Artisan Bricks brings back fond memories of happy times when nobody cared about graphic cards in their game consoles and the joy of wining was so sweet and simple. This very neat copy of a pocket Tetris game is a very simple built, but I really love the colourful shapes built with 1×1 plates, which look exactly like those back in 90’s.
At first glance this wee Hulkbuster looks enormous, then you realise that Iron Man’s head is that of the Minifigure and Tony Stark’s infamous arc reactor is a single tiny element. The Ka. Lor Project has created the Hulkbuster, Crimson for your viewing pleasure. As the name suggests, the Hulkbuster was specifically designed for hand-to-hand combat with the rampaging Hulk. During its maiden run, the armour enabled Stark to temporarily hold his own in sustained physical combat with the Hulk. This mighty miniature has so many fine details and tons of tiny greebling, I love everything about this heavy Hulk harrassing hybrid.
I don’t think Hannes Tscharner has ever taken a photo that didn’t look amazing, and his most recent YT 1300 freighter is no exception, not to mention the build is first-rate as well. The model is a take off of his original 7,500 piece Millennium Falcon build, meant to be a modified version from the same family of ships, likely used by another crew of space smuggling experts.
The red trim on the craft is very eye catching, and the photography is exquisite. It seems like the “Red Fox” as the builder has named it, has run into an asteroid field, perhaps trying to lose some imperial TIE fighters.
New Zealand LEGO wunderkind David Hensel is at it again with another awesome build inspired by the movie The Martian — the 2780 Moon rover. Superb shaping and a lovely aesthetic feel leaves me with the impression this could be a real rover. David has used fantastic lighting and a rumpled grey sheet to give the impression it is trundling along the surface of the ‘moon’. I love the clever use of the trans yellow cockpit pieces with the LEGO horns giving an organic curve to the angled pieces. Other features worth noting are the cool telescopic arm with camera and it would be remiss of me to not mention those gorgeous wheels using Technic pins!
Autumn is quite the time for LEGO community projects; having blasted through SHIPtember with some massive spaceships yet to be covered, we are moving into Ma.Ktoberfest at full speed. If you are not up to date, Ma.Ktoberfest is an annual October building challenge when builders create mecha, hardsuits and even spacecraft inspired by the Ma.K (Maschinen Krieger) universe. One of the first to pick up arms (or bricks?) is Marco Marozzi with this beautiful curvy bipedal mech.
![SF3 Bipod Mech [Ma.k. Advanced Design] Maktober 2017](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/media.brothers-brick.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/37253837650_21eaf846e1_z.jpg)
The mech just oozes with Maschinen Krieger aesthetic. From domes and curved surfaces to hoses, guns and intense technical details. It stands out even without considering the source material, with an exotic colour scheme and unique shaping. Marco really shows how to make a creation within some restrictions, without letting them define the build.
Here’s a cool LEGO diorama by Josh David. The model is deceptively large — check out the “bricks” built out of tiles for an idea of the scale. Protruding from the wall, the tap itself is nicely sculpted, and I like the simple flower and its pot.
However, the coolest thing about this creation is the hidden features — it’s a fully-operational kinetic sculpture! Josh has provided this video of the mechanical elements in action…
Micropolis is a LEGO building standard which allows for large-scale collaborative builds of microscale cities. The usual module sees a 16×16 base with roads down two sides, leaving a 14×14 “development site”. Tammo S. has used the space to great effect with this 70s-style office block. The curving balconies and the colour scheme are totally retro, and very cool. And don’t miss the little touches like the use of the clock tile, and angled grille bricks as steps — the sort of things that elevate a microscale model out of the ordinary. This office might be beige, but it’s anything but bland.
My only criticism is the lighting on the photo isn’t great. But that doesn’t detract from a lovely model.
I had a friend with a dream to build a huge spaceship out of LEGO. One which would fit two classic LEGO standards: the famous Vic-Viper style, and the 100 stud-long SHIP (Significantly Huge Investment in Parts). I have yet to hear from that friend again. However, Matt Rowntree has taken on the same subject, and completed the job in a single month!
This creation is more than just two established building genres mashed together — Matt’s M-47 Bushmaster is the best of both worlds. A unique-looking SHIP, and a detailed Vic-Viper too. The level of detail is unsurprising considering the scale. What might normally be achieved with stickers is brick-built, and nothing looks overly bulky or out of place. You might wonder why a spaceship in a format usually reserved for micro- or minifig-scale is so large. The answer? It’s piloted by a technic figure!
This stunning scale copy of Mercedes-Benz Actros 4163 by YU KEE LIU is a very smart mixture of System and Technic parts. It’s no secret, brick-built cockpits are much heavier than those built with light Technic panels. Despite the weight of the body, this truck is fully remotely controlled and even features a number of motorised mechanisms attached to the trailer.
Teeny-tiny, and yet immediately recognisable — that’s Primoz Mlakar‘s microscale LEGO version of the Springfield skyline. The Kwik-E-Mart stands out as a cracking re-creation, but all the buildings are excellent microscale versions of the originals. If it works with landmarks from The Simpsons, I reckon this could work for other fictional cityscapes. Hey LEGO, if you’re listening, I would literally give you all my money for a Skylines series of sets including Gotham, Metropolis, and maybe Mega City One!
This weekend Seattle Center Exhibition Hall will be swarming with some of the best LEGO builders from all four corners of the globe as BrickCon 2017 welcomes guests for its 16th time!
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS for the public exhibition, if you haven’t That way you won’t have to stay in line as long when you get there. And when you’re done enjoying all the creations and have blown your wad at the vendor stalls, remember that the Seattle Center is at your disposal for fun and frolicking.
The public exhibition runs from 10-4 Saturday, 10-3 Sunday. BrickCon is the home convention of the Brothers Brick, so most of us will there for the festivities (we’re the dweebs in the green shirts!). Will the lemur be there too? Who can say ;-)
This super-sleek LEGO robot figure looks like it could have stepped straight out of some Destiny concept art. Red mixes up regular System bricks, Technic connectors, and “Constraction-figure” pieces to great effect. The tan and dark grey colour scheme is nice and simple, and allows that splash of red in the robot’s face to really stand out. I love the shaping of the shoulders and that round boss on the chest, they give this creation an individual style.
