For me, as long-time fan of the Transformers and having built LEGO Transformers myself, LEGO releasing LEGO Transformers 10302 Optimus Prime was a pleasant surprise. It looks great as a robot, decent as a truck and the transformation sequence is fantastic. Its look is also largely faithful to the original Optimus Prime toy from the eighties. In my book, the one thing that could make it even better was for Optimus to have his trailer or Combat Deck. So, I built one myself.
LEGO builds of movies and TV are kind of a big deal. Everybody builds something from their favourite media, be it a character, vehicle, location, or a whole scene. Some people do it so consistency and with quality that their creations become icons in the community. This is where builder and LEGO Masters Germany contestant Alex Jones (Orion Pax) comes in. I recall seeing his numerous Transformers builds as early as ten years ago. Since then, he has graced us with a wide variety of wonderful vehicles from movies and TV shows. Not only that, he also built replica objects from the ’80s. And now, Alex shows them all off on his brand new website.
Builder Paul has struck cartoon character gold again, this time with his LEGO builds of teenage characters Candace Flynn and Vanessa Doofenshmirtz from Disney Channel’s Phineas and Ferb. Both characters are known for their attempts at “busting” their family members for their crazy antics.
Using a variety of bricks, slopes, and tiles in varying sizes Paul did an excellent job at fashioning these brick-built characters accurately via the SNOT (studs not on top) technique. The most difficult component for these characters to render correctly in bricks would be Vanessa’s more curvy frame as well as the round faces of these particular characters in comparison to the more angular faces of some other characters in the show such as Dr. Doofenshmirtz. I think the tooth shaft in pink which Paul utilizes in order to render Vanessa’s lips is an example of some pretty creative parts usage. What can I say? Paul has done it again, and I as well as many other fans are definitely hoping to see some more brick-built versions of other characters from this beloved television show.
There are so many ways that LEGO can be used as an art medium and it’s been a long while since I’ve seen a different take on using the simplest elements to convey a whole lot. Granted that it’s not actually placed together on any studs, and are digital renders, but the arrangement of odds and ends by GYUTA is simply delightful and so on-point.
This could not have happened in the early years of LEGO art arrangement as the round 1×1 quarter tiles were only introduced in 2016 and the 1×1 half-circle tiles a year later with various colours slowly trickling in over the recent years. There are so many great designs that I’m so spoilt for choice and think it would be a disaster to miss any of these being highlighted. Let’s take a stroll down pop-culture lane and see what you think of these.
San Francisco’s most famous painted lady on Broderick Street is the inspiration for this brick-built modular constructed by Cowie, a builder who generally tends to create modular buildings, some influenced by pop culture. Scenes and music from the opening credits of the popular sitcom “Full House” and its recent Netflix sequel “Fuller House” fill my head while looking at this beautiful architectural recreation. While this house is an actual residence in San Francisco that has undergone some remodeling since the television show aired (the door is currently forest green), Cowie stays true to the original image of the building from the 1980s by featuring a red door in her building.
The painted ladies are named such because they are Victorian houses that have been repainted in three or more colors which accentuate their architectural features, Cowie’s modular building accurately renders these features with her white brick-built columns and pilasters – hallmarks of Italianate-style Victorian houses. This LEGO creation definitely has the nostalgia factor built into it — it’s a real treat to be able to see such an iconic and memorable structure at a scale that both builders and minifigures can enjoy.
Our friends at Citizen Brick have been cooking up a new batch of brand new, pad-printed, custom minifigures for Black Friday this year. They kindly sent us the full assortment to share with everyone ahead of their availability on Friday morning. One of the things we love about Citizen Brick is their cheekily named product names, and this batch is no different, with “Party Rights Enthusiasts,” “Painting Enthusiast,” and many more — all cleverly named but instantly recognizable.
Read our hands-on review of the latest Citizen Brick minifigures
It’s more than an average rose, and they’re more than household items. The loveable duo of Lumiere and Cogsworth are a couple of the most beloved characters in the classic Disney universe. They’ve been recreated in LEGO many times, but this build by Stfn is not to be lost in the crowd. At this scale, the little details matter most. Using a green rifle for the rose stem and a wooden half-barrel with a weapon barrel and Technic wheel for the decorative table base are clever touches. Better yet is the dual purpose of the hinge plates in Cogsworth. Not only do they create the right body shape, but the two-tone color scheme also creates a lovely pattern that suits the character perfectly.
If you like the classic Disney movie, check out this build of Belle and Gaston. Or maybe marvel at the wonders of an award-winning replica of the castle library.
I’ve always wondered who came up with the idea that paper beats rock in “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” According to Adam Dodge it must be a fixed match, and I’d have to agree! Especially when it comes to Big Ugly Rock Pieces (BURPS); they’re practically indestructible! How does Paper have a chance? Apparently he’s a “danger between the sheets,” as Adam says.
Of course, we all know what the result would be if Scissors stepped into the ring with Paper. The winner of that bout is pretty cut and dry… Puns aside, this clever build is pretty hilarious. I just wish I had thought of it first!
Adam is a witty guy, but he’s also an exceptional builder. For example, check out his rainbow landscape or his Dr. Who chess set.
I have to be honest, I’m not exactly sure what the latest craze with The Wizard of Oz is all about, with the characters even showing up in The LEGO Movie 2 and its latest minifigure line! Nevertheless, I do have to agree that the film is one of the greatest classics of all time. A couple of cool LEGO builders must certainly also agree, because Kendall Brown and Scott Moore have created renders of the cast in expert BrickHeadz fashion.
There’s no debating that David Bowie was the master of style. His numerous personas were larger than life. From Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane, to the Thin White Duke and Jareth the Goblin King, Bowie never failed to evolve his colorful personas into something new and utterly enchanting. The heartbreaking news of his death stunned fans all around the world. Josh Fowler turned his grief into an amazing LEGO tribute: 100 Miniland-scale figures chronicling Bowie’s colorful career, which he unveiled today on the first anniversary of the star’s passing.
Josh’s builds include the LEGO-fication of iconic Bowie images from 1969 to 2016. His series runs chronologically through Bowie’s career and includes nearly every persona and costume from album covers, tours, and music videos. There are even a few magazine covers thrown in and characters from films like Labyrinth and The Prestige.
Josh included interesting facts about David Bowie’s life and even posted the source images for each and every build. To see some of our favorites, click below…
Following hot on the heels of the release of the Ghostbuster’s Firehouse, this morning LEGO announced a tie-in set for the upcoming Ghostbusters 3 movie. The set will feature a revised version of the Ghostbusters famous ride, called the Ecto-1&2. It will also feature the five new Ghostbusters as well as an imp. LEGO says it will be available this summer, and is slated to retail for $59.99 USD, though no word on the part count yet. Be sure to also read our review of the original LEGO Ghostbuster’s Ecto-1 so you can spot the differences in the new model.
OK, so we all know the movie Pixels didn’t turn out how we’d wished a real life- and video game-mashup would, but it’s still a mighty cool concept. South Korean professional builders Olive Seon have run with that concept with an awesome diorama loosely inspired by the movie Pixels. Featuring the iconic scene of Pac-Man munching down a street, the builders have added some characters from Minecraft and several other games also. See how many game characters you can find!
