Tag Archives: Microscale

Some say “Go big or go home!” but it takes real talent to compress something down to just a few studs and still keep it recognizable. Of course, many of the micro models we feature here aren’t so small after all, whether it’s a vast cityscape or starship.

Modest microscale church

A good microscale model can be defined by innovative use of new LEGO elements re-purposed to create unexpected new forms. A great microscale model combines this with traditional parts and colors to form a symphony that sets the model apart. This roadside chapel by Jens Ohrndorf is a perfect example of this mix. Take the entry roof, made from this modified plate with a small raised tab. Or the windows, made from the underside of 1×1 plates. Lining the foundation is a row of light gray ingots. I also enjoy the trees, which are just the right size for the scene (a design inspired by the trees in 10253 Big Ben).

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Meeesa built a micro Gungan City!

Elemental LEGO’s micro build of Otoh Gunga is a superb example of micro building. How can any of us forget seeing the shot of Jar Jar and the Jedi swimming under water revealing the glowing city of golden spheres with John William’s score a swelling maelstrom of choral voices filling out the soundscape.

The builder has made an effective use of Submersible Bubble, Canopy Dome, Glass Dome, Minifigure Globe, Crystal Ball, and Minifigure Helmet as the hydrostatic spheres encapsulating the city. Notice the small Bonga Submersible made from Ninjago Throwing Star, and Mifigure Claw. Using the Infinity Stone this must be the smallest school of fish made with LEGO elements.

Elemental LEGO is on Instagram and Flickr.

Recreating the classic era of pirates

Fancy rebuilding some of your favourite LEGO sets from your youth, but daunted by the prices of the collectors’ market? Letranger Absurde (aka Vitroleum, aka Pacurar Andrei) shows the way. Why not build a teeny-tiny version of them instead? 6279 Skull Island is a classic set from the mid-90s heyday of LEGO Pirates. Pacurar’s version perfectly captures the overall feel with the big skull, the jetty, and the palm tree — but the important details still make an appearance despite the scale. Don’t miss the little cannon on the end of the jetty, the hoist, and the fabulous little rowing boat — all employing a bunch of tenuous part connections, but lovely anyway. And a printed X tile as a Jolly Roger? Love it.

The Hagia Sophia is a monument to the ages

This microscale LEGO rendition of Istanbul’s most famous landmark has been masterfully created by George Panteleon. The tan and dark tan elements blend seamlessly together to create the sweeping curves and rounded roofs of the 1,500-year-old building. The huge dome, which encloses a ceiling height of 182 feet, is created from the planet hemisphere element for Bespin. George has rigged the interior with lights, allowing the model to glow warmly, and added a lovely wood base. It all comes together as a wonderful display piece.

Cute kraken is cracking me up

Behold the beast as it rises from the depths! Fear his googly-eyed gaze! Smirk at his cuteness! And bow down before Kelvin Low‘s innovative LEGO parts usage. This giant Kraken menacing a medieval town’s waterfront is a great example of what can be done when imagination meets even the most specialised LEGO pieces. The aquatic monstrosity is built from T-Rex parts! The colours of the dinosaur torso and tails work perfectly as Kraken-skin, and the threatened town is a nice little collection of microscale buildings. This is just plain old good fun with the bricks.

Mini LEGO Fireball racer from Star Wars: Resistance

If the Disney animated series Star Wars: Rebels was any indication, LEGO fans can look forward to a full assortment of sets featuring the characters and vehicles from the new series, Star Wars: Resistance, which just debuted a couple weeks ago. While we wait for official sets, we can enjoy this lovely mini version of the Fireball, a racing ship maintained by Kaz Xiono, Tam Ryvora, and their teammates, built in brick by Tim Goddard. Tim captures the unique color schemes and markings wonderfully, including the little fins and vanes on the nose and wingtips, and even the small gray panel in the white stripe near the nose.

Next up, Torra Doza’s Blue Ace in iconic Gulf Oil livery?

Microscale Magic! Harry Potter LEGO building competition – winners announced [News]

We saw some fabulous entries to The Brothers Brick’s microscale LEGO Harry Potter building contest — click here to see photos of all the entries. However, despite the amazing quality on display, there can only be three winners — one in each of our two categories, and the MASTER WIZARD who will win a copy of the stunning 71043 Hogwarts Castle: the largest Harry Potter LEGO set ever released.

Click to see the competition winners…

This microscale duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort is absolutely on fire

I would say that Harry Potter & The Order Of The Phoenix is my favorite Harry Potter movie, but then again, it’s likely that on another week I could say the same about the other seven. However, two things are for certain: The duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic is one of the most epic wizard battles in the series, and Buggyirk has done an excellent job creating a microscale version of this intense battle in LEGO.

I love the use of trans-bright green Nexo-Knights helmet accessories as the green fire used for transportation via the floo-network. Voldemort’s giant fiery dragon, which he hurls at Dumbledore (likely the most difficult part of the scene) is instantly recognizable and well done using a combination of simple solid orange, yellow, and trans-orange parts.

This LEGO model was built as an entry for TBB’s Microscale Magic contest. Coverage on TBB of an entry will not be taken into consideration during judging, and will have no effect on its ability to win, either positively or negatively.

Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the first in its series to truly delve into darker themes and atmosphere. It seems this mysterious and gloomy tome is what inspired Simon Hundsbichler to build his latest creation, a microscale scene of the Durmstrang ship’s arrival at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.

It seems Simon has a phobia for normal bricks, as there are hardly any throughout the build. There are a few used as the lake and some plates visible here and there, but everything else is built from “specialized” parts and more or less exotic tiles and slopes. Of course, the inner construction probably has a lot of basic bricks, but here the looks are probably the most important. The best details have to be the tower’s roof and the wings used as waves. It is not all just in the cool parts used and in the combinations of bricks most people would never think to put together; a big impact is made by the lighting, photography and the subtle background added in post-production. I can almost hear the wind howling and waves crashing!

Microscale LEGO island scene is a calm oasis

Sometimes the most surprising detail in a microscale LEGO model can be the simplest one.
Sad Brick demonstrates this in a simple island scene showing a cherry tree as the centerpiece. I enjoy the use of flower elements still attached to each other to sculpt very spherical foliage. Small gold hut-like dwellings help sell the scale of the massive tree. Approaching the island is a ship with a few more great part usages, like the wing from the chicken suit wearing collectible mini-fig, and a twisted white rubber band for the ship’s wake.

Cool spaceship is minty fresh

There’s a special class of LEGO model which always catch the eye — those smaller creations which manage to pack in impressive depth of texture, making them look much bigger than they really are. This smart spaceship by Silmaril_1 looks supercool in its white and green livery, all sleek lines and futuristic curves. But the level of details along the side creates a sense of scale way beyond what you might expect from such a relatively small model. Minifigure hands and textured bricks are used to good effect, and the moulded hollows and ridges on those Technic panels work superbly at this scale as hull detailing. It’s a sharp and clean colour scheme, and the model is presented well — looking crisp and fresh against that black void of a backdrop.

Microscale tribute to the Tale of the Three Brothers

Prolific model builder Aaron Newman is back with another foray into the (LEGO) Wizarding World.

This microscale scene is itself an homage to builder Aaron’s own minifigure scale Tale of the Three Brothers from back in April of this year. The pieces Aaron’s chosen to replicate his own work in a smaller scale are spot-on: bullwhips replacing flex tubing, statuettes replacing minifigures, and perhaps the funniest and most appropriate detail is the microscale Elderwand represented by a minifig-scale wand now grasped by the formerly-larger-than-life figure of Death.

I suppose the only question I’m left with is whether Aaron will attempt this scene in yet another scale in the future?