
• Use free software tools to design photorealistic LEGO mosaics and life-like sculptures

Deepak Shenoy discovered the joys of LEGO later in life, while playing with his daughter. He's an active member of the LEGO community, sharing his creations with other LEGO fans at conventions and online through social media and his blog. His builds have been featured in print in Brick Journal and Blocks, and through websites like Brothers Brick and BrickNerd. Shenoy works as an engineer by day, with over 25 years of experience designing integrated circuits.

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: The Basics
Chapter 1: The LEGO System
Chapter 2: All About Scale
Chapter 3: Basic LEGO Techniques
Part II: Breaking Free from the Grid
Chapter 4: Half-Stud Offsets
Chapter 5: Sideways Building
Chapter 6: Angled Walls
Chapter 7: Round Shapes
Part III: Computer-Assisted Building
Chapter 8: LEGO Mosaics
Chapter 9: LEGO Sculptures
Afterword: Next Steps
Index