LEGO

BRICKMAN AWESOME – Review

| Kidding Around Australia

BRICKMAN AWESOME – Ryan ‘The Brickman’ McNaught’s latest exhibition

WRITTEN BY GRIFFIN, 15 years.

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If you traveled to see Brickman Awesome by car, please enter through the the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre parking area on Grey St,  go to carpark 3, and catch the lift up to the Exhibition Hall 3. Please be aware that the sessions are booked by the hour, so leave plenty of time.

A friendly Brickman assistant greets you at the door to the Brickman Awesome exhibit, and will take your ticket and give you a business card that prompts you to find the all special figures that have been hidden throughout the whole exhibition, so that you have a chance to win some of best construction toy sets in the world- LEGO®!
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Upon entry you are greeted by a very familiar word to any true LEGO® fan- ‘Awesome’ – because everything to do with LEGO®, is Awesome!
Turning to the left at the entry, you have tables on both side of a very wide isle, with very iconic and creative LEGO® builds, that you are allowed to touch. The isles through the whole exhibit are very wide, so there plenty of room for the foot traffic, as well as parents with prams, and anyone in a wheelchair.
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At the end of the isle you see a large build that is a must for anyone who loves aquatic mammals. Just past that on the left was an iconic Australian arachnid, and the sheer size made my mother cringe slightly, but also marvel at the beauty and the detail of the build against a beautiful background.
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Around to the right was the most amazing build, that is clearly to honour the sponsor of this awesome event – Toyota. Let me say that this build had young and old marvelling over it, more photos where taken of this model than any other whole I was there, because the attention to detail is outstanding and the models appeal is for all ages.
As you walk around the exhibit, please don’t forget to look up, because there are a few gems up high out of eye level that you definitely don’t want to miss! Not to far away from the Toyota display, anyone can help join in an attempt to build the largest LEGO® snake, using your best creative patterns to create a small design to add to the wall, and parents found this a great photo opportunity that shows their child’s personal creativity and it really helped them feel a part of the display.
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There are 2 other opportunities for the kids to build with LEGO® bricks throughout the exhibit. One is for lovers of cute black and white animals that live in the snow. The second is for the kids that are interested in earthmoving, and they will find an amazing build by Ryan, the Brickman, that is just pure inspiration for their personal builds in this area. There are nods to Movie and TV series throughout the exhibit, and the level of detail on these builds is amazing! There are also iconic famous European and USA landmarks and a large scale ride. But I think the ultimate build is at the end of the exhibit, it towers above you and blasts off with light and sounds regularly.
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I personally went back through the display several times, because you don’t feel rushed at all, and I really wanted to take in the scale of all of these amazing builds by Ryan McNaught. As you leave Brickman Awesome there is a LEGO® store filled with every LEGO® set that you could dream of purchasing after being inspired by the models inside, as well as bulk tubs of bricks for the creative builder. The store also has everything from souvenir T-shirt’s and caps, right through to torch key rings.
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Don’t worry about trying to find the parking pay station, because you can conveniently pay with a your personal bankcard on the way out just before you leave though the boom gates in to Grey Street, Southbank.

MORE INFORMATION

Venue: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
Dates: 1-22 December 2018
#brickmanawesome

Brickman Experience – An Interactive Spectacular in LEGO® Bricks – A Review

| Kidding Around Australia

Exciting news, we have a new guest reporter for you all to meet! Griffin is 13 years old and has such a way with words that we just had to send him on assignment to the Brickman Experience at the Gold Coast Convention and Entertainment Centre. Griffin is a massive LEGO® fan so we knew he would have an amazing time!

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BRICKMAN EXPERIENCE – AN INTERACTIVE SPECTACULAR IN LEGO® BRICKS 

Written By Griffin

What a day I had! It was easy to find the secure parking, and at $10 for the entire day, that seemed like a bargain. When I first entered the Gold Coast Convention and Entertainment Centre, I could faintly hear “Everything Is Awesome”, from The LEGO® Movie in the distance.

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The Gold Coast Convention and Entertainment Centre is a huge place, but it’s well signed, with lifts and stairs to cater for everyone. I was exited to meet our guide for the day, Ryan McNaught, who is one of only 14 LEGO® Certified Professional’s in the world (and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere). Ryan created all the models featured in the exhibition using more than 5 million LEGO® bricks.

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As soon as I walked in, I saw a very large colourful mosaic of the Sydney Opera House (created by 1×1 pieces on a MASSIVE board), to the left of me was enormous brightly coloured model of a flower, a replica of the Roman Colosseum, a Ferrari, many portraits of the Bond film actors done in a mosaic style (look for the imposter), and the Sydney Opera House. There are oversize replicas of Emmet and Wyldstyle from the LEGO® Movie, where you can sit and have your photo taken with them, and so much more!

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In the next room, a large model of the fire and rescue helicopter called, ‘Elvis’. Ryan explained that the first time ‘Elvis’ was being shown to the public, several children broke into the closed shopping centre at night, and pushed the model off the table on which it sat! SO MUCH DESTRUCTION! But thankfully it has been fully rebuilt and is currently on display at the Brickman Experience.

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There were also models of a Space Shuttle, and an X-Wing fighter from Star Wars, as well as quite a few other models in this room. I won’t tell you all of them, you must go see it for yourself.

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There was also the opportunity to build in the Mosaic Masterpiece Zone, and there is a Master Builders Training area for those who get inspired by what they see around them.

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Ryan was a very nice guy. I asked him a few questions, and this is what he had to say:

How’d you get the job? Sheer Luck. LEGO® knew I had worked on the programming for the LEGO® Mindstorms robots for a while, and then they gave me the opportunity to build these awesome creations.

What inspires you to make the models? Everything, really! I can’t afford a Ferrari, so I built a model of one. I went to the Coliseum in Rome, so I was inspired to build one, and I really love Pirate Films like Pirates of the Caribbean, so that’s what inspired me to build the Pirate Ship.

What could others do to become a LEGO® sculpture maker? Make sure you are good at Maths. It’s all about Trigonometry, Algebra and Symmetry. There is LOTS of Maths involved in the designs!

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GRIFFIN’S TOP TIP

Be on the look-out for all of the hidden Minifigs in Green Spacesuits (Bennies), once you have counted them all and tell them what your favourite model was why, you will be in with a chance to win a Space Lego prize pack. Go to www.bit.ly/greenspacemen to enter!

There is also a popup shop that sells LEGO® kits, LEGO® Mindstorms robot kits, and Brickman Experience merchandise (t-shirts, hats, stickers etc). I give my t-shirt two thumbs up!

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When you get hungry or thirsty there is a Combi Café for you to get refreshments and a light meal (you can get a stamp to return to the Brickman Experience if you wish).

All in all, the Brickman Experience was excellent fun! It is a must do for all LEGO® fans these school holidays!

MORE INFORMATION

BRICKMAN EXPERIENCE – AN INTERACTIVE SPECTACULAR IN LEGO® BRICKS
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
24 June – 9 July 2017
Open daily. Booking is advisable.
Tickets on sale now from Ticketek bit.ly/BrickmanExp
#BrickmanExperience

Brickman Experience, Gold Coast – Giveaway

| Kidding Around Australia

If you have LEGO® lovers in your house and you live near the Gold Coast, Queensland (or you will be there in the first week of the school holidays) then you are in luck!

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Ryan McNaught’s Brickman Experience is the largest touring exhibition of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere…and it’s heading to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre for 15 days only from 24 June until 9 July 2017.

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Brickman Experience is an interactive exhibition featuring a collection of over 60 individual works by Ryan McNaught – the only LEGO® Certified Professional in the Southern Hemisphere and one of only 14 in the world.

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The exhibition is made up from more than 5 million LEGO® bricks and includes Ryan’s biggest ever Star Wars LEGO® build, a model Airbus A380, a quarter scale LEGO® Ferrari and the world’s largest LEGO® flower.

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For all the budding brickies who are feeling awe-inspired by Ryan’s work, the specially designed interactive master builder zones will give visitors the opportunity to build their own LEGO® creations.

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COMPETITION TIME!

We have 3 family passes (2A + 2C) to your choice of date and time to give away to the Brickman Experience!

Entering is simple! Just enter your details in the following form and tell us what you would like to make out of LEGO® Bricks in 25 words or less!

*IF YOU CAN’T SEE THE ENTRY FORM PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE AS SOME PHONES AND MEDIA DO NOT SUPPORT THIS APPLICATION.

Entries close: 19th June 2017 at 9pm AEST. GOOD LUCK!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF AUSTRALIA ONLY. BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION, YOU AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA MAILING LIST, IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SUBSCRIBED. YOUR PRIVACY IS PROTECTED AND YOU CAN UNSUBSCRIBE AT ANY TIME.
BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION, YOU ARE ALSO AGREEING TO ALL OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
THIS IS A GAME OF SKILL NOT A GAME OF CHANCE. ENTRIES NOT FILLING IN ALL THE REQUIRED FIELDS AND ANSWERING THE QUESTION WILL BE DEEMED INVALID. THE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY ORIGINALITY AND CREATIVE MERIT, BY A NON INVOLVED PARTY. THE JUDGE’S DECISION IS FINAL AND NO CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE ENTERED INTO.
ENTRIES CLOSE 19 JUNE 2017 AT 9PM AEST. THE WINNER WILL BE DRAWN 20/6/2017 AT 9AM AEST AND ANNOUNCED ON THIS WEBSITE. THE WINNER WILL ALSO BE CONTACTED VIA EMAIL. 
ONE ENTRY PER HOUSEHOLD. PRIZES ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE, CHANGEABLE OR REDEEMABLE FOR CASH. KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WILL NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSS, INJURY OR DAMAGE THAT OCCURS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRIZE OR THE WINNER’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION.

MORE INFORMATION

BRICKMAN EXPERIENCE – AN INTERACTIVE SPECTACULAR IN LEGO® BRICKS, Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, 24 June – 9 July 2017, Open daily. Booking is advisable.

Tickets on sale now through Ticketek via this link bit.ly/BrickmanExp

SOCIAL MEDIA

facebook.com/brickmanexperience

twitter.com/brickmanexp

instagram.com/brickmanexperience

#BrickmanExperience