Posts by Kyle Keller

From Ice Planet 2002 to the ice planet of Hoth

I’m absolutely loving the mashup of Star Wars and LEGO themes to fulfill one of the challenges in this year’s VignWeek by RebelLUG. And this scene by Jens Ådne J. Rydland utilizing a duo of 90’s space factions to highlight a pivotal scene from the Battle of Hoth. The pairing of Blacktron I and the Empire feels fitting, and justifies the outstanding insignia on the side of the walker. The AT-AT’s head is well made, looking like an all-black version of some Neo-Classic Space designs. But those legs, harkening back to 6876: Alienator, are the perfect retro touch! The tiny Ice Planet snowspeeder is adorable, and I hope Commander Cold is able to successfully stall the Imperials long enough for the Futuron transports to escape.

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Sunny Spaceship Treks the Cosmic Currents

Space builder David Roberts treats us to another bright pop of LEGO color with his newest starship, the Sun Fish. Hot on the heels of the NEZ racer, David’s been enjoying the ROY side of the spectrum lately. Please forgive the fast food joke, but I’m loving it! Alternating between red and yellow, the Sun Fish sports a beautiful fin, complete with darling markings in light blue. This mohawk of panels contrasts well with the mechanical tubes and thrusters attached at the sides, almost emphasizing the more technical elements and providing a space-ier vibe. My favorite part, though, has got to be the compact cabin. Hanging directly off the front of the ship, there’s no nose separating our pilot from the galactic expanse. They’ve got a unobstructed view of everything back to the Big Bang.

Revisiting the Oasis Ambush

I am such a fan of all the tributes coming out right now to LEGO sets of the past! And this remake of 5938: Oasis Ambush by norlego takes me right back to 1998. I love the detailed sculpting of the creature atop the sarcophagus. The Anubis head is expertly utilized, and the sculpting along its back and paws is genius! But my favorite part has to be the inclusion of an actual oasis in the background, trimmed with some beautiful dark green tile and two modern-style palm trees. Some printed pieces from the original set make their triumphant return, like the hieroglyphics on the sides of the tomb and the map held by an updated Lord Sam Sinister. Hopefully, this new Johnny Thunder can wrest the treasure from his evil clutches!

Man, all this nostalgia makes me want to build my own revamped LEGO set for the upcoming MOCing Memories BrickCon collab sponsored by The Brothers Brick.

This Hades bust from Disney’s Hercules goes the distance!

Inaccuracies aside, I absolutely adore the Greek mythology/gospel mashup that is Disney’s Hercules! And NS Brick Designs wows us with this LEGO bust of Hades, the movie’s big baddie. The use of slopes here is excellent, giving the character an appropriate gaunt look. And the god’s fiery hair is an exquisite mess of transparent orange. I love the use of the molded skull piece as the clip on his toga – a great touch often overlooked on the character. And finishing it up with the beautiful pop of yellow from the immortal’s brilliant eyes, I can almost hear James Woods’s voice screaming at me about wearing Herc’s merchandise.

How about a slice of 1994 nostalgia with extra cheese?

Fresh out of the oven, we have this nostalgia-laden creation by Kevin Wanner, revamping the classic LEGO set 6350: Pizza To Go. The added textures to the white walls of the kitchen feels like something from modern set design, as does the use of dark green in the color palette for the roof. The giant palm and expanded outdoor eating area are both welcome additions here. And I adore the choice to place this vignette on a circular cutout of street and sidewalk, as opposed to your typical, boxy baseplates. But by far, my favorite touch in this restoration is the adept use of the set’s original “Pizzeria” sticker, with part of it remaining as the shop’s sign, and the top slice circling the table’s umbrella. What an excellent idea!

Back in the saddle with a new business

This exquisite LEGO storefront by Caleb Schilling is all about new beginnings. It could be the opening of a new store, the blooming of a flower after a long winter, or the next season of Iron Builder. Utilizing 15 of this horse saddle seed part, the build puts them to use in the awning, a flower pot, and as the clerk’s apron. Beyond the seed part, I’m also partial to the excellent front door design in dark green and the intricate white molding on the second-story windows. Overall, there’s a depth to this build that goes beyond a stud count. All the open windows and patterned variations in texture make the creation stretch back away from the screen, inviting passers-by inside to see what’s on the shop’s shelves.

Looking for a Princess Bride build? As you wish!

Watch your step in this LEGO Fire Swamp built by Christoph Foulger. The trees in this vignette are a beautiful cobbled mess of textures, emulating the gnarled flora of the Princess Bride locale. I especially like the canopy density, and the balance of color in the leaves. Down on the ground, the color change and slope work to convey sinking in quicksand is excellent, as is the twisted vine offering Buttercup and Wesley some hope amid their peril. But my favorite part of the creation has to be the R.O.U.S., set ablaze by an erupting sulfurous jet. Its waffle-print nose is a perfect touch!

“Compared To Clouseau, Attila The Hun Was A Red Cross Volunteer!”

I wasn’t prepared for the rush of memories evoked by this sharp Inspector Clouseau bust built by Rickard Stensby. As a kid, my dad was fully committed to making sure I was exposed to all kinds of great comedy. I think it’s the strongest bond we share, even now that we live on opposite sides of the US. So to see this build, with finely-trimmed mustache and trademark trilby hat, I was immediately transported back 20 or so years to when we watched Return of the Pink Panther together, and how dazzled I was by the brilliant character acting of Peter Sellers. Rickard captures the Inspector’s perplexed look perfectly here through the expert application of tan curves and slopes. And I don’t understand why the clerk at the front desk doesn’t understand him. Clouseau clearly asked for a “rewm!”

The king’s dying to eat

Following builds one and two of this three-part trilogy in LEGO, we see the king finally meet his doom thanks to this quality construction by Micah Beideman. Though it’s not at the blade of a sword that this monarch shall perish, but with the curve of a soup spoon. The hall of his demise is beautifully crafted in light gray bricks. While working so much in a single color, Micah uses the negative space to help break up the walls and pillars, and utilizes some excellent techniques while doing so. For instance, the rows of headlight bricks with studs facing each other is sublime, and I love the deep-set cracks in the stone floor. The throne at the back of the hall fits the rest of the surroundings well, while remaining unlike any other LEGO throne I’ve seen. But, alas, our king may never sit in it again….

Large LEGO clockwork peacock is full of filigree

With so much ornate detail, I don’t even care if this LEGO automaton peacock by Obsessionist can’t fly. I particularly love the marriage of LEGO Technic parts with regular blocks, frequently utilizing the connection of “stud into Technic hole”. This technique means that we would normally see a lot anti studs from the top of the ornithological ornithopter, but the adept use of blue boat skids help to solidify the base color here and smooth out any rough edges. These smooth bits contrast all the fringe in pearl gold, including all the wing and tail feathers repurposed from Bionicle and Ninjago weaponry, showcasing the excellent replication of nature via machinery.

I think the face of this bird is particularly stunning on its own. Each piece chosen here feeds into a theme of minimization: all bars and beams attempting to keep the creature light but also functional. It all channels some strong “Erector Set” vibes for the build: a design choice LEGO has strayed from in recent Technic offerings, but that works well when applied here.

A soup fit for a king!

Grim things are going down in this kitchen nightmare by Jonah Schultz. The middle scene of a three-part story (you can find the first one here), we can see the malicious chef poisoning soup destined for the king’s table. I love the lighting choices here! It makes the scene feel small, and draws focus to our villain and his pot. All of the excellent details add further to this intimacy. The intricate stonework around the fireplace, the dimly-lit shelves in the back, and even the cute spring onions in the foreground set the stage of a royal kitchen gone awry. I can’t wait to see how this concludes!

A set of roofs you’ll absolutely a-door

The first in a trio of LEGO creations from different builders, this nefarious deal for a poisonous potion is brought to us by Eli Willsea. The wooden beams and boards creating the patchwork docks on which the vial of poison is exchanged are absolutely terrific. There’s some excellent use of the minifig hand to create ladder rungs, and just enough chaos in the various bar part choices to give that ramshackle feel. But the highlight of the build for me lies in the houses in the background. The color choices are perfect, and perfectly compliment the brown skeleton on which they’re all built. And those roof tiles! Each utilizing a different type of hinged panel (large entry door, kitchen cabinet door, or book cover), they are an absolute marvel to behold! The varied look between the domiciles shows off Eli’s design prowess while feeding that feel that this is the wrong side of town.

And if you’re wondering about the other two builds in the series, stay tuned!