Internal lighting is always a great way to enhance a LEGO model, and here’s a very creative example. With the application of wires, LEDs, a drill, and a Power Miners head piece, Korean builder Bangoo H has managed to create a pretty convincing Infernal from the game World of Warcraft.
Check out the builder’s blog for plenty of behind the scenes construction photos.
For hard-core Star Wars fans, even LEGO’s latest incarnation of the iconic X-34 landspeeder leaves something to be desired, with all it’s studs and tubing. Over the years, various builders have crafted their own versions, often with entertaining results. But now expert car builder Calin has created probably the classiest minifig scaled version of this vehicle to-date.
At first you’re drawn in by the color scheme, patterning and smooth surfaces. But then the details hit you: the brick-built turbines, the exposed wiring, the front hitch, and the use of a bucket handle piece for the pilot’s controls. Of course, the builder has chosen to keep that sweet curved windscreen piece, for which there’s just no substitute.
If you’ve noticed a lot of ribbed flex-tubing in some of the builds we’ve featured this week, it’s because of this year’s first Iron Builder contest, featuring yet another mind bogglingly difficult-to-use seed part. In the current battle, Sean and Steph Mayo are up against Tyler Clites and our very own Nannan Zhang (…ah well, there goes any hope of impartiality!).
In their latest salvo, the Mayo’s have recreated a scene from the classic Matrix trilogy, which seems like the perfect companion to Tyler’s Zion Dock Defense from a few years back. We wait with bated breath to see how the two lads will respond!
Although the tragic events that unfolded yesterday in Paris were simply the act of a few deranged individuals, they are a reminder to us that – like all members of the visual arts community – LEGO builders should value their freedom of expression too. French builder Jimmy Fortel decided to show his solidarity with the beautiful creation below.
It’s impossible to please all the people all of the time. I for one have had my fair share of negative feedback for things that I’ve created. But I appreciate having the freedom to push those boundaries and make artistic statements without fearing physical retribution. Sadly, that is not the case for people living in some parts of the world today. Yesterday’s incident should serve as a reminder of the freedoms that most of us do enjoy, even when they are being tested.
Nous somme tous Charlie.
As always, feel free to share your thoughts below. But please be aware that any overtly abusive, offensive or disrespectful comments will be deleted.
If you’ve seen even one of Kevin Smith’s movies, then these two lowlifes should need no introduction, as they appear in just about every one of them. Yep, it’s those wheeling, dealing, cussing 80’s throwbacks Jay and Silent Bob. Brought to you by TBB regular Letranger Absurde (aka “vitroleum” – who apparently has visited this particular stretch of wall before).
We’d invite them to comment on the accuracy of this scene themselves, but that would end up being a long series of asterisks, followed by a long series of blank spaces. Which given their antics and opinions, would probably be for the best. Especially for the executives at Miramax.
In a unique take on the phrase “year in review”, Ted Andes built a new 8×8 stud LEGO vignette every week over the entire course of 2014. The resulting collection covers all manner of topics, from the well-known to the downright weird. Often inspired by current events, the builds are always imaginative and creatively built. They also demonstrate a wide variety of building styles, proving there’s an awful lot you can do with a simple 8×8 space!
It’s almost impossible to pick favorites, but here goes…
As well covering all the most popular holidays, Ted managed to include some more ‘extreme’ annual events from around the world:
SPORTS! Clever building techniques are used to convey scale and speed, respectively:
Well it’s been far too long since our last self-indugent 80s nostalgia trip. So let’s fix that, with Ethan Marak‘s near perfect facsimile of the classic 2½D scrolling video game ZAXXON. It’s enough to send shivers down your mullet…
We look forward to seeing more classic gameplay recreations by Ethan in the future. I’m putting in my vote for Xevious and Marble Madness now! In the meantime, Ethan has also created a variety of miniature arcade furniture, including a 2-player tabletop unit (minus the french fry grease stains).
Reinforcing my opinion that Mixel eyeballs were 2014’s most exciting new LEGO element, Nick Sweetman has started chronicling the life of Nigel, a sentient potted plant with a taste for junk food (and possibly human flesh).
Unfortunately Nigel has just rushed into marriage …which I have no doubt will turn out to be a total disaster! We look forward to seeing his ongoing adventures. And finding out how adorable and numerous his offspring will be.
Say hello to Kamen Rider, from the successful 70’s Japanese TV franchise of the same name. This build is the work of Japanese pop-culture aficionado Moko. If it looks strangely familiar, that may be because Kamen Rider was the inspiration for a certain 90’s American knock-off called the Power Rangers (which, confusingly, spawned a spin-off called Masked Rider that aped the original show).
I love this piece not only because of its perfectly proportioned stud-less design, but because it’s just the latest in a long line of explorations of the masked rider by this builder, going back as far as 2006. Though with this latest interpretation, I think it’s fair to say he’s finally nailed it!
We’ve already seen the internal anatomy of a mini-fig, so I guess the innards of a brick-built figure was the next logical step. This version by Flickr member umamen comes complete with articulated joints, flex-tube veins and arteries, and helpfully color-coded organs. Can you name them all?
Serbian builder Milan Sekiz created this fearsome trio of steampunk hardware entitled Steam Party. Individually each piece stands out on its own. But with the addition of some greenery, wreckage and tire tracks, the whole ensemble is definitely greater that the sum of its parts.
I particularly love the tank (aka “Mr. Rust and two smoking barrels”) with it’s earthy color scheme, brick-heavy studs-hidden design, aggressive details, and of course those tracks! Check out Milan’s Flickr stream for lots of hero shots and closeups…
Flickr member bigboy99899 created this fully playable vintage delivery truck, complete with functional steering, optional roof, and cargo of beer barrels and other assorted booze. So suffice so say it’s a pre-prohibition era design!
As well as using an earthy color scheme to give the model that vintage feel, I also like that the builder did not constrain themselves to a specific scale (such as mining or miniland), allowing them to capture all of the details and angles that collectively make this such a fine looking vehicle.
