Posts by Michael

It’s good to be the captain sometimes

Pirate captains seem to keep all the good stuff for themselves, as Maxx Davidson shows us in this detail-rich build. Utilizing many of LEGO’s unique pieces, Maxx gives us a glimpse at the stolen goods in the captain’s quarters. Well, I assume everything is stolen, because, uh…pirates: they steal things! Anyway, however the items came into his possession, the bookcase is chock-full of fun things. There’s a little ship in a bottle, a golden globe (no, not the award), a decanter, and some reading material. A keg of ale leaks onto the floor, much to the delight of the visiting bilge rat, and jewels rest in a golden dish on the other barrel. A pen and inkwell keep the jewels and open journal company, ready for the pirate captain to begin their memoir. My favorite part of the build? It’s got to be the captain’s nose. I enjoy the whole design, but the nose is a wonderful and clever use of a tan hamster. Seriously! Take a closer look.

Ahoy, more details off the starboard bow, matey!

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A breath of wild air in the land of Hyrule

Link travels through the wetlands of the Lanayru region of Hyrule in this LEGO vignette from builder Peter Hart. The scene is simple, but illustrates much in the hero’s journey from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Exposed studs and varying levels of plates capture the rough texture of the ground beneath Link’s feet. Transparent plates show the movement of the water, the little waves lapping around land and plant life. The pine trees stand tall over Link, their needle laden branches showing off a good use of those flower stalk parts.

From this additional angle we can get a better view of that nice boulder Link is passing by. It features sharp edges from all angles thanks to the use of strategically placed slopes. Also from this angle the ground and plants around Link can be seen a little better. The ground curves excellently down to the waters flowing by. This little vignette captures a snapshot of the game’s presence and atmosphere for this region from the game. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and boot up my Switch…

Some gleaming treasure and its fintastic warrior guardian

Builder JastaBrick gives us this amazing scene from the depths for the Summer Joust contest, in Going Big category. This is the sort of build that show off the nearly limitless capabilities of LEGO. I have a special appreciation for builds that render organic movement and shapes. This build does so wonderfully with the tail of the merman warrior. The segmented approach allows for some excellent bend and movement of the warrior as he comes up to defend the treasure. Even the armor has some organic elements to it with the curvature of the plating. There’s even a more literal organic representative in the form of a little grey frog! The sea plant life is sparse, but each is unique unto itself, lending greater diversity to the colors and shapes of the build. Even the treasure chest is fun to look at, especially the nice detail of minifig handcuffs for the handle. The base itself is well shaped and really grounds the whole scene. It shore is a fun build!

With shock and awe, behold the lead Decepticon scientist

Shockwave’s cold intellect and looming presence stand out in this LEGO figure by Shaddowtoa. Coming out of the Transformers toy line, Shockwave is the Decepticon’s leading scientific mind. This articulated figure captures his often repeated iconic look as established by the 1984 The Transformers animated series. This figure bears the classic purple and grey color scheme befitting Shockwave, with that dark pink chest. His singular yellow eye shines out from his angular head, analyzing everything in his gaze. The recessed black around the eye is cleverly achieved by way of SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques paired with brackets and slopes for the purple surrounding it. The articulation of the figure is well worth the sacrifice of the transforming elements. The figure has bend at the shoulders, elbows, ankles, knees, hips, head, and waist–not to mention the articulation in his wrist and fingers.

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Smaug brings fire and ruin to Lake-town

From The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug comes a scene of fiery wrath by W. Navarre. This build exists for the Middle-earth LEGO Olympics, bringing an iconic scene from the movie to life. Bard the Bowman pauses a moment as his home is set ablaze by the vengeful dragon Smaug, his determination to save his family and fellow townsfolk set by the heat. The fire illuminates some wonderfully crafted LEGO building and buildings. The homes have great details and features, though those sconces are no longer necessary with Smaug’s flames lighting the place. Some of the roofs have printed tiles, but others have the textures of Technic tread pieces. Of course, the town isn’t the only cool thing in the scene–the ice floating in the water is pretty neat too. The ice is brick-built sideways with slopes and wedges to give it those angles and edges. Though, I think most of it will melt until Smaug stops throwing fire around everywhere.

The ship is the knife and outer space is the butter

I always knew LEGO could be sharp (underfoot), but this ship from Tim Goddard really shows off how sharp! There’s not a curve to be seen, outside of the canopy, on this interceptor, giving it the intended sharp-edged appearance. The ship looks like to could cut through anything as it speeds along on its mission. It possesses the style choices of the classic LEGO Space theme–always a welcome sight! Even the canopy is in the color scheme of the theme, but that’s not where it comes from… The canopy is the only curve in the build, and it comes from that most excellent Lightyear 76832 XL-15 Spaceship set. It’s the perfect canopy for this build, lending itself well to that tapering wedge of the nose. I also really appreciate the sloping where the wings join the body. The use of wedge slopes with hinges isn’t a new technique, but it’s one that works really well for filling and adding definition.

Taking a look beneath the ship reveals the full arrowhead-like shape of the interceptor. It also reveals some cool detailing, like the laser cannons mounted under the wings, done with brackets, round plates, and lightsaber hilts. However, my favorite detail on the underside are those brackets running down the midsection of the nose. They create a neat effect I just can’t get over, especially when paired with the other textures around them. Not to mention, these no doubt add some dynamism and choice when it comes to a display stand. They offer plenty of connection points for an angled display scene.

A micro modular build for all your space saving needs

Want a LEGO modular set, but don’t have the room for a large set? Legobricks Bricks has you covered with this micro-scaled version of the 10255 Assembly Square set. Same buildings, but in a smaller format that’ll easily fit on a desk. I always enjoy seeing large building sets made at a smaller scale because it’s always a treat to see how the builder realizes the defining details. Here, Jelle gives us the same shapes for the buildings, so right away we can tell where everything is. The signs for the base shops stand out with their hinted at shops: the café, the flower shop, and the bakery. And if the signs weren’t enough, the defining decorations of each shop are clearly present. The canopies and outdoor seating for the café, the flowers in the window for the flower shop, and the large display window of the bakery. And the fun doesn’t stop there! There’s also the fountain, surrounding street lights, and sidewalks in microscale. Using those little trophy figures, you can play and interact with the whole micro assembly much the same as the original.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Starscream!

The amazing thing about these small Transformer LEGO builds is how well defined the characters are! They stand as proof of the skill of builders like Student Scissors here. Keeping the characters transformable and recognizable is the tricky bit when working at this scale. When I look at this figure, I instantly recognize Starscream and all his ambition to lead the Decepticons. This particular figure is based upon the Transformers 2007 movie, which turned 15 years old this month. To celebrate, enjoy the craft of this figure. Starscream’s jet alt-mode looks wonderful with little kibble left over from his robot mode. Looks like most of it tucks away nicely underneath, no doubt thanks to the clips and round plates making up the transformation joints. The robot mode is just as gorgeous, giving him his squat outline from the movie. Wedge slopes define the wide shape of his head. I have little doubt he’ll turn and flee to live another day should the battle take a turn for the worse. Classic Starscream.

In Candy Land you can have your cake and drive it too

You can travel in sugary style when sojourning in Candy Land. Just take a look at this LEGO cake rover by Prrbrix if you don’t believe me. It’s a slice of chocolate cake with sweet frosting detailing. You can take in the sights, sounds, and scents of Candy Land with this open canopy automobile. Just try not to eat it as you go, or you might not make it to your destination! Visit the fields of sweets during harvest season, or take in the music of the sweet puff plains. The candy crumb road will be your guide on your journey, all while you sit back behind the wheel of the rover. The design of the rover makes great use of those versatile ingot pieces by way of chocolate bar paneling. I imagine the chocolate bar lends itself better structure to the vehicle’s exterior than just cake. Safety is still important, even when things are made of candy.

Sometimes you leave to find adventure, and sometimes the adventure comes to port

A swashbuckling LEGO adventure from Robert4168/Garmadon and Kai/Geneva plays out in front of us like a movie scene! A stranger appears and challenges the lord to a duel for their treacheries. Onlookers take in the clashing of swords on the Port Royal wharf, some working and some drinking tea. Even the wildlife takes in the sight–is it me or does that toucan look a little nervous? I would be too with a sword fight that close, but no one else is bothered by it. I guess this sort of thing happens a lot in a pirate’s life! This build demonstrates the beauty of collaboration between builders. The wonderful Tudor buildings, back docks, and landscaping are thanks to Kai, and everything else is thanks to Robert. There’s a plethora of awesome detailing, from the buildings and trees to the clutter dotting the docks. Sometimes I forget LEGO pieces comprise these amazing builds!

Even leviathans feel a little crabby sometimes

Something slumbers in the depths beneath Shipwreck Reef, and Magmafrost13 gives it definition in LEGO form. The kaiju wakes when a massive ship of humanity’s hubris sinks and falls onto the reef. The leviathan reclaims the ship, adding its hull to its own reef encrusted exterior. Now the Crab of Shipwreck Reef comes for humanity. How cool is this build?! This cranky little kaiju features a Bionicle infrastructure with wonderful incorporation of some cool LEGO parts. Of course, what LEGO parts aren’t cool, eh? I especially like the use of the Pteranodon wings on the carapace by the face. The coloring and texture of the wings add some awesome definition. Another great usage I’m fond of is the use of the Bionicle heads for stone/part of the reef structure. There are even tiny little crabs in the reef, coming along for the ride to witness the leviathan’s retribution.

In space no one can hear you burp

Yet another planet meets its fate by this great cosmic devourer! Margit presents us with an incredible, and terrifying, kaiju for the Bio-cup challenge. Nothing escapes the nine eyes of the creature as it brings the latest prey to its gaping maw. Three sets of pincers ensure a firm grip on celestial objects, perhaps splitting them open to feast on the cores. Row upon row of razor-sharp teeth stands ready to mash solid planets to bits. This monster is something else to behold! There’s a brilliant use of LEGO rubber tires for the outer layer of the creature’s body. The tires are turned inside out, allowing the treads to hold onto the build’s internal structure. This gives the creature a smooth, organic appearance, perfect for an eldritch terror from the deepest and most primordial reaches of the universe. The next time you look through a telescope, hope you don’t see this horror lurking in the silent expanse of space.