Bridges: This category was probably my favorite. There were so many cool and creative entries.
Patrick Bosman's rope bridge was the well deserved winner among a group of superb entries. I love the precariousness of the bridge. It really feels like it's swinging back and forth. The action of the scene is very well presented. The dense vegetation is also great, and the cypruss trees look really good (they usually look too fake to me).
Tied for my second favorite were
DARKspawn's Mizo Megami Ichidou and
Kenn's Auldhamlet Bridge Aaron's Japanese bridge is full of beautiful details - the Torii Gate, the curve of the temple roof, the gong inside the temple, the floating lanterns, and the rounded tops to the posts on the bridge. The action is also very fluid with the flying figs (very Crouching Tiger-esque) and the climbing ninjas. Kenn's is also full of great details. I particularly like the mottling and the lion-heads on the gate tower. The rounded pilings are really cool (and a detail most would forget) and the whole bridge is full of life on every level, from the fisherman and rats down at the river level to the guards atop the tower.
Jens' Lost Digger Bridge rounds out my personal favorites. As others have noted, the construction technique to make the curved bridge is very creative and looks great. Other great details are those little evergreen trees made with flower stems (I SO have to try that), the sleeping guard, the lost digger himself just missing the vein of silver, and the steep sides to the gorge. I also like how the water isn't flat, but is truly flowing downhill. Is it me, or does the red wizard have one yellow hand and one fleshy?
Other entries, in no particular order:
Supernova's forest crossing Clever technique to make the rickety suspended bridge. I think it would have looked better in brown, though perhaps there was a part shortage reason for this. I also like the little rafting forestman.
Joe Butler's rope bridge Another creative technique to make the suspended bridge. I'm not sure if I'd be willing to cut up one of my nets, but this gives a good look.
Neonbug and Lorax's stone bridge The technique to make the stonework is really striking and well done. I'd be interested to see construction photos to see how that was done. The well and buried skeleton are nice details. I do think the secret chamber portion seems unfinished. It could cetainly use a pillar in the corner so it doesn't sag, and it seems empty. Perhaps there should be forestmen hiding down there, waiting to ambush the soldiers on the bridge? Or maybe some highwaymen hide their stolen treasure down there?
supernova's SNOT bridge The technique to make the arch in this bridge is very nice. The black 1x1 round plates on the edges of the bridge are a nice finishing touch. One negative on this one is that there are some gaps in the plates (visible in
this pic) that make it look unfinished.
plucky's dragonback bridge This is such a fun idea, and the dragon is a great sculpture. Great details include that easel and palette and the lyre (I'll definitely use that design someday).
Alban Nanty's bridge under construction - Another great educational MOC, showing how those arches were made. Having two arches in the bridge is perfect, since it makes it obvious what the incomplete section is without too much explanation.
Stefan Dittmar's broken bridge This one is almost the reverse of the previous one. The water solution is very interesting and the lost treasure is a great punchline.
Josh's Bridge over troubled waters The waterfall is really effective (that's a lot of trans clear 1x1 rounds) and I like the leaping (orange!) fish. The bridge is also a really nice shape.
Stambi's hanging bridge Great solution for the bridge shape. Is the central span only held there by gravity? The claws on the hanging owls are very clever.
Jens' Netherlands-style bridge This is great in that it's a bridge style no one else would have done. The fact that it works is really cool. Clever use of levers 3 ways to make tulips, mushrooms, and ducklings.
Bruce