We spend a lot of time here at TBB talking about finished LEGO works, but rarely do we get into the work-in-progress techniques that go into those pieces. For instance, builder Monty Matte shows us how to properly portal our palisades with this LEGO archway technique over on his Instagram. A frequent feature of many of Monty’s builds, this image gives us just a peek into how the architectural detail comes together.
Walls were an essential part of medieval life. You could send your protagonist there to defend from the coming winter, you can blow raspberries and throw chickens from them, and they offered great views of the moat. In a pinch, they could even hold off invading armies. This LEGO medieval wall from builder n.o.l.d.o.r is a beautiful bit of brickwork, it would be a shame to see it besieged. I’m in awe of the subtle textures on the brickwork, where slightly recessed sections of wall allow SNOT tiles to stay flush. The tall wooden parapets are gorgeous. Even the patch of landscaping is a masterclass on subtle shaping.
n.o.l.d.o.r continues the wall’s story on the other side, with even more impressive brickwork. The green and black banner again uses the trick of recessed bricks to create the illusion of a thin surface. The mix of minifigs adds drama and hints at a larger fantasy world of goblins and elves co-existing with humans. Those halberds with ice skates as axe blades are truly wicked designs.
If there’s one thing we at TBB never get tired of, it’s castles. The LEGO community never fails at using both innovative and tried-and-true techniques to bring castle walls to life, and this build by JakobKaiserMOCs (“Gothic: Twilight – Greenmire Gate”) is no exception. The first thing that drew my eye was the stunning vaulted arch that serves as the entryway, made from curved stacks of 1×1 round bricks set on top of microfigs to suggest carved figures in the stone. Another standout feature is the lovely set of windows along the gallery on the left, with some 1×1 studs providing an effective accent. It’s worth trudging across that dodgy-looking pond (itself worth a good look) just to get a better view.
Walls can be drab. I don’t know if you have ever had to stare at a wall, but I spent my fair share of time as a kid in time-out, sitting in a chair in the corner, examining the minutiae of the paint texture of the wall. Since then, I have stared at many walls, from cinder block to stylish shiplap, in doctors’ waiting rooms, my old calculus classroom, and many other places. They all look more or less the same. And the same thing can often be said of LEGO castle walls. Seen one castle, seen ’em all. But Marcel V. provides a break from the monotony by spicing up the grey with nice texture, but even more importantly, fun accessories. Because you know what makes a wall worth looking at? Family pictures, or a clock, or a piece of art hanging there.
The art of Marcel’s build is in the clever piece usages. There are paintbrushes and minifigure hands in the roof frame on the small tower. Unikitty tails give a delightful decorative detail on the battlements, and pistols provide support beneath. I also enjoy the wheelbarrow from a catapult and the vulture made from orc ears. All of these fun features make this wall lovely to look at, not drab. Add to that the fact that it is shown under construction, well, that just makes it better and more interesting. I’ve already stared at it for a while, and will continue doing so with pleasure.
Like the build? We covered an earlier part of Marcel’s brick adventure here.
If you’re going to build a castle, you’re going to have some guarded gates to go with it. That’s exactly what builder JS_Ninjnerd did with this fantastic medieval creation. First off, we need a round of applause for the incredible amount of landscaping this build has. Look at the tiny details in the rocks and grass! The variety of sloping bricks used to achieve such level of attention reflects JS_Ninjnerd’s LEGO building skills. Certainly, no stone was left unturned.
The castle itself is a marvel of plastic engineering. Personally, I can’t stand having gaps in between my walled bricks, but here they’re pulled off perfectly. The distressing on the castle is equally expert. The sand-green bricks add age to the towers, helping establish the narrative that they’ve been guarding the entrance to the kingdom for centuries.
Also age-impressive is the tree on the far left of the display. This tree is shedding its leaves as it enters into the Fall season. I love the colors and how they reflect actual color changes in real trees. The leaves on the ground are a nice touch as well, continuing to bring as much realism as possible into this creation.
Can you hear the sound of seagulls? The peasants and knights sure can in this medieval seaside market built by Teabox. This is an incredible build, featuring a multi-tiered castle wall manned by red knights, fishermen returning from a day’s catch, and a guild of green traders arriving for a visit.
It’s the little details that make this creation so full of life. It’s all here, from the wooden piers on the waterfront, to the flowers growing through windows, or the soon-to-be-eaten crustaceans caught in the crab traps.
The smells of a medieval city must have made it a nightmare to live in one. On the other hand, if you lived in a house built on the wall, you could enjoy the fresh countryside air as well as the city’s protection. This handy situation is captured in this creation by Mountain Hobbit.
All the various heights of the roofs and the complicated angles really give an impression of homes built on the wall and then new houses built on top of the old. The mixing of colours is done carefully to create a weathered impression that is not overwhelming. For a diorama with only a handful of minifigs, almost all grouped at the gate in the center, it seems to be teeming with life.
Building challenges come in all shapes and sizes, but constructing a wall from LEGO bricks that resists the system’s innate interlocking functionality is something new. Ralf Langer‘s build, entitled “Tear down the wall,” grasps the nettle and gives us something special. Using balanced combinations of plates, Technic elements and masonry bricks, he’s concocted a Jenga-like tumbledown edifice. Compositionally, it’s cleverly used to frame the model’s second feature, a beautiful medieval house that pokes through the collapsing façade.
