LEGO nowadays has a lot of specialised parts. This wasn’t the case when I was a little kid. There weren’t many handheld accessories and most of them were multifunctional. The megaphone was a megaphone, but also a gun, hair dryer, beer tap, ice cream tap and so on. Same goes for the radio which also functioned as a walkie-talkie, a phone, a mobile control device and so on. The last one of these two was the inspiration for Liu Di Kai’s latest creation. It has two sides, one is true to the source material. The other shows that it is a window to a space lover’s imagination. You should really check out both in their photostream.
Category Archives: LEGO
The corpse groom
In the past I may or may not have had a slight addiction to a certain mobile game that involved plants and zombies. This adorable little LEGO zombie created by Dan Ko reminds me of this game. The zombie looks like a happy medium between a zombie and a plant. But that may just be because one of his legs is a carrot top connected to a leaf tile and the hands are made of green claws, which I’ve seen used as grass or plants numerous times. One of the best parts of this creation is the fact that the Hulk had to sacrifice one of his hands for the head of this well dressed zombie.
Sentient Automated Planetary Explorer
There’s nothing equally amusing as a well-written background story for a cool goofy-looking LEGO build. This seemingly silly robot by Bart De Dobbelaer actually comes with hilarious story. Still, I’m more impressed with the building techniques! The face inside a transparent box from a LEGO VIDIYO set is a gem, but maybe its funny legs or neat landscape will impress you more..?
If you need me I’ll be in the garage
Say what you will, but fall is the best seasons for road trips. And since every trip starts from the garage door, Canadian LEGO fan and builder Jean-Philippe Leroux opens for us the doors of his newest build. Apart from perfect autumn mood of the corner, the build allured me with just perfect amount of weathering: a sheet of old newspaper in the window, dry grass, and some old rubbish by the windows. What a beauty!
But it becomes really cozy when you look inside the garage! With the wall swung open, the garage reveals “perfectly cluttered” interior full of neatest elements. What official sets does it remind you about?
Pink, playful, and packing plenty of heat
This interesting treaded tank by Plastic Pauper is not here to play nice, loaded with weapons, from a rotating barrel to a clutch of missiles to a side-mounted minigun. Don’t let the paint job fool you. There are a few nice parts used, starting with the small launcher which uses microphones for the missiles. And if you look closely, you will find there is a lipstick element on the side of the big cannon.
The Venice of our dreams
We tend to not show LEGO creations that are still a work in progress. However this display by Barthezz Brick has been drawing our attention for quite a while. We’ve been seeing WIP shots for quite some time now, and each of the buildings for his Venice creation looks unique and interesting. We haven’t seen them all together but that is one thing we are surely looking forward to! We hope these early pics get you just as excited as we are to see this model when it is completed.
Ashes to ashes, rust to rust
In 2013, Sérgio Batista built a model of a Portugese steam train for the annual Octrainber contest. Now he’s back with a warning of what can happen if you leave your LEGO locos out for too long! The same model of engine has been consigned to a siding, and nature has done its thing. The rusty metal is accomplished to great effect with a smattering of browns, greys and dark oranges. The plants, on the other hand, bring a nice touch of colour to offset the earthy tones. There’s something quite wistful about an abandoned steam engine, isn’t there?
If you prefer your trains a bit more brand-spanking-new, take a ride to our train archives!
This town needs an enlargement.
Joel Schumacher’s neon-colored sequels get a lot of flack for being overly stylized, but revisit 1989’s Batman and you might be struck by just how Tim Burton-y it really is. Shannon Sproule has perfectly captured the essence of Gotham’s production design in these microscale buildings. While later filmmakers like Nolan and Reeves opted for a more grounded and realistic Gotham, Burton created a city that was every bit as weird and wonderous as Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, just in darker colors. Harsh angles, elegant curves, giant pipes, vents, and numerous statues are all the rage in this town. And they’re kept safe by a very, very tiny Michael Keaton.
Nothing left in the tank
After a very long work week, I can totally sympathize with this lethargic LEGO bot by Kevin H. (optimus-convoy). The scene here is excellent: a lanky robot finds itself with an overwhelming case of ennui while sitting atop a battery box. The slack-jawed expression on this robo’s face is perfect as it absent-mindedly stares at the flower at its feet, trying to find the energy to stand up and resume its tasks. And while the figure here is quite spindly, Kevin still manages to incorporate some excellent parts usage. The best of the bunch has got to be the upside-down Constraction head on its chest taken from the Star Wars Praetorian Guard figure. And I have to applaud the daring choice of bare axles for the weary automaton’s limbs. That wiry, malnourished look, even on a mechanical man, absolutely exudes exhaustion!
LEGO D&D party of eight: your table is ready
While LEGO just announced the Dungeons & Dragons crossover/contest, these two hobbies have long been intertwined through builds to aid many DM’s dungeon designs, as well as a one-shot during a LEGO convention. And I’m delighted to spice up my next Session Zero with Dan Ko’s blocky character creation process seen here. This octad of adventurers covers genre staples like a half-orc barbarian, but also strays into the more exotic with an aarakocra monk. And while my level nine warforged wizard isn’t represented, my favorite has got to be the dragonborn paladin with its excellently sculpted light gray armor. I love the pauldrons made of escalator steps and the giant gear adorning its chest. Its face is a masterful concoction of green pieces providing that perfect lizard-y look.
Which party member is your favorite? Is it the tiefling sorcerer with hot dog horns? The human fighter with a leafy orange beard? Or is it the purple-robed gnome wizard and his owl familiar?
Something cyberpunk this way comes
Collaborative displays allow builders to create something bigger and more spectacular than one person might achieve on their own. All it takes is a standard that others can build on independently and come together at a LEGO convention to watch the magic happen. The wonderfully detailed cyberpunk module by Ted Andes is going to be part of a collaborative display in Chicago next year. The speeder bike charging station features some sweet rides built using motorcycle chassis, along with an upstairs noodle shop. Colored wedge plates create angled parking spots, with one of the charging stations on the fritz, which is a nice touch. The noodle sign made with Technic plates and stacks of 1×2 rounded plates is positively delicious.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Ted has another cube for the lower levels of the collaborative city display for folks with a bit more to spend on their transportation. The Tachikoma garage for upgrading your AI-powered four-legged companion looks right out of Ghost in the Shell. The garage includes a smaller speeder bike repair shop around the back.
Pirating takes you to all kinds of places
Builder Deus Otiosus gives us a wonderful island scene of LEGO buccaneers. Pirates make off with a chest full of treasure, heading across the beach to their waiting ship just off the island. It’s a pretty usual day for a band of exploring pirates, and these pirates navigate all the dangers with experience. The build itself is something to behold! The trees are well done with some flexibility for that leaning and swaying of palms. I like the sculpting on those ancient statues on the beach hearkening to LEGO minifigs. The whole ancient ruin is so well crafted there’s a sense of history about it. And of course the pirate ship is just amazing with those curving greens and flex-tubing for the rolled up sails. Overall this is a spectacular pirating build with plenty to explore for curious pirates and adventurers.
