In the future when humans have colonized other planets, they still have to get their bacon somehow. Pangeran Panda builds a solution in his meat processing factory where livestock is directly processed into consumable goods.
The transparent walls let you see the motorized conveyor belts in action, but wait, something isn’t quite right. Take a look at the video and see if you get a laugh out of the builder’s sense of humor.
You may know Martin Latta as the builder who made the life-sized Terminator or the epic Battle of Hoth diorama. His latest display takes us to the desert planet of Tatooine in the midst of the fast-paced podrace featuring Anakin and Sebulba. This giant layout spans about 9 ft by 6 ft and contains around 100,000 pieces.
Click to see more of this amazing Mos Espa arena
You can tell a lot about a historic Lego diorama through its landscaping. This collaboration by Classical Bricks, Cole Blood, and Mountain Hobbit shows a majestic castle settled on a rocky and hilly landscape next to a flowing river. The construction of the castle on top of the highest point of the ground elevates its sense of grandeur. It’s no wonder this creation caught the attention of many and won “Best in Show” at Bricks Cascade.
This winter landscape sculpted by John Snyder is a glimpse of the raw beauty of nature. There are many details to reward a closer look from the frozen pond to the brick-built wildlife. I count 9 animals ranging from a blue jay to a hibernating bear, can you find them all?
The title of this work by Leonid An is called Deadline! and aptly depicts the molecular structure of epinephrine (more commonly known as adrenaline) and a shadowed clock with one minute until midnight. I really like the use of the magnifying glass and the T-bars for the hydroxyl groups. This totally takes me back to when I was in college organic chemistry ten years ago — minus the stress of studying for tests!
Before LEGO produced plastic bricks, the company had its humble roots in making wooden toys. The wooden duck was first produced in 1935 and is an icon of the early years of LEGO. Jason Allemann has recreated a 1:1 scale of the model, complete with moving mouth when the duck is pulled. Check out more info on the builder’s blog and get access to free instructions to build your own.
Watch the plastic wooden LEGO duck in action in a video
This elaborate architectural beauty is the gate to Kiyomizu-dera, a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. André Pinto is the architect of this faithful LEGO version, which captures the ornate decorations and the vibrant colors of the gate.
It’s worth noticing that the builder incorporated the intricate lattice in the underside of the roof, which is a huge undertaking but also one with huge payoffs.
In 2006, LEGO released the Exo-Force theme, and 7709 Sentai Fortress was the largest set in the line. Marius Herrmann created a microscale version complete with the surrounding elements seen on the box art. The iconic round orange gate and the microscale mechas makes the creation instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with the original set.
The latest trend for castle creations have focused on organic and colorful shapes, showcasing complex building techniques and intensive parts usage. A leading pioneer of this style is Derfel Cadarn, who created a guide in 2011 showcasing some detailed techniques that many builders have referenced. Before then castles used to be square, which you can see in examples from prolific builders from the previous decade such as Rocko, Darkspawn, and even hachi from the early 2000’s.
This brings me to the latest creation by Brother Steven, which purposely features simpler building techniques reminiscent of the old style of castles. The white walls and the staggered towers are strikingly solid features, an effect that is best achieved with the bread and butter technique of stacking one brick on top of another.
Where do the nobles of Mesopotamia gather to discuss politics or who owns the most camels? Sam Malmberg will show you the way to his desert retreat where drinks are served and the dancers are divine.
This build features prominent Arabian-themed architectural elements, and the use of colored paneling adds character to the predominantly gray structure. The slanted stone railing and the angled brown awnings are great techniques that have broad architectural applications.
Ever wonder what a LEGO violin sounds like? Me neither. This realistic model by Ryan McNaught may not produce the high-quality sounds of a Stradivarius, but it almost looks like the real deal. The distinct shape of the instrument is made possible by curved slope pieces, and the use of the radar dishes for the scroll is incredibly realistic. Even the bow has a bend to it and retained its characteristic pearl eye on the frog. Let’s hear that concerto in brick major!
This row of colorfully crooked medieval houses by Ralf Langer depicts his first attempt at building a custom LEGO creation. While it’s hard to believe a new builder’s first LEGO creation can be a masterpiece, it’s certainly possible but usually requires lots of studying other creations and experimenting with building techniques. Ralf has probably done plenty of both, and the result paid off beautifully. I like the style of using detached landscape elements to enhance the setting, which adds a lot of depth to the scene.
