It’s nice when LEGO creations tell a story. Larsvader’s latest scene does exactly that. Whether you read the narrative he’s provided in the description or not, the story seems clear: a witch planned on having some children over for dinner, but Lady Megan has come to stop her. The story is framed nicely by walls and a floor made of varying shapes and shades of gray bricks.
Furthermore, there are plenty of supporting details that help enrich the scene and enhance the story. For example, the skeletons imply the witch has killed before. One can only wonder what potions and sorcery are contained in the jars and spell books. The chained up man implies that perhaps this isn’t the first rescue attempt, or maybe he’s Lady Megan’s lover and the true treasure of her quest. What’s next in store for Lady Megan, the man, the children, and the witch?
Posts by David Guedes
Beautiful medieval scenery abounds
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
Avengers, assemble!
With Avengers Endgame recently hitting theatres and climbing its way to being the highest grossing movie of all time, many fans have taken time to look back and appreciate the earlier films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For some, this comes in the form of re-watching the movies in order, but hachiroku24 was inspired to build the scene from the first Avengers movie where they all assembled for the first time.
I’m a big fan of displaying minifigures grouped together how they appear in film. I’m always more impressed when they’re posed as they are on screen, and their environment is well-built. While this little vignette is beautiful just the way it is, the bridge is so well done I would like to see more of it. The structure looks quite sturdy, so I imagine it could be repeated as a full bridge, and I’m loving the simple-yet-elegant use of headlight bricks as the railing.
Airship! Airship! Airship!
I’m a big fan of finding new ways of integrating large LEGO pieces creatively. Peter Ilmrud does this adeptly in his Steampunk Airship. His skill with smaller LEGO pieces cannot be overlooked (for example the smoke billowing out of the top), and this would be a fantastic creation even if it didn’t have an abundance of large elements, but it’s those big pieces that make you say “oh cool, I haven’t seen one of those used like that before” or, if you’re steeped in the LEGO fan lexicon, “NPU” (Nice Part Use).
Let’s dive in and examine some of the parts used nicely here. The obvious examples are the planets – Bespin specifically – used for the balloons. Another easily noticeable piece is the dragon head fittingly used as a figure head. Further examination reveals well-integrated use of a Ninjago Airjitzu propeller, hero factory blades, and 4 Juniors boat bows used to support the wing propellers. The final example of great parts use I’d like to point out are the inside-out tires used in the the smokestack. Take a look at the images of different angles Peter’s posted and see what other cool building techniques he’s used on his airship.
A serene forest scene and a mighty steam engine
This scene of a steam train traveling through a forest by Allan Corbeil does so many things skillfully. Everything is executed wonderfully, but the centerpiece of the little diorama is clearly the steam engine in the middle. The train is perfect. My favourite aspects are the cloud of steam spewing forth from its chimney and the ingenious use of a Clikits ring on the front. While I love the train, it’s dwarfed by the magnificent beauty of nature that’s been recreated here.
The variety of vegetation–from tall coniferous and deciduous trees to the dense and varied underbrush–coupled with the pond make the whole scene seem real. The forest is so well done that I can almost smell the trees and hear water trickling. Maybe I might hear that train roaring down the tracks too. Be sure to check out Allan’s other pictures to get the same feeling I have, as well as spot a couple Easter eggs he included as surprises.
This AT-AT’s hull is too strong for blasters
The Battle of Hoth is a popular scene to recreate with LEGO, and there are multiple versions of it as fan creations as well as official LEGO sets. My new favourite take on the battle has got to be Fuku Saku’s Assault on Hoth. He’s got all the essential elements: a snowspeeder, an AT-AT, and most importantly, a snow! On top of that, he’s built a turret representing Echo Base, a probe droid from before the battle, and an AT-ST coming up from behind.
The designs on the vehicles are spectacular, the AT-AT in particular. For one, it actually looks armoured. On top of that, all the right details are present, such as the side hatches. It even has interior detail and space for snowtroopers to actually be transported. The overall attention to detail in the entire battle scene is on point – it’s not often that blaster bolts are built into LEGO models, flying through the air. But they’re included here, and it really feels like there’s a battle going on.
Emperor Palpatine watches his plans fall into place.
Spoiler warning for a series of movies that came out between 1999 and 2005. The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy make it pretty clear that Senator, later Chancellor, Palpatine was the puppet master behind the Clone Wars, leading to his accession to Emperor and the formation of the Galactic Empire. ZiO Chao‘s latest creation captures this idea perfectly. The bust of the Emperor works well on its own, as does the vignette of Anakin and Obi-Wan dueling over the lava, but the hands really tie the whole thing together – they frame the fighting Jedi as something that Palpatine is playing with. The size of the three characters really emphasizes how big of an impact each character had on the war. Even as generals, Obi-Wan and Anakin were merely pawns in a larger game of chess they weren’t aware of. The expression on the Emperor’s face is priceless, as he subtly yet gleefully stares at the scene, grinning as the final pieces of his plan fall into place.
Harry and Draco duel it out as stars of the show
When it comes to creations shared on The Brothers Brick, it may seem like the brick-built models are the stars of the show while minifigures stand in as accessories. This is not always the case, though. For example, in Hugo’s model of Draco Malfoy casting Serpensortia, the architecture acts as a frame or backdrop while the minifigures take center stage.
Don’t get me wrong, this backdrop is built amazingly well – from the stained glass window, to the arch over the window, and the mixed brickwork – but I’m a sucker for well-integrated minifigures. While there are some stock characters mixed in, such as Filch, Snape, Draco and Harry, my favourites are the other characters that fill out the scene. There’s a subtle art to choosing the right facial expressions and hair pieces to bring a character to life, and then you need to position them in a dynamic way to ensure they’re reacting appropriately and not all standing parallel or perpendicular to each other. Hugo has nailed all of that in this scene. The full range of expected emotions is visible, with characters upset, scared, or angry depending on their house. Yet this ignores the most cleverly placed minifigure of them all…the one that’s included in the building itself as a moving painting.
Train caboose takes me way back
LEGO trains have a big following in the LEGO fan community, and what follows LEGO trains? Well a LEGO caboose of course! In fact, one just like this cute little CN caboose by Mike Sinclair. This is a magnificent train car, but what makes it cute to me is that the model includes more than just rolling stock. Not every train car we see includes track and terrain, but it’s included here, and the green grass is the perfect complement to the red caboose.
In addition to the beauty and technical precision of this creation, I find it incredibly nostalgic. One on hand, the door is one that hasn’t been produced since 1980 and was a mainstay of the hand-me-down LEGO that started my collection. More than the bricks it’s made out of though, this little train car brings back memories of playing in a caboose at my local municipal museum as a child. I can fondly remember waiting to climb up in cupola and breathing in the smell of creosote railroad ties.
Iron Man got his start somewhere
With Avengers: Endgame now in theatres, many fans have been looking back to the roots of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) before watching the latest installment. As his own tribute to the first movie in the series, Patrick B. built a memorable scene from 2008’s Iron Man, the first movie in the MCU. Here you see the cave in Afghanistan where Tony Stark built the first Iron Man suit with the help of Ho Yinsen.
The cave is littered with various pieces of technology, storage, and trash, all created using interesting parts combinations, or printed and stickered elements. The backdrop is constructed appropriately grittily, with the mixed brick and plate simulating a ramshackle wall and magic wands, droid arms, carrot stems, and whips pushing through as tree roots, making the structure look a bit unstable. The half-built Mark 1 Iron Man suit is a real gem; take a look and see what pieces you can see used in unconventional ways as different aspects of the suit of armour.
Tell Obi-Wan we found a more wretched hive of scum and villainy
Obi-Wan Kenobi once mused that you would “never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy” than Mos Eisley Spaceport, but Ben Cossy’s Nar Shaddaa Cantina might give Mos Eisley a run for its money. A moon in the Hutt system, Nar Shaddaa is known for its underworld, bounty hunters, and Hutt cartels.
The structure itself is the perfect backdrop of a suspect cantina: the mixed texture of the floors make it look rough and the windows are reminiscent of concept art for Jabba the Hutt’s palace. The cargo piled up across from the bar is an ideal spot for illicit deals, and the expression on the Cerean bartenders face implies that he could handle his own with the most dangerous of the patrons. The characters are where this creation shines. While often minifigures are a nice highlight for a model, here they are the main focus and are almost form a landscape themselves. There are recognizable characters like Aurra Sing, Dengar, Bossk, IG-88 and Embo mixed in with unidentified Humans, Mandalorians, Rodians, Twi’leks, and a whole host of other species from a galaxy far, far away. Finally, I do love that Galidor is coming to the Star Wars universe – at least according to the poster on the wall.
Stop the traitor on Takodana
When recreating a movie scene, a LEGO creation done right will make you feel like you’re in the scene yourself. That’s exactly what Carter Witz has done with his Dual on Takodana. Star Wars fans will remember the moment when FN-2199 (nicknamed TR-8R by the fans) confronts Finn in the remains of Maz Kanata’s castle.
The mix of different dark grey pieces recall the look of the castle, both before it was destroyed – as seen in the structures left standing – and after. The destroyed stone of the castle is highlighted by fallen trees, bent metal, and small fires dotting the scene. One of the fires even features a trans-orange snake element to give it a unique shape. In addition to looking cool, there are even play features with the figures weapons clashing and rubble exploding.