Brick Bending

How can I stay updated on what's happening with Brick Bending?

Join our free community on Patreon! You can get updates local exhibits, live events, new videos, and everything in between.
 

How much does shipping cost for purchased art pieces?

Domestic packaging, handling, and shipping within the USA is $50. $100 for international purchases. Please inquire about local pick up in the Portland, Oregon area.

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Do you consider commissions?

Always! I'm happy to consider any request--big or small. Reach out to info@brickbending.com

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Can I purchase a particular art piece that I've seen the Brick Bending Instagram page / YouTube channel?

You can always inquire about purchasing any past or present Brick Bending art piece at info@brickbending.com. If you can find a link, or describe the build, send that information our way and we'll make a determination.

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Do you have a return policy for your art pieces?

Yes. The TL;DR is that you can return any art piece within 30 days of receiving it. You can find my complete cancellation and return policy, terms of service, and privacy policies here.

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Are your original art pieces glued together?

 No. I do not use any form of chemical adhesives to 'glue' my art pieces permanently. To be honest, it just doesn't feel right--and that is coming from someone who breaks nearly every LEGO rule in the book. My builds are remarkably sturdy--many are much sturdier than a typical LEGO build--and if a part is removed, or knocked off by accident, you can simply click it back in place. This is the magic of LEGO. However, once a build is glued it can genuinely break--and broken/glued LEGO pieces are nearly impossible to repair. But left in its normal, constructed state, fixes are relatively simple and even a catastrophic accident can be corrected with a little time and effort. For me, this is the nature and spirit of LEGO building, and in this condition you can maintain your art piece indefinitely.

 

Do you sell multiple copies of a given artwork?

 No. My shop contains all current artworks for sale, as well as a growing collection of the art pieces that I have sold or that have owners from years past. As an artist who has been working for more than a decade I can't make any guarantees about past artworks that I have sold or gifted. But moving forward every individual piece of art that I sell will be a unique iteration of a given design--either in color, scale, or scope--and I will track them on my website. My intention is to make every piece of art that I sell one-of-a-kind.

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For wall sculptures, what is the best way to hang them?

After many years and exploring many options, the best and simplest way to hang a typical wall sculpture is with a single, sturdy nail, put into a secure part of a wall at a slightly upward angle. A nail with no head, embedded to the depth of the sculpture you are hanging lets you hide the nail effectively, and the upward angle prevents the sculpture from sliding off if bumped or shaken. A single nail also allows you to hang the sculpture at a point of symmetry in the design so that gravity creates perfect symmetry on the wall as it hangs. If a sculpture is larger, or you want to feel more secure, you can use multiple nails at multiple secure points in the build, but this is more challenging for hanging the build in an aesthetic, level fashion. And much to my surprise this is essentially how museums have hung my artwork in the past. Be sure to hang the build from a solid, inner area of the design in the top half of the pattern. If you have any questions about how to hang your particular build just reach out to info@brickbending.com and we will give you our best advice.

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How can I support what you do?

1. Join my free Patreon community for update on what we're doing.

2. Like/Share/Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite social media platform (@brickbending).

3. Purchase Brick Bending kits from WLWYB.

4. Purchase art pieces from my shop.

5. Tip me some bricks! Every dollar goes towards LEGO bricks and plates for future creations.

What is the meaning behind "brick bending"?

At this point in my artistic adventures "Brick Bending" has multiple connotations. First, it's a broad term for various LEGO construction techniques that allow you to take normal bricks/plates and create unexpected patterns, curves, and shapes. Not every design I create uses these techniques, but it's very typical in my work. Second, much of what I do 'bends the rules' in terms of official LEGO building practices. Some have described my artwork as 'LEGO hacking' which is an amazing compliment. But ultimately I'm in pursuit of the most beautiful and amazing LEGO creations possible--regardless of what building techniques I use.  

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Why do some people say brick bending is 'illegal'? 

It's my unofficial understanding that within the confines of official LEGO set design guidelines, many of the building techniques I use are not allowed. Essentially, any building technique that puts the bricks under stress beyond the official tolerances that the LEGO Group has specified are forbidden among official LEGO designers. From their perspective--as a business--this makes a lot of sense. From my perspective as an artist, I can't think of anything more interesting than pushing these bricks to their absolute limits. For me, that's where the magic lies. 

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Does brick bending damage your bricks?

It definitely changes the nature of the bricks over long periods of time, and it can damage them immediately depending on how old/used the bricks are, how much 'bending' you try to attempt, and the bending technique you're trying to use. If you build a circle with a circumference of 65-70 1x2 bricks for a brief period of time, they're likely to show little to no wear for the experience. However if you bend circles like I do (with a typical circumferences of 48) your bricks probably won't break, but they'll likely develop stress lines (which will show on darker bricks) and they'll fit more loosely together than they did at first. And if you're REALLY aggressive, at times you can crack, or even break pieces outright. So my advice is that if you attempt brick bending, bend carefully, and be prepared to lose a few bricks for a higher purpose. And NEVER attempt brick bending with reddish brown bricks or plates. For whatever reason, this color is particularly brittle, and is notorious in the larger LEGO community. 
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Do you heat, cut, or glue pieces?

No, no, and no. The trick with brick bending is the stress you're putting on the brick, the tolerances of the plastic, and the small amount of space created between each brick in a curve. With a little gentle pressure you can form beautiful, smooth curves with no heating or gluing involved. In fact, the stress is what holds the pieces tightly together. Most of my designs are quite rigid and can tolerate more handling than your typical LEGO build. However a few are extremely fragile. But the short answer is 'no kragle'!
 

Can I use your video content in my own social media content?

It depends. For Facebook I have licensed this right to a third party. For other platforms, you are free to use my vertical video content that exists on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok so long as you use no more than 90 seconds of total footage, and you credit and tag @brickbending on your content. Wide format, long form video content (as seen on my YouTube channel) may not be used without a licensing agreement. Reach out to info@brickbending.com if you are interested in discussing licensing.