The nature of our favourite modelling medium sees many creations which sit on a “grid” of perpendicular lines. Sometimes all a great LEGO model needs to do is break free of those right-angled rules. That’s exactly what Kai/Geneva has done with this neat little Imperial Fort. It’s a small model, but it’s packed with good technique and interesting lines. Check out the angled bastion walls of the fort’s base and its rounded turret. When you combine that shaping with the weathering effects on the main building, the subtle waves breaking up the expanse of water, and the smart use of brick separators for the roof, you’ve got a lovely little seaside scene.
Tag Archives: Pirates
The beauty that lies beneath the plank
This gorgeous LEGO diorama by Stephan Gofers shows us the ocean’s full depth, from the vivid coral reefs below the waves, to the sleek 3-master sailing on its surface. The pirate crew has captured a hapless guard, forcing him to walk the plank. In no short order, he’ll be admiring the fantastic marine life from a much closer vantage point, and since he’s not wearing handcuffs, we can assume he’ll swim safely to shore to become a new castaway.
While the colorful reef draws the eye first, the ship itself is a lovely model, eschewing LEGO’s pre-made ship hull elements and instead opting for a planked-look made of brown tiles and curved slopes. The furled sails made of curved white slopes also look excellent. Continue reading
Cursed be the island rich with spoils
The Pirates LEGO theme is one of the most cherished of all time. It makes sense that even though it is long-retired, fans continue to build fantastic tributes to their epic crusades. Letranger Absurde is one such builder, and has delighted us with this pirate hideout. The shipwreck, complete with cannon, broken mast, and shredded sails, is excellent. I’m also fond of the helmet on a frogs back to make a turtle.
If you’re a fan of pirates, check out our Pirates archives! And if you like Letranger’s style, take a look at these exceptional builds!
Needz moar boompowderz
For such a small model, there’s lots to love in Ayrlego‘s diorama of an Imperial Armoury receiving a gunpowder delivery. The colour scheme is excellent, with the building’s walls offering a smart contrast to both foliage and water. But a closer look is also rewarded, with lots of nice building techniques on display. Don’t miss the weathering in the walls, the subtle change in colour where the water laps against the quay, and the construction of the small cannon on the roof. I particularly like the hanging lantern, with lever parts providing thin bars around the light — a technique I’ll be stealing with pride in any future Pirate-themed creations of my own!
When the ants go sailing in...I feel bad for the spiders.
My original title for this article was something along the lines of a Zoolander quote, but then, that just made me feel old. But enough about me. We’re here to talk about a few amazingly detailed pirate ships at a scale suitable for Ant-man, the Wasp, or any other shrinking superhero, built by Robert4168/Garmadon and adorned with tiny sails made from paper, I think, and dozens of hand-tied rigging, which makes me tired just thinking about… or maybe that’s just me being old again. These ships may be small, but they still strike a mighty fierce cut.
This black-sailed ship is even firing cannons, using the ice-cream cone for the cannon smoke.
The Pirate Bay, 123 Sesame Street, and Playable LEGO Piano projects are the new LEGO Ideas sets [News]
LEGO Ideas First 2019 review results have just arrived. During the first-ever review results live stream on the LEGO Ideas Facebook page hosted by Samuel Johnson (LEGO Ideas Design Manager) and Hasan Jensen (LEGO Ideas Engagement Manager). Not one, not two, but three LEGO fan-projects — The Pirate Bay project by Bricky_Brick, 123 Sesame Street project by bulldoozer21, and Playable LEGO Piano project by SleepyCow have been announced to become the next official LEGO Ideas sets.
Hunt for pirates on the HMS White Card
When I was a kid, pirate ships (as I called all boats with sails) were one of my favourite things to build with LEGO bricks. While I thought mine were OK, I wish I’d been able to jump forward in time and see some of Gerard Joosten’s ships, especially his HMS White Card.
While childhood me and adult Gerard’s ships are similar in that they start at the bottom with boat hull pieces, that’s where the similarities end. Though we’ve featured his builds before, Gerard pushed himself to take his shipbuilding to another level with this one and it shows. The two aspects that jump out the most to me are the shaping of the hull and the intricate rigging. Those large sails, coupled with small details like the brick built wooden stock on the anchor cement the HMS White Card as quite the stunning ship.
A perfectly balanced blade is a beautiful thing
The blacksmith shop is a staple of custom LEGO creators, and while we typically see blacksmiths from medieval time periods or fantasy worlds, the art of metal crafting spans many time periods. This is evident in Ayrlego‘s model showing a swordsmith honing the blade of a soldier in the British military with a spinning stone in a charming colonial outpost.
If you’ve ever wondered what to do with your faded bricks, check out the collection of faded white elements throughout the model. Along with some tan and dark tan parts, they give the building a nicely weathered look. Combined with the tile roof, it fits right in with the colonial architecture.
Give me a career as a buccaneer, the life of a pirate for me
Ah, the pirate life — it’s all palm trees and rum, blue skies and treasure chests. Oh, and scurvy. And tropical insects. And crabs. Regardless of the reality of the pirating lifestyle, it remains a perennially popular subject for LEGO builders. Here’s Isaac Snyder‘s take on a small pirate hideaway — Cutthroat Cove — a rough wooden shelter built into the rock, complete with jetty and a lookout position on the cliffs above. The vegetation and the dual-coloured rockwork are nicely done, and the mix of browns used for the shelter gives it an appropriately ramshackle feel.
It’s OK to rock the boat sometimes
A builder named 呱氏神 (Gū Shìshén) has constructed, in my opinion, one of the most nauseating, vomit-inducing LEGO creations ever, but not because I dislike it. Quite the contrary. The skill level and presentation are all top-notch as evidenced by the beautiful waves, palm tree and gold filigree. My younger self would have loved the chance to go on this “Viking Pirates” ride, but as I get older it seems I’d rather quietly read about vikings or pirates and leave the real adventures to you crazy kids.
Queasy old stomach aside, this indeed looks as if it would be fun to play with. There is no video presentation for this, but the backside makes it clear that the ride works in exactly the way you’d think with the help of a manual crank and Technic gears. Continue reading
Keep out, nothing to see here, go away!
If the small “keep out” sign to the left doesn’t get the message across, then maybe the two hanging dead pirates will. Greg Dix built a scene inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean and has made it clear that he doesn’t want you to mess with whatever is beyond this natural arching structure. It looks like a nice clean wall that he probably doesn’t want your grubby fingerprints on. We will stick around just long enough to admire the clever build techniques that make up the slanted, rugged arch, that was surely no easy feat. Greg tells us this will be his last build for awhile as he is moving out of country, so soak it in, dear readers, but don’t get too close. In fact, you should check out his previously featured Island Fortress instead as it is much more inviting. Now go away. Scram! Git!
Set sail on this stunning Imperial Trading Ship
I can say with certainty that once the sea gets in your blood, you may spend a lifetime yearning to return to it. I often desire to smell the salt air, to hear the roar of the surf and to feel the unique sensation of being onboard a ship that rocks beneath my feet. Like re-learning to ride a bicycle, once you’ve returned you regain your “sea legs” (ability to walk and work in a forever rocking environment) no matter how old and creaky your bones may get and no matter how far you have traversed from the sea. A builder who goes by the name of Sebeus I likely knows what I mean, as evidenced by this small imperial trading ship. The color scheme follows the sloop from the Imperial Trading Post 6277 set from 1992.
Stay tuned to his photostream as he tells us this is merely one small craft that will inhabit an entire island town.