In an interesting first, LEGO has shared a brief bio on the designer of the just-announced Creator Expert 10270 Bookshop to accompany all of the information about the set itself. If you're interested to learn more about the LEGO Ideas submitter-turned-designer, read on!

LEGO Creator Expert Bookshop Designer Profile
Wes Alan Talbott - Design Master

Wes is a Design Master at LEGO and has worked for the company for the last 6 years. Prior to this, he worked as a freelance illustrator before becoming a full time Model Designer for The LEGO Group. He Has a BFA in Illustration from the Columbus College of Art & Design.

As a child, Wes had a keen interest in LEGO brick products from before discovering the unexpected combination of The Lord of the Rings and LEGO bricks that reignited his passion for building. During his time at college he achieved 10,000 votes on his LEGO Ideas Design for Legend of Zelda - Iron Knuckle Encounter, confirming his passion for LEGO brick models and shortly after joined the LEGO Group, working on concept art for new themes.

The LEGO Creator Expert Bookshop is Wes's first Creator Expert set and the highlight of his career so far. He was tasked with adding a cozy residential building to the Modular Build product line. The LEGO Creator Expert Bookshop takes inspiration from a number of cities, the starting point was the birch tree, drawing on inspiration from the streets of New York. The house and bookshop itself draw on inspiration from variety sources such as the Painted Ladies in San Francisco and the buildings of Amsterdam.

There are also few small Easter eggs that have been hidden within the set, the house address (107) is the LEGO number for the teal color the house is made out of, and is a color Wes helped bring to the LEGO color palette. The minifigures that are included within the set are based on his parents. They are both creative makers, and his mother especially loves to design and build dollhouses out of wood and LEGO Bricks.

After finishing off the LEGO Creator Expert Bookshop Wes would love to work on the Harry Potter product line.

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