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.

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.

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.

A Beautiful Campus

Name of Model: A building complex started in 1991

Created by: aror

Found at: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=463229

Details: Every once in a while, you come across a gorgeous large layout that feels like minifigs could actually live in it. It's less like looking at a model, and more like seeing a little world. This minifig-scale model clearly meets that criteria - the four large buildings are flanked by smaller buildings, vehicles, and landscaping, in a way that resembles a well-maintained professional or academic campus early in the morning (before the crowds have come about). This project was started in 1991, and the colors reflect that - note how red and white are the main colors, and green is used sparingly. Back then, large plates and plants were the only widely available (non-DUPLO) parts in green. In spite of the limited palette, there's still a colorful ceiling pattern and plenty of other subtle details. The tall windows make this interpretation of minifig scale very close to that of the Cafe Corner set. The details around the windows aren't filled with tricky techniques, but they still take on a grand effect when repeated over these large walls. Don't miss the use of grey goblets on the chimneys, or the fantastic use of Imperial flags outside of a Pirates-based setting.

Sunset on a Dirigible

Name of Model: Sunset-on-a-dirigible

Created by: Balamorgineas

Found at: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=459637

Details: Every once in a while, you come across a model that rewards close inspection but can't be photographed well from a distance. Trust me - this model is one of them. This airship (in a loosely "steampunk" tradition) features some spectacular techniques and part usages. One thing you can see in many of the photos is a choppy, water-ish texture (perhaps it's supposed to be a cloud) created by dozens of minifig legs. The balloon-shaped bit hear the top is made entirely out of 2x2 round plates - and that's attached cleverly with hooks, chains, and skis! The front hull is a pair of sideways staircases, with click hinge sections attached. That hinge element reappears in quite a few other places, somehow feeling like an intentional motif instead of an overly-available part. Minifig telescopes make nice railings on the sides, and an unusual open cabin rounds things out - with the fins in the back being an entertaining nod to proper ship steering.

Minifig Scale Space-Age Floating Rock

Name of Model: Suncrest

Created by: Nathaniel Shields

Found at: http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/225850

Details: This one apparently slipped under our radar while we were LEGO'd out at BrickFair earlier this year. It caught some attention there, though, bringing home the Best Large Space Craft trophy. Most obviously, there's a great balancing act here - most of the weight is on the small part that is supported, and it stays up because the center of gravity is in the right spot. As if that were too simple, most of the visible rocky section is actually built upside down - those are BURPs (big ugly rock pieces) almost the whole way around! That's before we get into the vehicles, the landscaping, and the building itself - while we've seen all the techniques before, they're masterfully applied here. Make sure to check out all the close-up shots.

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

War Has Come: A Study in Forced Perspective

Name of Model: War has come!

Created by: Skalldyr / Valentin

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skalldyr/sets/72157625182392624/with/5089208359/

Details: We've seen microscale and "nnenn scale" before, but I don't think I've seen the two combined for forced perspective like this before. The Greco-Roman architecture comes off perfectly - and as a new technique, we get to see a fire ladder used to make columns for the building in the distance. A large fire coming out of temple in the back is another nice touch. The landscaping makes use of a decent variety of plants - note the way the leaf elements are interlocked.

Caveman's Night Out

Name of Model: Meet the Parents mini story

Created by: Jared Chan

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaredchan/sets/72157625174572368/with/5086282600/

Details: Cavemen collectible minifigures are as exciting as ever. We've previously seen a caveman in the woods, and now we see one taking his date's mother out for a drive in a Flintstones-esque car. The Hong Kong LEGO Users Group is having a 16x16 Vignette Competition, so we'll probably see a few more great little creations like this one. EDIT 10/20/2010: There are photos of other entries in this contest on Facebook.

This is Friday's model of the day

Modulex Greenhouse

Name of Model: Modulex Greenhouse

Created by: Karyn Traphagen at MiniBricks Madness

Found at: http://minibricksmadness.com/2010/08/03/modulex-greenhouse-for-brickfair/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/46628878@N07/sets/72157624649760616/with/4858632671/

Details: One of the highlights (among many) of this year's BrickFair was a resurgence in the amount of models there made out of Modulex. I've previously written about Modulex, but my only experience with seeing these little bricks in person has been at BrickFair these past two years. With the exception of the fan (which is a combination of parts found in a few Atlantis sets), this greenhouse is made entirely out of modulex pieces. Complete with an interior, this is easily the most detailed modulex model I've seen so far. I had no idea that there were so many clear modulex parts or modulex window elements to work with. The colors didn't surprise me, but they are a bit different than what we're used to seeing - modulex colors and regular LEGO colors don't line up (since Modulex was made for architects and actually spun off into a separate company, there wasn't any reason to keep the colors consistent with the LEGO system of play). If you're interested in reading more about Modulex or trying out Modulex bricks for yourself, you can actually purchase some from the builder of this model at her website.

Caveman in the Woods

Name of Model: A long, long time ago

Created by: Etzel

Found at: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=444625

Details: The Collectible Minifigures line has inspired a ton of goofiness, but surprisingly few decent large-scale scenes. Here's one fantastic scene, built around the Caveman minifigure from series 1. The landscaping is fantastic, with some unusual colors and textures - note the use of the new Prince of Persia arches (in the new color from that same line) to make trees, the careful placement of vines, and the use of lever bases on top of flower stems. The campsite is also a nice touch.

This is Thursday's model of the day

Minifig Scale "Upgraded" Hogsmeade Station

Name of Model: Hogsmeade Station (these links go to all of this builder's Harry Potter creations, but a Brickshelf Gallery with more photos of this model will be available soon)

Created by: _Matn

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30479264@N06/sets/72157619930248309/with/4972200294/

Details: There are a dedicated few Harry Potter fanatics who have been building Harry Potter based LEGO models even when no official sets in that theme have been released (they are now reviving the line). While I'm specifically focusing on this fantastic train station, based on Hogsmeade Station, most of the links actually point to the builder's full assortment of Harry Potter-based creations. When re-creating scenes and places from a franchise that has been shown in multiple formats, one of the big issues is deciding which version to build. LEGO recently decided in one of their new kits, The Burrow, that they're tying their version of things to the movies instead of the books. In the case of this model, we're actually seeing a version of the train station that doesn't match the movies, video games, or books - it's an "upgraded" version of the building from after the Harry Potter stories. I guess that means this is technically a Harry Potter "fanfic" model - which I'll allow on the grounds that it's an awesome model. The landscaping, architectural details, and even the minifig posing all comes across as extremely realistic. While this a good example of keeping flashy techniques from getting in the way of a good design, the rear features a footbridge with some fantastic angled sections that only enhance the overall look.

Miniland-scale Hittite Chariot and Horses

Name of Model: Hittite Chariot

Created by: Lego Monster

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legomonster/sets/72157624722171210/with/4890836756/

Details: While this miniland-scale rendition of a Hittite chariot differs a bit from the source material, it's still an exciting piece as a LEGO construction. To start with, there's the level of detail on the horses - minifig screwdrivers stick into click hinges to form the tails, studs in all directions to build the imposing face of each horse, and proper harnesses and manes. The builder posted an overview shot of just the horse design, which brings out other details - sculpted legs, hoofs, the angle of the head and neck (I'm going to guess Technic bricks are used to hold that in place) and even half-stud offsets in the middle of the horse's body. There are also two great miniland-scale figures riding the chariot. I don't think we've seen bearded figures at this scale before, but the technique is as effective as it is simple. The tree and plain landscaping are just the icing on the cake.

Creatures of Habitat

Name of Model: Creatures of Habitat

Created by: Sean Kenney

Found at: http://www.seankenney.com/portfolio/philadelphia_zoo/ (additional photos and information at the other links below)

Details: I put off blogging this one in favor of getting some photos and news coverage in addition to what Sean Kenney wrote for his own site. That decision paid off, since I can now offer you a round-up of coverage of this exhibit, which lasts for several months. The particular picture above is roughly minifig-scale, and is one of three showing a rainforest in various states (healthy, destruction, replanting). The rest of this exhibit (running from April 10th to October 31st at the Philadelphia Zoo) features large, life-size sculptures. Here's a round-up of links covering the events: Sean Kenney's page for the exhibit (same link as above) TV commercial for the exhibit Official press release Courier Post photo slideshow uwishunu post Jonathan Bender's interview with Sean Kenney, part 1 Jonathan Bender's interview with Sean Kenney, part 2 In addition to the long-term display, there are also two "Build with Sean Kenney" events scheduled for visitors to the zoo (both events are free with zoo admission). One is next weekend, the other is in September.

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.

Mountain hike in Switzerland.

Name of Model: Mountain hike in Switzerland.

Created by: .eti

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eti-eti/4649957177/

Details: .eti has created another brilliant scene - this time, a fully landscaping minifig-scale mountain full of hikers and hijinks. This also has a bit in common with the other model I've mentioned today - note the use of differing scales, forced perspective, and a mosaic background in this model. This model will be on display (among hundreds of others) at 1000steine-Land 2010.

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.