Tag Archives: Nicholas Goodman

Small victory on the LEGO shores of Dunkirk

Remembered as one of the great turning points of World War II, the evacuation of allied forces from the beaches of Dunkirk would not have been possible without a flotilla of small private craft. In this dynamic LEGO diorama by Nicholas Goodman we see one of the hundreds such civilian craft lending a hand, plucking waiting Tommies out of the tumults of the North Atlantic and the European Theatre. The wooden pleasure-craft model is lovely by itself, evoking the period’s brightwork and elegant lines. I can almost feel it bobbing on waves of varying size and shape that capture the Channel’s distinct color and character. A standout detail of the somber scene is the way Nicholas beautifully contours the sand, slumping rough-to-smooth into the surf.

A look through the history of Nicholas’ featured builds is like a look through history itself. (Or into a galaxy far far away. If it was “a long time ago” that counts as history, right?) Click here to see more of Nicholas’ work, and watch this builder with an eye for detail go from strength to strength with each installation.

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Red coats make easy targets

At the start of the French and Indian War, the British outnumbered their rivals with 2 million colonists to France’s mere 60 thousand. Through alliances with Indigenous tribes and the use of guerrilla tactics, the French made sure the redcoats paid a heavy price for those “few acres of snow.” Nicholas Goodman brings this chapter of North American history to life in LEGO, depicting the British under attack in 1759. The builder excels at dioramas, mixing scenery and minifig staging to capture the drama of a moment. I love how the trees get darker away from the road, a perfect setting for an ambush. We loved his last take on tricorn hat history: a swashbuckling pirate raid.

This scene was built for an upcoming LEGO history book called Minifigure Monarchs: A History of Great Brits in Little Bricks, by Andrew Redfern.

Knight bricks and chill

This crisp mountain scene by LEGO builder Nicholas Goodman is a lesson in atmosphere. The visuals are engaging – strong and clean, conveying depth and detail with terrific balance in both color and texture (studded and smooth) – but also evoke the other senses. As my eye is drawn in, I can practically smell the frozen air and hear the slushy hoof-thumps. The scene itself is deceptively simple, leaving much room for imaginative interpretation. Will the “Guardian of the Pass” and his faithful companion warmly welcome this traveler? Has he come with the thaw to relieve their solitary duty? Or is this chilling moment a prelude to mounting conflict between two nations…

Swashbuckling and derring-do aplenty in this LEGO adventure

It’s been a rough day for the merchant Steve. He’s just onshore to make a buck or two; unfortunately, he arrived at this idyllic Caribbean harbor town just in time for it to fall victim to enemy attack. Now he must join forces with the pirates of Captain Redbeard if he wants to get out before things get really rough. That’s the tale told in LEGO by Nicholas Goodman in this thrilling scene called “Escape from the Imperial Trading Post.” The thing is, I probably didn’t need to give you all that backstory. The build itself tells the story wonderfully, with a scene that feels ripped from a blockbuster movie: the pairs of combatants locked in desperate combat, the whitecapped waves crashing against the rocks, the palm trees swaying in the breeze. The cliffs have a natural, rugged look to them, and the fort’s whitewashed walls have just the right amount of weathering. Let’s hope Steve makes it to his ship okay; those cliffs look a little dicey.

A pirate’s ride for me!

I can practically smell the bromine water in this Pirates of the Caribbean LEGO build from Nicholas Goodman. This scene is a rather amazing recreation of the beginning of the Disneyland ride. This is a scene rarely focused on, given its relaxing ambiance when comparing it to the rest of the ride. Here, Nicholas gives us that anticipation of what’s to come on the other side of that dark tunnel, sparing no detail. The ride’s boat is spot on, but more impressive is the rest of the scene, like the old pirate’s cabin. I like the simple technique of just not pressing tiles down all the way to create the uneven roofing. The greenery wonderfully frames the path of the ride, and those little details like the ship’s tackle to the right are perfect. Those are the details that make a ride of this nature, and I love seeing it all captured in LEGO. It should be no surprise that this is my favorite Disney attraction!

Crashing waves and toppled treasure

A group of privateers have brought their plunder to shore in this amazing vignette by Nicholas Goodman. Nicholas has achieved one of the best wave effects I’ve ever seen, sculpting foam so real I can smell the salt air. The slight incline in the shore and the line between wet and dry sand help sell the effect of being on an actual beach. Environment details like that really help sell the storytelling going on with the minifigures. I have a feeling that even though eight men came ashore, after spilling that chest only seven are leaving…

Just another peaceful day on Tattoine, more rare than a krayt dragon pearl

Tattoine may be a planet farthest from the bright center of the galaxy, according to Luke, but that doesn’t mean its quiet or boring. It seems like trying to live a simple life on the outer rim planet never quite goes as planned. In this beautiful LEGO scene by Nicholas Goodman, however, it does seem like a pretty low-key day, aside from a group of stormtroopers pestering the locals. The buildings look well weathered by the winds, many of the corners worn smooth. Small vents and pipes are scattered throughout the rooftops, and there’s even a well-detailed eopie like the one owned by Obi-wan. along with the V-35 Courier landspeeder from 75290 Mos Eisley Cantina.

A landspeeder of a more manageable size

As the internet is going (appropriately) gaga for the new Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder set, builder Nicholas Goodman offers this lovely vignette highlighting a smaller alternative. The landspeeder here is a slightly modified version of the one designed by Fuku Saku, and has a great shape and color, with some lovely details on the engines utilizing the LEGO cauldron piece. And the design for the windscreen, while unorthodox, is an excellent way to form the appropriate shape at this scale. For the rest of the scene, the terrain is well formed and very Tatooine-esque. I particularly like Nicholas’s use studs to add texture to the desert sands. The minifigs are also well-posed, setting the scene for Luke and Obi-Wan’s first introduction.

Here’s an up-close shot of the back of the speeder to showcase all the detail that went into those engines. Nicholas’s mastery of angles is remarkable given the scale!

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