The kingdoms and castles built by fans have provided its many factions a stable home since the last Castle-themed sets were retired. Builder Dale Harris provides two such fortresses in this massive build, complete with lush scenery. Inspired by the original sets including the Forestmen and the Black Falcons, this model is a blend of childhood nostalgia and adult builder expertise. Named for the two factions that call the area home, this had to take a massive amount of planning.
Do you know what’s better than a picture of one amazing LEGO creation? A picture of two amazing LEGO creations. This creation consists of a city built by Daniel Barwegen and a backdrop created by Bousker. I love the way a shared hobby like building with LEGO bricks can bring people together.
The city itself contains some smart part usage. We can spot a Mjolnir wall and round wheel cover windows. My favorite part, the ingot bar is used to depict decaying bricks. Between the buildings we can spot the blue roofed castle in the backdrop. The microbuild is used to create a forced perspective, and really deserves a quick zoom in. There are a lot of cool details hidden in the build, from the ripplig tiled waves to the flower stem pine trees . Even the puffy clouds are made of bricks.
When you put a title like Castle Bros on the line, you better be ready to back it up eventually with some epic, medieval models. After he and his brother succeeded in securing the victory, LEGO Masters contestant Caleb Schilling was well aware of this obligation. Compelled to revive the build that won the bet, Caleb did so with style. The Joust of Sir Bob and Sir Leon takes place high on the bridge above the castle gates, surrounded by colorful citizens celebrating the competition. Red and blue banners wave above their heads for their favorite knights as they look on from various levels of this towering castle. The molding of the bridge is brilliantly detailed, emulating carved stone with gold inlets. Honestly, the parapets of each tower and turret are beautifully designed with wonderfully textured walls and arrowslits dotting them. My absolute favorite portion is the entryway. This design is honestly gorgeous. The use of sand green and dark orange contrasts nicely with the highlight of white and peek of yellow from above. The plants adorning the windowsills, the ivy climbing the left turret, and the bright tree atop the entryway add an organic element to the stone and mortar.
Caleb Schilling, and Jacob for that matter, have impressed me so far in their tenure as the Castle Bros. Their use of bright colors to contrast the greys and browns common in castle designs breathes life into the concept. This model and that from the show seem almost animated with how the characters and buildings complement each other. I can’t wait to see Caleb’s next castle.
The mini shooter/blaster, loved by kids, not so much by adult fans of LEGO. Until now, that is! Jonas Kramm is no stranger when it comes to using unusual parts in their creations. This time, he really hit the nail on the head with their inclusion of the controversial mini-shooter in the roofing of this bell tower. There is, however, more to love about this creation than just the roof, like the gigantic bell that appears to be constructed out of mainly minifigure headgear.
It is also nice to see the new flower stem with thorns appear in fan creations. And I will never look at mudguards the same way as they make for really interesting architectural details. I need this to get integrated in new Hogwarts sets.