Get Your Game On!

Aaron Newman September 15, 2021

I designed these life-size replicas of an MSI Aegis Ti5 desktop and an MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD monitor on commission for MSI’s marketing department. Combined, these models clock in at more than 10,600 bricks, and over 42 lbs (14 kg) of weight, making them the biggest LEGO models I have ever designed and assembled under the auspices of my LLC. I can say with confidence that this was the most difficult LEGO-built project I’ve ever undertaken… and, as such, it’s one of the most satisfying to have accomplished. Needless to say, it feels amazing to finally get to share these two models with the world!

Watch the video above for an exploration of these epic display pieces, and read on for even more in-depth info about their process and design choices.

The Picture of Suburban Bliss

Aaron Newman July 20, 2021

I designed this replica of a private residence on commission. Although the client only paid me for digital deliverables—i.e., design services and instructions, but no physical bricks—I couldn’t resist splurging a little on parts to recreate my finished product in real life, with a few modifications of my own to “spruce up” the build. Yes, that was a pun, because yes, the addition of a towering redwood tree in the backyard was one of my biggest add-ons!

This 360-degree home recreation also features fully realized, furnished interior spaces, making it perhaps the most in-depth structural recreation I have ever completed at this size. Keeping balance between external and internal was a fun puzzle to solve, and while I was battling for space much of the time, I’m pleased with and proud of the final result.

Read on to learn more about the design choices behind this build, and to check out all the rooms of the house!

What's Up, Dog?

Aaron Newman January 27, 2021

I built these three miniature dog portraits on commission. I actually designed and photographed these models before I shared my larger-scale Cavalier King Charles Spaniel models but, as these mini-dogs were all intended as holiday gifts, I didn’t want to risk spoiling the surprise by sharing them any earlier!

Read on for a closer look at each of these dogs individually, as well as pictures of their real-life counterparts!

Two Models Working in "Harmony"

Aaron Newman December 20, 2020

I designed this 1:2-scale pair of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels on commission. They’re some of the first pet builds I’ve ever designed, and I feel quite proud with how they turned out.

Let me introduce you to two sweet dogs: Indigo (the “Tri-Color” Cavalier, with black, white, and brown coloration) and Harmony (the “Blenheim” Cavalier, with white and reddish coloration). Like most pet owners, my client loves and treasures his dogs. Out of respect for his adoration, I sought to recreate Harmony and Indigo as faithfully as possible, and to make the pair complement one another just like their real-life counterparts do.

However, I wasn’t always slated to build both Indigo and Harmony. Initially, my client approached me seeking just a 1:1 replica of Harmony, and I signed on to the project intending to produce a model in that size. So, why did I change scales?

Read on to find out why, and to learn more about the process and design decisions behind these models!

Science on the High Seas

Aaron Newman November 16, 2020

I designed this replica of a real-life research vessel on commission. While I’ve done a few seafaring builds before, I’d never built a full-size modern boat prior to this project. I love to tackle new subjects, since they throw all kinds of unexpected puzzles my way; as such, I relished this project as a great opportunity to grow as a builder. In the end, I finished with a larger, cooler, and more beautiful model than I ever expected to produce.

Clocking in at over 2,000 bricks, this minifigure-scale recreation measures over than 20" (50cm) long and weighs over 4 lbs (nearly 2 kg). The boat also features 3 levels of carefully crafted interior details that emulate those of the actual vessel, which are accessible in the LEGO modular building style, via removable roofs and sub-layers.

Read on to find out what’s inside this vessel, and to learn more about the choices I made and challenges I faced during its design process!

We Are Cleared for Takeoff

Aaron Newman June 21, 2020

I designed this replica of a Tupolev 204-300 (Tu-204-300) on commission. It was my first time building a replica airplane, but I hope it won’t be my last; I had loads of fun working on this plane!

The stimulating puzzle of this project was capturing the craft as accurately as possible… not just by eye, but by math. Read on to learn more about the design choices behind this aircraft model.

"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!

Beneath the Surface Once Again

Aaron Newman April 30, 2020

A diver descends… A boat bobs in the waves… Schools of fish circle in unison... and a pair of crabs quarrel on the sandy seafloor.

All these dynamic elements come to life on my newest build, “The Shipwreck.” This kinetic vignette, which shows a scuba diver encountering and documenting a centuries-old wreck lodged into a coral reef, features a treasure trove of mechanical functionality, all contained within a rocky base and masked with vibrant detail. Let’s take a “deep dive” into this scene’s backstory, design choices, and functionality!

North Shore, Chattanooga

Aaron Newman April 22, 2020

I built this replica of a private residence on commission. This house, nicknamed “North Shore Chattanooga” by its owner, is a gorgeous piece of architecture that was a blast to replicate in bricks!

I am extremely proud of this little model, which I think packs in a great deal of accuracy and detail despite its small size. Learn more about the design choices I made on my replica of North Shore Chattanooga by reading on.

Exploring New Terrain

Aaron Newman April 17, 2020

I created this replica of a 2015 Ford Explorer as a custom gift for somebody. It was one of my first times building a car, and the first time I’ve ever tried to replicate a real-life vehicle! Read on to learn more of the challenges and choices I faced in this project.

Behind-The-Build: Good vs. Evil

Aaron Newman March 27, 2020

In Episode 8 of LEGO Masters, “Good vs. Evil” (3/26/2020), each team picked two minifigures from LEGO’s Collectible Minifigure Series 19, and turn them into either a team of superheroes or a squad of supervillains! The characters we picked would serve as the inspiration behind a secret hideout build. On top of this individual assignment, each “hero” team got partnered with a “villain” team and both teams were asked to collaborate on an epic battle scene together!

As such, to fit the parameters of the challenge, our build for this week actually comprised of four distinct models: a superhero headquarters disguised inside a Tech Center building; two individual vehicles (one for each of our heroes), and a joint battle scene between our pair of superheroes and fellow team Tyler and Amy’s pair of supervillains.

Despite presenting polished models that were up to our usual standards—a nice change after our Storybook build, which had turned out a bit messy—Christian and my competition also brought forth some amazing work this challenge. Unfortunately, this ultimately meant that “Good vs. Evil” turned out to be our final episode of LEGO Masters. In this highly competitive week, Christian and I placed in the bottom two and were, subsequently, chosen by the Brickmasters to be eliminated.

Read on for my special dissection of our models’ process, design choices, and more!

Behind-The-Build: Storybook Challenge

Aaron Newman March 20, 2020

In Episode 7 of LEGO Masters, “Storybook” (3/18/2020), all the teams were presented with an identical, Mad Lib-style story, the blanks of which had been filled in creatively by a group of kids. For the challenge, each team had to present their own recreation of this zany tale involving a “book chicken,” a “horse that can do gymnastics,” a “Taker-Waker,” and more.

For our model, Christian and I chose to build the interior of the Taker-Waker’s house, which the storybook specified as being messy and full of stolen toys. This setting choice, however, turned out to be a bad one. Our decision to build an enclosed structure literally boxed us in, and guided us towards manifesting a more realistic interpretation of the “Land of Koo Koo Magic” than other teams. Unfortunately, this stylistic direction left the Brickmasters cold. On top of this, since we took the story at face value, we intentionally built a cluttered house… but ended up with an unintentionally messy-looking build.

Ultimately, our entry for the storybook challenge landed us in the bottom two teams for the first time. Although Christian and I weren’t eliminated, this was still my least favorite build of the season. Read on for my special dissection of this model’s process, design choices, and more.

Behind-The-Build: Arch & Truss Bridge

Aaron Newman March 13, 2020

For Episode 6 of LEGO Masters, “Need for Speed/Super Bridge” (3/12/2020), Christian and I created the “Arch & Truss” bridge, a double-support structure built to span a 6’ (183cm) gap and hold as much weight as possible.

This 7-hour challenge put teams’ engineering expertise to the test. With so little time to work and a blatantly quantitative assessment at the challenge’s end, there was very little room for error in this challenge. Every choice we made could be the one that catapulted us to victory… or else sent us to the bottom. The stakes were high even without the Golden Brick being up for grabs once more!

Read on for my special dissection of this model’s process, design choices, and more.

Behind-The-Build: Attack on Sustainable City

Aaron Newman March 6, 2020

For Episode 5 of LEGO Masters, “Mega City Block” (3/4/2020), Christian and I created “Attack on Sustainable City,” an environmentally-minded city block under threat by an enormous pollution monster.

This build—which was divided into a 14 hour first part and a 4-hour second part—was a huge emotional roller coaster for me. As we wheeled our build into the gallery during the final two minutes of part one, our table hit a brick on the floor, sending a shock wave up the tall tower and toppling five of its fourteen stories. This catastrophic collapse felt like the lowest of lows… until we got an extremely lucky twist!

In part two of the challenge, during which we were instructed to put our city blocks “under attack,” Christian and I managed to both rebuild our fallen tower and create an iconic monster of which we were quite proud. Our finished model definitely made its mark; it turned out to be the tallest building of all.

“Attack on Sustainable City” landed us in the top two teams for this week. Read on for my special dissection of this model’s process, design choices, and more.

Behind-The-Build: Heartbreak of the Dragon Prince

Aaron Newman February 27, 2020

For Episode 3 of LEGO Masters, “Movie Genres” (2/26/2020), Christian and I created “Heartbreak of the Dragon Prince,” a fantasy romance with a thrilling conclusion!

In our final build, the Dragon Prince and his princess are threatened by a pair of nefarious necromancer brothers, who have summoned an army of skeletons to attack the castle. In the blockbuster moment we captured, the Dragon Prince—chained by wicked magic—has managed to delay the horde of skeletons with fire, but cannot prevent one of the necromancers from pushing his love from the top of the tower. Will he be able to save her from a deadly drop?

Read on for my special dissection of this 13-hour model’s process, design choices, and more.

Behind-The-Build: Beneath the Surface

Aaron Newman February 21, 2020

In the winter of 2020, my friend Christian Cowgill and I appeared in the first American season of LEGO Masters, a reality-style building competition show. For Episode 3 of the series, “Cut in Half” (2/19/2020), Christian and I created “Beneath the Surface,” a epic underwater vignette built on the side of a halved antique diving helmet.

Read on for my special dissection of this 12-hour model’s process, design choices, and more!

Behind-The-Build: Catastrophe at the Crescent

Aaron Newman February 14, 2020

In the winter of 2020, my friend Christian Cowgill and I appeared in the first American season of LEGO Masters, a reality-style building competition show. For Episode 2 of the series, “Space Smash” (2/12/2020), Christian and I built Catastrophe at the Crescent, an unorthodox space station designed to be blown up by real-life explosives.

Read on for my special dissection of this model’s process, design choices, and more!

Behind-The-Build: Spaceland

Aaron Newman February 7, 2020

In the winter of 2020, my friend Christian Cowgill and I appeared in the first American season of LEGO Masters, a reality-style building competition show. For Episode 1 of the series, “Dream Park Theme Park” (2/5/2020), Christian and I assembled Spaceland, a retro-space themed amusement park complete with a spinning UFO swings ride, a crashed-alien-spaceship-turned-café, a modern visitor center, a laser-gun shooting gallery, intergalactic storefronts, and an enormous, motorized Ferris wheel… all built in just 15 hours

Read on for my special dissection of Spaceland. This model became the winning build in its week, earning Christian and me the coveted Golden Brick!

Sketching Medieval in Monochrome

Aaron Newman June 18, 2019

I built this model as a trophy for the 2019 Summer Joust, a medieval-themed building contest. As one of the competition’s judges, I was asked to prepare a prize for the “No Bley” subcategory. Entries in that category weren’t allowed to use any “bley”—a portmanteau of “bluish grey,” shorthand used to refer to LEGO’s post-2004 gray hues— so I thought it would be fun and tongue-in-cheek if the entire prize I designed was built from those colors!

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

God Save the King (of the Birds)

Aaron Newman February 25, 2019

I assembled this creation to imaginatively showcase the new plastic “skins” from LEGO Forma, a LEGO-produced crowdfunded product that I pledged several months ago. As soon as received and unwrapped my myriad “skin packs,” I knew that I’d want to find special ways to integrate their unique, vibrant elements in designs of my own!

The first Forma-based creation I built was this Bird of Paradise, which used the Splash Koi’s fins as its plumage. Read on to find out more about its design, as well as that of the rest of this diorama!