Tag Archives: Vignettes

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.

What’s kraken on the high seas?

It’s a bad day in the fog for this hapless crew of mariners. They’ve stumbled across the most infamous sea-beast of yore, the might Kraken, whose arms entangle ships like playthings. Mark of Falworth’s awesome diorama sets us right in the middle of the action as the giant cephalopod drags the ship to the watery depths.

The fog (made with a fog machine, not Photoshop) adds a grim bit of horror to the scene, and the technical details are outstanding. Check out the suction cups made of buckets, and the peeling planking of the deck.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

The best way out is always through

The struggle of man and beast against nature is depicted movingly in this captivating scene by Australian builder aido k. The imagery here is sublime thanks to the exquisite posing: the man, desperately clutching his cloak to provide some relief from the biting wind, pulls his reluctant steed through the blizzard in hopes of reaching warmth and comfort before his dwindling supplies are finally exhausted. The scene is full of subtle details (such as the grass bending in the wind) which enhance its sense of realism, no doubt felt by all who look upon these two weary travellers.

The fun begins where the pavement ends

I’m certain there’s a bit of the off-road enthusiast in all of us. Who couldn’t possibly enjoy the chance to escape the trappings of urban life and explore the countryside in a rugged 4×4? If it’s something you’ve never thought of before, than you’re sure to develop an interest after seeing this awesome collection of classic 4×4 vehicles by Pixel Fox:

From the Mercedes Unimog and Land Cruiser J70 to the Land Rover Defender and Jeep Cherokee XJ, the builder’s collection has spanned some of the most well-known and capable trail rigs. According to the builder, it all started from inspiration sparked by the wheel fenders included in the LEGO Stunt Truck released earlier this year (you’ll see the part replicated to great effect throughout this series). The mix of LEGO elements and environmental photography combines for a fantastic presentation, though purists are sure to balk. Plus, some of the scenes are just downright awesome, like this one featuring a beautifully-designed Land Rover Defender:

Or the Unimog tree-cutting scene:

Make sure to check out the builder’s Flickr page for the full line up so far and stay tuned as even more are planned.

The wanderer’s part is to ride alone

After a few months of a hiatus, Brick Surgeon returns with a bang. His newest creation is a western nomad’s cart, packed full of character. From the wonky wheels to the traveler’s belongings piled up on the top of the cart, everywhere you look there is something to love. The best part is undoubtedly the technique used for the roof: tan bars are connected with official LEGO stickers from the inside. One word: genius! Additionally, the base should not be ignored; the plant life is excellently done, with multitudes of angles to keep a natural and flowing appearance.

Only the best care is given in this LEGO hospital

The brick-built nurse is clear enough as LEGO, but the room created by Kirill Simerzin begs a closer examination. Overflowing with terrific details such as the slatted window blinds, IV drip, and power bed, you can almost hear the quiet beeping of medical devices in this rendered scene of an Intensive Care Unit.

The larger miniland scale allows for lots of extra details missing from typical LEGO hospitals.

Only Imperial stormtroopers are so precise...

This stormtrooper probably needs to step closer to his target. Or maybe he should take a step back? One thing’s for sure, Jme Wheeler‘s tiny Star Wars blaster pistol practice scene in LEGO points out an obvious truth from the films: Contrary to what Obi-Wan Kenobi may tell you, stormtroopers are not gunslinging sharp shooters. So keep practicing, little buddy. Keep practicing.

One, two... Freddy’s coming for you... three, four... better lock your door...

Romanian builder Letranger Absurde has been working on a series of horror movie vignettes, the latest of which is from 1984’s Nightmare on Elm Street. The ingenious parts usage for creating the famous scene of Freddy Krueger coming through the wall is eerily accurate. The use of minifigure shoulder armour for the hands and an Emperor Palpatine head are both quite clever and perfectly capture Freddy. It all comes together to create a believable scene that is actually somewhat unnerving to look at.

FN-2187, we have a situation – report to sanitation for cleanup

We all had a good laugh and surprise at Finn’s response in The Force Awakens when we learnt that stormtroopers had day jobs back at the base. Even better, they do menial jobs even if it means cleaning up unmentionables, perhaps. Builder Andreas Lenander gives us a peek at perhaps what Finn had to do on days that they were not chasing the Resistance. You know what? I’d find that a perfect reason to defect from the First Order! No more sanitation duties!

A medieval construction site that will go down in history

Often LEGO creations are simplified, cartoony versions of what they represent, with some details skipped for a better overall effect. Hardly so in this medieval construction site by Jonas Kramm. There are more realistic details here than I could count, but I should point out the wooden supports and the amazing stone brick construction. Most importantly, the scene feels real. The composition and minifig action really make you feel like you are back in time.

Who are we without our bricks?

This is a question we all ask ourselves every now and then, but members of a Russian LUG took it a step further and built their life with and without the precious brick for a recent LUG building challenge. Over on the shelf, we see that Timofey Tkachev‘s home would probably be filled with a mineral collection if he didn’t have his LEGO hobby. On the right we can see what Timofey guesses his apartment would like without LEGO to keep him grounded. There are lots of clever details to see on both sides, like the carpet’s edge and the LEGO shop bag nearly out of frame. The figure also references the builder’s previous creation, where we can compare what the builder fancies he’d look like with or without ABS.

The biggest burgers in town

That hipster burger joint downtown doesn’t have anything on Big Belly Burger, where you just might have to cart your lunch back to the office on a dolly, because your 57-pound patty is too big to lift. This view of the chaotic lunch rush by Nick Sweetman gives us a quick glimpse of the biggest burger place in town. And they weren’t kidding when they said the burgers are char-broiled.

There’s nothing like that in the fossil record

This scene by Didier Burtin reminds me of the hit 1990 monster movie Tremors starting Kevin Bacon. It features a worm-like monster of unknown origin that terrifies folks in a desert town. It slithers underground and feels the vibrations on the surface to detect – and then rise to devour – its next victim. So, if there’s no fossil history of these gargantuan man-eating snakes, I can only deduce they must be of an alien origin.