Tag Archives: Alien

One Kooky Covenant

Throwing a Classic Space twist onto a concept design from Alien: Covenant sure is one way to do SHIPtember. Flickr Builder Space Kook brought their A-game this September with at least five different ships over 100-studs, either in length, width, or height. Jumping around between scales, Space Kook drew inspiration for their fourth build, the LSS Covenant. Taking design cues from early concept art of the USCSS Covenant Colony ship from the Alien movie, large solar panels flare out at the rear of the ship. Progressing further up the body, past the cargo holds, you’ll see a little fighter or drop ship peaking over the main hull of the colony vessel. Decked out in blue and yellow with white and black accents, the choice to craft this ship in Classic Space regalia allowed Space Kook a plethora of parts and design cues. Between the two references, it’s no wonder this creation has such a satisfying bow. The bumble bee stripes and yellow view screen complete the Classic Space homage while sensor arrays and directional boosters grab the eyes as satisfyingly accurate greebling.

This builder really went the extra mile during SHIPtember to accomplish the Herculean task of building not just one, but five massive 100-stud vessels. The techniques and parts used show off Space Kook’s ingenuity with the process across all five and it’s definitely worth checking out the other four ships that they created this year.

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Greenhouse symbiosis on Exobudria 9

Once again famed LEGO builder Bart De Dobbelaer is the Supreme leader when it comes to fleshing out unsettling alien worlds. In his own words he tells us; “With little to no natural light keeping greenhouses on Exobudria 9 seemed impossible. But thanks to a clever symbiosis with the indigenous insects, the light and warmth of their hives proved to be exactly what the plants needed.” True to his style, he provides just enough clues to entice you in, like the opening scene of a great sci-fi movie, then leaves you wanting to know more. Like what exactly are those plants for? What’s with all those greebly bits? And why is space so damned creepy? Check out our Bart De Dobbelaer archives that will likely answer none of these questions but is enticing as heck anyway.

This Xenomorph build has some bite

Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise are cool and terrifying at the same time, and this LEGO sculpt by Grantmasters is no exception! Based on the collector’s edition of the Alien: Weyland-Yutani Report, an informational book on the franchise, there’s so much detail packed into this low relief sculpt. Those slopes making up the brunt of the face look like they were made for rendering a Xenomorph, but the build really shines with the greebling on the sides of the face. Hinged cylinder links frame the face and connect to each other with a rope element across the top of the head. The Corners of the mouth feature many elements, such as minifigure arms and hands as well as some skeleton legs. The weapons orbiting the Xenomorph stand in for tendril designs. However, I think they’re present to guard the Xenomorph so it doesn’t leap out at the unsuspecting.

A taste of nectar on another world

Meet the Epyft, an alien being created by Mattia Careddu. This LEGO creature brings to mind a hummingbird crossed with a butterfly, as its long mouth reaches down to the bright blooming flower, drinking up all the rich nectar. No doubt the sugar is needed for the energy to stay in the air. The flower and the surrounding foliage feature so many cool parts to create something out of this world! Bionicle masks give the translucent green plants and blue flowers cool shapes and textures. Speaking of Bionicle masks, they’re also used for the creature’s sides, but that’s not the coolest bit of parts usage for this build. The creature’s body is a fun use of a torso piece from the Galidor toy line, produced by LEGO in 2002 for the sci-fi kids show by the same name.

Even weirdo space-demons have play dates

If there’s one thing LEGO builder Bart De Dobbelaer has taught us is…um…he’s probably a weirdo space-demon. I mean, seriously! Check out this offering, for example. He captions it with “Can Timmy come out and play?” Then goes on to say that “even demons have play dates”. That is all. We’re left to fend for ourselves as to the how and why this is all happening. I mean, I’m sure there’s a good lesson in here somewhere about great textures, and the use of lighting in your LEGO creations. But I’m pretty certain by now that Bart has tentacles and at least one proboscis if not several. Check out what I mean with all his alien weirdness in our archives.

That little alien critter almost was Monorover roadkill

Sometimes LEGO releases parts that are so big, they seem challenging to use in a build of your own because they are so noticeable. Frost isn’t afraid of a challenge and is actually quite well known for using odd big pieces in their builds, just take a look at their gallery. The windshield of the Pop-Up Party Bus is such a piece. It is huge, it is trans purple and it only has been used for this one set. Frost used it in their Monorover. The build features only one wheel, hence the name Monorover. But that one wheel is massive! Which goes along great with the big purple windshield.

If you peek through the windshield you’ll notice a really nice angled display using the 1×2 round plate and the angled bar with stud. The colour scheme of this rover also is to die for. The teal compliments the purple and the trans purple wonderfully and the grey gives it that Classic Space feel we all know and love. Frost also proved that, even though LEGO Vidiyo didn’t last long, they produced some stellar minifigures.

Just your typical day surfing the hydrothermal acid pool

“Hydrothermal”, “acid”, and “pool” are three words that give me the willies. I don’t love them singularly but when combined it invokes a unique feeling of “oh, hell no”! For not the first time, The Brothers Brick alumn and world-renowned LEGO builder Nannan Zhang has me in awe and just a bit unsettled with this new creation. He doesn’t tell us much other than “Running errands on My’laar pays well if you don’t fall in a hydrothermal acid pool”. Nope, too much risk for me! I’d rather be an armchair adventurer with menial pay, thank you very much! Still, though, the bubbling marsh and that unnatural color are admittedly quite striking. I can only imagine the molecular makeup of any plant life that can exist there without withering away. Check out why Nannan Zhang is among the most interesting LEGO builders on this planet or otherwise.

Not your average garden gate

An alien scene, bright and mysterious, speaks volumes within a small space. Builder Eli Wilsea taps into their imagination to open up this garden gateway to an unknown world beyond. As is the trend at the moment, tap pieces are used to create patterns within the stones. While two are identical and use the tap in tandem with the minifigure posing stud, the middle features a pattern with solely tap pieces that opens up to a solid blue barrier to the beyond. The morose, cloaked figure stands by a lamp made with taps. Like a futuristic Kharon waiting to bear us across this door into the underworld, I’m not sure this guy would be the most comforting guide.

Despite the foreboding figure and the unknown beyond the gate, the garden surrounding it seems pleasant and welcoming. The bright yellow frog bids me to stay, to not take this journey with the Ferrymen. The tree’s dark trunks and bright colors suggest a saccharine poison to this world though, so maybe it would be better to see what lays beyond. It’s up to you which is the true Forlorn Empire.

The most interesting prom date you’re going to find.

Leave it to Dan Ko to create a creature that takes interesting part usage to a whole new galaxy. Titled “The CandyDate“, this depiction of alien student Dor Zinoir incorporates underused parts like a crab for a hand, Dimensions game pieces for foot-pods, and what appear to be minifigure fishing rods for the spindly legs. There are also minifigure arms, disembodied hands, and Unikitty tails in the mix. That nose is throwing me, though. It looks like a minifigure head/helmet, but I can’t place it.

Take a closer look after the break

This unwelcome visitor makes your opinionated uncle seem delightful

We’ve all had to put up with that one unwelcome visitor, right? Usually it’s an opinionated uncle with some harebrained QAnon conspiracies or a boozy aunt with a penchant for family drama. Both will wreck the toilet and both will ask to borrow $12,000 by the end of the night but they keep getting invited back because they’re family. Well, imagine a visitor so unwelcome that not only is it adept in its toilet wrecking abilities but it’ll also scramble your brain and make you do its unspeakable bidding. That is precisely the kind of unwelcome visitor Ivan Martynov has rendered in LEGO. Meet Ur-Lugal, a being so strange it is clearly not from around here. It isn’t even from Belgium. Its planet of origin is unpronounceable and its tactics are insidious. Still, you have to admit that there are some rather charming built techniques at play here. It’s almost…welcoming.

Or is that the brain scrambling at work? I’m not even sure what’s right anymore. But what I am sure about is I like the stuff Ivan builds. Also where we go one, we go all.

Alien’s Nostromo recreated in the brick

1978’s Alien is a watershed moment in sci-fi cinema — tapping into the enthusiasm for all things sci-fi following the success of Star Wars, but using its interstellar setting to spin a very different, very adult, and very scary tale. LEGO builder Bousker perfectly recreates the film’s opening sequence with this depiction of the eerily quiet interior compartments of the starship Nostromo. Ron Cobb‘s original production design for the ship’s interiors have become as iconic as Giger’s famous design for the film’s beastie. The Nostromo has an industrial functionality and a cold but lived-in look, coupled with a whiff of the 70s with those curves and stark white walls. Bousker has captured the feel of both design and sequence perfectly — I particularly love the curved couches, the ladder between decks, and the scattered equipment awaiting the rousing of the crew from their cryosleep. Classy touch to add the cinematic black strips to the image too.

You wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of this looming creature!

Mitch Phillips has built this fascinating creature that integrates organic-looking features into a mechanical design. The slender proportions and the sharpened claws of the model provide the creature with a menacing aesthetic. Curved tube pieces are used to form the piping at the chest while possibly representing robotic organs. The circular piece at the head is actually the invisibility cloak piece from the Harry Potter sets and presents the model with an appearance reminiscent of ancient aliens from science fiction shows. The large number of twisting cables suggests this could be an exoskeleton for an even more terrifying creature. The metallic colour scheme works to great effect under the light, accentuating the curves of the rounded pieces.