Details: Generally speaking, it's nearly impossible to make a convincing "microscale" person out of LEGO, never mind making vehicles and such at the same scale. Apparently it's quite possible with Batman - who's distinctive helmet and cape make this little series of models work. The is Batman, Robin, and their little fleet of vehicles, all done perfectly at a ridiculously small scale. I love everything about the Batman they made - the use of a black minifig head (probably from a train set) as a torso, the clever use of a claw-tile (or whatever that part is called) as a helmet, and the little cape - all perfect. The vehicles look great too, and use a mix of older slopes and newer ones to carve out just the right shape.
Details: This little chicken features quite a few unusual parts used in very clever ways. That tail is the feather from a pirate's cap, and it's attached to the rest of the model by the bottom of a spaceship's control lever! There are also quite a few new slopes and studs-not-on-top pieces in here. If you can round up the parts for this one, you can try it out for yourself with the provided building instructions.
Details: This snazzy little building is a barracks for a castle's knights. Nothing particularly out-of-the-ordinary here, but there is some nice plate work for architectural details. Note the outside staircase and the lines on the side of the building. The use of shields and studs-out 1x1 bricks on the walls is great too. Like many great castle buildings, this one features hinges so that it can be opened in the middle. That feature was originally used in the 80s for easy play with official LEGO models, but now it's generally used as way to show off clever interior work and slice-of-life minifig action. The kitchen, in particular, does that here with pots, pans, cups, and other kitchen-themed LEGO parts. The side balcony features some nice angle work with its slopes and windows. There's a little bit of sculpting in the front to add sand effect to the "grassy" green baseplate as well. Check out the way that a ladder was used on it's side as a fence door for the horse!
Details: No picture today...click on the links above for photos, descriptions, and videos related to this project.
Technically, the LEGO part of this project is just the autopilot (well - that camera gimbal too), and even that requires cheating in the form of a third-party sensor - but let's be honest, this is too cool of a LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT related project to pass up. This will undoubtedly be the most high-profile LEGO-based robot of the year, even if it does sit in a commercially available third-party RC plane and use quite a few other third-party components. This is still, of course, a cool project - it fits LEGO servos into the base to operate the rudder, and it uses (or will use) some tricky coding on the NXT to make all the autopilot functions work. Using Technic parts to operate a camera isn't too difficult, but it fleshes out the idea a little better too. Currently, the third-party sensor feeding data into the NXT unit is a HiTechnic compass sensor but it will be replaced with some sort of GPS interface before this project is finished.
Did I mention that this thing really flies? You can never go wrong with any self-propelled LEGO model that flies (yes - even a LEGO model of the Hindenburg would be cool if it could really fly).
Details: Everybody loves a decent model of a landmark, and this is no slouch on that front. Check out the sculpted rough, angled sides, and careful drafts when you're done grasping the size of this thing. Some details (writing and photos) are provided, assuming that you can read Japanese. The only "flaw" you could cite here is that they opted for support beams instead of a full interior. No biggie - and those beautiful roofs may have needed those supports anyway. More pictures are available at the "created by" link above, including some of the model as it was being built.
This belated Sunday post is brought to you by the Brothers Brick
Details: A while back, adult LEGO space fans came up with a standardized format for an on-planet space station so that glamorous space layouts could be assembled quickly at LEGO enthusiast events. That system is called "moonbase", and I'll blog more about it (and its constraints) another day. Today though, I'm featuring a microscale variation on the concept - small sections of planet surface in an extremely small scale (even smaller than the standard minifig scale used for most moonbase modules). For obvious reasons, there are lots of cool little tricks hidden in this model. I like some of the clever uses of color to make the different sections distinct as well.
Details: I'll be honest - I don't know anything about Steampunk airships. It is pretty clear, though, that some awesome stuff is going on in this model. There's a boat-like base, but a big part of it is upside down (presumably with a bunch of studs-not-on-to action underneath). Antennas hold up propellers, and some Technic parts can be seen holding other parts up. There are some details on the "deck", and even some outlying pods (I guess these are called "greebles" - in any case, they look great and make good use of some unusual parts). A section with steering equipment features some fencing and tiles to make a railing of sorts for the front of the ship. Curved tiles and claws accent a large amount of brown tiles to give it an authentic wooden look with some expensive-looking details. Some of the clever controls really have to be seen to be believed. There's even an interior cabin, complete with a patchwork quilt on the bed. The hinges to get just the right angles inside the cabin are a nice touch too. That's a lot of cool stuff for something that I can't even figure out what it is (readers - feel free to drop a comment and enlighten me).
Details: Those new LEGO Mosiac sets come with transparent baseplates that allow those who are not mosaically inclined (or computer-aided) to make decent-looking LEGO mosaics by hand. At least, that's what you do with them if you don't have a large amount of translucent LEGO plates and a castle that needs an awesome stained-glass window. Another view makes it clear that a bulky wall with a gap in it allows for the clear baseplate to slide in (with the window "mosaic" already built onto the baseplate). This small model features a very detailed section of a castle's interior complete with archetectural details, minifigs, a checkered floor, and even a cobweb-filled crypt below. Let's be honest though - the highlight is that awesome stained glass effect on the window.
Details: If you've taken any interest in space exploration-themed LEGO town sets over the years, you've probably noticed that the rockets, shuttles, etc, aren't really at the right scale for minifigs. These rockets, on the other hand, are behemoths that look like the real thing - properly shaped, decorated, and to scale. The Saturn V even features cut-aways so you can see the interior. The other two rockets are recognizable as the Titan II and the Saturn IB. This one's worth taking the time to look at all of the pictures available (there are just 21 and they reveal some well-done details and interesting building techniques).
This model is currently on display at at the Washington Square LEGO Store in Tigard, Oregon, United States. This is one of many models being featured by LEGO stores as part of their "Window Into The Community" project, which showcases models made by local adult enthusiasts. This display began on Thursday, January 11, 2007, and I do not know how long it will be up.
Generally speaking, it's nearly impossible to make a convincing "microscale" person out of LEGO, never mind making vehicles and such at the same scale. Apparently it's quite possible with Batman - who's distinctive helmet and cape make this little series of models work. The is Batman, Robin, and their little fleet of vehicles, all done perfectly at a ridiculously small scale. I love everything about the Batman they made - the use of a black minifig head (probably from a train set) as a torso, the clever use of a claw-tile (or whatever that part is called) as a helmet, and the little cape - all perfect. The vehicles look great too, and use a mix of older slopes and newer ones to carve out just the right shape.
related project to pass up. This will undoubtedly be the most high-profile LEGO-based robot of the year, even if it does sit in a commercially available third-party RC plane and use quite a few other third-party components. This is still, of course, a cool project - it fits LEGO servos into the base to operate the rudder, and it uses (or will use) some tricky coding on the NXT to make all the autopilot functions work. Using Technic parts to operate a camera isn't too difficult, but it fleshes out the idea a little better too. Currently, the third-party sensor feeding data into the NXT unit is a 
