A LEGO builder who goes by the dubious name of The One and Only Mr. R has built the War Owl and now we’re not sure if it’s safe to go out at night. From the builder; “Throughout the galaxy, the War Owl is feared for its tendency to shoot first and establish communication channels later. The ship is the property of the pirate Captain Abelard Otus, and its flight and attack patterns are aided by its onboard navigation robot.” In other words, it doesn’t give a hoot about your safety and well-being. He goes on to say that this is the largest model he’s ever built, at about 66 studs wide and 46 studs long, and probably a few thousand pieces. Well, Mr. R, we look forward to more wild and wonderful builds by you. In the meantime, watch the skies and never go out after 7 pm. That’s when the crazies come out!
Category Archives: Models
Cute outpost with cute outhouse
Sometimes you just wish that the inspiration for a LEGO fan creation is a real life building. When I saw Andrea Lattanzio’s latest build I knew I would love to spend a night in the cute little outpost. Surrounded by the sea and the waves. The wind passing along the little stilted cabin. Going to the outhouse in the middle of the night just because of nature’s calling. Well maybe scrap that last part. The outpost looks super cute. There are a lot of cute details hidden in this creation. We get wizard wands and officers clubs used for door hinges. There even is a hockey stick used as a railing. There are many more little details to be spotted, so do yourselves a favor and give this one a little zoom in. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to check if the inspiration for this creation is up for rent as a Bed & Breakfast.
Cut through the competition at Cutlass Cove
A LEGO builder with the clever name of EMazingbrix has created a little diorama using six Minifig swords. Now, this is a conundrum because, for the life of me, I can only spot five. I see three trees, the serrated ridge to the far right, and the little boat sail. I’m still stumped on the sixth. There’s probably a passage in a survival manual somewhere stating that not spotting a weapon in plain sight is counterproductive in terms of longevity. Still, I’m flummoxed. OK, EMazingbrix, I give up. Where’s the sixth…(Schick!)…oooooh!
Never has a choppy sea looked so good in LEGO
Emulating nature in LEGO bricks can be tricky, particularly capturing the fluidity of water. Enter Huynh Khang and Ky Duy Phong, with some of the best brick-built water I’ve ever seen. It looks like it could be a painting in a gallery! A whopping 50,000 bricks were used to create this diorama, and not a single one has gone to waste. Tile pieces are used for the calmer bits of the sea, with clear and white studded plates used to represent the choppier parts of the water. The result is an incredibly dynamic ocean, which looks like a challenge for even the toughest sailors. Speaking of sailors, don’t let the waves overshadow the pirate ship – it’s just as impressive, using Bionicle pieces among other things to create detailed woodwork. To complete the roundup of LEGO Systems in this piece, we have a Duplo shark. It speaks to the magnitude of this piece that it doesn’t look at all out of place!
Shibl Al’Asad likely won’t be coming back for this temple
While this palatial LEGO waterfront property built by Andreas Lenander boasts fabulous natural light, and a glorious open floor plan, it is listed on Zillow as abandoned. It is also brimming with lion cubs, which could explain how the Abandoned Temple of Shibl Al’Asad may have become abandoned. I mean, seriously, it is now one helluva cat box and I don’t think Shibl Al’Asad will be coming back for it anytime soon. Still, I can’t help loving the impressive build techniques, palm trees, and dense vegetation. It seems to be an oasis amid a barren desert wasteland. Also, among all the feline chicanery and canoodling, there is a bovine calf hidden in plain sight. Can you spot it?
That’s one way to sharpen your skills as a builder
Builder Justus M. has really put his latest LEGO creation to the sword. Or rather, he’s put the sword to his latest LEGO creation! Quite a lot of swords, in fact. The build is a quaint little tabletop diorama of a junk ship being chased by a sea dragon. The swords are used everywhere: in the detailing for the ship, as part of the dragon’s headdress and on its back, and – most cleverly of all – as the stands. It’s these golden blades used as feet, along with the compass in the middle, that give this build an air of something more than just a cool LEGO build. It looks designed to be on display. Perhaps it would take pride of place on someone’s mantelpiece, in much the same way some real swords do.
A warm winter retreat
LEGO builders John and Isaac Snyder collaborated to bring us this magnificent winter tavern. It’s packed to the top of its steep roof peaks with great detail, and you can just feel the inn standing as a bulwark against the blustery winter winds. I particularly love the snowy forest surrounding the tavern, which makes it feel much more immersive than a stark building on a bare setting. You could (and should) spend some time poring over the intricate parts usages through the build, but take note especially of the Thor’s hammers surrounding the door; I’ve seen them used as stonework before, but they fit so well here.
Turning an armory into a place of peace
When creating your own builds with LEGO, one of the major hurdles is seeing a specialized piece as something other than what it was intended for. gGh0st demonstrates that here perfectly, turning a bevy of staffs and blades into a serene pavilion. The conical roof is cleverly constructed, and the shades of blue pair beautifully with gold and green to perfectly complement the stylish minifigure.
This interior looks so good it’s hard to believe it’s only LEGO
Architecture and interior design come together wonderfully in this LEGO build from Dad’s Bricks (Joe). Great care is evident in every little aspect of this piece, from the framing of the composition to the design of the background artwork. The inspiration for the build comes from classical and traditional Chinese mansion interiors. This style features nice wooden furniture and an elegant look to the architecture. The build possesses a fluid movement, pulling the eye through to the plant life and nature-focused artwork. The parts selection is so well thought through, upon first glance you might not realize it’s composed of LEGO. One of my favorite details in the build is the inclusion of a teapot and cups on the back table, giving the interior a bit of a lived-in quality.
A dominating domino for intense introspection
As the most prominent LEGO landscaper of alien terrain, Bart De Dobbelaer once again transports us off-world to a peaceful (and piece-full) forest scene dominated by a large, cryptic monolith. The color contrast on the structure is striking, with gaps of textured azure breaking through cracks in the large standing stone. A solitary figure sits at the base of one of the rings cut from the slab. This woman in red surveys the garden of leafy trees and large yellow blooms, no doubt reflecting on the beauty of it all. As is typical for Bart, the part usage here is top notch. I particularly like the X-Pod lids used at the base of the large flowers. Such a great throwback part!
I might have a soft spot for LEGO blacksmiths
LEGO has produced numerous sets with the blacksmith as subject. I have fond memories of really wanting (and not getting) the LEGO 3739 Blacksmith Shop. And now, after years and years, LEGO released the 21325 Medieval Blacksmith – a set that I most likely will also not be getting. This creation by Mbricks also sparks the same amount of joy. There are a lot of cleverly used parts in this set. For instance we get umbrellas used as door hinges. Treasure chest lids used to create a round bay window. Skirts are used as a chimney and the half circle tiles work perfectly as roof tiles. One of the things that makes this creation just work is the height difference in the buildings. This creates different levels to the build, each one with something interesting for the eye to behold.
Every construction job needs a set of these
Even LEGO construction workers need a portable toilet and a trailer for a temporary office while on a job site. Coming from builder Ralph Savelsberg, these two items are no doubt appreciated by the construction worker minifigures, despite their moods. The portable toilet features the ever lovely orange LEGO pieces for that classic look–just don’t be inside it when it comes time to move it…. The trailer itself is small, but there’s enough room inside to have a coffee break away from the elements. There’s a cute little window with shutters to watch the site and a nice step-up so no one has to jump in or out. To keep the trailer steady, since it’s only on two wheels, there are four supports. Between the two items, the color choices are spot on and the designs are keen.