LEGO has produced numerous sets with the blacksmith as subject. I have fond memories of really wanting (and not getting) the LEGO 3739 Blacksmith Shop. And now, after years and years, LEGO released the 21325 Medieval Blacksmith – a set that I most likely will also not be getting. This creation by Mbricks also sparks the same amount of joy. There are a lot of cleverly used parts in this set. For instance we get umbrellas used as door hinges. Treasure chest lids used to create a round bay window. Skirts are used as a chimney and the half circle tiles work perfectly as roof tiles. One of the things that makes this creation just work is the height difference in the buildings. This creates different levels to the build, each one with something interesting for the eye to behold.
Tag Archives: Medieval
The many perspectives of medieval art
It’s always fun to see LEGO builds explore art history, such as this medieval scene from Joe (jnj_bricks). This build explores those fun and strange perspectives found in Europe’s medieval artwork. If you look up some of the art, you’ll find paintings and drawings where the foreground and background scenes are sort of pushed together with perspectives not achievable in reality.
This build of a monk busy with penning a manuscript shows off such angles between the front and back scenes. This allows for great detailing in both the foreground and background. The monk and his surroundings are chock full of incredible details, like the billowy robes and the tapestry behind the scribe. The castle through the door stands out with the texturing of its walls. This is an incredible idea, and a further example of LEGO as an artful medium.
Hangmen hanging from a ghostly tree
Sometimes a LEGO scene is just capturing. I stumbled across this build by gGh0st and my eyes were drawn to the trees, and the great parts usage that composes them. We can spot lightsaber handles, claws, fangs, and even a broom. Still the trees look organic and natural. For me, it’s the first time seeing the minifigure claw in dark tan being used as tree foliage. And it looks like all the hangmen aren’t the only dead thing in this creation. The trees themselves look like conifers at the end of their days. Having lost most of their needles, the trunks and branches make for a sad skeleton that reminds us of what has been.
The grand market suqare of Rindael
I love a good LEGO diorama every once and a while. The grand market square of Rindael by Ids de Jong features all the things we fancy when it comes to a medieval LEGO creation. We get beautiful Tudor-style buildings, which are exceptionally well done. There are hardly any gaps in the walls and those that happen to be there are intentional. We also get multiple castle factions: Black Falcons, Elves, Cyclopes, Snake folk, and Centaurs. There also happens to be a Faun herding a small flock of goats. Which happens to be another thing that we like to see spruce up a medieval creation. One thing I also always like is well-designed figures and there are a whole lot of those visiting this lovely market. I love seeing how some city, collectible, and licensed-themed parts lend themselves wonderfully to the castle theme as if they were designed to go there. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to look for the stall that sells roasted chestnuts.
Strike while the plastic is yellow, orange, or red
Texture is the name of the game in this blacksmith scene by LEGO Master Andreas Lenander. We can see the worn stone of the walls of the smithy, the rough grain of the wood beams holding up the room’s roof, and a floor cobbled with round tiles of various sizes. Small details like the chains hanging from the ceiling and the tools leaning up against the walls add to the vignette. But Tashk’il is the star of the show, slowly manipulating hot steel with his smithing hammer. The work on the figure is impressive, relying heavily on the 1×2 ingot tile and the 1×1 plate with bar to properly express the muscle and concentration being applied to that sword.
Venice and not a trolley case in sight – Barthezz Brick’s 250,000 brick LEGO tribute to Assassin’s Creed
Sometimes you stumble across a LEGO fan creation that you’d just love to see in the brick. This creation by Barthezz Brick is a good example of that. Each and every building in this creation could be featured on TBB. We generally wait until a builder has finished their work in progress before highlighting the finished build, but at some point I couldn’t control myself and wrote an article about a couple of detail shots that Barthezz posted. But finally, it’s done!
See lots more details from this amazing LEGO recreation of Venice
Peaceful snowy campfire
I like how LEGO is a vessel for one’s creativity. You can escape into a world designed by your own imagination. Sometimes, however, it is also nice to just go with the seasons. This creation by Louis of Nutwood matches my current surroundings quite well. Although the Netherlands is not covered in snow, it sure is really cold. Louis created a snowy landscape complete with snow covered pine trees and a minifigure trying to keep warm near a cosy campfire. Although the base of this build consists of mostly dark grey and white pieces, there is a thin line of dark tan between the both of them. This small detail makes the scene look more realistic. You can almost hear the fire crackle and the wind rustle through the trees. After seeing this peaceful scene I am ready for a white winter myself.
A big city on a peaceful island in microscale
What I love about LEGO microscale builds is how it can shift how we see the smallest of LEGO parts. Joe (jnj_bricks) brings this build to life for this year’s Brickscalibur contest in the Medieval Micro category. The city does feel alive with movement from the waterfalls and the vibrant greenery throughout the cityscape. Taking a look at the staircases, they have nice usage of the grooved brick piece at an angle for the stairs. There’s also some nice usage of the 1×1 horizontal clip piece in the buildings and their details. Stacked, the part offers some cool textures to the walls of the leftmost building. My favorite parts usage, though, comes from the battle droid legs for some fine arcing details. You can spot them on the highest spire and the causeway behind the winged minifig statue. There are many more details, so take your time exploring the build. Can you spot the Woody hat?
A winding alleyway hides some shady characters
LEGO creations can transport the viewer to any manner of time and place, and we are willing to go anywhere as long as Sandro Tagliaferri is our tour guide. Sandro put over 400 hours of build time into this trio of old-world structures, and it shows. Each building is distinct, and yet clearly part of a cohesive style. The textured walls and extensively tiled roofs give the whole scene verisimilitude. Clever parts use abounds, like minifigure legs and owls fitting in as ornate woodwork. But the real achievement is the way the grass gives way to a stone tiled path, leading off into dark alleyway. No doubt a weary traveler might be willing to take their chances down that dark passage, but we’re starting to rethink our commitment to following Sandro anywhere. At least, not without a sword at our side…
Keeping watch over the colorful terrain
There are so many bright pops of pigment in this goblin outpost LEGO scene by Carter Witz. Terrain of lime and yellowish green is dotted with golden flowers and trees sporting pink leaves, standing in stark contrast to the brilliant blue of the cascading waterfall and rich brown of the gobbos’ watchtower. The palette is incredibly immersive, reminding me heavily of the Elves theme from years ago. And amid the colorful scene, Carter sneaks in some terrific designs with the round concrete foundations of the outpost, the cute cave entrance on the left, and the craggy textures of exposed rocks utilizing studs in all directions. The use of slopes and exposed studs in trans-clear throughout the waterfall is a real triumph, too. I can almost hear the rushing water as it cascades down the goblins’ hill!
Birch tree shepherd meeting
Birch trees continue to be a great source of inspiration for LEGO fans. This creation by gGh0st features a beautiful birch tree surrounded by some well put together LEGO minifigures. The birch tree features large patches of black due to the technic connector attaching all the dinosaur tails to each other. Brooms hide between all the tail parts, adding texture to the tree trunk. The use of the coral, as seen in the LEGO Ideas Winnie the Pooh set, is quite clever as it is a nice way to attach a lot of different LEGO leaves in different directions. This sure looks like a friendly gathering that I wouldn’t mind attending.
Something old, something new and a floor to die for
I am a huge fan of putting together custom LEGO minifigure. Mixing and matching minifigures can be a true art form, which some builders have taken to a next level. Well-thought-out minifigures can really highlight your creation. Whereas sloppy put-together minifigures can draw away the attention of an otherwise stellar build. In this creation by Ids de Jong we can spot some great minifigure combinations.
Combining new parts with old classics can really make the old parts look current again. For instance, the man in the middle features a really old torso combined with dual moulded and printed legs, top that off with a more modern hairpiece and you would hardly notice that the torso is a classic. The build itself is quite stellar too. There are stairs used for the roofing of the Golden Crown Inn. The backside of masonry bricks are used to represent wooden doors and the floor in this creation, which you would look past quite easily, is a true work of art.