Arthur Gugick is a genius, this is a well established fact. His latest creation, a recreation of Mont St. Michel, simply reinforces the idea.
Yearly Archives: 2010
Let’s visit the Village.
As I prepared to move back to our regular programming, this gorgeous layout by Lugpol member Ciamosław Ciamek caught my eye. Built around a couple of expanded Medieval Market Village buildings, this layout has it all.
Check out all the pics for some really nice details.
The best of nnenn: Novvember
If I had to choose only one legacy to remember nnenn by, it would have to be Novvember. Novvember is the month of the Vic Viper, and surely no one can forget nnenn’s daily debut of a new VV in November 2008. When I interviewed nnenn on this project, I began to appreciate the beauty of variations on a theme. I asked him when he would stop building spaceships, and he told me he would keep going until he has exhausted every possible configuration. I didn’t think it was possible, but neither did he.
The other side of Novvember that I will remember is the community participation that took place. The VV map below of everyone’s contributions for Novvember 2009 shows the extent of its success. You can see more at the Vic Viper Flickr group.
To celebrate the life and work of nnenn, don’t forget that there will be Vic Viper fly-ins at all the major US LEGO conventions this summer and fall:
- Chicago in June: BrickWorld
- Washington, DC in August: BrickFair
- Seattle in October: BrickCon
You can ship a VV to be displayed or bring one in person. Please contact Keith Goldman if you’re interested (Legomankeith AT aol DOT com).
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
The best of nnenn: IATTAR
Nnenn‘s IATTAR fad continued the racing bandwagon launched by the cave racers and mech racers. Tack on some treads to a cockpit and you’re pretty much good to go. See what people have built in the IATTAR Flickr group over the past year and a half.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
The best of nnenn: The Divine Intervention
Nnenn built two SHIPs in his time, the first was The Divine Intervention, a black-hulled beauty that packs two deadly sets of missiles. The most astonishing fact is that he built it in only two weeks.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
The best of nnenn: UT-16 Pygmalion
Posted on behalf of Peter L. Morris – all words are his.
Nate and I enjoyed each other’s company. Or at the very least, I enjoyed his company. I found him thoughtful, sincere, with just the right amount of eccentricity to make things interesting. Of course, we also enjoy building starfighters. His designs often caught me off-guard, forcing my mind in new directions.
My all time favorite is the UT-16 Pygmalion. In form it is beautiful, with an insect vivacity that makes it seem as though it will leap from the screen. It is diminutive, but carries a monstrous weapon, giving it the look of both predator and prey. In short, I love it because it is a paradox. It is also one of the few creations of his in which the name relates in some small way to the backstory.
Nate and I shared the habit of deconstructing MOCs once they were photographed and he once remarked how interesting it was that our MOCs derive their permanence from the virtual (jpegs and MLCAD files), while the real brick is the temporary.
In keeping with that tradition, the Pygmalion is one of his creations I built in MLCAD, with the hope of one day bringing it to ‘life’ via the virtual world.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
The best of nnenn: fighter map
Nnenn‘s first fighter map posted in mid 2008 shows just how prolific he was. I have come to expect a new model from him every week. This means that from the time we announced his passing until now, nnenn could’ve posted a new creation. It’s often when we are deprived of something that we realize how much we miss it.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
The best of nnenn: ‘Tropicana’ PA-24 custom
Nnenn is known for his colorful creations, but his Tropicana racer takes the psychedelic cake. Good sci-fi creations rarely have this many colors, but nnenn makes it work in a way that wows us. This is one of his most colorful creations, and no doubt many still remember it after seeing it two years ago.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
The best of nnenn: Verbotian Strider
It is one of my personal pet peeves when a builder becomes famous for one thing and never does anything different. Nnenn was very well-known for his starfighters and was often accused of never branching out. However, in his case, this accusation was unfair and untrue.
If you browse through his Flickr photostream or his Brickshelf gallery, it becomes very clear that he built many other things than his iconic starfighters. This particular one has always made me laugh. I love the whimsy.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
The best of nnenn: Vic Viper
This Vic Viper was the first that nnenn has shown us at the start of 2008. I had to learn that this starfighter came from the the 1985 Gradius games. The player controls a ship known as the Vic Viper in this scrolling shooter, which you can actually play here. Thanks to nnenn, just about every active Lego builder on Flickr now knows what it is.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
The best of nnenn: Hermitage
As Josh pointed out, nnenn’s influence on the LEGO community extended past his favorite theme. Hermitage is an excellent example of his more Earth-based creations.
Be sure to join us in sharing your own thoughts on Nate’s online eulogy.
A message from Nate Nielson’s family to the LEGO community
Though nearly all of us knew him only as nnenn, Nate Nielson was so much more to those with whom he lived his life.
We received the following message from Nate’s family today and — with their kind permission — we’re privileged to share it with our fellow LEGO fans.
My sister Elizabeth and I want to express our appreciation and thankfulness to you and your site for the amazing tribute to our brother. All of the comments have been a comfort to us. They are difficult to read at times, because we miss him so much, but to know how loved he was, well, there are no words. What a neat community you have. I hope his legacy will live on here for as long as legos are around. Thank you for this. His personality was the same as his persona on here. He was a true artist.
Our mom and dad would also like to express their appreciation to you. All the kind words have been a help in such a difficult time. What a wonderful father, husband, brother, son and man. Your site has brought as many tears as smiles to us. This has been the most difficult time in our lives, but you have given us a little peace in the outpouring of love.
Liz and I would like to come to the Lego convention you have in Seattle this year if you think there will be a tribute to him. You were a huge part of his life and he loved all of it. Nate made lego spaceships and castles for us since we were very young. He even would, very reluctantly, build us a house once in a while. He was just a grown up kid.
We miss and love him so much. Thank you.
Emily and Elizabeth
Though the sadness is not diminished, it is perhaps some consolation to know that our voices have been heard by those to whom Nate mattered most.
If you haven’t already, please join us in adding your own thoughts and feelings to the growing tribute to Nate “nnenn” Nielson.