To some, the phrase “K-Car” evokes images of 1981 Chrysler mid-sized cars. Others, however, might be reminded of the 1987 Ford LTD Crown Victoria driven by Agent K in the first Men In Black film. I think I can guess which camp Peter Zieske falls into. This large-scale vehicle transforms from unassuming to jet-powered without any reassembly – just add some parts as you go. It’s an interesting take on a classic movie vehicle, with a level of transformation that would make even Optimus Prime happy.
Check out this animation to see it happen!
The build quality here is pretty excellent, too. Check out the rearview – it looks pretty screen-accurate to me!
For a minute there we thought builder Peter Zieske had switched hobbies. But no, That is all LEGO. He’s replicated the look of traditional style Chinese cork art with this amazing diorama. I like how the black elements mimic the look and feel of polished wood while the studs-out approach to the landscape nicely takes on the rough texture of cork. This would assuredly look handsome on any shelf, even in an upscale office. I hope you can forgive me for not putting a cork in my enthusiasm for this piece.
What’s that yellow thing weaving through the tall grass? Well, it’s no Pikachu, that’s for sure. This electric-type LEGO mech by Peter Zieske is from the turn-based combat game Into the Breach. But considering the 8-bit isometric style of the game graphics, this version is a considerably higher definition upgrade. Striding through the grass dual-wielding a pair of whips that could give Iron Man’s nemesis Whiplash a run for his money.
But this mech isn’t just pretty on the outside. The front flips up to reveal a pilot.
Pixar and Disney may have put the toys down to tell us the story of the real Buzz Lightyear, but when builders like Peter Zieske see a ship in a teaser trailer, it becomes a call to arms. We may not know much about the film yet, but it has certainly created a…buzz amongst fans. While we wait to see how it fits into the Pixar Theory, we can have our fun. Peter based the Star Command XL-15 on the few images of the sleek starship seen in the Lightyear trailers. Toy or person, Buzz always gets the coolest ships.
Up here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s that dreary time of year. It’s a gorgeous place to live, but gloomy, bone-chilling rain continues for weeks at a time, making even those who love rain crave the sunshine. I can’t wait for summer, and this adorable LEGO sand castle is a cheerful reminder of what’s to come. Built by fellow Seattleite Peter Zieske, it uses clever angles to give it that classic shape.
I’m a big fan of this playful creation, which includes an excellent shovel and a colorful spinning pinwheel. (Yes, it’s actually motorized to spin!) But this isn’t even my most favorite build from Peter! While you’re here, take a look at his awesome record player and adorable wind-up penguin!
Weekends are the days that I reserve to unwind from a busy week, and what better way to do it than to let the pressure off and wind up someone, or in this case, a feature of a wind-up penguin. This cute and clever waddling was created by Peter Zieske. It’s always a delight to see how the LEGO curvy shell element is used to shape the belly of this flightless bird.
Watch it in action, and don’t forget to wait to the end for the blooper reel.
If there’s one thing people in my life know about me, it’s my love of LEGO. I’ve probably bored enough of them out of their mind at this point to recognize when their eyes begin to glaze over as they start thinking of their groceries. So when something like this comes along and even non-LEGO fanatics are fascinated by it, I relish the moment. This model surely deserves attention, but it’s one you have to hear to appreciate. A stroke of ingenuity led builder Peter Zieske to create this adorable, azure record player that actually works.
The music notes adorning the sides are clever decorations made possible by the Trolls line. A brick-built speaker and knob on the front complete the pleasing clamshell design which opens up to reveal the needle and the turntable.
Let’s take a peek under the record and see how the magic is made. Thanks to a Boost Color sensor and an app, Peter was able to elevate this from imitation to working model. The sensor reads the different colored circular tiles under the brick-built record and communicates with the app to play different tones. I imagine Peter was pretty excited to get this working so the Ode to Joy is quite an appropriate first song.
Packed away inside the beautiful body of this model, in addition to the color sensor, is a motor for the turntable and a Powered UP hub to control it all. The technology fits nicely inside the frame, especially when you consider that this isn’t a full-sized record player.
This is an impressive build that suggests the possibilities that LEGO provides us. I can’t help but imagine how many songs could be made with this or what a few more color sensors and a bigger turntable could do. Models like this can go beyond the lines of diehard LEGO fans to music fans and record collectors. Builder Peter Zieske should put on his favorite record, sit back, and savor this accomplishment.
Watching my brothers during the summer months usually meant playing video games for hours on end until about an hour before our parents got home. In our flurry of cleaning before the front door opened, we always looked forward to the next day, the next level, the next boss. One of our absolute favorites was Ratchet & Clank, and I’m sure we weren’t alone on that. Though many of us can’t yet enjoy the newest edition in the series on the PlayStation 5, we can at least appreciate these fantastic models of the titular characters by Peter Zieske. Built at a great scale with wonderful color-blocking and parts usage, the construction enables expressive articulation and posing which make this duo a great addition to any gaming shrine or entertainment center.
The alternate option to attach Clank to Ratchet’s back is also a crucial detail for that extra level of immersion in the characters. Great job on capturing these guys, Peter.
