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I remember more than one argument with a friend over which way LEGO minifigures' hands should be oriented to be correct (with the thumb pointed upward/inward, like a human hand's neutral position).

Minifigure with left hand rounded-side down, and right hand rounded-side up

This gentleman is holding his left hand so the rounded side faces down, and his right hand so the rounded side faces up. Is there an officially correct orientation? The peg connecting the hand angles slightly, so I've used both orientations in different situations to keep hands on steering wheels and control panels. Did I risk aggravating any minifigure's carpal tunnel syndrome in doing so?

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    That's the kind of question I would expect from FreeLUG members when they're bored during an event.
    – Joubarc
    Commented Oct 26, 2011 at 13:32
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    On the other hand, are we actually discussing anatomical correctness of minifigures?
    – Joubarc
    Commented Dec 11, 2013 at 15:24

6 Answers 6

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36

I personally consider the left one as up-right ever since I was a kid and that's how Lego place all their hands in their promotional pictures:

enter image description here

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    I've become more pragmatic as I've grown up: as a kid, there was a definite "right way up", but as a grown up I've come to realise that some poses are only possible if you turn a hand upside down (for example, getting the binoculars to a Mini Figures face correctly).
    – Zhaph - Ben Duguid ♦
    Commented Oct 26, 2011 at 15:00
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    There's also a special position in which you can align both hands to grip the same utensil which requires the lower hand to be "upside-down".
    – Joubarc
    Commented Oct 27, 2011 at 7:38
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    @Zhaph, Joubarc: Yep, those poses are the reason I've never been 100% sure.
    – user23
    Commented Oct 27, 2011 at 9:05
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    I have always done it the left-hand way except for those few exceptions.
    – J. Walker
    Commented Jan 26, 2013 at 19:11
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    I think the most recent Hagrid minifigure also supports this point of view, since he clearly has thumbs, and when these are oriented correctly, the flat side of his hand is upwards.
    – Joubarc
    Commented Dec 11, 2013 at 15:22
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Here is another way to consider it:

Make a fist, and don't bend your wrist. The pinky's side of your hand is mostly aligned with the rest of your wrist and forearm. The thumb's side of your hand is not so much aligned with your wrist and forearm. Also notice that the curve of your fingers tapers toward the pinky finger.

photo of a human fist

Now compare to the minifigure hand. Notice that the wrist is closer to one side of the hand (the left hand in your photo) than the other.

photo of a Lego minifigure fist

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15

The left one is more natural, because the shortest fingers are on the down side.

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7

The correct way is shown in his left hand based on LEGO Friends. Go have a look at the minidoll, where the arm and hand is one piece and cannot be rotated to another position:

Minidoll hand

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    Minidoll hands are more curved on the top too, probably to accommodate some tools as some other answers point out.
    – djjeck
    Commented Feb 1, 2019 at 17:07
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I would generally agree with pcantin's answer, but there are some "official" cases where the right side is correct. Iron Man typically is in the "right hand" configuration, because it attaches translucent light blue circular 1x1 blocks to the bottom for repulsor beams. Also, the Frodo and Bilbo magnets both hold Sting pointed straight up, and do so using the "right hand" configuration, so their hands aren't high up in the air.

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3

Personally, I consider the left hand correct, as you hand place a stud, an ice cream piece, or anything that is to be put on studs on the minifigure's hand.

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