BricksLA Here We Come!
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As soon as I finish typing this I'm hopping in the shower and packing up the swag. It's time to head to BricksLA! I'm very excited that Mrs. BrickNerd is joining me this year (her first time). We'll see you there!
Star Wars Midi Figures
/Builder Miro78 is having way too much fun and kicking off this year right. For the past four days he has uploaded one of these brilliant midi scale Star Wars figures. Considering the absolute plethora of figures that have been produced he could conceivably be doing this for a VERY long time. I'm hoping to see these, and Miro of course, in person this afternoon at BricksLA.
Imperial Walkers On The North Ridge
/The AT-AT is one of my favorite Star Wars vehicles, always has been. And as many times as it has been portrayed in bricks, it never gets old. This midi-scale version (and it's AT-ST counterpart) by Rogue Bantha not only look amazing, but are photographed perfectly. The low angle makes it look huge and imposing, and the composition is very cinematic (albeit pan and scan).
Post Holiday Blues
/Yes, Christmas is over. Sure some of the neighbors still have lights on their houses, and there's still presents that have yet to have found a place in the house, but it's over. But just like those couple of things that are always overlooked when you put all the decorations away (happens every year) there's always a few brilliant creations that didn't quite get posted before the unofficial cutoff of the season, New Years Day. But I don't mind sharing this lovely little MOC by _Tiler a few days "late". For one, the lighting is fantastic, and illustrates perfectly the importance of lighting when you photograph your MOC. But there's also some very clever building here, namely the edging on the carpet there. How the heck was that done?
Steel Stallion
/I tend to be an advocate for sorting by part instead of color, but then along come builds like Grantmasters' War Horse that make me reconsider. See how many different LEGO weapon parts you can find in it. I spotted at least 18, making this the most well-armed horse I've ever seen.
Crossing Swords With Robin Hood
/I think I could use a good dose of swashbuckling, and after seeing this brilliant MOC by Eggy Pop I think I'm going to hunt down this 1938 Errol Flynn classic. The curved castle walls and clean construction really help this feel like an authentic reproduction of a large set from the golden age of Hollywood.
D.A.R.C.I.
/The king of prop weapons Nick Brick is back with another phenomenal reproduction. This is the D.A.R.C.I. (Data Analysis, Reconnaissance, and Cooperative Intelligence device) from Destiny 2, a sophisticated sniper rifle with some serious special features. The prop is over 43" and features a light up scope, moving trigger, sliding charging handle and removable magazine.
A Powerful Medieval Vignette
/The ~Maestro brings us this medieval vignette depicting feudalism in medieval Europe. For those unaware, feudalism combined customs in both military and legal matters hundreds of years ago between the 9th and 15th centuries. Hey, look at that! You looked at a cool LEGO creation, and learned a bit of history! That is one thing I appreciate about some LEGO creations that depict historical events: you learn more in a fun way! I think I'll wrap up this post, though, because those guys on the bottom are no doubt getting rather tired (not that the lord cares).
Happy New Year!
/2017 was certainly a bumpy year, but overall a good one for BrickNerd. The blog audience has grown, we did several animation projects including three for TLG, we visited Portugal and attended Parades do Coura, went to BrickCon, met so many fellow LEGO enthusiasts and built the Millennium Falcon with Adam Savage and the team at Tested.com. Of course this was while the political environment in the US was in total chaos, the world has gone sorta bonkers and The Last Jedi made us go "huh". I think LegoKlyph has the right idea, and reminds us that 2018 is a chance for a fresh start. Here's to a fabulous new year!
Off The Grid
/I think everyone gets to that point where adulting becomes overwhelming, and fantasies of thumbing your nose at society and disappearing to the middle of nowhere seems like a decent option. Then you remember the convenience of flushing toilets and how good a Frappacino is once in a while and the whole thing sounds less appealing. But there are some that actually do it, and I think this MOC by Brick Surgeon sums up how things probably look pretty well.
Rayman Legends
/I was just thinking about Rayman last night (mostly I think because I looked at the icon for Rayman Run on my iPad) so to see him first thing this morning thanks to builder jaapxaap was a bit of a happy surprise. While we're on the subject, did anyone else out there think that the little sound byte in Mamma Said Knock You Out sounded a lot like one of the enemies in Rayman when they get knocked out? I've never discussed this publicly, but I think it's time.
Tiny Siege
/Is it possible for a siege to be cute? I mean, we're talking about the use of military force to invade a city, the inevitable bloodshed, the shattering of lives, yet it's adorable. Sure you can argue that it's only because of the scale, the fact that it's built from a child's toy and the bright cheery colors that it's cute. But it's war, absolutely charming and delightful war from builder MarcelV.
Daydelon
/I know much of the US, and the world is enduring a cold snap at the moment, so the charm of a snowy medieval village might be lessened a bit. But just look at this excellent diorama by builder soccersnyderi. Despite it's apparent scale, the whole thing fits on a 48x48 baseplate. It also has a feature I've never seen before, pull out room interiors. Three little vignettes that slide out of the structures to reveal a little bit if medieval life.
Ship In A Bottle
/I do love a tiny, clever build, and this ship in a bottle by LegoOzp is certainly that. With some eleven parts this little classic is not only clever, it's positively charming. I especially like the use of the 1x1 round tile with bar (the so-called "nipple tile") as a stopper. It's the perfect detail to elevate this tiny little MOC.
The Earth Seeps And Weeps
/Humans have spent a great deal of time, money and effort developing ways to pierce the earth's crust and extract the flammable stuff within. If it burns, we've always been interested in it, no matter the cost. This piece by timofey_tkachev is clearly a commentary on that, and growing up on a coastline dotted with this machinery and occasionally brutalized by it, it speaks to me on a personal level. The true irony of this piece is it wouldn't be possible without our collective obsession with petroleum, for it is what makes plastic possible.
Sleeping Spring
/There's no description for this MOC by Lego_fan, but I don't really care. It's wintery, fairytale-like, compelling and lovely. And despite looking very cold from some excellent building techniques and part use, it's still very inviting. Why, even the guard looks friendly.
Snorlax
/I remember quite some time ago with Pokemon was a fairly new thing (there were only 150 I think) my son had a poster on his wall. We were discussing the pros and cons of certain ones and I remember him saying "That's snorlax, he sleeps a lot." I asked if that was his special ability and he just shrugged and said "yeah, I guess so". He also has the ability to inspire awesome builders like lisqr to sculpt him in bricks.
Dreams
/I'm a big proponent of "dreaming big" and making your own future happen, so this nifty concept by Mark van der Maarel speaks to me. It's a vignette split into two time periods, made even more intriguing with a dream turned into reality. Don't let anyone squash your dreams, you can do it, just don't give up.
Belly Up To The Bar
/Builder simply bricking it posed a fun challenge when they posted this nifty pub interior. There's a lot of pretty cool techniques and part use here, and the builder has tasked us with finding...
1) Pirate's Rope Bridge.
2) Friend's Lipsticks
3) Minifigure Drills.
4) Scala Benches
5) Minifigure Sweeping Brushes
I wouldn't suggest trying it here with this low resolution picture, but click through for a fun challenge.
