One of my favourite types of LEGO creation is those that you can stare at for hours and never look at the same bit twice. Take this lively Chinatown square by the Escalona brothers David and Diego, which is to become part of a larger collaborative project. To me it is reminiscent of the Ninjago City modular sets – so much going on, and yet there is a perfect balance of eye candy and space to keep it from feeling overcrowded.
Let’s explore some more of this colourful district…
In the years since the Harry Potter books and movies were released, we’ve seen plenty of fan contributions to the Wizarding World. From “Potter Puppet Pals” to “A Very Potter Sequel”, wanna-be wizards and witches have sought to pay tribute in their own ways. LEGO’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of the movies has brought lots of fun new sets and the fans have responded in kind. This playful, life-sized version of an educational decree board from the Order of the Phoenix was built by twin brothers Diego and David Escalona. The beautifully built frame with padlock sits next to wonderfully crafted candles, a clever hammer, and a few large nails for that extra little bit of detail.
The frame achieves a lot of great angles, making it thoroughly realistic. The brothers keep with that realism, smoothly sculpting the handle and the head of the hammer with just the right angles in the right places. The dripping wax from the candles built up around the base and the Bionicle blades behind the flame pieces are both delightful details. The wee spider crawling across the frame is absolutely adorable, by the way. Mostly because it’s fake, otherwise, no thank you. Diego and David do well modeling some text and design elements within the proclamation from bricks, while others they included within the render with a playful message.
Considering the season, I think these brothers may have made some great props for a Filch costume. Other than that, these would look perfect with the Hogwarts Icons set, something I hope LEGO expands on in general.
