Home Again, at a Castle-Era House Near the Woods

Name of Model: Home again.

Created by: Brother Steven

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/76437548@N04/tags/home/

Details: This serene edge-of-the-woods scene is so realistic that it's easy to miss the story hinted at in the title (hint: look at what the excited minifigure is looking at). The variety of dense shrubbery and trees looks spot on, only outdone by the stone walls and bridge. There are a surprising amount of interesting angles in this model, although it's hard to tell what technique is holding some of the parts together (in the case of the water, you can see that the parts are loose). The house, the bridge, the horse, and the waterfall are all angled nicely. The fairly simple trees use angles the best, though - a few angled headlight bricks and carefully placed bars allow the leaves to have a realistic droop. The house itself has fairly simple tudor-style architecture, but makes great use of translucent 1x2 bricks for the smoke in the chimney and plates with flower edges for the cornice.

Luncheon at the Royal Pavilion

Name of Model: Luncheon at the Royal Pavilion

Created by: eilonwy77 (Katie Walker)

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eilonwy77/7036709105/

Details: For the 2012 MocAthalon's "Will it Blend?" (read: theme mash up) category, this model combines Castle and Friends. That's right, it's a celebration put on by Princess Mia. The gorgeous landscaping and intricately patterned flooring steal the show, but there are a number of great details in the scene as well. Dishes of food appear in front of each of the Friends characters. Even the stairs are built sideways to allow for more detail (note the small medium blue lines). All of the girls' pets have meals. Even between the flooring and the columns, there are more carefully placed plants.

LEGO-Theme based MOCs

Name of Model: Rise to the Wicked

Created by: Nuju Metru

Found at: http://www.bzpower.com/board/index.php?showtopic=351

Details: Nuju Metru has taken his building in an interesting direction here in that he built these MOCs as a LEGO theme. Instead of a detailed sculpture or gigantic, expensive creation that would never be marketable, he has created a line of playsets. Each and every model has several play features, mostly rubber band launchers (none of that cheap flick-fire stuff) and collapsing structures. The models - or should I call them sets? - cover a variety of price points. Tying it all together is a fantasy storyline. Pictured is the Siege of the Portal. Be sure to check out the different creative sets on BZPower and FlickR.

Warscape: Vol 1

Name of Model: WarScape: Vol 1

Created by: Siercon and Coral

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legocy/6262374104/in/photostream/

Details: To the non-Lego hobbyist, this may seem like merely eight individually epic modular builds that combine into an even bigger and better landscape. Although it is that, I found the real treat to be going in and gawking at all of the brilliant microscale NPU ("New" or "Nice" Parts Usage)! Interesting connections and builds abound, made only more impressive by the impossibly tiny scale. Note, for instance, the mermaid and catapults. In some instances parts of elements are hidden to allow the appropiate details to show, like the giesha-fan stairs, which, having tried and failed at before, I find particularly impressive. And, as a Bionicle fan, I have to commend the comprably huge kiina spikes in one of the towers. And those are just a few examples! You really should look through the photostream yourself - it's well worth your while. Via The Brothers Brick.

A "War Machine"

Name of Model: War machine

Created by: Pjurkovi

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47343879@N08/5880270395/in/set-72157626941434660/

Details: This "war machine" is something of a giant crossbow on wheels. Somehow, though, it feels almost too realistic. Even though it comes in near miniland scale and features immediately recognizable LEGO elements, it feels more like a die-cast replica used in tabletop gaming. Maybe that was the point. In a way, I actually don't want to know how this was constructed - tying the difficult to work with LEGO string around the very sloped dinosaur tails could not have been easy. Getting either side's string-tied-to-a-tail to stay put instead of sliding off must have been a difficult feat, and getting the string to appear taut as well is enough to make this seemingly simple model suddenly become an impossibly difficult "don't try this at home" model.

Giganthor the Dragon

Name of Model: An extremely dangerous creature known as the Giganthor has escaped from the forbidden dungeons. It slaughtered civilians and soldiers alike but only one man stood his ground. If he is not careful enough he too might perish under the dragons wrath.

Created by: Unitronus

Found at: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=470544

Details: Although the tricky use of color, solid landscaping, and clever minifig placement could steal the show here, the focus is clearly on the monstrous dragon. A frightening sight with an even more frightening number of points of articulation, the dragon is shown here mid-battle, just after fatally maiming a minifigure. The combination of slopes and spikey bits is very evocative of a scaly skin texture. Don't miss the bits of Bionicle chain hanging down, making it instantly clear that the dragon has escaped.

Garrison of Moriah

Name of Model: Garrison of Moriah

Created by: gerburrows (Gerry Burrows)

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gerburrows/sets/72157626512173154/

Details: We've seen other epic models before - but never anything quite this ambitious. This room-eating display was built in about 9 months by one person. In some of the photos, you can see a bit of a bridge and a couch. The LEGO bridge actually goes completely to the other end of the couch, where more is being added to this colossal model. One interesting technique used to quickly reach some of the heights seen here is using baseplates at various angles - in the image shown here, the large grey expanses are all 48x48 (15 inches square) baseplates. Don't miss the second centerpiece, which is a bit more Castle-y and features some great landscaping. The inside of the arena (behind the large statue) is surprisingly detailed considering how hard it must be to get in there and move the minifigs around. I, for one, can't wait to see what's on the other side of that bridge.

Wyvern

Name of Model: Wyvern (An organic building study - www.brickstud.com)

Created by: Jordan Schwartz

Found at: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=451244 and at http://mocpages.com/moc.php/235476

Details: Before we start: this creature is called a wyvern - it is not a dragon, but it's very similar to a dragon without arms. It's supposed to look that way and the lack of arms is completely correct for the subject matter. Now, with that out of the way... This is the first time I've seen the tauntaun horn elements put to good use. Tan cheese slopes (currently exclusive to the Tower Bridge kit) make up most of the body, as well as the feet. Inspired by the many dragons (such as the Hideous Zippleback we featured recently) that use many articulated sections to make poseable necks, Jordan (also known as Sir Nadroj) tried to make the whole body using a similar technique by using a long tube as a spine and then using various clip parts to connect the rest of the body. The result is a surprisingly successful "organic building study". Heck, even the mix of the colors on the ground stands out.

This is Wednesday's model of the day

House at Bron-Y-Aur Stomps on other Minifig-scale Castles

Name of Model: Bron-Y-Aur

Created by: - Derfel Cadarn - (Luke Watkins Hutchinson)

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45244184@N04/sets/72157625305704700/with/5140835613/

Details: Although this spectacular minifig-scale cottage isn't really based on the famous cottage of the same name used by Led Zeppelin in 1970 (sorry, Friends, but That's the Way it's gotta be), I'm going to assume that the name was meant as a nod anyway. Both the landscaping and the architecture here are striking in detail, design, and technique. The subtle use of dark brown, bright green, and dark green works surprisingly well. The tudor style comes off particularly strong, and no small 1x1 element was spared in making the textures on the fence, chimney, or the walls. There are only three photos here, but they're all fantastic and full of life-like details.

This is Thursday's model of the day

It's Train! It's A Dragon! It's the Tragon!

Name of Model: Enter the Land of The Tragon....

Created by: Megs (Megan Rothrock)

Found at: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=153247

Details: This is a 9V train, coming in at an intimidating 12 studs wide (most sets are 6-wide, and that "scale" remains popular with hobbyists as well. It's also a fantastic dragon with some great colors. Lime isn't always the easiest color to work with, but this sort of thing is what that color is made for (there are some other great uses of color here as well, but I'll let you find them yourself). There's also an impressive amount of clever angles in here - this photo of the head/locomotive alone shows several great tilted sections that blend together nicely for an organic look. This is one of Megan Rothrock's older creations. She's since gone on to work on set designs for the LEGO company and write regularly for BrickJournal magazine. Short of becoming a collectible minifig, that's as close as you can get to being a rock star in the LEGO world.

MosaicBricks Interviews Pattern Expert eilonwy77 / Katie Walker

Name of Model: Mosaic Bricks Interview! interview & mosaic

Mosaics created by: eilonwy77 (Katie Walker) Interview conducted by: MosaicBricks

Found at: http://mosaicbricks.blogspot.com/2010/10/interview-katie-walker-eilonwy77_14.html & http://www.flickr.com/photos/eilonwy77/5086690606/

Details: For months now, Katie Walker has been posting a string of spectacular and unusual mosaics on flickr. Her techniques range from fanatically precise LEGO geometry with headlight bricks to impossibly patient trial-and-error with cheese slopes. She has inspired, humbled, and scared many a LEGO builder. Recently, she was interviewed for the MosaicBricks blog - to mark the occasion, she built the two mosaics of the blog's name shown here (by the way, if anyone does something like that for us, we'd totally change our header to use it too!) I actually try to hold back from posting too much of Katie's material because most of it isn't really what most of us would consider "models". Everything is a work-in-progress, a study, or a proof-of-concept. Some of it gets worked into a larger creation later, but most of it is quickly taken apart after the photos are taken (the photographs serve as enough documentation to rebuild the designs later if they are needed). It is, though, always worth a look through her flickr photostream to see what she's been up to. As I said before, her work inspires (with clever techniques), humbles (with the fact she's using a small collection and a very small variety of pieces), and scares (with the amount of time that goes into some of the more ornate small designs). I've featured some of her studies before, but there's way more where that came from. Due to the popularity of her few finished models, I've actually backed away from featuring those here as well (out of respect for the readers who also follow other LEGO blogs, I try to keep repetition to a minimum) - but you should absolutely take a look at the courtyard and the atrium that she built for an as yet unbuilt queen's palace. Of course, the most intimidating part is realizing that this "beginner" already knows more about how you can fit LEGO pieces together than most experienced hobbyists will ever figure out. It's a rare person who is willing to work with DUPLO and Technic alongside regular LEGO pieces, never mind actually willing to figure out these geometrical quirks. Which is why we should all pay attention here - the techniques you'll pick up will save time later and make you a better builder.

In-Depth Architectural Detailing on a Castle

Name of Model: The Lost Castle in my dream

Created by: zgreenz

Found at: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=444490

Details: There are plenty of times when you need greebling or architectural details on a model. Sometimes it's just an accent on a larger model, other times (like in this case), nearly every surface looks like a technique study of some sort. Many of the 85 photos of this model are detail shots, some of which even include asides explaining the individual pieces used to get certain textures. Oh, and did I mention that this actually looks like a great castle?

This is Saturday's model of the day. The pages for the models originally selected for Thursday and Friday were removed before they would have been shared here, so we have removed those posts and will be selecting other models instead.

Epic Sandcastle for LEGOLAND Lifetime Members

Name of Model: Ambassador build

Created by: MrGSnot / Gary McIntire (photo by monsterbrick / Matt Armstrong)

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/monsterbrick/4939810838/

Details: LEGOLAND master builder Gary McIntire designed this sand castle model as an exclusive for lifetime members of LEGOLAND California. Lifetime members get exclusive access to one model builder session per year - during which they get a personal "building lesson" with a master builder from the park and get an exclusive kit with rare or unreleased parts. LEGOLAND parks frequently have access to parts that are not available in kits so that their master builders don't have to worry about tracking down "rare" part/color combinations. This sand castle set includes some yet-to-be-released tan cheese slopes, as well as some larger tan slope elements that aren't available in any kit. Occasionally, you do see a part that was once LEGOLAND exclusive appear in later sets, but the lifetime member exclusive sets will always have some parts that haven't been available anywhere else yet. Oh - did I mention that this is also a really nice model? Note the use of a flag element as a drawbridge, the use of 1x1 plates with teeth on the tallest tower, and the clever use of two different scales. UPDATE 9/7: More photos of the ambassador class have now been uploaded to flickr by Mariann Asanuma 9/20: ...and now she's also blogged about it.

Pelingrad Castle

Name of Model: Peligrad

Created by: Reejoc

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/reejoc/sets/72157624424791873/with/4814228947/

Details: Based (somewhat loosely) on Peleş Castle in Romania, this minifig-scale Castle layout is a nice mix of traditional (Renaissance Revival or Neo-Renaissance) architecture and LEGO detailing. The unusual mix of roof techniques here is particularly eye-catching - one dome is built out in all directions like yesterday's sculpture, while angled plates top a turret and standard slope bricks cover the bulk of the roofing duties. The use of fences and exterior trim on the windows looks great and adds a bit more variety than the standard lattice window elements that LEGO makes. There's even a gorgeous courtyard! There's also an unusual footprint to this model (instead of just a certain amount of baseplates in a rectangle), and the standard mottled walls to give that realistic stone look. Two techniques to note in particular: engine blocks as column capitals and 1x2x1 panels stacked as a decorative support.

Well-Landscaped Minifig-Scale Castle Compound

Name of Model: Mounted Manor

Created by: Wochenender

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/classic-castle/pool/43355471@N02/

Details: This castle scene features a surprising amount of unique landscaping. Toy Story Green Army Men bases turn up as leaves on bushes and trees. Bricks, plates, slopes, and wedges in lime, dark green, and dark brown show up in unusual places, frequently attached sideways. The amount of depth that these techniques give the scene makes the base of this look much larger than it is. The fence is made with another unusual technique - hundreds of reddish brown 1x1 round bricks and cones lined up gives a very rural, organic look. It's not much of a traditional castle wall, but the spikes sticking out of every other column of round 1x1's gives a properly intimidating look. That's before we get into the more traditional techniques that are well applied here, like the use of darker grey bricks on the walls to give the impression of a mottled stone look, or the way plates were used to achieve that Tudor architecture look on the buildings.

The Tower Palace II - A Fully Landscaped Minifig-Scale Castle

Name of Model: Tower Palace II - Full Landscape

Created by: José Proença - ztp

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ztp/sets/72157623984688401/

Details: This beautiful minifig-scale castle makes good use of studs-not-on-top techniques to make it stand out (well, that, and a healthy amount of distinctive landscaping built with his daughter). A common complaint about large castle is the "big grey wall problem" - sometimes you end up with a rather large, plain surface that is impressive in scope but not terribly interesting in appearance. Here, we see both studs and tiles (inside of arches) facing outwards to add more texture to the walls and break up the big bluish grey ("bley") walls. Some other interesting details include a wagon carrying away a captive (note the reins for the horses), a shepherd with a flock (that scared look is perfectly placed - he just spotted the invading army), a knight lit on fire by a dragon, and a mermaid kicking her tail in the tide.

Medieval Market Village Diorama

Name of Model: Medieval Market Village Diorama

Created by: PigletCiamek (Piglet on Brickshelf)

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pigletciamek/sets/72157623766166583/ and http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=428577

Details: The Medieval Market Village kit is one of the best current LEGO sets, but the lack of a baseplate in the kit immediately poses a challenge to you when you're done building it: What will you put the buildings on? Here's an answer - make the goodies in the kit part of an enormous full-fledged medieval village. This large, modular diorama is one of the most well-documented peasant villages I've seen in the past few years. There's even landscaping (with a forest's edge and cobblestone), a map, and a full cast of characters.

Mont St. Michel in Microscale

Name of Model: Mont St. Michel

Created by: Arthur Gugick "torgugick"

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10321180@N08/tags/france/

Details: The Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France is one of seven landmarks that Arthur Gugick deemed unbuildable. In spite of that, though, he has built it and it came out well (and quite small). The technique for the water is closer to what he's done for mosaics before - round pieces on a solid background to allow for more color. The village in the front features a surprising amount of variety at this scale - lots of little roof pieces make the distinctive roof lines. On the cathedral itself, we see large amounts of hinge pieces used for the architectural details. There are only 4 photos of this model (which comes in at a mere 64-studs square at the base, and is only 20 bricks tall), but they're all worth a look - even with little space and relatively simple techniques, there's a surprising amount of detail snuck into this model.

Minifig-scale "Elm castle"

Name of Model: Elm castle

Created by: gearcs

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45079829@N07/sets/72157623754281048/

Details: What happens when you combine clever landscaping, Tudor architecture, a guard post of a Castle, and the classic 1987 Forestmen LEGO theme? This Elm castle, that's what! The tower itself is just gorgeous, full of minor architectural details. You can see turntable bases attached with clips to create the appearance of an ornate fence, plates with teeth used to add realistic dimension to cross-struts, and even the walls are tiled on top to avoid showing LEGO studs. The inlaid mosaic water, while a common technique, looks excellent here. A log bridge provides access across the river. The heavy use of lion gargoyles and arches on one side is an unusual choice that actually works really well. If the big details weren't enough for you, look down into the fully tiled interior of the castle walls, smoothed out entirely with 1x1 tiles. lets While this may be a bit too visible near the edge of a forest, the castle itself is quite impressive and fully featured (Did I mention the drawbridge and mottled dark grey for a brick texture?) On that last drawbridge shot, another interesting technique you can see is the use of a panel where the chains go into the wall - the result is a smaller and smoother spot for the chain to pass through.

Up-sized Classic 375 Yellow Castle

Name of Model: Castle

Created by: Duncan Titmarsh

Found at: http://www.brickin-it.com/castle/4533574703 (additional photo links below)

Details: In 2008, Duncan Titmarsh decided to build a sculpture of the classic 1978 LEGO set Castle. To LEGO fans, this iconic early design (the first set in the decades-long Castle theme) is simply known as "the yellow castle". This version, which debuted at the 6th Brickish AGM 2008, in Sheffield, 4-6 April 2008, is built to a scale of 6:1. Although enlarged versions of models from kits have been made by the company for promotional purposes before, this was apparently the first time that someone outside the company decided to recreate a vintage set on a larger scale. Not surprisingly, this has become an instant favorite in the AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) community, appeared at several other Brickish Association events, been featured on a variety of blogs and news outlets, and even made the cover of BrickJournal magazine (there's more coverage of both this castle and the set it was based on in that issue as well). The minifigs for this model were built by fellow Brickish Association member James Sutton (anyone have a link to his other work?). Although photos of this model can be found in many groups of photos from Brickish Association events, there were much more of this model in particular during that first weekend that this was unveiled. Here's a quick roundup: Simon Denscombe's Brickshelf Gallery Darren "gizmocom" Smith's flickr set Huw Millington's flickr set Tim Fegan's flickr set James "lostcarpark" Shields's flickr set