Sometimes we get commissioned to do what we love. That is exactly what happened with Jake Sadovich and his amazing LEGO Dauntless 34′ Patrol Boat. Whoever commissioned Jake must be mighty pleased with the level of detail he has achieved here. The complex curve of the bow, the guardrails, the armament, the electronic gear on the mast, even the handsome stand makes this a stunning model to behold.
Click here to climb aboard and discover more!
Is it a kaiju? A demon? Something from another planet? Whatever the answer, the Protoweapon XV1 – “Nightcrawler” – by Andrew Steele is certainly a threat to us all. With a form that’s an unholy fusion of mech and organic, this spikey beast is coming for us, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Personally, I hope I get done in by the clawed hands and not the yellowing clown grin.
Click here to see the monster up close.
This colorful LEGO sculpture by Shannon Sproule is a pretty darn accurate recreation of a northern cassowary. It checks all the boxes in terms of color, shaping, and even size. In real life, this bird is mostly black aside from the head and it lives in New Guinea, northeast Australia, and surrounding islands. But one of the most notable things about it is that it’s giant and formidable. Its size and weight are comparable to the emu, although the emus have nothing on these guys when it comes to battle. Cassowaries are considered one of the most dangerous birds in the world.
These birds are actually pretty shy and try to avoid humans, but if threatened, they’re not afraid to attack. They can kick like a kangaroo and their dinosaur-like feet have terrifying raptor-esque claws. In particular, one toe has a straight spike that can get as long as a human hand. Yikes!
One of my favorite parts of this build is how well it’s photographed. Sometimes the right lighting can really make a build, and in this case the bird comes to life with that little bit of shine on the radar dish that is used for the eye. While you’re here, check out TBB’s other articles featuring animals. Shannon’s sci-fi/space builds have also been featured on our site.
Online fan conventions have moved to live streaming shows with no thanks to the pandemic. The adoption of this new format was forced upon us to ensure continuity of annual traditions. LEGO announcing a convention for the first time ever, and not having a LEGO CON prior to the pandemic is seen as an opportunity to test waters since everyone else is doing it. It’s also a much more affordable time to jump on the streaming CON bandwagon instead of a physical event, so why not? How did it fare? Read on to find out my personal thoughts and opinion.
Well, okay, there’s that pesky mushroom cloud off in the distance. But that’s not going to put a damper on our day, is it gang? Paul Hetherington has delivered a payload of nostalgia with this look at idyllic family life in an era when the worry of nuclear annihilation was as ever-present a threat as a neighborhood HOA violation. Paul says he was inspired for this LEGO creation by the style magazine Atomic Ranch, which focuses on Mid-Century style. And it shows. From the car in the driveway, to the architecture of the home, and even the furnishings inside, Paul has captured a snapshot of the era beautifully.
Click here to take a closer look!
We’ve been seeing some fantastic builds from this year’s Biocup recently, and here’s another one by Djokson. The model takes inspiration from comic book artist Ashley Woods and his Pet Metal paintings. The muscular robot has a military aesthetic and looks to have been repurposed by its new master. Kylo Ren’s mask is used backwards to create the helmet of the robot. There’s a great use of circles on this build; mainly in the form of tyre parts which really encourages you to stare into the robot’s glaring eye created by a golden ring piece. The hair piece for the woman is a really old part first featured back in the 70’s. It’s quite easy to imagine this pair trundling through the wastelands, maybe looking for a better pair of legs for the robot. You can see some more great articles about Biocup entries here.
Fans of Ben 10 may recognize this Earth-68 version of the conflicted Doctor Animo, a genius in mutagenic effects and subsequently frequent bad guy. This build by The Underscored Double is an awesome representation of the character. The modeling and color-blocking hit on key points of his design, like the tech strapped to his chest or the exposed brain, antennae, and goggles. The claws are also a perfect match with the lime green accents. In addition to this villain, we’re also given a great version of an alien on Ben’s Omnitrix, the Stinkfly. The ghostly green color palette, as well as the translucent green head, compliment the wealth of interesting Bionicle and Galidor pieces used by the builder to mold this complicated character.
If you enjoy builds like this, check out some more characters. If you’d like to see more by this builder, you can find them on Flickr or Instagram (@theunderscoreddouble).
The first thing that caught my eye when I saw this pair of birds was the use of the multiple Technic pin/axle combos. That’s a piece that doesn’t get a lot of use on the outside of a build. But closer inspection reveals that builder Seth Peacock has used all kinds of interesting pieces and techniques for the plumage of these two birds. Those are baby minifigure heads, for crying out loud. Seth says these birds were inspired by the work of Van Gogh’s The Starry Night and Sunflowers series, and he’s definitely captured the swirl and motion of the line work in those pieces. To quote one famous critic, “I don’t know if it’s art, but I like it.”
The latest wave of Star Wars LEGO unveiled sets featuring characters and vehicles from Star Wars: The Mandalorian TV series. The box art of the popular Star Wars Slave I (Slave One) vehicle belonging to the bounty hunter Boba Fett has now been officially renamed Boba Fett’s Starship. This is according to an interview conducted by Brickset and Jedinews with LEGO designers Jens Kronvold Frederiksen and Michael Lee Stockwell.
Do you love the new LEGO Ideas typewriter but you don’t want to break the bank? I know how you feel. And it looks like Vant . does too, since they have built a pint-sized version of the new sand-green typewriter with an amazing amount of detail in a very small package (paper letter not included). While I love the carriage return and the curved front, my favorite detail is the ink ribbon made from lever handles.
You can see even more details from the top, like the paper guide connected with droid arms that can lift up just like the real thing. And don’t miss the letter keys made from a pair of claw elements and an unusual Bionicle part.
Luke Skywalker was dedicated to getting his friends back at all costs. Star Wars fans share in that dedication when constructing their detailed reproductions of scenes from the series. Here, Anthony shows us an excellent slice of Jabba’s Palace from an iconic scene in the Return of the Jedi. The detailing captures the throne room well and I love the bottles with spilled liquid along the edges of the display. I also enjoy how Anthony decided to portray the scene. On top of the notable characters, the builder staged the display at a great scale and in a way that evokes some emotion. Having Luke’s back to the viewer helps us imagine that we are in Luke’s place, facing down a wretched scumlord holding our friends captive. Paired with the dramatic irony of knowing what’s in store for our hero, I think it helps add a feeling to the model that hits me right in the nostalgia.
When I first saw this magnificent LEGO sculpture by Ekow Nimako, I knew it had to be his. The elegant, all-black theme is his trademark. But what I didn’t realize is that this is much more than a beautiful fictitious character. This is Anansi, an important deity in West African mythos. Ekow has a wonderful talent for pulling you in and inspiring you to look further, both literally and figuratively. So I’m here to share the gift of what I learned… and you might want to zoom in.
Click to see more pictures and learn about Anansi