Tag Archives: Qian Yj

A gilded birdcage from a golden age

The LEGO creations of Qian Yj aren’t just remarkable achievements in building with bricks. They transport the admirer to another place or time, whether at minifig or 1:1 scale. For his latest build, Qian creates a lifesize LEGO birdcage and its smol birb occupant. The mix of colors soars, especially the pairing of gold and bright blue. A simple 2×1 grille plate is fresh and exciting when used in abundance in an unfamiliar context. For the birdcage’s gold bars, Qian uses piano wires from the LEGO Ideas Grand Piano. As beautiful as the model is, I’m glad to see the small red songbird enjoying life outside the cage. Good birb.

Classical Birdcage

Tradition meets tomorrow in this Cyberpunk Chinese-style inn

Cyberpunk isn’t a genre one typically associates with subtlety, but for his latest LEGO creation, Quian Yj achieves just that balance. At first glance, this multi-story inn looks like a building you might see today, or any time during the Qing Dynasty. But look a little closer and you’ll notice that the signs are neon and the roof tiles are transparent, perhaps a solar layer to power this waystation of the future. Honestly it makes a lot of sense that old buildings would be retrofitted for a cyber future rather than razed and replaced with 80s industrial vibes. I appreciate the mix of window styles (including the stained-glass from the Brick Bank) suggesting a building that has undergone regular repairs and updates over a century or more. Even with a sci-fi work like this, Quian Yj’s architectural builds feel so cozy and lived-in. I wonder if the inn has any vacancies?

Cyberpunk Oriental Style Inn

Start your shift at this awesome alien refinery

Sometimes, the best LEGO builds are the most down-to-earth (or down-to-another planet). Check out this refinery by qian yj. Sure, it’s in outer space, but there’s a mundane familiarity in the way the alien workers are just doing their jobs. I love the cool, industrial grays and whites paired with subtle blue or red highlights. Anyone who’s ever worked the daily grind can relate, no matter what planet you’re from. I don’t know what the aliens are refining, exactly, but I hope they get their lunch break soon.

Alien Refinery Factory

I can’t stop thinking about this LEGO Roman scene

Qian Yj is no stranger to triumphs, having brought home the trophy in LEGO Masters China. For his latest build, he turns his thoughts to ancient Rome (as men so often do) and presents a glorious temple facade. There is so much to laud about this capital diorama, but the sweet reliefs definitely take the cake. Marble supplicants kneel at the feet of a god in the pediment, flanked by floral designs all in white. The columns are most impressive too, the Corinthian flourish created by arranging teeth in eyelets around gnashing gears.  The braziers are a simple yet very effective design. And those statues! Such lovely use of tiles to create lifelike forms at this scale. On the temple base, a gallic touch with croissant garlands.

Temple of Roman

Qian Yj excels at immersive models that sweep you away to a living past. To see the builder’s LEGO tributes to his native China, check out his photo album, or revisit our other favorite Qian Yj. creations.

A dear-ly beautiful work of LEGO art

This stunning art model by qian yj takes LEGO art to a whole new level. Using round tiles instead of more traditional plates creates a subtle texture for the background, which helps the layered mountains and clouds stand out. The deer stands on spindly legs among clouds made with three colors, adding shadows and depth despite the few layers. Even the non-LEGO background of black with gold lettering adds to the ambiance.

The Nine-Colored Deer

Forget the window display, THIS is the Louis Vuitton / LEGO mashup we need!

While I’m certainly not familiar with Louis Vuitton’s line of products, I adore the life-size recreation of household objects in LEGO. And qian yj once again hits it out of the park with this highly-detailed makeup case. Each piece in this kit is expertly crafted to match the original, be it an eyeliner pencil or palette of blush. And the case itself is a work of art, checkered in white and light gray bricks with medium nougat along the edges. The use of the 1×2 jumper plate to add some texture to the leather trim is a pro move. And the detailing on the clasps, both for the main case and the interior tan box, is unbelievably impressive! If I squint, it’s hard to tell that this isn’t the real thing.

Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Makeup Case

And if all of the above wasn’t impressive enough, the fully-detailed interior of the case is designed to hold all the displayed contents. It even has the reverse side of the main clasp visible, showing the attachments where the buckle is fastened to the “fabric” of the outer box. For me, that’s what sets a great part apart from a good build: when a model still remains accurate to its subject, regardless of how it’s viewed. LEGO and LV, if you two want to start working together, it’s time to take some notes!

Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Makeup Case

Summers at grandma’s house

This LEGO build from Qian Yj awakens warm feelings from my childhood, of summer visits to my grandma’s house. From spending time with grandma, to watching TV together, and even having some sweets–this build hits all the memories! Not only does the build feature nostalgia, but check out the textures around the scene too. It’s rich in diverse textures and colors, such as the tile work of the patio floor. I really enjoy the plant life around the place, particularly the vines and lattice with a cute cat perched atop it. Of course, one of the most delightful parts usage I appreciate about the build is the use of the modified plate with double bearings as the roof tiles. Check out the rest of the build’s details and see what cool things you can find.

Midsummer Night

Travel under the sea with this LEGO mermaid

This LEGO Ariel from qian yj is full of character and vibrant colors. Right away we’re drawn to the mermaid’s emerald eyes, with a surprising dimensionality. The way that the fish are swimming around the middle of the frame adds motion to the scene, along with the stingray on the bottom. The sea urchin on the bottom right look amazing, and the green seaweed serves as a great background element.

Mermaid

Intimate, poetic Asian scene in LEGO

LEGO builder Qian Yj is no stranger to Asian buildings. Qian’s latest is smaller, poetic, and more intimate in scope and subject. There is some really good detailing work on display, especially on the second building. The brick-based figures add a good human element to the scene, and the color choices work well here. What’s your favorite detail?

Thoughts in the Still of the Night（Li Bai.Tang Dynasty.）

A stroll along ancient streets

Many a great LEGO model has been inspired by a real life place and builder Qian Yj‘s latest build is definitely among them. This beautiful scene is based on the real life Yuehe Street, a popular tourist destination in Jiaxing, China. The small greebling work on the walls in a limited color palette is lovely and really captures the crumbling look of many of the street’s buildings. I love the decorative touches and window treatments utilizing grills and 2×2 turntable bases on the building’s faces and the small cafe on the side. I’m also particularly enamored with the sweeping white supports between buildings. A perfect street to while away the afternoon, sipping tea at the waterside as the boats float by.

Yuehe ancient street

Tie a bandanna around your head and get ready

I don’t play video games, since I was that poor, deprived kid whose parents never bought him a system, and I didn’t have friends who played them, either. I played with LEGO bricks instead. That being said, I do have nostalgia for certain video games, having watched others play them at certain times of my life. Take Contra, for example. A few guys on my high school cross country team used to play that game in the wrestling coach’s office after practice, cursing up a storm and generally having a good time. Seeing this old TV and console with that logo across the screen built by qian yj brought me back to those halcyon days of youth. With a crowd pressed into the small room, we’d watch bandanna-and-aviator-wearing elder statesmen of the team gleefully shoot pixelated villains.

Nintendo Family Computer & Television in the 1980s

The curve of the small screen is great, a far cry from the giant flat screens of today. And the antennas, the corded controllers, the cartridge… ah, memories. The small details look spot on. It took me several views, in fact, and a careful zoom, to be sure that the console was made from LEGO and not just the real deal with brick-built accessories. Does it make it play better if the LEGO cartridge is taken out and blown upon? Probably.

Can you hear me now? I said, can you hear me now!

Entering a new decade has left me feeling nostalgic for my youth and, since I group up in the ’90s, I was amused when I saw Qian Yj’s LEGO version of an early cellphone. Back then, such phones were such phones were nicknamed bricks due to their tremendous size. This particular model is about as close to a 1:1 replica as you can get, as illustrated by this image of Qian Yj holding the brick in-hand. His replica looks spot-on, from the numbered buttons to the thick antenna protruding from the top. Lime green tiles form the screen and are a perfect choice given the then-state-of-the-art LCD technology.

Cell phones in the 1990s