For years I didn’t really care much for minifigures. I tend to be fussy about the scale of my models and, since minifigures are far too wide for their height, it is awkward to use them with a proper scale model. Furthermore, a larger scale makes it easier to incorporate a lot of details and functionality, which are both things that I enjoy. So, most of my builds don’t feature figures.
Category Archives: Models
Blissfully busy are brilliant blue barn swallows
Say that ten times fast! I’m just keeping you on your toes, like these busy little creatures. If you’ve ever worked on a farm or ranch, you know the job can be hard work. Barn swallows, named such because they often nest in barns, are no slouches! These beautiful birds, recreated here in LEGO by Bricolé, spend countless hours building their mud nests and raising up to 10 babies (in two clutches) a year! They’re always in a hurry and even eat while on the go! They earn their spot in the barn by scooping up tons of pesky flying insects.
As wonderful of a color it is (and as great as it looks here), LEGO “earth blue” or “dark blue” doesn’t quite do the bird justice. In real life it’s pretty stunning. That said, I love the movement in this build – especially the windswept vibe of the “grass” as the wings swoosh past. The katanas for the swallowtail are also a nice touch.
While you’re here, don’t miss out on all the other incredible animal builds we’ve featured!
A monochrome steam machine
The Mogul steam locomotive, also known as the “2-6-0”, is a pretty classic-looking train especially for model or toy trains. František Hajdekr fashioned a sleek looking light grey LEGO 2-6-0 in monochrome, and it is certainly a beauty.
While most LEGO train are built to run on track, this train does not, but there is an upside to that because in this build Hajdekr uses technic pulley wheels in combination with gears to render locomotive wheels and these are pretty aesthetically pleasing choices. I think the fez piece in black flipped upside down for the chimney was also a clever use of parts. The brick-built train tender hauled by the engine contains many different types of black LEGO elements serving as the fuel source for the engine – coal. With all the right parts and pieces, this build is ready to go full steam ahead.
Behold! The mighty C-130 Hercules
It’s big. It’s clean. And it’s a life-saving machine. This is builder Evan M‘s LEGO creation of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, as flown by the U.S. Air Force’s 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. Evan himself is a military veteran, having flown with the C-130 on several occasions. This particular aircraft performs services such as disaster relief, humanitarian operations, and medical evacuations near the Horn of Africa.
I don’t see a lot of official LEGO sets of actual airplanes, so it’s up to people like Evan to make sure they’re represented. From the pointed propeller tips to the near-perfection roundness of the fuselage, this aircraft stands out as a solid tribute to the C-130.
Feeling itchy? Check for Riot Fleas!
A bit ago a group of friends coordinated in posting a slew of Riot Fleas onto the interwebs. What’s a Riot Flea? You know, we’re still not sure. Maybe they’re like regular fleas but more…you know…riotous. This one by LEGO builder Johann Dakitsch is particularly good with its red armor and tools for hands. Unlike the other Riot Fleas, Johann tells us this one is good for assessment, maintenance and the occasional intruder disposal. This still doesn’t help in ascertaining exactly what a Riot Flea is but we like it anyway. Check out the other time we were impressed albeit flummoxed by Riot Fleas and be sure to check out the rest of them in the builder’s links.
Even a robot band needs a space tour bus
I finally realised why Daft Punk decided to retire a few months ago. There is a new robot band in town. Meet Solid State, a four-piece robotic pop group from the future. Serving in the LEGO Classic Space fleet aboard a remote outpost, they overrode their programming and abandoned their boring jobs. Instead of becoming murder-bots, they did what all young insurgent mechanoids should do: unleash their creative circuits in crafting music that explores life from a mechanical perspective. In other words, “beep beep beep.” Classic Space robot expert and Solid State groupie Tim Goddard even built a tour bus to help Solid State travel to perform at gigs. It totally matches the band’s brand – grey, mechanical, and goes beep beep beep. Most importantly, there is ample room in the back for the whole band plus all their equipment. While it’s not the most luxurious vehicle that musicians and space influencers like to flaunt, it’s perfect for the up-and-coming group.
Beep is Solid State’s debut single, as seen in the beautifully made LEGO stop-motion music video below. The song is upbeat and catchy, and exactly what you would expect from robots. It’s all performed by LEGO Space legend Peter Reid and fellow space builders Jeremy Williams, Drew Hamilton, and Chris Salt, who built the band and their equipment.
Solid State consists of: Keko (Peter Reid, vocals/guitar/synths), Mason (Jeremy Williams, decks/vocals/programming), Wami (Drew Hamilton, bass/keys), and Biz (Chris Salt, drums). A four song EP Zeros and Ones will be released later this year, and I for one, am very excited for more robot noises!
No job too big for the Technic Rexx
LEGO Technic builder Kirill Mazurov has graced us with a vehicle so amazing it deserves a second, third and fourth look. Kirill seems to be a builder of very few words. There are no descriptions with his photos. However, he has posted a video on YouTube that does all the talking for him. This model certainly has all the working functions you’d expect from a Technic model this size. It boasts an impressive fifteen motors and twenty huge tires!
For once I’m also going to be a writer of very few words and let the video do the talking. Give it a looksy. It does not disappoint!
A box that unwraps itself
Sometimes I see a LEGO Technic model that makes me scratch my head and wonder how the builder came up with the idea, let alone actually made it work. This unfolding box by YouTuber munimuni Bekkan is definitely one of those times. This clever little box is motorized so that it can unfold to lay completely flat, and then close back up. I’m not sure what you’d use this for, but I know there’s got to be something awesome. I do know that I could have used something like this last time I moved…
Check out the full video of it in action below.
Monochrome minifig habitats in all colours!
Taste the rainbow? No, that doesn’t seem right. Build the rainbow! With minifigs in matching colours! That’s better. Caz Mockett did exactly that when she undertook the challenge of building isometric minifigure habitats in most of the current LEGO colours. The massive rainbow collage you see below is beautiful, but the vignettes really shine individually. Take a closer look and notice the details and parts usage. Each isometric habitat tells a unique story of the minifig and their surroundings.
Few builders tackle the challenge of building in monochrome, working with LEGO elements of the same colour. When they do, it’s usually in white or a shade of grey, and the build is something sculptural. Caz on the other hand went for all the zany colours LEGO has to offer, from earthen tones to magentas and azures. She shows true dedication in collecting rare and expensive minifigure parts for her coloured habitats.
Check out each minifig habitat in Caz’s photo album, or hear the builder talk about them in her YouTube videos documenting each build.
The rare and majestic shoebill mech
I’ve been fascinated by the shoebill lately. I mean, that’s not unusual, I’ve always had a love for animals both odd and familiar but there has been an uptick in my shoebill YouTube searches lately. They’re such weird and majestic creatures who seem to know things beyond our understanding. Do you agree? I guess you just need to see the same YouTube videos I’ve been watching to know what I mean. So with that said, you can imagine my delight to see that Mitsuru Nikaido has built a lovely LEGO shoebill mech. Of course he has! With his distinct style and love for animals, he has consistently been among my favorite builders. Here’s why.
The Hiding of the Druid Shrine
I am an absolute sucker for LEGO photography where all that meets the eye is LEGO. Hardly no backdrop visible. Just bricks. For me this helps me stay in the scene a lot better versus seeing it as a creation made of bricks against a nice backdrop. A good example of this is Benjamin Stenlund’s latest creation. It depicts a druid in a sacred shrine. For the druid Benjamin used the sorting hat, which to me always looks like the sorting hat. Therefor it always looks kinda out of place in non Harry Potter creations. However in this case it works perfectly fine thanks to the shadow cast on the druid figure. Benjamin made a rocky landscape covered in foliage. The rock work looks really intricate and I would have no idea where to start when making them. The trees give a nice pop of colour to this creation. There even is a waterfall that lights up in the dark. My guess is this is where the secret treasure is hidden. Somehow this creation gives me strong Lord of the Rings vibes, but this is not the case. You can read the backstory to this creation in Benjamins caption.
TBB cover photo for May 2021: Domino Rally Diorama
Watching dominoes fall is fun. It’s mesmerising. In addition to the time and concentration spent setting them up for that sole purpose, it’s satisfying watching the art form of them tumble into each other. It’s better when the layouts are intricate and imaginative, full of varying levels and moving gizmos that further demonstrate reactions. As a part of the RogueOlympics 101 parts challenge, builder Ben Tritschler built a small layout resembling wooden building blocks that every small child seems to have had. And it functions too! Ben also uploaded a video where he topples the dominoes and it’s oh so satisfying! Fun fact: That’s Stretchy from Little Robots, and he is genuine LEGO, as he comes from an old Duplo set.
Check out more builds from the RogueOlympics contest here!
Submit your LEGO creations for a chance to be featured across TBB social media for a month! Check out the submission guidelines share your builds today. Photos that do not meet the submission guidelines will not be considered, and will be removed from the group.
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