From a distance, this may look like any other simple portrait layout of R2-D2, but upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that it uses an incredible array of parts from Technic beams to droids and even minifigures! Although we’ve seen this technique in the past, Alby Darul has executed it excellently with just a few pieces to capture the Artoo’s iconic lines, giving the mosaic a great sense of depth.
This week we talk with Aran Jitsukawa-Hudson (AKA Cole Blaq) about his art, philosophy and his life. Aran was born in Great Britain and grew up in Germany. He lives in Düsseldorf with his wife and three kids, is a cancer survivor, and attended university as an Art History student. We interviewed him 6 years ago here on The Brothers Brick, but there’s a lot to catch up on since then. He is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to publish an art book based on his Enter the Brick series. Let’s go explore the mind of a builder.
TBB: First of all, could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself? What got you into LEGO and what kept you there?
Aran: My real name is Aran Jitsukawa-Hudson, as some might know. My alter ego as an artist is Cole Blaq, which is a reference to a comic character and an adaption to Hip Hop language.
I am British by origin but mainly grew up in Germany. With my wonderful wife being Japanese, we’re a rich blend of cultures! Now I live in Dusseldorf, Germany, which is located at the river Rhine, north of Cologne.
Grantmasters’ Alien and Predator LEGO figures are excellent on their own, but why not show them off in an epic battle? Well, this isn’t the battle I expected to see. Which classic film creature can out-shred the other and has the best lines to skate?
Back when the iron curtain was firmly in position, a car manufacturer called GAZ was producing luxury cars from within the Soviet Union. Anton Creator has built one of their car models in LEGO, the GAZ Chaika (Rus: Ча́йка), which means gull. The boxy car is a throwback to a time when big meant luxurious and mpg efficiency did not feature highly when prioritising car choice. While the car is a great little built, it is the background that really brings this whole build to life. The red flag of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics hangs in place with a gold hammer crossed with a gold sickle, symbols of communism and socialism.
I must ask Anton where the fallen star has gone?
Switching it up from the Titans of Titanfall, Marius Herrmann presents another massive gaming mech, the Thunderjaw from Horizon: Zero Dawn. His deceptively large model is quite accurate to his reference material – from the armor plating, to the back-mounted disc launchers, and even the arrays of eyes. Even the pose of his mechanical creature is as menacing as its in-game counterpart.
See more photos of the Thunderjaw on the builder’s Flickr stream.
Did you know Iceland is the only country in the world that has no mosquitoes? I bet our readers from the North have not a single idea how pesky and horrid these little monsters are. Luckily, this outstanding insect by Mister N perfectly depicts everything we ‘love’ so much about them. Long needle-shaped legs? Check. Tiny belly full of warm blood? Check. A pair of cold soul-less eyes? Oh, yes.
Someone HAS come along. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to see Logan, perhaps this stunning LEGO scene by Andrew Cookston will convince you to head to the theater.
Nature made me a freak. Man made me a weapon. And God made it last too long.
I don’t want to spoil the film, but I’ll say that it has beautiful cinematography and an emotional storyline. Unlike the typical superhero film, however, it might be too gory for young viewers. (It is rated R after all).
Andrew’s LEGO scene (and his teaser image to the left) captures the somber tone of the film. I love the forced perspective created by the rocky terrain and the power lines. The muted color palette and the stoic minifigures are perfection.
Asterix was my favorite graphic novel growing up, even though most of the jokes went over my head. Builder alego alego has created the home of the local fishmonger Unhygienix (Ordralfabetix in the original French comic).
My favorite features are the Han Solo Hoth headgear for fish baskets, the rock walls, and of course the LEGO bananas used for the roof — a technique the builder previously used for a treehouse we featured last year. Continue reading
We’ve covered castles of many sizes from the very large to the incredibly small and somewhere in-between. Look closely at this incredible (entirely digitally generated) microscale Kazum’dar Castle by Sunder_59…
I love how the castle walls rise and fall with the terrain. A bird’s eye view shows the full complexity of the build, allowing a glimpse inside the castle walls at the multi-story buildings, including a perfect wee church, barracks, an assortment of dwellings and a shop. This micro-scale castle is a perfect example of how simple can be elegant.
Earn double VIP points with every purchase at The LEGO Shop, now through March 16! If you’re not already a VIP member, signing up is free, and you’ll earn points for every purchase made through the LEGO Shop Online and in LEGO stores. Click through the links below to get double points on your favorite sets, and support The Brothers Brick. This is a perfect opportunity to get big exclusive sets that are unlikely to go on sale, like 10255 Assembly Square—but with the promotion, Assembly Square will net you more than $25 worth of VIP points.
10255 Assembly Square (Review)
Many other new sets are also available, including the new wave of Star Wars, Speed Champions, and more.
Continue reading
As the release of the live-action version looms, expect to see a bunch of LEGO creations inspired by Ghost In The Shell. However, all you would-be ThinkTank builders out there should beware, Pascal has cornered the market in cute-but-deadly styling for your favourite mecha design. The use of olive green and the tip-toe stance are nice, but it’s the neon burst of pink coupled with the stark backdrop which really makes this model stand out.
Previously Anthony Wilson built an interesting kinetic LEGO sculpture of a beating heart. It was great to begin with, but now he has incorporated it an unsettling sculpture — The Heart Eater. Don’t miss the realistic skull and the pentagram in the base.
Check out this moody video of the heart beating in the monster’s hand. The builder says the lighting was not ideal, but I like to think it was deliberate to create a more eerie effect.
