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.

Siege of Gondor vignette pays tribute to a great battle

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of Lord of the Rings, so you can expect to see a number of fan-built tributes in addition to official LEGO sets based on the franchise. Grant Davis has been building vignettes inspired by LotR for a while, and this latest build is a fantastic tribute to the white city of Gondor. Depicting a scene from the epic battle set in the third book where the army of Sauron lays siege to the city, sending rock after rock against the white walls and towers. The impacting rock and all of the rubble are very cleverly attached with only a few barely visible bars the same color as the wall, and the angle of the photograph hides any non-essential parts, creating the illusion of a moment frozen in time.

If you want to see more, be sure to check out his Shelob build from LotR that we recently featured.

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That’s one way to sharpen your skills as a builder

Builder Justus M. has really put his latest LEGO creation to the sword. Or rather, he’s put the sword to his latest LEGO creation! Quite a lot of swords, in fact. The build is a quaint little tabletop diorama of a junk ship being chased by a sea dragon. The swords are used everywhere: in the detailing for the ship, as part of the dragon’s headdress and on its back, and – most cleverly of all – as the stands. It’s these golden blades used as feet, along with the compass in the middle, that give this build an air of something more than just a cool LEGO build. It looks designed to be on display. Perhaps it would take pride of place on someone’s mantelpiece, in much the same way some real swords do.

Be wary of wayward lights around marshes and bogs

Stories of Will-o’-the-wisps, like LEGO, can be found all over the world, with many representations in artwork, like this build by AjRed17. Will-o’-the-wisps are often found near or in bogs and marshes, most likely caused by gaseous emissions lighting the dark. The stories they appear in often warn of following such lights and losing one’s way. Maybe they’re ghosts, or maybe just releasing gas sparking in the night. Either way, they’re haunting with their ethereal beauty. The one in this build hangs in the air beside a blooming, curving tree. The tree possesses cool parts usage with pink frogs for the flowers. The scene is tranquil and calming, something I wouldn’t mind having on my desk.

Prepare thyself to be school’d, mediaeval style!

You know what we don’t see a lot of in LEGO castles? Monks and monasteries. Which, given their importance in the Western medieval world, is a shame, even if knights and castles are more exciting. Thankfully Ben Smith is on hand to scratch that scholarly itch. Ben is clearly a learned man when it comes to wall texturing. There’s a huge variety of tiled parts on show in the weathered walls, giving it a mix between graceful architecture and the reality of what time does to buildings. I like how the bust above the doorway makes use of a forestman’s hat (a part closely associated with LEGO castle folklore, of course) in grey, as a shield. Very meta.

A dark ocean on an alien world

Builder Ralf Langer has a particular knack for making LEGO bricks feel like fluids. Whether it’s a mind-blowingly impressive curve or a serene tide pool, Ralf always seems to turn the bricks into liquid in his hands. And he’s done it again with this build representing the aftermath of a distant war on an alien landscape. Ralf has made excellent use of reflections so that the rubble of a futuristic vehicle sinks beneath the dark waters with no visible seams. It’s an effect so realistic that it makes my thalassophobia kick in.

There are secrets hiding in this library’s collection

There’s nothing like going to the library to discover something new, even if the library is made of LEGO. Jesse van den Oetelaar presents a small window into a magical library chock full of secrets and rarities. Made for this year’s Brickscalibur contest, this build has great textures from top to bottom, with details galore to explore. We see two stories to the building with books and artefacts from floor to ceiling. Let’s take a closer look at some of the details on the second floor and its railing. There’s some nice parts usage with wand elements standing in for the railings filler spokes. The bookcase has colorful tiles for the books filling the shelves, a classic method for full bookcases. I love the use of tan Technic pins for all the candles. Their unique shaping is perfect for such an illuminating portrayal.

The Man of Tomorrow will handle it tomorrow.

Every superhero deserves a relaxing day off, and Dicken Liu has given us a glimpse into the leisure time of the most super superhero of them all. Clark Kent, aka Kal-El, aka Superman has been popular for decades because he’s so relatable, and what’s more relatable than a delicious hot dog lunch after a productive shopping trip at the LEGO store? Dicken has filled the scene with plenty of great details – from the sidewalk texture to the clever construction of the soda lid and straw. And, besides the Big Blue Boy Scout and the two dogs, there’s a fourth character in the scene you almost need x-ray vision to spot.

Have a butcher’s delight at this neat little vignette

Frog’s legs are a popular delicacy in France and other parts of the world, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in a butcher’s shop. There are certainly some to be found in Thomas Gion‘s LEGO meat seller though! This vignette perfectly captures the essence of your friendly neighbourhood butcher’s shop. The star of the show is undoubtedly the clever use of the frogs though. They look great used as hanging chickens (or turkeys, if we are to be seasonal) and minced meat coming out of a grinder. In fact, with the bacon and drumsticks at the front, this is making me hungry. Does anyone fancy a trip to France?

An outpost from the past

This Pioneer Outpost by Ayrlego recycles the cabin from an earlier north-western themed build and a tower from an even earlier effort. Builders enhancing their earlier works is nothing new, but even recognizing the “seed builds” doesn’t diminish the achievement here. The cabin is now elevated well above the water line, fully integrated into a dense forest of greenery. Are those pink flamingos lawn ornaments or actual wildlife? Maybe one of each? But look beyond those pops of color and you can find great details like the vine on the roof – that looks like a cut up sprue from around the 3-leaf LEGO plant element. That’s some unusual part usage – and a great way to recycle.

Love immersive scenes like this? Check out our achieves for more vignette goodness!

You gondor love this LOTR vignette.

This 16×16 vignette by Fuku Saku brings the half-sunken ruins of Osgiliath to life. The former capital city of Gondor is instantly recognizable in comparison to its big-screen counterpart. The damaged brick, open archways, and domed tower are spot-on with the production design of Peter Jackson’s epic. And bonus points to the Orc’s brick-built legs that create a “wading through the water” effect that perfectly compliments the scene.

A Vampire’s never late

It may be a little past Halloween, but a vampire’s never late. Because they’re undead! Get it? Anyway, this fantastic dungeon by Marcin Otreba has all the trappings of a ghoulish lair set into a great little vignette. The architecture is wonderfully gothic with lots of spikes and details, such as repeating batarangs. The tan highlights give it enough visual interest to offset the drab grey you’d expect. Now pardon me, I’m going to go finish watching What We Do in the Shadows.

Long have I wandered...

I’m loving this slender fort from Youenn H. (Neyoun). A lone wanderer stands above it, either syrveying the landscape below or the sumptuous texturing on the building. I would suggest he doesn’t make any sudden movements though as it looks rather precariously built! The fact everything is supported by a single column gives the build presence, especially given its relatively small footprint. There’s some great parts use here too. Whips for vines, teeth for detail on the fortress, and – my personal favourite – a crocodile tail for a big, leafy plant.