20 Incredible Lego Animals Crafted By Sean Kenney
Lego, the beloved plastic brick-building toy, has been a source of creative expression for people of all ages. One artist who has taken Lego building to a whole new level is Sean Kenney.
Renowned for his incredible talent, Kenney has transformed the humble Lego brick into a menagerie of stunning and realistic animals. Scroll below to read our exclusive interview with the artist and explore some incredible Lego animals crafted by his masterful hands.
#1
Image source: Sean Kenney
How long have you been creating these sculptures?
“I’ve been building and playing with LEGO toys my whole life. I was a total “LEGO maniac” when I was a kid, and LEGO toys were usually the only toys I ever asked for when my birthday would come around each year. I kept building LEGO models all through childhood and even into my teenage and adult years. My models slowly became more involved and elaborate as I got older, and eventually I started building LEGO models professionally. Now it’s my full-time career.”
#2
Image source: Sean Kenney
What influenced or inspired you to pursue this particular art form?
“I’ve always been a huge fan of LEGO toys, ever since I was a little kid. They’re just so intrinsically fun and whimsical. I think they reflect my personality well — I am structured and organized and logical, but I am also rather silly and love to laugh. What better medium than a primary-colored children’s toy based on straight lines, rules, and math? As an art medium, it’s wonderful to see people’s reactions to what I create. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen someone look at my work and frown… The LEGO makes it inherently whimsical, which I love. Art doesn’t have to be so serious all the time.”
#3
Image source: Sean Kenney
Could you please share some insights into your creative process?
“Every project always starts out by making lots of drawings and by doing old-fashioned LEGO building at my desk. When I’m designing a sculpture, I gather as many photographs and drawings of the subject as I can, and then use graph paper or a computer model to plan out the basic shape and size. There’s a lot of visualization required, and I often have to step back and examine the model from all sides as it’s being designed… changing sections over and over, sometimes making multiple physical prototypes. Some of my sculptures are very large and require the help of multiple builders over many months, in which case I use digital design programs to help with the visualization process, and then create schematics for my assistants to follow, sort of like an architect creating blueprints for a construction worker. When I have a design I like, then it’s time to start building the final glued copy.”
#4
Image source: Sean Kenney
#5
Image source: Sean Kenney
#6
Image source: Sean Kenney
#7
Image source: Sean Kenney
#8
Image source: Sean Kenney
#9
Image source: Sean Kenney
#10
Image source: Sean Kenney
#11
Image source: Sean Kenney
#12
Image source: Sean Kenney
#13
Image source: Sean Kenney
#14
Image source: Sean Kenney
#15
Image source: Sean Kenney
#16
Image source: Sean Kenney
#17
Image source: Sean Kenney
#18
Image source: Sean Kenney
#19
Image source: Sean Kenney
#20
Image source: Sean Kenney
Got wisdom to pour?
Great work!