Tag Archives: Dioramas

There’s nothing like a massive LEGO diorama to prove that you’ve arrived as a LEGO builder. The LEGO dioramas we feature here span everything from realistic medieval castles to scenes from World War II, and more than a few post-apocalyptic wastelands.

Quechua me if you can

Last year SeigneurFett spent months backpacking throughout South America. Since coming home to his collection of LEGO, he’s been unable to forget the visions of Quechua women determinedly walking the high-altitude trails of Bolivia and Peru. Drawing on photos and memories of Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca, SeigneurFett uses LEGO bricks to depict a Quechua woman walking with her alpaca. In contrast to the sun-bleached terrain, the builder uses a mix of bright colors for the woman’s clothes, with grill plates adding texture to the petticoat fringe. An umbrella makes for a perfect hat on this large-scale character. I like the use of twine for the alapaca’s leash.

SeigneurFett’s model makes me nostalgic for walking those same trails many years ago. I wonder if he also ate pasankalla (bolivian popcorn) from a street vendor after coming back from Isla del Sol?

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

A trip to Mongolia, via north London

It’s funny what parts of your life LEGO creations can remind you of. Here, we have a Mongolian Ger (or yurt, as we in the Western world might call it), as built by qian yj. Now it’s a fine build: the barren landscape of the steppes contrasts nicely with the colourful tent that these minifigures call home. And yet, rather than being transported to Mongolia, my mind takes me to university accommodation somewhere north of London. For some reason, my flatmates and I had taken to loudly playing Mongolian throat singing outside each other’s doors at inconvenient times. This led to scenarios as hilarious as the music is enchanting. And it puts a smile on my face even now. Thanks for jogging my memory, Qian!

Jonesing for the truth about Area 51

As we all know, Indiana Jones’ final cinematic adventure ended with him riding into the Sunset with his dad, and yet rumors persist of two other films with an aging Indy continuing his globe-trotting adventures into the atomic age. Builder Negipon, perhaps the biggest Indy fan in the LEGO scene, recreates a scene from this supposed “fourth” Indiana Jones film where the good doctor gets into trouble with Russian agents infiltrating Area 51. Okay, I’ll admit, it was a pretty great sequence, and Negipon packs the LEGO version with fun details from the film (and a few easter eggs, like a LEGO Star Wars minikit!). The period vehicles are excellent, and the studless crates and scaffolding look phenomenal. As a bonus, the Area 51 hanger gate is motorized.

A closer look at the scene shows what mysterious contraband the Russian’s are after – a relief of someone who looks a lot like Indy made out of a strange carbon-like substance. Clearly it’s not from this galaxy!

If you’ve forgotten what happens next to good ol’ Indy, Negipon built a tribute to that scene as well.

Red coats make easy targets

At the start of the French and Indian War, the British outnumbered their rivals with 2 million colonists to France’s mere 60 thousand. Through alliances with Indigenous tribes and the use of guerrilla tactics, the French made sure the redcoats paid a heavy price for those “few acres of snow.” Nicholas Goodman brings this chapter of North American history to life in LEGO, depicting the British under attack in 1759. The builder excels at dioramas, mixing scenery and minifig staging to capture the drama of a moment. I love how the trees get darker away from the road, a perfect setting for an ambush. We loved his last take on tricorn hat history: a swashbuckling pirate raid.

This scene was built for an upcoming LEGO history book called Minifigure Monarchs: A History of Great Brits in Little Bricks, by Andrew Redfern.

A LEGO encampment where legends train for battle

As much as we love a colossal castle, a brick-built LEGO encampment can be just as inspiring when depicting life in the Middle Ages (see our thoughts on the latest Bricklink Designer Program Siege Encampment). French builder Gus (Faëbricks) erects a training camp for House Austren in what promises to be the first chapter of a LEGO roleplaying scenario called Féodalis. Duke Galdric, accompanied by his wife Elyanna, trains for a joust against the Duke of House Clawthorne. The scene is packed with details of camp life like serfs unfurling a tarp over an a-frame tent and crossbow training.

I love the colors of House Austren, pairing the Forester stag crest with fur collars and dark green capes.

Click for a video tour of this model!

Taking down the big baddie, brick by brick

What makes for a great RPG boss fight? There’s the boss, preferably huge. You’ll need a party of heroes, their skills honed on the bones of lesser foes. And of course an epic arena with room to maneuver and priceless artifacts to smash. Dan O’Conner doesn’t disappoint with this Boss Fight Arena in LEGO, a scene packed with masterful technique. First, let’s take a moment to appreciate the SNOT mosaics built from hundreds of cheese slopes and other angular elements. The glowing trans blue pentagram under the caster is amazing! Speaking of caster, the brick-built battle effects are quite effective, from the magic shields to the slice of air from the Gith warrior in the background. The heroes seem to have this battle under control. Of course, a truly memorable boss battle will go through at least three phases, so the worst is likely yet to come.

With a home this beautiful, who needs to pillage?

Michał Zapała excels at LEGO dioramas, whether they take you adventuring in the Himalayas or fleeing raiders in the Fallout. This time Michał takes us back to 9th-century Scandinavia where the shieldmaiden Eivor receives an important guest. It’s the first of a promised series of Viking-themed scenes that will take the character across the North Sea in search of plunder. I love the sod roof tucked right into the land, a typical style of the era. The mix of stately trees perfectly captures the last days of summer before winter roars in (Vikings didn’t have time for extra seasons like fall and spring). But it’s in the human-scale details where Michał’s diorama comes alive. The cloud-shaped plate strung up as a sheep’s skin is brilliant.

Michał also shares close-ups of his Viking-era mystics in all their pagan glory. The trio are an excellent bit of figbashing, repurposing headpieces from D&D, Creator 3-1, and The Lone Ranger. Will these characters make a return in the next Vikings diorama? Hopefully Michał will return with the next installment soon.

Five flavors of fantasy from one talented Swedish builder

LEGO fan contests like Brickscalibur can push even the best builders to new creative heights through creative prompts, tight deadlines, and friendly competition. One builder whose creations consistently caught our eye during the latest competition goes by T-86 (Swe). What impresses with T-86’s builds isn’t just the stellar medieval brickwork, but the variety of approaches that capture the breadth of “castle” as a building theme. Let’s take a moment to celebrate each of T-86’s five submissions.

First is “The Traitor,” submitted for the Perspective Matters category. This build is a showcase for brickwork in the modern castle aesthetic, creating walls that are deceptively simple at a glance, but upon closer inspection are a web of clever techniques. The arches on the right, capped with a jigsaw of “cheese slopes” are a highlight, as is the door with its deep notches. By framing the shot with wall-to-wall LEGO bricks and simulating natural lighting, the immersive scene pulls you in. T-86 sticks to a grounded setting but adds a fantasy twist using elves for the tale of deception playing out in the courtyard.

Next, for the Adventuring Party minifig-centric category, T-86 goes full fantasy in an eye-catching way, using almost entirely black elements. Dubbed “The Shadowmolded,” they make a nightmarish ensemble, softened somewhat by a mix of animal companions. The brick-built dragonraven is especially nice.

Press on for more enchanting castle builds from T-86

Invading goblins get a lesson in Dwarven hospitality

Builder Mihał Ch regularly wows us with epic scenes from fantasy and folklore. Inspired by the “Dwarf Tales” category of this year’s Brickscalibur contest, Mihał crafts a massive 64-stud square slice of a Dwarven fortress under siege from a colorful crew of goblins. While short in statue, these Dwarves put up a mighty fight with cannons and spell blasts echoing through the hall.

Delve deeper for more pics of this epic Dwarven hall under siege

Rock solid colossal castle

When we checked in with Louis of Nutwood last week, the builder took to the seas on itty bitty sailing ships. This time Louis puts those ace LEGO skills to work at colossal scale with the impressive Fortress of Hyrrefur. The castle features distinctive brickwork that incorporates SNOT techniques, profile bricks, and sloped corners for an impressive chiseled look. That intricacy extends to the rocky base with nary a foothold for would-be invaders.

The fortress is even more impressive up close.

Click to explore Hyrrefur Fortress from every angle

And you will know us (this LEGO build) by the trail of dust

Take it from me: there are few things as epic in life as seeing a rally car going full pelt over a jump. Mike Sinclair has added a LEGO freeze-frame to the gallery of big sends! Mike says he studied a variety of rallies to come up with the layout, and I’m reminded of the famous Fafe jump at Rally de Portugal. And as jumps go, that’s probably the best of the lot! The highlight of the scene is the trail of dust that this particular car is leaving in its wake, but the details are just as realistic. The banner across the apex of the jump, the many cameras ready to capture the moment, and the distance markers for those crews looking for bragging rights. In fact, the only thing missing is… Er, the co-driver?! That’s some drive if it’s all been done without pacenotes!

LEGO Shinto shrine offers solace in the snow

I’ve never visited Japan in winter, but it sure looks lovely in LEGO in this scene from BrickiboT. The Shinto shrine is entered via a gate in the rōmon style, which BrickiboT achieved in LEGO using 10 nets sandwiched between 1×1 red tiles on the bottom and 1×1 curves on top. (that’s over 3000 pieces just for the curved roof sections alone!) Inside the gate stand brick-built statues of Fuijin and Raijin, the gods of wind and storms.

A look at the full complex reveals more details of Shinto tradition, like the wooden ema tablets where wishes are written, strung up, and later burned.

BrickiboT created this scene as part of the Roguebricks LUG 2024 Rogue Ronin collaboration at Bricking Bavaria. We also loved these entries from Mark van der Maarel and felix-workshop.