Tag Archives: Monkey

One small step for a monkey, one giant leap for apekind

According to this spectacular LEGO creation by AndreĢs Herrera, maybe Planet of the Apes could be somewhere other than Earth. I love this spacewalking simian, with its clean lines and perfect posing. The instrument panel breaks up its clean look quite nicely without being too complex. And the rocky lunar turf beneath its feet provides the right atmosphere, or lack thereof. But my favorite part has got to be that monkey head inside the space helmet. Working within such a confined space can lead to challenges when trying to craft something as complex as a face. But Andres handles it like an absolute pro using plenty of studs in all kinds of directions.

Space Monkey

Neither rain nor sleet nor discarded fruit skin...

There’s almost too much clever parts usage in this LEGO delivery-monkey character by Nikita Nikolsky. Nah, I’m just kidding. You can never have enough excellent part usage! With the red snake for the monkey’s tie, the Dots bracelet for the strap on its mailbag, and the Bohrok masks strapped on as knee and elbow pads, this build is certainly overflowing with examples. The motion Nikita has created here is fantastic, with the rocket shoes shooting out flames and the white smoke trail leading up to a bit of hazardous fruit. It’s clear that letters are about to start flying! And I’ve got to take a minute to marvel at those shoes, some of the best brick-built ones I’ve seen. The white tread, on full display as our runner falls prone, is a symphony of texture befitting the rocket-propelled footwear.

Unlucky seven-league boots

Monkey see, monkey do bigger

I’ve seen giant LEGO pieces, and even upscaled fish and chickens, but I’ve never before seen a giant LEGO monkey, and this one from mybrickbuild has me tickled pink. The classic LEGO monkey was one of my favorite pieces in the original Pirates theme, this giant one makes me want to see a whole LEGO Pirates set built at this scale. It’s a digital render but it looks like it’s mostly buildable with real bricks, except for the 2×2 round bricks with Technic holes, which aren’t currently available in brown. The arms and curling tail are courtesy of the new curved 2×2 round piece that forms the trunk on the Bonsai Tree.

If you like seeing things made bigger with bricks, check out our upscaled LEGO archives!

Feeling blue? So are these monkeys.

The Temple of Twin Monkeys by Caleb Saw has nice part usage, but also a hefty dollop of mystery. For example, just what are these twin guardians protecting? (My guess is the legendary great lost shipment of Blue Food Dye #2.) The use of grill tiles for fingers works really well, and I like how their use as toes melds into the pedestals. The repeated use of 2×2 dome-bottom bricks for mouth adds uniformity and a touch of sculptural feel to idols, too, while the eyes are some excellently used train wheels. The temple itself has some great details in the curved stonework at the base, and the lines and leafy overgrowth give things a sense of age and neglect. If you came across this temple, would you explore it? Or would it be better not to monkey around?

Temple of Twin Monkeys

For what it’s worth, there is an animal called a blue monkey, but they’re not quite this vibrant. Personally, I’d like to see more creative takes like this so we can buff up our LEGO monkey archives. So go get to building!

Gelada? Does that come in Rocky Road flavor?

Don’t ask how I know this but when dealing with a gelada it is best to not make eye contact, don’t bare your teeth and for the love of God, don’t ever look at his butt. Nevermind the series of unfortunate events that may or may not have occurred to make me privy to this information, just heed my warning and don’t ask questions. With that said, I’d like you to take an indirect glance at this awesome LEGO gelada built by Andrew Steele. With some clever parts usage, this model possesses the correct stance and facial gestures of a real gelada about to attack. (Not that I would know.) This build is so clever you may want to smile, but I would advise against it. In fact, you ought to just move on and check out the other toothy beasts Andrew has built.

Gelada (bio-cup 2020, R1)

Safer still, you might like to peruse our animal archives. I’m sure they’re not all dangerous and someone had to have built an adorable puppy at some point.

Monkey business is booming

Monkeys can be a public nuisance in places like India, the Caribbean, and even in Singapore.These particular monkeys however are on a mission and they’ve taken the art of robbing markets to a whole ‘nother level! Kev.the.Builder presents a LEGO scene where a monkey scout sits in the trees and reports every movement to the commander. Another monkey perches atop the stall, waiting for the order to strike. The monkey commander leads the mission, methodically planning a infallible raid sequence. Every mission has its adversities, but the result is always the same: the monkeys get the bananas! Even without the monkeys, this would be an engaging scene with great colors and textures. The Mediterranean tile roof, the thatched awning, even the caged chickens are all fantastic details. Is it wrong that I’m rooting for the monkeys?

Monkey Mission

LEGO Monkie Kid revealed with 8 sets and a TV show based on Chinese Monkey King legend [News]

LEGO has officially revealed the brand new theme, Monkie Kid, based on the Monkey King legend from the Chinese novel Journey to the West. The new theme includes eight sets and a hand-animated television series.

The sets range in price from US $34.99 to $169.99 and include a ship-based team headquarters, two large Monkey King and Demon Bull mechs, and a variety of vehicles. All Monkie Kid sets will be available worldwide and are available from LEGO now.

Take a closer look at each new LEGO Monkie Kid set and watch the trailer for the upcoming TV show

Bringing LEGO to life with a handsome macaque

It takes a great deal more skill to sculpt with basic LEGO bricks than you might think. The ability to produce organic curves from rectangular bricks is awe-inspiring, and strikes envy in those of us who are always searching for that perfect shape. Upon seeing this life-size Rhesus macaque, I knew it had to be the work of Felix Jaensch, who is a master of the art. I must say, it really could not have been done better!

Rhesus Macaque

Adult males like this one (just in case you weren’t sure if it’s a male) are about 18-25in long and weigh an average of about 16-19lbs. They have an expressive face, which is perfectly captured here. Additionally, the lovely use of a select few slopes gives the fluffier bits texture and character, and the minifigure hand to finish the nose is genius!

Rhesus Macaque

Rhesus macaques are probably the most commonly known macaques in the world. That’s partly because these monkeys have a massive home range in central and southern Asia, and are invasive in several other places in the world. They’re also widely studied and used in research due to their high level of intelligence and fairly close physiological relation to humans. It was a study of their blood that led to our understanding of the Rh blood-typing system we use today!

If you like Felix’s style, check out some of the other life-size animals we’ve featured, like his Red Panda, Macaw, Rabbit, or American Kestrel.