I’ve always loved seeing new Treebeard MOCs, because he’s rarely ever built the same way twice. The variety of scales and building techniques we’ve seen used to create one of my favorite Tolkien characters makes it all the more interesting, and this Treebeard build from Ben Arkley is one of the most impressive yet. The sheer scale of this build is the first thing that sticks out, especially when you notice how tiny Merry and Pippin are in contrast.
Click to see more of this colossal Treebeard
For some, their mode of transportation might be a ’92 Nissan Stanza or even a city bus for those who can’t afford the elegance and luxury that only a ’92 Stanza can provide. But for those living in the LEGO fantasy realm created by Greenarj only a triceratops with twisty horns will do. Both human-ish merchant and beast of burden are expertly crafted and brimming with personality. Greenarj tells us that traveling across the vast steppes connecting Twin Capitals is an arduous task, rife with personal danger. In such rugged terrain, I imagine an armored dino would be the best mode of transportation and protection around. It would be a safe, dependable steed right up until a ’92 Stanza backfires, sending the beast careening at breakneck speed into unfathomable doom.
Alex (bryckland) leaves no part wasted as this fortress protects the coast. Built for the French Feodalis roleplay campaign, every part selection by Alex is a joy. From a door handle to a ballista, from mushrooms to window bars, every piece has been placed with intention. And don’t miss the color selection either from top to bottom. The fortress’s dome gives a beautiful flair of faded copper, while the base shows its wear against the battering waves.
Alex also uses an approach for a classic castle feature that I had not seen before. Using the newer Brick 1×3 Half Arch back-to-back, Alex tops the fortress with great crenelation (word of the day!).
Mitch Phillips is back at it again with another incredible beast build: this time the Flame of Udûn itself. The Balrog is arguably the most popular creature in The Lord of the Rings films (and likely set to appear again in the upcoming season of Rings of Power), and this monstrous build does it justice. Of course, it wouldn’t be a MitchBuilds build without some great part usage.
The impressively massive wings are comprised of a plethora of plastic glider wings from the old Ninja and Adventurers sets, there are translucent orange Hero Factory torsos hiding in the flames atop its back, and you might find more than one color of hot dog featured throughout the build. This is a Balrog build poised to strike fear into even the bravest of the Fellowship.
As always, you can check out the full assembly of Mitch’s Balrog build on YouTube:
Don’t let the Sackville-Bagginses catch sight of this impressive household! While I very much enjoyed this year’s release of 10354: The Shire, it’s always great to see the MOC community making personal improvements or alternate takes on recently released sets. While not a 1:1 remake, The Creators Child put together a wonderful build of Bag End that incorporates several parts from this year’s The Shire set, like the fence made from boomerangs, but takes the entire presentation to a new level. This build is much larger in scale and is completely covered in lush vegetation, as Hobbiton is depicted in the films. At its core, this build still focuses on the green hill that holds Bilbo’s home, but the accompanying plant life makes everything feel much more alive and connected.
There’s been a decent amount of discussion about the lackluster trees in the official set, but the tree atop this version of Bilbo’s abode is a sight to behold. It’s incredibly detailed, and features a variety of build techniques and shaping to make it really stand out. The tree trunk costume is an excellent touch.
Since 2013, over in the Eurobricks forums, Castle fans have been building out a shared fantasy world with story arcs and challenges called Guilds of Historica. Peter Ilmrud is a longtime member of the community who hasn’t added to the world in a while, but returned last month with a beautiful piece of forced perspective featuring his sigfig Parzival approaching a desert metropolis.
With just the microscale model in focus, we can better appreciate the wonderful technique, like one boat made with chocolate frogs and another from a hotdog bun, an upturned butterfly net as a dome, and a book cover for a tent.
Peter promises that the microscale model above is just an appetizer for a larger return to Guilds of Historica next year. Based on the builder’s previous creations in the setting, we’re in for a treat. Here is Peter’s creation from the GoH 10th anniversary contest two years ago – the Port of Zamorah. (Visit Peter’s Flickr to appreciate it close up.)
From Tolkien to Warhammer and everything in between, orcs are the biggest, baddest, and often funniest fantasy baddies of any setting they appear in. This week we’ve put together a horrendous horde of LEGO orcs from the custom community. You’ll find more than a few surprises in this one!
A king of cohesion, capt.dark.shark unleashes Commander Kragg the Cleaver. There’s so much to love here, the new(ish) Viking helmet fits so flush with the CMF Orc jaw, while pushing the ears out to make a unique head shape. The oversized olive green arm is actually from Jabba the Hutt, and sticking an axe on the end of a prosthetic is delightfully impractical as it is fiendishly orcish.
Lessor in the orc kingdoms but certainly not in the minifig world, these night goblins from Karp_brick have some excellent black cape layering and subtle diversity in the heads and headwear. We’ve spotted faces from the CMF Goblin, Star Wars Niamoidian and a Ninjago orc.
Older bigfigs are famous for lack of customisation options, but dwalinforkbeard has expertly used black capes to cover a more scifi torso to create something that is right at home in a medieval fantasy setting. Add that to the whimsical mushroom picking vibe and you’ve got a great looking orc dude.
Where there’s a click, there’s a way… to see more orcs! Zug zug.
Grab your preferred hammer or axe, a pint of ale, and join us on a tour of this Dwarven sanctuary nestled within the Red Mountains. Dwalin Forkbeard brought this imposing mountain fortress to life, and nearly every chamber and foothill of it is bustling with Dwarven activity.
The faces chiseled into the very face of the mountain bear resemblance to many of the characters within, and the sheer amount of gold and stone that is used tastefully throughout this build feels very true to character for these delvers. The water technique here is lovely, and I’m half-tempted to check for a treasure chest behind one of the waterfalls.
Take a sip and join us on the full tour of this Dwarven stronghold!
There’s nothing finer than nice part use and unique building techniques in a fantasy LEGO model, and the latest creation from yr_bricks is a sight to behold. From the skateboarding helmet in the rocks to the Ninjago dragon head and Belville saddle that make up a portion of the tree stump, there are incredible parts and build techniques all over this scene.
The shaping and color contrast of the door comes together beautifully, as seen in the close-up shot below. We especially love the framing and almost spiral descent of the path, as nearly every portion of this build has a rounded or angular aspect that brings the viewer’s focus back to the center to fully appreciate this build.
Every scene can teach a lesson, and this scene has taught me not to wonder into deep caves. According to Tkytko, that is where Raus’zod has the Weeping Skull Mausoleum. The scene is full of clever details with great building techniques. And all those details come together to create a rather scary lair.
Take some time to look over the entirety of this entry to the Summer Joust competition.
As a LEGO set designer for Elves, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Zelda, and Wicked, it’s fair to say that Wes Talbott knows a thing or two about bringing fantasy to life at minifig scale. Last year, the builder’s Fire Breathing Fortress reimagining with Chris Perron took our breath away. Now Wes is back with a trio of vignettes titled Dungeon Dangers. The first scene stars a hideous slime made from trans green macaroni tubes from the Dreamszzz sets. My favorite technique is the spiral columns decorated with thorny vines in metallic silver.
Wes was so pleased with the vignette design of a hexagonal base framed with three columns that he kept the pattern across the full serries. The crystalline spider sparkles, but again its the corners that capture my eye with an innovative technique for stalagnate columns. Apparently Wes came up with the concept a few years ago but never had a chance to use it until now. Spider eggs made from clusters of clamshells is another standout technique.
Wes’ final fantasy vignette follows, along with a bonus from the builder
Swedish builder T-86 never misses a chance to enter a medieval building challenge. And when possible, this LEGO storyteller uses a challenge to reveal a new piece of the fantasy world of Dandelume. The builder’s latest addition is diorama and scenes featuring Bryndon the Bard, a fixture of the sprawling stone city. Here on the steps to old town, we see the city’s oldest wall and the interplay of rich and poor at this busy gate. T-86 references older builds in color schemes and lore while making the location feel specific and new.
![[The Bard of Old Town]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54755706431_107baea0a6_b.jpg)
Even though the majority of the build is grey bricks, T-86 packs it with sophisticated techniques that keep it visually interesting. The sidewalk mosaic uses a mix of tiles and cheese slopes in alternating orientations to make concentric rings. And the arches made from loosely fitted headlight bricks looks wonderful.
![[The Bard of Old Town]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54756038690_b2fe39b103_b.jpg)
See some earlier builds of Dandelume below