Posts by Kyle Keller

LEGO reveals the Eiffel Tower as the next set in the Icons line [News]

The LEGO Icons theme is going to new heights with its next set: 10307 Eiffel Tower. Clocking in at just over 10,000 pieces, this will be the tallest official LEGO set ever made, standing almost 5′ tall when fully assembled! The dark gray darling is detailed with intricate trusswork and topped with a French flag. Other structural details include elevators and an office on the top floor. Given its size, the build separates into four sections to aid transport and storage. Expect this architectural wonder to be available through LEGO stores and their website on November 25th, and will retail for US $629.99 | CAN $799.99 | UK £554.99.

An itsy-bitsy SR-71 Blackbird

Don’t let its size fool you! This teensy LEGO SR-71 Blackbird by Greyson is a mighty recon machine from the factories of Lockheed Martin. Even while working in a monochromatic palette, this plane still feels dynamic, a perfect recreation of its real-life kin. Each wedge plate feels perfectly placed, and the shaping on the fuselage is all the better for Greyson’s excellent use of the katana minifig accessory. I even like the shaping on its gray stand: a simple bit that only accentuates the clever design of the micro aircraft.

The Untitled Goose Game build you didn’t know you needed

I’ve earned a reputation in my LEGO circles for introducing fellow builders to a certain indie video game through one of my creations. And while I was building to express my love of Stardew Valley, NikiFilik is all about the equally-excellent Untitled Goose Game with their latest construction. This may look like a standard water fowl to the uninitiated, but the nameless goose was instantly recognizable to me from its head shape, simple color palette, and malicious gaze. The use of the plane fuselage for the bill is spectacular, as is the complex network of white slopes and wedge plates to nail the bust’s overall shape. Villagers beware, this bird is out for blood!

The LEGO great ball kraken-traption

The LEGO builds of the Great Ball Contraption universe are far more known for their function rather than their form. Each module is designed to move minifig-scale basketballs and soccer balls from one point to another. But Jeff Strong adds a wonderful aesthetic touch to his GBC module, Kraken Attackin’. An ode to Tacoma, Washington, in the US, balls fly down a channel next to several natural and man-made landmarks of the region. But beware the dangerous kraken under the Narrows Bridge with its wily tentacles! The color palette here is brilliant, as are some of the great building techniques like the trees on the hillside. Even the blue and white conveyor that moves the balls up to the start of the run is striking. It’s a masterful piece of moving artwork!

But a still picture can’t really do this creation justice. See below for some video footage of the GBC module in action. Pay specific attention to the unique movement of the kraken’s tentacle. Jeff employs some genius engineering under the “water” to add a natural flow to the giant red limb.

Giving new meaning to the term “Little Italy”

Check out this duo of microscale Venetian palaces by builder -Brixe! The shaping on these two domiciles is impeccable, perfectly capturing the worn texture of these canal-hugging houses using bars and round plates. The color palette, with its shades of nougat and tan, contrasts the crisp light blue of the water flowing behind and in-between them. But the techniques are really where this micro-marvel stands out. I adore the use of this old school finger hinge to hold the grill plates in place as windows, with this similar piece employed for their associated balconies. And one final detail of note: the bridge joining both buildings is built with studs facing down, allowing for ideal stair construction at this scale.

A (chess) piece of LEGO history

It’s been 50 years since this LEGO chess battle began. And now, with the board overgrown and partially flooded, builder Rilbist shows us the resulting armistice in the great battle between the two sides of the checker-print board. I think this is a wonderful concept, especially given the limitation of only using part colors that were available half a century ago. Each of the pieces is instantly recognizable, and ornate without being distracting from the real star of the show: the state of the playing field. The weathering is divine, and I particularly like the pool of water in the center that flows out of the board, connecting this deadlocked game with the outer world.

Farmhands down, this is a great trophy

This exquisite construction by the one and only Markus Rohlbühler brings together two of my favorite things in the LEGO hobby: non-minifig scale and trophy construction. Handed out as an award for this year’s Brickscalibur contest, this darling farmhand is quite the amalgamation of curved slopes. With studs pointing every which way, the maiden’s blue dress proves well-crafted. And the little detail of her rolled-up sleeves, made using the bottom of the facemask from Ninjago’s Zane, is absolutely stellar.

If you’re interested in even more like this, check out this excellent orc trophy by Markus that we featured late last month.

D&D’s latest LEGO bad boy is also a Strahd boy

As the LEGO Dungeons & Dragons builds continue to spill forth, builder Plastic Pauper has a great take on one of the game’s first monsters: the vampire lord. I have to commend the character construction here. With sharp lines for the count’s suit contrasted by the more flowing contours of his face and cloth cloak, this dark noble feels alive wielding his menacing rapier (that’s 1d8 piercing damage, folks!). And I adore all the gold filigree and tan ascot adorning his chest. Such a well-crafted villain is further complemented by the dynamite background in this vignette. The ornate stone walls surrounding the figure feature a ring of keys, a pair of candlesticks, and quite the imposing gargoyle. But my favorite detail has got to be the spiky ends of a portcullis in the doorway to the vamp’s rear. What an excellent homage to the fantasy role playing game!

Ready to encounter some more great D&D builds? Check them out in our archives!

A quintet of new Avatar sets from The Way of Water revealed on LEGO.com [News]

With the second installment in this newly-revitalized franchise set to hit theaters at the end of the year, LEGO has debuted five new sets from Avatar: The Way of Water. These sets continue common tropes from those already available in the theme, whether it’s militaristic vehicles like the 75577 Mako Submarine, or the creatures of Pandora featured in 75579 Payakan the Tulkun & Crabsuit. Once again, we see the taller minifigures featured in these sets, adding a new dark aqua version of Pandora’s denizens to the mix. And true to the heavily-hydrated movie title, these LEGO sets prominently feature aquatic settings. With loads of coral constructions and undersea rock formations, there’s an especially diverse array of parts available in this lineup. All five of these sets will be available from LEGO stores and their website on January 1st, with 75576 Skimwing Adventure and 75578 Metkayina Reef Home available for pre-order right now through LEGO.com.

Prices and pictures for all these great new offerings below

This Muppets haunted mansion carries the spooky on into November

Halloween has now come and gone, but Josh Parkinson and his Muppet-filled LEGO mansion aren’t done scaring up some fun! And what could be more fun than that wicked color scheme? The dark red and green with black trim evokes the eerie feel of a haunted house, while still staying true to the vivid character of Henson’s creations. The front lawn is wonderfully unkempt, with loads of leafy stalks scattered about. And I adore the gnarled black tree on the side next to the gravestones. It seems to have a character all its own with so many sharp barbs and angles. And I can’t get enough of all the brilliant textures here, from the slats on the walls to the checkerboard shingles and the ornate railings. Josh has them all working together in a harmonious patchwork that gives the structure age. My only question is, where did our other Muppet friends get to?

The other side of the model answers that question, offering us five fright-filled minifigure habitats. Each room showcases a costumed Muppet in an appropriately-themed room of this mansion. It’s hard to pick a favorite room here, with so many excellent techniques employed and creative choices in minifig costumery. Is it the mummified Swedish Chef? Or maybe Count Gonzo? No, I think I have to go with my gut: Dr. Bunsen-stein all the way!

Nothing more than a cockpit with blue wings

Builder David Roberts has got a new LEGO anti-grav racer barreling down the pipe. This boxy blue build is adorable with its four chunky blue wings, awesome red and white checker pattern, and snug cockpit perfect for minimizing drag while still holding a driver. And the bit of yellow pipe that it’s traveling through is great as well, dashed with lines of azure tiles to mark the racer’s path. But my favorite detail has got to be the technic brick and axle pattern in red on the side of each stubby wing. Instead of working around the connection of the wing to the racer’s body, David rolls with it and incorporates the pattern of the axle stuck in the technic hole as a part of the design. The white headlight bricks below the red technic ones bring it all together into a great little space racer!

Now THIS is Halloween, Halloween, Halloween

We are fast approaching the spooky season, and there have been plenty of LEGO builds coming out to mark the occasion. One of my favorites has got to be this excellent The Nightmare Before Christmas construction by Martin Harris. Jack and Zero are both expertly crafted, the former looking wiry as all get out with skinny limbs and an oversized skeleton noggin. His prized pooch has got some ghoulishly good shaping, relying heavily on curved slopes in white to provide a proper flow to its form. But the star of the show for me has got to be the detail Martin put into those gravestones. Consisting of some gorgeous stonework textures, the slight eschew of these tombstones feels ever so Burton-esque! And the “1993” chiseled into the one on the right is an excellent Easter egg for fans of the Disney classic, which came out that year.

The Brothers Brick

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