Monthly Archives: May 2010

The Legend Of Mary Jane

Luke Watkins (Derfel Cadarn) is known to build some highly detailed castle dioramas, and they all have intriguing backstories. This one is no different. I really like the diagonally oriented houses and the rich flora of the village. All this beauty is contrasted with a sinister story depicting the burning of a girl. Find out what’s going on by reading the story.

Different is good

This new ship by Leigh Holcombe (Worker201) is good evidence of that. The shape is very unusual for a space craft (or pretty much anything else). While I love to see color on a space ship, the complete absence here gives an interesting effect. We’re forced to focus on the unconventional shape of this craft, as there is no color to distract the eye.

This creation makes me think of Bruce Lowell, who told me that he often prototypes his creations in gray, to work out the shape. He then builds them again in color, to get things just right. I’d be curious to see what Leigh could produce with a colored version of this ship.

Motorolla J2-12

Night at the Museum: 2

-Cooper- takes a new approach to LEGO train displays with this little museum diorama to pose his Cab Forward and its passenger car. I think it’s a great idea for train fans to show off their models when they have minimal space.

I think I’m obsessed with sky-fi

Is there a contest going on that I’m not aware of? The recent crop of sky-fi fighters makes it seem as though dieselpulp may be replacing steampunk as the fan-created theme du jour.

Anyway, I couldn’t blog the more recent fighters by other builders and pass up my favorite, the P-79 Stratofighter “Steel Wind” by Jon Hall:

LEGO sky-fi fighter

The judicious sticker usage and gorgeous presentation truly enhance what would be an awesome fighter regardless.

Sweet rides of the 1940s

This month’s LUGNuts challenge — Kickin’ it Oldschool! — is coming to a close, with many great cars and trucks from the pre-1950 era. Here are just a couple of my favorites.

Nathan Proudlove rolls out a 1940 Ford pickup truck, tricked out to please any skateboarder:

LEGO 1940 Ford pickup truck

Tim Inman (rabidnovaracer) heads to the beach in his 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster station wagon:

LEGO 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster station wagon

Bubbly clouds of goodness

I like the fun little details in this diorama of a hike in Switzerland by Erik Smit (.eti), but by far my favorite thing is the cartoony clouds in the sky. The use of microfigs to portray distant hikers is also fun.

LEGO .eti swiss hiking diorama

Some may object to the busyness of the diorama and use of big ugly rock pieces, but the charms far outweigh those concerns for me.

Delicious LEGO food likely just as bad for you as the real thing

Graphic designer Eric (edubl31216) recently posted several tasty LEGO models of food. The can of Pepsi and hotdog are my favorites.

LEGO Pepsi and hotdog

See all of Eric’s LEGO food on Flickr, including several shots of the building techniques he used to make them.

Thanks for the tip, Bruce!

Mass Effect Citadel in LEGO microscale

While we wait for Brandon Bannerman (Catsy) to finish his Halo ringworld, he fills our quotient of micro video game locales with the Citadel from Mass Effect.

LEGO microscale Mass Effect Citadel

Of the presentation, Brandon says, “Shot in low light with two blacklights to make the trans-neon-orange elements fluoresce.” Nice.

(And don’t miss Ben Fellowes’ SSV Normandy.)

Arthur Gugick’s Angkor Wat is ready for a microscale Suryavarman II

Of all the ancient monuments in the world that I’d like to visit, Angkor Wat is very near the top of the list. Arthur Gugick (torgugick) uses a random pattern of 1×1 square and round plates in multiple colors of gray to emulate the weathered stones of this classical Khmer monument.

LEGO Angkor Wat

Via twee affect.

Fierce!

Fredo Houben (Fredoichi) seems to be taking a break from the tiny mecha we love so much to build a series of sky-fi fighters, which we also love.

LEGO sky-fi zero fighter

Check out more of Fredo’s sky-fighters in his photoset on Flickr.

風の谷のナウシカ

Iain Heath knows what I like. Hayao Miyazaki is my favorite director, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is easily my favorite animated movie — more so because I love the manga version that Miyazaki continued writing and drawing for ten years after the movie was released. Naturally, I prefer it in the original Japanese.

LEGO Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

I’m sure you won’t begrudge me, dear readers, taking this opportunity to remind everyone that this is precisely the sort of wonderful LEGO model we’re looking for as part of the Big in Japan display at BrickCon.

*croak*

It’s been nearly a year since Danny Rice (Big_X) posted a LEGO creation, but bricks have never been far from his thoughts, since this little guy has been keeping him company on his desk.

LEGO frog

LEGO fans sometimes criticize so-called “single-use” parts. Danny proves that there’s more than one use for the LEGO Star Wars Dewback head.