This dart of a LEGO car by GunnBuilding is a reimagining from the original heyday of the automobile, when people first realized that racing steel machines with wheels was great fun. The tiny single-seater is strapped together with a tenuousness befitting its early origins, the curved slopes of the hood held closed by rubber bands and numerous other elements held on by only the merest clutch. The result, however, is brilliant, and this car looks as speedy as it does classy.
It can be surprising how far a little camera angle and a good idea can go. Sometimes creations that are amazing from a technical standpoint can turn out overwhelming or chaotic, when simplicity is all you need. This creation by Martin Harris is one of the examples where less is more.
The build is indeed simple, but it has everything it needs. The water is essentially just thoughtfully placed curved slopes, and the ship looks like a ship with a nicely sculpted dragonhead and a viking-style sail. All this is photographed cleanly and at an immersive angle. The selling point is the ridiculous idea though. The fierce warriors on the ship are different LEGO baby minifigs, including sewer babies from the LEGO Movie 2, all wearing LEGO Heroica helmets.
Apocalypse is never a valid reason to stop enjoying your favourite tunes. Look at Emmet who keeps his chin up when the world around has almost been destroyed. British LEGO fan and builder justin_m_winn peeks inside Emmet’s hideout equipped with high-end stereo. This two-layers vignette has a lot of details smoothly mixed together. A room like this would fit somewhere inside 70840 Welcome To Apocalypseburg set; just imagine Emmet shaking up all of his neighbours with Everything is Awesome!
Emmet isn’t alone in keeping his chin up during the impending LEGO apocalypse. Justin has also built “Apocalypse Benny” (with his robotic arm) a wonderful display vignette, using super-rare pieces from original Classic Space sets.
For a Western audience, this collection of buildings by 磊 耿 is a striking break from the more familiar architecture usually seen in a LEGO street scene, with a wonderful variety of styles. But regardless of where you’re from, you’re bound to be impressed by the sheer quality of the building work on display. Pagoda roofs vie with castle spires for attention, and “big” certainly doesn’t mean bland, with an impressive depth of texture and interesting colour schemes across all the structures.
Paddington Bear is surely one of the least likely TV characters to have seen a 21st century reboot. However Michael Bond’s beloved creation has enjoyed renewed commercial success, and some surprising critical acclaim, in two recent big screen outings. Now his iconic status is cemented as he becomes the subject of a LEGO model — vincentkiew‘s delightful figure. All the character’s trademark attributes are present and correct — blue duffle coat, floppy red hat, and travel-stamped suitcase. The use of tan-coloured cam-shaft pieces for the coat’s toggles is perfect, and the whole composition is enhanced with the scenery — quickly and simply placing the bear in his natural environment: middle-class suburban London.
Of all the things we’ve seen built from LEGO over the years, individual organs have to come near the end of the list. Proving that they are, in fact, on the list though, is this cheery two-dimensional stomach by ForlornEmpire. There’s actually a lot of complex building involved in creating this digestive system, with skillful SNOT-work required to position the various curved slopes making the wavy edges.
In a few months’ time, I’ll be attending Japan Brickfest in Kobe. I always find the prospect of displaying a model at an event motivating. So, for this occasion I am building a few new models with a Japanese twist. I presented my Tokyo Police car a little while ago and I’ve now completed an ambulance to accompany it. The typical Japanese ambulance is a Toyota HiMedic van.
Mine represents an example used by the Tokyo Fire Department. At a first glance it may look like a box on wheels. That box is a lot wider near the bottom than near the top, though. I got the sides to taper by attaching them to hinges, but getting all of this to fit was a challenge, in particular around the windscreen. Despite the angled sides, all the doors open, including a sliding door on each side of the van. I really enjoyed making the stickers. I got to draw kanji letters and little emblems that depict Kyuta-Kun, which is the super cute Tokyo Fire Department mascot. The end result looks very Japanese and suitably futuristic. Picture this with two nacelles instead of wheels and it wouldn’t look out of place in the shuttle bay of the Starship Enterprise. Befitting a culture known for politeness, these ambulances have a PA system with recorded sentences that kindly warn other road users to make way. That detail, unfortunately, is missing from my LEGO model.
Located in South Dakota and finished in 1941, Mount Rushmore is one of the most iconic U.S. monuments. It depicts the busts of four famous American presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. It’s an excellent candidate for modeling in LEGO, such as this beautiful microscale layout built by Rocco Buttliere. Rocco has gone the extra mile by building the visitor center, rows of state flags, and the surrounding terrain. It’s a sight to behold, and I bet it looks even more impressive in person.
Cole Blaq is well-known for his LEGO spaceships, such as this starfighter we shared back in December. We’re pleased to see Cole back again with another slick-looking spacecraft. The color scheme is particularly striking, relying heavily on dark metallic bricks with a dash of tan here and there. This combination feels believably modern.
Dragon Ball Super is the latest iteration of the hit Dragon Ball anime series. Builder Chak hei Mok has built LEGO versions of Broly and Gogeta, two iconic characters from the show. Slopes are extensively used to form each character’s muscles and spiky hair. Meanwhile, ball and socket joints allow for believable poses, and the eyes are packed full of attitude.
What’s the scariest mirror of all? This ghastly-looking LEGO mirror built by Corvus Auriac comes close. While the ornate frame is largely black, pockets of gold and silver peek through in a futile attempt to rein in the darkness. I love the ghoulish hand extending from the mirror, singling out its prey with a pointed finger. It’s a frighteningly good build!
The Porsche 917 gave the German auto manufacturer its first win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971, following the historic wins by the Ford GT40 in 1966. Talented LEGO race car builder Greg_998 has recreated both the 917LH in white with blue and yellow trim and the 917K in gorgeous Gulf Oil livery.
