Meet the man crazy enough to quit his job to build his Nanoblock dream
Former software architect Christopher Tan is living every Lego-loving kid’s fantasy
Who in their right mind would give up a perfectly cushy job to build a career out of Nanoblocks? Well, Christopher Tan, that’s who.
The 40-year-old Malaysian held a perfectly comfortable position as a software architect prior to upending all his plans to set foot on a path hardly approached, let alone trodden: building Nanoblock creations for a living.
We know what you’re thinking: can someone even make money from creating with extremely fiddly tiny toy bricks?
Well, if you’re as adept at your brickcraft as Christopher Tan is, then the answer is yes. From replicating the Apple Store to crafting Star Wars figurines, it seems like there’s nothing this man can’t build – including what seems like an impossibly niche career.
It all began with a blog
He started playing with Nanoblocks as a hobby, building custom creations and sharing them on his own blog. Unexpectedly, his fan base began to grow, to the point where he was getting corporate enquiries in 2013.
“The fan base I have and the interest from corporate clients gave me the confidence to take the leap,” Tan shared.
“One definitely needs to have a lot of patience and persistence in order to attempt something like this.”
What this is
From being featured on 9to5Mac for his Apple Watch replica to holding an exhibition in Hong Kong where he designed and built a 3m by 3m recreation of Rio de Janeiro, this man clearly possesses a talent that’s becoming unexpectedly appreciated.
He’s also been commissioned to builds replicas of famous footballers and the Catedral Metropolitana de São Paulo, amongst other custom creations, for themed exhibitions and corporate clients.
But it doesn’t end here
Tan will be releasing his own designs next year as a lot of his followers have been asking how they can obtain his creations.
“I think the path I took is similar to what other artists face, except that what I do is still not widely recognised as art. A lot of people out there look at building blocks and they immediately think of it as a toy for kids. I am working hard to change that perception.”
Considering that he’s been conferred the title “Tatsujin – Master of Nanoblock” by Nanoblock manufacturer Kawada, and has just wrapped up a successful exhibition in Singapore, we’d say he’s well on his way to achieving his goal.
Follow him
This man’s building his path to success, be sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter. He also has his own site and app (iOS/Android).
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