Flowers are a frequent subject of artists and photographers, capturing the many brilliant colors of nature. LEGO artists are no exception, as the many bright colors available can be combined with stunning results. Amado Canlas Pinlac has chosen a more monochrome palette for this model of baby blues. The curved bricks provide wonderfully textured petals and the white planter box is simple, yet effective in giving the model a sense of scale.
If you are as excited about the recently announced Nintendo Entertainment System LEGO set as I am, but your wallet has felt the impact of the global pandemic, fear not! You can experience all the nostalgic feels (in a slightly smaller dose), when you build your own miniature model using these instructions by Thomas Gion. You’ll have to build a TV on your own, although LEGO Designer Chris McVeigh has free instructions for a variety of old televisions which could provide the perfect inspiration.
At first glance, I thought this was just another lovely LEGO microscale train. I do love a good micro-train, being a seasoned microscale builder myself. But taking a closer look at the lower-left area of this delightful creation by brickleas, what do my eyes behold, but a tiny flying Ford Anglia nearly splatting the ground, which would have put a rather inglorious ending to our heroes. The rocky landscape is well crafted, and the minimal parts used for each passenger car is impressive, but my favorite detail is the lever handles used as both the main driving wheels and the spokes that drive them.
Sealife is a popular subject for LEGO builders, from the official set designers to fans around the world, which considering the Earth’s surface is 71% water, is no big surprise. This wonderful model of a dolphin by Koen Zwanenburg, leaping out of the water is a great blend of simplicity and beauty, with its gently curving form and some great parts usage, like that Bionicle part for the snout and blowhole, and a number of new water-based minifig power elements used for the splashing effect at the base. I think my favorite part is the hollow studded bracket used for the eye.
Even before I became a UX designer, I’ve always been fascinated by the user interfaces designed for television and motion pictures. Compare the chunky, muted panels in the original Star Trek show with the sleek curves and touch screens of The Next Generation, and you realize that someone, probably an entire team of people, was responsible for designing every button and screen display blinking away in the background.
George Cave, an interaction technologist and design engineer, has written a very insightful article on the history of UI design in LEGO control panels.
Movies like Star Wars and Alien, restricted by available technologies and the capabilities of “modern” screens and monitors, did a pretty amazing job of bringing pivotal scenes to life, like the simple lines of Luke’s targeting computer in the trench run, and the giant display at the center of the Rebels command center, which showed in no small way, just how close they came to total annihilation.
When it comes to LEGO control panels, the small space creates an even bigger challenge for UX designers, who use design principles like color, proximity, and size to create subtle relationships between physical controls like dials, buttons, and switches, and the visual display of information those physical controls affect.
LEGO supplies builders with the parts to bring a wide variety of interests to life, and many builders take their inspiration from real-world objects and vehicles. Vladimir Drozd has a talent for building large Technic scaled vehicles jam-packed with details and moving parts, and his latest creation, the Scania LK 141 is no exception.
This workhorse features a full steering assembly and a motor to move both rear axles simultaneously.
Designing castles on a limited footprint is a fun challenge and this 12×12 castle by Roanoke Handybuck packs a lot of detail into a small space. From the rocky outcropping above a sheltered cove, three tall towers keep watch. Dark red rooftops are picked up in the small wooden buildings at the water’s edge. A tiny boat with a brave captain risks the rocky shore, and minifig hands for flags are a nice finishing touch.
The Nubian N-1 starfighter seen in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace wasn’t the only yellow starfighter that Anakin ever flew, but it was the first. In this model by Kit Bricksto there are a few nice details worth pointing out. First, there is the subtly angled area between the main fuselage and the wings, which matches up quite nicely with the canopy. Cheese slopes are used to create a near-circular engine, a very close match to the on-screen inspiration. Lastly, the shaping of the pointed rear of the craft is a great alternative to more common large sloped parts.
Home is where the heart is, and this residence by Ayrlego, loosely inspired by houses in the civilization-building sim Age of Empires 2 is a sturdy place to raise a family, with strong walls, a nearby source of clean water, and shady trees to relax with the little ones. The textured bricks built into the frame are a nice connection to the building, as well as a frame for the ground made up of sloped bricks.
When it comes to off-road capable vehicles, the motto seems to be, go big or go home. So it is no surprise that the 2020 G series from Mercedes is a beast. And LEGO builder Tim Inman has built a beast of model to show his appreciation. I especially love the low angle of this hero shot, showing the 4×4 in its natural habitat, driving over rocks.
Not only does this model of a Mercedes G550 look good on the outside, but it features a complete interior as well.
No matter what kind of creature you are, if you live in a desert environment, chances are you would enjoy a visit to this fantasy oasis by Peter Z for a chance to enjoy fresh fruit, and to sit by the fountain to let the cool breeze wash over you. Gold and teal accents provide a lovely contrast to the tan structure, and the walls are peppered with little irregularities caused by the cutting wind and sand.
Living in Seattle, or in any major port town, for that matter, this scene by ExeSandbox is a familiar sight. What is much more unexpected about this model is the massive scale. Notice the “small” rolling cranes in the foreground are this crane base, which is 16 studs high! Even though this model is a digital render, this in no way diminishes the amount of effort involved in putting this together.
The builder includes a nice surprise detail in the cargo ship’s name, Leg Godt, the Danish phrase “Play Well”, from which LEGO derives its name.
