Posts by Daniel

A sturdy pair of heavy-hitting hardsuits

Sometimes a particular LEGO part can define a model in a way that no other part can. This pair of Maschinen Krieger or Ma.K hardsuits by Marco Marozzi uses a very obscure, and very interesting part from the Scala theme, a saddle to form the torso and primary focal point. But that is not the only fun part use. The sniper uses the head of a LEGO Porg on its chest plate.

While the heavy Gatlin gunner is sporting what looks like an Endor rebel helmet.

One fun detail about these squat and sturdy hardsuits is that they were built to fit an equally squat Duplo pilot

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A colorful mecha with colorful friends

Mecha models come in all sorts of shapes and colors, but every now and then, a creation comes along that really breaks the mold and demonstrates clear thought and careful design. This mechanical robot/vehicle/gun platform by Chokolat Shadow strikes a stunning balance between color blocking and engineering. I mean, of course, red and gold go well together, but the additional use of sand green looks surprisingly nice. The large wheels under the forearms and the smaller ones on the calves are suggestive of an interesting vehicle configuration, as well.

The creator clearly has a narrative in mind to connect this creation to a larger world, as demonstrated by the collection of support mechs and vehicles that share this unique color scheme.

Cubic LEGO creations squared

The cube is one of the most basic 3D shapes and the building block (pun intended) of many LEGO models. Two different creators have recently drawn inspiration from the cube with wonderfully diverse results. The first model is a plucky little robot by Markus Rollbühler which combines teal and dark red elements in stark contrast. There are two nice parts used in the arms: a minifig torso armor part, and the torso of a B1 battle droid for the hand. The new printed eye tile from the recent LEGO Harry Potter 75950 – Aragog’s Lair gives the eye an unexpected look.

The next model is this floating star-fighter (coincidentally, also with one eye) by Anthony Wilson and was created for a building competition called Space Jam. But there is more to this model than meets the eye. This star-fighter transforms with a flip of the black guns on either side of the ship.

Custom BrickHeadz Statue of Liberty stands proud

There are few American landmarks more iconic than Lady Liberty herself, so it is no wonder she has inspired so many LEGO builders to pay her tribute in brick. This famous statue even became an official LEGO product in the form of LEGO Architecture 21042 Statue of Liberty, which was a good source for sand green elements. This adorable BrickHeadz style model by baby lego uses some of those parts, along with a scaled down base that was inspired by the official set. She looks more than ready to welcome minifigures into New Brick City!

Emmet’s trading in his rocket house for a fancy new hardsuit

We recently featured a breakdown of nineteen new LEGO sets released in advance of the upcoming LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. One of these sets is a 2-in-1 build featuring Emmet’s cute little yellow house, which can be transformed into the rocket version he uses in an attempt to rescue Lucy. Maybe if Emmet were a proper master builder, he could have come up with something cooler, like this great mech/hardsuit in matching construction worker colors by Chungpo Cheng. It even features a bunch of stickers from the custom BrickHeadz set 41597 Go Brick Me.

It looks like Chungpo even left some room inside the mech for an overpriced coffee or Emmet’s green friend, plant-y.

Benevolent or malevolent, this crystal being deserves your respect

The line of Star Wars themed constraction figures has introduced a number of great parts for builders who dabble in Bionicle inspired creations. This imposing figure by Loysnuva makes use of the large lightsaber blade found in both 75109 Obi-Wan Kenobi, and 75112 General Grevious in its elaborate head adornment. Along with some excellent reverse jointed legs, the model also makes good of some of the most common elements found in sets today, the car tire. Small tires add some bulk to the limbs and tail, while several inverted tires form the torso.

A princess meets a furry critter in the forest

When Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney, Princess Leia joined the ranks of not-so-helpless royalty who are known to encounter the occasional cute and furry critter in the woods. In this scene by Miro Dudas Leia meets the adorable Ewok Wicket, played by Warwick Davis who landed this promotion from extra Ewok when Kenny Baker fell ill. The figure of Leia is expertly crafted, particularly her hat, which has a distinct shape. The use of BrickHeadz eye tiles for Wicket is the perfect contrast to Leia’s plain brown eyes made from sideways facing 1×1 round plates. I suspect that Leia is as tempted to pinch those furry little cheeks as I am.

LEGO X-wing locking S-foils in attack position

There are few Star Wars vehicles as recognizable as the X-wing — from the distinctive shape of the wings that give it its name, to the long tapered fuselage. This iconic starfighter has inspired many LEGO builders to attempt to capture it in brick, as well as official LEGO sets like 75218 X-wing Starfighter released last year. This model by JJbricks is a fantastic build at minifig scale and has some great details, such as the canopy, resting on an angled frame. The visible grey bits on the inside of the wing are also a nice touch. But some of my favorite parts are the laser cannons. Made with just a few pieces, they very accurately capture their on-screen inspiration.

And this rear view shows off a nice bit of greebling within the hexagonal body of the ship.

Charming North Pole residence could be Santa’s other house

Now that Santa’s big night has come and gone, the man has earned some rest and relaxation. What better place to unwind after a very busy holiday season than this lovely chalet by Jack R., perfect for relaxing with a steaming cup of hot chocolate after a day of skiing or snowboarding. Above the door, the stained glass look, made with transparent orange plates behind turntable bases, adds a touch of warmth to the scene.

Next to a nice stack of firewood outside, a couple of Santa’s sled team also enjoy a nice rest. Jack demonstrates a great use of battle droid torsos as the reindeer heads.

LEGO Bumblebee in beetle form is one sweet ride [Instructions]

The new, much-anticipated Bumblebee movie has inspired LEGO fans to build some fantastic creations recently, from this large-scale figure by Ekow Nimako to this transforming model by Jerry Builds Bricks and this cute model in Volkswagen Beetle form by hachiroku24 is the latest. One of my favorite details is the gently curving back of the car, which very closely matches its real-life inspiration. The extra curvy front wheel well is also a very nice detail and helps to complete this iconic car profile.

Click through to see the parts list and instructions to build your own LEGO Bumblebee

Charming LEGO gingerbread house from Pixar’s Up

As the holidays draw closer, and the decorations, twinkly lights, and baked goodies fill our homes with joy, LEGO creators around the world are busy building snow-covered or otherwise holiday-themed models. Frequently featured builder Jonas Kramm has created a mashup of his microscale house from Up in the form of a gingerbread house. Even though it is based on the colorful balloon-borne building, it would fit right in with a collection of other gingerbread houses, with its frosting-covered roof, colorful candies, and candy cane striped pillars.

Winston from Overwatch is one gorilla you don’t want to mess with

As if a raging gorilla wasn’t imposing enough, this one wears body armor, has a jump jet, and shoots lightning from a massive Tesla cannon. You don’t have to be a fan of the squad shooter Overwatch to appreciate this impressive model of the hero Winston by LEGO 7. One of my favorite details, aside from the organic sculpting of Winston’s body armor, is the eyes, which look like yellow lightsaber blades inserted into the center of a headlight brick and covered with clear tiles. And that nose made from a binocular is just perfect.

There’s one more detail that is easy to miss. Take a look at that base, made from tinted window panels, which catch just enough light to look like polished steel.

For more great Overwatch content, check out our recent coverage of the new sets based on the game, as well as our full reviews of LEGO Overwatch 75974 Bastion, LEGO Overwatch 75953 D.Va and Reinhardt, and LEGO Overwatch 75987 Omnic Bastion.