Lego Purdue "P"

The following instructable will teach you how to build the Purdue University "P" logo out of Legos.

Step 1: Introduction to LEGO Piece Identification and Placement Methods

Above you see various LEGO blocks used in this project. These blocks are yellow, gray and black. These blocks also vary in the amount of dots they have and the pattern they are laid out in, 1x2, 1x4, 2x2 and 2x4. There are also varying placement styles used in this project. Blocks can be laid side by side with the longer sides together, end to end with the shorter sides together.

Step 2: Base Layer

Pieces: 10 Black 2x4

Left to Right: On the left side, centered on the flat base plate, place the blocks side-by-side to create a 20x4 base.

Step 3: Layer 2

Pieces: 2 Black 2x4 and 4 Gray 2x4

Left to Right: Place 1 black 2x4 piece on top of the base layer, set in one row to the right. Then use 2 gray 1x3 pieces and 1 gray 1x6 piece to create a 2x6. Center this 2x6 on the black base, butted up against the first black piece set in this layer. Place the following pieces end-to-end, butted into the right end of the 2x6 just laid: 2 gray 2x4 and 1 gray 2x2 (centered). Next, place the second black 2x4 piece at the other end of the gray pieces so that it hangs off the base layer by 1 row.

Step 4: Layer 3

Pieces: 2 Black2x4, 1 Gray 1x2, 1 Gray 2x2, 1 Yellow 1x4, and 6 Yellow 2x4

Left to Right: Place one black 2x4 on top of layer 2, inset 1 row. Next to that, place the gray 1x2 (centered) on layer 2's gray pieces. Then place 6 yellow 2x4 pieces side-by-side, followed by the yellow 1x4. Then place the gray 2x2 (centered). End this layer with the second black 2x4 at the far right end, so that it overhangs layer 2 by 1 row.

Step 5: Layer 4

Pieces: 2 Black 2x4, 1 Gray 1x2, 1 Gray 2x2, 1 Yellow 1x4, and 6 Yellow 2x4

Left to Right: Place 1 black 2x4 on top of layer 2, inset 1 row. Next to that, place the gray 1x2 (centered). Then place 6 yellow 2x4 pieces side-by-side, followed by 1 yellow 1x4, and then the sixth yellow 2x4. Then place the gray 2x2 (centered). End this layer with the second black 2x4 at the far right end, so that it overhangs layer 3 by 1 row.

Step 6: Layer 5

Pieces: 2 Black 2x4, 2 Gray 2x4, 1 Gray 1x2, 2 Gray 2x2, 1 Yellow 1x4, and 2 Yellow 2x4

Left to Right: Place 1 black 2x4 piece on top of layer 4, inset 1 row. Next to that place 1 gray 2x4 (centered). Then place both yellow 2x4 side-by-side, and then place the yellow 1x4. To the right of the yellow pieces, place the gray 1x2, gray 2x4, and the gray 2x2 (in that order) (centered). End this layer with the second black 2x4, with a 1 row overhang.

Step 7: Layer 6

Pieces: 8 Black 2x4, 2 Gray 1x2, 2 Yellow 2x4, 1 Yellow 1x4, and 1 Gray 2x6 (flat)

This step requires some "temporary construction". Start by placing two black 2x4's side-by-side in one row from the left edge of layer 5. To the right of those, place a tall, gray 1x2 (centered). Next place two yellow 2x4 and one yellow 1x4 side-by-side, follow by a gray 1x2 (centered). Then, place two black 2x4 and one black 1x4 side-by-side. To the right of those pieces, you need to take two more black 2x4's, but turn them length-wise, and attach them to layer 5 so that they hang off the right edge by one row. Attach the flat gray piece to the bottom of this overhang, so it extends to the right. On top of this place one black 1x4 and one black 2x4 side-by-side.

Step 8: Layer 7

Pieces: 1 Black 1x4, 1 Yellow 1x4, 2 Yellow 2x4, 2 Gray 1x6, 1 Gray 2x2, 1 Gray 2x4, 1 Black 2x4

From left to right, place the black 1x4 piece three rows in from the left edge of layer 6 (to the right of this piece will be the tall, gray 1x2 piece that was placed in the previous step. To the right of the tall, gray 1x2 piece, place the yellow 1x4 piece, followed by two yellow 2x4 pieces. Next, place the gray 2x2 (centered). The two gray 1x6 pieces should be placed to the right of that piece, oriented such that they form a 2x6 piece (centered). Next, center the gray 2x4, in line with the other gray pieces. End this layer with the black 2x4 piece, placed so that it hangs over the right edge of layer 7 by one row.

Step 9: Layer 8

Pieces: 1 Black 1x4, 8 Yellow 2x4, 1 Gray 2x2, and 1 Black 2x4

From left to right, place the black 1x4 piece directly on top of the black 1x4 piece in layer 7. To the right of the tall, gray 1x2 piece, place all eight yellow 2x4 pieces, side-by-side. To the right of all of the yellow pieces, place the gray 2x2 (centered). End this layer with the black 2x4 piece, placed so that it overhangs the right edge of layer 7 by one row.

Step 10: Layer 9

Pieces: 1 Black 1x4, 1 Yellow 1x4, 8 Yellow 2x4, 1 Gray 2x2, and 1 Black 2x4

From left to right, place the black 1x4 piece directly on top of the black 1x4's from layer 7 & 8. To the right of the tall, gray 1x2 piece, place the yellow 1x2 piece, followed by all eight yellow 2x4 pieces, placed side-by-side. Then, place the gray 2x2 (centered), followed by the black 2x4 piece, placed so that it overhangs layer 8 by one row.

Step 11: Layer 10

Pieces: 1 Black 1x4, 4 Yellow 2x4, 1 Yellow 1x4, 2 Gray 1x8, 2 Gray 1x2, and 1 Black 2x4

From left to right, begin by placing the black 1x4 piece directly on top of the black 1x4 pieces from the previous three layers. To the right of the tall, gray 1x2 piece, place two yellow 2x4 pieces, followed by the yellow 1x4 piece. Then, use both gray 1x8 pieces to create a 2x8 piece, and center it. To the right of this, place the first gray 1x2. Next, place the other two yellow 2x4 pieces, followed by the second gray 1x2 (centered). End this row by placing the black 2x4 piece directly on top of the black 2x4 piece from layer 9.

Step 12: Layer 11

Pieces: 7 Black 2x4, 1 Black 1x4, 2 Gray 1x2, 2 Gray 2x2, 4 Yellow 2x4, 1 Yellow 1x4, and 1 Gray 2x10 (Flat)

This layer requires some "temporary construction". First, place one black 2x4 on top of the black 1x4 piece on the left end of layer 10 so that it hangs off the left side by one row. on the underside of this piece, attach the flat, gray 2x10 so that it extends to the left. Then, on top of this, place three black 2x4, side-by-side, to the left of the first black 2x4 placed in this layer. Next, to the right of the original black 2x4, place a gray 1x2 directly on top of the tall, gray 1x2. Then, from left to right, the pieces should be placed in this order: three yellow 2x4, one gray 2x2 (centered), two black 2x4, one black 1x4, one gray 2x2 (centered), one yellow 2x4, one yellow 1x4, one gray 1x2 (centered), and one black 2x4.

Step 13: Layer 12

Pieces: 2 Black 2x4, 3 Gray 1x2, 3 Gray 2x2, 2 Gray 2x3, 4 Yellow 2x4, and 2 Yellow 1x4

From left to right, place a black 2x4 piece, set in one row from the left edge of layer 11. Then, centered, place one gray 1x2, one gray 2x2, and one gray 2x3, in that order. Next, place one yellow 1x4, followed by three yellow 2x4. Then, centered again, place one gray 2x3, two gray 2x2, and one gray 1x4, in that order. To the right of that, place the second yellow 1x4 piece followed by a yellow 2x4. Then, centered place a gray 1x2. End this layer with a black 2x4, placed directly on top of layer 11's black 2x4.

Step 14: Layer 13

Pieces: 2 Black 2x4, 1 Gray 1x2, 1 Gray 2x2, 10 Yellow 2x4, and 1 Yellow 1x4

Begin this layer with a black 2x4, set in one row from the left of layer 12. Next to that, center the gray 1x2 piece. Then, place all ten yellow 2x4 pieces side-by-side, followed by the yellow 1x4. To the right of that, center the gray 2x2 piece. End this layer with a black 2x4, placed directly on top of the black 2x4 from layer 12.

Step 15: Layer 14

Pieces: 2 Black 2x4, 1 Gray 1x2, 1 Gray 2x2, 9 Yellow 2x4, and 1 Yellow 1x4

Begin this layer with a black 2x4, set in one row from the left of layer 13. Next to that, center the gray 1x2 piece. Then, place all nine yellow 2x4 pieces side-by-side, followed by the yellow 1x4. To the right of that, center the gray 2x2 piece. End this layer with a black 2x4, placed so that it is set in one row from the right edge of layer 13.

Step 16: Layer 15

Pieces: 2 Black 2x4, 1 Gray 2x6, 2 Gray 1x6, 3 Gray 2x2, and 2 Gray 1x2

Begin this layer with a black 2x4, set in one row from the left of layer 14. Next to that, center the gray 2x6, a gray 1x2, both gray 1x6 (oriented to from a 2x6), two gray 2x2, 1 gray 1x2, and a gray 2x2, in that order. End this layer with a black 2x4, placed so that it is set in one row from the right edge of layer 14.

Step 17: Layer 16

Pieces: 11 Black 2x4

Begin this layer with a black 2x4, set in one row from the left of layer 15. Next to that, place the other 10 black 2x4’s side-by-side so that they end one row from the edge of layer 15.

*You can now remove both gray pieces that were used as temporary construction.*