For many, one of the greatest joys as a child was receiving a new Lego set, begging to be opened and constructed. Despite the hours of glancing at the instruction book, picking up miniscule pieces, and sticking them together, the end result was always worth it–and an impressive display at that. Someone who takes this accomplishment to the next level is senior Lorenzo Gonzalez.

Gonzalez’s passion for Lego building and collecting began at an early age. “I started around 4 years old,” he recalls, and over the years, his collection has grown immensely. His passion has evolved from collecting sets to creating custom Lego builds that are often inspired by historical events and battles. Currently, Gonzalez is working on a 70-square foot Lego city in his basement. He has plans to expand it and continue building. 

He combines his love for Legos with his interest in stop-motion animation. He began experimenting with Lego animation during the pandemic. “I had nothing else to do,” he explains. “Though I knew how to animate a bit beforehand, the pandemic is when I developed my skills with more time on my hands.” Gonzalez’s animations often recreate historical battles, which he posts on his YouTube channel, Lorenzo Animation Studios. One of his most popular videos, depicting the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in World War 1, has garnered 98,000 views.

 He enjoys focusing on the small details that make his creations feel realistic. He explains that carefully deciding when and where to add details “pull[s] everything together to make [his] hobbies fun.” For Gonzalez’s Lego city, this means adding carefully-crafted details that bring scenes to life. In his stop-motion projects, it involves moving each figure slightly between frames to create smooth and realistic motion. 

Gonzalez also emphasizes consistency in stop-motion animation. “The more you animate, the [more] cinematography will improve.” Lego building and stop-motion are valuable activities; “they’re both fun hobbies that are enjoyable and make you think differently.”

For others who may be interested in Lego building or stop-motion animation, Gonzalez says, “Just start building. Though it may seem like a small collection at first or that your builds may not look the greatest, your parts inventory will increase and your skills will get better with every new set you build.”