From idea to reality

In a toy company, understanding the story and having an idea is just the beginning. The process is more about making that idea happen. To develop a model from A to Z normally takes about a year and a half to two years. The model design takes around three or four months of constant sketching, building and designing to get to something that has the rough shape.

Wen is keen on learning, and did a variety of jobs throughout the process, from sketching and drafting concept to production.

Knowledge of materials, cost and safety from the production perspective has helped shape him into a more complete designer, he says.

Wen's favorite motto is "design is problem-solving".

For example, there is a ceiling for the number of new elements the group will develop each year, to minimize complexity and optimize the play experience.

When designing the two new characters for the Monkie Kid, the team managed to give the two minifigures the same shaped wig but in different color combinations.

"Every element we design has to be possible for buyers to repurpose, to express their own creativity. That is how we encourage them to maximize play value," Wen says.

Another example is the task of making Monkie Kid's cloud into something playable, in other words, how to translate a sketch of a stylized Chinese cloud, which is rounded and curvaceous, into a model both children and adults can enjoy.

Additionally, the materials had to highlight the lightness and transparency of the cloud.

"We want to give buyers the Chinese cloud vibe," he says.

Another challenge was how to ensure that the clouds, which are large and curvy, mesh with playing with Lego bricks.

After hundreds of tests and with the support from the textile design department, Wen and his colleagues decided to use a soft, transparent element that could be made into special shapes for the cloud.

Structure-wise, the team even managed to add play functionality to the cloud to make it even more fun.

"When the cloud is closed, you only see the silhouette of the palace," he says. "When you open it up, you see details of the Monkie Kid story, like the peach garden and the fight between Monkie Kid and Erlang God."