LEGO’s 90th anniversary sets have pushed the fandom’s collective nostalgia into hyperspace, prompting all kinds of throwback builds. This tiny spacecraft by Pascal is a perfect example of old-school styling and modern construction. The blue and gray color scheme recalls the classic sets of yesteryear, but the studless construction and greebling details put this squarely in the “modern marvel” category.
Not too long ago, LEGO builder Hejjo Demkowicz asked his Instagram friends to come up with ideas for him to build. Soon after they suggested a hedgehog and now we’re all better off for it. I mean, who can resist that cute little face? Asking friends for creative suggestions is such a neat thing as people (who are not your own self) will think of the darndest things. It’s a test of your meddle to successfully come up with what they suggest. Sometimes they can be doozies! This looks to be the start of what might be a long string of suggestions from Hejjo’s friends. With ideas this good, we look forward to whatever else Hejjo might have in store.
You can travel in sugary style when sojourning in Candy Land. Just take a look at this LEGO cake rover by Prrbrix if you don’t believe me. It’s a slice of chocolate cake with sweet frosting detailing. You can take in the sights, sounds, and scents of Candy Land with this open canopy automobile. Just try not to eat it as you go, or you might not make it to your destination! Visit the fields of sweets during harvest season, or take in the music of the sweet puff plains. The candy crumb road will be your guide on your journey, all while you sit back behind the wheel of the rover. The design of the rover makes great use of those versatile ingot pieces by way of chocolate bar paneling. I imagine the chocolate bar lends itself better structure to the vehicle’s exterior than just cake. Safety is still important, even when things are made of candy.
If there’s anyone I trust to build a spirit consisting of the five elemental forces, it’s got to be Eero Okkonen. I mean, after all, the dude writes for a LEGO blog called New Elementary, so he’s got to be an expert! And, in typical “Eero” fashion, earth, wind, fire, water, and void aren’t the only elements excellently displayed here. That bending trunk of Bionicle bits looks so organic, especially in contrast to the stone corners of the nearby lantern. And I absolutely love the plating used for the warrior’s kusazuri, as well as the shaping of their hair. It seems very similar to the design for “Wind” within the kami, strands snaking down onto armored shoulders. The largely grayscale nature of the build helps to make all the colors pop out, even more, drawing the eye to the orange of the spirit, the pink flowers of the tree, and the gold worn by the warrior.
The best part about being friends with us Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOLs) is the custom gifts. To celebrate a friend’s birthday, Dan Ko crafted this tribute to The Dark Knight, and what a gift it is. This stunning statue depicts Batman leaping from a Gotham City gargoyle and into action. The Caped Crusader is perfectly captured here, with an impressively effective cowl construction and a video game controller ingeniously repurposed for his chest emblem. And the gargoyle head itself has so much character that I almost want to see a mad scientist bring it to life. (As if Batman didn’t have enough to worry about…)
Based on designs from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, Rokan Cheung has built the main Gundam mech head and a BrickHeadz version of its pilot, Amuro Rey. A variety of slope and angled pieces have been used to create the complex shapes of the head. Corner panels are stacked together to form the vent sections on the sides of the helmet. The BrickHeadz build has some great features, such as croissants representing curls in the fringe and tooth pieces portraying sharp-pointed boots. With official LEGO set releases such as Voltron and Optimus Prime in recent years, maybe there’s potential that something like Rokan’s models might appear in the future.
Confession time. I know Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones is one of the most well-known rock anthems ever, but… I prefer the cover that pop singer Vanessa Carlton did. (She’s just an incredible artist, OK?) Before you accuse me of blasphemy, let’s take a look at this creation by another incredible artist, Woomy World. This build is inspired by the lyrics from the song (“I see a red door and I want it painted black”), with the black rose rising from the door forming the title of the piece. The rose looks fantastic, using everything from macaroni tubes to a dragon wing to give an ethereal, almost other-worldly feel to it.
It sits in contrast with the other everyday elements of the build, but they are no less impressive for it. I love the umbrellas representing drips of paint from the bucket. The painter would also be worthy of a feature on his own! The suit jacket uses Technic panel pieces which are an inspired choice and look fantastic. The hair is where I keep getting drawn to though: there are so many different pieces but they all seem so carefully placed. I can see flintlock pistols, a minifigure satchel and at least one minifigure arm. The Rolling Stones might be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but this creation surely belongs in an art gallery!
By a show of hands, who here demanded to see a Bathynomus giganteus mech made with LEGO? Really, am I the only one? Well, frankly I didn’t ask for it either but now that I see this fantastic creation by Mitsuru Nikaido I’m compelled to share it with you all. The real-life counterpart is not some extinct dinosaur, but rather a living, breathing deep-sea creature common in cold waters. While they typically reach a length between 7.5 and 14.2 inches, some can grow up to 20 inches long. With that segmented complex carapace, compound eyes and seven sets of pereiopods what’s not to love, really? I am not doubting your intelligence (heck, I barely get by with the help of Google) but it is possible that just a moment ago you knew nothing of such a creature and now its likeness is forever burned into your posterior parietal cortex. You’re welcome, I guess? Nituru has a distinct style and a knack for building some very interesting creatures both familiar and bizarre.
A swashbuckling LEGO adventure from Robert4168/Garmadon and Kai/Geneva plays out in front of us like a movie scene! A stranger appears and challenges the lord to a duel for their treacheries. Onlookers take in the clashing of swords on the Port Royal wharf, some working and some drinking tea. Even the wildlife takes in the sight–is it me or does that toucan look a little nervous? I would be too with a sword fight that close, but no one else is bothered by it. I guess this sort of thing happens a lot in a pirate’s life! This build demonstrates the beauty of collaboration between builders. The wonderful Tudor buildings, back docks, and landscaping are thanks to Kai, and everything else is thanks to Robert. There’s a plethora of awesome detailing, from the buildings and trees to the clutter dotting the docks. Sometimes I forget LEGO pieces comprise these amazing builds!
The microscale throwbacks just keep coming. This time, John Tooker has created a miniature version of set 6048 Majisto’s Magical Workshop. John has captured all the details I remember from childhood – the ladder leading upstairs, the pot brewing something over the fire, and he’s even included a tiny Majisto and a Dragon Knight. It’s abra-kadorable.
No one sets a LEGO scene quite like Victor van den Berg! I mean, check out the old-school laboratory he’s brewed up! Each flask and beaker are carefully placed on the table, drawers overflowing with ingredients, and a wall of shelves loaded with tinctures and concentrates adorn this gorgeous room. Brown arches and pillars carve paths through the dark tan bricks, above a floor tiled to complement the multicolored bottled spread throughout the lab. Add all that to the lived-in touches of the workspace like the armchair in the corner or the cord of wood in a crate next to the wrought iron fireplace, and the space radiates a homey charm.
But nothing adds warmth to this workspace like Victor’s excellent use of light. From the fireplace, the hanging lanterns, and especially the windows to the rear of the space, light illuminates the build in an uneven and realistic manner. But the focal point has got to be the sunlight pouring in through the skylight. It highlights all the detailed instruments and vials on the central table, best viewed in the photo below. As someone who’s put in a couple of years standing at the lab bench and read a few too many books on the history of science, the equipment here is spot-on for that of the age. Nothing like determining the index of refraction the old-fashioned way!
Independence Day has already passed here in the US but that doesn’t mean we can’t be smitten by Rocco Buttliere’s stunning new LEGO creation. Independence Hall played a crucial role in the founding of the United States, as its storied assembly rooms witnessed the signing of both the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787. I’m loving the trees and the impressive Colonial Georgian Architecture. Rocco’s signature on the handsome, well-appointed base is a nice touch indeed. While microscale, this smallish (for Rocco) creation doesn’t diminish the grand setting of Philadelphia’s old city center. That is this builder’s specialty, really; building absolutely grand things on a small scale. Please check out our Rocco Buttliere archives to see what I mean.
