Tag Archives: dicken liu

Going for a swim just off the cape

I absolutely adore this red goldfish LEGO build by Dicken Liu! Its big, gaping white mouth is perfect for a cyprinid with a known memory problem. The use of rounded tiles for scales feels perfect for such a cartoonish creation. And the intricate touch of the gold ring around its eye is absolutely perfect here. But the real star of the show is the terrific use of Doctor Strange capes throughout the model. The part fits in perfectly for the goldfish’s flowing fins, bringing the model to life.

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The splendor of Jinxia Cave

Sometimes bigger is better and sometimes scale can look quite deceiving. This LEGO creation by Liu Di Kai looks quite big but my guess is that in person it is massive. Whenever a build gets really big, parts used to add details tend to be less noticeable. If you look closely you can actually spot the Baby Yoda head used on top of the lowest temple roof as an ornament. Sure, the part is quite tiny, but it is hardly noticeable due to the sheer size of this creation. The ninjago dragon amulet is quite a big part, but even that looks teeny tiny. This is one of those creations that definitely deserves a quick zoom-in so you can discover all the hidden details.

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The Man of Tomorrow will handle it tomorrow.

Every superhero deserves a relaxing day off, and Dicken Liu has given us a glimpse into the leisure time of the most super superhero of them all. Clark Kent, aka Kal-El, aka Superman has been popular for decades because he’s so relatable, and what’s more relatable than a delicious hot dog lunch after a productive shopping trip at the LEGO store? Dicken has filled the scene with plenty of great details – from the sidewalk texture to the clever construction of the soda lid and straw. And, besides the Big Blue Boy Scout and the two dogs, there’s a fourth character in the scene you almost need x-ray vision to spot.

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A Summer folding chair in the middle of Autumn

That air is brisk out there! Autumn most certainly has arrived, making me want to don a warm sweater and maybe sip a pumpkin spice latte. But maybe it’s warm where Dicken Liu is because clearly he has summer on his mind as evidenced by this LEGO folding chair. He even titled this piece Summer Nights. If the desired effect was to have me thinking of summer, even as the wind howls and rattles our ghost Halloween decorations, it worked! I can just about feel the comfort and warmth of a starry summer night. The tea and the side table are a nice touch, too. The mushrooms are also neat!

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Come fly with MEE, let’s fly, let’s fly away...

A lot of the time when we see mecha here on TBB, they look as though they’re about go to an epic battle with a kaiju. But this one from Dicken Liu seems altogether more peaceful. In fact with what looks like a suitcase next to it, perhaps this is a holiday suit! In truth, Liu describes it as a Mars Exploration Exoskeleton, or MEE. No, not me, MEE! I’m not in there. I wouldn’t mind it though – it’s very stylish, considering it’s for space exploration, which is definitely not where you want form to come over function. The red and white colour blocking is excellent, and I love the use of a dragon head for the back of the helmet. It must be a nightmare when going checking in at the spaceport though. Do they still have luggage weight restrictions for flights to Mars? I’m not sure that case will fit in the overhead lockers. And that plant in its hand is definitely getting flagged up at customs.

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Excellent Excalibur in a stone with a secret

Dicken Liu has added another life-sized weapon to their collection, following on from the lightsaber that we featured a few weeks ago. While this one still comes from a long time ago, though, it does come from a galaxy that isn’t so far, far away, even if it exists mainly in legend. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking this is just your average very good LEGO sword. But since it’s embedded in a rock, there’s no mistaking it: this is the legendary Excalibur. As a piece, this looks excellent – the gold highlights and green foliage add some visual interest to the black and greys of the rest. But hang on… There do some to be a few holes in this particular stone… What’s going on here?

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Let’s see what happens when we pull the sword from the stone…

An elegant weapon from a more civilised age (namely, 1999)

There are plenty of life-size LEGO lightsabers out there (including LEGO’s own promos), both from the Star Wars films and builders creating their own. Dicken Liu has taken inspiration from an altogether different source for their 1:1-scale brick-built laser sword hilt, however. This LEGO lightsaber is a model of, well, a LEGO lightsaber! I suppose that technically makes it 12:1 scale. This minifigure accessory has been virtually unchanged since the Star Wars line made its debut 23 years ago. Here its form is very faithfully recreated, making good use of the myriad round and curved slopes in the LEGO parts catalogue. Interestingly I think virtually all of the external parts you see here didn’t exist back in 1999, when we got the first Star Wars sets!

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The external shape is not the only interesting thing here, though…

Giddy-up, there’s a new robot sheriff in town

Love ’em or hate ’em, the robot dog from Boston Dynamics is instantly recognizable at any LEGO scale. And this model by dicken liu may be one of the most accurate models yet, from the distinct yellow body to the diminutive little black feet. I can almost see its little side-stepping dance. But whatever you do, don’t even think about giving him a gun… we’ve all seen that Black Mirror episode, it will not end well.

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Swallow kite in black and white

I tend to build in minifigure scale. Therefore I am mostly drawn to other builders’ creations built on the same scale too. However this beautiful Chinese kite creation by Dicken Liu caught my eye. Limiting themselves to using only black and white for the kite, and brown for the kite rod. I am by no means an expert when it comes to Chinese culture, but a quick google leads me to believe this creation is inspired by a traditional swallow kite. I love the use of bats and curved plant stems for decoration. But what I like most is how the decoration on the wings reminds me of the plant plate piece. Also have you spotted the Mickey brick used as a blob of paint?

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Are you not entertained by this LEGO Roman chariot?

Straight from the Circus Maximus, let me present this exquisite LEGO chariot built by Dicken Liu. And, given the subject matter, I think this is a good time to learn some Latin. Our first vocab word is volare: to fly or move quickly. And, by golly, those horses are doing exactly that! This build evokes such motion with its flying manes and tails, I can almost hear their galloping hooves when I look at it! It’s truly a brilliant use of curved slopes and arches.

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Learn some more Latin below

Could I interest you in some enlightenment?

There’s no denying that these are trying times. If you’re like me, you could probably use a break to search for some inner peace. Dicken Liu (from Season 1 of LEGO MASTERS China) has built a lovely object for contemplation – the brick-built head of a Bodhisattva. The calm visage, carved from pristine white marble LEGO, is enhanced by golden accents. Clever part usage includes sea shells, Unikitty tails, and Ninjago sword tassels. The closer you look, the more this work rewards you.

LEGOMOC-Head of a Bodhisattva

Be sure to browse our features of other great art and sculpture creations by talented builders from around the globe.