Whenever I’m building small, I often refer to Dan Ko‘s builds for incredible detail using the smallest Lego pieces. Here, Dan has built a small vignette inspired by the game Hollow Knight featuring the Knight and Hornet. Using the new cape piece from the recent Doctor Strange sets as one of the bodies really injects a splash of colour to the build! We see a lot of nice part usage on the heads, with the expression of Hornet speaking volumes through the position of the half-circle tiles, whilst the staff is topped with a subtle collar detail. And did I mention those white croissants for horns? Inspired!
Category Archives: LEGO
A retro robot to protect your city
Maybe it’s just the booze talking but the 70s and 80s were the best time to be a kid. I mean, you’ve got Star Wars, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, and of course LEGO coming out with some freaking awesome themes like Castle and Classic Space. Shannon Sproule knows what I’m talking about. This fabulously retro Metorogādo: City Protector Robo combines the awesomeness of Shogun Warriors, the playability of Micronauts, and maybe even some of the awe of Star Wars. This hits all the nostalgic childhood sweet spots for me. And of course, it’s all LEGO…or mostly LEGO—those shoulder fins are some other brand of brick.
Shannon says it was a miracle to find both a left and a right fin in the loose brick bargain bin. And that’s another cool thing about being a kid; while we likely preferred LEGO, we didn’t care too much if some sweet off-brand parts snuck into our collections now and then. It’s the adults who fret over such things. With childhood wonder intact, (booze references notwithstanding) be sure to check out why Shannon consistently hits all our sweet spots.
What a great place to observe nature
Take a moment to relax, with this idyllic scene. Built by Sergeant Chipmunk, the model depicts a lush grassy area with a stream running through it. The bridge has a great arc in its form, possibly created by having a flexible tube through the 1×1 headlight pieces. Draw your attention to the birdhouse and you might see it has a particularly interesting construction. The roof is made up of two book halves and the main body of the birdhouse is a basket with a green duck sticking its head through the handle.
Raiders of the lost nest
As usual, Bart De Dobbelaer brings us a treat of a scene with this detailed LEGO diorama portraying a pair of would-be poachers about to face off with their worst nightmare: a mother. While the monstrous creature is fascinating with its bright plumage and—are those all eyes?—it’s the scenery itself that really draws my attention as a builder, because the thick bushes are splendidly done, especially for how simple they are, combining two types of leaf elements stacked around a flower stem element.
In search of land, promised or not
In the distant dystopian future of LEGO builder Andrea Lattanzio’s imagination, a colony of survivors braves the seas and storms searching for land. Based on “Le Navigator” by Simon Laveuve (a miniature artist known for grungy, industrial dioramas), this ramshackle pile of outhouses and palettes is covered with clever techniques and textural details. Towering antennae and string lights add height as well as detail to the model while reactor-powered turbines under the barge move the colony, frothing the sea of loose studs below. The olive-green, dark nougat and medium azure plates detailing the structures add a “cobbled together” effect by intentionally misaligning them.
I’ll take the next train; this one looks a little crowded…
Ben Cossy was inspired by the PS4 Spider-Man game and wanted to capture the Mr. Negative subway battle in brick form. But, with no Mr. Negative minifigure to turn to, Ben adapted his idea into a classic Spidey/Venom throw-down. The kinetic energy imbued into the combatants and the subway car battle damage is an excellent example of storytelling in vignette form. But, looking past the action, you’ll see that Ben’s captured all the details of a subway car wonderfully, from the brick-built doors to the numerous ads and posters. Although we have to wonder about the “Wayne Technology” ad. Is this a continuity error, or are the multiversal shenanigans getting that far out of hand?
Putting a new spin on the word “limestone”
My, oh, my, isn’t it crazy how good LEGO renders are getting these days? You’d never guess that this “agile planetary tricycle” by Ivan Martynov is actually computer-generated. But while some of the parts don’t exist in those colors, it’s still a thing of beauty. I love the colorful, large “lime-stone” front wheel, but it’s equally impressive on the back end.
While you’re here, check out more builds by Ivan, as well and many other interesting vehicles.
A sequel to the “Chromalagous” dragon
If you have no knowledge of “Chromalagous” by awesome LEGO designer, Wes Talbott, stop right now and check it out. It’s one of my most favorite builds of all time! Now, if you’re familiar with that build, you might see similarities to this one. Wes hopes to create a rainbow of dragon busts at a slightly smaller scale to that of their predecessor – starting with this Red Chromatic Dragon. As with the last one, this dragon’s shaping is gorgeous and organic. It’s also inspired by D&D.
I’m a huge fan of the shape of the horns in particular, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the collection looks like! Stay tuned for more, but while you wait, check out some other builds of dragons. We’ve also created content surrounding some of Wes’ official designs for you to discover. For example, take a peek at the 21325 Medieval Blacksmith review and the modular 10270 Bookshop designer video.
Could I interest you in some enlightenment?
There’s no denying that these are trying times. If you’re like me, you could probably use a break to search for some inner peace. Dicken Liu (from Season 1 of LEGO MASTERS China) has built a lovely object for contemplation – the brick-built head of a Bodhisattva. The calm visage, carved from pristine white marble LEGO, is enhanced by golden accents. Clever part usage includes sea shells, Unikitty tails, and Ninjago sword tassels. The closer you look, the more this work rewards you.
Be sure to browse our features of other great art and sculpture creations by talented builders from around the globe.
Jazz up your Porsche
The treasure trove of parts in the 10295 Porsche 911 set have made their way into the capable hands of yet another builder. This Transformer by Adrian Drake resurrects a generation one star of the series, Jazz. Originally a Martini Porsche 935 Turbo, this version still shares some of the same body designs as many of the iconic original toys sought after by collectors today. The Porsche’s front end makes up most of his torso while the doors swing out from the back like wings or down with the rest of the body to form the legs and feet. Making a functioning Transformer with LEGO is no easy feat but Adrian sure did well here.
This all-porpoise battle mech is ready for anything
We put on flippers to go swimming in the sea, so I guess it isn’t so weird that a denizen of the ocean would put on a pair of robot legs. But Moko has made sure this dolphin is ready for more than just a sight-seeing tour on the surface world. This mech is providing its Cetacean operator with legs, a giant cannon, an energy sword, a targeting computer, and even a prehensile tail that ends in a claw. It might feel like overkill, but when you realize what the sharks have been up to, you see that there’s an underwater arms race going on. Literally, they all have arms now.
Red rover, red rover, please don’t run me over
Febrovery, that most-wonderful of LEGO theme-building months, is over, too soon, if you ask me. But never fear, there are still plenty of quality rovers roving through the vastness of the interwebs. Like this big boy from alego alego which just might feature the most unique windscreen pieces on a single vehicle. And everyone knows that you can’t build a quality rover without fat suspensions to overcome any troublesome interstellar landscape. And if you even try to throw shade on this beefy rover, there’s a heavy cannon shell with your name on it.