Atop the bell tower, a solitary warrior confesses her sins to the moon. This striking scene from Clockwork Bricks is a master class in contrast and perspective in LEGO. The foreground elements are dimly lit so as to appear all black against a night sky lit by the pink moon. Pagoda tile rooftops are a popular theme in LEGO architecture, but Clockwork Bricks manages to innovate here, incorporating tires into the tiles and a dragon’s wing for extra flare. Larger tires make up the bell. Brick-built clouds and micro builds of distant mountains sell the forced perspective.

Clockwork Bricks built this evocative scene for the 2024 Summer Joust competition, where it won top prize in the “Pick Your Poison” category.