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!

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.

Battle on the High Seas

Aaron Newman October 12, 2018

The root for this model was my idea to use the plastic sprue from the 2018 Harry Potter wand element as an anchor. One thing led to another, and before you knew it I had a miniature 19th-century frigate on my hands! I built and refined my boat design over about a week. Meanwhile producing these photos, with their complex backdrops and lighting effects, took a bit longer than that… especially once I realized I wanted the photo you see above, where I’ve spliced both color variants together on one canvas for a “War of 1812” battle situation; that was a doozy to make!

Read on to learn more about the design choices behind these models.

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!

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.

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

Science on the High Seas

Exploring New Terrain

Battle on the High Seas

Strike Gundam: Launch Ready!

Ride Eternal on the Fury Road

Search Posts

Featured Posts