Tag Archives: Animals

Who....Who....Who can make an amazing owl?

Chungpo Cheng, that’s who! You might remember Chungpo’s work from a few weeks ago when we shared his stunning, super-sized Star Wars battle droids. This time, he chose to make big versions of the classic LEGO owl, rat and “cheese slope” elements. In particular, the owl is packed with lots of personality. Those big eyes and upturned eyebrows make Chungpo’s owl look warm and approachable. I almost want to hand-feed the little guy some birdseed!

Chungpo has sculpted an excellent likeness of the original owl piece. He has even photographed the two side-by-side for comparison. Continue reading →

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Delivering the cuteness

Studio Ghibli’s animated movies are a constant source of inspiration to LEGO builders, and Kiki’s Delivery Service is no exception. Here’s the film’s feline duo, Jiji and Lily, re-created in the brick by car_mp. The curves of the cats’ bodies are nicely done, particularly the studs-out section depicting Lily’s neck fur. But as with other cartoon-themed creations, it’s the addition of the large Mixel eye tiles which injects a bunch of character and fun.

Build your own cute doggie desk buddy [Video Instructions]

If you’re looking for a cute LEGO desk buddy to keep you smiling during your work day, look no further, because we’ve made a step-by-step video tutorial on how to build this adorable LEGO dog designed by CK HO.

We featured picture instructions for this build back in January, but we loved this guy so much we wanted to give it a full walkthrough. I’ve built mine in gray, but if you have the parts it can be built in many different colors, such as tan, brown, or black.

If you build this cute doggie yourself, be sure to add us on social media and post it with the hashtag #CKHOdogbuild.

Great Plains grazing

What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison? You can’t wash your hands in a buffalo. Okay, terrible jokes aside, here’s an excellent pair of LEGO bison put-together by Jens Ohrndorf. The shaping is excellent, as is the restrained colour scheme, and the mix of smooth and studded pieces used creates an effective simulation of the bison’s patchy shaggy coat.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen bison models by Jens. Check out this cute pair of tiny LEGO bison and a mammoth we featured a couple of years ago.

A beautiful pair of red-crowned cranes

If you’ve never seen a red-crowned crane, they are certainly a site to behold. Standing at 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, with a wingspan of 7-8 feet, and weighing up to 25 Lbs (over 11 Kg), these endangered creatures are among the largest birds in the world. Their mating dance is also incredible! Native to East Asia, the sacred cranes have significant symbolism in Japanese tradition. They represent luck, longevity, and fidelity, and they often show up in art, like this elegant diorama by ggwingx.

The background and base are a perfect tribute to the homeland of these beautiful animals. But what really stands out is the terrific use of those white clamshells, and black and white feather pieces to really give them dimension. The legs, necks, and heads are also clever. Altogether it’s a great use of simple parts to make something that truly embodies the gracefulness of these creatures.

TBB cover photo: April 2018

Spring is for the birds. Helping usher in spring for TBB’s cover photo this month is Gregory Coquelz’s excellent rendition of Pixar’s For the Birds that we featured back in February. Each time you visit us on our social pages, you can imagine the endless chatter of birds on an electric cable. Or, it might be the birds outside your window. We’ll leave that up to you to figure out.

Want to see your own LEGO creation featured across TBB social media for a month? Then read the submission guidelines and send us your photo today. Photos that do not meet the submission guidelines will not be considered, and will be removed from the group.

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The White Stag of Portland welcomes hipsters and tourists alike

In the city of Portland, Oregon there’s a giant neon sign of a stag jumping over an outline of the state. The historic landmark currently reads, “Portland Oregon” through the middle. It has had a few variations over the years, including, “Made in Oregon.” But one thing always remains the same: that white stag. The sign holds a special place in the hearts of many Oregonians, including mine, and Patrick Biggs’. He’s another builder we’ve featured several times, and the creator of this LEGO version of the iconic Portland stag. Usually Patrick builds posable figures and critters of fiction. This time he went for something a little different to display at the BricksCascade 2018 convention this weekend.

The body of this animal is beautifully shaped, and the white is clean and regal. Also, it can stand alone just as easily as with the full display stand. You don’t even need the backstory to appreciate it! Altogether, it’s one tribute to be proud of.

A sharp-toothed frog

Did you know that most frogs do have teeth? They are very tiny and not actually used for chewing. But this frog is on a whole different level. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to make him angry! Nobu_tary, a LEGO builder we’ve featured many times, is the witty creator behind this creature. Usually he makes LEGO food like a banana as well as posable figures, but this is a refreshing new addition to his collection!

The body-shaping here is really terrific, and the use of that head piece brings it to life. You might recognize the part from the retired LEGO Chima Speedorz set, 70103 Boulder Bowling. It’s one of those pieces that are difficult to find another use for, but he’s done it perfectly here! This is one frog I wouldn’t mind dissecting… and putting back together of course!

Beef up your building

Organic shapes are surely some of the hardest to capture in LEGO bricks — leaving many builders to concentrate their efforts on structures and vehicles rather than animal forms. However, Joe Perez seems to be up for the challenge — his latest model is a lifelike and intimidating bull on the charge. The shaping is excellent here, with slightly exaggerated proportions that effectively convey a genuine sense of heft and menace.

Joe has been slowly putting together an impressive series of creatures in this style. Don’t miss the excellent brick-built stallion we featured a few years ago, and this wonderful stag…

Beautiful brick beasts

These mouse-like creatures look like they came straight out of some sci-fi piece! But in fact, Takamichi Irie modeled them after a real-life family of rodents called Dipodidae. As you can imagine, they are like a cross between a mouse and a kangaroo. Thankfully, it doesn’t take someone who studies animals to recognize the beauty in these little beasts, and best yet, they’re not the only amazing creatures Takamichi has created!

Click to see more incredible creatures

Even LEGO Garfield hates Mondays

Garfield was actually created by Jim Davies back in 1978, so he’s not doing too badly for a 40-year old cat. I imagine his love of lasagna, hatred of Mondays, general lazy nature and obsession with eating have not necessarily aided his longevity. This instantly recognisable LEGO version was built by Vlad Efremkin and captures Garfield’s reluctance to get up out of his cat bed in the morning. Those heavy eyelids are a particularly effective use of Commander Cody or Poe Dameron’s shoulder armour.

The cuddly king of the north

I realize polar bears are an endangered species and killing machines, but can you blame me for wanting to pet one? Especially so after seeing this extra cute LEGO recreation by Jens Ohrndorf. The build expresses a lot of character and that is not just a consequence of using the eye tiles. The subtle angle of the neck and the shaping of the back are very characteristic for a polar bear. It is a feat of photography that Jens made the bear not blend in with the ice base under it.

The builder calls the photo on his Flickr Icebear 2.0, because it is actually a remake of an older build. The older version is well worth taking a look at, but the improvements in the updated build are quite obvious.