Tag Archives: Sea

Even leviathans feel a little crabby sometimes

Something slumbers in the depths beneath Shipwreck Reef, and Magmafrost13 gives it definition in LEGO form. The kaiju wakes when a massive ship of humanity’s hubris sinks and falls onto the reef. The leviathan reclaims the ship, adding its hull to its own reef encrusted exterior. Now the Crab of Shipwreck Reef comes for humanity. How cool is this build?! This cranky little kaiju features a Bionicle infrastructure with wonderful incorporation of some cool LEGO parts. Of course, what LEGO parts aren’t cool, eh? I especially like the use of the Pteranodon wings on the carapace by the face. The coloring and texture of the wings add some awesome definition. Another great usage I’m fond of is the use of the Bionicle heads for stone/part of the reef structure. There are even tiny little crabs in the reef, coming along for the ride to witness the leviathan’s retribution.

Reclaimed by the Elements

You’ll have a hauntingly good time aboard the Flying Dutchman

The Flying Dutchman has been haunting the minds of those who enjoy a good maritime legend for centuries. The ghost ship no doubt haunts W. Navarre‘s mind, inspiring this cool LEGO creation. This build is for the Iron Builder challenge, specifically the use of giant green minifig hands. The use of them here is subtle and cool. Can you spot them? They’re the cannons! Their bright green color is perfect for a ghostly vessel doomed to roam the seas for all time. Speaking of subtleties, I really like the hints at otherworldliness on the ship. Those details don’t overwhelm the structure of the ship itself, allowing it to pass as an old sailing vessel–until you’re up close and personal. The ghostly touch I like the most is the curved flame piece at the top of the central mast. It’s the perfect part for that tattered, ethereal flag look.

Ghost Ship: The Flying Dutchman

Continue on, if ye be brave enough

Silently striding the seven seas

Upon the seafloor walks the oblong mechanical LEGO creation known as the Barents Sea Strider, built by Ivan Martynov. So yes, this creation is based on the actual Barents Sea Spider. And yes, I looked it up. And no, I’m not going to post the picture here. It’s gross and I’m trying not to have arachnophobic nightmares.

Anyways, aside from the creepy spider it’s named after, this is a super cool build. The long green legs remind me of the Bionicle Dark Hunter Nidhiki set that came out in 2005. I like the gray train wheels (perhaps custom colored) used as the leg joints and the small yellow bricks used in the leg supports (hailing from another brand, like the occupant). It’s the tiny details in every build that make it stand out. I also like that the transparent piece is a dome, giving the robot operator a 360-degree view of its surroundings so it can more easily see its prey. Perhaps this underwater arachnid has plans for a crab dinner?

The mysterious black nautilus

Currently, our study of the nautilus suggests their shells are traditionally white and dark orange. But then again, we understand less about our ocean depths than we do about the moon’s surface. For all we know, there are beautiful black nautiluses residing in the murky depths beyond our reach. If there are, I hope they look like this one built in LEGO form by Moko. Sleek and mysterious. The unique curvature is made using the crane jaw element from recent space-themed sets. Not only does the swirl look cool, but the design made by the axles in the Technic brick holes does as well.

Nautilus

Curious where the baseplate came from? This particular base only came in the 2009 Pirates set, 6241 Loot Island. While you’re here, stick around for some more animal builds, as well as other creations made by Moko.

Not so hermit, hermit crabs

You’ve probably heard the term “hermit” describing someone who lives alone and avoids others. Hermit crabs get their name from the fact that they protect themselves by living and hiding inside abandoned mollusk shells. But what you might be surprised to discover is that these guys aren’t shut-ins. Like the two featured in this excellent LEGO build by Djokson, they enjoy some company! While they do prefer to have their own shell, they’ll even gather together in large colonies. In regard to this creation, it’s a fantastic use of the Duplo pipe elements. I’m also a fan of the large figure armor for the shells!

Hermits, together

Another interesting fact: hermit crabs will graduate shells as they get bigger. When they outgrow a shell, they’ll hunt for a larger one to slip into, just like we do with clothes. And just like us, their choice of attire can sometimes be odd or questionable. Even LEGO! The unfortunate part is that this usually involves human trash.

While you’re here, definitely take a moment to check out some of Djokson’s other work!

Snack time for a sea serpent

There’s no other way to say it – it would really suck to be these guys. This LEGO Jörmungandr (Midgard Serpent) built by Cecilie Fritzvold could swallow that little boat in one toothy gulp. But could there be any solace in knowing that at least they were eaten by a pretty sea serpent? It’s an excellent use of the blue shield holder element, and the color combo with the dark blue and teal is on point. Finally, those wings on the head finish it off nicely as well!

Jörmungandr

Are you interested in seeing more from this builder? Check out Cecilie’s page in our archives. We also have more viking foder for you too!

The Spectre haunts the seven seas

Sometimes a builder has an idea but waits for years for the right LEGO pieces to come out. In this case, Sebeus I was inspired by the Queen Anne’s Revenge set that came out ten years ago and wanted to build a ship with a dark brown hull. It took all of this time but finally, his vision could be built. Behold The Spectre! He tells us that it wasn’t smooth sailing though as the 1×2 jumper plate still hasn’t been molded in dark brown. A point of pride for the builder is this isn’t a very flashy ship. Much of what people prefer to build are extravagant seafaring craft but an understated ship like this was more common back then. His main sources of inspiration were the Lady Washington and the HMS Bounty. This is clearly a labor of love well worth the long wait.

The Spectre

Time for a swim

Here’s the thing, my LEGO collection is seriously outdated. I haven’t kept up with the newest sets for a few years, and I’m not familiar with the latest parts. Plus, all the teal that I own date back to pre-2006, so… you get the idea. But sometimes these limitations can push a builder to create something more interesting. When I see this Seahorse and Moorish Idol build by Ben Cossy, I can immediately appreciate every brick that has gone into it (and name each one on the top of my head). Using just a few standard, classic parts, Ben captures the essence of the two sea creatures quite effortlessly. The exposed studs on these creatures resemble textured scales of their real-life counterparts. The layered plate construction on the Moorish Idol and flexible hose spine on the seahorse add to the realism. This marine life build is genuinely calming and even reassuring to look at. It’s like they’re telling me, “Hey, it’s ok. You don’t need the latest parts to build something cool.”

Seahorse & Moorish Idol

Take a deep dive into our archives to see some more ocean-inspired builds!

Who coils around the ruins under the sea?

Generally speaking, all the LEGO pieces can be divided into two huge categories: bricks of strict geometrical shapes and more sophisticated, organic-looking elements. The thing is, it takes much more than just a handful of organic shapes to design an awe-inspiring creature — you have to find just the right combination of pieces. This is exactly what Tino Poutiainen achieved in his most recent 12×12 vignette. There are so many things that impressed me in this work, and I particularly like how a dark red flex tube is combined with light yellowish-green fangs. And if you are afraid of sea-serpents, keep your eyes above the water level and you’ll find a set of brilliantly designed sails made with 3×2 cupboard door pieces.

Serpent`s strait

Odd Noises in Empty Rooms

Strange creatures have been infiltrating our LEGO posts here at The Brothers Brick lately and I couldn’t be more pleased. My case in point; this cleverly built sea serpent by Ivan Martynov. Call me weird but its many eyes and multiple shrimp-like appendages already tick boxes of things I’d totally be into. Add to this the fact that it was inspired by the ghosts of weirdo monster artist Trevor Henderson and you have yourselves one happy Brothers Brick writer. The depth indicator and other details around the border offer the illusion that this creature was captured on camera. Plugging the coordinates found in the lower-left into Google places this encounter at a precise location in the Atlantic north of Puerto Rico. I don’t know about you but I am smitten. We’ve been smitten by Ivan’s work a few times before.

Odd Noises in Empty Rooms: Sea Serpent

I’d like to be under the sea

If you feel a longing for vibrant colors, piece, and quite, try spending a day at Anthony Wilson‘s underwater lab. Built for fundamental marine research, this facility looks like a proper resort: huge windows, glass tunnels, and out-of-this-world species diversity right in front of you. I bet this place was engineered by those escaping anything happening above the water. It took me at least a couple of minutes to spot all the different fish captured in this build. I must admit, now I feel a lot calmer and happier.

The Octopus's Garden

This tiny temple towers above the sea

As Andreas Lenander’s Temple of Qa’te demonstrates, you don’t need a ton of LEGO bricks to create a big world. Despite it’s tiny size, Andreas’ diorama has a lot of activity, from the sailing ship and waves in the sea to the temple mounted high atop a cliff. There is some clever microscale parts usage here, including white claws for the ship’s sales and plant stems with 3 leaves representing palm trees. The greenery and architectural style of the temple give off a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern vibe, making it the perfect destination for tourists escaping the winter chills.

Temple of Qa'te