This compact asteroid prospecting ship, made of LEGO by Jan Woźnica, would fit in very well in the universe of The Expanse, with structural supports and a engine-as-down design common among the working class “belters” spacecrafts. The overall shape even reminds me a bit of an asteroid, with an almost ovoid shape. The small maneuvering thrusters at the back and sides are a nice detail, and that airlock is perfectly placed for any needed spacewalks.
An intrepid adventurer in a wide-brimmed hat enters a desert temple containing Anubis statues, with a sinister rival in tow. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? What? Indiana who now?! No, we’re referring to Ben Cossy‘s latest masterpiece! It depicts the Adventurers heroes of yesteryear – Johnny Thunder, Pippin Reed, and Dr Kilroy Lightning – in hot pursuit of their erstwhile antagonists, Baron von Barron and Sam Sinister. You can see why they were drawn to this structure. The massive Anubis statue at the back, framed by that broken ring, is striking! It’s almost Stargate-esque – a testament to Ben’s architectural skills. As for Johnny Thunder, it’s a good thing he has that torch in hand. There’s always the possibility of snakes…
The moment I first saw this amazing transforming LEGO Soundwave by Student Scissors I had flashbacks to my childhood, playing with my own version of the action figure and the cassette tapes that transformed into a hawk and a panther. The builder has captured the dark blue and white Decepticon in perfect detail, with his shoulder-mounted cannon, cassette-playing chest, and even the aforementioned entourage of mini-bots. I particularly like the tilework used to replicate the play and stop buttons on the torso.
And to prove that the Transformer is worthy of that moniker, here’s Soundwave in his microcassette deck mode. Looks like he’s ready to play the song of the Autobots’ destruction.
LEGO builder Jaka Kupina is no slouch when it comes to creating stunning architectural detail. Take this Foenwor Mine, for instance. The brick textures and snowy rooftops are a sight to behold. Not only that but it has a neat story to go with it. In Jaka’s own words; “In Mitgardia, deep in the Heavenly Mountains dwarves are mining. Very brave men who spend most of their time deep under a dangerous mountain. The mines are rich in iron ore and attract blacksmiths from distant lands. Their mined ore makes the best iron from which they make powerfull weapons for fearless warriors and strong pickaxes for hardworking miners. A real treasure of Mitgardia.” I never considered a career in ore mining but if I can call this intricate structure my workplace, I may reconsider. But alas, for once in my life, I just may be too tall for the job.
The end of SHIPtember (September’s month-long space ship building contest) doesn’t mean the end of massive spaceships built from LEGO bricks. Any time of year is a great time to build a spaceship, as proven by this slim stellar marvel by Oscar Cederwall. Featuring a minimal color scheme of light gray and dark red, ans sporting what may very well be the single longest greebly section I have ever seen (the thin strip of random gray bits and bobs along the front).
Seen from the back, several subtly angled sections blend together very well, and a few textured parts along the top provide a nice bit of visual interest. Here and there, an alternate colored piece gives the ship a naturally weathered look.
With all the tiny plants, bouquets, and succulents available in the LEGO Botanical Collection, I thought it was important to bring the brick-built flower back to its roots, pun intended. And with only 162 pieces, we can enjoy all the upscaled glory of my take on a trio of the original LEGO flower from 1977 sitting on a tri-stem piece from that same year. This is going to find a great home on my desk alongside my similarly-scaled creations. Now off to get the parts for white and red versions of the build…
There are many fantastic LEGO architects out there – just look through our archives. But if you like your structures a little more unconventional, then there are few better at that than Pan Noda. What I love the most about their buildings isn’t their odd designs, fascinating as they are. It’s how they deploy repeating motifs and detailed textures to create something as visually interesting up close as it is as a whole! In this instance, that involves the undersides of 1×1 clips, alternating horizontal and vertical portions of the wall, and a whole lotta cheese slopes. That extends beyond the building and into the base as well, which replicates the hexagonal shape of the tower. Finally, the climbing trees and vines add the perfect splash of colour to break things up even further!
The simplicity of LEGO Ideas 21340: Tales of the Space Age has inspired many LEGO fans to build their own versions, but this Star Wars tribute by Joel Short is my favorite. Tatooine, Bespin, and Endor are instantly recognizable, and the inclusion of the microscale Star Destroyer, Jawa Sandcrawler, twin-pod cloud car, and scout walker is perfect… not to mention that wonderful Millenium Falcon swooshing away using a transparent blue claw for the engine flair. If you want to see more Star Wars sets, check out our recent coverage of the new sets announced as part of the 25th anniversary of LEGO Star Wars.
I know this year feels like it’s going quickly, but surely we’re not in October already are we? We featured one LEGO witch here last week, and now Markus Rollbühler has graced us with another one. They couldn’t be more different, though, apart from the green skin and black robes. Oh, and the clever parts use! Some black curved arches lend some graceful shape do this witch’s dress, while the cauldron makes use of an inverted tire. I’m not sure what’s happening with that little mouse, though. Is she giving it a bath? That must be it. The green bottle in her other hand is clearly bath lotion. Nothing nefarious happening here, no sirree…
Clad in pearl gold and transparent purple LEGO bricks, this is quite the ornate ovum by builder Pistash. While both colors provide a limited palette of parts, they’re combined well here, appropriately forming the ovoid shape and proper filigree befitting the moniker “Fabergé.” All the crowns, leaves, and vines are held in place with a delicate network of flaxen bars and clips. But a secret lies beneath that golden lattice of elegance.
An army of frogs have assembled within the center of this regal keepsake. Who knows what grand designs they’re planning? And, believe it or not, this isn’t the first time we’ve featured Fabergé. Check out our archives to hatch some more great egg builds.
LEGO builder Isaac Wilder is sort of a master at creating patinaed vehicles, but he didn’t perfect the technique instantly. He tells us that way back in August of 2020, he approached legendary builder Simon Liu about patina techniques and he gave him some sage advice. This turned into a small “patina collaboration” of sorts, and, speaking from experience, it’s kind of magical when that happens. Isaac is also an admirer of VW Life on YouTube so, over time, he kept up with his inspirations and practiced the patina look and now we have this.
In a vehicle with this much character, it makes you think of the adventures it may have had. Perhaps it had a fresh, psychedelic paint job during the Summer of Love; maybe its occupants made tofu and granola in it for years at a time; or maybe it was involved in a medium-speed chase from the fuzz in the 80s. Oh, the stories this VW could tell! Just be prepared for deep introspection and the munchies because I’m pretty sure Kastenwagen translates to “contact high”.
Witches are known for, among other things, flying around on broomsticks and turning people into frogs. F.S. Leinad‘s LEGO witch has certainly got the former nailed – this particular broomstick uses some minifigure hair to mimic the bristles flapping in the wind. As for turning people into frogs… Well, her spell seems to have backfired somewhat. Her nose, hat, hands, and feet have all transformed into tiny amphibians! She’s probably not very happy about it, but surely even the grumpiest of witches can appreciate some Nice Parts Usage.
