Tag Archives: Grantmasters

Honey, I Shrunk the Grayskull

When I was 4 years-old, my Castle Grayskull playset felt gigantic in my hands, but when I found it packed away in the garage in my teens, I was surprised by how small it felt. Grantmasters has triggered that memory with a miniscule Grayskull so small that the in-scale Battle Cat and Panthor are mostly just a collection of minifigure hands. But the hands aren’t the only creatively used minifigure parts. A ring of minifigure legs make up the top of the tallest tower, and the castle’s namesake skull is making use of some arms. It’s some NPU that totally has the power.

Sorcery and Diminution!

This Xenomorph build has some bite

Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise are cool and terrifying at the same time, and this LEGO sculpt by Grantmasters is no exception! Based on the collector’s edition of the Alien: Weyland-Yutani Report, an informational book on the franchise, there’s so much detail packed into this low relief sculpt. Those slopes making up the brunt of the face look like they were made for rendering a Xenomorph, but the build really shines with the greebling on the sides of the face. Hinged cylinder links frame the face and connect to each other with a rope element across the top of the head. The Corners of the mouth feature many elements, such as minifigure arms and hands as well as some skeleton legs. The weapons orbiting the Xenomorph stand in for tendril designs. However, I think they’re present to guard the Xenomorph so it doesn’t leap out at the unsuspecting.

Head Shot 1

An unexpected Ocean’s 8 reboot

LEGO makes a lot of really unique parts these days, and it can be a challenge to incorporate into your own creations. Well, provided you’re not Grantmasters, that is. Interesting parts are just part of the charm of this storybook-ready scene. There are big cowboy hats, cupcakes and hairpieces from the Trolls sets, and even shoes ripped from Belville figures. My favorite bit has to be the minifigure hand forming the ponytail for the princess. Everything is just so cute, and you just want to learn more about this heist.

Bad Egg

I’m sure Grantmasters is already in negotiations with Disney+ for a new streaming series. And if this isn’t the story they decide to option, maybe they’ll pick another creation.

Something about this build bugs me

If I had to identify my favorite insect, I would easily respond “dragonfly.” Why? Because dragonflies eat mosquitoes. Simple as that. Now, they also have a cool name — I mean, who doesn’t like dragons, right? They also have fascinating eyes and neat wings, and they don’t sting, bite, or infest; really, what’s not to like? And indeed, what’s not to like about Grantmasters‘ dragonfly build? The insect is perfectly poised above a verdant leaf with eggs of some sort on it, ready to zoom about eating things that want to eat me.

Odonata

The wings, so delicate and transparent, make brilliant use of some garage doors. Rancor fingers and paint brushes make for some crooked legs. Palm tree trunk sections create a wonderfully segmented tail, just like the real thing, and the mandibles are recreated by a fist. Then, of course, there is the banana bee, and the egg-eating snake worm, and a leaf made from a watering can and dragon wings (appropriate enough for a dragonfly, right?). Nice piece usages abound!

Aroha Nui, New Zealand

This new piece by Grantmasters is not a gargoyle barfing up rainbows as one might initially think. Instead, it is based on the Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori language week) poster. The builder tells us that up until 2018, New Zealand had only Maori and Sign Language (NZSL) as its two official languages, despite the fact that the vast majority of New Zealanders speak English. It was only acknowledged as an official language in February last year. The title of this little creation is Aroha Nui, which means “lots of love” in Māori. I have to admit I’m feeling aroha nui for the parts use here, especially the LEGO tire bent into the shape of the mouth. See, aren’t you feeling just a little more culturally aware than you did a minute ago? Gargoyle barfing up rainbows; what was I thinking?

Aroha Nui

By Jabba, this may be the tiniest throne room ever

They say the clothes make the man…and sometimes, the hat makes the Hutt. This microscale LEGO model of Jabba the Hutt’s throne room by Grantmasters was inspired by the dark green bandana element and a rainbow of tiny statuette minifigures. Among them is a Dementor from the microscale Hogwarts set used to depict Luke Skywalker as he attempts to mind-trick the slimy crime lord. My second favorite part use, after Jabba himself, is the Niffler figure.

The Trophy Room

How small can you go?

Sometimes, the leviathan is small. In this magnificent tiny vignette by Grantmasters, a lone ship rides a ferocious ocean. It’s a safe bet that it’s the Pequod, since it’s hunting a white whale. As usual, Grant’s build is rife with excellent parts usages, from the little known Belville figure feet making most of the whale’s body, to the beard for a tail, or the axe blades for water.

Leviathan