Builder keiichi kamei is no stranger when it comes to building phenomenal LEGO sculptures. Earlier this year, you might recall us sharing his New Year lion dance mask. With 2019 being the year of the pig, keiichi is back with a majestic-looking LEGO wild boar. His boar looks like the real deal, thanks to intricate sculpting of the animal’s body. A combination of curved and angled slopes form the overall shape of the body, which is nearly void of studs. Meanwhile, the positioning of the legs is reminiscent of how boars trot around while they forage for food. Better watch out for those tusks, though!
Tag Archives: Animals
His thoughts are his companions
In Norse mythology, the god Oden is accompanied by two ravens; one named Hugin and the other named Munin. Respectively, their names mean “thought” and “memory,” and as legend goes, they fly the world by day and return to Oden at night to tell what they learn. This beautiful LEGO representation of Hugin is the work of builder Birgitte Jonsgard. It is one of the best brick-built birds I have ever seen. She did a truly lovely job on the body-shaping, and yes, his wings do unfold!
Also check out Birgitte’s still life art in LEGO form!
Let’s take a trip through The LEGO Zoo by Jody Padulano [Review & Giveaway]
Who doesn’t love adorable animals? Perhaps there are Scrooges out there that would contend that question, but if you’re reading this, that person probably isn’t you. If you want to learn how to build some animals, The LEGO Zoo by Jody Padulano might just be the book you’re looking for. Whether you clicked that link for your own sake, or you think a special kiddo in your life might love this book, we have the answers regarding what to expect. So grab your safari vest and binoculars, and away we go!
Click here to continue reading our full review!
The next evolution of walking LEGO dinosaurs [Video]
We’ve been following the ongoing evolution of a series of mechanical LEGO dinosaurs built by Dan Schlumpp. Each iteration has become more and more streamlined, and the latest addition to his Mesozoic menagerie is no exception. The body-shaping is excellent, as well as the color choices.
This stegosaurus not only looks great, but lumbers around beautifully! It’s amazing to get such an organic body while still trying to create and hide all the right mechanical components.
If you’re curious about the previous iterations, check out our feature on one of Dan’s previous dinos.
A little wink from the Wizarding World
This lovely model of Harry Potter’s famous owl, Hedwig, is the work of DOGOD Brick Design. He does an exceptional job producing streamlined, organic shapes with LEGO. One of my favorite aspects of this model is the use of the automobile hoods to resemble chest feathers. I also love that she is posable, and that the handlebar used for the wink is easily replaced with a matching eye.
If you like this, check out his adorable Niffler! We also recently covered his excellent Frankenstein for Halloween.
The name’s Jack...Union Jack
Back in 1941, World War II inspired ceramic manufacturer Royal Doulton to release a patriotic bulldog figure. Royal Doulton re-released the bulldog in 2012 to coincide with its appearance in the film, Skyfall. Since LEGO Ideas is currently running a James Bond contest, Victor decided to build a nearly 1:1 scale LEGO version of the bulldog. Victor’s model looks adorable, and the smooth curves of the dog and studs-out sculpting of the flag on his back make for an eye-pleasing juxtaposition.
Bricks in the hand are worth four builds of birds [Instructions]
If your LEGO city is situated by the seas, here are four complementary birds that could be residents of the local shores. Tammo S creates a few feathery friends from a lesser black-backed gull, a parrot/finch, a common redshank and a royal tern. They’re tiny enough for a quick build, so start looking in your bin of parts and give them a go! My favourite is the proud parrot – what’s yours?
Giving old builds new life with these LEGO insect automata
It wasn’t very long ago that we featured an interview with superb Japanese builder Takamichi Irie. We’ve also covered a number of his builds on this site. So if you’re having deja vu about seeing this lovely animal before, you’re not crazy! The sleek scorpion is back as one of Takamichi’s signature automata. Using only brick-built cogs and simple mechanics, he’s breathing new life into this automaton and other eye-catching builds.
Click to see this scorpion automata in action!
A stilted bird with a fabled beak
This whimsical fellow is the work of Oliver Becker, who was inspired by the original legend of storks delivering babies. He decided to add a twist to the story with a character whose beak was curved with the weight of carrying those little bundles of joy. Oliver also came up with a made-up discoverer of the creature: Erasmus Class van der Ailer. While the Curve-Billed Stork is not a real animal (living or extinct) it is indeed based off of real birds. The ibis, a cousin of the stork, is an interesting bird with a curved beak that it uses to probe the ground for food.
I like this build because it has a lot of personality and some nifty parts usage. A couple months ago we featured another baby delivery bird which looked a bit like a pelican, but was just as fun!
LEGO Builders on the half shell: a history of helping turtles and tortoises [Feature]
Last month, a story on LEGO bricks being used to help an injured turtle went viral. An Eastern box turtle was found with multiple fractures on its plastron (the name for the underside of a turtle/tortoise shell). Veterinary staff at the Maryland Zoo of Baltimore performed surgery, but they were concerned about allowing the turtle to move freely while healing properly. According to zoo employee Dr. Ellen Bronson, turtles take much longer to recover than mammals and birds due to a slower metabolism.
To help the turtle move without injuring itself again, Garrett Fraess (the Zoo’s veterinarian extern) and his colleagues sketched out some plans for a wheelchair…
Click here to read how people help turtles to recover…
Now you see it. Now you don’t. Voltron’s green lion is in its element.
If you are a huge fan of the Voltron LEGO set, you might also be interested in the “Form Your Most Imaginative Voltron Scene!” contest on LEGO Ideas. The contest has produced some excellent entries, such as aido k’s breathtaking tribute to the green lion, “In its Element.” The entire scene is comprised of an excellent likeness of the lion’s head, which is split into mechanical and organic halves.
See more of this custom LEGO Voltron model
A collection of fantastic LEGO South American feathered fauna
As a zoology nerd, my favorite things to write about are, of course, animals. When I saw these lovely LEGO birds by Luis Peña, I just couldn’t resist! The creative build features iconic species, including the Hyacinth Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Andean Condor, Black-Necked Swans, Ringed Kingfisher, and Magellanic Woodpecker.
I adore Kingfishers, but I’d have to say that my favorite bird in the series is the Woodpecker. There is some clever parts usage here, giving it character. I love that mohawk headpiece, and the worm that is formerly an “Insectoid” (13757) from 70709 Galactic Titan.
Luis is a talented builder who we’ve featured before. If you like these animals, check out his recent Paleozoic sea creatures!