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Ten new creatures

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 3:52 pm
by The Green Knight
Well, here we are again. Another year and another batch of creatures to introduce. I wasn’t sure if I’d have anything to show this year, but somehow the urge to build caught up with me in mid September and here we are.

Before I start rambling about the mocs, however, there’s something else I’d like to say. You guys may not have noticed, (probably haven’t noticed) but I tend to be sort of a whiner in certain areas. In this case I’m thinking specifically of an area involving the quantity of mocs created in a certain sub section of castle building. Or to put it another way: I have a history of wishing that more people would build creatures. Go figure, huh?

Well, the reason that I bring this up is that I think it’s time for me to stop complaining. I feel that there have been some seriously cool animals and beasts created in the past months and even further back. And while I haven’t had the time to comment on every new moc individually, I was just as delighted to see them appear.

So before I start getting really gushy here, I guess I’d better role on to the main reason that this thread is here.

Ten new creatures.
(Click the numbers to view the brickshelf folders)

[1] First we have a skeleton. I wanted to post this guy back around Halloween. It would have fit more with the holiday theme then, but unfortunately I didn’t have possession of the correct camera at the time. Better late than never, though. Right?

[2] The next creature is called a dracolion… for obvious reasons. It’s sort of a retread of other old creatures, though the head, which inspired me to make it, is new.

[3] Continuing the theme of lego animals as other creature’s heads, this one’s called the Baby Dragon. I know that it’s been done before, (the frog-as-dragon-head-thing) but I needed one of my own so this is how it turned out.

[4] Here we have a scorpianman. I sorta imagine these guys as some mutated creatures-warriors of Vladek’s shadow army. And though the rainbow knights have rightly been surpassed by the crownies, I still think the scorpions are a force to be reckoned with.

[5] Now this is a black elf, also known as a drow by some. I kept having trouble with this one. It’s difficult to be subtle with plastic bricks and the hardest thing was getting the balance right between a freakish-Jessica-Rabbit-drow and one that didn’t look feminine at all. Anyway, I’m not sure if I found the perfect balance, but I found “good enough” so this is how it turned out.

[6] I have a problem with the lego company. I do. And unlike the usual complaints, my problem has more to do with what they’re doing right, rather then what they’re doing wrong.

It all started when Lego was selling their dino-maker sets. It was at that same time that I’d just about finished the design for my brick built elephant. Then I saw the horns in the Styracosaurus set and I knew that they would make perfect tusks. They were the only thing I needed to finish the job.

But before I could blink, lego had beat me to the punch and released their own elephant in the Orient expedition sets. So while everyone else was saying: “Sweet, a lego elephant!” I was saying: “Aw, man. Why did I even bother?”

Later on, they did it again! I was just ordering pieces for my dwarves, orks, and troll, when pictures of the dwarven mine set appeared on the net. *bangs head against wall*

Finally, the latest grievances were lego’s beautiful molded cows. And not just the Holsteins in the farm sets, but authentic brown peasant cows in the town square set!

Obviously, they’re making the point: “anything you can do, we can do better.” Now don’t’ get me wrong. I love what Lego is doing, but I do sometimes wish that they’d warn me in advance.

Anyway, all this to say that since I knew I wouldn’t be needing the old cow that I made last year, I decided to upgrade him into a new version of my old yakman. Less oriental this time, more Mongolian.

[7] This next creature isn’t from any fantasy books or mythology. Instead, this is an original creature, pieced together by yours truly. Sorta like this other one I made a while back. Only this time, I didn’t come up with a bizarre-combo-name to go with it. It still doesn’t have a name, in fact. I guess I’m just running out of ideas.

Anyway, here it is. Part beaver, part tarantula, part bat, part goat, part scorpion, and part bombardier beetle. And since this guy doesn’t have any authentic mythology, I figure I’d better write up a little something about him.

Every fantasy realm needs a race of evil masterminds who plot the destruction/enslavement/subjugation of the world. Such is the niche that this creature fills. Or, more specifically, the niche of a wall climbing, burning-acid shooting, cave dwelling, overlord of evil! Run away!!!

Oh, one more thing. I find that it helps the building process, to use a concept sketch of the creature. This one’s sketch can be found here.

[8] Here’s another original critter. He’s called an owlfox, for obvious reasons.
The owlfox is undoubtedly the creation of some ancient wizard or mage. Why it was made is uncertain, but the common belief is that the owl and the fox (due to their reputations as wise and cunning creatures) were combined to create the most intelligent familiar possible. Surprisingly, it worked! Owlfoxes have remained a favorite wizards familiar for many years.

I should probably say something about rubber-bands at this point. -Mostly because, this creature relies heavily on their usage. I don’t really like building with rubber-bands. Something about the purist in me thinks they’re too close to cheating. That said, I also happen to think they’re about the most useful lego pieces around. The owlfox, which uses four rubber-bands, couldn’t have been built without them. Anyway, here’s to rubber-bands. Here’s to my last resort backup plan that swoops in for the save when bricks just don’t cut it.

Concept sketch can be found here.

[9] and [10] These last two are repeats or reinventions of animals that I made a while ago. Not much to say about them, so here they are. A donkey and a wolf.

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 5:05 pm
by Sir Nelson
Very original and well done. I fancy the baby dragon, yakman, black elf, and donkey.

The owlface is cute, and your untitled creature - how about a name like 'styryxx'? - is just wicked!

Good work all around! 8)

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 5:17 pm
by Bruce N H
Hey Micah,

Saw these on Brickshelf earlier and was waiting for you to post them to the forum. Great new set! I really love the poseability of the dark elf, and that donkey is a great improvement over the original. On you saying that LEGO says "anything you can do, we can do better", I think you've shown that the opposite is true. Your horse from last year is still one of my favorite MOCs. Indeed, you constantly show that LEGO needs to stop relying on making new molds, but just needs to be creative.

Bruce

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:17 pm
by Shadowviking
These are nothing short of amazing. In fact they leap over that mark with a gigantic lunge and land somewhere near godly.

The black elf might be my favorite... though it's hard to pick a favorite. Donkey is great but looks a little mechanical (which is awesome in it's own right). Everything is fantastic though. :D

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:40 pm
by SlyOwl
:shock:
Y'know, I was extremely honoured when someone asked me on Flickr last week if I was you.
You were one of my earliest influences (especially your nelves), long before I joined any communities, and I've got you to thank for inspiration for many of my "unusual techniques", and somewhat flimsy building style.

Some of these creatures... I prefer your more realistic ones (be they fictional or real) - these are a bit "over-mashed-up", and I wouldn't understand them without a description, unlike most of your others.
However, the donkey is great (shame about the pearl-grey though), and I like the wolf, especially the scraggy fur. The head isn't really working for me, though...

Are we going to see another Trophy Room? :lol:

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:14 pm
by Lewa Rocks
Wow these are awesome! You have great talent at making these!
:D

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:37 pm
by castlebuilder100
Oh cool. My favorite is yak man. The donkey is really cool to though.

Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:49 pm
by Aliencat
Awesome stuff as usual Micah!
These are so great I vomited a little bit.

Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 6:36 pm
by The Green Knight
Thanks for the replies folks. It’s good to get this feedback. I always get a kick out of seeing everyone pick out their favorites.
Bruce N H wrote:On you saying that LEGO says "anything you can do, we can do better", I think you've shown that the opposite is true. Your horse from last year is still one of my favorite MOCs. Indeed, you constantly show that LEGO needs to stop relying on making new molds, but just needs to be creative.
I see what you’re saying Bruce. I would rather have movable animals then static ones, but I think that if Lego can distribute minifig scale cows at an affordable price while I have to make three or four Bricklink orders to just make one…

I mean, why make up one of these
when you could have one of these
I don’t know. I guess it’s just that if Lego keeps giving us what we ask for, there’ll be fewer and fewer holes to fill. I think it’s good. It just bugs me sometimes. :P
SlyOwl wrote:I've got you to thank for inspiration for many of my "unusual techniques", and somewhat flimsy building style.
Lol Now I have guilt! No, I’m just kidding. That’s cool, actually.
SlyOwl wrote:Some of these creatures... I prefer your more realistic ones (be they fictional or real) - these are a bit "over-mashed-up", and I wouldn't understand them without a description, unlike most of your others.
Yeah, I think I know what you’re getting at there. And part of it, I think, has to do with the shrinking pool of mythological creatures. Now animals, on the other hand... they still have a lot of area to be mined.
SlyOwl wrote:Are we going to see another Trophy Room?
Well, the short answer is no. The long answer is that this year I have a job and subsequently, less time. So the CCCVI lost out to that and spending time with family and friends. I am, however, enjoying the spectacle. Watching as all the great mocs appear during the CCC is always a treat and reminds me why castle is such a great theme.
Sir Nelson wrote:The owlface is cute, and your untitled creature - how about a name like 'styryxx'? - is just wicked!
Hmm. Styryxx certainly looks cool. I’d have no idea how to pronounce it, of course, but then that’s never really stopped any fantasy writers before… :P

Re: Ten new creatures

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:03 pm
by LegoLord.
I like the wolf the best, amazing job.