Tag Archives: Vignette

Vignettes are like the haiku of the LEGO world. Usually built on a base 8 studs wide by 8 studs deep, vignettes show a little scene or a moment in time. But like written poetry, there’s plenty of variation on the basic theme.

When you’re near a sarlacc, everything’s the pits

With the recent release of The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars builds have been multiplying faster than Star Wars spin-offs and sequels. For me, none of the sequels/prequels/spin-offs comes close to the magic that is the original trilogy, though I am always happy to see more of the galaxy far, far away; yet the builds inspired by it all are getting better and better. Take this microscale build of Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge from The Return of the Jedi by Okay Yaramanoglu. It captures all of the essential details, from the sarlacc to the bantha and the smaller skiffs, all within a 16×16 stud footprint. Some true fans may object to the beak on the sarlacc, but it is still well done. Perhaps we can edit it out later, when the special edition is released.

The Sarlacc Pit

The rowboat is an inspired touch for the sail barge, recreating the hull shape so effectively I am shocked to have never seen it done before (or perhaps I’ve just been living under a Krayt dragon skeleton for too long, and it has been done before). The red sails could use some dust or sand on them, since everything on Tatooine is dusty and sandy, but the simple pieces imitate the shape perfectly for this scale. The old Technic toothed plates give some clever connections for the skiffs, and the hair for the bantha is amazing. All in all, I think this is a great Pit of Carkoon.

The battle of Hoth, from a certain point of view

Between the recent launch of the Disney+ streaming service, and the release of The Rise of Skywalker, there is no shortage of inspiration these days for Star Wars-inspired LEGO creations, and while many builders chose the most iconic scenes to re-create, some prefer to show a different side, like Hypolite Bricks. This scene from the trenches of Hoth is jam-packed with great details. The rebels have a nice E-web heavy repeater blaster, and I bet they are better shots than those Stormtroopers. But I think my favorite part is that hatch next to the turret, which gives the troopers a way to duck out of the cold for a round of hot cocoa.

LEGO Star Wars Battle on Hoth

Set sail through the ruins of Valyria

Some really great large Game of Thrones LEGO creations have been built in the last few years (if I don’t say so myself). Ekjohnson1 has built a number of amazing smaller Game of Thrones models, including this masterful vignette of Tyrion Lannister and Jorah Mormont sailing through Valyria. The amount of detail jam-packed into this small scene is amazing.

The passage of Valyria

Right off the bat, I have to recognize the parts chosen for the custom minifigs. There is no question which characters are represented. Beyond that, there is so much to be in awe of here, such as the wands and claws as reeds. Two techniques stand out as most impressive to me both being held together by gravity and balance. First, the upside-down green hats being used as a plant – amazing. Second, and fittingly described at the bottom of the paragraph, is the use of 1×1 round tiles at the bottom of the model to represent the water simply but effectively.

Home for the holidays

LEGO builder Deborah Higdon brings us this cheery home vignette to wish us a merry Christmas. Like all the best things about the holidays, it’s simple yet crafted with great thoughtfulness and care. From the shingled tile roof to the clean siding, working porch lights, and the delicate railings wrapped in garland, each aspect of this house is a masterwork of details working together to create a realistic house.

2019 - lego "merry christmas to you" houseBut Deborah didn’t just stop at the outside; after all, what’s Christmas without a comfy interior? The tree has been removed in this photo so that we can see extra interior details, but don’t worry, it’s definitely there. Check out Deborah’s album for more details.

2019 - lego "merry christmas to you" house

It’s not always about the spaceship.

Don’t get me wrong; I love LEGO space ships. The more swooshable a build, the happier I am. Sometimes though, it’s not about the ship, but the people who keep them flying. In Repair Yard, builder Inthert shows us a slice of life from the mechanics who keep things moving. (And, apparently, the cat that helps out, too.) This model was created for a contest focused on the creative use of grill tiles, and there’s certainly several great examples of that here. Note how they are used with crossbows in the radar array on the right, as texture for the crates, and the steps in the stairs on the gantry. Look even closer, and you’ll see them as part of the engine detailing (coupled via minifigure handcuffs, no less) and the work stations in the background.

Repair Yard

The rest of the build is fun, too. I like the crack in the paved area created by keeping a slight gap between sloped elements, and the choice of lilac for the plant stems gives the whole thing a nice extraterrestrial vibe. I do wonder, however, if I’m reading the story of this vignette correctly. It sure looks like the mechanic on the ladder pushed that shiny red button, giving the other tech a face full of soot from the engine. Surely Inthert would be nicer to these characters, right?

Don’t call the LEGO police just yet until a full investigation is conducted

There’s more than meets the eye with this clever build by Maxim Baybakov. At first glance, you may get vibes of a noir scene of a minifigure murder taking place. While that may seem dark, the truth is hidden in the shadows of two figures seemingly beheading a LEGO minifigure torso. All isn’t what it seems.

Hallowe'en 1

Click to unveil the mystery murder

What’s got two legs and goes woof?

Wildfire — Game Of Thrones‘ very own version of napalm. In this neat LEGO vignette by ekjohnson1 we get to see the everyday reality of Wildfire production and storage down in the depths of the Kings Landing branch of the Alchemists’ Guild. Sure, the gloopy green stuff is worth a fortune, and makes short work of any invader vessels coming up the Blackwater. But drop a candle in it? Things get hot and messy real quick. The green liquid is nicely done in this model, with transparent pieces capturing its unearthly glow, but the highlight for me is the subtle angle on the brick walls between the timber supports — a nice touch which perfectly evokes the idea of the arched tunnels beneath Westeros’ capital.

LEGO GoT Kings Landings Wildfire

Parachuting into a wild adventure

Over the years, Marcel V has graced our pages as an impeccable example of all the things that make a creation exciting. Marcel seamlessly harnesses vignettes, storytelling and parts usage in a stunning way, and all without missing a beat. Case in point: his most recent work titled Emergency Landing. Inspired By Jonas Kramm and his incredible Jurassic Park vignettes, Marcel has chosen to build within a base of approximate 16×16 studs. With in this small space, the builder has packed in a brilliant little scene, oozing with lush detail.

Emergency Landing

I love having my eyes constantly drawn from one side of the build to the other just to soak in all the elements. The 1×1 3-leaf piece introduced last year has made a great impact on this build, showing up in two shades of green and giving the scene more depth. The tangled parachute made from two blue triangular sails has been nicely achieved, threaded over some gangly tree trunks. Trees aside, it’s the light bluish grey rock walls in which they spring from that set the scene for me. The white collared bird appearing on the right-hand side is another superb display of parts usage. A combination of minifig parts make up this specimen, such as a bushy minifigure hair piece, ruff and plume, just to name a few. The fact that a lot of it is held together with a rubber band only makes it better.

To see more of Marcel V’s work, check out this incredible build that had me stumped.

The Jeeps and Explorers that everyone wanted

Can there ever be enough dinosaurs in the world? Well, in a world without any living dinosaurs, I would have to say no. Where’s the Deinonychus with a saddle to take me for a ride, or the Quetzalcoatlus flying service I dreamed of as a kid? Nowhere, since places like Dinotopia and Jurassic Park only existed in science fiction. Jonas Kramm tries to fill some of the void inside me with his awesome vignettes from the first movie of the Jurassic franchise, which is appreciated but never enough.

Speaking of voids, that is just what Jonas fills in this next set of builds, with both the Ford Explorer and Jeep Wrangler many fans of the film complained were absent from any of the official LEGO sets so far (especially the huge 75936). The Jeep stolen by Dennis Nedry is stuck in the mud and high pointed on a log, and the hapless tech wizard has been blinded by the toxic spit of the Dilophosaurus. A stud shooter is cleverly used as the log under the Jeep, and the crowbars make a great frame for the windshield as they did in LEGO set 75916‘s Jeep).

12 - Spit

Click to see the rest of these dino-riffic vignettes

And bring me the passengers, I want them alive!

The release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story brought a sentence from the original film’s opening crawl to life and connected it directly to the start of Star Wars: A New Hope in a most dramatic way. And this model by Pablo Piccasos does just that in LEGO. What looks like a single model is actually made up of three distinct creations that fit together seamlessly, bridging the two movies in more ways than one.

Secret Plans 02

Continue reading for more details

A very special homecoming

Every journey comes to an end sometime, and for this weary traveler, his journey ends with a warm welcome from a loving father in this lovely scene by Carter Witz. One of the first details that caught my eye was the gently angled wall along the riverside.

Arriving Home

The same style of stacked plates and tiles is carried through to the back yard, which also features simple but interesting trees and other vegetation.

Arriving Home

Carter has included a fully detailed interior, which suggests, along with the letter in the father’s hand, that this homecoming was expected, and a yet another treasure of home is waiting. A good meal.

Arriving Home

A series of familiar scenes from Vietnam

Writers are often taught to write what they know, to create from a place of familiarity. This simple technique can also apply to building LEGO scenes depicting everyday life, like this delightful series by Khang Huynh, who, judging by their Flickr profile, is fairly new to building custom LEGO creations. They’re off to a great start, and I’ll be keeping a close eye out for more from this talented builder.

In this first scene, built using a colorful but muted palette, we see a city street being worked on by a most unusually colored excavator. Also, notice the teal brick separator tool stacked on the roof. I really like how the look of the separators is continued around the corner. Another great detail is the use of a Power Functions motor as a transformer.

Familiar #5

Check out more Vietnamese scenes by Khang Huynh