Gabe Posted February 5, 2012 So a couple of weeks ago i attended Brickvention, a LEGO con held in my home town of Melbourne. I'd been last year as well, but this was my first time exhibting, so i was pretty nervous. Anyway, i took some pics of my display at BV so here they are. I was working on it pretty much right down to the night before, and broke it up to bring home, so these are the only pics i have of it - sorry in advance for the busy backgrounds! I called my display “A slice of castle life”. I called it that because i only had enough pieces for a long, thin display, 4.5 by 1 32x32 baseplates to be exact. I wanted to have as many different castle factions in the display as possible, so i had a Lion knight gatehouse, the start of a town with tavern, stables and festival, a underground Wolfpack den (which you can only see from one end) Crown and Dragon knights arriving for a tournament, a viking brewer come to sell his wares, an elf outpost in the forest, a dwarf mine, and a forestman, centaur and werewolf. Phew! Btw, just in case it isn’t absoloutly clear, i mean “castle life” as in the actual LEGO castle theme and not medieval life in general. So yes, it’s my happy peaceful fantasy world where the worst that happens is that the wolfpack plot to steal someone’s cupcakes or something. (That’s pretty bad, actually. Totes needs a gatehouse and elf outpost to defend against those darstardly cupcake thieves!) I won a Judge’s choice award for my display, which was a lovely surprise - yay! :D More pics of the elf outpost. This was my favourite part of the display, i really enjoyed making it, especially the spiral staircase around the tree. I'd love to have a go at making a larger, more intricate elf village someday. Here you can see how the roof from the main "house" in the elf outpost has been adopted (with some modifications!) from the barn roof in the Mill Village Raid. ;) I quite like the interior, although not many ppl noticed it. The Viking brewer arrives with his bodygaurd/escort. The visiting knights approach the gatehouse, as village life goes on all around them - fishing, boating, herding goats etc. A festival is taking place inside the town, to celebrate the upcoming tournament. Here we can see a fortune teller having her palm crossed with silver and a jester performing to the crowd. The tavern in the background is well patronised by locals and visitors alike... But the town does have it's underworld figures - here is the secret Wolfpack den in the forgotton catacombs beneath the town. What dasterdly deeds are they planning? Are no-one's cupcakes safe from these rascals?? ps. In the distance you can see Jennie Sasson's huuuge Quiddich pitch! The back side of the display. I didn't count on this side being visible to the public, so the base was originally a riot of rainbow bricks... some quick n' dirty patching work was nessecary to make it presentable! If you look in the tavern you can also see a gatecrasher... who invited him?? ~~~~~ finis! ~~~~~ And just for fun, this was my display all nicely packed, ready to go to Brickvention... And this is how i brought it all home! All broken up, ready for a mammoth sort. (Which i'm nearly though now, i'm glad to report) What can i say... BV 2012 was a huge, exhausting but amazingly fun three days, with so many brilliant MOC's to look at and admire, i can't even begin to start. (If you want to check out some of the other BV creations, go to Brickvention - Australia's premier LEGO convention on Flickr. Can't wait until next year already! Thanks for looking everyone.. sorry about the gazillion photos! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vindicare Posted February 5, 2012 I want to see the whole cake(or pie)! That's a really cool scene. I like all the goings about in there. The tree dwellers quarters are really creative. I'm always a bit bummed to hear displays like this are dismantled. I guess don't really have much choice in the matter, though. It looks like you got an award? What for? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Angeli Posted February 5, 2012 Elfish settlement is so beautiful :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ecclesiastes Posted February 5, 2012 Elfish settlement is so beautiful :) Indeed! Great design! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Speedboat Posted February 5, 2012 Very cool display! I especially like your treetop village, ecaxtly how I imagine elven architecture. Congrats on winning the award, it's really a beautiful display! And the Captain Sparrow "easter egg" is a nice idea, too. I always enjoy finding surprises snuck in by the builder like these. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nom Carver Posted February 5, 2012 You deserve to be the winner, this is the most complete and compact creation that I had never seen for the castle theme, becomes one of my favorites, bravo!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trent Posted February 5, 2012 Wonderful! I adore the underground section and the detailing throughout is very good. I'm not surprised it won - well deserved. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teh Stud Posted February 5, 2012 Wow, that was really well done. Your photos are great but they always leave me wanting to see the display in person! The elvish treetop village is by far my favorite part. Perfect colors and shapes. If you have the bricks, I'd love to see you expand that. I may have to copy that at some point. The bridge is also great. You didn't spend much time describing it but it is really nicely done. Forget the cupcakes, I want to steal your creation! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flint Posted February 5, 2012 This really reminds me of the drawings I used to make when I was little: stuff going on everywhere, every group its own style and business. Your execution is much more impressive, of course. Like was said above: I like the easter eggs and all the small scenes. My compliments! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackJonespaw Posted February 5, 2012 Very nice! I love the Elf Outpost. It looks like Rivendell in the trees. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
K-Nut Posted February 5, 2012 I love that Elven village! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gabe Posted February 6, 2012 I want to see the whole cake(or pie)! That's a really cool scene. I like all the goings about in there. The tree dwellers quarters are really creative. I'm always a bit bummed to hear displays like this are dismantled. I guess don't really have much choice in the matter, though. It looks like you got an award? What for? Thanks! Yes, if i want to build other things, then my creations typically have a short life. And this one had a longer one than most - sections like the bridge and gatehouse survived with only minor brick raiding and modification for over 5 months. The award i got was one of several "Judges choice awards" that were given out. I think these were meant to be commendations for MOC's that didn't quite fit into the expected catagories (like town layout, train layout, SW creation, etc) or that just missed out on awards in thier own catagories. I was quite shocked to get one because there were so many awesome MOC's there - every time you turned around you were amazed by something else. Check out the Brickvention group on Flickr and you'll see what i mean! Very cool display! I especially like your treetop village, ecaxtly how I imagine elven architecture. Congrats on winning the award, it's really a beautiful display! And the Captain Sparrow "easter egg" is a nice idea, too. I always enjoy finding surprises snuck in by the builder like these. Thankyou, i'm glad you like it! Captain Sparrow was initially there just to amuse myself - i expected to get a wall spot, which meant the back side would not be visible, but in any case it worked out quite well. Wow, that was really well done. Your photos are great but they always leave me wanting to see the display in person! The elvish treetop village is by far my favorite part. Perfect colors and shapes. If you have the bricks, I'd love to see you expand that. I may have to copy that at some point. The bridge is also great. You didn't spend much time describing it but it is really nicely done. Forget the cupcakes, I want to steal your creation! Thankyou for your kind words! The bridge is based on Ludford bridge in Ludlow, Shropshire. :) I first saw it on an episode of "Time Team" and wanted to have a go at replicating it's unusual shape. My version is a good deal shorter though! ps. Do feel free to copy any part of this you like btw - as i've said, i've swiped ideas and techniques on this from everywhere, so to be able to contribute something back to be swiped by someone else is a nice feeling. Very nice! I love the Elf Outpost. It looks like Rivendell in the trees. Thanks! That's the idea, a bit of Rivendell, a bit of Lorien, simplify and smush it all together. Thankyou also to everyone else that commented - i'm glad you have enjoyed looking at my display! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnightSnap Posted February 6, 2012 Really enjoyed your pictures and the backstory. Saw it at Brickvention on the Sunday, but was unable to get a good view due to the large crowds. Really good to see more of the elfish village which I couldn't get any photos of. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hive Posted February 6, 2012 Absolutely amazing, I wish I could build something like that. Hell, I'd even settle for having the necessary bricks to build such a thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
narbilu Posted February 6, 2012 I think your elven forest is bloody marvelous... hoping that the LotR licence will include a Rivendell set as beautiful as this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maxim I Posted February 6, 2012 Nice! So smoothly detailed!! Really great job doing this! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gabe Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) Really enjoyed your pictures and the backstory. Saw it at Brickvention on the Sunday, but was unable to get a good view due to the large crowds. Really good to see more of the elfish village which I couldn't get any photos of. Thanks! It was a bit nuts on the public days, wasn't it? Half the time i got elbowed aside in the crush and ended up getting pushed away from my table. Did you end up coming to the convention on the Friday at all, or did you just have time for the weekend? The convention day is by far the best day for viewing and chatting to the builders. Absolutely amazing, I wish I could build something like that. Hell, I'd even settle for having the necessary bricks to build such a thing. Cheers, glad you like it! Keep building and collecting and no doubt you'll aquire the bricks you need sooner or later. I think your elven forest is bloody marvelous... hoping that the LotR licence will include a Rivendell set as beautiful as this. Thanks narbilu! Yes, a Rivendell is pretty much top of my wish list for LOTR/Hobbit sets as well. But regardless of whether or not one actually gets released, i'd quite like to have a go at making my own Rivendell one day. (Yes, i've been very much inspired by Blake Baer's brilliant Hobbit creations!) Nice! So smoothly detailed!! Really great job doing this! Thanks DaMaximus, glad you like it! Edited February 7, 2012 by gabe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mibbiwocket Posted February 11, 2012 Sweet fortress, looks really elf-y! :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jesperallen Posted February 11, 2012 Great treehouses, feel like they belong there, not just placed there. The dense and deep feeling of the forest is remarkable to achive with just a few trees like that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bernd Posted February 11, 2012 (edited) The elf "village" ist great (I like the castle too, but the elves are more special), especially the watchtower with the halfopen roof and the stairs fo the main hall. Though we dont see the other mocs, I suppose the judge was right. Edited February 11, 2012 by Bernd Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
