As part of a Space Jam collaboration with some fellow builders, jnj_bricks has crafted a transport ship designed to carry aurum from an asteroid to a refinery. And no mined rock has ever traveled in such grand style before. This ship is an elegant blend of sharp edges and rounded corners. And the black and white color scheme, accented by medium azure and yellow, is gorgeous. Which should come as surprise, since it’s a color scheme that’s worked for this same builder before.
We all know that Steven Erickson is capable of great things. I was very pleased to see his latest LEGO creation based on his and his brother’s winning model from the finale of LEGO Masters US S2. This revamp of Warden of the Woods is named the Birch Baron. It is about a quarter of the size of the Warden of the Woods, which makes it way more compatible with LEGO minifigures. I love how the wood pattern is integrated in this figure and there are just enough black lines to make it read birch wood. Too much would have made it look like a zebra. The bright yellow and light orange add a wonderful contrast to white central figure.
There is so much eye for detail in this build. If you were to zoom in on the staff, you’ll notice purple half circle tiles used to represent, what I think are, shelf fungus. In the Netherlands we call those elf benches, which sounds way more romantic and in the theme of this creation. Steven made several small bases to go along with the Birch Baron and each one depicts a different theme. I like the fallen leaves on the ground and the use of the old school flower to represent the mushroom stalk and gills of the mushrooms. If you’ll excuse me now, I feel like going on a walk in nature.
Lights, bricks, action! This month’s social media cover photo is Zio Chao‘s massive and detailed build of an ornate mansion. The Residence for the Governor-General of Taiwan is a central government building in Zio’s hometown of Taipei, Taiwan, built in a European architecture style at the start of the 20th century.
read on to see this magnificent building all lit up
Can you spot the LEGO IKEA BYGGLEK box in this creation by lego_nuts? Neither could I until I watched their video on youtube. The storage box is used as the base of this wonderful creation. All lego-nuts had to do was create four walls to hide the box properly. My mind is completely blown. This technique could be used to create mountains without them getting too heavy and parts-consuming. I didn’t know I needed the storage containers, but now I am sure that I do.
I love to see people make creations inspired by Chinese Architecture using LEGO Monkie Kid aesthetics. For one of the buildings in the background curved train rail is used for the rooftop. Which is brilliant if you ask me. The Monkie Kid crew is having Chinese hot pot during their Reunion Dinner to celebrate the Lunar New Year and I would just love to join them in this lovely setting.
If any version of the Batman was going to drive a modified VW bus, it was going to be the 1960’s Adam West incarnation. 1saac W. has created the ultimate hybrid with this Bat Bus – a tricked out version of one of 1saac’s other great automotive recreations, the Volkswagen T1 Westfalla. (Westfalla. Get it?) This model uses stickers and some parts from the 76188 Classic Batmobile set to great effect – Bats is ready to hit the road in style.
In this mystical scene by Alex_mocs, a tree wraps around an elevated structure. The shadowy figure of a deer stands next to a wide chalice with a wing piece sprouting from the bowl. The smooth shape of the deer’s body is formed of rubber bands, closely slotted together. A stud shooter represents the creature’s neck and the head is actually a droid torso piece. The stairs also have an interesting build with a staggered construction created by placing plates sideways.
Did you know you can mix a toddler’s DUPLO pieces in with your “regular” LEGO? Well, you can! LEGO even said it’s a great thing to do. But now, they might be reneging on that idea because of the unsettled mind of Andy Baumgart. Meet Sugarfoot and his parasitic twin Gutpunch. They’re sort of…um…your welcoming committee into a hellish radioactive post-apocalyptic nightmare. They serve as a reminder of what the world can be like if society as a whole makes an awful lot of bad life choices all to an Aphex Twin soundtrack on a continuous loop. Everything you see is all LEGO products except for the badass custom decals. I’m sure LEGO is kicking themselves now! But hey, if you enjoy badassery and terrible life choices as much as I do, then be sure to check out more unsettling post-apocalyptic offerings from other builders as well.
This motorized intergalactic pizza factory by BetaNotus is making me hungry. It’s cranking out perfect pies in record time, with a team of cybernetic chefs watching over things. These mathematically precise pizzas go from raw, to cooked, to boxed in mere seconds. Then, it’s off to the nearest Pizza Tron kiosk so that beings from all across the universe can grab a quick bite between planets. The detailed, believable factory assembly line is wonderful, but our favorite detail is definitely the brick-built “Pizza Tron” signs up above.
In the Studio Ghibli animated classic Spirited Away, a sense of wonder and magic infuses just about everything. Marcin Otręba takes us on a trip to a LEGO recreation of the iconic bathhouse, and it’s every bit as wonderous. From the graceful curve of the bridge to the spot-on color choices and complex tiling in the walls, this microscale reproduction is very true to the original. But, like in the film, there’s more here than you might first see. Keep reading to discover some of the secrets!
Mitsuru Nikaido has constructed this haunting model, taking inspiration from aquatic creatures found in the depths of the ocean. Specifically, this build is based on the strangely named footballfish, from the same family as the anglerfish. The body is covered in armour like plates, providing the model with a robotic aesthetic, until you get to the mouth. The twisted, organic looking teeth, recreate the horrifying appearance of the fish, along with the round gleaming eyes. Beware dear readers, I’ve heard that this model uses a golden bionicle orb to lure in unsuspecting LEGO fans…
Andrew Tate has a way with rendering mid-century style in LEGO form. His latest creation is centered around one of my favorite trends of the era – the conversation pit. A conversation pit was a recessed area in the middle of a room that featured built-in seating, designed to encourage socializing. It provided a sort of indoor “around the campfire” vibe. Once upon a time, it was the ultimate cocktail party setting. And this Paradisa Estates floorplan maximizes that party atmosphere with an open kitchen space nearby. Andrew’s done a brilliant job at capturing the style of the era, from the earthy color palette to textural details like the alternating slopes above the built-in entertainment center. So, pour me a Tom Collins and crank up the Jim Croce, because I’m ready to party.
Are you old enough to remember Dirty Jobs? This scene from Shannon Sproule reminds me of that show. It’s easy to project the personality of Mike Rowe onto the hard-hatted figure descending into the sewer, particularly with the backstory that Gracie (as the monster is known) gets along just fine with the City workforce. It’s a fun little slice of life that shows we can all get along if we try. (And if we offer the monsters in our lives chicken legs and cheeseburgers.)
We’ve featured a lot of monstrous creations over the years. Why not check them out?