It takes a hearty fellow to live so high up among the clouds with so few safety railings, but this idyllic scene by Roanoke Handybuck and Carter Witz makes me feel just a bit braver than normal. Each structure in this village in the clouds has a unique shape, and some include just a touch of weather-worn details. The slender supports and stacked dwellings give the scene a charming, if not slightly precarious feeling. But the citizens certainly don’t seem to mind.
Small builds have a poetry to them; you need to choose pieces specifically to evoke the shape of your subject. This LEGO build by Jens Ohrndorf is a striking example of pieces used efficiently and effectively to create a singer (who may be a poet herself!) The stage monitor is two pieces, an inverted wedge and a tile, and the wonderfully retro microphone is no more than six parts in total! I also like the way the singer’s two-tone blue outfit contrasts with her gold belt and the wood floor of the stage. Do you think she sings the blues?
I know this year feels like it’s going quickly, but surely we’re not in October already are we? We featured one LEGO witch here last week, and now Markus Rollbühler has graced us with another one. They couldn’t be more different, though, apart from the green skin and black robes. Oh, and the clever parts use! Some black curved arches lend some graceful shape do this witch’s dress, while the cauldron makes use of an inverted tire. I’m not sure what’s happening with that little mouse, though. Is she giving it a bath? That must be it. The green bottle in her other hand is clearly bath lotion. Nothing nefarious happening here, no sirree…
I vaguely remember once seeing an account on social media that found images from real life that looked like Renaissance paintings. I bet they would’ve liked Ids de Jong‘s mediaeval LEGO tableau! Every pixel is perfectly placed, and there’s so much going on. The jester is seemingly trying in vain to impress the guests at Majisto’s feast. They seem more interested in either reading or, well, eating. They’re about to get some more unwanted excitement though! I like the cheeky look the dragon has on his face, and the use of minifigure legs for the snout is ingenious.
While this Minoan temple may seem simple at first glance, there is quite a lot going on in this scene by BrickiboT. Inspired by the architecture of archaeological sites like the Minoan palace at Knossos on Crete, the angled pattern along the roof is made from carefully arranged sideways plates and brackets. A small noodle bowl acts as the perfect accent. The plates and rounded plates in two colors, along with a variety of textured bricks gives the front of the temple a weathered look.
The rocky landscape, dotted with plants and vines is a good blend of straight and curved slopes, and even the small beach is filled with details, like the group of hermit crabs, and the head of an elephant disguised as a rock. The angled sides of the small boat are attached with handlebars fit into the undersides of rounded plates with holes. Well done!
December is a little over a week away, which means we will soon have the annual debate over what the second-best Christmas movie is. Wait, second-best? You heard me! You can keep your Home Alones, your Nutcracker adaptations and your Die Hards (if you’re that way inclined). As Eli Willsea clearly knows, The Muppet Christmas Carol is the undisputed festive film champion! It’s wholesome, it has some great songs, it’s not too cheesy (Muppet cast notwithstanding), and it inspires creative use of LEGO watering cans. What’s not to love?
I know the calendar says November and whatnot but, like my LEGO storage room, spookiness can’t be contained within one holiday. For some of us, it’s a way of life. This new creation by Casey McCoy is called Monster House. Rumor has it, that’s what my neighbors call my place but that’s just the cross I bear for being brooding and mysterious. And also having a skeleton in my front yard and doll heads like literally everywhere. I could learn some decorating tips from Casey’s vignette like the creepy eyes, spider webs, and olive green color scheme. Now to find a contractor who is willing to install a kid-eating demented hell-spirit into the facade of my place. Let me know in the comments if you know a guy; licensed and insured is preferable. While you’re at it, check out our Halloween archives for more spooktacular fun from like-minded builders.
What do you get if you cross the Giant’s Causeway with Doctor Strange? That’s the vibe I’m getting from Daniel Church‘s kinetic LEGO vignette here. The geography looks quite otherworldly – I love the look of the hexagonal columns. But the meditating chap in the middle adds an extra layer of mysticism. This has to be some temple or shrine at the top of the tallest mountain, where only those seeking true enlightenment will dare to venture. And if you do make it to the top, and you achieve the inner peace you’ve been craving, you may get to see the stones dance thanks to Daniel’s clever mechanics.
The world of The Wheel of Time book series is both the ancient past and the far-off future. So, it’s fitting that this build by Vladimir van Hoek from ten years ago (long predating the recent Amazon Prime TV series) is just now getting shared with us in the present. The microscale scene of the Field of Merrilor depicts a high-tech castle and neighboring village, in a world where vehicles are powered by primitive sails and advanced jet propulsion. I love the way foliage peeks out from beneath the vignette framework, and the way the reddish brown grill bricks have been laid on their sides to create the rows in the farmland. This idyllic scene is definitely a place I’d like to visit someday…or perhaps I’ve already been?
Whatever your take on their purpose, it has to be said that religious buildings like churches or cathedrals can be quite amazing places. There’s the spiritual aspect of course, but even on a purely material level, often they’re just downright pretty. That’s definitely the case with Casey McCoy‘s vignette. It’s a captivating scene depicting a priest in a moment of quiet contemplation. The whole thing is beautiful, but so are some of the building techniques! The cheese-slope stained glass windows are what draw the eye, and what give this scene its distinctive atmosphere. But cheese slopes are also used in the floor tiling to great effect. The candles are also great, made of Technic pins and lever handles.
You may be wondering how the Casey has managed to manipulate the figure into that quite un-minifigure like pose. The answer is with rubberbands, care and a lot of patience! A white rubberband also doubles as his clerical collar, which is a nice touch. There’s a good view of it here – a gorgeous snapshot that almost makes you hear the echoing silence of an empty church.
Say what you like about Darth Vader, but he sure has an eye for the dramatic. You’d expect nothing less from a guy who walks around in a cape. Remember when he stopped a laser bolt with his hand in The Empire Strikes Back? If you don’t, Nathan Smith is here to jog your memory with this superbly-framed scene. It makes you wonder how long Vader was waiting there. Was he waiting in that dramatic pose for hours before our heroes arrived? Maybe that’s why he was so sassy when they finally did show up. The Dark Lord of the Sith doesn’t take kindly to tardiness, it seems.
Every week readers of the The Brothers Brick Telegram channel choose the Creation of the Week: one project that impressed all of us the most. Casey McCoy gets almost a third of all votes cast by our readers with his charming Die in Your Arms diorama. Such a touching scene, with lovely color palette. Well-deserved!
Meanwhile, the new vote is already on! Join our Telegram channel to follow all the best LEGO creations, latest news, and, of course, vote for your favorites. See you there!