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Hi all, Few months ago, I realised this MOC for the TechLUG forum. I enjoyed very much to reproduced this building, so I decided to promote it and create it in lego IDEAS website (https://ideas.lego.com/projects/115929). I Hope you like it as much as I liked create it. The German Federal Chancellery is a recent building with many interesting details. You can find much details on the history of the building on the wikipedia page here : https://fr.wikipedia...dérale_(Berlin) unfortunately it seems to be unavailable in english... It as in the same line that the Paul Loebe Haus, the Federal Parliament which I made previously (http://www.techlug.f...it=chancellerie), but it is another story... I tried to enumerate all the particularity of the building and reproduce with accuracy on my model, I will show you them in the end of the topics... My model, main entrance : River side : Birds eye view : Archs : ---- MORE DETAILS / COMPARISONS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Size, scale from birds eye view : Each side building is made with "glass cubes" : 3 cubes placed side by side / 1 empty space / 1 cube / 1 empty space / 3 new cubes It is the left side construction. The right aisle is cut by the Spree river. The left side is finished by a thin piece of concrete with a hole on the side. I tried to reproduce that. It is not as round as expected. The main problem is in the fact that I made a ground with 2 plates height max to respect the architecture standards. Each side aisle has on its face a groove in the concrete. I made them with the brick 2x1 with groove http://cache.lego.co...5/2/4264360.jpg Each side aisle start with a gable end In the interior side of the aisle, there are large windows In the middle of the main entrance, there are 3 flags. I used the same trick that in the 21018 UN HQ set. The main entrance has many artistic concrete parts. I tried to be accurate, but it is not easy because of the dimensions. Behind these parts, the entrance with round concrete on the first floor The main building is higher than the side aisles and has two big windows archs These archs are just under the roof. the roof is round with 2 triangles of thin concrete On the rear of the building, a nice garden with trees on the sides Here is details of some constructs ideas : the first floor : The rear aisle windows : trees : I hope you liked it, I read all until here ! Your C&C are most welcome... and maybe your support on Lego ideas website https://ideas.lego.com/projects/115929 ;)
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Where's the LEGO Ideas Doctor Who set?
Transparency for Effect posted a topic in General LEGO Discussion
Though we've seen him in Dimensions by now, where is the Ideas set we were promised? Are they holding it off until after Dimensions or something? -
Hello, yesterday, I build the LEGO Ideas set WALL-E. What a great set! Fresh colours, a fine build-experience and many functions. I have - by the way - no big problems with the head. Of course, he can't look in any direction. But everything is stable. My review (in German, this time). But if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time. Best wishes Andres
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Hey everyone, I just wanted to share an awesome MOC from my friend on Lego Ideas, nunki-psi. Nunki-psi was recently staff picked for another project, Medieval Pharmacy. Nunki-psi's newest project is a peddler's wagon with opening doors, a removable roof, many accessories, and amazing details and aesthetics. The link to it is here: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/116646. Here also is a picture of it:
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Hey all, this is my first post here and my first Lego moc. Lots of firsts. Since the Lego Ideas site can't approve my project, I wanted to share it with some true Lego fans. Please check out the rest of my project pics here: https://www.flickr.c.../133518136@N08/ and like me on Facebook https://www.facebook...646432325635280 - where I'll be posting a lot more Zissou Lego over the next month. Here's a hint ..... it was a long range sub hunter. Here it is...Lego Life Aquatic. Zissou Deep Search Sub. Also here's what I wrote for my Lego Ideas submission description that will never be scene : This is a – Brick – Adventure !! Lego Steve Zissou wants you on Team Brick Zissou. Included in the set is: Our topnotch research sub The Deep Search. Coral reef (it's teeming with marine life). Two Albino Dolphin Scouts that swim with the ship. They're supposedly very intelligent... although I've never seen any evidence of it. Plus all kinds of radar and sonar and under water movie gadgets Minifigs Included: -Steve Zissou - Captain, videographer, frontman -Wolodarsky - physicist, original score composer -Klaus Daimler - engineer, calm collected, German -Pele dos Santos - speedo wearing, safety expert
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I would like to ask: is there any restriction for posting LEGO Ideas links in our topics/messages?
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The LEGO architecture series is a Landmark thing and it is very unlikely they would release something from Austria, since our fame comes more from Mozart and classical music. Nevertheless I tried to find one buiding, that would represent typical Austrian architecture and which I could transfer to a useful scale, to stand at least a bit of a chance that it would be relesased as LEGO Set. The more famous Castle of Schönbrunn is to wide and would be far too small in height. The Gloriette is mainly beautiful because of sitting on top of a hill. Perhaps the Riesenrad would do, but then, transferred to a miniscale it would look like any ferry's wheel. The Upper Belvedere is home to a world famous painting, The Kiss by Gustav Klimt and thus one of the most visited castles in Vienna. Hope ya like my Version of it. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/115271 @ Pandora: sorry, didn't know, thanks for puttin' it right
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Does anyone know how to contact them in case there is something wrong/misunderstood about the project being submitted...some forum or e-mail or something? I have some ridiculous problem with them lately when they are saying I can not have number in my project name BUT they allow exactly this like 3 times before with all of my previous models I have submitted (the latest one like less than 30 days ago!) although I did try to explain it at least in the project description but it looks like they did not even bother to read it.
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Hi folks! Booklovingbuilder here, and I am trying to build a lego spaceship(or perhaps mecha) out of a bunch of disparate Insectoids and UFO parts, the problem is... I simply lack building skill. I honestly don't know where to begin on a ship, what to start with, or even really what pieces are most useful. I'm trying for a somewhat simple fighter, with a moveable cockpit, wings, cannons, and an engine. I've seen tons of great ships here and elsewhere, I just have no idea how to actually BUILD something without instructions anymore. Anyone wanna help? Ideas, sample ships, literally anything would be beneficial. If there are certain sets that have been used a lot in MOCs, I'd gladly buy them. Thank you!
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Hello, this is my review of the Lego Ideas Set "The Big Bang Theory" (21302). And if you like, a lot of sunny images you can find right here, with many details. Bazinga! :-) Best wishes Andres
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[MOC Scooby-Doo] Speed Buggy and this friends, Tinker, Debbie, and Mar
sparkart posted a topic in LEGO Licensed
In the 1970s, Hanna-Barbera produced cartoons that a whole generation of kids enjoyed. One of these was Speed Buggy, and the characters from this show made a cross-over guest appearance on The New Scooby-Doo Movies, "The Weird Winds of Winona". Here's a LEGO purist version of Speed Buggy with no modified or painted bricks or elements. For the mouth, I used the printed 1x4 tile piece from the LEGO Cars 2 "Mack" model: LEGO Speed Buggy! Speedy's a little bigger than I wanted (I like smaller economical LEGO models), but I also wanted the whole crew to fit inside. It's kinda strange that Mark stands in the back, but this arrangement makes them look like the cartoon. It's difficult to see in the photo, but there's a walkie-talkie stowed underneath, near Debbie, that represents the remote control/radio that was used by Speedy's friends (and sometimes his antagonists). The back of Speed Buggy incorporates a cargo/engine compartment that holds an engine that Tinker can tinker with. I'm working on a way to incorporate a LEGO wind-up motor, but I'm afraid it'll compromise the design. I'm thinking maybe a pusher trailer attached to the back, maybe something disguised as a puff of wheel smoke? Any suggestions? Thanks for checking it out, and supporting it on LEGO Ideas. -
Hi everybody! :) I'm new to the forum and wanted to share my latest MOC, and in doing so I hope to start a discussion on the set that I've designed and I'm sure that there will be some really interesting dialogue as a result of this. To get something out of the way (and quickly), this set is my very first Lego Idea and as of today it is live - please support it if you think it has merit as a potential Lego set! Monster Miner / Wheel Loader And now, some reflection on the process that led to this model and some thoughts about Lego in general! I'm almost 33 years old and have been mad about Lego for as long as I remember. I love to create things with Lego, and for about 25 years now it's always been Technic-style diggers and cranes, sometimes other construction vehicles, all with functioning gear trains and realistic movements. I'd say that this set I'm sharing here today is the culmination of between 25 and 30 years of Lego experimentation and prototyping. and I just feel that every aspect of this set has "clicked" (pardon the pun) and I'm so happy finally to be able to include a little bit of everything in one big, imposing set. My thinking on Lego today is that there are many sets which don't look very Lego-like (certainly in the MOC realm), and I'm confused by that. Why conceal the medium that makes Lego what it is? With this model I decided to embrace Lego as an educational childs toy (which is what it is, first and foremost), so instead of concealing all the studs and making this more of a replica and less of a toy, I have tried to retain the inherent Lego-ness and sturdy playability of the exterior whilst presenting an equally impressive and more grown-up sort of "model" that would appeal to teenagers and even adults. Basically, it's Lego city, Lego Technic, Lego Model Team etc. rolled into one. Whether that works or not... is up to everybody else! So what do you folks think? Must Lego sets be "niche" products if they are to succeed as merchandise, or is it possible to stretch things a little and cater for more than one market with just one set? To put it another way, I reckon this is the set that I wanted to find in the pages of the 1990s Lego catalogues, especially at the back, in the Model Team section. That's why I built it. Is it just me, or is there intrinsic appeal in this sort of set that straddles the fence delineating different Lego lines? Here are some more pics which may or may not influence your input!
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Hey all - I just posted my Voltron on Lego Ideas - https://ideas.lego.com/projects/107044 It fully separates into 5 Lion mechas and joins back into Voltron - the sword clips into the red lion's hand/mouth. Check it out on flickr or Ideas and give me some love if you like it....and share my post :) Thanks Chris Voltron: Defender of the Universe by Chris Wight, on Flickr Voltron: Defender of the Universe by Chris Wight, on Flickr
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Hi everyone! I have just finished a MOC project that I would like to share with you here. I call it 'Once Upon A Brick' and the idea is to take classic Disney characters and re-imagine them as large-scale 2x4 LEGO Bricks. When choosing which character to do first, Mickey Mouse was the obvious choice and after that, his three friends seemed to be the next logical step; Goofy, Donald Duck and Pluto. They average 110 LEGO bricks per model and stand approximately 13cm tall. I am calling the above four MOCs 'Series 1' and I have lots more series planned. I am nearly finished with 'Series 2' and will get them photographed just as soon as the last one is ready. Finally, I have been hoping to build something worthy of LEGO Ideas for a while and I think/hope that this series could be something that others may enjoy. With that in mind, I have submitted this project to LEGO Ideas and if you feel that this is a project worthy of support, then please follow the link and hit the SUPPORT button. Also, if you know anyone who you think might like to see this project made into an official LEGO product, then please pass the link onto them. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/99705 Many, many thanks for taking the time to look at my builds! You can see more pictures in my Flickr album HERE. UPDATE #1 - UPDATE #1 - UPDATE #1 - UPDATE #1 4th June 2015 - Since I created this thread in April, I've been making more characters and have been moving away from the idea of sticking to the 'series' label that I'd used above. I've also been taking on board the feedback that I have been getting from people who have seen them in person. The one thing that I hear a lot is that they are much bigger than they look in the photos. I honestly think that some people were assuming that they were actually 2x4 bricks that I had been gluing parts onto. To help give perspective from now on, I have been taking new pictures of the characters with the LEGO brick that they are based upon, next to them. So, please may I introduce you to new members of the Once Upon A Brick family, coming straight to you from the 100 Acre Wood........... Winnie The Pooh & Friends From left to right, we have Pooh himself, then Piglet, Tigger and finally Eeyore. Piglet was a huge amount of fun to do and gave me my first chance to use something other than a 2x4 brick as the basis for the character. Since the rest of them are all 2x4s, it made sense that Piglet would be a 1x2 brick. As I said above, if you like these MOCs, I would be eternally grateful for your support on LEGO Ideas please. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/99705
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So, there's a topic about purist superheroes, but as a new Eurobricks user, I haven't yet found a place to just throw out purist or other custom minifigure ideas. Any custom minifigure idea is welcome, purist or modded, so long as it has at least one major difference from an out of the box TLG figure. Remember, ANY custom figures are welcome here.
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Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum and I'm truely a LEGO fan:) Here is one of my recent work based on Marvel Super Heroes theme, and hope you guys enjoy it! For more details, please check the link below. If you like the model, please give your support. Thanks a lot! https://ideas.lego.com/projects/85922 THE STORY The project features the scene from the movie Captain America: The First Avenger. Red Skull is escaping in his flying-wing with the cosmic cube, and Captain America is chasing him, but he is losing his target. Thanks to Peggy Carter and Colonel Chester Phillips, who come with Red Skull's roadster for help! After kissing Peggy goodbye, the mighty Captain jumps onto the aircraft from the roadster and saves the day! THE FLYING-WING The flying-wing is built mainly with dark grey, light grey, black and some dark red bricks. The front cockpit can open and fit one minifig, probably Red Skull himself. The back cockpit can also open, where Red Skull place the cosmic cube. THE ROADSTER The roadster is built with black and dark red bricks, and can fit two minifigures comfortably. Peggy and Colonel Chester Phillips are driving the luxurious car, although it is Red Skull's ride. For more details of the roadster, please refer to this link (including the car model from real bricks): https://ideas.lego.com/projects/83538/updates THE MINIFIGS This project includes four minifigs: Captain America, Red Skull, Peggy Carter and Colonel Chester Phillips. As for the accessories: Captain America is holding his shield; Red Skull has a big gun in one hand and the cosmic cube in the other; Peggy and the Colonel are both holding a pistol. All four minifigs have custom decals on their heads and torsos.
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Hello Eurobricks community, I would like to share my newest design that I've been working on for many months and now it is finally complete. Please take a moment to read the description and see all the photos for all the details of the set! https://ideas.lego.com/projects/100353 As train enthusiasts, I would love to hear your opinions and criticisms of my design. If you have any questions, I will be glad to provide more information.
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Do you know what your looking at? Can you guess what this part is and also what it does? I give you one hint this hint might revel everything or it might reveal nothing depends on how you perceive things but here it is. There is at least a 100+ of them in front of you at any given time of the day.
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https://docs.google.com/folderview?id=0B0LIffC6GUIYQ0FPcUY4SHRSMm8&usp=docslist_api http://imageupload.co.uk/images/2015/04/06/image351a9.jpg Support It Here--- https://ideas.lego.com/projects/98384
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Hi everyone, I'd like to introduce myself as (one more) huge Lego fan. I'm a bit old (42!!) but I played a lot with Lego when I was a kid. I still have a huge collection (at my parent's house, somewhere...). Now I just play electronicaly, because I have no time and room to buid the actual bricks. I put my creations on Lego Ideas website, under 2 or 3 different nicknames. Anyway, they are all here: http://www.rogerweikers.com/bside/pages/08.htm I'm from Brazil, living in Sao Paulo at the moment (I'm from Rio) and I also lived in London (UK) for a couple of years. Thanks :-) Cheers
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Hello, I have presented my small "Waiting for the train" vignette some time ago. Upon presentation there were some suggestions to have at least some representation of a train station as well. Since that one was too small to fit it, I have expanded my MOC to a 32 x 32 footprint. I hope you'll enjoy :) EDIT: This MOC is now on LEGO Ideas - please support it by clicking here if you like it: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/96989 THANK YOU! I am especially happy with the bench: All the pictures are here: http://bricksafe.com..._train_expanded
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Hello everyone. This is my first project/submission for the LEGO ideas site. https://ideas.lego.com/projects/92483 I am also doing the troso prints but they will be done in a week so I did not want to wait and added the prject already however I will update the pictures later. You can see the troso designs (very simple - clasic style) on one fo the pictures. Let me know your feedback.
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Hi Fellow Eurobrickers, I would like to use the opportunity to advertise my MOC a bit. I normally build planes and to some extent cars (see my Photostream on Flickr), but this time I decided to build something different: the heroes of Penguins of Madagascar. If you like them, you can support them on http://ideas.lego.com/projects/92191. The goal was to build it at a small scale and yet try to make each one of them reflect the character as much as possible. Each one has some unique features. Rico can tilt his legs, wings and also open his mouth to come up with a new item to solve the puzzle. Skipper can also turn his head around. Because he is taller, Kowalski has more ways to use his wings. Last but not least, Private has his always innocent look. They all have a special item to help them through the adventures:
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LEGO Ideas - Birds (21301) Review by Adeel Zubair, on Flickr "They will fly off the shelves!" First Impression: When I saw this set for the first time I was very impressed with this set just like any LEGO Ideas set. This is a must have set for any birds enthusiast. These are impressive recreations of three birds seen in different parts of the world. This will be an iconic and popular LEGO set amongst adults. This is one of the LEGO Idea's set that is not based on an IP (Intellectual Property) or a replica, others being the recent Exo-Suit (21109) and Research Institute (21110.) I just want to say a huge thanks to Thomas Poulsom for making this set a reality. Unique Parts: This set contains 3 unique printed 'Flat Tile 2x4' pieces in Black each with the specific bird's name in Latin: Erithacus Rubecula, Cyanocitta Cristata and Colibri Thalassinus. There are recolours of certain pieces which are now exclusive to this set at the time of this review: Plate 2X4X18° (Dark Green), Corner Plate 45 Deg. 3X3 (Dark Green), Tip Of The Tail Ø6,47 (Earth Green), Neck - Tail Link, Ø7.84-Ø6,47 (Earth Green), Plate 1x3 (Medium Blue), Plate 1X2 W. 1 Knob (Medium Blue), Plate 2x3 (Medium Blue), Left Plate 2X4 W/Angle (Medium Blue) and Right Plate 2X4 W/Angle (Medium Blue.) There are also a few rare pieces in this set: Plate 6x16 (Dark Green), Right Plate 3X8 W/Angle (Earth Blue), Left Plate 3X8 W/Angle Earth Blue), Roof Tile 4X2/18° W/Cor. (Earth Green), Brick W/Bow 1/3 (Medium Blue), Plate 1X2 W/Shaft Ø3.2 (Reddish Brown) and Plate 1X2 W. Shaft 12M (Transparent) Something I would like to point out that some ‘Medium Blue’ pieces seem to have two different shades in this set. I don't know why but it may be a quality control issue which does happen sometimes. I found it to be extra useful for different texture as the bird is a natural form. However some people may not like this simply because they may look out of place if the pieces are used for your own creations. Minifigures and Playability: Ha! This set contains no minifigures. These are detailed models of birds for display only. Therefore I don't see young children purchasing this set for any reason besides someone who likes birds or the swoosh factor of the birds. No, the wings don't move but yes each Bird can be easily removed from their display stand. The models are really great display pieces and are just a wonderful piece to adore the details on display. Build Experience: This set contains 5 five numbered bags. 2x Bag 1's for the Robin, 2x Bag 2's for the Blue Jay and 1x Bag 3 for the Hummingbird and flower. It surprisingly contains three instruction booklets (one for each bird.) As always with the LEGO Ideas sets, they are high-quality books containing the building instructions, information on the LEGO Ideas platform and background information about the set and its original creator. It took me an average of 25 minutes per bird to assemble together. This set was designed by the very talented Steen Sig Andersen who has been with The LEGO Group for a very long time and it really shows. He has provided each bird with its own unique SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques and very thoughtful engineering which makes the models really strong and durable. Each Bird has its own stand very similar to the architecture stands but this time we have the green grass with a small pedestal for the birds to fit on. In front of the pedestal we have the printed 'Flat Tile 2x4' with the name of the specific bird which keeps them partly hidden and at the edge of the base we have a ‘San Yellow’ finish to possibly represent wood. The set was very enjoyable to put together and I learned a few new techniques along the way which was quite surprising since I'm a pretty experienced builder. Value for Money: This retails for £39.99 in the UK and contains 580 pieces. It's hard to judge this set because it contains three different builds. Each bird with stand works out £13.33 each so that's fairly respectable plus with the high quality box and instructions booklets is definitely worth £39.99 compared with other models LEGO has released in the past. It's a set that will sky rocket in the aftermarket, you would rather purchase this whenever you get the chance since it has a limited production run like any other LEGO Ideas set. This set is only available at LEGO Stores and Shop.LEGO.com Display Attributes: Since this set is built with three separate models I will discuss each model in depth. The Erithacus Rubecula also known as the Robin has been exquisitely rendered with the whole profile and shape capturing the exact shape of a Robin. Unlike the other models it's not smoothed out to try to hide the studs. Instead they have expressed and proudly shown the studs through 80% of the model. It's really great they have exposed the studs to capture what LEGO really is and how its simple brick can be constructed into a beautiful natural form, which isn't seen often. As I examine the photograph I can see that the Robin is orange, light brown, tan, grey and white. I understand that having several colours on a model of this scale could easily take away from the model, but I was surprised they didn't use orange instead of the red but to be honest I saw the original in person and it didn't look right with the brown. I like how the belly of the Robin is built like a Lowell Sphere. One advantage with this compared with other birds is that the Robin can stand on its two very small feet without extra support, again heads up to Steen for some really great engineering techniques used. This model has to be the highlight of the set. The stand is also well designed, you can turn the Technic axle 360° to suit the owners needs of display and it can also be easily be separated. I don't like that the Technic axle wiggles, I feel they are under a lot of pressure underneath the weight of the model. I have two complaints which I have with most LEGO sets: when having SNOT techniques used in a LEGO set is requires you to assemble an opposite colour to the brick/s it will attached on to. In this case the white and brown is showing though a small gap above the assembly of the red belly of the Robin. It's a natural form so I won't complain too much but I have seen it many times in other sets. Yes LEGO have to use as many simple and primary colours in the internal structure of any model to make it easier for the builder to find the pieces when constructing a set. Additionally the black ‘Plate 1X2 W. Vertical Grip’ that have used to attach the Robin's wings which could've been brown but I guess in this case it can represent shadow and depth. Another example is the Technic axle going through the underside of the Robin could have been transparent, now it seems as if it's part of the Robin. Which doesn’t look right? I like that the scale is pretty close to the real bird and it also make these models feel like your personal pets. The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta Cristata) is once again rendered well but this build also has minor problems. Main reason is in some angles you can see right through the bird but to be honest when it's on the stand you can barely notice. Comparing this model to the photograph provided in the instruction booklet. You can clearly see that all black pieces should have been ‘Earth Blue' besides the beak. I feel cheated and I would have preferred them to be 'Earth Blue' I don't understand why LEGO had to be lazy and choose black instead. That's one big problem I have with this assembly. The final bird is the Hummingbird (Colibri Thalassinus) which sits on a ‘Plate 6x16’ for the additional flower assembly. The flower is an interesting but simple. It's nice to see another large natural form in this set beside a couple of birds. Referencing back to the photograph I can see that a Hummingbird also has yellow and blue but would look out of place with the presented scale like the Robin. The brown 'Plate' would have been nice in transparent but I may be mistaken, but it could be its feet? The two sloped 'Earth Green' bricks that were used to hide most of the back of the plates is a great addition however it's only conned by one Technic pin which means doesn't stay still. Fan Model Vs. Final Product: All three models are very well recreated and are pretty similar to the original fan creation. The only differences are the internal structure and the way the models are presented. I do prefer the way the final product displays the birds because they look or presentable. Steen has done a wonderful job of staying true to Tom’s original design and has done them justice as a worldwide product. Final Analysis/ Conclusion: Overall this set it is a must have set for adults. It has its flaws like any other set: the grey Technic axle used between the Robin and tree branch, black pieces used instead of ‘Earth Blue’ for the Blue Jay and the loose ‘Earth Green’ pieces of the Hummingbird. Anyway the models are impressive recreations and would make a great gift for any adult or birds enthusiast. Quick Summary: Parts: 5 - Good quantity of common and semi rare colours from a parts perspective. Playability: 3 - Each bird can be easily removed from their display stand and be swooshed around if you so desire. Building Experience: 4.5 - A few interesting SNOT techniques are used, although some parts of the build are a bit repetitive but still enjoyable. Value for Money: 5 - At first the price may seem high however the models of the birds are very attractive. With a price tag of £39.99 you cannot go wrong. Overall: 5 - It has one or two problems that come from the deep vaults of LEGO but besides that I can only judge the build on its own merits. The models are impressive recreations and would make a great gift for any adult or birds enthusiast. Useful Links: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/16897 https://ideas.lego.c.../1-blog/post/22 http://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Birds-21301
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Set#: 21301 Name: Birds Theme: Ideas Year: 2015 Pieces: 580 MSP: $44.99 Brickset Bricklink The box The box is nicely laid out, with a wood grain pattern overlaid with photos of the flowers and trees where the birds naturally occur. It's a tasteful package, suitable since the content is, compared to anything LEGO makes other than the Architecture series, appealing to builders who like to display more than play. The back shows the birds' natural habitats. Looking at the front, I doubt many who aren't ornithologists would know this from the front of the box. I only know the blue jay, since it's an iconic Canadian bird, but I was unaware that Europe had its own species of robin. The box is small, but is surprisingly heavy, so I thought it was densely packed with pieces, but the main reason is because of: The booklets I should have known, since the other ideas sets I have also had square-bound, glossy instruction booklets. This set comes with one for each bird. While most of the content is unique to each book, there is an introduction and some post-ads repeated in each, repeated in three languages, which seems wasteful and redundant. Likely, they couldn't squeeze it all into a single book easily, so they decided to separate it into three books rather than two, since there are three sets, but the repetition wasn't necessary, in my opinion. Regardless, the booklets live up to the high standard set by past sets from the deluxe Ideas series. There is also a short collection of statements from the original designer of the series. Each book has a description of the bird of each book. It gives the set a very deluxe feel. The back of one repeats the box back, and collects the sets. This is my first time seeing a non-screaming boy WIN! page. It's a treat. A massive difference is that Japan has been replaced by China as the non-Euro language. LEGO has been massively increasing in presence in Japan over the last five years (for example, it's pages four and five of the Japanese Toys R Us Christmas catalog this year), so this was a surprise to me. I guess as China's economy has eclipsed Japan's already, it is the major world growth market, and it makes sense, but it's still kind of a surprise after years of seeing Japan's 当てよう！ on the back of set instructions. The European Robin (Erithacus Rubecula) The first build comes in two bags. The parts selection is all pretty standard parts. If you have a fair amount of LEGO, there is a chance you could build this without the set. The first part of the build is the base. This is an identical base to that of the second build. The robin starts with the underbelly, a real SNOT style build. When turned over, a centre block is added, to affix the sides to. A second block is placed on top, and the first wings are placed on the side. I've seen similar techniques in sets to get SNOT done, but I thought this was really cleverly made. It is truly a creative build. In back, SNOT techniques are used again, and the tail is clipped in with three separate parts, allowing you to splay them if you so choose. The other side's wings are attached, and you get a very solid block of a bird. Finally the head and breast are placed in. A stick is made to stand on, which is dropped into the base. The connection is loose, meaning that the bird will spin around whichever way the base is tilted. Since most will display it on a shelf, it's not such a relevant point. It looks really nice. A shot from below. The SNOT on this could be renamed, SFES (Studs From Every Side). It's really fantastic, cute, accurate. The tail is a little splayed here. It really has captured the dimensions of a robin. Not a North American robin, which is a little more elongated, but I've seen birds like this. Except for the red colour, it captures the feel of a chickadee. A few pieces remain. The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta Cristata) Build two also comes in two bags. The pieces, for the most part, are nothing I don't already have, but I would say I don't have much in baby blue. These pieces are new for me though. I've seen some new shapes with SNOT studs in the last two years, so these don't shock me, but their shape is a little off the beaten path, having six studs length flat, and four studs perpendicular. <edit> Apparently, this piece was in some City truck sets recently, and is therefore now classified as a "common piece," as City trucks are the most common sets. The blue jay as well starts off with the bottom, studs out. Its feet aren't nearly as developed as the robin's was. At first, it was a little disappointment, but on the finished build, it's not really a big deal. The base of the blue jay connects to the tail with a clip, and the tail is attached to a pivoting slope to help get a natural contour. It looks pretty good. The wings use a ball connection, allowing them a little movement. The head also uses a click attachment, which pivots a little, but not much. Mainly it allows the head to connect at an odd degree, not square or perpendicular. The finished product is pretty beautiful. The crest on the head, the organic angles. It's striking. Since the wings are on a ball-socket, if you move them upwards, you can see inside, but that's a complain only a non-AFOL would make. And a few pieces remain. The Green Violetear (Calibre Thalassinus) The last bird is the violetear, such an uncommon bird that my computer spell checks it as 'violator'. Both my wife and I, and anyone I showed the set to, confused it for a hummingbird. Without research, I'm going to assume they are at least cousins ancestrally. The pieces are also pretty standard overall, but I love the brightness of them. The first part of the build is the flower. It's not so complicated, but communicates what it has to clearly and succinctly. It's quite effective in its simplicity. And a few pieces remain. This finished piece should be more effective than the first two, as it's a diorama. Unfortunately, because of the slightness of the build, it's my least favourite. Probably, it is mainly the wings that don't stun me. They are logical enough and capture the shape at a glance, but I would have liked a little more depth and complexity in them. More work are spent on the bird's underside than the overside. The two-tones of green done in cheese slopes look nice. The overside isn't nearly as impressive. The wings show the back of the studs, and the back is simply two slopes. It's not a bad build by any means, but it's a bit too simple for my tastes. All Together My wife always says "Oh, great!" when she looks at my built LEGO sets, but I felt that she actually meant it a bit more than usual with this set, as it was very at odds with the mini-fig scale that she's used to. I have to admit, I feel about the same way. I have over a hundred of mini-fig scale sets at this point, and simply because of that, this set feels really fresh to me. It's something I'll be very happy to keep at my desk. The Final Verdict Design: 10/10 I need to review them a little separately, since they all have different points. Of the three, the one which piques me the most is definitely the blue jay, but, to be totally honest, is because it was so nostalgic to me. As a Canadian, blue jays and cardinals were hammered into my head as 'Canadian winter birds,' as much as robins were labeled 'spring birds.' I just feel good to have one sitting to the left of me as I type this. That said, I think there is a strong tie with the robin as to which was designed best. The violetear is substantially less interesting as a model, though I'm sure it was difficult to design on the whole, being a slight bird. Ultimately, I can't imagine most (sane) people complaining about this set. Build: 9/10 The set is non-repetitive, apart from the wings. On top of that, there is a lot of clever SNOT techniques, which change from build to build, making all of it a fresh experience. Playability: 2/10 I don't think this is a set for playing with. Price: 10/10 It has a MSRP below 10 cents a piece, so would anyone complain about that? Great colours too. Makes me think those mini-figs might just cost a little too much. Overall: 10/10 I haven't awarded many 10/10 scores. Some nines, but not any tens that I can remember. Part of it has to be that I've built so many sets over the last few years, that I've gotten a little tired (I bought 15 buildable sets this year so far) . This is fresh. It is memorable. It simply taps into a love of LEGO that I hadn't tapped into yet. It's actually new. Conclusion: This is a great set. It stands out against my collection of LEGO. If you have a deep LEGO collection, I think this would be a must have. If you are simply a fan of themes and mini-figs, it might not be to your tastes at all. One thing I can say though: if you are an AFOL wanting to get a non-AFOL, non-geek fan, a set, this might just be the one. It's charming. The Architecture series could do the job as well, but I think this is a more appealing set than many of the architecture sets, and priced a lot better too.
