Tag Archives: Eero Okkonen

A lighthouse that warns of more than rocks

I think it would be best to admire this beautiful LEGO BioCup 2022 build by Eero Okkonen from afar. After all, kaiju can be very dangerous up-close. The moth monster is absolutely the star of the show here, with so much intricate feathering on its legs, abdomen, and antennae. But the lighthouse is no slouch either, with brilliant details like the little gray staircase leading up to its door. I also especially like the use of the Constraction torso pieces in white as rocks at the base of the structure.

A Bright Light over the Dark Sea Attracts More Than Ships Looking for a Safe Passage

A personified plant ponders piece potential

Builder Eero Okkonen taps into something that I think most LEGO fans can relate to: looking for a new way to use an old piece. Where Eero might differ from those of you reading this is in depicting that struggle as a tree. But this wonderful self-portrait turns a few pieces upside down to deliver a wonderful image of an Ent-like being confounded by a gear. It’s no surprise Eero’s self-portrait would be a fantasy creature looking for new parts usage. Check out our Eero Okkonen archives for a look at his past builds, and you’ll know what I mean.

Self-Portrait as a Wooden Man

Agra Sunstriker, Beat Wizard

Back at it again with another fantastic figure, Builder Eero Okkonen makes use of some interesting parts from Monkie Kid’s new Galactic Explorer. After watching the Moon Knight finale, this seems like an ancient Egyptian hero in the modern era. Just imagine him strutting up to a bad guy, dropping that boom box, hitting play, and kicking butt in step with the power of the gods.

Agra Sunstriker

Drop the beat

Check out this colourful cyber samurai

This is one to watch out for on the battlefield! Eero Okkonen has taken inspiration from the Monkie Kid sets with the vibrant colours featured in this build. Yellow curved tubes (AKA macaroni) form part of the character’s wide helmet with red claws portraying horns. The fingers are actually skeleton arms and the windscreens in dark turquoise are perfect for creating the samurai’s armour skirting. The futuristic design is completed by the use of trans red at the knees, arm shields and in the sword. It’s an eye-catching model where you can tell Eero has taken time to analyse parts from the Monkie Kid theme in order to apply the pieces in inventive ways.

Polymer Samurai

A Super Smash hit of a build

When it comes to large-scale LEGO character builds, few do it better than Eero Okkonen. This time he has outdone even himself with this scene taken from Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game, which he says is his biggest scene build so far. The terrain and background are excellent, and very well shaped, but naturally, the stars of the show are Palutena and Wario. Palutena’s dynamic pose looks excellent in Eero’s signature style, with perfectly lifelike features. The gold trimmings look great, fashioned out of a smorgasbord of pieces that includes wings, wheel rims, and a saxophone.

Super Smash Bros.

With that said, I think Wario is the real highlight of the build and frankly would have been worthy of a feature on his own! He is wonderfully expressive, his angular facial features perfectly captured and set against his – *ahem* – rotund figure. The exaggerated pointed finger is faithful to his “Down Tilt” move, although it can be replaced with the more conventional white-gloved hand. I can almost hear his distinctive Wa-Ho in the distance…

Wario

Check out more of Eero’s collection of colourful characters here!

Taking nice part usage a bridge too far

Eero Okkonen isn’t a stranger when it comes to using LEGO parts in an interesting way. For this episode of LEGO nice parts usage the star is the rope bridge. A part first used in 1989 that only appeared in 13 sets. In this case, Eero used the rope bridge as an architectural detail over a gateway. Using trans clear 2×2 slopes for windows is a really smart little detail. We often see trans bricks used for windows but never slopes. Mostly because the side of the slope that is placed at an angle isn’t as clear as the rest of the brick due to its texture. Also, the tube in the middle of the brick is quite noticeable. Something you do not want if you are looking for a piece to represent glass. But not all glass is transparent and smooth. Sometimes glass is textured and semi-transparent or decorated in one way or another. The brown tower rooftop looks like an absolute hell to construct and it is nice to see how it matches the other little turrets with its sand green tip. I can not finish this article without mentioning the ingot bars used for brickwork.

Mesilinna

MPU: mammoth parts usage...

We like builds with NPU. They showcase the limitless creativity of people when it comes to utilising a weird LEGO element in a unique way. Character builder Eero Okkonen is no stranger to odd but innovative parts in his wonderful builds. And he is no stranger to Bionicle either, from which his myriad of character builds originate. This time he takes this opportunity to include a part many had difficulty integrating into their creations: the Rahkshi back. And it works so well that I will now think of that part as “Mammoth forehead.” Thanks Eero!

Woolly Mammoth

And also thank you for planting the idea of Bionicle x Ice Age crossover in my head.
It was Scrat who awakened the Bohrok swarms…

Three (thousand) bricks in the fountain, each one seeking happiness

The Trevi Fountain in Rome is one of the Eternal City’s most famous landmarks—a stunning piece of architectural theatre, usually swamped by hordes of tourists tossing coins into the water as they follow the advice of the Sinatra song. Luca Petraglia‘s excellent LEGO creation depicts the fountain without its attendant crowds, meaning everyone can get a decent view of the beauty on display. A 1.5m wide brick-built version of the Palazzo Poli offers a dramatic architectural backdrop to the fountain itself, its triumphal arch framing the central statue of Oceanus. I love the simplicity of the colour choices in this model, ensuring the trans-blue waters of the fountain really pop against the stark backdrop. Luca says the statues themselves were designed by fellow builder Eero Okkonen—it’s nice to see his character builds given such an impressive setting.

LEGO Trevi Fountain

Bold colors and some fresh beats

Virva Staccato is ready to tear the house down! Inspired by the drum kit from LEGO Friends set 41449 Andrea’s Family House, this exceptional drummer can only be the work of uber-talented artist, Eero Okkonen. The funky color scheme gives the character a ton of flair and attitude, but it’s the parts usage that gives it the wow factor. Details from the house, like the window shutters on her top and 1x2x2 trans opalescent window panes for the glasses. I’m also a big fan of the pigtails from tires and Hero Factory robot legs for earings.

Virva Staccato

This has to be one of my all-time favorites, but it’s hard to choose from all of Eero’s other great LEGO characters we featured! Stick around and check out a few more!

Run, Rincewind, run! (LEGO Discworld build)

Discworld fans will love this creative LEGO build from Eero Okkonen of the character Rincewind. A lot of LEGO builds are lauded for their smooth stud-free look, but Okkonen achieves a wonderful combination of both, giving the character an appropriately haggard appearance. The pieces used to create Rincewind’s facial hair, eyebrows, and sideburns are unique choices that work really well together, and I love how he uses Space Arms for the hands.

Run, Rincewind, run!

Headdresses and cocktail dresses

With his new LEGO creation, Eero Okkonen begs the question; Ancient headdresses and cocktail dresses are a nice combo, right? Wait, let me think about this. Yes. Yes, they are. Margibi Imber pulls the ensemble off nicely with her Ancient Egyptian-inspired headdress complete with a scarab ornament. She pairs that with a festive strapless cocktail dress for a surprisingly coherent outfit. Accessorize with leg-length boots and a matching handbag and you have yourselves the makings of a fabulous night on the town. (Your results may vary.) My favorite detail is the LEGO netting used for hair. While Eero is certainly capable of building other things, find out why he’s among our favorite character builders in our archives.

Margibi Imber

A magical catch with striking form!

Builder Eero Okkonen has a history of building some impressive figures. A master of brick-built poseable models, his creations are full of character and story. The eye-catching designs always pull my attention to his intriguing use of pieces and array of techniques. This model, Archchancellor Ridcully’s Catch, has a magic about it that makes it clear Eero was harkening back to the classic fantasy series, Discworld. This Archchancellor is the wizard, Ridcully, out flyfishing on a relaxing morning and he’s certainly made a great catch here.

The Archchancellor's Catch

In this fully posable figure inspired by Sir Terry Prachett’s Discworld series, Eero’s use of rounded hinges and plates really help with the mobility of the legs. Meanwhile, 1×1 clips and the newer “stud with bar” help to achieve awesome angles with the arms. The hands are a bit simple, sure, but they still seem to provide great grip and dexterity! Also, thanks to the scale of the model, the fishing rod minifig piece fits perfectly in this flyfishing motif.

There are lots of things to appreciate about this model, so take some time to check it out! From the cape to the brick-built fish complete with a splash of water and framed by cattails, Eero Okkonen once again shows his skill with LEGO. I mean, just look at that beard and literal handlebar mustache! Find more through the links or by checking out his Flickr and Instagram @eerookkonen.