I’m trying to get back to blogging after a busy holiday season, and this new mecha by Chris (ironsniper) caught my eye. The proportions between the massive legs and the tiny turret seem comical at first, and yet they still somehow seem to work.
Category Archives: Models
Three new vintage LEGO commericals from the “Blast from the Past” project!
Advance just released three more vintage LEGO commericals. This week features Technic, Divers and Time Cruisers. My favorite is the Technic one. The “real” man and his car being manipulated by the boy cracks me up. On the other hand, the full-size Timmy in the Time Cruisers ad sort of creeps me out. Enjoy!
Art Director, Christian Faber tells us:
This was one of the first times we used 3D – the parking lot was built entirely in 3D and the man was shot on green screen. I think the spot has something of a voodoo feel – the boy is controlling the cars remotely. This spot is a bit different because the intro had nothing to do with toys.
Faber says:
The idea for this spot was inspired by Back to the Future – we actually built a Delorean for the set. The 2D/3D character animation was done by PDI and we shot in a plane interior in a Hollywood studio. Naked Gun was filmed in the same plane. It was a pretty chaotic set!
Faber says:
The shark here is a 2D animation shot on a 3D background – the models in the shark’s mouth are real though. This was a very simple line of sets and we felt we needed to spice up the communication, hence the real-looking sharks. We called it ‘borrowed interest’ back then. In retrospect, I think it’s a shame because I think we took attention away from the actual product.
Creations for Charity donates over 400 Lego sets
The third annual Creations for Charity ended with 418 Lego sets donated to needy children, totaling in value of almost $9,200. The toys were given to Toys for Tots in Chicago, Grand Rapids, Los Angeles, and to Childrens Hospitals and Make-a-Wish in Dallas. The fundraiser sold 66 custom Lego creations and raised $5,700. For more pictures and details, visit CreationsForCharity.org.
Have a Merry Christmas!
StarCraft Hyperion made with 15,000 LEGO bricks
Anyone who has played StarCraft 2 will instantly recognize Sven Junga‘s model of the Hyperion. Even those who are unfamiliar with the game may recognize the hammerhead shape of the battlecruiser design, which has been done several times in LEGO.
Click to see more angles and detailing of the Hyperion
It’s a rat circus out there, and I’m beginning to enjoy it!
Joe Klang (derjoe) has provided the perfect opportunity to sit in the hot and summery wastelands from Australia. There was a time when Mel Gibson was considered kind of cooler than an anti-semitic drunk. And Max Max comes very much from that time. In his second recent car-based diorama Joe shows why. You can almost hear the soft murmur of the thunderous engines of Toecutter’s merciless bike gang heading this way. The last of the V8 Interceptor’s is sitting calmly and waits…
VW NPU
I must confess I’m not a huge fan of the flex as windows technique so I almost didn’t blog this one. But the design of the iconic ‘face’ of this Volkswagen Type 2 is just too good not to blog. Karwik has definitely exceeded himself on that.
Thanks to misterzumbi for prodding me about this.
Bionicle tiger
Mike Nieves (retinence) builds the most unique Bionicle creations I’ve seen. What’s unique about a tiger you ask? For starters it’s not a humanoid warrior.
9 of the best LEGO Lord of the Rings models built by fans [Gallery]
The news today that summer 2012 will bring official LEGO Lord of the Rings and Hobbit sets made my day — maybe even my decade.
To me, this is as big a shock and as happy a day as the first time I heard about rumored LEGO Star Wars sets back in the 90’s. While my passion for Star Wars has rather waned in the intervening dozen years, my love of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth — and Peter Jackson’s movie incarnation of it — has never been stronger. Some of you may bemoan the increasing number of licensed themes LEGO is releasing, and I personally don’t care too much about DC Super Heroes, but LEGO Lord of the Rings is a Pretty Big Deal. I think it’s awesome.
In honor of the nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring, here are nine of my favorite fan-made LEGO models inspired by The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit (both books and movies) that we’ve featured here over the years. I can only imagine what LEGO fans will be inspired to build with official sets and minifigs.
1. OneLug’s 7-foot LEGO Tower of Orthanc & Last March of the Ents
2. Amon Hen & Beorn’s House by Blake Baer
(Technically, this is two, for a total of 10, I know.)
3. Kevin Walter’s 5′ 9″ Tower of Barad-dûr
4. Dave Sterling’s Minas Morgul
5. Karyn’s Modulex Doors of Durin mosaic
6. Helm’s Deep by Bryan Hanonymous
7. Jens’ Oliphaunt battle
8. Astuanax’s Minas Tirith
9. The Hobbit Hole by CAI
Finally, check out all the wonderful things LEGO fans have been building in the Tolkien LEGO group on Flickr.
LEGO Minas Morgul by Dave Sterling
With impeccable timing, Dave Sterling just posted a massive version of Minas Morgul from The Lord of the Rings. The angled buttresses (if that’s what they are) portrayed in the movie are rendered in brick with excellent skill.
The looming structure dwarfs Frodo, Sam, and Gollum as they hide outside.
Gran Torino in LEGO
For his local (Cologne) LEGO brand store recently, Joe Klang (-derjoe-) built a scene from Gran Torino. What I find particularly attractive about this scene is how inorganic it feels, while reflecting the movie so well. It almost feels like a platform game version of the film with the straight lines, diagonal grid and textural elements. And the neat suburban lawn feels even more sterile than in real life.
Thanks to Alex Jones for the heads up
2012 LEGO Super Heroes DC Comics sets out now [News]
2012 Batman and Superman sets are out a couple weeks early from LEGO Shop online. The new sets include 6864 The Batmobile and the Two-Face Chase,
which goes for $50 and includes five minifigs.
So far, the Man of Steel is only available in 6862 Superman vs. Power Armor Lex, which also includes Lex Luthor and Wonder Woman.
(And no, I haven’t forgotten about our giveaway of the SDCC 2011 exclusive minifigs. It’s just taken forever to scrub the comment data so I can properly — and fairly — randomize the entries. Apologies for the delay, especially now that you can buy your own Batman, but the person who wins him will still be getting the minifig on a card that was exclusive to Comic-Con, so hope you can forgive me…)
Remember, free shipping is now available for orders of $49, with guaranteed delivery by Christmas on all orders placed before December 18.
First class speedometer
I would never have guessed that combining a first class compartment coach with a dynamometer was a real idea. But I trust Carl Greatrix (bricktrix) to have done his homework. Although I’m not blogging it for its unusualness but for its lovely looks. There a few touches that purists may not like but it’s a gorgeous old wagon however you look at it.
PS. And no, speedometers are not the same as dynamometers. But the concept is much the same.