Posts by Kyle Keller

One tough roll of paper towels

There are few things in this world I enjoy more than a terrible pun. So when I, Kyle Keller, had the idea to build the ideal “Bounty” hunter, I just couldn’t help myself! For those outside the U.S. and Canada, I recognize that this joke is entirely reliant on a brand name of paper towels you may be unfamiliar with. But after some research, I’m sure you’ll agree this is the roll-for-hire you need in your kitchen. The origin of this build was actually inspired by a wonderful Bossk mech featured on the site previously. Don’t ask me how I got from Star Wars to paper towel-based humor, though…

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A lighthouse that warns of more than rocks

I think it would be best to admire this beautiful LEGO BioCup 2022 build by Eero Okkonen from afar. After all, kaiju can be very dangerous up-close. The moth monster is absolutely the star of the show here, with so much intricate feathering on its legs, abdomen, and antennae. But the lighthouse is no slouch either, with brilliant details like the little gray staircase leading up to its door. I also especially like the use of the Constraction torso pieces in white as rocks at the base of the structure.

LEGO Con 2022 debuts new prequel-era Star Wars sets, including 75323 The Justifier from season 1 of The Bad Batch [News]

At LEGO Con 2022, the company has just announced two new LEGO Star Wars sets: 75337 LEGO® Star Wars™ AT-TE™ Walker and 75323 LEGO® Star Wars™ The Justifier™. While this will mark the 5th iteration of the AT-TE in minifigure-scale, this is the first time we see one crewed by the legendary Commander Cody. It’s been over a decade since Obi-Wan’s right-hand clone has made an appearance on the shelves. Another familiar LEGO face last seen about 10 years ago, Cad Bane, pilots the Justifier. We also see a brand new Omega minifigure in this set, having been excluded from the previously released 75314 The Bad Batch Attack Shuttle. Both sets clock in at over 1,000 pieces, and will be available for purchase August 1st.

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Welcome back to a coastal Nordic LEGO village

Great Odin’s raven! This LEGO Viking town by builder Simon Schweyer is an excellent return to form after six years away from the hobby. The lush green landscape atop those rocks is festooned with so many quaint buildings, all of them boasting some wonderful curves. The roof shaping, unique to each structure, is the first thing to catch my eye. Though all the buildings have their own character, the shared colors and building styles in each one makes them feel like a cohesive unit. And employing ship hulls in some of those lovely shapes is some great part usage. Lover of texture that I am, I find the haphazard makeup of the hut walls to be quite endearing. And the minifig placement gives the eye a reason to linger on certain parts of the build. As my eyes pass over it, each of the individual scenes stand out. Has the shepherd lost some of his flock? What song are the bards sharing with the town? And have the fish been biting today?

Have a better look around the village below

Guardian of the natural order

When I take in this LEGO God of Nature by builder Konstantin T, the first thing that comes to my mind is balance. I don’t necessarily get the vibe of a god solely focused on flora and fauna, but rather a deity representing the balance of the cosmos, of the “nature” of all things. And while this includes plants, animals, the elements, and even the visiting pilgrim, the angular, metallic nature of the altar leads me to thoughts of how those “organic” entities live in harmony with the natural world.

There is some truly breathtaking Bionicle craftsmanship in this design! The ability to use such large, single-purpose parts for tree trunks, stairs, and wisps of energy emanating from the god is outright stellar. But the peak of this build has got to lie in the design of the wandering pilgrim. Here’s a better view of our world-weary traveler below.

OMG! This pupper doggo is toats adorbz!

This latest LEGO build by Andreas Lenander is just so dog-gone good! Using outward-facing studs gives his darling cockapoo’s fur the breed’s typical floof-iness. Add to that the textures from slopes, various tooth parts, tan ingots, and rock-textured pieces, and this puppy looks downright cuddly! But I think the best part of this build is no walks at 6:00 AM, no begging for food, and no accidents on the rug.

An ode to the LEGO Aquazone theme that’s sub-stantial!

When first laying eyes on this gorgeous LEGO build by Sylon_tw, I couldn’t help but let out a Charlie Brown catchphrase. I mean, good g-reef! The variation in styles, heights, and colors amongst the coral break up the bed and keep the landscape dynamic. There’s some terrific part usage here, whether it’s brushes and technic pins for tubular sponge, or force lightning pieces for jellyfish tentacles. The submarine itself has some excellent shaping, providing a less-angular take on the Aquanauts sets of old. And I especially like the motion given to the build by the twirling bubbles coming off the sub’s dual propellers.

Life-size LEGO raccoon, made of 3,750 pieces, is right up your alley!

With this taxidermist-quality replica of Procyon lotor, builder Felix Jaensch displays just how much can be done using primarily basic LEGO bricks and plates. I mean, this is the kind of shaping and contouring we’re used to seeing at LEGOLAND theme parks! The coloration here is perfect, and I especially like the pixelated fade from light to dark gray about halfway up the beast. Trying to balance a color gradient with 3D shaping can go wrong very quickly, but Felix handles it here like a pro.

Zooming in on the face, there’s the continuation of the stepped contouring from the body going down right to the end of the trash panda’s boop-able snoot. The other features added here (the eyes, ears, etc.) aren’t composed of the same basic bricks and plates as the rest of the body. Yet these features don’t feel out of place in the design. Despite introducing some slopes and curves, they don’t distract from the form, and gently draw attention to the key features of the animal.

Time to move over, McQueen!

I don’t know how he does it, but builder Djokson has managed to breathe life into yet another extinct LEGO Racer with his tribute to 4573 Lightor. We’ve seen prior successes from this builder in the past, but I’m particularly drawn to this one. Maybe it’s that color scheme, all ROY and no GBIV. Maybe it’s the outstanding parts usage, what with these windscreens in orange nested within a dump truck bed for the air intakes on the sides. I mean, those are some awesome side panels! No, I’d say it’s probably the driver. The engineering the make a figure with such character and yet such a skinny cross-section is like catching lightning in a bottle.

Doctor Strange’s aperture science

This is a triumph! I’m making a note here, this Marvel-ous Dr. Strange LEGO build by Josh Parkinson is a huge success! Inspired by the superhero’s latest movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we see the wizened sorcerer about to hop into a portal to chase down impending (spoiler-free) doom. And what a portal it is! Adorned with twinkling lights, this mystical wormhole opens up to a lovely scene created using forced perspective. But there’s quite a bit of magic outside the portal, too. For instance, the shelves in the bookcase to the left aren’t actually being held in place by anything other than gravity. Each shelf sits on four tabs, each from this special 1×1 plate, much like your standard IKEA Billy bookcase. It’s such an interesting design hiding in plain sight.

This LEGO Mediterranean harbor takes us back to World War II

There is so much going on in this WWII scene by builder PelLego that’s it’s hard to know where to begin. I don’t know if I should talk about the detailed rock work first, or the delicate trees with flex-tube trunks. Those natural forms stand in juxtaposition to the tall man-made domiciles, tiny cars parked out front, and sleek boat being loaded with gear. The build is a masterclass in tile usage, ranging from the flat, even stillness of the water to the rough and worn street next to the dock.

This Octan drone is a real gas!

In a world where shows like Robot Wars and Battlebots have already come and gone, the sport of drone racing has got to be in our near future, right? And here’s hoping the robots look as good as this LEGO Octan Drone by Devid VII. I love all the striping on this machine, fitting within the standard Octan color palette. The angles, relying mainly on bar-to-clip shenanigans, give this bot the poise of a mechanical gazelle. And I just can’t get over the excellent use of the square-rimmed BrickHeadz glasses under its fuel tanks.