Space Exploration Rover

Some builders build for hyper detail while others build for simplicity. There are very few who can pull off both styles as well as Kosmas Santosa. Kosmas continues to impresses us with his NASA Space Exploration Rover. The rover features fluid almost effortless design, implementation and photo editing.

Chopper

It is no secret I'm a Star Wars nerd, I make no attempt to hide it. So with every new project out there my interest is at least a little piqued. I'm mostly an original trilogy fan, but some stuff in the expanded universe intrigues me, and I'm watching the development of Star Wars: Rebels with interest. This squat little grumpy guy seems pretty awesome. This version was built for the Nuremberg Toy Fair

TRENCH®

Like marcosbessa, the builder of this beautiful MOC, I've never played TRENCH, but I find the design fascinating and lovely. And this LEGO interpretation of the game is equally so. The construction of this is so clean, so precise, it's more art than game.

Ecto-1 Unveiled At ToyFair

After my disappointment with the Back To The Future Delorean I have to admit I was a little leery when this set was announced. Especially considering Brent Waller's fantastic original design. But I'm very happy to see that it has exceeded my expectations, and the set is only going to set me back $49.99, sweet!

Ferrari F1

Vroooom! I don't personally follow F1, but I have a few friends who do. And I know this MOC by Nathanael L would make their heart pitter patter for different, but sound reasons. I really like the contouring of the main body. Normally LEGO versions of exotic racers suffer from the same problem that a lot of MOCs do, namely being boxy, but this is sleek and sexy.

Live Build Tonight!

Join me live at the posh new BrickNerd Studios (it's a dump) for another BrickNerd Live Build tonight at 5:00 PM pst. It will be action-packed (a lie) and hilarious (not really) as I build all six of the new LEGO Star Wars Microfighters. What else could you possibly want to do on a Saturday night? (let's see, go to dinner, see a movie, go clubbing, have a life, trim my toenails...)

Bonsai

This beautiful bonsai tree by Brickthing is perfectly suited to my level of green thumb, easily repaired and impossible to kill. I especially like the use of the Chima spider legs, and don't get so caught up in admiring the tree that you miss the base it's on, it's a small work of art too.

Like Clockwerk

We LEGO builders tend to forget (on purpose?) that the Bionicle and the Hero Factroy line of LEGO sets are indeed produced by the same company that makes the more traditional "System of Play" sets. Perhaps it is because the Bionicle/HF parts are deemed to unusable in most traditional MOCs? There is however one thing that parts lend themselves to and that is character models. Vlad Lisin has expertly leveraged these oft-neglected parts to create a replica of Clockwerk, one of the playable characters in the popular PC game Dota 2.

Even Goblins Need Love

It is that most brutal of holidays, Valentine's Day. Men, you know the drill, get out there and torment some poor people working in retail dealing with thousands of other men who put it off until the last minute. Or do like this resourceful troll in this MOC by scrat_ and bring your favorite lady goblin some hand picked flowers and a nice snack.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Spock & Uhura

Here at BrickNerd we like to look back from time to time, and to the future. These figures were at my very first convention, BrickCon 2009. It also happened to be Ochre Jelly's first convention, and we stuck up a friendship that continues to this day (despite the fact that he's 3/4 clinically insane). Spock and Uhura typify his building style, and are just as awesome today as they were the first time I laid eyes on them.

Minas Tirith

This micro scale Minas Tirith from Lord of the Rings is beautiful. I always marvel at the ability of skilled builders like lisqr to imply more detail than is actually there, and to find more detail in otherwise fairly plain bricks. Like the use of the grill tiles on their sides to make tiny windows, brilliant.

Did You Spot Any Of These MOCs?

When the live action scene was shot last year in Los Angeles the producers of The LEGO Movie put out a "MOC casting call" to local groups. Many talented AFOLs responded and now their work is on the big screen. I don't know which is more mind-boggling, that I know these artists and have actually held some of these MOCs, or that I didn't spot a single one when I watched the movie last week.

The LEGO Movie Is A Global Phenomenon

I wish South Korean LEGO artist OliveSeon would post descriptions so I could tell you more about this amazing MOC depicting all the worlds of The LEGO Movie. But you'll just have to do what I did and gawk in admiration. The MOC is obviously taking advantage of many official sets, but to excellent effect and in an awesome total package.

Deadly Nadder

Continuing this morning's viking theme, we move on to Berk, where dragon training is underway. The deadly nadder is considered to be one of the most beautiful dragons, but watch out for those poison spines, not to mention the extremely hot fire. I'd suggest taking advantage of it's blind spot, which just happens to be directly in front of it. Nice build Stormbringer.

Om Sjøormen

I think everyone would agree, the vikings were badasses. Conquerers through and through, from fellow norsemen, to other lands and of course the sea. I think I'd consider Isaiah.S a badass too, for conquering this brick-built hull. 

Wyldstyle

We've never covered LEGO cosplay here on BrickNerd, but that's about the change. For the uninitiated, cosplay is basically "dress up like your favorite character". I know that's overly simplistic, and that dedicated cosplayers literally spend months if not years perfecting their costumes. This Wyldstyle costume by SunlitEquinox is awesome. So is she a DJ?

Winter Chalet

Here in California we just don't get much snow, at least where most of us live. Maybe that's why I find winter MOCs so appealing, since they represent something far away and somewhat exotic (at least to me). This modular diorama by sdrnet depicts a scene I've never actually experienced at a snowy winter vacation spot. There's so much detail in this scene and inside the building I invite you to click through and take a look. There's also a fantastic little surprise under the mountain, very nerdy.

The LEGO Movie - Reviewed

Going into the movie theater on Saturday afternoon I honestly didn't know what to expect from The LEGO Movie. I suppose part of me expected the movie to cater to the target LEGO audience 6 to 13-year-olds, but I hoped deep down for something more. I wanted the LEGO Movie to transcend the product, to show the rest of the world what those of us in the LEGO community already know - that the LEGO system of play is thoughtful, complex and beautiful.

A motley crew of heros: Unikitty, Benny, Emmet, Batman, Vitruvius, and Wildstyle.

Not much was known about the LEGO Movie plot going into the release weekend. What we did know was that the movie featured average-Joe Emmet Brickowoski somehow joining forces with the fearless Wildstyle in hopes of saving the LEGO world from Lord Business' evil plans. What they delivered was one amazing, and sometimes bizarre, adventure that criss-crossed many of the classic LEGO themes including city, old west, castle, and pirate. While watching the movie I kept thinking that the plot felt like it was taken from the imagination of my 9-year-old self playing with bricks down my basement.

The animation is top-notch with every element of the landscape and characters rendered in great detail. Each minifigure was brought to life with tiny, lifelike movements of their hair, hands, and limbs. Explosions, lasers, and even water were made from digitally rendered LEGO bricks. The animators used LEGO bricks to painstakingly create all of the structures, vehicles, and environments seen in the movie. I kept wishing I could pause the movie and look at just how everything was built. That being said things on screen got a little overwhelming at times, which made it hard to tell what was going on, but maybe these eyes of mine are just getting old.

So, was LEGO able to break away from historically terrible toy-themed movies? I fully believe so. From the prospective of an adult fan of LEGO the movie succeeded in reminding me of why and how I fell in love with LEGO bricks in the first place. I appreciated the throwback LEGO themes, unexpected cameos and humor that only adults would get. But this is also a family movie and the directors gently remind us that as a community of adult LEGO builders we should help inspire our children, the next generation of LEGO enthusiasts, to think beyond the instruction sheet.

I give The LEGO Movie 5 out of 5 Nerdlies.

Magnificent Desolation

My first childhood memory is sitting on my dad's lap watching a NASA mission unfold on TV. I've always had a fondness of the brave men and women of space exploration, and I'm also fond of this picture by tiler. The MOC isn't particularly fancy or spectacular, but it's clean, well designed and evocative of the lunar rover. But this is all about the excellent photo. The composition, lighting and editing are great, but the subtle touches like the registration marks and the reflection of the astronaut in the helmet truly make it.