Steven Erickson bred this lovely drake and it is just loaded with character. The smooth lines and expressiveness of the creature really puts this over the top. Also, tying those bionicle pieces so seamlessly into a predominately “system” build takes real skill.
Deborah Higdon has made another lovely set of bookends. I love the vintage classroom vibe going on here. The beautiful desks, the stove and the map are the obvious stars here but the view out the window is a hidden gem. This makes me nostalgic for one-room school houses…
This rendition (yes, it is a render) of the ubiquitous surge protector or “power strip” is spot on. Matt Bace did an awesome job. It looks like you can plug it in and go to work!
This build, by Tyler, depicts the sad end of a tragic story. We don’t know the details but we know it didn’t end well.
I love the construction here of the hand and chains, of course. But I think the unsung hero here is the backdrop. That is some lovely brickwork going on there!
This depiction of Beorn, the shape-shifting man from Tolkien’s The Hobbit, is quite striking. Adam Dodge has made something pretty unique here. I really love the symbolic look and feel of this piece. The beard is awesome and the bear is beautifully made. The pose of the bear as it reaches towards Beorn’s treasured horses is a great touch too.
Rod Gillies created this lovely steampunk harbor town for Brick2014 in London. I love the whimsical, compact look he has going on. It’s also got all kinds of motors and lights and what-not, as seen in this video taken at the convention. I love the use of the Lava Lamp. That’s some creative thinking outside the brick!
Check out the video as well!
This mask was up for grabs in a multi-site contest, designed to welcome back the Bionicle theme. Each of the sites involved ran a contest and the winners went head-to-head for the grand-prize.
Breann Sledge won the gold mask with this highly detailed bad boy, Akutahn the Makuta of Okoto. I think I detect a bit of Breann’s Alaskan roots in that name. Standing over 20 inches tall and loaded with all the awesome detailing and posability that we expect from Breann, this top-notch villain is totally a winner.
Check out the other incredible finalists after the break!
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David Frank is working on a beautiful series of models depicting scenes and locations from the novel To Whatever End (Echoes of Imara Book 1)
Chris posted the first in the series last week. David is planning on having a total of eight models finished in the next six months.
This build depicts The Float, a port-side hotel, which the main characters, Cecily and Daro, frequently stay at when traveling. Just the massive size of this build is impressive but the detail for which David is known shows up all through-out. I love the shingles on the roof, the subtle tudor-styling and the outward projecting walls. The wrap-around deck on the third floor and the overhanging 4th (3rd and half?) floor really gives the building some character.
I had the honor of being a beta-reader for the book and I enjoyed it immensely. A fantasy novel, it follows the main characters, veterans of a recent war as well as husband and wife, as they are forced to find their way as a variety of people and events pull at their loyalties and attempt to use them as pawns. The characters are very believable and genuine. I was really pulled into the world and can’t wait for the story to continue. The locations in the story are interesting and unusual. Also the system of magic used in the book is refreshingly unique and doesn’t overwhelm the story or characters, as happens all to often in the fantasy genre. I’m excited for the series to continue but I’m also looking forward to rest of David’s series. David and Clare worked closely on the book, but she did the writing. They are now working closely together to plan these builds, which David is constructing. It’s quite an interesting collaboration!
Brick Warriors has been releasing some really interesting items lately. Having bought some of the new items and some old, I thought I would share my thoughts, as it’s been a while since we reviewed Brick Warriors here.
The first new item that caught my eye was their Dragonman Head. It has really nice detailing, including forehead ridges, spikes on the side of the head and segmented scale up the back of the head. The nose/snout and jawline slope sharply down and forward, giving the head a really nice profile. The fit is excellent, not too tight or loose. The head is available in 5 colors: Black, Gold, Green, Dark Red and Brown. I bought a green, dark red and brown. All three are a very close match to official LEGO colors. There is a slightly different feel to the plastic in comparison to LEGO, but it is barely noticeable. When combined with Brick Warrior’s Dragon Wings and either the Dragon Tail or the Barbed Tail, you can make a great Dragonman figure.
Supplementing the release of the Dragonman head, they have also created a Lizardman weapon, armor and shield. I picked up a couple of the armor pieces and one each of the weapon and shield. The details on the pieces are really cool. The armor looks like it made of stitched-together plates and has a nice fantasy feel to it. It has a large spike on each shoulder, two clips on the back for wings, and a single, hollow stud for the tail. The weapon is spiked club that looks like various teeth have been fastened to it. The shield is probably my favorite. It is a scalloped circle with what appears to be the jawbone of a dragon lashed onto it. Quite the barbaric piece!
I ordered all the Lizardman pieces in black, so there are no color issues at all. There is one minor issue with the armor in that the wings are a bit loose, especially on the left side. The wings fit tightly on the Demon armor and in official LEGO clips, so it is only an issue with the Lizardman armor. The wings stay on and are still easily posed, so the issue is minor. To change things up a bit, I also ordered the lantern shield, bearded axe, demon sword and demon shield to go with the other two dragonmen. All items have excellent detail and fit perfectly. These dragonmen and accessories are a huge hit in my house! I originally ordered a single green dragonman, but each of my boys decided they had to have their own. After raiding on their piggy banks and two more orders later, three dragonmen now live in my home…but in completely separate collections.
Djordje found this fellow lurking down in the dungeons and I think that is where he should stay. He really looks like he has earned his nickname but I really like the choice of colors on this character. The black clothes make the orange skin really stand out and the purple mohawk makes for a nice splash of color. The construction of the face on this guy is rather special as well. The tooth/claw pieces as detail bits around the eyes give this creature some real character.
Lucie Filteau built this model as a Christmas present for her brother-in-law, who owns a Vespa. Lucie has done a great job capturing the iconic look and feel of a vintage Vespa. Her choice of scale is spot-on as those complex slopes accurately mimic the clean lines of actual vintage Vespas and make this build really believable. I have to say that I’m rather jealous of her brother-in-law!
Barton Thinks is recreating iconic Middle Earth locations in micro-scale. I really like the use of black level handles to detail the sides of Orthanc. The little bits of landscaping really bring it to life as well. Luckily this is before the Orcs cut down all the trees!
