Doing good posing in LDraw is really challenging so this diorama by Chris Becheman is a rarity. I’m particularly fond of the damaged road surface and washed out render style.
Monthly Archives: May 2011
Whitewash
I’ve not blogged any of my recent LEGO models because I’ve a) not been building much and b) not been building things I’m satisfied with. This one doesn’t quite avoid b) but I do alternate between dissatisfaction and great satisfaction so it’s probably close enough.
If anyone has spotted any other LEGO whitewash buildings I’d love to see them so do provide links.
Winging Away
I’ve long been a fan of the Sky-Fi genre (or as we called it years ago, Crimson Skies). However, I’ve never quite managed to build anything in that vein. That is, until now, with this little flying scout.
I think I may have been a little bit inspired by Kiki’s Delivery service, it would certainly explain my choice of pilot. Combine that with a World War II technology vibe, I was thinking of a motorcycle, and you have The Magpie. The introduction of official LEGO RAF stickers was the final bit of inspiration I needed to get building.
Neville the Little Bot
This “little” robot that m_o_n_k_e_y just posted on flickr is simply adorable. The bot has quite a lot of character, as well as a striking color scheme. The proportions between the body parts (big head and feet, small body) give lend a babylike quality that’s quite cute. Meanwhile, the gigantic gun warns us from pointing that cuteness out.
The Quest for Wisdom
Infomaniac has been working on a series which depicts a lone seeker on his quest for answers. I have to say that my favorite, so far, is this one. It is a striking build with a very clean presentation. Excellent!
Mini-trireme prepared for ramming speed!
Víctor Mtz N. (lokosuperfluoLEGOman) built this adorable little trireme ship for a minifig-scale diorama displayed at the MadBrick event in Madrid earlier this month.
The Collectible Minifig trophies make nice micro-figs, and I love the shape of the prow.
Rashmor Castle
Lolino reaches for the sky with this medieval beauty. I love all the detail on the spires and that bridge is simply lovely.
V-30 Warhawk “Spirit of Freedom” fighter by JonHall18
We really could blog pretty much every impossible plane that Jon Hall builds, but some of them do fall through the cracks. Thankfully, I didn’t miss this lovely fighter in red.
It’s also interesting to see what kind of process builders use to develop their ideas. Jon sketches many of his designs beforehand, and he’s shared some of those sketches on Flickr.
Custom commando minifig by The-Bricker
Minifig customizer The-Bricker combines chopped-up bits of BrickArms, judicious use of paint, and a lot of glue for a really great commando fig.
Custom minifigs frequently don’t stand up to closer examination (and often look best in person), but don’t miss the photo’s large size for all the details.
Every Piece in its Place
The level of thought and planning that must have gone into building this scene is quite impressive. Paul B. Hartzog has given us a truly lovely sci-fi interior scene. From the mating of the prints on the dish and the wing pieces at the center of the composition to the single removed floor panel (revealing circuitry underneath), everything about this scene clicks. There’s enough to see here that the composition doesn’t suffer from its lack of minifigs. Even the ceiling has a nice level of detail!
New BrickArms minigun is six barrels of awesome [Review]
It’s been almost exactly two years since I last did an in-depth review of any custom accessories, for a number of different reasons. I’ve been crazy busy with work (yes, TBB contributors all have “real” jobs), but more importantly none of the stuff from the accessory vendors has really excited me enough to highlight here myself.
But I think the new Minigun from BrickArms is different enough and awesome enough for me to share my enthusiasm with all of you out there.
Will Chapman sent The Brothers Brick a batch of the new items, and I’ve been enjoying them ever since.
I’m not currently set up for photography, so Catsy has kindly agreed to let me use his pictures for this review. Thanks! For all of Catsy’s review photos, see Flickr, and for his own review, see the BrickArms Forums.
First, the Minigun is the most complex single item BrickArms has produced to date. The weapon itself consists of three separate parts, with a body, barrel, and handle. Each kit comes with both exposed barrels and shrouded barrels for the end of the gun, plus a “buildable ammo chain” — 14 different parts in total. For buyers used to BrickArms’ usual $1 for most items, this complexity should explain the $8 price tag.
Second, the various holes, attach points, and modularity of the Minigun translate to a wide variety of ways to put it into action, including for vehicles and fixed defenses.
Third, the Minigun’s modularity also translates to some interesting color combinations. It’s currently only available in black, but Will sent us about ten different colors to play with, as he did for Catsy, whose “overheated Minigun” below combines gunmetal, trans-red, and trans-orange.
My own version hands the overheated brass Minigun to a Victorian gentleman in an oversized stovepipe hat, for an excellent steampunk effect. (Pics to follow at some point…) I’m looking forward to these other colors becoming available to everyone.
Finally, BrickArms has released production versions of the Raygun and Tactical Sword, which have been in circulation as prototypes for quite a while.
I highlighted the Raygun prototype a couple years ago, and the production version doesn’t disappoint — though minus the lovely swirl effect in the early prototypes you see in the photo (right). The Raygun and Tactical Sword are $1 each and are available in all 10 current colors.
An important change to the way BrickArms is selling their products as of this month is that all sales go through resellers. Prices appear to be comparable to buying directly in the past, and products are now available in more countries.
Officially due out June 1st, the Minigun, Raygun, and Tactical Sword are already available from most resellers now.
BrickExpo 2011 is nearly upon us
An update for those hoping to attend Brick Expo 2011 in Canberra (August 6-7 2011).
Exhibitor space at Brick Expo 2011 is almost full. If you’re a late starter and still wanting to exhibit you need to make contact immediately. This year there will be a number of special events including a VIP Cocktail Party.
Special guests speakers including Ryan McNaught (Australia’s LEGO Certified Professional) and Jamie Berard (Senior Designer at LEGO Billund).
Brick Expo is held during the 1st weekend of August in Canberra Australia.
For all the details visit the website www.BrickExpo.com.au
