Tag Archives: Sergeant Chipmunk

Who needs garden shears when you have a lightsaber?

Being a Jedi seems swell and all, but all we ever see them do is fight, train, or fly around causing havoc. We never see them doing anything mundane, like the housework or taking the younglings to school. Josh (Sergeant Chipmunk)’s LEGO Jedi is partaking in that favourite pastime of the space-wizard: meditating. But instead of pondering the state of the cosmic Force, he should ponder the state of that floor! Those houseplants have gone completely out of control. You can’t take a step without tripping over one of the roots! Admittedly, the effect is incredibly cool when made out of LEGO bricks. But with this many trip-hazards in the Jedi Temple, OSHA would have a field day. Maybe best we keep the lightsabers hidden on their next visit…

Jedi Meditation

A seaside dwelling perfect for hermits and crabs

Josh (Sergeant Chipmunk) seems to be going on a bit of a waterside-abode-with-trees-growing-out-the-top kick lately. After his magical-looking tree house, we have another one in slightly rougher waters. Speaking of which, the way the waves are done here is really neat – it certainly gives the impression of a wind-swept rock by the sea. Such a house could surely only be lived in by a grizzly retired sea captain, right? No doubt they have come here for some peace and quiet after a busy life braving the high seas. They just need to contend with the local wildlife. How many different critters can you spot kicking about?

Between Tree and Waves

Home is where the tree is

This LEGO scene by Josh speaks of gentle breezes and a relaxing atmosphere to rest. Take a moment to appreciate everything on display here. Vibrant colors are everywhere, from the coral beneath the water to the bright blue house and the greenery surrounding it. And there’s wildlife everywhere! Some crabs hang out underwater while a rabbit explores the verdant foliage. Butterflies and a cute little bumblebee visit the blooming flower patch, and a green duck lazily floats by the house and reeds. Standing tall over all of it is the great living tree with it’s branches spread wide to offer shade to all below. But not too much shade, or those flowers and vines atop the house would have trouble growing! This is a lovely build with cool techniques in the suspended water layer and the curving roof. Oh, look–a blue bird!

Under the Leaves

Smooth seas don’t make good builders

I’m sure we’d all like to have LEGO collections full of pristine bricks. The reality though is that they are not infallible, and sometimes we’ll come across a broken LEGO element and think it is good for no more than the trash. But as Josh (Sergeant Chipmunk) demonstrates with this underwater scene, broken bits of LEGO do still have a use! In this case, a selection of flex tubes that have seen better days are used to represent a broken mast in a sunken ship. The rest of the scene is equally is good – the shaping of the ship’s hull is great, and the rockwork poking through the bow makes it clear it has been beneath the waves for a long time. Those waves, incidentally, are made up of tiles and clips that allow for a wavy shape that, while fragile, gives a good impression of a sea in gentle motion.

Treacherous Shoals

A small raft with a big problem

The latest build by Josh is fiercely triggering my thalassophobia. I can’t help but feel for this lone seafarer, having his world rocked by some elegantly simple kraken tentacles as they rise up from the water below. I can tell from that small, ramshackle raft that he was already on a journey fraught with hardship. And now he’s got to deal with a kraken? No way would I be as calm as that parrot. Stupid parrot, don’t just sit on that hat! Fly away! Go get help! It’s a giant monster from the depths below! Man, I hate the ocean.

Baby Kraken Attack

What a great place to observe nature

Take a moment to relax, with this idyllic scene. Built by Sergeant Chipmunk, the model depicts a lush grassy area with a stream running through it. The bridge has a great arc in its form, possibly created by having a flexible tube through the 1×1 headlight pieces. Draw your attention to the birdhouse and you might see it has a particularly interesting construction. The roof is made up of two book halves and the main body of the birdhouse is a basket with a green duck sticking its head through the handle.

By the Stream

The devil’s in the details. No, wait. That’s just a chicken.

In many fantasy tropes there’s that moment where the heroes gather to set off on their grand adventure. Maybe it’s in a tavern, maybe it’s the king’s audience chamber. Sometimes it’s in a mystic glade or just a chance encounter. If you’ve seen this scene once, you’ve seen them all. However, what you might not have noticed was the world happening around the heroes. There are common folk who exist outside of the main narrative, living their fantasy lives as best they can. ‘Sergeant Chipmunk’ brings us a LEGO moment in time that captures the momentous as well as the mundane.

Unlikely Companions

Read more about this medieval model.

Explore an astronomer’s tower that’s out of this world!

Sergeant Chipmunk is back with another one of his beautifully textured, fantastically displayed LEGO scenes. Some past creations from Sergeant Chipmunk featured here on the Brothers Brick include Hailstone Point, Securing the Seas and my personal favorite is the western-themed From Sunrise to Sunset!

Astronomer's Tower

I have some puzzling thoughts about this picturesque little scene. The titular astronomer has clearly landed already. The boat is tied up, but not unpacked. There are even freshly caught fish and a roaring fire with a pot of fruit boiling away. The telescope is propped up and ready to go. But where’s the astronomer? All of Chipmunk’s other models star minifigures in key roles. Not this time. The easiest answer might be that the astronomer is inside the tower. Or are they underwater spearfishing for more to eat? Did they become the parrot atop the roof? Have they fallen off the bridge with no one to save them? Maybe the intrepid astronomer spotted aliens through the telescope and they arrived to whisk him/her away! Share your theory in the comments!