Crabs are amazing creatures, and they have a broader appeal than their more sinister-looking arachnid cousins. This colorful creature by Aaron Van Cleave makes great use of some contraction (constructible action) figure parts from the short-lived Ben 10 theme, including this leg section and a leg cover with scales used in the big claw. An assortment of round white elements make for perfect barnacles, and the unicorn horns provide a spiny defense mechanism.
The Rebellion will be crushed under skies filled with the Droid TIE Fighter! Builder Maelven is the Imperial engineer behind this automated starfighter. The most stand-out detail is the red cockpit window, but the smoothness of the wings is equally impressive. The fact that they’re angled is also a great move on Maelven’s part. I’m also impressed with the simplicity in color. Gray and black are the hallmark of the Empire, and it shows on the Droid TIE.
The TIE/D fighter was a notable part of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. This LEGO build could be the return of one of the most fearsome war machines to rule the skies of the Empire.
I’ve personally been building a lot of landscape lately, so I love being inspired by the work of other builders. There’s a ton to be inspired by in this creation by John Snyder. The first thing that draws me in is the colour palette – olive green and dark tan work so well together to form a muted backdrop for the bright leaves on the trees, and even the brown and light grey of the building stand out.
Delve deeper into this detailed scene
Even though it’s been out for a little while, we got our hands on a copy of set 70842 Emmet’s Triple-Decker Couch Mech, and figured, why not take a closer look? Let’s dive right in and see how comfy those cushions really are! At $29.99, you’ll be hard-pressed to buy a cheaper brand new couch. Of course, some assembly is required; it consists of 312 pieces and 3 minifigures. (We don’t recommend sitting on this one though)
Click to continue reading more about this set
One of the three final evolutions of the original Red and Blue game’s starter Pokémon, Venusaur is an iconic part of the franchise’s history. The seed originally found on its primary Bulbasuar form has blossomed into a radiant rafflesia-like flower, which is also the focus of Dae Vead’s beautiful LEGO version. Utilising clear building contrasts between the modelled reptilian body and the organic pieces used to form the plant elements results in a satisfying model of the beast. Standing tall against an appropriately sized tree further helps realise the monster’s epic scale and acts as a great framing device for a wonderful creation
Inspired by the latest installment of the episodic video game Life is Strange 2, Revan New has built a scene featuring brothers Sean and Daniel (who is learning to control powerful telekinetic abilities) facing off against local law enforcement on a snow-covered rural area. I love the nicely constructed landscaping, including the thick snow covering the roof of the building. It’s also worth pointing out how the structure’s siding consists of plates and grooved tiles mounted sideways.
The last round of LEGO Ideas review results from 2018 has arrived. Five project that achieved 10K supporters were reviewed, and the winner is making history. Ancient history, that is.
Click to see the winning LEGO Ideas project
It’s certainly not summer yet, even in southern California where it’s still cloudy and stormy. Models like Ted Andes’ streamlined sailboat called the Rhapsody make me yearn for the season’s arrival even more. Although at first glance you might think it’s just your average high-end sailboat, Ted has actually built a futuristic vessel that hovers above the water, almost like a hydrofoil with its white fin-like appendages sticking out from the bottom of the hull.
Close inspection reveals that the hull and sails are constructed almost entirely from assorted Technic panels, allowing the builder to achieve the sweeping curves of the vessel and the cloth-like appearance of the sails. Let’s also not overlook the expertly constructed wooden deck and classic white coloring with blue and red accents. This boat is sure to awe onlookers on any expedition into the bay, whether it’s hovering or not.
For well over a century, BRIO of Sweden has been manufacturing high-quality wooden toys. Builder ForlornEmpire was inspired to replicate BRIO’s MEC construction toy in LEGO-form. BRIO Mec sets typically consist of wooden beams, plastic pegs, tools and more. ForlornEmpire’s concept is whimsical looking in terms of form and presentation, complete with the characteristic tan representing wood and bright colors for the plastic mallet and pins. Speaking of the pins, they make clever use of the construction helmet and 2×2 disc weapon. Modifying the BRIO logo to read BRIC is a nice touch.
When LEGO was making toys from the 1930s through 1950s, they were contemporaries of BRIO. In fact, it’s worth noting how the BRIO Mec construction system is reminiscent of LEGO’s BILOfix wooden construction toys introduced in 1959. Both Scandinavian toy makers were likely inspired by metal beam construction toys like Meccano and Erector.
A LEGO builder’s mind is trained to see creative possibilities in the most obscure elements. Jens Ohrndorf’s lateral thinking has come up with a perfect practical application for the 1 x 1 white plate with black square print. His beautiful metronome lines up the printed bricks to create the tempo selection gauges at aesthetically pleasing single plate intervals. Along with other neat choices like the winder key give the build the intended feel of a real world object.
LEGO Ideas has brought many fan-made designs to life as official LEGO products over the past ten years, and now there is about to be one more. The LEGO Ideas team has reviewed all the past projects that have ever hit the public vote threshold and selected four to give them a second chance. After a special 10th anniversary fan vote, the winning design will be released as an official LEGO set in 2020.
Fans have two weeks to vote for one one of the following four previous projects: International Space Station by Christoph Ruge, Stitch by Tyler Clites, Sega Classic Arcade Machines by Garett Yoshimura and Small Yellow by Nathan Sawaya. The blind vote extends through June 4th.
Click to take a closer look at the four finalists
“I want your boots, your clothes, and your motorcycle…” Oh. Sorry. Wrong Terminator.
Paddy Bricksplitter brings us an excellent LEGO version of the other Terminator — one of the fearsome Space Marines from the Warhammer 40k universe. The details on this are excellent — the hanging skulls and holy books, the belt, the neat circular base, and that Imperial crest across the chest. A Bionicle face makes a good match for the Marine helmet, and those signature shoulder pads create an immediately recognisable outline. In the grim darkness of the far future, there may well only be war, but judging by this model’s gleaming white colour, there may also be soap powder.
