Pascal Hetzel wants to remind us that even the evil Empire gets into the Christmas spirit. That’s why these microscale AT-ATs have been outfitted in festive sweaters and ordered to leave some presents just outside the Rebels’ base on Hoth. There’s so much life to the walkers in this vignette. The head tilts and the tracks left in the snow make it feel like a scene from a stop-motion Christmas special. Maybe they’re going caroling next. “It’s Beginning to Look AT-AT Like Christmas.”
At first glance, you might not realize this idyllic holiday scene is made from LEGO. That’s because builder aukbricks has made use of roughly 14,000 digital bricks to render a spacious living room at a scale large enough to trick the eye. I’m particularly impressed by the mosaic hanging on the wall, made using the tips of bar elements. Although this model is a computer rendering, aukbricks assures us that only existing bricks/colors were used. So, you can build this yourself in reality…assuming Santa brings you enough LEGO this year. Merry Christmas.
Dog owners know how much joy a new doggie brings to the household. They can be a lot of work at times, they get into things you wouldn’t even imagine, but when your new pup finally settles in that’s when the magic happens. LEGO builder Timofey Tkachev likely knows what I mean as evidenced by this darling little fur baby under the tree. That playful expression, the squeaky ball, even the DOTS watchband used as a collar are all brilliant details.
You can see this precious little scamp from all angles with this short video.
The latest LEGO build by Ilya Zubashev appears to be a theme of its own. We get a train station which would qualify this build as a train-themed build. But then again there is a model of the moon on top of the train station. The ground is rocky, grey, and filled with craters, just like the moon. So this is either a train station to the moon or a train station on the moon. Which would qualify this as a space build. When we take a closer look at one of the figures, we find a dwarf. The architecture of the station looks Victorian or older and quite castle-like, which would make this a castle-themed build. Could it be steampunk?
I don’t know, but I do know that I really like it. One of the things that stand out the most to me is the use of the raised snake as an architectural detail near the door. The combination of the viking wheel and the Big Ben clock dish. And last but not least, the design of the lamp posts using the fishbowl helmet.
Daniel Cloward has constructed this charming winter scene featuring a cottage on a snow-covered hill. This LEGO build has an organic feeling about it, created through the curves in the rounded hill and the sloping angles of the cottage. The use of light purple on the roof is unusual but effective, as it blends in with the background sky. Claws form the leaves of the trees with the white pieces portraying snow steadily dripping off the leaves. It’s probably best to get inside quick and snuggle down by the fire, with a cup of hot chocolate at hand.
Eero Okkonen isn’t a stranger when it comes to using LEGO parts in an interesting way. For this episode of LEGO nice parts usage the star is the rope bridge. A part first used in 1989 that only appeared in 13 sets. In this case, Eero used the rope bridge as an architectural detail over a gateway. Using trans clear 2×2 slopes for windows is a really smart little detail. We often see trans bricks used for windows but never slopes. Mostly because the side of the slope that is placed at an angle isn’t as clear as the rest of the brick due to its texture. Also, the tube in the middle of the brick is quite noticeable. Something you do not want if you are looking for a piece to represent glass. But not all glass is transparent and smooth. Sometimes glass is textured and semi-transparent or decorated in one way or another. The brown tower rooftop looks like an absolute hell to construct and it is nice to see how it matches the other little turrets with its sand green tip. I can not finish this article without mentioning the ingot bars used for brickwork.
Sometimes you just want to have fun, like LEGO builder W. Navarre clearly did when building this amusing vignetter of a hunter getting his comeuppance from a delightfully chibi elephant. The scene playing out here is great, but I’m mostly enthralled by the excellent elephant, who is completely adorable right down to the toenails. I’m also loving how good those grey Mixels eye tiles work turned sideways.
LEGO builder Djokson has constructed this model of a striking white insectoid. The creature has a spindly frame, with thin arms and legs, however there is a sense of a threatening aura in those gleaming red eyes. The magnificent crown of horns on its head implies that this creature is the leader of a hive and even looks as though it could have potential for being a type of Pokémon, I’d want one on my team! One of the most interesting techniques used is the application of handcuffs to create the chest as they are stacked up and placed on horn pieces.
This smooth car by Firas Abu-Jaber is an alternate build using parts from the LEGO Porsche 911 set, and it looks fantastic. But any sports car is more than just flashy, this precision automobile is packed with features just like the official LEGO set, and others of the same scale.
From opening doors, hood, flip-up headlights, and even a detailed engine in the back, this car fits right in with the official set. The reflective surface also adds a touch of class to the final pics.
The cover art of one of the best Tintin stories is perfectly recreated here in LEGO by Dark Small. If you’ve never read anything from the Tintin series, you should. The adventures of the clever young man, told in a comic book style, are fun and heartwarming. And one of the most heartwarming stories of all is Tintin in Tibet. This installment has the hero and his comrades searching the mountains for a plane crash in hopes to find and rescue his lost friend.
Click to see the original artwork
I’ve been following the progress of this build as it has slowly came together over the past few weeks, so it is very exciting to share the completed work with you all. Moko has built one of his largest and most expensive looking models to date, the build being based on the RMS-108 MARASAI from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. There’s so much to look at, even smaller details become interesting, such as the inner panels of the arm shield and the wide design of the head. Just making sure that this model can support its own weight must have been half of the challenge of constructing this goliath.
Read on to see more views of this mech marvel!
Oh, Zoids. For those hip to this classic mecha series, it’s hard not to get excited when you see something like this pop up in your feed. When I see builders like Juan Fernando Vargas Correa celebrating the series with such massive LEGO models, I swell with nostalgia. I mean, Gundams get tons of love (as they should) but Zoids are rarely celebrated as much as they deserve. This model, which he calls a Brachiosaurus, is based on the Ultrasaurus. It’s giant body is designed to serve as a mobile command center with some serious armaments. Two massive, long-ranged Supercannons are mounted on its side along with a plethora of other weapons lining its shoulders, tail, and chest. Not only does it pack a punch but it can take one too. The builder’s color blocking and plating show off the massive amount of armor necessary for such a ginormous, lumbering beast to defend itself in battle.
This thing is truly large and would be a beast to build. Hopefully it has lots of little vehicles and tiny Zoids to go with it, just like the kits would. That launch pad on its back certainly would hint at it, right? Builder Juan Correa will surely continue to impress with his awesome recreations and re-imaginings of these beloved toys.