Joss Woodyard puts a mammalian twist on kaiju with Molethra. No mere garden pest, this giant beast has risen up from the subterranean depths to wreck untold havoc. Joss has done an amazing job of layering the stylized wing pieces to create a furry texture. And the damaged microscale city street does a perfect job of conveying the monster’s massive size.
Dan Ko has packed a lot of detail into this 12×12 vignette of a medieval butcher’s stand. Inverting the tiles in the awning lets the anti-studs add a pop of texture, and the use of a few 1×1 round plates amongst the round tiles on the ground help give a sense of rough and uneven cobblestone. But the most interesting technique is the way the minifigure roller skates are holding the bars in the underside crevices of the 10×2 brick being used as the butcher’s workspace. It’s details like that which can pack a small build with a smorgasbord of visual intrigue.
Pan Noda brings us to this derelict fair and its Ferris wheel in this eerie LEGO scene. Maybe I’ve been watching too much Stranger Things, but this build really called out to me! I really like how Pan has shown nature reclaiming this abandoned ride through the use of generous and well-placed vegetation pieces. As age and neglect have taken hold, we see parts of the Ferris wheel’s structure have broken off, adding to the suspense of the build. Around the base of the ride and the gondolas, we see the vestiges of the vibrant colour that once populated the fairground alongside a well placed Crayon costume piece. This serves as now-forgotten signage and I love this call out to a happier time included by Pan.
And did I mention its haunted? I’ll let you count the ghouls…
Vol. 2 of Stranger Things Season 4 drops this coming Friday, and to celebrate KaijuBuildz has crafted a Hawkins Labs suitable for creating mysterious happenings in your own LEGO Town. This digital build does an impressive job of recreating the TV location’s unique wired windows, and the rooftop is loaded with 80s era communications equipment.
Inside you’ll find plenty of details from the show – the Rainbow Room, the sensory deprivation tank, and even a portal to the Upside Down. We’d love to see LEGO release something similar to this to pair with set 75810.
Toddrick has invoked his shamanic brick-building powers to bring us this intriguing LEGO character. The pose is somehow intimidating, yet there seem to be no weapons or immediate aggression on display. There is nothing in the way of an explanation from Toddrick either – he’s letting the bricks do the talking, and boy are they chatty here! The eye is immediately drawn to that colourful face mask, which really stands out against the black and brown hues of the rest of the build. I like seeing rubber bands used in designs to break up the solid lines of LEGO bricks, and they are used as detailing here as well as on the beastly horns. The leaf elements of the face are reflected by the use of more vegetation elsewhere on the mage’s outfit. This seems logical – after all, that’s likely what such traditional outfits are made of in the real world. The bushes on the sleeves in particular look really authentic. Toddrick hasn’t limited himself to system pieces either – the staff is a flexible axle, and the chest piece comes from Hero Factory. I think the necklace might even be a Scala or Clikits piece. Finally, on the back is a Duplo camp fire piece. Just about every LEGO system is represented here. Now that is magic!
Don’t adjust your screens; that is not a LEGO minifigure someone left in a microwave to see what would happen. You’re looking at a Ted Andes creation of an up-sized remote control space rover built for a plush Lenny. Despite being a seasoned writer for The Brothers Brick, I didn’t know these LEGO plushies were a thing until like two minutes ago. I’m apparently the wrong demographic, but they’ve been all the rage with youngins for a few years now. Look, I never said I was attuned to what the kiddos are into; I don’t even know what kind of bourbon they like. Anyway, while you’re trying to figure out how a TBB volunteer can be given the pink slip, check out these other works by Ted Andes whom, it turns out, is a master at making unusual parts seem pretty cool.
Don’t tell anyone but if I had a plushie Lenny I’d probably give him an occasional squeeze for good luck.
Descending from the heavens comes this holy mech, created by Ronin Bricks. The small machine features sharp pointed wings and wields a spear with a circular quarter piece representing its curved blade. The head is formed of a rounded plate with a small tile representing the visor of the robot. The use of bars and clips provides the mech with a fantastic range of articulation. Nozzle pieces have been cleverly used for the feet, providing the mech with the ability to bend its feet. The build comes complete with a stand, perfect for posing this creation in some dramatic aerial poses.
Nikita Nikolsky takes us for a play date on an alien planet with this creative build. An extraterrestrial child dreams of interstellar conquest as he plays out his flying saucer toy attacking the sand castle he built. Despite his murderous intentions, there’s tons to love about this alien, from his expressive face to the use of the lime elements as sporty beach wear. I’m not looking forward to having to one day bow before him after he’s conquered Earth. But, at the same time, it’s gonna be like, “I’m proud of you, kid. You made it.”
Builder Peter Ilmrud presents a legend in the making with this beautiful, and dangerous, LEGO swamp. Green. That’s the word at the forefront of describing this build, broken up by the tan interspersed throughout. It’s a bright and bold choice and works wonderfully here for this swamp teeming with life. And even with the green dominating, it’s quite nuanced in the variety used. Everything is distinct in its own right, allowing the scene to shine with all its poisonous might. There are two small things I appreciate in this build–one is the bird watching the scene below, and the other is a paint palette. Can you find it? Here’s a hint: it’s a big leaf for a short plant.
There are plenty of life-size LEGO lightsabers out there (including LEGO’s own promos), both from the Star Wars films and builders creating their own. Dicken Liu has taken inspiration from an altogether different source for their 1:1-scale brick-built laser sword hilt, however. This LEGO lightsaber is a model of, well, a LEGO lightsaber! I suppose that technically makes it 12:1 scale. This minifigure accessory has been virtually unchanged since the Star Wars line made its debut 23 years ago. Here its form is very faithfully recreated, making good use of the myriad round and curved slopes in the LEGO parts catalogue. Interestingly I think virtually all of the external parts you see here didn’t exist back in 1999, when we got the first Star Wars sets!
The external shape is not the only interesting thing here, though…
Every once in a while, I’ve come across a LEGO build that’s well outside my normal genre of building, but is so impressive that I have to sit up and take notice. And this 1964 Chevy Impala Lowrider by Tony Bovkoon is exactly that type of build. The lines on this auto are so clean and crisp. All the angles on the ornate grille are perfect. And the zebra-print interior feels like the perfect added detail. I can only imagine the hours that were poured into the overall design. I especially like the use of the dragon symbol parts behind the backseat.
More of this impressive Impala below
Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro is a Studio Ghibli film which is often overlooked, so it’s great to see this fantastic build of the main structure in the film by Sandro Damiano. Created in microscale, the castle rests upon a beautifully formed lake with different shades of colour placed underneath transparent blue tiles, representing the variety of depths in the water. A long walkway links the castle to a clock tower which is placed upon a crumbling wall. The castle has been lovingly built with accurate tall blue spires and roofing details. Headlight pieces are heavily featured across the castle, portraying large windows.
Round the back you can really get a sense of how the castle is built upon a rocky surface with the use of dark grey bricks. There are also some clever uses of parts, such as the ends of grille pieces as tiny windows, and some of the arches are represented by rounded plates with bar handles. It’s a fantastic build that really captures the sense of awe and mystery surrounding the castle.
