Tag Archives: Nature

Be wary of wayward lights around marshes and bogs

Stories of Will-o’-the-wisps, like LEGO, can be found all over the world, with many representations in artwork, like this build by AjRed17. Will-o’-the-wisps are often found near or in bogs and marshes, most likely caused by gaseous emissions lighting the dark. The stories they appear in often warn of following such lights and losing one’s way. Maybe they’re ghosts, or maybe just releasing gas sparking in the night. Either way, they’re haunting with their ethereal beauty. The one in this build hangs in the air beside a blooming, curving tree. The tree possesses cool parts usage with pink frogs for the flowers. The scene is tranquil and calming, something I wouldn’t mind having on my desk.

Will-o’-the-wisp

A (chess) piece of LEGO history

It’s been 50 years since this LEGO chess battle began. And now, with the board overgrown and partially flooded, builder Rilbist shows us the resulting armistice in the great battle between the two sides of the checker-print board. I think this is a wonderful concept, especially given the limitation of only using part colors that were available half a century ago. Each of the pieces is instantly recognizable, and ornate without being distracting from the real star of the show: the state of the playing field. The weathering is divine, and I particularly like the pool of water in the center that flows out of the board, connecting this deadlocked game with the outer world.

‘Tis the spirit of the season

Leaves turning into vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges in the Fall are beautiful in real life and in LEGO. This build from Patrick Biggs showcases the annual changing of the leaves in a big way! There’s the forest itself, with all those little star and flower pieces spreading out across the base of the scene. However, the center of the build is the great stag standing tall over the forest. The giant spirit of Autumn is beautifully sculpted, once again showing off Patrick’s abilities to craft lovely creatures out of LEGO. The spirit looks over the world, paying no mind to the human-made church in the foreground of the forest. It’s a beautiful reminder that Nature doesn’t care what the latest invention of Humanity is. Nature will carry on as it always has, and how lucky we are to be witness to the splendor of our planet!

Autumn's Light

Soak in some sunshine at this modern home

This three story LEGO home shows off a modern look and some solar panels in this build from Letranger Absurde. The walled estate sports a lovely tree amongst a garden, some of its leaves even offering shade to the pool. Greenery surrounds the house, showing a love of nature. There are a few balconies running up the side of the building, boasting some patio furniture and nice awnings with slates. The railing of the balconies offer some cool texturing in the form of those grey ingot pieces.

Modern House

Personally, I like the yellow framed windows with their panes alternating in size. Looking over the whole build, there are many interesting textures going on like the tower’s windows, the frames of the solar panels, and the yellow brick and white stone of the encompassing walls. This is one of those builds you just want to look over every detail.

Home is where the tree is

This LEGO scene by Josh speaks of gentle breezes and a relaxing atmosphere to rest. Take a moment to appreciate everything on display here. Vibrant colors are everywhere, from the coral beneath the water to the bright blue house and the greenery surrounding it. And there’s wildlife everywhere! Some crabs hang out underwater while a rabbit explores the verdant foliage. Butterflies and a cute little bumblebee visit the blooming flower patch, and a green duck lazily floats by the house and reeds. Standing tall over all of it is the great living tree with it’s branches spread wide to offer shade to all below. But not too much shade, or those flowers and vines atop the house would have trouble growing! This is a lovely build with cool techniques in the suspended water layer and the curving roof. Oh, look–a blue bird!

Under the Leaves

The circuit of life is a series of parallels

One of the great pleasures I find in creating art through LEGO bricks is the ability to merge two contrasting forces. It could be two colors in something as simple as a black and white build. Or it could be the complexity of a mature emotion like grief or loss expressed via a toy for children. In this case, Ralf Langer highlights the natural and the artificial in this computer board/forest hybrid. And, boy, does Ralf show off his prowess for both styles. The circuitry is sharp, precise, and clean; all stud-less with crisp corners and neat rows. Gradually, that regimented look gives way on the green medium to Nature’s chaos: curves, bumps, and rocky nodes galore! There’s a lot of great parts usage here, but my favorite has got to be the dual rows of Modulex bricks. These LEGO products of a slightly different scale are a rare sight in builds, but can provide some truly brilliant solutions to construction problems without straying from the brand.

CardBoardForest

Herding goats by the Sha’jara tree

Famed LEGO builder Andreas Lenander tells us that a new parts order just came in and so he decided to build this neat little scene. But the question is did he order tree parts or goat parts? While the tree is certainly not without its charms, goats are a pretty penny on the interwebs. They are also the formula for success here at The Brothers Brick. Here’s the proof. Still, that tree though. It’s almost tempting enough to maybe modify my all-hail goats stance. What do you all think? While you’re mulling that over check out why we think Andreas Lenander really floats our goat.

Herding goats by the Sha'jara tree

Mail delivery flying with style

A lot of planes have pleasing lines for the eye, and this plane from Slick_Brick is no exception! In fact, it might even look better made of LEGO than IRL. The plane is based on the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver aircraft, and succeeds in its homage. There’s not a single hiccup in the lines of the aircraft. The whole vehicle is built with great care and an eye for detail. Brick built mountains rise in the background, giving the scene its setting and scale. And the lakeside pier speaks to further stories. Maybe the bottles and fish hint at a living of trading fish and syrup. Of course, there might be a sci-fi story waiting with that eye the dog is watching…

Float Plane Delivery

A day in the life of a lovely forest village

Stories lurk around every corner of this LEGO forest village from builder Hanwasyellowfirst. To the residents, this is just another beautiful day. The buildings and homes orbit around the central rocky spire, one to each level. First, there’s the pleasant two story home with a tree and birdhouse beside it. I really like the use of the slopes on the roofing to form those alternating waves. I also like the use of the white snake piece for the stylized chimney smoke! The second building rests on a terrace where the fisherman waits for a bit on the line. The grey plate across the roof speaks to a history with weathering. The home has stood for some time. The final building stands atop the rocky spire, quite literally towering over the rest of the village. Its resident watches as a traveler below is warmly greeted and welcomed. No doubt the traveler will explore the many details to admire in this village.

The Forest Village

Not a beastie anyone should corner in the dark depths

This fearsome LEGO beast comes from the mind of WoomyWorld. Lurking in the depths of the cavernous underground, it waits for the unsuspecting wanderer lost in the dark. The construction of this beastie and its scene bear great care in the details. The head is well sculpted, featuring a variety of fun pieces, including some minifig arms to frame upper cheeks. Many Bionicle pieces make up the limbs and body, including the connector joints making up the beast’s vertebrae. With its glowing red eyes, this is no creature I’d want to encounter while exploring caves! The size of it is mammoth, a scale illustrated by the tiny brick-built figure brandishing a sword. Will the ancient creature feast on the foolish or reward the wise? Only time will answer the question and only the wise will find the solution; the foolish will make for a light snack.

The Withered Beast

Verdant dragon may cause a brushfire

Mythical dragons are no stranger to the LEGO medium, especially those of the elemental variety. But BobDeQuatre has provided us a nature-themed version as rare as a four-leafed clover. Two gorgeous, leafy wings spring up from the dragon’s wooden back, adorned with the occasional pink flower. A line of vines lead up to the beast’s rooted face, providing the same angular features as its scaled, traditional brethren. But the real success here is the design of the dragon’s arms and legs. Formed of rock, they blend into the build’s setting, leaving me to wonder where the landscape ends and the mythical wonder’s body begins.

Protector of the Vale

A staggering ghostly presence comes to visit

Inspired by a friend’s work, the spectral stag leaps from Andreas Lenander‘s mind into this lovely LEGO build. An ethereal presence in nature with delicate and flowing features, the deer stands unflinchingly with strength about it. One of the defining elements of the stag is the end of the tail piece. Its use is versatile, from the antlers to the flowing of the neck, to the extended ghostly tail trailing behind. Being a smooth and curved part, it gives a sinewy and organic look to the deer. The greenery of the scene makes good use of minifig whips for the twists and turns of vines and the tree’s trunk. The tree and flowers bring a calming sense of peace to mind, pairing nicely with the rich details of the ghostly visitor. It’s easy to get lost in admiring the sculpting present in the build.

Ghost stag