As SHIPtember 2016 continues, many unique designs for spacefaring vehicles continue to emerge from the LEGO community. This glowing alien exploration vessel by Cecilie Fritzvold really stands out thanks to the stark contrast between the complex (almost organic) bottom section, and solid monochromatic top.
While I think the above angle shows off the build best, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include a profile shot too, so that you can really appreciate this ship’s alien proportions:
Back in December 2013, Finnish builder Eero Okkonen wowed us with a Bionicle / Technic build of Samus Aran in her Zero Suit. Almost three years later and he’s at it again, this time with the famous heroine in her Power Suit.
This huge build (this time built with regular bricks) is a sight to behold. Thanks to the large size, the builder really got to do some impressive shaping, especially nailing the spherical pauldron. The colour choices too are superb, with the azure blue Arm Cannon being both a literal and figurative highlight.
Remember when Citizen Brick created a set based off of Breaking Bad and there was a row on the internet? While that drama may long be past, the inspiration to build LEGO renditions of the show still exists. And, because this is LEGO, there just had to be a mashup with space down the line. Finally making it a reality is MadLEGOman with the build titled “Spacing Bad”.
Not only is this a sizeable creation with a detailed interior and complete LEGO drug lab, but it also seems to be created using only official LEGO bricks with original prints.
Oh, and please notice the pair of pants hanging on the mirror. The design of this ship really reminds me of the Eagle 5 from Spaceballs. Then again, it’s the only other flying camper van I know of.
LEGO’s natural predisposition towards bricks and its otherwise blocky nature means that most builders have to work to subvert the norm to create more natural shapes. But sometimes the best path is to embrace its bulky nature and create blocky builds where appropriate. This tan mech by legoricola is a shining example and pulls off so much.
I actually didn’t believe this was a true LEGO mech that could fit a minifigure but I was proven wrong. The fact that this build is such a small scale but looks so large and armoured is a true feat indeed.
The Balrog is a difficult creature to create with LEGO as it’s a being of fire, smoke and shadow. And none of those elements lend themselves to the perfectly engineered plastic brick. Luckily Aaron Newman was up to the task and has created not only an impressive rendition of the Balrog, but a striking LEGO creature in its own right.
While I almost always suggest checking out the builder’s photostream for more angles, it’s even more important here so you can see more of the beast. We previously featured another Balrog, and while it did do the fire and flames better than this one, it’s visually more noisey and complex.
A praying mantis may not be the first choice when it comes to creating robots and mechs out of LEGO, but when the result is this good, it really should be. Created by Mitsuru Nikaido, this build is elegant in its ability to look both mechanical and natural at the same time. A sign of a very talented builder with a great idea.
We recently blogged some great builds from Mitsuru, which you should check out if you haven’t already:
The height of Devonian-futurism
Don’t let this mecha dragonfly bug you
The new animated show Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures has only gifted us with two sets, despite being a TV series based on LEGO. Those sets are the 75145 Eclipse Fighter and this, the 75147 StarScavenger. This sets portrays a vehicle used in the show to collect space salvage. The first time we see it is during an X-Wing / TIE Fighter battle as it flies around scooping up debris.
But how does it translate into LEGO?
Starting off with the build and it’s not a particularly exciting one. There’s no real innovative building techniques and most of the set is mirrored. If you decide to pick this set up, skip ahead in the instructions and build both sides simultaneously, you’ll save yourself time and unenjoyable building. Once it’s done you get a moderately-sized set that looks very respectable as a space freighter or otherwise utilitarian spacecraft. What you build is divided into three parts: a forward cockpit, a hollow containment area for storage, and a mech.
The cockpit, complete with “wings”, is probably the best part of the set. It looks great, walking the fine line between futuristic machine and tough workhorse. Inside the cockpit you’ll find a small printed console piece and enough room to fit two minifigures. It’s a bit tough to get them in but it’s far-removed from the puzzle you needed to solve every time you wanted to get two figures into the cockpit of the 75105 Millennium Falcon.
If you missed the brilliant show that was Medabots, think of it as Pokémon and replace cute fighting animals with deadly robots. Sound awesome? It most certainly is.
Paying tribute to the series is the extremely talented nobu_tary with a rendition of the main Medabot in the series, Metabee. Continuing the Pokémon analogy, Metabee actually looks a lot like Pikachu with the black and yellow color scheme. Hmmm….
Along with all the other great shaping and parts usage (those grenade launchers/horns are great!), my favourite is an orange recoloured plant piece used as a muzzle flash.
In a testament to the insane popularity of Angry Birds and the amazing skill of the builder, this microbuild by Letranger Absurde is instantly recognizable.
Despite the tiny size, the birds and slingshot are brilliant. I count nine pieces, and they perfectly encapsulate the birds. My favourite part usage here is the minifig slingshot which becomes supersized thanks to the scale of the scene. There are many more details, and I highly encourage you to scan the pig castle to see all the other little details for yourself.
The mecha world seems to have fallen in love with D.Va’s bright pink mech, and it has already been the basis for a great LEGO build. But today we have a new mech inspired by the pink robot/bomb in the form of the Scout Walker by Nate Rehm-Daly. Make sure you check out the back view to see the design of those spindly legs and a cockpit closeup to see the superb shaping that was accomplished at this small scale.
It was a sad day when the beloved Bionicle theme was canceled for the second time. In comment sections far and wide LEGO was critisised for many things, but one specific complaint kept cropping up: there’s no Makuta set.
Thankfully our hobby is based on the fact that we can make whatever we want, including what LEGO didn’t have the incentive to create. Djordje has stepped up to provide us with this build which would not have been an official set for another reason: it’s massive.
Today we’re finishing up our look at the second wave of Nexo Knights sets. Check out the previous reviews here. The remaining sets are the two big sets in the Nexo Knights theme, 70322: Axl’s Tower Carrier and 70321: General Magmar’s Siege Machine of Doom.
Click to read the full review!