Some of the magic of Dicken Liu’s LEGO work is his ability to capture speed even when his creation is standing still. This is the case with this biomechanical leopard; the tail, the curvature of the back, and the purposeful gaze all leads me to believe that some serious business is about to go down. Someone or something is about to be destroyed and maybe even made into lunch. Do biomechanical animals eat? It’s a question I’d rather not find out, thank you very much!
Much like cartoons, LEGO themes, and pop-tart flavours, every generation will have its own favourite Joker from the Batman series. If they’ve seen the Batman movies, that is. Or the TV series. Or read the comi- you know what, maybe that’s a bad comparison. But my point stands: every Joker is memorable in their own way. Heath Ledger’s take on the character stuck in TBB alum Nick Jensen’s mind. The opening scene of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight had the villain of the piece robbing a bank in a clown mask, faithfully recreated here. It’s extremely accurate, and very artfully shaped, and the Joker’s calling card is a great touch, too.
As for Nick’s calling card, that’s undoubtedly his myriad collection of 1:1 scale LEGO builds. Our archives are full of loads of great examples of his work.
Let me guess: you watched the recent Dune movies and thought, “Man, those ornithopters were cool-looking and all, but what if they were a little more steampunk? And flown by elves?” Don’t worry, LEGO builder Ted Andes has your back. For Brickworld Chicago 2024, he imagined that elves would build a ‘thopter inspired by their natural surroundings, giving the craft its smooth, organic lines. And where the Dune version definitely had a little dragonfly in it, this little marvel seems to take its cues from the wider insect world: Aside from the dragonfly wings, there’s a bit of grasshopper leg in the fuselage and something a little more wicked in that stinger at the back.
LEGO phenom Jarek Książczyk tells us that this decidedly organic LEGO creation sort of grew…organically. It was a finished product at one time and then it wasn’t. He later added more to it and the end result (we think, anyway) is a thing of beauty and dread all rolled into one. Furthermore, he says that, not unlike a growing organism, kept absorbing older creations into itself. We have a heart in a hand, a wall of faces, and what appears to be a suspended figure. I can’t even begin to decipher what this all means but sometimes good art is up for interpretation. Let us know in the comments what you think it means. In the meantime, check out the other times Jarek Książczyk has tickled our fancy.
Jiwoo Seon is back with an astounding piece of LEGO artwork. Jiwoo has expanded on a previously developed technique to create this beautifully vibrant flowery dress. The star piece of this work is the 1×6 curved arch in a wide variety of colors that makes up the majority of the dress, but if you take the time to look closely you will see a huge variety of unique parts used to add texture and interest. You will see a lot of these parts in the highly detailed dripping ink effect below the dress!
The Evil Queen’s witchy disguise in Disney’s Snow White is a frightening sight, but as captured by LEGO Master Dicken Liu, she’s downright adorable. The witch’s scale lets cloth elements seamlessly drape around her hunched form, and the brick-built elements emphasize curves and canted angles that turn LEGO rigidity into a cartoon come to life. Dicken includes some sly Disney nods in that characterful face. The beady eyes are sourced from Moana’s rooster companion Hei-Hei in the Disney Duos set, and the nose appears to be an unpainted prototype of Alice’s hairpiece. Once again, Dicken impresses with his innovative techniques and knack for character. Why not take the witch’s apple, let your dreams come true, and revisit some of our favorite Dicken Liumodels?
Among Batman’s rogues’ gallery, few villains (or at least few bird-themed ones) are as iconic as the Penguin. Now he finally gets his due in larger-than-life LEGO form by Pasq67. This scaled-up figure recaptures both the proportions of a regular-sized minifig (including Oswald Cobblepot’s shorter legs) and the details. In true Penguin form, he’s dressed to impress and intimidate. His monocle is a bicycle tire, his fur collar (or feathers, depending on the depiction) is accented by leaf elements, and his iconic umbrella is lovingly recreated with sloped bricks and tubes. After all, when you’re headed out to wreak some havoc on Gotham City, only the finest fashion accessories will do.
Medusa, she of the snake hair and stony gaze, remains one of the most captivating figures from Greek mythology. She even made an appearance back in Series 10 of the Collectible Minifigures line. Builder Kooky Bricks honors the hip and tragic monster with a diorama worthy of an Olympian. Here we see Medusa facing off with a would-be slayer in the ruined temple of Athena. At this larger scale, made from 14,619 parts, Kooky Brick is able to pack in incredible detail in both the figures and the setting. Medusa’s scaly body is achieved by overlapping rows of plate teeth, a great effect that feels both organic and a very solid snake form. As impressive as the figures are, it’s the temple itself that leaves us spellbound.
Gaze on for more mythic details!
For years now, one of my favorite historical LEGO builders has been Evan Crouch, known for turning out beautiful buildings and landscapes from medieval and colonial times. This gatehouse, intended for a DENLUG collab at Brickworld Chicago this coming weekend, is yet another stellar entry into his catalog of work. I adore the construction of that pine tree, leveraging the flexible nature of the 6×5 leaf pieces. And the texturing on the tower’s walls is top notch, as always. I hope I get to see some pics of the whole DENLUG layout from the convention in the near future.
LEGO builder Loïc Gilbert has created “Solarium,” where the plants take center stage in this creation. Hues of pink, purple, yellow, and bright green tell of a healthy greenhouse. Adding to the unique features of all this foliage, we see swords, hats, and even a hairpiece put to good use. Another highlight is the floor, which features a patterned carpet crafted from LEGO “cheese slopes”, adding further intricacy to the overall design. These plants would fit perfectly alongside LEGO Icons Botanical Collection 10329 Tiny Plants for sure!
Nearly 30 years after its debut, Gainax’s groundbreaking anime Neon Genesis Evangelion continues to captivate an international audience with its radical take on the mech genre. Whereas most mecha convey the bulk of heavy army, the Evangelion units are sinewy bio-machines suggesting a fusion of man and demon. LEGO builder Marco de Bon is no stranger to mechs (as you can see in our archive), and last year he created perfect poseable models of EVA Units 00, 01, and 02. For his latest diorama series, Marco shows a talent for microscale cityscapes to match his mech building prowess. Prototype Unit-00 towers over a district dominated by sandy hues and disc shooter windows. The elevated brick-built highway is particularly effective.
Shinji’a iconic Unit-01 straddles a gorgeous mix of mini high-rises. Landing gear axles make for perfect rooftop satellite arrays, while shooters above the highway capture the sci-fi aesthetic of Tokyo-3.
If Marco’s diorama’s have you humming Cruel Angel Thesis and craving more EVAs and Angels, synchronize with our Evangelion archives.
If there is a Silksong-shaped hole in your heart, you might be able to fill it with this LEGO model by Dylan Mievis! Dylan has done a great job depicting the secret final boss of Hollow Knight – the Radiance – in all its awe-full glory. The main body of this “being of light” is made from two types of feathered wings, and its weird tentacle arms are mostly borrowed from the Piraka (a dangerous group to steal from!) Spare a thought for the adorable little Knight, made out of very few parts. Even armed with the Dream Nail, its gonna be an uphill battle!
