Monday, July 6, 2009

Transformer Apple Power Mac G4 Cube

Name of Model: Transforming LEGO Apple Power Mac G4 Cube
Created by: Thinking Bricks
Found at: http://www.thinkingbricks.com/1/cube/transforming-lego-apple-power-mac-g4-cube.html
Details:
Here's a frightening new idea - using casings from existing electronics to build Mindstorms-based transformers. It starts off looking like an ordinary appliance on your desk, and seconds later, it's off driving around. Rather than ruin the surprise for you, I have to ask that you check out all the videos at the site above (the fourth in the series shows a bit more of how it was done).

Thursday, July 2, 2009

LIke Fathers Like Sons

Name of Model: LIke Fathers Like Sons
Created by: fallentomato
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27917559@N05/3673654067/
Details:
It's hard not to get my attention when you're mixing scales in a clever way. The Technic figures (which originally came out in the late 1980's, surfaced occasionally in LEGO sets over the years, and then were widely available in the late 1990's, until they started with the Bionicle characters...) work great here, but their unusual scale - pretty close to Belville, just a little smaller than Miniland 0 makes them hard to work into models most of the time. The temptation would be to use Belville or miniland characters as children, but the minifigs work surprisingly well here. The best part? The minifigs are details to match the Technic figs as much as possible, using sunglass-clad heads and even a Dr Inferno arm for the cyborg kid. This is apparently just one module for a collaborative display at BrickWorld (which ended over a week ago...) so we may see more of these soon.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Let's Hear it for the Original Space Police!

Name of Model: SPa
Created by: roguebantha_1138
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40182896@N00/3651008027/in/set-72157614688481299/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/40182896@N00/3651007203/in/set-72157614688481299/
Details:
Yes, I know it's 2009 and that the company just released a third Space Police line, this one with aliens who are all treated as criminals (chew on the xenophobic political connotations of that one for a minute). There were, of course, kinder, simpler times, when we could spot the bad guys by their matching outfits and association with the Blacktron. When it comes to modern crafts for keeping the Futuron safe (and seriously - what's a Space Police line good for if you don't have civilians to protect?), this is as awesome as it gets. Proper prison pods (not of the hit-to-release variety, but of the well-built 1989 variety - the SP1 do not have any "escape" to worry about) are included too, because SP1 mean business!

Is that enough SP1 v. SP3 trash-talk? Do I really need to explain how clever the wing connections are here, or how that roof piece angles things further than the hinges? At some level this wins for using rare parts, but the amount of parts that have been discontinued (or otherwise become hard-to-come-by) since they first appeared in the original Space Police line is frighteningly large (translucent red just hasn't done too well in recent years - even the Alpha Team kits didn't include much of the color). I guess that's what we get for having a ton of exclusive translucent parts and lots of great printed bits instead of stickers (again, sorry kiddos - but hey, you may have missed the 80's, but you have the Internet! There were no blogs back when the SP1 line came out! Get off my lawn - oh wait, that's already in the instruction books for these new kits without boxtrays, isn't it?)

Where was I? Oh yes - this model is awesome, and there isn't nearly enough continuity in the LEGO Space world these days.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Adult Fans of Lego?

Seeing advertisments as old as this one that feature adults playing with Lego makes me wonder. How long has the AFOL been around?

10197 Fire Brigade

Fairly nice set, and for only $150 I think it's a pretty good deal.

Read more on TBB. (This has been covered everywhere, and I don't see the point in adding a lengthy post to the pile.)

Saturday, June 13, 2009

"Trip to the Moon"

Name of Model: Le Voyage dans la lune
Created by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32482342@N05/
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32482342@N05/sets/72157619538763097/
Details: This model has been blogged everywhere. But I can't resist the chance to feature it here. I just can't get over how awesome this whole scene is. Now I want to take a "Trip to the Moon" ("Le Voyage dans la lune," in French.) 

Schillerplatz in Dresden, Germany

Name of Model: Schillerplatz No 5. 6 and 7 in Dresden. Germany.
Created by: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=spinatundei
Found at: http://www.brickshelf.com/
Details:
This is a remarkably realistic looking creation, despite the use of primary colors.

I was most impressed with the "tram tracks" being integrated into the street. This is done in many town layouts, however this one was carried out particularlly well.


Friday, June 12, 2009

Cupola Caboose

"TomCoop" brings us a lovely caboose displaying the use of simple building techniques to achive a "complex looking" effect. 

In an age dominated by SNOT construction we could all strive for simplicity. 

Monday, May 25, 2009

Robotics Monday: NXT-based Pirates Film

Name of Model: The Pirates and the NXTfied Theater
Created by: Vassilis Chryssanthakopoulos (NeXTSTORM)
Found at: http://web.me.com/NeXTSTORM/NeXTSTORM/Theater.html
Details:

Generally, when you see minifigs in an animated context, stop motion animation is used. This time, an NXT was used instead, controlling both NXT motors and Power Functions motors. There are more details (along with the actual video) on the website listed above - don't miss the photos, they're the only hints as to how this was done.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

A Tribute to Piet Mondrian

Name of Model: Mondrian Tribute
Created by: Moose Greebles
Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/moose_greebles/sets/72157618325959859/
Details:
Although it may seem obvious to some to combine LEGO bricks with boxy geometric art, I've never seen such a clever tribute to Piet Mondrian as this one. Extra points are won for the cubic shape of the sculpture, the spectacular use of plates (parts 1/3 the height of standard LEGO bricks) to make thin black lines, and the demonstration of some exact square shapes in brick form (sure, it's not hard to do the math, but it's surprising how rarely we see a perfect 6x5 square in a LEGO model). Some studs-not-on-top detailing helps to make the 5 shown sides (the bottom is solid black) of this cube look even better - note the inlay on the top, complete with a handle to open up the box. I also love that the LEGO parts actually end up looking less like a grid than the original paintings do - a testament to both artists' skills.