Tag Archives: Jonas Wide

Color and light blend beautifully in this Medieval city

Fantasy castle building often leans towards the creation of dark, gloomy and foreboding places in which one would not lightly tread. Master castle builder Jonas Wide usually takes a different route, however, using cheerful splashes of color to create incredibly warm and welcoming scenes. This style is definitely evident in his latest creation, the Houses of Barqa:

Houses in Barqa

The buildings are elegantly designed and laid out, but the real star of this show is the use of color. If there’s been a better use of sand red, I haven’t seen it. The pastel palette blends so well with the more subtle tan/dark tan foundations and street. Taken together, it’s a gorgeous and eye-catching scene. Clever use of lighting also makes for some atmospheric and quite realistic looking images.

Houses in Barqa

If Jonas’ city leaves you wishing for more, definitely check out his amazing Streets of Barqa from several years ago or last year’s Aslanic Temple in Barqa.

Transparency in business

Builders tackle the LEGO Castle so often, I sometimes wonder if it has been completely exhausted. At times like that, builders such as Jonas Wide prove me wrong. When people move away from the military aspect of castle, they can find an endless well of inspiration beyond just castles and battles.

Glass Works in Barqa

This glass-blowing workshop scene is as much artful photography as it is a LEGO build. The lighting through the windows and from the kiln is quite immersive, and the build itself is not bad at all. The textures on the walls are just enough and the tiles on the floor use related colours that actually look like variable clay bricks. What I really love is the attention to detail with the minifigs – a little drop of sweat on a minifig’s face is enough to show just how hot the workshop must be.

Discover the secrets of the Aslanic Temple

Swedish model builder Jonas “Gideon” Wide is known around these parts for his highly detailed, highly dynamic LEGO cityscapes. His latest creation, a shrine to the Order of Aslan, might be based in a fictional world but the details in and around the building make it feel incredibly real.

Aslanic Temple in Barqa

This creation is well worth scrutinizing. I found tidbits to love all over the place, like the worker applying fresh plaster to the outside of the building, and the best use of the Imperial pilot helmet I’ve seen this side of a Star Wars advent calendar!

Aslanic Temple in Barqa

Aslanic Temple in Barqa

If this feels similar to some of Jonas’ previous work, you’d be correct. We’ve featured his Streets of Barqa and siege workshop model and this new Temple is in the same fictional city.