Sunday, February 27, 2011

Malaysian LEGOLAND - progress update

Taj Mahal, requiring 42,500 LEGO bricks and 3,000 man-hours to build

The builders are working day and night to complete 15,000 Lego model structures for the $256 million Legoland Malaysia, which is slated to open late next year.

Other iconic Asian structures you can expect to see include Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest twin buildings in the world. The Taj Mahal alone required 42,500 bricks and 3,000 man-hours to assemble.

The 31 ha attraction will be the sixth LEGOLAND theme park in the world and the only one in Asia. The five parks had a combined attendance of more than 6.5 million visitors last year.

Full article at this link: thejakartaglobe.com legoland-malaysia-to-open-next-year

Currently three future Legoland parks are being developed throughout the world. Legoland Malaysia is planned to open in Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia in 2012, and would be the first Legoland in Asia.[3] Legoland Dubailand is planned to open in DubaiUnited Arab Emirates. It was originally scheduled to open in 2011, but has since been delayed. In January 2010, Merlin Entertainments purchased the former Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida, with the intention of converting the former botanical garden and amusement park into Legoland Florida, which are expected to be opened at the last quarter of 2011. ref:Wikipedia , link: .wikipedia.org Legoland

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Pricewatch LEGO - Myer, up to 30% off toys till 27 Feb

LEGO 30% off = 20% (+ 10% extra if you show MyerOne Card & the voucher (that Myer should have emailed to you). A voucher link is below. Offer expires Sunday 27 Feb 2011. Toys not available at Myer Forest Hill and Werribee. Details and copy of the voucher you can print are here: www.myer.com.au Voucher

Largest LEGO Mosaic: DK and the LEGO Group sets world record

At Shoreditch Town Hall in London, England  a team from LEGO Brick Association and DK team  completed a mosaic measuring 97.5 square metres, using 384,000 LEGO bricks and 1500 LEGO baseplates - which sets the new world record for the Largest Lego Mosaic

Read more details, and watch the video of its assembly at this link here: www.worldrecordsacademy.org largest_LEGO_mosaic

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Not your usual LEGO SW pics

Posters from an advertising school in Brazil (Advertising School: Escola Cuca, São Paulo, Brazil).
Email me your own caption ideas to blxbrx@gmail.com



Grafitti will be punished severely.

Maybe lightsabers should carry a safety warning?




Source web site here: Link: http://www.ibelieveinadv.com/2011/02/lego-star-wars/

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

LEGO Star Wars III game - Darth Sidious revealed

"LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars is now just over a month away from release, and it's time to reveal another character.
This Sith Lord was pretty much impossible for the Jedi Knights to find, even though he was right under their noses the entire time. It's much easier for you to find the wicked Darth Sidious, by simply heading over to LEGOStarWars.com. Once you're in, hit ENTER, then type DARKSIDE all as one word, then hit ENTER again.
His angry scowl should greet you... warmly?"
Click here for link (via: starwars.com games legoswiii)

More new LEGO Star Wars sets for 2011

LEGO are revisiting the Podracers in 2011 with this set (nbr 7962), snapped a week ago at the International Toy Fair. It was announced for August release.

Lots of new sets for 2011 (SW & others). Pics at Gizmodo.com 2011 sets




More pics and other sets at the ftbt (From Bricks To Bothans) Flickr photostream.
Click this link: flickr.com fbtbnet

Look who is back in the minifigs!




Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Make a belt with LEGO - step-by-step instructions

Great do-it-yourself tutorial on how to make a belt, and have a LEGO buckle. Use your own ideas for what to put on the buckle!

Click this link : deliacreates boys-lego-belt

Amazing LEGO Mystery Box, by Todd Wilder

Top view - note the question marks all over the design!
"Seriously incredible! The box is stunning, but the puzzles inside is twice as good. I have never seen anything like this before, this is truly a mystery box!" 
  


"

Detail - the side design is all question marks!
 "


""It's very rare that I find a Moc on here that is both perplexing in its creation as well as mesmerizing as the pictures walk you through it. Each image was like a further exploration into this fabulous creation. Thank you very much for this experience." 
Porcratus Finch (
http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/249968"


Link to Todd Wilder on www.mocpages.com with more pics and larger detail, along with his comments and description. LDD may be made available, he says. Watch that MOCpage

Monday, February 21, 2011

For LEGO fans who also are movie fans.


More LEGO-fied movie posters, and the original posters of other

2011 Oscar Best Picture Nominations: LEGO version



More new LEGO sets in 2011 -

More new sets for 2011, this one scheduled for July. Link to heaps more at this link: spieletest

This set includes minifigs (Crossbow Dragon knightSpear Dragon knightDragon soldierFarmer (x2), and Farm lady, also a pig, 2 goats and 3 chickens!

Detailed photos of this set here: Brickipedia set 7189


Sunday, February 20, 2011

LEGO Valentines Day ideas - well, maybe for next year

Check out these ideas of LEGO Love, by Larry Lars.

Link for the pic on his Flickr photostream is here: flickr.com Larry Lars photostream also including lots of LEGO Halo ideas

Sariel's Big Brick Rig - Technic Tow Truck

Sariel has been a favourite LEGO designer of mine for ages. There is a link on the bottom right of this blog page (scroll down) to more of his stuff. This amazing creation features 14 elctric motors, almost 20 metres of wires, and 44 LEGO LEDs. There are more photos and a good video of the model working at the technobob.com website (link: technabob.com big-brick-rig
More fantastic models by Sariel at his web site at this link: Web site of sariel.pl
Meanwhile, here is some detail about the model.


Video trailer for Ninjago game exclusive to Nintendo DS

"Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has released a new trailer for the upcoming Nintendo DS game, LEGO Battles: Ninjago. Exclusive to the Nintendo DS, the game is meant to “compliment” the LEGO Ninjago sets available at retailers."

Click on this link to see the video at the site
new LEGO Battles Ninjago at nintendogal.com

Is Obama coming out of his "dark ages"?

Obama's LEGO Lesson (from CNN.com)
The adult LEGO fans sometimes speak of the "Dark Ages" when they did not play with LEGO, and many proudly recall the model they bought as an adult that "brought them out of the Dark Ages".

Maybe this is Barack Obama's moment to rediscover his childhood love of building LEGO towers.


.“I used to build some pretty mean LEGO towers when I was a kid,” the president told an audience of mostly Intel employees.  “I thought I could participate, only these students used their LEGO’s to build models, to build robots that were programmable, to model brains that could repair broken bones.”
Details and the full story at this link: Obama's LEGO Lesson

Friday, February 18, 2011

International Toy Fair in New York City - LEGO booth photos

Toy Fair 2011 - lots of new LEGO sets, models and themes announced.




Great sets of pictures from the LEGO booth at the International Toy Fair in New York City!
Check them out at this link: fbtb on flickr - collections

Thursday, February 17, 2011

LEGO PriceWatch - 20% off new Ninjago at ToysRUs 17-24 Feb

Cars 2 - new models in 2011 - photos & link to more photos

New models for 2011 - lots of photos of other sets at "From Bricks To Bothans" web site. Link here: fbtb.net cars-2-sets-exposed



Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Star Wars Miniland Coming To LEGOLAND California


Recently I blogged the Millenium Falcon model being transported to this new display, opening March 31.
The web site "From Bricks To Bothans" (FBTB) attended a press event at the start of the year and reported details, with photos from the LEGOLAND workshop. See details and more photos at this link:
    fbtb.net star-wars-miniland-coming-to-legoland-california


Excerpt from the press release: ... "The roughly 2,000 LEGO STAR WARS models are being developed and built by eight model designers and two animation electricians at our sister park, LEGOLAND Deutschland in Günzburg, Germany. It is up to the Master Model Builders at LEGOLAND California to bring the scenes to life with the help of animation electricians, technicians and landscapers all working to ensure the LEGO models appear as realistic as possible with special effects and landscaping.

LEGOLAND workshop. Gary McIntire with Miniland Tauntaun 1



Planning started in March 2010. The individual film scenes were selected after careful consultation with Lucasfilm Ltd. Pictures and drawings of the figures, spacecraft, vehicles, landscapes, etc. were taken as the basis for the detailed construction blueprints. The model designers used a special LEGO drawing paper for this, on which one square is equivalent to one LEGO knob. In the next step, they calculated how many bricks and which colors and forms would be needed for the models. For particularly difficult model parts, prototypes are first built, before the model is constructed brick by brick. To help the LEGO models last longer, all of the bricks are glued together and then sprayed with a special UV coating.
Authentic STAR WARS sounds, actions and lighting effects help to make the models even more lifelike. For all models, only commercially available LEGO pieces are used.

LEGOLAND Deutschland and LEGOLAND Billund will also be opening new STAR WARS Miniland displays in 2011."

New Disney/LEGO sets for 2011 - prices & dates are for USA



LEGO Sets announced for Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 include:8200 Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen (35 pieces) – $6.99 (May 2011)
8201 Classic Mater (52 pieces) – $6.99 (May 2011)
8206 Tokyo Pit Stop (147 pieces) – $14.99 (May 2011)
8424 Mater’s Spy Zone (114 pieces) – $14.99 (May 2011)
8426 Escape at Sea (159 pieces) – $19.99 (May 2011)
8486 Mack’s Team Truck (374 pieces) – $39.99 (May 2011)
8638 Spy Jet Escape (339 pieces) – $49.99 (August 2011)
8487 Flo’s V8 Cafe (517 pieces) – $59.99 (May 2011)
8639 Big Bentley Playset (743 pieces) – $69.99 (August 2011)
LEGO Sets announced for Disney‘s Pirates of the Caribbean include:4181 Isla de Muerta (152 pieces) – $19.99 (May 2011)
4182 The Cannibal Escape (279 pieces) – $29.99 (May 2011)
4183 The Mill (365 pieces) – $39.99 (May 2011)
4184 Black Pearl (804 pieces) – $99.99 (November)
4193 The London Escape (463 pieces) – $49.99 (May 2011)
4194 Whitecap Bay (746 pieces) – $79.99 (May 2011)
4195 Queen Anne’s Revenge (1,097 pieces) – $119.99 (May 2011)
4191 The Captain’s Cabin (95 pieces) – $11.99 (May 2011)
4192 Aqua de Vida / Fountain of Youth (128 pieces) – $19.99 (May 2011)
DUPLO Sets announced for Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 include:5817 Agent Mater (11 pieces) – $14.99 (May 2011)
5818 Luigi’s Italian Place (22 pieces) – $19.99 (May 2011)
5828 Big Bentley (67 pieces) – $39.99 (May 2011)
5829 The Pit Stop (52 pieces) – $49.99 (May 2011)
DUPLO Sets announced for Winnie the Pooh include:5945 Winnie’s Picnic (13 pieces) – $9.99 (March 2011)
5947 Winnie’s House (40 pieces) – $29.99 (March 2011)
More photos and details at Stitch Kingdom (link: stitchkingdom.com disney lego )
 

Friday, February 11, 2011

More LEGO cake ideas - Star Wars meets Indiana Jones

More shots and bigger pics with more detail and different angles at this link: indiana-jones-and-star-wars-get-mashed-into-a-lego-cake at uberreview.com

Thursday, February 10, 2011

My cake has LEGO bricks in it!

What a great idea!

Smallvillenews (the maker) says, "It was my first ever attempt at making a cake and it took me 10 hours over 3 days to make… Nothing will ever take away the joy on my sons face when he saw this on his 8th birthday".

Source (link): funny-food-photos-lego-constructed-cake

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Video of Series 4 and Series 5 Collectibles from International Toy Fair, plus more



Series 5 consists of:
- Cave Woman
- Clown With Pie
- Dinosaur Suit Guy
- Boxer
- Dwarven Warrior
- Gladiator
- Detective
- Cleopatra
- British Royal Guard
- Female Zoo Keeper
- Eskimo
- Male Snowboarder
- Scholar
- Gangster
- Female Rapper
- Guy In Red Shirt & Cap (Lumberjack)


Actual video images of Series 4 and 5 was released from the International Toy Fair in Nurnberg this week.
Go to link at LEGO Collectible Minifigs series 4 and 5 - video on YouTube to watch it yourself!
Also, new themes - Alien Conquest (expected July 2011).







Also, video has lots of Pharaoh Quest minifig images.

Collectible Minifigures - Series 5?

There is a strong rumour & a picture on the web regarding the series 5 minifigs.



Here is a list of the supposed names of the nine minifigures:
  • Adventurer
  • Boxer
  • Cavewoman
  • Cleopatra
  • Clown with Pie
  • Dinosaur Suit Guy
  • Dwarf
  • Gladiator
  • Irish Royal Guard
Due to the photo being marked "confidential", I can't show the photo here, but the link to the site with the photo is: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1186828/pics/Series5Collectifigs.jpg

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Lighting and LEGO photography - continued

Death Star battle: why couldn't they afford guard rails on such an expensive Death Star? 
Continuing my observations of how effective good lighting adds to the drama of  a LEGO scene or model, imagine this just lit in a flat normal way. Have a look at the larger photo and more from Legoagogo at this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/48033223@N04/5227883455

Again, lighting makes a strong difference to improve the picture of this fanastic model by Legoagogo. See the bigger photo at: "Deep core 6 is under attack" by Legoagogo at Flickr

New regular blog page = "Fresh Flickr fotos"


I am starting a new regular page called "Fresh Flickr fotos", showing great new LEGO designs or photos just added to Flickr in the last 7 days or less. I hope it saves you some time, and gives you new ideas. New postings under this name at least twice a week. Let me know if you like it.

<<  Recent Flickr pic "WIP" from BCth (posted: Feb 1, 2011).

Lots of good ideas here - worth looking at the bigger pic (with more detail) at this link: WIP - by the Bcth - Flickr

New LEGO Nasa sets for 2011

For the 30th anniversary of the real Space Shuttle, LEGO teams with NASA for a new range of launch pads, space shuttles etc. More photos and other sets here at: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/38299/lego-nasa-space-station-set 

Friday, February 4, 2011

Maersk Train set spotted in Dutch store

The iconic Maersk image first appeared in LEGO in a classic Container Ship (set nbr.1650) in 1974. Trucks appeared in 1980, 1985 & 1995, then a new Maersk Sealand Container Ship (set nbr. 10152) was released in 3 editions in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and most recently Set 10515 in 2010. There is a dedicated group of LEGO train fans, who have been eagerly awaiting a Maersk train LEGO set.

This one was spotted in a Dutch store . No idea yet of price or general availablity

More pics, info and scan of sticker sheet at this link: http://www.railbricks.com/railblog-categories/power-functions/235-maersk-train-and-pfs

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean - first photos on mtv.com

New LEGO sets for later in 2011 - first exclusive photos just posted on MTV.com
Whitecap Bay
Captain's Cabin
See the full gallery of eight photos at this link: mtv.com - LEGO Pirates exclusive . Click on the thumbnails at that site to see bigger pictures.

More LEGO special effects photography by Avanaut

I had to add another photo from Avanaut to show how much the extra effort makes a LEGO scene come alive. Most of Avanaut's special effects are done with standard household materials. See the other blog entry below for links to more details on  how to do these sort of effects in your photos.