The Magazine for LEGO® Enthusiasts of All Ages! Issue 39 • May 2016
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LEGO® DINOSAURS!
Building the Beasts with William Pugh
Looking at Dinosaur Bones by Matt Sailors
Visiting Jurassic Park with Diego Maximino Prieto Álvarez Instructions AND MORE!
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We’re In Canada Too! St. John’s, NL
EVANSVILLE, IN Phoenix, AZ
Issue 39 • May 2016
Contents
From the Editor............................................... 2
People The Brick Goes to the Oscars..................... 3 Brick Built Muppets: Can You Picture That?................................ 7 Statue of the People’s Liberty..................12 Sami Mustonen: Prehistoric Builder......16
Building Building Dinosaurs with the Brick... and Clips!......................................................19
Welcome to Jurassic World.......................26 Welcome to Jurassic Park!.........................34 Making Micro Dinosaurs...........................42 BrickNerd’s DIY Fan Art: Triceranerd...................................................45 You Can Build It: MINI T-70 X-Wing Starfighter.................50 Minifigure Customization 101: Captain CAAAV VEEMAN!.......................55
Community Arjan Oude Kotte’s Rainbow Warrior.....60 Building Dippy the Dinosaur and More.......................................................66 LEGO Robotics: Just What the Doctor Ordered!.........................................70 Community Ads............................................78 Last Word.........................................................79 AFOLs by Greg Hyland...............................80
From the Editor: Hi! It’s issue thirty-nine of BrickJournal, which is pretty impressive—I had no idea that the magazine would still be going (or I would still be going for that matter) for this long, but it’s because there’s so much happening, as you will see in this issue.
May 2016 Issue 39
Publisher John Morrow
Editor in Chief Joe Meno
Photography Editor Geoff Gray
Proofreaders John Morrow Eric Nolen-Weathington Japanese Bureau Editor Nathan Bryan West Coast Editors Todd Kubo Ashley Glennon
LEGO Ideas Correspondent Glen Wadleigh
Contributors: Diego Maximino Prieto Álvarez, Markus Aspacher, Jared Burks, Christopher Deck, Arjan Oude Kotte, Dr. Nicola Maffei, Sami Mustonen, Klaus Neyer, Victor M. Nouvilas, Dan Parker, William Pugh, Matt Sailors, Paul Trach, Andreas Weissenburg, Tommy Williamson, and Greg Hyland. Many thanks to the websites who have served as mirrors for BrickJournal:
It all started with some dinosaur models that caught my eye, then I did some searching and found some fun stuff. Then the columnists here chimed in with their projects. And then I got some neat leads on builders, which came from many different places... like online, or through e-mail, or through meeting builders. The end result? This magazine you’re looking at right now. Hopefully, the articles will show you something new and maybe inspire you to build something. I’m always interested in new builds! Anyways, have fun! Joe Meno, Editor P.S. Have ideas or comments? Drop me a line at admin@brickjournal.com. I’m open to suggestions and comments and will do my best to reply. P.P.S... Yes, BrickJournal has a website — www.brickjournal.com! Twitter? Yep, there too — http://twitter.com/brickjournal. Facebook? Yup — http://www.facebook. com/group.php?gid=58728699914&ref=mf. Or you can scan the bottom codes with a QR reader! P.P.P.S. If you want info on a subscription, you can go to: http://twomorrows.com/ index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=78&products_id=616 or scan below! Website
Subscriptions
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About the Cover: William Pugh builds a homage to Jurassic World with his raptors. Photo by William Pugh. About the Contents Page: Ever wonder what a pterosaur aviary would look like for a minifigure? Markus Aspacher’s layout from Jurassic World III is a good answer. Photo by Markus Aspacher.
Glossary AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) NLSO (Non-LEGO Significant Other) MOC (My Own Creation) TLG (The LEGO Group) BURP (Big Ugly Rock Piece) LURP (Little Ugly Rock Piece) SNOT (Studs Not on Top)
POOP (Pieces—that can be or should be made—Of Other Pieces) LUG (LEGO Users Group) LTC (LEGO Train Club) DARK AGES (usually teen years, when you drift away from building) STUDS OUT (building where the studs on bricks face the viewer)
LEGO®, Technic, Mindstorms, Belville, Scala, Bionicle, ExoForce, Mars Mission, World City, and other LEGO theme lines are trademarks of the LEGO Group of companies. All articles, photos, and art are copyright BrickJournal Media, LLC 2011, TwoMorrows Publishing and the respective writers, photographers, and artists. All rights reserved. All trademarked items are the property of their respective owners and licensees. Subscriptions are $55 Economy US, $66 Expedited US, $73 Premium US, $87 International, $23.70 Digital Only and can be purchased at www.twomorrows.com or payment sent to: TwoMorrows Publishing, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614 USA. The editorial/advertising office address for BrickJournal is: BrickJournal Editor, 5610 Briar Oak Lane #510, Raleigh, NC 27612 USA or admin@brickjournal.com. First Printing. Printed in the USA. ISSN 1941-2347. BrickJournal and its staff would like to thank the LDraw community for the software it makes available to the community, which we use for making all of the instructions and renderings in this magazine. We would especially like to thank Kevin Clague for his continued upgrades of the LPub tool that is a part of the LDraw suite. For more information, please visit http://www.ldraw.org. Jurassic Park, Jurassic World TM & © Universal Studios/ Amblin 2 Entertainment. Muppets TM & © Disney.
People
The Brick Goes to the Oscars!
Article and Photography by Klaus Neyer
My name is Klaus Neyer and I have been a fan of LEGO for as long as I can remember. I am 15, and, in what should be my Dark Ages, I am having more fun with LEGO than ever! Growing up in Carlsbad near LEGOLAND and down the freeway from Hollywood, my environment has definitely influenced my MOCs. One year ago I decided to combine my love of LEGO and my love of movies by challenging myself to build representations of all eight Best Picture Oscar-nominated films. I found the challenge to be frustrating yet rewarding. The collection was well-received by LEGO and movie fans alike, and I was honored to win trophies for the builds at Bricks-by-the-Bay and BrickCon, which are LEGO fan conventions on the US West Coast. I was hooked. 3
Fast forward a year to January 22, 2016. The Best Picture nominees had just been announced. As I scrolled through the list, I pondered the possible scenes that I might recreate in LEGO. I took on the task of identifying, planning, and recreating scenes or posters from eight movies, four of which I had not yet seen, before the looming due date of the Oscars themselves: February 28. I had my work cut out for me. For inspiration, I turned to my trusted friend: Google. By viewing movie trailers and images, I was able to glean enough information to start my builds on LEGO Digital Designer.
Klaus’ miniland scale vignette for Spotlight. TM & © Open Road Films, LLC
Another miniland scale vignette for Bridge of Spies. TM & © Dreamworks II Distrb. Co., LLC and 20th Century Fox Film Corp.
For Brooklyn, Spotlight, and Room I built a Miniland-scale representation of each movie’s poster. Meanwhile, I chose memorable images from The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Big Short, and The Martian, seeing as the posters for these films were either too difficult or uninspiring to properly represent in LEGO. However, inspiration for Bridge of Spies eluded me, as both the poster and the movie consisted of little that would make an engaging model. Thus, I decided instead to create an effective representation of the movie’s underlying premise: a conflict between the United States and the USSR, each nation represented by its flag, being negotiated by the main character. Thus, I had my plan; it was time to begin building. Many of the builds were fairly simple; Spotlight and The Big Short required me only to build some ordinary looking Miniland figures and stick them behind cluttered desks. Ironically, one of the most challenging parts of these builds was the office chairs, which are hardly noticeable within the final product. The other builds were more challenging, however. The figure in Bridge of Spies wears a coat which is, annoyingly, seven studs long, requiring me to cram as many sideways stud connections as possible into his 2x3 torso to enable connection of the plethora of plates comprising said coat. Adding to the challenge was the need of creating a recognizable sickle and hammer symbol small enough to adhere to the Soviet flag. Difficulties in the Mad Max build arose from the necessity to portray the action and intensity of the film while
A scene from The Big Short. TM & ©Paramount Pictures.
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maintaining the drab color scheme of the post-apocalyptic desert. This was accomplished through the dynamic positioning of the characters and the addition of the transparent orange hinge bricks to simulate explosions. Somewhat similarly, proper positioning of figures was necessary for Room, which includes the mother holding her son. While initially difficult, I was able to accomplish this through the use of a concealed ball joint connecting the two figures. Meanwhile, Brooklyn ’s main difficulties took the form of the girl’s vibrant skirt, as well as the creation of a convincing brick wall. The skirt was accomplished by adorning a column of brackets and snot bricks with multicolored 2x1 slopes and flowers. The wall, meanwhile, necessitated a parts-intensive yet satisfying compilation of snot bricks spaced apart by tiles and jumper plates. With these designs out of the way, only the two most difficult models remained: the detail-intensive astronaut from The Martian and bearskin-covered frontiersman from The Revenant. The latter was achieved when I realized that stacks of brown bar connectors and dark tan barb pieces could effectively convey the organic nature of a bearskin. The astronaut, meanwhile, necessitated stacks of light grey, orange, and white plates that, through their irregularity, convey a suit covered in various insignias, straps,
Klaus’ interpretation of the poster from The Room. Below is a slightly different view to show construction. TM & © A24 Films.
A Mad Max: Fury Road vignette. TM & © Warner Bros. Ent.
Klaus’ interpretation of the poster from Brooklyn. TM & © 20th Century Fox Film Corp.
and other details. This combines with a transparent dome that, by some anomaly of physics, manages to stay affixed to the head to create a recognizable astronaut. After two mad weeks of designing, ordering bricks from Bricklink and building, I can now say I am satisfied with my new collection of the Best Picture contenders and am already dreaming of what I will be building at this time next year. Hollywood, bring it on!
A vignette from The Martian. TM & © 20th Century Fox Film Corp. A model of The Revenant. TM & © 20th Century Fox Film Corp.
Another view of The Martian. TM & © 20th Century Fox Film Corp. Another look at The Revenant. TM & © 20th Century Fox Film Corp.
People
Brick Built Muppets:
Can You Picture That? Article by Joe Meno Photography by Andreas Weissenburg Above: The Electric Mayhem Below: Floyd and Janice. Muppets TM & © Disney.
If you’ve heard of the Muppets, you’ve heard the Electric Mayhem. Since The Muppet Show premiered on TV in 1976, the Electric Mayhem has been the house band for the show. With the leader Dr. Teeth; guitarists Floyd and Janice; Zoot, the sax player; and drummer Animal, they performed not only for the TV show but in the Muppet-related movies that were made in the years since, and now in The Muppets, a new show on ABC. The band became the basis for a series of LEGO builds by Andreas Weissenburg (Flickr name: grubaluk). A 49-year old software engineer and developer living in Luebeck, in the northern part of Germany, he built all of the members of the band after building Statler, one of the balcony hecklers in the The Muppet Show. As Andreas recalls, “I tried to create some of my own characters, but in one attempt, the combination of parts reminded me of Statler. I googled for pictures and recognized that my model could work, and then 7 I was hooked.”
Building Instrumental
A look at Floyd’s guitar reveals some interesting building techniques, most notably the 1x1 bricks with studs on opposite sides used in the center of the body. The sideways building allows curved parts to define the instrument’s body.
Before that, Andreas had built LEGO models in different genres, including trains, farm vehicles and other characters. He, like many other LEGO builders, had a Dark Age where he stopped building but he restarted building in 1995, and began building seriously in 2005. He likes to constantly change themes, as it prevents him from getting tired or stuck on a building problem, like his model of Janice, the hardest of his Muppets models. He observes, “Her face is relatively small and consists more or less completely of angles and slopes. I learned not to attempt to build a literal copy, but to instead try to capture her general characteristics and hope the viewers will visually combine the shapes accordingly.” The easiest Muppet he built was Animal, as Andreas notes, “He is a very fuzzy character, which made it easier to find solutions to building problems.” So far, Andreas’ favorite Muppets are Statler and Waldorf, which also are his favorite characters. “My friends might consider me as grumpy as they are,” he drily mentions. He also has a couple other Muppets planned for building: Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog, but as he says, “they are really a tough nut to crack.”
Left: Dr. Teeth on keyboard, and Zoot. Above: Animal building.
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Top: The Swedish Chef.
Bottom Left: Some minifigure vehicles from Andreas. Bottom Right: Andreas Weissenburg.
Andreas’ other models have the same dedication to detail as his Muppet models, and for his Plants vs. Zombies layout, the same whimsy. When he works on his town and train models, he is a bit more realistic and builds vintage vehicles. He also plays with scale, going from minifigure scale to Homemaker scale models, which use a larger, older scale figure. Now, Andreas is working on some other projects. He’s building characters from a classic comic and also is decided on building a stage/theater. For him, deciding the next model is the easiest part of building. Gathering the parts and putting them together is the hardest part.
Left: A Homemaker scale train with figure.
Below: A Plants vs Zombies layout, based on the popular videogame. TM & © PopCap Games, Inc. Bottom: Waldorf and Statler in their balcony.
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People
Statue of the People’s Liberty Article by Dan Parker
For BrickCon 2015, we did not originally plan a MOC specific to the event’s theme, MOCking History. Two separate projects and the notion of a trip to Moscow’s Red Square changed that.
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The idea of the Statue of Liberty in a different situation or context has intrigued me since I saw the original Planet of the Apes motion picture. BrickCon’s theme was a challenge to realize such a fictional scenario. Our previous attempts in creating a themed work had lacked focus and impact. Having recently built a highly-stylized Cold War-era Russian train in the new olive green color, I began to ponder a Liberty-in-Red-Square concept. A chance conversation regarding travel to Moscow completed the idea. With an alternative history theme in mind, we first developed the story: based on long-standing relations between France and Russia, suppose the famous statue had actually headed east instead of west 130 years ago. After the October Revolution, it was moved to a new pedestal and painted dark red. The torch was replaced with a golden hammer. Other components such as the aforementioned train, a setting in Red Square, and a military parade with crowds were quickly identified and included. Our focal point would be a statue in dark red brick. We optimized our modest stock of this premium color by building only a thin veneer and backing this with black brick for support. Nose construction was reworked due to a limited shape-color palette. The only other change was a slightly modified upper hand grip for the hammer. We would later add a shorter dark stone and very somberlooking pedestal in a concrete brutalism style typical of many 20th-century Soviet-state monuments. The military parade.
The Hammer of the Revolution.
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The Russian train.
Now only 40 days until BrickCon, design of the overall setting was next. We decided on a stair-stepped arrangement with the train on a lower frontal track, a street and parade on the upper main deck behind that, and the statue/pedestal along with buildings and portion of the Kremlin wall as the backdrop. Width of the display was set at 45 inches (the length of the train) while a 20-inch depth meant placement on a standard show table would still allow a two-track right-of-way. Once this rough composition was established we assigned the individual components (buildings, military vehicles, the spectator-populace, and details) to shop builders.
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Work thus far had been fairly straightforward. For the train and remaining items, I followed my long-standing philosophy that working with the LEGO medium is akin to being a cartoonist: capturing the spirit or style of an item is often more important than exact detail of the prototype. In telling a story, we strive to capture the essence of the subject matter so that it is familiar to all. Examples include the locomotive built to a common continental profile with a livery based on period uniform colors, buildings embodying the architecture but selectively compressed (the actual area structures are huge!), and the parade vehicles. Often, I’ll review dozens of different units of a topic until I understand key and/or shared features and styling, then I’ll build what is thus an original but seems genuine to all. The same applies to the armor. Ever since the release of the Indiana Jones Soviet amphibian (set #7625) I’d wanted to construct a larger Soviet-styled military column. Along with a re-colored amphibian, we produced a freelance tank, artillery mover (tractor) and gun, and ground units equipped with BrickArms weapons and headgear. The dark gray tank roughly follows a Cold War-era outline. It
was my first attempt at a tracked armor piece, and it took less than two days to build. Having seen old footage of Revolution parades, we assembled spectators in generally darker, more subdued color tones with appropriate hairpieces or hat wear. We included old veterans—including one in a wheelchair—as well as a group of school children waving flags. Positioned just off the pedestal and above the crowd was the review stand for a host of party member dignitaries. Colored brick paving, hanging flags and streetlamps completed the scene. The last touch was the Kremlin wall banner. This was created from an image of Lenin and the words from another poster which translate as “Defend Moscow!” Coincidently, the Cyrillic form “MOCKBY” echoed the theme of the event: MOCking History. We produced a miniaturized LEGO mosaic version in red and gold on higloss paper sheet, and mounted this on an 8x16 LEGO tile for placement on the wall.
A look at the Soviet tank displayed.
Seattle BrickCon 2015’s theme allowed us a fantastic opportunity to create a work that received rave reviews, several claiming it as the best example of the ’con’s theme. For our team, it was an interesting exercise in merging ideas, developing a theme, and creating a story.
The public watches the military procession.
Officials watch the military parade.
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People
Sami Mustonen: Prehistoric Builder Article by Joe Meno Photography by Sami Mustonen
Sami Mustonen (Flickr name: senteosan) is a digital artist and 3D modeler in Finland that also builds LEGO creations. Like many other LEGO fans, he enjoyed LEGO building during his childhood but had a Dark Age for about a decade before he returned to building in 2013. Back in his childhood, Sami’s favorite sets were Pirates and Western themed. Now he loves modular buildings, anything UCS-related (Ultimate Collector Series), and Technic sets—for him the bigger the set, the better the building experience. However, his latest building has been in a different direction. Dinosaurs have fascinated Sami for his whole life, and he became a huge fan of the Jurassic Park films. His interest led him to building a series of models that have been submitted to LEGO Ideas: a microscale Jurassic Park display, including vehicles and buildings, and also some larger scale models of dinosaurs. For Sami, creating organic shapes from plastic bricks is a nice challenge. His larger dinosaurs became what he calls Bricksauria. Three animals have been built so far: a Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Stegosaurus, and an Indominus Rex. Sami’s hardest and most time-consuming model was the T. Rex, as he explains, “everybody knows how it should look and act, and it was my first large dinosaur creation.” To build one of his models, Sami initially decides the scale and researches
Jurassic Park, Jurassic World TM & © Universal Studios/Amblin Entertainment.
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measurements and reference images from all angles. After he feels he has all the material needed available, he starts building the model in LEGO Digital Designer. Sami tells, “It’s pretty much a trial and error process—this is the step where most of the time goes.” After he has finished the support structures, overall shapes and silhouette of a model, he focuses on the details and color. To date, he has submitted eight projects to LEGO Ideas, which are listed below with gallery links and their status: Gathering support 1. Microscale Jurassic Park (https://ideas.lego.com/projects/107120) 2. Bricksauria: Stegosaurus (https://ideas.lego.com/projects/129456), resubmission.
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Other projects 1. Jurassic Park (https://ideas.lego. com/projects/47246) Archived. 2. Bricksauria: Stegosaurus (https:// ideas.lego.com/projects/56748) Expired. 3. Jurassic Park Explorer (with minifigs) (https://ideas.lego.com/projects/84144) In review. 4. Indominus Rex (https://ideas.lego. com/projects/106086) In review. 5. Tyrannosaurus Rex (https://ideaslego.com/projects/48453) Failed review.
Jurassic Park— in Miniature!
Here’s a look at Sami’s rendition of Jurassic Park in microscale. In spite of the small size, Sami has managed to keep everything, from the vehicles to the entrance gate, recognizable and iconic. The vehicles have the color schemes of their respective movies and the dinosaurs are made of a minimum of parts.
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6. Jurassic Park (https://ideas.lego. com/projects/83161) Failed review. You can also see video of his models on his YouTube account (www.youtube.com/c/samimustonen) and more examples of his design work at his webpage: www.samimustonen.com.
Building
One of the two Rexes. The other one uses the same design, but is recolored with reds and browns.
Building Dinosaurs with the Brick... and Clips! Article and Photography by William Pugh
In the world of Jurassic Park, and more recently Jurassic World, DNA makes up the building blocks for the dinosaurs that call the famous park home. In the real world, however, it’s not DNA that makes up the dinosaurs I create; rather, the building blocks I use to create dinosaurs are, quite literally, building blocks. Utilizing the various special, unique pieces, and the most vibrant colors LEGO offers, I have created my own Park. These creations are nothing new. I started building at a very young age, and after visiting the first BrickMagic convention, I decided I wanted to be a part of the show. The following year, I had the beginnings of my Park: a pair of tyrannosaurs, pteranodons, a pack of velociraptors, and the gate to the original Jurassic Park. Certainly not impressive, but it was a start. As the months went by afterwards, I kept building. I made a name for myself online, and garnered a small following. Among them were a few AFOLs who acted as mentors in my building. They showed me what worked, and what didn’t, and taught me new building techniques. Those teachings coupled with the online community drove me to be better and improve and build more and more. The only problem was my collection. Being a young builder just starting out, I didn’t have access to many pieces. That’s when I turned to LDD (LEGO Digital Designer). Using this software, I could build whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I could see what worked, and what didn’t, and I could try different color schemes on my dinosaurs. And that’s what allowed me to create the park I have now.
For a larger dinosaur like the Rexes, a pair of sturdy legs is a must. These legs use multiple plates, hinges, and brackets to keep everything sturdy and detailed, while two hinge plates allow for each toe to have independent movement.
The park, which I have recently converted into a Jurassic World theme to coincide with the new movie, is now about three times bigger than my original. Consisting of 17 dinosaurs, a gate three times the size of my first, and a motorized Jurassic World tour vehicle, it’s my largest creation yet.
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By far the most colorful dinosaur, many smaller parts such as clips, plates, and slopes were specifically selected to create this highly detailed animal.
The dinosaurs in my displays represent seven different species of dinosaurs. The original two T. Rexes are still with me, based off the pair from The Lost World. My raptors have recently undergone changes to match their on-screen counterparts. The pack now includes all four raptors from Jurassic World: Blue, Charlie, Delta, and Echo. The pteranodons have also gotten their own touchups, making them stronger and more poseable. The stegosaurs and ankylosaurs make up the rest. Rounding out my collection is my newest creation, the suchomimus. This dinosaur is unique to my group, seeing as it’s by far the most accurate and colorful.
Building Suchomimus
The suchomimus, surprisingly, was the hardest dinosaur to make. I wanted to challenge myself to make the most accurate dinosaur I could using the LDD software. Using a mix of many techniques, mostly SNOT (studs not on top), I created this colorful dino to mirror its real-life counterpart as closely as possible. The legs are fully poseable, even the toes. I used both hinge plates and headlight bricks to achieve this poseability, and I used the new plates with the three bar modification to create moveable toes. The sides of the body are built using the SNOT technique so that I could achieve a spiny, rough look along the back. The arms are plate-built, attached to plates on the body using clips. The neck and head use hinges and robot hands to allow for the most movement possible, while not using large ball joints (this was built before LEGO released their small ball joints). The tail uses simple hinge plates to create an organic curve. These techniques are an evolution of what I started with on the T. Rexes, however, the skills are transferable to any organic creature, be it a modern-day animal, or mythological beasts such as dragons.
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The feet of the suchomimus are by far the most detailed and articulated. Multiple slopes were used to achieve the thighs and calves. The specialized hinge plate with the three separated bars are used to create individual toes that are fully posesble with the help of clips.
Building the Ankylosaurus
The ankylosaur used a different set of techniques to create its armor. The texture of the back was done by making a turtle-like flat back, then attaching small teeth to the back with tiles with top clips. The feet use clips attached to a pneumatic T-joint to allow for freedom of movement. The T-joints are also used on the rear legs, both at the hip and knee, for the same reason. The front knees use hinge plates. The simplest detail is the mouth, which uses a 1x1 plate with clip to attach to the head, and a 1x1 cheese wedge to define its shape. The head uses a ball joint for posability. The tail uses two loose hinges to allow it to swing from side to side. At the end, the club is attached with a click hinge.
Each of my three ankylosaurs is unique. Each one varies slightly in the placement of a few parts.
Building the Stegosaurus
The stegosaurus had its own set of challenges. The most distinct feature of the animals, the rows of plates on its back, were created by setting up a curved line of plates on the back. Each plate was built and clipped on the back plates and continued through the tail. The head has no mouth, but is articulated with a ball joint. The legs of the stegosaur are bulky, with the forelegs using Technic pins for attachment. All of the knees use click hinges for joints. These builds have been a large part of my life for the past five years, and it has always been my goal to inspire other builders to follow their passion and create anything and everything they want, be it a moonbase, a race car, or even a castle. I have come to learn that with Lego, there’s nothing you can’t build, and there’s no right or wrong way to build it. It may not always turn out the way you picture it, but if there’s one piece of advice I could share, it’s this: Just keep building!
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Parts List
(Parts can be ordered from Bricklink.com by searching by part number and color) Qty Color Part Description 1 Yellow 3024.dat Plate 1 x 1 2 Olive Green 3023.dat Plate 1 x 2 1 Olive Green 93273.dat Slope Brick Curved 4 x 1 Double 1 Dark Bluish Gray 47905.dat Brick 1 x 1 with Studs on Two Opposite Sides 2 Dark Bluish Gray 2429.dat Hinge Plate 1 x 4 Base 2 Dark Bluish Gray 2430.dat Hinge Plate 1 x 4 Top 5 Dark Bluish Gray 3024.dat Plate 1 x 1 2 Dark Bluish Gray 60897.dat Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Vertical (Thick C-Clip) 2 Dark Bluish Gray 60478.dat Plate 1 x 2 with Handle on End 1 Dark Bluish Gray 3623.dat Plate 1 x 3 7 Dark Bluish Gray 3069b.dat Tile 1 x 2 with Groove 2 Black 4733.dat Brick 1 x 1 with Studs on Four Sides 1 Light Bluish Gray 3024.dat Plate 1 x 1 1 Light Bluish Gray 3023.dat Plate 1 x 2 2 Light Bluish Gray 63868.dat Plate 1 x 2 with Clip Horizontal on End (Thick C-Clip) 1 Light Bluish Gray 60478.dat Plate 1 x 2 with Handle on End 1 Blue 61252.dat Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Horizontal (Thick C-Clip) 1 Blue 3023.dat Plate 1 x 2 1 Blue 63868.dat Plate 1 x 2 with Clip Horizontal on End (Thick C-Clip) 1 Blue 2555.dat Tile 1 x 1 with Clip
Building Velociraptors
Seeing as the majority of my dinosaurs are complex creations, I lack the ability to share each step I take to make one. Every single one is a labor of love, with many months and sleepless nights put into its creation, the instructions for many of my builds are simply not available. However, here I will share the instructions to create your own pack of velociraptors. These dinosaurs were nothing short of amazing. I’ve been fascinated with these dinosaurs ever since seeing the first Jurassic Park, and I’ve always aimed to have an accurate representation of the animals onscreen. After many months (yes, months!), I have finally settled on a balance of size and articulation I’m happy with for these models. Each of these raptors are able to move their tails, arms, legs, and heads, and are minifig-scaled so they’ll blend seamlessly with your very own park. The raptor pictured is Blue, named for her striking blue patterning. But with a simple change of colors, Delta, Charlie, Echo, or a unique color-schemed raptor can be built.
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JIM AMASH interviews ROY THOMAS about his 1990s work on Conan, the stillborn Marvel/Excelsior line launched by STAN LEE, writing for Cross Plains, Topps, DC, and others! Art by KAYANAN, DITKO, BUSCEMA, MAROTO, GIORDANO, ST. AUBIN, SIMONSON, MIGNOLA, LARK, secrets of Dr. Strange’s sorcerous “177A Bleecker Street” address, and more! Cover by RAFAEL KAYANAN!
Golden Age great IRWIN HASEN spotlight, adapted from DAN MAKARA’s film documentary on Hasen, the 1940s artist of the Justice Society, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Wildcat, Holyoke’s Cat-Man, and numerous other classic heroes—and, for 30 years, the artist of the famous DONDI newspaper strip! Bonus art by his buddies JOE KUBERT, ALEX TOTH, CARMINE INFANTINO, and SHELLY MAYER!
From Detroit to Deathlok, we cover the career of artist RICH BUCKLER: Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Black Panther, Ka-Zar, Dracula, Morbius, a zillion Marvel covers— Batman, Hawkman, and other DC stars— Creepy and Eerie horror—and that’s just in the first half of the 1970s! Plus Mr. Monster, BILL SCHELLY, FCA, and comics expert HAMES WARE on fabulous Golden Age artist RAFAEL ASTARITA!
DAVID SIEGEL talks to RICHARD ARNDT about how, from 1991-2005, he brought the greatest artists of the Golden Age to the San Diego Comic-Con! With art and artifacts by FRADON, GIELLA, MOLDOFF, LAMPERT, CUIDERA, FLESSEL, NORRIS, SULLIVAN, NOVICK, SCHAFFENBERGER, GROTHKOPF, and others! Plus how writer JOHN BROOME got to the Con, Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, FCA, and more!
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DRAW! #32
“Bronze Age Adaptations!” The Shadow, Korak: Son of Tarzan, Battlestar Galactica, The Black Hole, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Worlds Unknown, and Marvel’s 1980s movie adaptations. Plus: PAUL KUPPERBERG surveys prose adaptations of comics! With work by JACK KIRBY, DENNY O’NEIL, FRANK ROBBINS, MICHAEL W. KALUTA, FRANK THORNE, MICHAEL USLAN, and sporting an alternate Kaluta cover produced for DC’s Shadow series!
“Eighties Ladies!” MILLER & SIENKIEWICZ’s Elektra: Assassin, Dazzler, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Lady Quark, DAN MISHKIN’s Wonder Woman, WILLIAM MESSNER-LOEBS and ADAM KUBERT’s Jezebel Jade, Somerset Holmes, and a look back at Marvel’s Dakota North! Featuring the work of BRUCE JONES, JOHN ROMITA JR., ROGER STERN, and many more, plus a previously unpublished cover by SIENKIEWICZ.
“All-Jerks Issue!” Guy Gardner, Namor in the Bronze Age, J. Jonah Jameson, Flash Thompson, DC’s Biggest Blowhards, the Heckler, Obnoxio the Clown, and Archie’s “pal” Reggie Mantle! Featuring the work of (non-jerks) RICH BUCKLER, KURT BUSIEK, JOHN BYRNE, STEVE ENGLEHART, KEITH GIFFEN, ALAN KUPPERBERG, and many more. Cover-featuring KEVIN MAGUIRE’s iconic Batman/Guy Gardner “One Punch”!
“Bronze Age Halloween!” The Swamp Thing revival of 1982, Swamp Thing in Hollywood, Phantom Stranger team-ups, KUPPERBERG & MIGNOLA’s Phantom Stranger miniseries, DC’s The Witching Hour, the Living Mummy, and an index of Marvel’s 1970s’ horror anthologies! Featuring the work of RICH BUCKLER, ANDY MANGELS, VAL MAYERIK, MARTIN PASKO, MICHAEL USLAN, THOMAS YEATES, and more. YEATES cover.
Super-star DC penciler HOWARD PORTER demos his creative process, and JAMAL IGLE discusses everything from storyboarding to penciling as he gives a breakdown of his working methods. Plus there’s Crusty Critic JAMAR NICHOLAS reviewing art supplies, JERRY ORDWAY showing the Ord-Way of doing comics, and Comic Art Bootcamp lessons with BRET BLEVINS and Draw! editor MIKE MANLEY! Mature readers only.
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TwoMorrows. The Future of Comics History.
COMIC BOOK CREATOR #12 COMIC BOOK CREATOR #13
KIRBY COLLECTOR #67
KIRBY COLLECTOR #68
JACK KIRBY’s mid-life work examined, from Fantastic Four and Thor at Marvel in the middle ’60s to the Fourth World at DC (including the real-life background drama that unfolded during that tumultuous era)! Plus a career-spanning interview with underground comix pioneer HOWARD CRUSE, the extraordinary cartoonist and graphic novelist of the award-winning Stuck Rubber Baby! Cover by STEVE RUDE!
MICHAEL W. KALUTA feature interview covering his early fans days THE SHADOW, STARSTRUCK, the STUDIO, and Vertigo cover work! Plus RAMONA FRADON talks about her 65+ years in the comic book business on AQUAMAN, METAMORPHO, SUPER-FRIENDS, and SPONGEBOB! Also JAY LYNCH reveals the WACKY PACK MEN who created the Topps trading cards that influenced an entire generation!
UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL! Kirby interviews you weren’t aware of, photos and recollections from fans who saw him in person, personal anecdotes from Jack’s fellow pros, LEE and KIRBY cameos in comics, MARK EVANIER and other regular columnists, and more! Don’t let the photo cover fool you; this issue is chockfull of rare Kirby pencil art, from Roz Kirby’s private sketchbook, and Jack’s most personal comics stories!
KEY KIRBY CHARACTERS! We go decadeby-decade to examine pivotal characters Jack created throughout his career (including some that might surprise you)! Plus there’s a look at what would’ve happened if Kirby had never left Marvel Comics for DC, how Jack’s work has been repackaged over the decades, MARK EVANIER and other regular columnists, and galleries of unseen Kirby pencil art!
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Building
Welcome to Jurassic World!
Module 2: The Lost World: Jurassic Park Isla Sorna Built by Paul Trach.
Module 1: Jurassic Park Isla Nublar Built by Markus Aspacher.
Article by Joe Meno Photography by Markus Aspacher and Paul Trach
During the LEGO fan event Bricking Bavaria (a European event), a diorama based on the Jurassic Park series of films was displayed. This massive layout was the effort of two LEGO builders: Paul Trach and Markus Aspacher. Each did separate sections of the layout and built models of some of the trademark vehicles in the movies, including the Jurassic Park Jeeps and Jurassic World monorail. One of the creatures was also built—the mosasaur. BrickJournal talked to them about the layout and its challenges. Paul is a corporate lawyer at an energy corporation. In his free time, he hangs out with friends and enjoys climbing and working out. Both Paul and Markus are prolific builders, so much that, as Markus notes, ”people think they only build in their free time.” But Markus also likes to go out with friends on the weekend, watch and play soccer, and in the summer, hike in the mountains. Paul builds Space, Castle, and Lord of the Rings-themed builds, and has been recognized online for his work. Markus also builds in the same themes, so it was natural that they work together on a layout. According to Paul, they planned the build more than six months before, but only talked about the basics at that point. Building began three months before the exhibiton, and at that stage they discussed their plans and progress constantly. “Actually,” Paul recalls, “it was three really tough months of building nearly every day. We made it just in time, finishing our work two days before the exhibition.
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Markus agreed:”The first module (JP1) was not as difficult as the others and was built in 2 weeks, but the third (JP3) was very difficult to build. The aviary was a
Module 4: Jurassic World Isla Nublar Built by Paul Trach. Module 3: Jurassic Park III Isla Sorna Built by Markus Aspacher.
real challenge, and I needed all the time and finished only a day before the exhibition started. Markus built the first module, depicting Jurassic Park and the third module, a diorama of the pterosaur cage in Jurassic Park 3. Paul built a scene from The Lost World: Jurassic Park for the second module, and the mosasaur pool for module 4. Planning the layout and modules was done with an open plan, with both Paul and Markus building spontaneously from a basic outline of the project. Since both builders had experience in building landscapes and buildings, they already had an idea how the different parts would be done. Only the really difficult parts, such as the mosasaur and the pterosaur cage, needed experimentation to create the detailed builds they wanted. Part of the trial building for those models was done because the
Welcome to Jurassic Park!
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Module 1 Jurassic Park
Above: A look at the side of the Tyrannosaurus Rex’s pen, with raptors stalking the park Jeeps.
Right: Tourists pass by the Tyrannosaurus Rex in the park Jeeps. Below: An overhead view of the pen, showing the feeding stand and observation station.
scale had to be compressed. Markus notes, “We couldn’t build them in the correct scale like the movie—that would have been too big!” Paul continues: “The coordination between us was really smooth because we actually have the nearly the same way and style of building models. This was one of my main reasons why I always wanted to collaborate with Markus. This was our first joint project, so we tried to keep it simple. As a result, the connection between the modules was mostly water. The only other connection area was between modules 2 and 3, where there was rock work.” Markus agreed: “The water was easy, but the rocks from JP2 to JP3 were the biggest problems! We were a little afraid that they wouldn’t fit together when we combined the modules for the first time at Bricking Bavaria.”
Module 2: The Lost World: Jurassic Park
A bird’s eye view of the layout, with the abandoned operations building in the foreground, and the RV hanging off a cliff.
Interestingly, collaborating was not the challenging part. According to Paul, ”I think the hardest parts were the cage and the mosasaur. Markus did excellent work with building that detailed cage and still achieving a solid and stable construction. My challenge was the mosasaur, getting a natural shape with rectangular bricks. I am still not perfectly pleased with the result, but it turned out better than I expected. Besides that, it was challenging to build as close to the original movie scenes while staying within size parameters. And of course the final problem was that we had to transport it over a large distance, so it had to be modular and durable.”
The interior of the cliff is supported by a grid of bricks to minimize weight.
The T. Rex charges the RV. Since the side connects to the next module by rockwork, the joining side is smooth and can be connected by Technic pins.
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Module 3: Jurassic Park III
A pterosaur’s view of the aviary.
For both the builders, their favorite part of the display is the aviary, built by Markus. Paul explains, “The aviary itself is a really highly skilled build, and I like how the two gates frame the whole display.” Markus comments, “ The form was really a challenge but the stability was the biggest problem. We knew that many children would touch the model on display and that it wouldn’t travel very well, so we built it at home initially for photos.” Another aspect of the display that Paul liked was the overall appearance and concept to unite all four movies in one display, with Isla Nubar (where Jurassic Park is set) at the first and last modules, and Isla Sorna (where JP2 and JP3 took place) in the middle. A lower view of the layout.
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Module 4: Jurassic World
An overhead view of the mosasaur show layout.
As for what’s next, Paul isn’t sure: “I’m still pretty exhausted after months of building, and I haven’t gotten back to my bricks. Maybe we will build something from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, or we will revive a childhood theme like Blackthorn or Ice Planet, which are our favorites. We’ll see what’s on our minds when we start building again.” Markus, however, has some ideas: “I have so many projects on my list! You can see at my Flickr stream that I have built some models for the Star Wars: Battlefront game and some castle builds. At this time, I am working on a bigger display for Star Wars—the Hoth Hangar with Snowspeeder, X-Wings and more in minifig scale.”
Like the first module, there’s a gate, but this time it’s to Jurassic World!
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The park’s monorail.
Left: A gyrosphere encounters raptors. Below: The mosasaur is fed!
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Building
The iconic Visitor’s Center.
Welcome to Jurassic Park! Article by Diego Maximino Prieto Álvarez
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One of my most beloved interests as a kid was dinosaurs, a range of once-living creatures we will never meet. As fascinating as they could be, I spent years devouring every book or movie related to those animals. Like the Star Wars license, The LEGO Adventurers Dino theme came out at the right time to me. Apparently, the LEGO Group has been studying the core children trends over generations, or I have common tastes. I eventually saw the movie Jurassic Park and was completely fascinated by the way Steven Spielberg adapted the “terrible lizards” described in the Michael Crichton novel with the help of Stan Winston’s magical effects. Its cinematography, I must say, has aged well over time. I also watched every sequel, and despite their flaws, I enjoyed them. The more sequels they made, the more realistic dinosaurs I could see. It’s easy to compare it with Star Wars: both films were captivating and inspiring, and both also became construction toys. As can be expected, after the LEGO license agreement with Star Wars in 1999, I hoped for some other favorite films would follow a similar path to be turned into building sets. At some point, those expectations became real if you take in consideration the small number of Jurassic Park III sets released under the “Studios” banner. Strangely, apart from a spinosaurus, none of the sets contained any real characters from the franchise, relying on generic figures instead: filmmaking crew, stuntmen, and a random Johnny Thunder (because everything is better with Johnny Thunder). I wasn’t frustrated; the number of dino-related products in the catalog was big enough to not nitpick about secondary flaws. It wasn’t until 2008 when I started to care about those design details, due to the Indiana Jones merchandise. I wished they would have kept that increased level of design and branding strategies with other Spielberg movies. In terms of LEGO licenses, some movie franchises have been following a specific pattern: a first wave based on
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previous movies, and a late second one to cover a new theatrical release (Check the trends of Toy Story, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Spider-Man…) In some way, I hoped for a “Jurassic Park IV” movie as a excuse to see a classic visitor center toy set. As any child, fan or toy collector, my imagination filled in the missing scenes and characters, and I projected my own idea for a “LEGO Jurassic Park” theme. I can see every scene in the saga as a potential set. If you have read BrickJournal #37, you would notice this was the similar case for the digital Star Wars ships I built: There were too many missed set possibilities. Over the last decade, the first Jurassic Park film has turned into an old classic. The fans are mostly adults, so it makes sense to include any related content in the biggest set (only an older audience can afford the expensive toys), and also in the smallest one (as a beginner starter kit). The remaining medium-sized sets could focus on any creature ambush/“catch the dinos” scene from the sequels, which is a recurring topic on dino-themed toys.
Ford Explorer
One of my first attempts was a digital LEGO Digital Designer vehicle inspired by the fictional tour car. I have already seen several great MOCs by other builders in the Internet, so I make my own interpretation instead, which was a simple build closer to the modern LEGO City vehicle designs. Originally intended to be part of a bigger set featuring most of the recognizable elements for the first film, it was scrapped when other projects related to the same subject matter started to surface on the LEGO Ideas site. This is not the first time I have discarded an early concept because someone else has made a better project. The truth is that I experienced similar scenarios with Portal and Doctor Who ideas (Yes, more licensed stuff. You might guess that I am not very original…). That is my advice: If you have a great idea, and it is so great, more people will also have the same idea eventually. So finish it off right now.
Visitor Center
As I have already stated, this was a build long in my mind. But, honestly, LEGO Ideas was the reason I actually considered finishing it, giving it the final look of a playset or a dollhouse.
A rendering of the Ford Explorer.
When the Back to the Future (another Spielberg movie produced by Universal Pictures) DeLorean set was announced some years back, I accelerated the visitor center WIP to 88 miles per hour! JP could easily share the same license agreement. The most frustrating part of the building process was, by far, the number of times I cancelled the project, and then restarted it, over and over again. Licenses from other companies, having the theme retired for ideas.lego.com for a while, and the 2015 LEGO Jurassic World line announcement were some of the several moments when I was about to give up and drop the project files into the trash bin. I was assuming we would see products from the old movies next to the Jurassic World ones. When the 2015 sets were finally revealed at toy fairs, I noticed none were based on the previous trilogy, so I pushed forward the project immediately.
The bunker.
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Theater Genetics Lab
VIP Dining
Control Room
Restaurant
Kitchen
The back of the center, revealing the many rooms and playing areas.
I was suddenly in a hurry; judging by the trailers, I supposed Jurassic World was going to tear down the older Visitor Center and replace it with the “Samsung Innovation Center” (obvious product placements are obvious product placements…). I was desperate to finish the project before the new movie would erase any memories of the original. I was late and published the model the same week the fourth film came out. When I watched it, I discovered I was completely wrong. In the scenes when some tributes to the original movie were made, I reacted exactly like Alan Grant watching a brachiosaurus for the first time.
A hidden storage compartment.
The restaurant and adjoining kitchen.
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Talking about the MOC itself, I focused mainly on the facade. It appears just a few minutes on screen, but it’s still a completely recognizable and iconic building. At first glance, the first ideas I had were the obvious ones: to use 2x2x3 slopes in the door frame, and some basic windows and doors. That proved to be a plain and boring build. Just take a look at the D2C (Direct to Consumer) collector sets: most of them feature an expert construction and tricky techniques. So I was determined not to settle with the easiest route. There are a few diagonal rows in the real door frame, so I tried what I could to depict them with common slopes in tricky positions. I invested most of the underside on a Technic frame. There wasn’t any wasted space. Trying to include some short of feature in this section, I used a gap under the stairs as a secret compartment for storage. I also put a map decal as a subtle nod to the sequel, The Lost World. Of course, this hidden section is non-canon, just an artistic deviance. The outer appearance was intricate but fun to make. When an acceptable result with the front was achieved, I noticed I ignored a small detail… There was supposed to be a complete set of rooms behind!
Genetics Lab Control Room
Bunker
VIP Dining
Main Hall
I was building the interior and the front as two separate entities. Adjusting their proportions to join both parts was a real nightmare. The bigger the rooms were, the more the front section had to be increased. The height of each floor also affected the external dimensions. Every detail was connected: even the smaller builds like the T. Rex and sauropod skeletons determined the size of the overall building. Fortunately, I reached a proper balance between both scales. In the end, LEGO building “finds a way.” The final set of rooms includes: • The main hall. • “Les Gigantes” restaurant, with gift shop. • The kitchen, with a refrigerator door and opening hatches • The VIP Dining room (which can be considered equivalent to the conference room in the 10188 Death Star playset). • The bunker. • The showcase theatre. • The genetics lab with the hatching eggs and the cold storage room for the embryos. • The control room. These rooms aren’t placed exactly where they would be in real life: they actually should be more distant and spread. That would not only turn the model gigantic, but also unpractical to play with. The interior was reorganized in a compact way to take maximum advantage of the available space at both sides of the hall. The hinged sections not only allow for better access, they also can help to move the rooms to their real position, which is at the back of the model, behind the restaurant and the projection room.
The control room.
The genetics lab.
The kitchen.
When I completed the final model, I rebuilt a new version using the minimal piece count. I checked the inventory and used as many elements available on BrickLink as possible. There are a good number of parts in gray, so most of the visitor center can be built with physical bricks, if you can afford them. Some parts, however, required a particular coloration: for example, the skeletons. A pair of removable skeletons was also included to match the film’s climax scene. They are kind of small so they can fit inside the main hall.
One of the dinosaurs in the Great Hall...
...and the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
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The main hall can be considered the section where I took more liberties. Skull and bones are always a tough build. Real-life MOCs usually achieve great results applying some “illegal” techniques, like using detached minifig hands. In my case, I tried to make a basic construction without stressing the elements. LEGO Digital Designer (LDD) program limitations are useful in that matter. In the end, however, I used some parts not available in brown. With existing bricks, the final result would be most likely a mess of grey and black parts. Building a MOC completely aimed at the Ideas platform forces you to think with a commercial standpoint to take directions you usually don’t take for a personal MOC. If this were a real MOC, I would have been extremely purist, using existing elements only. But do you think LEGO designers would introduce new parts, colors, and decorations every year if they were purist? It’s important to note the importance of the graphic design in this project. I have already tried to emulate minifigure
decals in the past, but they were always based or inspired on existing official real decorations. This time a dozen of completely new minifigs were designed (they don’t have the same design as the LEGO Jurassic videogame ones), as well as a raptor and some printed bricks and accessories!
Proposed minifigures.
The original roster included six characters: • John Hammond • Tim Murphy • Lex Murphy • Donald Gennaro • Robert Muldoon • Ray Arnold
John Hammond
Tim Murphy
Robert Muldoon
Ray Arnold
Lex Murphy
Most of them are secondary characters. The original idea was to spread out the cast in different sets, which is a common practice with toys and collectibles. After reading many comments and opinions, I decided to expand the number of figures to include demanded main characters (Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm) and the human antagonist (Dennis Nedry). In the words of one of the characters, I spared no expense! This means that I have been working on the project while it has gained 10,000 supporters. I think that I have spent more time with those graphic designs than building the project. And I have also learned how tedious it can be paying attention to every suit, button, pocket, and wrinkle of every character. All my respect to the real LEGO graphic designers!
Ellie Sattler
Decoration Proposal.
Alan Grant
Donald Gennaro
Ian Malcolm
Dennis Nedry
Example Raptor.
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Jeep Wrangler
The famous Jeep Wrangler stands by itself, so it deserves to be the main build in a small set. But it became small enough to be a new challenge. With huge dimensions, you can take different strategies for a desired shape. This time, the goal was to create a really small kit… and accurate… and minifigure scaled… and playable… and customizable… As Dennis Nedry would say: “Do you think that kind of automation is easy?” Too many elements establish the scale at the same time: the wheels, the windshield, the doors… they are very specific parts, difficult to replace by other alternatives.
Jeep Wrangler set proposal.
One of the most complex details on the Jeep was the vertical radiator grill and front lights. I didn’t want them to protrude, so I sacrificed a folding hood in favor of a weird SNOT build. I am sorry for Zach and Gray, but they won’t be able to check the motor on this one. The sections with the most satisfying solution were the mudguards. I wasn’t convinced with the iteration shown in the videogame, so I found more suitable pieces which were actually the spoilers from the Disney Cars sets. The core of this set wasn’t the Jeep itself, but the scene it represents. Once more, I was trying to think on a “premium” toy level rather than a static model kit one. Anyone should be able to elaborate a narrative with it. I chose the first (and last!) appearance of the dilophosaurus. Definitely, it is not really a kid-friendly scene, but it is arguably one of the most famous and representative moments in the series.
Rear view of set.
Alongside the car, the surrounding scenery and a number of accessories were also incorporated. The final build includes the car itself, plus a base to get the vehicle stuck, an Isla Nublar “East Dock” signal, a tree, a Barbasol can, the dilophosaurus, Jeep accessories, alternate license plates, and even a random stick so you can try to distract the dinosaur. And, of course, the Dennis Nedry Minifig with doublesided head: Smiling and blinded. This was supposed to be the only project featuring this character, but after many comments asking for him, I finally included a different variant in the previously mentioned visitor center. The original Jeep Wrangler has a modular design which lets you include or remove some accessories. At least three different variations can be seen on film: • Jeep 10 was used in the T. Rex chase scene. It lacks a safety roll cage, so it’s the simplest version. • Jeep 12 was the one stolen by Nedry, the most complete version and the one highlighted in this project. • Jeep 18 and 29 were the standard ones with roll cage, used to guide the evaluation team to the visitor center.
Hidden shaving cream can.
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A manufacturer would have here the perfect chance to capitalize by releasing separately different variations of the same subject. And I could have used it as a justification to make three almost similar projects. Instead, I decided to use the LEGO “3-in-1” formula, which has proven to be successful with the Creator series and the DeLorean set. Due to its small size, this Jeep MOC should work well next to other film and TV cars released by LEGO.
Set breakdown with number sets for different Jeeps.
I don’t think The LEGO Group must release these scenes exactly as I have pictured them. Probably, the design teams are professional enough to show other interesting engineering and architecture. But, definitely, they have underrated the potential set possibilities this dinosaur-themed saga could offer. Now more than ever, because the last movie has just brought back its popularity for children and nostalgic adults. Knowing that the franchise has been revived and there is a fifth movie in the works, it is sure that we will see more LEGO Jurassic in the future. If not as official sets, at least as MOCs built by fans. That is the advantage of building toys: They don’t go extinct; they just adapt and evolve into a new creation.
Color treatment for Jeep 12—the Jeep stolen by Nedry.
www.brickcoaster.com
Custom Roller Coaster Tracks, Sets and Accessories
Building
Matt Sailors:
Making Micro Dinosaurs! Article by Joe Meno Photography by Matt Sailors
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At one of the many LEGO fan events BrickJournal visits each year, a couple of dinosaur vignettes were spotted. Built by Matt Sailors, these creations may be small, but they are also incredibly detailed for their size. BrickJournal talked to Matt about his building and these models. BrickJournal: What do you do for a living? Matt Sailors: By training and profession, I am a medical informaticist. I specialize in information/data modeling, knowledge representation, knowledge management, and clinical decision support. I have been working in this field for over 20 years. When did you start LEGO building? I started playing with LEGO back in the Samsonite era— specifically 1972 time frame—when I was three years old. The family story is as follows (I haven’t every tried to confirm the details): While my father was in graduate school at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (then just known as “the University of Illinois”), I attended the nursery school run by the child development department. Most of the children attending this nursery school were the sons and daughters of faculty, graduate students, and professionals working at the university or local hospitals. One of the parents is a boyhood friend of Kjeld Kristiansen (owner of the LEGO
Group). As an effort to judge how accepting kids were to LEGO (my later read on this is it was part of the decisionmaking process leading to the creation of the US LEGO subsidiary), the school was provided with multiple large boxes of mixed bricks. I was completely enthralled and my parents made the decision to purchase one of the “brown box” bulk packs of Samsonite LEGO for me for Christmas— quite a present for a child of a family living on a graduate student’s stipend and student loans. I credit my wife for bringing me out of my Dark Ages when she purchased a Mindstorms RIS 1.0 for me for my birthday. What do you enjoy building? Right now my favorite things to build are vignettes and other self-contained scenes, especially ones that have a bit of skewed humor. I also like building animations. My most recent animations have been an animated Classic Space logo and a It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown pumpkin patch complete with pumpkin rising from behind the wooden fence. Tell us about the dinosaur vignettes. The micro T. Rex started out as part of a Christmas ornament representing my older son. The ornament was based on the old Duplo egg, and consisted of a Duplo figure of my son holding System baby T. Rex as a toy and looking at the skeleton T. Rex as a display about the same size as the figure. I converted this into a micro-sized vignette to put my prototype model to good use. It is unfortunately not a purist build. The skeleton arm at the base of the tail had to
be shaved down to fit into the skeleton pelvis, and the head is held at the desired angle by a piece of brass rod slid into a trimmed flex tube. A white rod with stop ring (umbrella stand) was also sacrificed to create the joiner for the legs and first tail joint. In all, the skeleton is composed of 17 LEGO pieces (or parts there of) and a small piece of brass rod. He will free stand, but posing the model requires a pair of 1x1 round bricks to support the tail. I’m happy with the model as a representation of a child’s model, but less so as a proper microscale model (“artists” are always their own worst critics). The triceratops model started out as a bench study of creating a skeleton for an undead dragon, a project which didn’t work out. My older son was heavily interested in dinosaurs at the time and had asked if he could display one of his dinosaur skeleton toys on the shelves where I displayed parts of my vintage LEGO collection. This got me thinking about the remains of the dragon project. I sat down with the triceratops toy and a couple of photos of triceratops skeletons on display in museums and begin to build. The major structures of the body and tail came together quite quickly in a 90-minute building frenzy. Designing and building the pelvis took half-a-dozen attempts before I was happy with the way it looked when compared to photographs of actual skeletons.
Another view of the T. Rex display.
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Some views of Matt’s triceratops.
The front of the skull is based on the failed dragon skeleton and only required shortening the jaw. The speed of the design and build was aided in no small part by the various table scraps from the dragon studies and the proximity of my “to be sorted and filed” bin. The only parts that had to be specially ordered were the cow horns that form parts of the pelvic and pectoral girdles. During the inaugural Brick Fiesta in 2011, I was stopped by a paleontologist from the University of Texas who complimented me on how well the major structures had been represented. He was less thrilled with the micro T. Rex. The triceratops skeleton is a semi-purist model. The front of the skull is held on with Plastruct™ Plastic Weld, and the neck frill is attached to the pectoral girdle with a length of flex tubing with a piece of brass rod inside. Both of these models have been permanently assembled using Plastruct™ Plastic Weld to make transporting them and displaying them easier.
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Tommy Williamson is no stranger to BrickJournal, having been featured previously for his Jack Sparrow Miniland scale figure. Since then, he has gone farther into building, making some remarkable Star Trek props and other models. He’s now doing a column for BrickJournal: DIY Fan Art. Here, Tommy takes a little time out from his busy schedule at BrickNerd.com to make a model of his choosing for the magazine.
About this issue’s model:
Last year I was honored to design a kit for the monthly subscription box service Brick Loot. It was a dinosaur themed box and I had been thinking about designing a Mixel form factor dino for a while. The set I designed was Nerdasaurus Rex, and it was a big hit. Well, when Joe told me the theme of this issue was going to be dinos, I thought it was high time Nerdasaurus had a friend. I present to you Triceranerd! He and Nerdasaurus are best pals.
Parts List
(Parts can be ordered through Bricklink.com by searching by part number and color)
Qty Color Part Description 2 White 40379.dat Animal Tail Section End 1 White 53451.dat Minifig Helmet Viking Horn 1 White 4081b.dat Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Light Type 2 2 White 15070.dat Plate 1 x 1 with Tooth Perpendicular 1 White 3023.dat Plate 1 x 2 2 White 32474p01.dat Technic Ball Joint with Axlehole Blind with Eye Pattern 4 White 15209.dat Tile 1 x 2 with 2 Teeth Vertical 1 Red 6019.dat Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Horizontal (Open U-Clip) 6 Dk Bluish Gray 14417.dat Plate 1 x 2 with Ball Joint-8 1 Dk Bluish Gray 14704.dat Plate 1 x 2 with Socket J oint-8 with Friction Centre 1 Dk Bluish Gray 14419.dat Plate 1 x 2 with Socket Joint-8 with Friction and Ball Joint-8 4 Green 50746.dat Slope Brick 31 1 x 1 x 0.667 2 Green 3005.dat Brick 1 x 1 3 Green 4070.dat Brick 1 x 1 with Headlight 6 Green 3004.dat Brick 1 x 2 1 Green 3009.dat Brick 1 x 6 8 Green 6091.dat Brick 2 x 1 x 1 & 1/3 with Curved Top 1 Green 3003.dat Brick 2 x 2 1 Green 2456.dat Brick 2 x 6
Triceranerd Design and Instructions by Tommy Williamson Qty Color Part 4 Green 3024.dat 5 Green 3023.dat 1 Green 48336.dat 4 Green 3794a.dat 1 Green 3623.dat 1 Green 3710.dat 9 Green 3022.dat 1 Green 3020.dat 2 Green 3795.dat 2 Green 3040b.dat 2 Green 3665.dat 2 Green 3039.dat 2 Green 11477.dat 3 Green 93273.dat 2 Green 3069b.dat 1 Black 47905.dat 2 Black 3024.dat 4 Black 3070b.dat 2 Black 60592.dat 1 Lt Bluish Gray 14418.dat 4 Lt Bluish Gray 14704.dat
Description Plate 1 x 1 Plate 1 x 2 Plate 1 x 2 with Handle Type 2 Plate 1 x 2 without Groove with 1 Center Stud Plate 1 x 3 Plate 1 x 4 Plate 2 x 2 Plate 2 x 4 Plate 2 x 6 Slope Brick 45 2 x 1 Slope Brick 45 2 x 1 Inverted Slope Brick 45 2 x 2 Slope Brick Curved 2 x 1 Slope Brick Curved 4 x 1 Double Tile 1 x 2 with Groove Brick 1 x 1 with Studs on Two Opposite Sides Plate 1 x 1 Tile 1 x 1 with Groove Window 1 x 2 x 2 without Sill Plate 1 x 2 with Socket Joint-8 with Friction Plate 1 x 2 with Socket Joint-8 with Friction Centre
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FROM THE PRODUCERS OF BRICKJOURNAL:
LEGO fans: You Can Build It!
YOU CAN BUILD IT is a new ongoing series of instruction books on the art of LEGO® custom building, from the producers of BRICKJOURNAL magazine! Spinning off from BrickJournal’s popular “You Can Build It” column, these FULL-COLOR books are loaded with nothing but STEP-BYSTEP INSTRUCTIONS by some of the top custom builders in the LEGO fan community. BOOK ONE offers instructions for custom creations including Miniland figures, a fire engine, a spacefighter (below), a tulip, a street vignette, plus miniscale models from “a galaxy far, far away,” and more! BOOK TWO has even more custom projects to tackle, including advanced Miniland figures, a miniscale yellow castle, a deep sea scene, a mini USS Constitution, and more! So if you’re ready to go beyond the standard LEGO sets available in stores and move into custom building with the bricks you already own, this ongoing series will quickly teach you key building techniques of the pros! (Recommended for ages 8 and above)
(84-page FULL-COLOR Trade Paperbacks) $9.95 (Digital Editions) $3.95
GET ALL THE PARTS FOR THE SPACEFIGHTER SET FROM BOOK ONE FOR ONLY $5.95!
Get both books on minifigure customizing! BRICKJOURNAL columnist JARED K. BURKS’ book MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION: POPULATE YOUR WORLD! shows a wide range of techniques you can use to alter the lovable LEGO® Minifigure. And the sequel, MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION2: WHY LIVE IN THE BOX?, offers even more techniques to alter minifigures! • Virtual customization, and designing decals • Custom part modification and creation • 3-D printing and painting techniques • Lighting with LEDs or EL wire • Ideas on displays and digital photography • Plus a custom gallery with tips & tricks! Don’t live inside the box—populate your world with any alien, superhero, historical, action, horror, or science-fiction figure you can “just imagine”!
(84-page FULL-COLOR Trade Paperbacks) $10.95 (Digital Editions) $4.95
TwoMorrows—A New Day For LEGO Fans!
TwoMorrows Publishing • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA • 919-449-0344 • FAX: 919-449-0327 E-mail: twomorrow@aol.com • Visit us on the Web at www.twomorrows.com
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You Can Build It MINI Model
MINI T-70 X-Wing Starfighter Design and Instructions by Christopher Deck
Hello everybody and welcome back to our ongoing MINI model construction series! The brand new Star Wars movie has just come into the cinemas, and there is plenty of new stuff to discover! Among the most memorable Star Wars starship designs ever is the iconic X-Wing Starfighter. While we see the Incom T-65B X-Wing Starfighter in episodes 4-6, in episode 7, which takes place several years after the classic trilogy, we get to see its successor: the T-70 X-Wing. Among the main differences compared to the T-65B X-Wing, the newer T-70 X-Wing’s nose features a steeper slope, and more obviously, the layout of the engines’ cooling vanes is different. Instead of one cylinder per vane—four in total—the newer design features only two cylinders—one on each side of the body—each holding two vanes. Attaching the engines via lever bases to the back of the mudguard piece may require a little more force than desired, as it’s a connection not officially intended.
Dividing a cylinder into two halves is very difficult to realize in miniature scale. There are only a few elements which qualify for this challenge. We will use a very old element for this: an arched vehicle mudguard. When we use one upwards and the second downwards we can create a cylinder that divides into two halves. This requires also some nice SNOT techniques Coming back to the stepper nose, we use another very old piece: a TECHNIC slope which was used as wing backs in a plane. This slope is long and has a steep angle—exactly what we need for the starfighter’s nose. With that we have a complete T-70 X-Wing Starfighter! I hope you will enjoy building this model as much as I did! Happy building and hope to see you next time!
You can view Christopher’s webpage by going to www.deckdesigns.de or scanning this QR code!
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Parts List
(Parts can be ordered from Bricklink.com by searching by part number and color)
Body
Qty Color Part 1 Lt-Bluish-Gray 4073.dat 4 White 6019.dat 1 Blue 3023.dat 4 White 15573.dat 1 White 3623.dat 1 White 3710.dat 1 Blue 3022.dat 1 Blue 3021.dat 1 Blue 3176.dat
Nose
Qty Color Part 1 Trans-Black 3023.dat 2 Blue 15573.dat 1 White 3623.dat 1 Trans-Black 54200.dat 1 White 2744.dat 1 Trans-Black 3069b.dat
Description Plate 1 x 1 Round Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Horizontal (Open U-Clip) Plate 1 x 2 Plate 1 x 2 with Groove with 1 Centre Stud, without Understud Plate 1 x 3 Plate 1 x 4 Plate 2 x 2 Plate 2 x 3 Plate 3 x 2 with Hole Description Plate 1 x 2 Plate 1 x 2 with Groove with 1 Centre Stud, without Understud Plate 1 x 3 Slope Brick 31 1 x 1 x 0.667 Technic Brick 1 x 6 x 1.667 Wing Back Tile 1 x 2 with Groove
Wings
Qty Color Part Description 4 Light-Bluish-Gray 63965.dat Bar 6L with Thick Stop 4 White 3062b.dat Brick 1 x 1 Round with Hollow Stud 4 White 3787.dat Car Mudguard 2 x 4 without Studs 4 White 4592.dat Hinge Control Stick Base 4 Light-Bluish-Gray 4073.dat Plate 1 x 1 Round 4 Trans-Light-Blue 4073.dat Plate 1 x 1 Round 4 White 85861.dat Plate 1 x 1 Round with Open Stud 4 White 6019.dat Plate 1 x 1 with Clip Horizontal (Open U-Clip) 4 White 48336.dat Plate 1 x 2 with Handle Type 2 2 Blue 87580.dat Plate 2 x 2 with Groove with 1 Center Stud 4 White 32123a.dat Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth with Axle Hole Reduced 2 Blue 63864.dat Tile 1 x 3 with Groove 2 White 2431.dat Tile 1 x 4 with Groove 1 White 43723.dat Wing 2 x 3 Left 1 White 43722.dat Wing 2 x 3 Right
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LEGO fans: You Can Build It!
YOU CAN BUILD IT is a new ongoing series of instruction books on the art of LEGO® custom building, from the producers of BRICKJOURNAL magazine! Spinning off from BrickJournal’s popular “You Can Build It” column, these FULL-COLOR books are loaded with nothing but STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS by some of the top custom builders in the LEGO fan community. BOOK ONE is for beginning-to-intermediate builders, with instructions for custom creations including Miniland figures, a fire engine, a tulip, a spacefighter (below), a street vignette, plus miniscale models from “a galaxy far, far away,” and more! BOOK TWO has even more detailed projects to tackle, including advanced Miniland figures, a miniscale yellow castle, a deep sea scene, a mini USS Constitution, and more! So if you’re ready to go beyond the standard LEGO sets available in stores and move into custom building with the bricks you already own, this ongoing series will quickly take you from novice to expert builder, teaching you key building techniques along the way!
(84-page FULL-COLOR Trade Paperbacks) $9.95 • (Digital Editions) $3.95
BOTH BOOKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!
TwoMorrows—A New Day For LEGO Fandom.
TwoMorrows Publishing • 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA • 919-449-0344 • FAX: 919-449-0327 E-mail: store@twomorrowspubs.com • Visit us on the Web at www.twomorrows.com
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Building Minifig Customization 101 A custom Captain Caveman figure.
A classic Captain Caveman image. TM & © HannaBarbera.
Read in announcer voice: “Set free by the Teen Angels from his prehistoric block of glacier ice, comes the world’s first superhero, Captain Caveman! Now the constant companion to the Teen Angels—Brenda, Dee Dee and Taffy—in their hilarious, and sometimes scary mystery missions. Get ready for Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels!”
Captain CAAAVVEEMMAANN!!
Article by Jared K. Burks
Inspiration
When I heard this issue was dedicated to Dinosaurs, I started digging around in the deep dark places of my mind and I recalled a cartoon from my youth, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels. Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels was a Hanna Barbera cartoon produced in the late ’70s that I recall watching as a kid. It was totally ridiculous, but absolutely hysterical. Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels were a mystery-solving group similar to the ScoobyDoo gang. The concept and plot for the show was a parody of Charlie’s Angels. Given the films I will assume you know of Charlie’s Angels. The Teen Angels discovered and thawed Captain Caveman from a block of ice. Captain Caveman, or “Cavey” for short, is thousands of years old (exact age never disclosed) and is the main character of the show. He has long body hair that covers his body except for his nose, arms, and legs. Captain Caveman’s powers include super-strength, pulling a variety of useful objects hidden inside his fur, and a club that allows him to fly and from which pop out different tools he uses to fight crime. His flying power always seems to fail him at the worst possible moment, which he would attribute to an energy shortage (“Uh oh! Bad time for energy crisis.” CRASH!). Apparently this was a pun on the shortages in gasoline in the late ’70s. Cavey speaks in stereotypical “caveman-talk,” often mumbles the nonsense
Some other images, including a model sheet for the HannaBarbera show.
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phrase “unga bunga,” and he screams his trademark battle cry of “Captain CAAAAAVEMAAAAAAANNNN!” He also has a bad habit of occasionally eating large non-food objects in one gulp (i.e. bicycles, TVs, safes, table lamps, and bombs), and the Teen Angels occasionally have to stop him from eating potential clues that will help them to solve the mystery. Given that Captain Caveman is completely covered in hair, how would we possibly create him in LEGO form? We need something that covers the torso and part of the legs to replicate that long body hair he is famous for having. This can be accomplished by using the old style Ghost LEGO element. This works nearly perfectly as only his nose, arms and legs are exposed. He is also quite short, so “stubbie” legs will be used. The first thing that needs to be accomplished is figuring out where on the Ghost part to shorten the length so that it ends just above the feet. I marked the edges of where the torso ends and the area just above the feet. From here I sketched the rough shape on the part. The parts of Captain Caveman!
Shortening the Ghost cover.
I altered the part using my rotary tool with a cut off wheel (cutting disk) to cut across the part and shorten the length. This allowed me to verify my sketching. Just make sure to cut slightly longer. You can always remove a bit more, but it is very hard to add something back.
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Sketched alterations.
Cross cut to verify length.
From here the part can be sanded using the same rotary tool with a sanding drum attached. Sand to a nice curve to help replicate the lower curve to Captain Caveman’s hairy body. Once you have the rough shape, use metal files to get the grooves and details back along the bottom of the ghost cowl.
Checking the sanding of the curve to the bottom of the Ghost cowl. This mimics the round bottom of Captain Caveman. Be sure to check both the front and back.
Adding back the grooves.
Once these grooves have been roughed out they can be polished with either Brasso (micro-abrasive polish) or Micromesh sanding paper (be sure to step through the various grits to achieve the best results). Secret tip: Using the metal files that you roughed out the grooves with, wrap the Micromesh sand paper around the file and use it to help you get into the grooves. Cleaned up grooves.
Once these grooves are cleaned, you need to widen the mouth and change the shape of the eyes. This is a bit more difficult as it requires a small bit on the rotary tool and a very steady hand. While working on these small details, drill a small hole through the head between the eyes for the addition of a nose. As stated earlier, the nose protrudes through the long hair.
Fine details added to the Ghost Cowl: opened the eyes and widened the mouth.
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Now that we have the cowl ready for the nose, it is time to create the nose. By trimming the end of a pick axe, we can create the nose. From here, drill a small hole to add a piece of styrene that you will use to attach the nose to the ghost cowl using superglue. I shaped the nose slightly using some sandpaper.
We are now at the point when it is time to start painting the parts. Because the ghost cowl, torso, and legs all need to be the exact same color (dark tan) it is easiest to paint them all so the color matching is perfect. In order for all three parts to end up the same color they need to be primed so that the base element color doesn’t influence the final color. This priming also helps smooth out any sanding deficiencies.
Creation of the nose.
Primed parts, using a spray primer for plastic.
Now that all the parts are primed, it is time to start painting the figure. Mask out the feet on the legs, as his feet are typically exposed. I have chosen flesh for his skin tone because he is a caveman that would have been exposed to the elements, thus a bit tan. I then sprayed the cowl, torso, and legs. After this dries, remove the masking (painter’s tape) from the feet and mask out the top of the legs and paint the feet the flesh color. I also sprayed the nose at the same time. I have not yet attached it to the cowl as I wanted to paint it easily and not worry about getting any on the ghost cowl.
The painted cowl.
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Now that everything is painted, attach the nose to the cowl. I also designed a cape for Cavey. I found a broadcloth in orange at the fabric store and added Fray Check to keep it from fraying. Once cut out I used a Sharpie and added the spot details to the cloth. At this point it is more about the small details, Cavey’s club is quite smooth and so I removed the spikes from the sides of the club. I left the club a bit rough on purpose, as Captain Caveman is a bit rough around the edges. Captain Caveman is now ready for action. He has his club and is ready to tackle any task (he would likely eat the tasks). As time permits I will likely cut the club to allow it to open. I will also likely try a few options to attempt to replicate the wild hairs Cavey has under his nose and on top of his head. I did not add them here as I was attempting to keep Captain Caveman as close to official LEGO as possible. I hope you enjoyed this creation and it inspires you to re-imagine the crazy things from your childhood. I can’t stop holding the figure up and hollering, “Captain CAAAAAVEMAAAAAAANNNN!” The finished result!
You can view Jared’s webpage by going to http://www.fineclonier.com/ or scanning this QR code!
Don’t miss Jared K. Burks’ two books Minifigure Customization: Populate Your World! and its sequel Minifigure Customization: Why Live In The Box? (both are available now at www.twomorrows.com)
Come back next issue for more Minifigure Customization!
Community
Model Spotlight:
Arjan Oude Kotte’s Rainbow Warrior
Article by Joe Meno Photography by Arjan Oude Kotte and Anton Raves
Arjan Oude Kotte is a bicycle mechanic in a little town north of Amsterdam, but he’s also a bit more: he started his own business in building and selling his LEGO ships to shipowners and shipyards. This came from building since he was four. The first set he can remember building was a fire truck (Set #6690) and he kept on building until he was 13 years old, when he went through a Dark Age.
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Building a Hobby
He rediscovered LEGO building in 2000 when he was at his brother’s house sorting sets to take home. After spending a day sorting out parts for three sets, Arjan decided that his brother could have the rest of the parts. Arjan started buying mostly LEGO Technic sets. Building ships was the result of a progression of effort, beginning when Arjan started building large Technic models for his sons to play with. He initially thought he was one of a few adults that were LEGO builders, but his eyes were opened when he had a problem building the blade of the Power Functions Bulldozer (8275). After discovering the online LEGO community, he spent days looking at creations built by others that he thought were better than LEGO’s own sets! Excited, he started building the JCB excavator, built by Jennifer Clark. Some months later, he discovered a very cool mining front shovel built in minifigure scale. From there, he knew that this was the scale that he would be building in. From building a Liebherr front shovel, he built more mining related machines.
Some examples of Arjan’s heavy machinery work: a Leibherr 996 (above) and a Bucyrus 495HF Syncrude (below)
After meeting Ralph Savelsberg at a LEGO fan event, he took Ralph home and was invited to visit Ralph’s hometown, which was a 45-minute drive from Arjan’s home. It was on the road to Ralph’s house where Arjan drove past a Dutch beam trawler. He wondered if it was worth trying to build a minifigure scale ship in LEGO.
A look along the side of the Rainbow Warrior.
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Arjan doesn’t know why he became fascinated with ships, but it was strong enough for him to build (with some help) a one-meter long radio-controlled model of the Smit Zwarte Zee at the age of 14. While visiting Ralph, Arjan was shown several very handy techniques that made building the wheelhouse of the beam trawler possible. After building that fishing vessel, he was hooked.
Arjan’s model of the Zwarte Zee.
Arjan has built 17 ships to date, including the Smit Zwarte Zee (which he regards as his best model), the MS Jutlandia (a 3.25 meter-long ship built for the LEGO Community Team) and Jacques Cousteau’s Calypso. He is currently working on the Levoli Amaranth (an emergency towing vessel based in Den Helder) and in the process of designing three other boats.
Building a Boat
Building a boat for Arjan means research before laying a brick down. He starts out with looking online for what could be a good model to build. After finding a ship, Bricklink (a third-party LEGO parts marketplace) is searched for the availability of bricks and elements in matching colors. After confirming the model is possible to build, Arjan starts looking for ship plans and contacting the ship’s owner for explanation and assistance by providing plans. Since his portfolio is growing, it has gotten easier to get plans, which involves signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). Once Arjan receives plans, he enlarges them to 1/40 scale (minifigure scale) and begins using MLCAD, a digital LEGO building program for the PC. This allows him full control of building, so by the time he completes a design, he will know what bricks are used, how many, and in what color. Arjan’s Calypso.
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The digital version of the Rainbow Warrior in progress.
The Greenpeace logo is a waterslide decal, but the rainbow is built.
Another view of the digital build.
A higher view of the ship, showing more of its details.
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Another look at the color work done for the model. Arjan setting up the model at Greenpeace Netherlands. Photo by Anton Raves.
Building the Rainbow Warrior
Arjan first saw photos of the Rainbow Warrior sometime in 2011, but he felt he wasn’t skilled enough to build the model. He also couldn’t find any drawings online. He had contacted Greenpeace, but all he received was an exploded view of the ship. This wasn’t very useful, so the idea of building the ship was put aside. This changed when Arjan received an e-mail from Greenpeace Netherlands informing him that the Rainbow Warrior was in its home port (Amsterdam) and extending an invitation for him to come aboard. Taking his camera, he went to Amsterdam and boarded the ship. He also talked to some sailors and got contact information for the ship’s shore representative. After some e-mails, phone calls, and an Non-disclosure Agreement, he was given the ship plans and general arrangement plans. From there, he went to MLCAD and started building. Greenpeace asked Arjan to keep them updated on model progress when he started designing. When he finished, he sent the group photos of his model and also uploaded the photos on his Flickr page.
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The Rainbow Warrior was displayed at LEGO World Utrecht and Brick 2015 (in London), then was sold to Greenpeace. They had been interested in buying the completed model, or owning a copy, since he’d started working on the model. Arjan sold the model because it was too big to display in his house. He had it stashed away in a specially built wooden box in his barn in the back of his garden. Now the model can continue to sail when people visit Greenpeace.
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#40 ships in June!
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BRICKJOURNAL BRICKJOURNAL COMPENDIUM 2
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Community
Victor’s model of Dippy, with spectators.
Victor M. Nouvilas:
Building Dippy the Dinosaur and More!
Article by Joe Meno Photography by Victor M. Nouvilas Dinosaur Render by Michael Brandl
A rendering of Dippy done with the coloring of the bones changed to tan to easier see construction details.
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Victor M. Nouvilas’ mother got him into building, but probably never thought that he would building dinosaurs and buildings and sonic screwdrivers. She had one or two LEGO sets as a child, but LEGO sets were difficult to find in Spain, their home country. When Victor was little, his mom bought him some Duplo sets that he would constantly play with. As he grew older, he began building with System sets, and hasn’t stopped building since. He’s now 21 and a fourth-year physics student at Complutense University in Madrid.
In 2013, the Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, Spain, commissioned ALE (a LEGO Users Group Victor is a member of) to have a LEGO display celebrating the 100th anniversary of Dippy, the diplododocus skeleton replica on display. Victor recreated the skeleton, first on LEGO Digital Designer, then with real LEGO elements. The result is a minifigure accurate model of the skeleton.
Another angle of Dippy.
More views.
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A lower view of the Metropolis Building.
Victor has more than dinosaurs to show, though. When asked about his favorite theme. he replies, “That is a tricky question. Amongst the commercial LEGO themes, my favorites are probably the Architecture and the Modular buildings. From any theme in general, I enjoy building anything Greco-Roman, Medieval, and a bit of sci-fi!”
Victor’s microscale Metropolis Building.
Renders of the Museo del Prado.
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Some of his architectural models are based on sites and buildings in Spain, such as the Museo del Prado, located in Madrid, and the Edificio Metropolis (Metropolis Building), also in Madrid. Victor built these either digitally or physically in microscale, and designed box art for them, as if they were real LEGO Architecture sets.
Box art. This set was submitted to LEGO CUUSOO (now LEGO Ideas) but expired before it gathered enough support for review.
Victor’s sci-fi building is heavily slanted to the British TV show Dr. Who. He has built scenes from recent episodes and also classic props, such as the Third Doctor’s car, Bessie. His best prop creation is the Eleventh Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver. Built as a life-size prop, the model was enhanced by custom chromed parts by Chrome Block City and Bricks4all. So what’s next for Victor? His next models planned include a scene of the ruins of a desolate corner of the galaxy and some scenes from the Dr. Who episodes The Magician’s Apprentice, The Time Monster, and possibly The Daemons.
Bessie, the Third Doctor’s vehicle while he was exiled on Earth.
Bessie’s rear view.
The Third Doctor drives!
Various views of the sonic screwdriver and its base.
Community
A LEGO Mindstorms robot being tested on a 6MV photon LINAC (linear accelerator)
LEGO Robotics:
Just What the Doctor Ordered! How many times did you dream to play at work and to practice the master builder skill, refined over the years of childhood, to create something epic and useful? I’ll talk about a time that my dream came true… when I built a LEGO robot for a biomedical research project.
Article and Photography by Dr. Nicola Maffei
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My name is Dr. Nicola Maffei, and I am a physicist in the Medical Physics Department in the Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, in Modena, Italy. My project was built there for the Modena General Hospital to help in the field of Adaptive Radiation Therapy. Radiation therapy can cure tumors by irradiating patients with particles delivered by high-energy accelerators. However, there is a fundamental problem that presents itself over time: the patient changes anatomically during the weeks and months of treatment and so the initial treatment plan, based on the first-day CAT scans, is no longer appropriate. Worldwide studies are underway to quantify and predict abnormal anatomical changes during treatment periods. This way, treatments could be better tuned in with the patient’s daily condition. The Medical Physics and Radiation Oncology Department of Modena General Hospital has been conducting research in the field of Adaptive Radiation Theory (ART) since 2010. Here, a multidisciplinary team of physicists, radiotherapists, and technicians work together to study and overcome the challenge of organ motion during radiation therapy. One of the most challenging research studies are the dynamics of a patient’s breathing that generate spatial movement of organs and tumors during each therapy session. A CT scan with a vision-surface system can reconstruct a patient’s respiratory tract, but being able to precisely correlate and follow the internal behavior of organs and, more importantly, tumors was a goal that had yet to be reached. Could a device be developed that could allow a doctor to monitor in real time a patient’s behavior without being invasive (using surgery)? A tool was needed that could be accurate and at the same time versatile for use with different patients. It took some days with computer simulations and surveys on commercial clinical simulators to lead to a turning point. The Principal Investigator (Dr. Gabriele Guidi) came to me and asked, “ Hey, why don’t we make it there, in the Physics Department? Maybe with LEGO bricks? I know there is a line called Mindstorms that could be useful for our purposes…” My eyes opened to the possibilities and I immediately thought it was time to wake up the master builder in me that had been away from the bricks for much too long. It took some time to fund and order the set, but after a few weeks, the Mindstorms Educational Core Set and Expansion set I ordered to start building was here!
I immediately started to work and, after watching some videos on the potential of LEGO Mindstorms, I became convinced that it could really be useful for our purposes. Besides the versatility of the construction offered by the beams and elements, the Mindstorms sets are equipped with an Intelligent Brick with a programmable CPU using a Linux-based operating system. Our challenge was that what we had in mind was something new, very different from the majority of Mindstorms projects: robots, cars, and buildings. We needed a phantom that accurately reproduced human breathing. I wasn’t discouraged, though. When I was a child, I would empty all the thousands of bricks on the carpet of my room to build. This time, I put myself in front of the Core Set and Expansion Set and began to think, try, assemble, disassemble, improve… Brick on brick, the mechanical system for the movement of the chest began to take shape in the first days, and after two weeks, the robot was 80% done.
The robot begins to take shape.
At that point, it was necessary to program the robot. Using the LEGO EV3 software (which is based on National Instrument’s LabVIEW), programming was easier than expected, and after properly setting opening angles and rotation speed of the motors, our little friend was already able to breathe (and snore!) with a steady Breaths per Minute (BPM) frequency. The team began to see the potential in using the robot, but they were not fully satisfied and thought the robot had room for improvement. I thought that the ultrasonic sensor could be used to observe the chest of a human and reproduce its breathing in real-time. After days of tests passed to find the right observation points and to calibrate the force and speed of rotation of the gears on the measured distances, our robot was able to see, learn, memorize, and reproduce real human breathing! To do all of these things, the robot was constructed with a system of mechanical gears which allow the movement of its eight ribs with independent movements and different angular speeds. Inside the ribcage are located two artificial tumors with four degrees of freedom (axles of movement). With programming, the robot could replicate rib movement and the shifting of a tumor over a series of treatments with a single or multiples of patients. Because of the small scale of the robot, this was primarily geared for pediatric patients (children). To verify accuracy during a CT examination, the robot was interfaced with a commercial medical device. The completed robot using its ultrasound sensor (on right) to measure respiration from a simulator (middle round device). The sensor measures the distance of the paper on the side of the dynamic simulator and matches the breathing signal to the “ribs” of the robot.
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Ultrasound Sensor
Two “tumors” with four degrees of freedom
Eight ribs with four angular speeds
During a testing phase where differing breath signals were used (6, 10, 12, 15, and 17 BPM) in ideal conditions, the robot’s accuracy was verified. It was then tested in a clinical practice using the breathing patterns and CT scan study of twelve patients treated at my institution. Data was analyzed from these patients and we were able to reproduce not only a real patient’s conditions but also normal and abnormal behavior during the course of therapy, allowing spatial motion estimation (the estimated movement of organs and tumors during therapy). The Mindstorms robot, reproducing both the movement of the ribs and tumors, allows for implementing a non-invasive method of Adaptive Radiation Therapy with real-time optimization based on breathing phases. The advantages offered by the approach are: • Freedom of construction offered by LEGO elements • Low-cost/homemade solution • Pediatric size • Use of plastic materials that avoid imaging artifacts • Flexible programming through LabVIEW software
“LINAC” EV3 Linux-based OS based on LabVIEW
A closer look at the ribs, with the motor dedicated to the “tumors” (the transparent light blue parts) in the foreground.
Another view of the robot showing the ribs.
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• Simulation of 4D anthropomorphic motion Since the initial building of the robot, we have also built a small-scale “LINAC” (linear accelerator simulator) for simulations that compare the two different approaches of irradiation used in radiotherapy. Research is now focusing on dose distributions delivered during 6MV photon radiotherapy treatments. The plastic materials of the beams and LEGO elements were integrated with the equivalent in biomedical tissue and special supports were added to include accurate measuring instruments.
Dr. Gabriele Guidi and Dr. Nicola Maffei with the robot.
While some regard LEGO Mindstorms as an expensive toy, combined with particle accelerators and devices which cost millions of Euros, our Mindstorms robot has really opened up our study and the quantifying of the problems related to anatomical change and motion in radiotherapy treatment. As a footnote, our project, titled: “ A LEGO Mindstorms Biomechanical Phantom to Simulate Breathing Motion” was awarded Best Physical Work during the Italian Association of Medical Physics (AIFM) Conference, held in October 2014 in Milan, Italy. A 3D mesh grid showing the robot and its “tumors.”
Final testing of radiation treatment with 6MV photon.
The robot being tested with a respiration simulator into the CT room.
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Bring Home Some BrickMagic!
LEGO fans: You Can Build It!
Relive the fun and excitement of the 2015 BrickMagic LEGO Festival with our BrickMagic t-shirt and embroidered patches, while they last!
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YOU CAN BUILD IT is a new ongoing series of instruction plus shipping books on the art of LEGO® custom building, from the Sizes: Youth Small, Medium, & Large producers of BRICKJOURNAL magazine! Spinning off Adult Small, Medium, & Large from BrickJournal’s popular “You Can Build It” column, these FULL-COLOR books are loaded with nothing but STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS by some of the top custom builders in the LEGO fan community. BOOK ONE is for beginning-to-intermediate builders, with instructions for custom creations including Miniland figures, a fire engine, a tulip, a spacefighter (below), a street vignette, plus miniscale models from “a galaxy far, far away,” and more! BOOK TWO has even more detailed projects to tackle, including advanced Miniland figures, a miniscale yellow castle, a deep sea scene, a mini USS Constitution, and more! So if you’re ready to go beyond the standard LEGO (shown actual size) sets available in stores and move into custom building with the bricks you already own, this ongoing series will quickly take you from novice to expert builder, teaching you key building techniques along the way! plus shipping
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The ultimate resource for LEGO enthusiasts of all ages, showcasing events, people, and models! FULL-COLOR #1 features an interview with Certified LEGO Professional NATHAN SAWAYA, car designs by STEPHAN SANDER, step-by-step building instructions and techniques for all skill levels, new set reviews, on-the-scene reports from LEGO community events, and other surprises!
This FULL-COLOR issue spotlights blockbuster summer movies, LEGO style! Go behind the scenes for new sets for INDIANA JONES, and see new models, including an MINI FLYING WING and a LEGO CITY, a lifesize IRON MAN, plus how to CUSTOMIZE MINIFIGURES, BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS, a tour of the ONLINE LEGO FACTORY, and lots more!
Event Reports from BRICKWORLD, FIRST LEGO LEAGUE WORLD FESTIVAL and PIECE OF PEACE (Japan), spotlight on our cover model builder BRYCE McGLONE, behind the scenes of LEGO BATMAN, LEGO at COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL, FIRST LEGO LEAGUE WORLD FESTIVAL, plus STEP-BY-STEP BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS, TECHNIQUES, and more!
Interviews with LEGO BUILDERS including cover model builder ARTHUR GUGICK, event reports from BRICKFAIR and others, touring the LEGO IDEA HOUSE, plus STEP-BY-STEP BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS and TECHNIQUES for all skill levels, NEW SET REVIEWS, and an extensive report on constructing the Chinese Olympic Village in LEGO!
Event report on the MINDSTORMS 10th ANNIVERSARY at LEGO HEADQUARTERS, Pixar’s ANGUS MACLANE on LEGO in filmmaking, a glimpse at the LEGO Group’s past with the DIRECTOR OF LEGO’S IDEA HOUSE, event reports, a look at how SEAN KENNEY’s LEGO creations ended up on NBC’S 30 ROCK television show, instructions and spotlights on builders, and more!
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Spotlight on CLASSIC SPACE SETS and a look at new ones, BRANDON GRIFFITH shows his STAR TREK MODELS, LEGO set designers discuss their work creating the SPACE POLICE with PIRATE SETS, POWER FUNCTIONS TRAIN DEVELOPMENT, the world’s TALLEST LEGO TOWER, MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION, plus coverage of BRICKFEST 2009 and more!
Focuses on the new LEGO ARCHITECTURE line, with a look at the new sets designed by ADAM REED TUCKER, plus interviews with other architectural builders, including SPENCER REZKALLA. Also, behind the scenes on the creation of POWER MINERS and the GRAND CAROUSEL, a LEGO BATTLESHIP over 20 feet long, reports from LEGO events worldwide, and more!
We go to the Middle Ages, with a look at the LEGO Group’s CASTLE LINE, featuring an interview with the designer behind the first LEGO castle set, the YELLOW CASTLE. Also: we spotlight builders that have created their own large-scale version of the castle, and interview other castle builders, plus a report on BRICKWORLD in Chicago, ands still more instructions and building tips!
BrickJournal looks at LEGO® DISNEY SETS, with features on the Disney LEGO sets of the past (MICKEY and MINNIE) and present (TOY STORY and PRINCE OF PERSIA)! We also present Disney models built by LEGO fans, and a look at the newest Master Build model at WALT DISNEY WORLD, plus articles and instructions on building and customization, and more!
BrickJournal goes undersea with looks at the creation of LEGO’s new ATLANTIS SETS, plus a spotlight on a fan-created underwater theme, THE SEA MONKEYS, with builder FELIX GRECO! Also, a report on the LEGO WORLD convention in the Netherlands, BUILDER SPOTLIGHTS, INSTRUCTIONS and ways to CUSTOMIZE MINIFIGURES, LEGO HISTORY, and more!
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BRICKJOURNAL #11
BRICKJOURNAL #12
BRICKJOURNAL #13
BRICKJOURNAL #14
BRICKJOURNAL #15
“Racers” theme issue, with building tips on race cars by the ARVO BROTHERS, interview with LEGO RACERS designer ANDREW WOODMAN, LEGO FORMULA ONE RACING, TECHNIC SPORTS CAR building, event reports, instructions and columns on MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION by JARED K. BURKS, MICRO BUILDING, builder spotlights, LEGO HISTORY, and more!
A look at back-to-school sculptures by NATHAN SAWAYA, LEGO builder MARCOS BESSA’s creations, ANGUS MACLANE’s CubeDudes, a Nepali Diorama by JORDAN SCHWARTZ, instructions to build a school bus for your LEGO town, MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION by JARED K. BURKS, how a POWER MINERS model became one for ATLANTIS, building standards, and much more!
Special EVENT ISSUE with reports from BRICKMAGIC (the newest US LEGO fan festival, organized by BrickJournal magazine), BRICKWORLD (one of the oldest US LEGO fan events), and others! Plus: spotlight on BIONICLE Builder NORBERT LAGUBUEN, our regular column on minifigure customization, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions, spotlights on builders and their work, and more!
Discover the world of stop-motion LEGO FILMS, with brickfilmer DAVID PAGANO and others spotlighting LEGO filmmaking, the history of the medium and its community, interviews with the makers of the films seen on the LEGO CLUB SHOW and LEGO.com, and instructions on how to film and build puppets for brick flicks! Plus how to customize minifigures, event reports, step-by-step building instructions, and more!
Looks at the LEGO MECHA genre of building, especially in Japan! Feature editor NATHAN BRYAN spotlights mecha builders such as SAITO YOSHIKAZU, TAKAYUKI TORII, SUKYU and others! Also, a talk with BRIAN COOPER and MARK NEUMANN about their mecha creations, mecha building instructions by SAITO YOSHIKAZU, our regular columns on minifigure customization, building, event reports, and more!
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BRICKJOURNAL #16
BRICKJOURNAL #17
BRICKJOURNAL #18
BRICKJOURNAL #19
BRICKJOURNAL #20
Focuses on STEAMPUNK! Feature editor GUY HIMBER gives a tour with a look at his work, DAVE DeGOBBI’s, NATHAN PROUDLOVE’s, and others! There’s also a look at the history of LEGO Steampunk building, as well as instructions for a Steampunk plane by ROD GILLIES! Plus our regular columns on minifigure customization, building tips, event reports, our step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions, and much more!
LEGO SPACE WAR issue! A STARFIGHTER BUILDING LESSON by Peter Reid, WHY SPACE MARINES ARE SO POPULAR by Mark Stafford, a trip behind the scenes of LEGO’S NEW ALIEN CONQUEST SETS that hit store shelves earlier this year, plus JARED K. BURKS’ column on MINIFIGURE CUSTOMIZATION, building tips, event reports, our step-by-step “YOU CAN BUILD IT” INSTRUCTIONS, and more!
Go to Japan with articles on two JAPANESE LEGO FAN EVENTS, plus take a look at JAPAN’S SACRED LEGO LAND, Nasu Highland Park—the site of the BrickFan events and a pilgrimage site for many Japanese LEGO fans. Also, a feature on JAPAN’S TV CHAMPIONSHIP OF LEGO, a look at the CLICKBRICK LEGO SHOPS in Japan, plus how to get into TECHNIC BUILDING, LEGO EDUCATION, and more!
LEGO EVENTS ISSUE covering our own BRICKMAGIC FESTIVAL, BRICKWORLD, BRICKFAIR, BRICKCON, plus other events outside the US. There’s full event details, plus interviews with the winners of the BRICKMAGIC CHALLENGE competition, complete with instructions to build award winning models. Also JARED K. BURKS’ regular column on minifigure customizing, building tips, and more!
LEGO SUPERHEROES! Behind-the-scenes of the DC and Marvel Comics sets, plus a feature on GREG HYLAND, the artist of the superhero comic books in each box! Also, other superhero work by ALEX SCHRANZ and our cover artist OLIVIER CURTO. Plus, JARED K. BURKS’ regular column on minifigure customization, building tips, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions, and more!
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BRICKJOURNAL #21
BRICKJOURNAL #22
BRICKJOURNAL #23
BRICKJOURNAL #24
BRICKJOURNAL #25
LEGO CAR BUILDING! Guest editors LINO MARTINS and NATHAN PROUDLOVE of LUGNuts share secrets behind their LEGO car creations, and present TECHNIC SUPERCAR MODELS by PAUL BORATKO III and other top builders! Plus custom instructions by TIM GOULD and CHRISTOPHER DECK, minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” section, and more!
LEGO PLANE BUILDING! Top builder RALPH SAVELSBERG takes off with his custom LEGO fighter models, there’s a squadron of articles on Sky-Fi planes by FRADEL GONZALES and COLE MARTIN, find instructions to build a Sky-Fi plane, plus our regular feature on minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, AFOLs by GREG HYLAND, other step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions, and more!
STAR WARS issue, with custom creations from a long time ago and far, far away! JACOB CARPENTER’s Imperial Star Destroyer, MARK KELSO’s Invisible Hand, interview with SIMON MACDONALD about building Star Wars costume props with LEGO elements, history of the LEGO X-Wing, plus our regular features on minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, “You Can Build It” instructions, and more!
LEGO TRAINS! Builder CALE LEIPHART shows how to get started building trains and train layouts, with instructions on building microscale trains by editor JOE MENO, building layouts with the members of the Pennsylvania LEGO Users Group (PennLUG), fan-built LEGO monorails minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, microscale building by CHRISTOPHER DECK, “You Can Build It”, and more!
MEDIEVAL CASTLE BUILDING! Top LEGO® Castle builders present their creations, including BOB CARNEY’s amazingly detailed model of Neuschwanstein Castle, plus others, along with articles on building and detailing castles of your own! Also: JARED BURKS on minifigure customization, AFOLs by cartoonist GREG HYLAND, stepby-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, and more!
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BRICKJOURNAL #26
BRICKJOURNAL #27
BRICKJOURNAL #28
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BRICKJOURNAL #30
CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL with builders SEAN and STEPHANIE MAYO (known online as Siercon and Coral), other custom animal models from BrickJournal editor JOE MENO, LEGO DINOSAURS with WILL PUGH, plus more minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, AFOLs by cartoonist GREG HYLAND, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, and more!
GUY HIMBER takes you to the IRON BUILDER CONTEST, which showcases the top LEGO® builders in the world! Cover by LEGO magazine and comic artist PAUL LEE, amazing custom models by LINO MARTINS, TYLER CLITES, BRUCE LOWELL, COLE BLAQ and others, minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, AFOLs by GREG HYLAND, & more!
Learn what went into the making of The LEGO Movie and other brickfilms with moviemaker DAVID PAGANO, chat with brickfilmers The Brotherhood Workshop, sit in on a talk with the makers of LEGO: A Brickumentary, a look at MINDSTORMS building, minifigure customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, AFOLs by GREG HYLAND, & more!
TECHNIC hot rod builder PAUL BORATKO and editor JOE MENO diagram instructions on adding functions to your models, shoptalk with LEGO TECHNIC designers, and more surprises to keep your creations moving at top speed! Plus Minifigure Customization by JARED BURKS, step-bystep “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, and more!
LEGO ARCHITECTURE with JONATHAN LOPES, a microscale model of Copenhagen by ULRIK HANSEN, and a look at the LEGO MUSEUM being constructed in Denmark! Plus Minifigure Customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS building with DAMIEN KEE, and more!
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BRICKJOURNAL #31
BRICKJOURNAL #32
BRICKJOURNAL #33
BRICKJOURNAL #34
BRICKJOURNAL #35
Building LEGO bricks WITH character, with IAIN HEATH and TOMMY WILLIAMSON, Manga-inspired creations of MIKE DUNG, sculptures by Taiwanese Brick Artist YO YO CHEN, Minifigure Customization by JARED BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS building, and more!
LEGO ARTISTRY with builder/photographer CHRIS McVEIGH; mosaic builders BRIAN KORTE, DAVE WARE and DAVE SHADDIX; and sculptors SEAN KENNEY (about his nature models) and ED DIMENT (about a full-size bus stop built with LEGO bricks)! Plus Minifigure Customization by JARED K. BURKS, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, MINDSTORMS building, and more!
LEGO ROBOTS! A talk with MINDSTORMS EV3 builders MARC-ANDRE BAZERGUI and ANDY MILLUZZI, designer LEE MAGPILI, CHRIS GIDDENS with his amazing robot sculptures, plus Minifigure Customization by JARED BURKS, step-bystep “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, other looks at MINDSTORMS building, and more!
TOMMY WILLIAMSON on the making of his YouTube sensation BATMAN VS SUPERMAN, BRANDON GRIFFITH’S COMICBRICKS PROJECT recreates iconic comic book covers out of LEGO, JARED BURKS and his custom Agents of SHIELD minifigs, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!
HISTORY IN LEGO BRICKS! LEGO pro RYAN McNAUGHT on his LEGO Pompeii and other projects, military builder DAN SISKIND on his BrickMania creations, and LASSE VESTERGARD about his historical building, JARED K. BURKS on minifigure customizing, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!
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TwoMorrows. BRICKJOURNAL #36
BRICKJOURNAL #37
BRICKJOURNAL #38
BRICKJOURNAL #39
MICROSCALE BUILDING! With JUSTIN McMILLAN’s micro house and other buildings, a look at the MICROSCALE Standard by TwinLUG, and featuring some of the best microscopic LEGO work from around the world, plus JARED K. BURKS’ minifigure customizing, step-by-step “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!
STAR WARS! Amazing custom ships by ERIC DRUON, incredible galactic layouts by builder AC PIN, a look at the many droid creations built by LEGO fans—truly, the LEGO Force has awakened! Plus JARED K. BURKS on minifigure customizing, step-bystep “You Can Build It” instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd DIY Fan Art, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!
LEGO COOL CARS AND HOT RODS! LEGO car builders Stephan Sander, Jordanian Firas Abu-Jaber, and Andrea Lattanzio! Plus: Minifigure Customization by JARED K. BURKS, AFOLs by cartoonist GREG HYLAND, step-by-step "You Can Build It" instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, BrickNerd Pop Art by TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons by DAMIEN KEE, and more!
LEGO DINOSAURS! Builder WILLIAM PUGH discusses building prehistoric creatures, a LEGO Jurassic World by DIEGO MAXIMINO PRIETO ALVAREZ, and dino bones by MATT SAILORS! Plus: Minifigure Customization by JARED K. BURKS, stepby-step "You Can Build It" instructions by CHRISTOPHER DECK, DIY Fan Art by BrickNerd TOMMY WILLIAMSON, MINDSTORMS robotics lessons, and more!
(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Edition) $3.95
(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Edition) $3.95
(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Edition) $3.95
(84-page FULL-COLOR magazine) $8.95 (Digital Edition) $3.95
TwoMorrows Publishing 10407 Bedfordtown Drive Raleigh, NC 27614 USA 919-449-0344 E-mail:
store@twomorrows.com
Order at twomorrows.com
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Another issue is done... And off to the next one, which is about mecha and building mecha! There’s been a lot going on there, and we’ll cover builders and building as usual, while also looking around at other things that touch upon the LEGO hobby!
Last Word
BrickJournal will also be selling at LEGO fan conventions in the US, so keep an eye out—you might see me! Till then, see you next issue!
A new minifigure scale?
Vibranium is nowhere as heavy as LEGO plates.
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TwoMorrows
The Future of Comics History.
SAVE
15
WHE % N YO ORD U ONL ER INE!
COMIC BOOK FEVER
GEORGE KHOURY (author of The Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore and Kimota: The Miracleman Companion) presents a “love letter” to his personal golden age of comics, 1976-1986, covering all the things that made those comics great—the top artists, the coolest stories, and even the best ads! It covers the phenoms that delighted Baby Boomers, Generation X, and beyond: UNCANNY X-MEN, NEW TEEN TITANS, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, LOVE AND ROCKETS, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, SUPERMAN VS. SPIDER-MAN, ARCHIE COMICS, HARVEY COMICS, KISS, STAR WARS, ROM, HOSTESS CAKE ADS, GRIT(!), and other milestones! So take a trip back in time to re-experience those epic stories, and feel the heat of COMIC BOOK FEVER once again! With cover art and introduction by ALEX ROSS. (240-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 • (Digital Edition) $12.95 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-063-2 • SHIPS JUNE 2016!
MONSTER MASH The Creepy, Kooky Monster Craze In America, 1957-1972
All characters TM & © their respective owners.
Time-trip back to the frightening era of 1957-1972, when monsters stomped into the American mainstream! This profusely illustrated full-color hardcover covers that creepy, kooky Monster Craze through features on Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, the #1 hit “Monster Mash,” Aurora’s model kits, TV shows (Shock Theatre, The Addams Family, The Munsters, and Dark Shadows), “Mars Attacks” trading cards, Eerie Publications, Planet of the Apes, and more! It features interviews with JAMES WARREN (Creepy, Eerie, and Vampirella magazines), FORREST J ACKERMAN (Famous Monsters of Filmland), JOHN ASTIN (The Addams Family), AL LEWIS (The Munsters), JONATHAN FRID (Dark Shadows), GEORGE BARRIS (monster car customizer), ED “BIG DADDY” ROTH (Rat Fink), BOBBY (BORIS) PICKETT (Monster Mash singer/songwriter) and others, with a Foreword by TV horror host ZACHERLEY, the “Cool Ghoul.” Written by MARK VOGER (author of “The Dark Age”). (192-page FULL-COLOR HARDCOVER) $39.95 • (Digital Edition) $13.95 • ISBN: 978-1-60549-064-9 • NOW SHIPPING!
TwoMorrows Publishing 10407 Bedfordtown Drive • Raleigh, NC 27614 USA Phone: 919-449-0344 • E-mail: store@twomorrows.com Order/preview at www.twomorrows.com
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