Adam sorts the LEGO bricks in his studio by color and size. That makes it easier to build things—like the 4-foot-tall Batman below!

Courtesy Adam Ward

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The LEGO Artist

How Adam Ward turned his favorite childhood toy into a full-time job

March 2022

by Alex Lim-Chua Wee

Courtesy Adam Ward

When you think of making art, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s painting or drawing. Perhaps it’s sculpting pottery or taking beautiful photographs. For Adam Ward, it’s working with tiny plastic bricks. As a LEGO® artist, he has nearly 800,000 of them in his studio.

What does Adam do with all those bricks? Sometimes he creates murals or life-sized statues for events like the Oscars and brands like Adidas. Other times he teaches people how to do their own LEGO builds. He’s even written a book! We asked Adam how he transformed a hobby into a creative career.

Courtesy of Adam Ward

How did you start your own business building with LEGO bricks?

When I moved into my own place, I didn’t have much money to decorate. I found boxes of my old LEGO bricks and started making things, like picture frames. I shared the stuff I made online, and people loved it. Soon companies saw my work and asked me to make pieces for them.

How do you begin building your LEGO designs?

I like to draw my ideas on graph paper. Then I build the most difficult details first, like the eyes of an animal’s face. I could spend hours working with just 70 pieces! But after that, the rest is easy.

Courtesy of Adam Ward

Can you tell us about one of your favorite creations?

For a LEGO event, I made a unicorn that’s nearly 6 feet tall! I worked on it with a group of other builders. It took us about 13 days to finish. Today, it’s on display at LEGOLAND® in California, which I think is supercool.

What would you say is the best part of your job?

I love that I still get to work with something I played with as a kid. I also love connecting with people by inspiring them to use their imaginations.

What advice do you have for kids who want to be creative?

Whatever kind of art you’re doing, try not to worry too much about what it’ll look like. When I feel stuck, I just start making something. I try not to overthink it or plan it out. That’s when the magic happens! You’ll make mistakes, but that’s how you learn.