Behind-the-Build: Masonic Eagle

Aaron Newman August 19, 2021

I designed this enormous logo sculpture on commission for the Scottish Rite Masons in Massachusetts. Prior to this model, I had no experience with Freemasonry beyond, say, National Treasure, and I’m still no expert. Rather, to me, this project was an exercise in LEGO-izing unfamiliar iconography; it represented a chance for me to tackle a model I never would’ve thought to build on my own. When life throws me a challenge, I like to take it!

In that it’s a large-scale creature, sculpted with studs-out techniques, standing atop a big box pedestal, this Masonic Eagle logo exists in a similar vein and style to my Salesforce character pieces. However, the model also posed its own set of challenges and put forward its own unique questions.

Watch the video above for an in-depth exploration of this display piece, and read on for even more info about its design choices.

Reach for the Stars: Building Astro

Aaron Newman July 12, 2021

I built this statue of Astro Nomical, a Salesforce character from their Trailhead software, for Salesforce’s TrailheadX 2021 (TDX21) virtual event. This piece was designed to scale with my Salesforce sculpture from last year’s event, TDX20, which was a statue of Codey the Bear. This year’s model, which is nearly 16” (40cm+) tall and consists of over 3,000 bricks, was a formidable undertaking mostly because of timing; just like last year’s piece, I had to complete my design and source the necessary bricks for it against an extremely tight deadline, which was a live-build of the final model for a virtual event.

My recreation of Astro intentionally emulates my LEGO Codey in terms of its design, composition, and techniques; as such, many aspects of the process were ones with which I’d already had experience. However, this project posed some new opportunities for growth, too. For example, Astro’s base includes a lighting element, the which I had to integrate with a LEGO-built infrastructure. The model also features custom decals, modified LEGO bricks, and a pretty dynamic pose.

I feel that LEGO-built Astro pays appropriate homage to my first TrailheadX live build model; in doing so, it reinforces a set style for my burgeoning Salesforce character series. But I also feel that this model advances my character-building format into new territory and breaks ground of its own, which makes me even prouder of the finished result!

Read on to learn more about the conception, construction, and design of this custom statue.

Behind-the-Build: Lost Boys Hideout

Aaron Newman October 13, 2020

It was an absolute blast to design my interpretation of the Lost Boys’ hideout from the 1953 Disney animated movie Peter Pan. At 18” (45cm) tall—and over 1700 bricks—it’s quite a big creation, and took me more than a month to design and refine. Best of all, I opted to build and present this model as a “LEGO set,” complete with stable building techniques, play features, and a full assortment of minifigures. It just felt more appropriate to the subject material to channel some of my inner child, who loves nothing more than an exciting new LEGO kit. Like Peter Pan, I’m never growing up!

Watch the video above for an in-depth tour and exploration of the Lost Boys’ hideout, including demonstration of its play features, or read on to see detailed images and learn more about the design choices that went into this playset.

From Trailhead to Summit: Building Codey

Aaron Newman July 2, 2020

I built this statue of Codey, a Salesforce character from their Trailhead learning platform, for Salesforce’s TrailheadX 2020 (TDX20) virtual event. At 2’ (60cm) tall and built from nearly 4,000 bricks, Codey is pretty huge!

Incredibly, the window of time between this statue’s conception and its final presentation was only a month. I had less than two weeks during that period to complete the design work for the whole model, since midway through the project’s month-long timeline—as if things couldn’t get any crazier!—I moved cross-country. During this project, I worked with some really cool people, old friends and new; with their help, I accomplished Codey even against an extremely tight deadline. I’m so proud to finally get to share the fruits of this crazy, fun, and growthful whirlwind of a project!

Read on to learn more about the conception, construction, assembly, and design of this custom statue.

"Here's the Story... of a Lovely Lady..."

Aaron Newman May 20, 2020

I designed this famous house from The Brady Bunch (1969-74) on commission. Before beginning work, I hadn’t even listened to the show’s catchy theme! However, I very quickly came to realize that merely speaking the first few lyrics of that song will send many people into paroxysms of nostalgia. The Brady Bunch is a landmark show beloved by millions, and the Bradys’ iconic house now a tourist attraction that is the second-most photographed house in the United States. It was a real treat for me to replicate and recreate a truly meaningful piece of American pop culture.

I love tackling the challenges unique to replicating architecture in brick form, and this home posed more than just those delicious run-of-the-mill puzzles. You see, I was set to model a house that technically never had, and never will, exist. My model of the Bradys’ house—the combination of an amalgam of sources—required a good deal of compromise, research, and imagination to reach its finished form. Read on to learn more about the design choices behind this project!

"Wraiths with Wings!"

Aaron Newman May 13, 2020

I designed this replica of a Fell Beast from Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001-2003) in collaboration with Build Better Bricks (B3). Despite their limited screen time during the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) films, the Ringwraiths’ dragon steeds known as Fell Beasts are some of the most striking creatures from Jackson’s take on the Tolkien universe. I was excited to revisit this subject; the last time I made a Fell Beast was actually back in 2012, when my building skills were nowhere near as practiced as they are now.

Read on to learn more about the design choices that culminated in my finished Fell Beast model—and stick around to the end of this post to see my 2012 version, too!

"I'll Be Back!"

Aaron Newman April 10, 2020

I designed this version of the eponymous character from James Cameron’s landmark movie The Terminator (1984) in collaboration with Build Better Bricks (B3). When B3 initially approached me about recreating the famous cyborg in bricks, I’d actually never seen any of the Terminator franchise films… and, embarrassed as I am to admit it, I still haven’t seen the original movie all the way through!

Read more to learn about all the design choices I made on this model.

However, I didn’t have to watch more than a few clips of the original T-800 Terminator to refresh myself on just how iconic of a design I was dealing with. Of course, I already knew Arnold Schwarzenegger’s accented catchphrase from the movie, “I’ll be back,” and would’ve recognized the Terminator’s distinctive metallic endoskeleton anywhere. But there’s something beyond just fame that sets this character apart and captures the imagination. Its menace, its strength, its doggedness, its humanoid teeth… The Terminator is just intimidating, no question about that!

"Throw a Little Hot-Rod Red in There."

Aaron Newman September 9, 2019

When I first saw Iron Man in 2008, I left the theater enraptured and amazed by the film I’d just seen. I imagine most audiences felt similar enthusiasm; after all, for more than ten years, Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Tony Stark served as the foundation upon which the Marvel Cinematic Universe—the most lucrative film franchise in history—was built. In 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, as we had to say goodbye to this character, it truly felt like the end of an era.

After seeing Endgame, I wanted to create a brick-built homage to Iron Man. However, rather than opting to build the nano-tech suit that comprised the hero’s final iteration, I chose to recreate the form in which this character captured the imagination of the world eleven years ago. I’ve assembled Iron Man in his first and—I’d argue—most iconic form: Tony’s Mark III Armor, the first suit to sport his signature gold and “hot-rod red” color scheme.

Read on to learn more about the design of this 10” (25cm) figurine.

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stranger

Aaron Newman July 3, 2019

Since it first aired in 2016, Netflix’s sci-fi/mystery/horror show Stranger Things has become something of a cultural phenomenon… enough so that The LEGO Group produced a Stranger Things set, and hosted a Stranger Things building competition. I designed this model to answer that competition’s prompt, which asked its contestants to present what they thought to be the most “iconically Stranger Things.” To me, nothing better captured the iconography of the series than one of its signature monsters: the Demogorgon.

Read on to learn more about the design of this 10” (27cm) figurine.

"There is only one Lord of the Ring..."

Aaron Newman May 2, 2019

“…And he does not share power!”

As I mentioned in a blog entry on my Middle Earth Micro Models, Peter Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings are some of my all-time favorite films. So when I found myself facing “builders block” with an ongoing project, I naturally turned to that cinematic epic for inspiration. In the end, I designed the Dark Lord Sauron in his humanoid form, and I’m quite pleased with how my version of this iconic character turned out!

Read on to learn more about the design of this 13” (34cm) figurine.

Middle Earth or Micro Earth?

Aaron Newman December 17, 2018

Peter Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings are some of my favorite movies ever— and while I’ve designed within his cinematic vision before (my Balrog and Minas Tirith models are a few of note), it was an enjoyable exercise to recreate some of the films’ most iconic creatures at a tiny scale. I made these quite fast, going from start to photographs in only two days! Making a series of three felt apropos to honoring the trilogy; you might notice I’ve done one build for each movie. Read on to find out more about each build’s design process.

Strike Gundam: Launch Ready!

Aaron Newman October 4, 2018

I had no prior experience with Gundam before this little model, and have never seen any of the Gundam anime, but I absolutely loved my experience building my first Bandai model! The intricate parts, the tiny stickers, and the awesome flexibility all enraptured me. (I had such a good time, in fact, that I returned to the store one more time some days later to acquire another even more sophisticated Gundam.)

The idea to recreate my first Gundam in my more usual medium, LEGO bricks, occurred to me soon after I finished assembling the Bandai model. However, as other projects took the forefront for me, I forgot about this idea… until one afternoon when I had a lot of time on my hands, and felt like building something new, I picked up the ol’ Gundam and decided to try my best to replicate it 1:1 with LEGO. Seemed like a fun brain teaser.

Read on to learn more about the design process behind this creation!

"Small" Tales: Making a Miniature

Aaron Newman September 26, 2018

I designed this miniature version of my Tale of the Three Brothers build, from late March of this year, for a microscale LEGO Harry Potter contest online. I had the idea to miniaturize my previous Wizarding World creation as soon as I read about the contest; after all, that build received such a warm response, and it remains one of my favorite presentations to date. So I set myself the task of making it micro!

This final build, the which I finished in a short day’s work, was a fun and quick exercise in miniaturization. While building stuff smaller-than-life in LEGO is hardly unusual (case in point: even my huge 40” Chateau de Chenonceau isn’t quite the same size as the real-life castle!), to take an existent design of mine and replicate it smaller was a novel task.

Read on to learn more about the parallels I drew between the original scene and its smaller version.

"The Tale of the Three Brothers" is my fifth ABS challenge build.

The Brothers Peverell

Aaron Newman March 27, 2018

This build, an artistic presentation of "The Tale of the Three Brothers" from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is the fifth build I've completed for my second round in the ABS Builder Challenge, an online competition where LEGO® artists are tasked with implementing a "seed part"—in this case, a silver goblet—creatively into as many builds as possible.

Read on to learn more about the design choices behind this model.

This replica of the Doof Wagon is my fourth ABS challenge build.

Ride Eternal on the Fury Road

Aaron Newman March 25, 2018

This model, a recreation of the Doof Wagon and Nux Car from Mad Max: Fury Road, is the fourth build I've completed for my second round in the ABS Builder Challenge, an online competition where LEGO® artists are tasked with implementing a "seed part"—in this case, a silver goblet—creatively into as many builds as possible.