LEGO will be launching the The Insect Collection soon and, as a result, some of our favorite builders are a little buggier than usual. Take, for example, this lovely Orchid Mantis built by LEGO 7 that is adorned, like its namesake, in pink and white. The flowers come from 10311 Orchid set from last year.
While we’re all itching to get our hands on the LEGO Ideas Insect Collection set, builder James Zhan created his own take on some of the other critters from the phylum Arthropoda. First up, a pair of comically-adorned beetles slug it out in the forest floor’s ring for the title of bug boxing world champion. While the stag beetle (in blue) certainly has that look of determination, the Japanese horned beetle (in red) is certainly no slouch. And judging by the belt it’s rocking, this is far from its first time in the ring. Don’t let the beetles distract you entirely, though. Those adorable pink flowers growing out of a corner of the ring are quite the detail!
In a more true-to-life depiction of insectoids, this quintet of fireflies know how to light up a scene. While still featuring cartoonish “bug” eyes, these insect of the family Lampyridae put transparent neon LEGO elements to good use on their posteriors to signify their glowing potential. And once again, the background is a fantastic bit of flora, featuring three types of fungi growing out of the log that’s the base of this build (one is on the other side of the creation). But then again, we know James can certainly turn out a fantastic plant when he has to.
Introducing the DSV Hardshell, the latest in undersea exploration by Slick_Brick. This amazing submersible glides silently through the ocean with flipper-style propulsion and steering, allowing you to roam the reefs without frightening away its aquatic inhabitants. The extra wide windscreen allows for unobstructed views in nearly all directions while keeping you safe from electric jellyfish and any sharks who might be lurking nearby.
LEGO builder Hannes Tscharner (aka Marshal Banana) has reminded me of one of the hottest debates in sci-fi fandom, that being; what the heck is up with E.T.’s finger? I mean, seriously is it a Slim Jim with a lightbulb on the end or what? Also, having nothing to do with nerdy fanboys debating online is this awesome Star Wars replica of Han Solo’s blaster. The handsome DL-44 borrows design DNA from the Mauser C96 but added a scope and a bunch of other greebly bits including the “mystery disk”. What does the mystery disk do? It shoots mouthy Rodian bounty hunters right in the aedeagus, that’s what! This movie-accurate replica is 1:1 so you can hold it and practice your lovable scoundrel smile in the mirror. Isn’t that what we all do when not debating E.T.’s dubious finger?
The rage I feel for LEGO bricks from the brittle brown era is something I’ve felt time and time again. But thanks to Nikita Filatov and their depiction of Anger of Inside Out-fame, I’ve got a much better idea of what’s going on inside my head. I can almost hear the voice of Lewis Black ranting about ABS integrity and how he should’ve used dark tan instead! Probably not the best time to tell him that LEGO discontinued trans-neon orange….
I’m a sucker for pretty much any sci-fi movie. Add in architectural design and I’m in LEGO nerd heaven. Movies like Bladerunner, Elysium, and the Fifth Element combine story and unique perspectives on cities of the future. I recently watched a Korean sci-fi movie called Jun_E, which was set in a post-apocalyptic city built above the flooded remains of a major metropolis and I was inspired to build my own microscale city based on the concept. You can find more of my LEGO creation pictures on Instagram at koffy_kat
I purposely built the waterline above the frame to enhance the feeling of the water barely contained. Starting with all of the ruined buildings, I then built the pillars. I built each block one at a time, but often went back to add more just like the architects of this city would do with no more solid ground to build on.
Read on to see more details about each of the three sections
The LEGO blades of grass pale in comparison to the massive claymore wielded by this turquoise-and-white mech by Psyro TtunTomato. I’m pretty sure this build utilizes nearly every two stud-long curved slope, giving the armor plating so many interesting facets. This is contrasted nicely with the sleek flow of the sword’s edges. The turquoise and gold detailing is excellent on the white background, and I love the little hints of trans-light green that bring the palette together. But the thing that makes this creation stand out from your average mech is the exquisite background. That verdant plain full of katana-constructed grass is a genius presentation of a tough-to-use part (when not used as a minifigure weapon).
The variety of amazing builds we feature here at The Brothers Brick certainly leaves me (Ben Dodds) inspired to go and try out some of the ideas we see. And whilst work has kept me busy these last few months, any free time I’ve had has been spent running away from screens and into the LEGO drawers (amid actual running!). In this small free time that I have had, I’ve found myself building Star Wars vignettes. They’re small, and the challenge is to get as much in the scene without it looking cramped. One such scene is well timed with the release of the Ahsoka series and revisiting the Rebels team. Here, with the Rebels figures I have, we find the Spectre team mid-heist in a face off against pursuit unknown.
With each build I try to give myself a challenge. And here, I wanted to see what I could build with curved Roller Coaster rails. For this, I looked to turn them into a stairwell, and this little scene grew from there, using the escalator pieces as the stairwell itself. Making the limited connections work was a challenge, but it adds a central focus to the build while also allowing me to furnish the build with a water feature. I also added a flourish of vegetation to detract from the inevitable grey that was unescapable here. It is LEGO Star Wars after all!
Dive further into the universe of Star Wars TV below!
I’m a sucker for a LEGO Adventurers build, and here Robert4168/Garmadon revisits a classic Adventurers setting in celebration of the theme’s 25th anniversary. The gang’s all here! Whilst Johnny Thunder scales ruins, the rest of the team are busy sailing to an extravagant temple emerging from the jungle. But in true Adventurers style, it’s not quite the abandoned monolith they were hoping for.
It’s worth keeping your eyes peeled, as many LEGO fans are building tributes to this great theme right now.
While I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on the video game A Plague Tale: Innocence, it’s fair to say I know my way around a LEGO brick. So when I say that this mosaic by General 尓àvarre (W. Navarre) is one of the most impressive bits of 2-D brickwork I’ve seen. At this scale, the General must employ clips aplenty. These clips are used adeptly to hold all manner of barred piece, forming an intricate picture of the game’s main characters. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s additional work around the edges of this mosaic to give the 22×30 stud rectangle the look of a aging photograph. It’s a masterful union of color, texture, and technique, capturing a moment of happiness in a dark, bleak setting.
I first read Dune in the deserts of Egypt, on the night train from Cairo to Luxor, and since then I’ve loved every rendition of the Dune saga I’ve ever consumed, starting with the full book series by Frank Herbert, of course, but also every adaptation, from David Lynch’s weird 1984 film and the 2000s Syfy TV series to the recent Denis Villeneuve masterpiece, but even the concept designs by Chris Ross for the aborted Alejandro Jodorowsky version in the 1970s. It’s almost like there’s a Dune multiverse in which every incarnation is awesome. Angus MacLane seems to share my passion, with this Classic Space homage featuring a Spicing Guild navigator floating in his tank accompanied by his entourage.
Using black Classic Space minifigures and a giant classic smiley head inside the tank is so freakin’ weird that it fits perfectly into that hypothetical Dune multiverse. Especially for minifigs wearing uniforms, many LEGO builders choose to vary their minifigs’ faces. But it’s the very uniformity of these minifigs that makes the whole scene weirder, magnified by the massive head in the tank.
Sometimes you just gotta throw caution (as well as your hair and face) to the wind and strap into a single reptile-themed roller coaster car and let gravity and evolution do the rest. That’s exactly what’s going on here with lokiloki29’s new LEGO creation. I like that the coaster car’s face looks just as scared and exhilarated as its rider. Will it go well? Magic 8-ball says “Reply hazy, try again”. While we mull over that vote of confidence, check out our lokiloki29 archives to learn why Loki squared x29 both exhilarates us and scares our sensibilities sometimes.
