Yearly Archives: 2019

Twice the spacey fun

Two ideas immediately came to me when in 2017 LEGO released 75176 Resistance Transport Pod, and guess what–builder Veynom has gone and realised both. Designers of vehicles for the Star Wars universe have always embraced the potential of asymmetric form, the transport pod being a case in point. However, there’s a niggling part of my brain that wants to fix things, balance out the shuttle with a second pod. Imagine it looking something like the Twin-Pod Cloud Car–wait you don’t have to because Veynom’s built it for us.

Then there is that second idea. If you were at all interested in the joys of vintage space LEGO, the set’s trans yellow canopy would have been an instant trigger. You’ve guessed it, Veynom’s gone and built a Classic Space version of the Resistance Twin-Pod too.

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Tiny oil spill is anything but crude

It might seem odd to describe a LEGO model displaying an environmental catastrophe as cute, but it feels like a fitting tag for Koala Yummies‘ microscale oil rig. The oil spill effect is suitably sinister, with thick black crude oozing out over the water, but it’s the rig itself which catches the eye. This model is packed with detail — don’t miss the helipad, the crane, the dangling orange lifeboats, and my favourite touch, the use of 1×2 grille tiles for the tiny windows in the accommodation block.

Even better, there’s a supply tender ship to go with the teeny-tiny oil rig. It too is perfectly proportioned, and nicely detailed for its diminutive size…

Stop! Hammer Time!

Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrnidaeare) are found worldwide in warmer waters along coastlines and continental shelves. They are aggressive hunters who feed on smaller fish, octopuses, rays, squid, crustaceans and even other sharks. However, this particular hammerhead shark, rendered by Dallen Powell, would rather help you install new cabinets in your kitchen or build a deck out back. He’s the type of shark that knows which nails work best with joist hangers and which ones are best for baseboard molding. With this shark, it is always hammer time. The expression on his toothy face says that he gets the pun too. You should nail down the rest of Dallen’s content as he is no stranger to pun-filled renders. Now, who has that one song stuck their head? You know the one. Sing it with me. “Y’all gonna make me lose my mind, up in here, up in here!”

Industrial salvage vessel has been through hell and back

When it comes to building grimy-looking industrial salvage spaceships inspired by Weiland-Yutani, the company from the Alien franchise, I can think of nothing better than to re-use elements from previous spaceship models. Frequently featured builder Shannon Sproule demonstrates this salvage technique beautifully, along with some post-production effects, to create a working ship that has clearly seen a lot of action. One of my favorite details is the use of similar circular elements and tiles along the side. Large slopes and pipes sticking out on all sides, and very few well-placed studs complete the look.

Step on it! – A forest drive has LEGO bricks on the move

Have you ever been a passenger in a car when the driver is just going way too slow? Geneva Durand seems to have had that experience, and brings that frustration to life in an expressive, yet tiny, creation. In this scene, brick-built horses pull a carriage fit for microfigure nobility through a dense forest. Every feature is instantly recognizable, which is pretty astounding considering those microfigures are just under 2 centimeters tall.

It’s a twisty path, so maybe the driver is justified in a more cautious pace. Perhaps the passenger is just upset that his crown is way too tall to fit inside the carriage, requiring him to lean out the window the whole way. Geneva first designed the carriage back in 2013, and later updated it in 2017. Maybe their next iteration will include a little more headroom!

In the meantime, though, we can appreciate the skill that goes into the current build. I like the “studs down” building approach for the horses, the variety of techniques used for the tree trunks, and the subtle curves in the carriage canopy. There is also some great part usage, including minifigure hands for flags, and helmet plumes for the horsetails.

Be sure to check out Geneva’s blog post detailing the techniques that went into the forest background.

Epic Chinese characters come to life through LEGO in glorious fashion

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is to Chinese literature what the works of William Shakespeare are to English literature. A semi-historical story set in the time period of the Three Kingdoms (A.D. 169-280), the novel was perhaps written in the 14th century, though specific dates are hard to come by. It tells the story of how the Han dynasty gradually fell apart and became three independent kingdoms and all of the bitter rivalries and infighting that led to that point. Among all of the hundreds of characters in the novel, LEGO builder Jae Won Lee has chosen the main protagonist, Liu Bei, his chief strategist, Zhuge Lian, and the Five Tiger Generals who fought for them. The five generals are depicted in stunning fashion astride charging stallions, manes and tails flowing with the speed of their charge, and the other two men are nobly standing.

The appearances of the generals are inspired by Chinese artwork, complete with the unique coloration of each. The dynamic posing of many of the models puts this a step above most similar builds. There might be more studs showing than some builders would prefer, but it works well with this style. They deserve a closer look!

click here to see each of the generals up close

Leave your troubles behind with this UCS-scale version of Han Solo’s Mobquet M-68 Landspeeder

We all love a good origin tale, and Solo: A Star Wars Story–particularly the exhilarating scene involving a Mobquet M-68 Landspeeder–establishes a handsome young Han Solo as a daring risk-taker, an adrenaline junkie, a gambler, and a hotshot driver. LEGO has given us an official set of the now iconic landspeeder, but a builder going by the name of Barneius Industries has taken it to a whole other level. A level involving 853 pieces, to be precise. Everything from the speeder’s asymmetrical design to its greebly bits to its striking color scheme and even Han Solo’s lucky dice are replicated nicely in this 1:16 scale model. It is no accident that this supercharged speeder resembles a classic muscle car; in fact, the original design team states that it borrows cues from the Dodge Charger and the Chevrolet Malibu.

If detailed and accurate models of Star Wars craft are your thing, then I highly recommend checking out this builder’s other content. This speeder got a young Han Solo out of trouble but then immediately into some more trouble. There was more trouble after that and even more later on. We would learn that trouble followed Han Solo throughout his entire life but that is why we love him. And he knows it.

LEGO reveals 12 new sets from Speed Champions, TLM2, and Technic, including 42100 Liebherr R 9800 mining excavator [News]

Today, LEGO revealed for the first time the rest of the summer and early fall 2019 sets across a variety of themes. The sets were published in a Dutch edition of the July-December official product catalog. The newly revealed sets span Disney’s Frozen, Speed Champions, The LEGO Movie 2, Minecraft, and Technic. The standouts are the new Technic sets, including 42100 Liebherr R 9800, a model of one of the world’s largest mining excavators. The enormous set will be app controlled, and includes a whopping 7 Powered Up! motors. There’s no word on specific pricing or part counts yet, but we’ll be sure to bring you that info when it’s available. Check out the new sets below.

Click to see all the new sets

Put up your dukes

We love a scrappy fighter, and in this case a fighter literally made of scraps. Johann Dakitsch’s plucky LEGO brawler has been pieced together by a fascinating array of specialist elements. Its skeleton is formed from mainly grey parts, which hints at pneumatic power and intricate gearing. The coloured outer casing looking to all the world like the shorts and shirt worn to the gym. Topping it off, the mean robot boxer’s rooster Mohawk and studded knuckle-dusters suggests he might not fight according to gentleman’s rules.

LEGO reveals 75936 Jurassic Park T-Rex Rampage featuring the largest dinosaur ever in an official set [News]

Welcome… to LEGO Jurassic Park. LEGO has officially revealed 75936 Jurassic Park: T. rex Rampage, a behemoth of a set towering nearly a foot and a half high and clocking in at 3,120 pieces. The set comes with the largest brick-built dinosaur ever released in an official LEGO set–a gigantic Tyrannosaurs Rex–along with the iconic front gate to Jurassic Park and six minifigures including John Hammond, Ian Malcolm, Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant, Ray Arnold and Dennis Nedry.

The set will retail for US $249.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £219.99 beginning June 19th for LEGO VIPs (free for anyone to join) with general availability beginning July 1st.
Update: be sure to read our review of 75936 Jurassic Park: T. rex Rampage, which includes an interview with the set’s designer.

Click to get a closer look at this epic Jurassic Park set

The apple of any Porsche fan’s eye

The Porsche 935 was the German car-maker’s factory racing version of the classic 911, and the K series saw this formidable machine further modified by Kremer Racing of Cologne. The K3 hit the track in 1979, winning that year’s 24 Hour Le Mans race. For his LEGO version, Simon Przepiorka has picked a period-appropriate livery, decking the model out in custom stickers for an Apple Computer sponsorship. Aside from the neat stickerwork, the building is pretty cool too — nicely shaped and capturing all the important Porsche angles and curves.

Despite its modest size, this is one of those LEGO models which deserves a look from multiple angles. The rear side of the car is almost as pretty as the front…

Don’t stare into the eye of the basilisk

There are no limits when it comes to the fantastical creations that can be created from the wide range of LEGO elements. A recent favourite of mine is Jayfa’s model of Rygas the Basilisk. The colour palette is visually striking, and the part selection is outstanding. While it might seem obvious to use a 4×7 wing piece on a bird, it’s rather ingenious to use it as the side of the belly rather that actually on the wing! When it comes to plumage being recreated, other techniques include the connection of a dinosaur tail piece to a small horn and the cacophonic positioning of Hero Factory flame elements.

However, my absolute favourite aspect of this creation is its posture, especially the feet. Not satisfied to duplicate a single design of a foot, Jayfa has designed two separate positions for the feet in a way that really brings the beast to life. It’s not just standing there, but what is it doing? Is it dancing or ready to pounce? Couple that with the look on its face, and I think anyone challenging this monster is in for a bad time.