New Elementary Figbarf

One of creations I made for New Elementary's parts festival was not a build but a figbarf. Yeah, a batch of purist minifigures - a real blast from the past. Some of these figures are much older than the festival, but got a refurbishing with the new pieces to get a excuse of posting them. This is longer version of text written for New Elementary; as before, I'd like to thank Tim and Elspeth for organizing everything.

I used to make lot of custom minifigures, usually in so-called barfs of 4-6 figs. I made the last one in August 2016, over three years ago. Why did I stop? I drifted away from minifig scale, mostly. Minifig parts are also relatively expensive, so I prioritized my hobby into ordinary (but, of course, weird and interesting) parts over fig parts, which are usually hard to use outside their context. Of course, I’ve still made minifigs to minifigure scale builds, most importantly to inhabitant my early 20th century modular building streets. However, some of seed parts seemed useful on minifig scale, so I began fiddling with some figs. They were also inspired by parts bought in LEGO House’s AFOL Day’s Pick-a-Brick where fans could buy one small cup of minifig parts. At first these figs were going to be on the bridge scene which developed into creation called “Frost Serpent Arises”, but they didn’t work in that context, so they were exiled to become a barf. In a way, this is a special gift to anyone who has asked me to make another barf or wondered why I ever stopped.

Brun Hammergrasp. This fig is a veteran of my first and only Brikwars experience. He has a hammer using Batman greeble capsules (small variant) and a hubcap shield.  

 

Ambassador Välthung Brassgut. Another Brikwars veteran. The seed part – Batman bowl thing - is used as a part of the brazier. Trans-orange robot arm piece made this use possible. I enjoy the cryptic stud-on-stud connection between the silver and the gold part. 

Wurthans Grimboller. Once again Brikwars veteran, though he went through some changes. Batman bowl was one of the most enjoyable seed parts and is used here as part of the hammer. I like how 1x1 round plate fits inside it; they are the type with pin hole, and a 3L bar connects them into the hammer, as keen-eyed readers notice: No LEGO logo on them! 

Hamrad of Eternal Seek. priest designed for the bridge scene. Batman bowl and circular
saw made this ritual helmet. It’s barely connected. Batman greeble bags
actually included two different saws, and they’re mirrored versions of each
other. What a luxury. Shepherd staff is bit forced as the ritual staff here,
but I wanted to do something with it; and this barf was done before the three
other uses of that beautifully coloured piece, so…

Frey of Gilded Glade. Not much to do with the seed parts. I had just got some Spider-man’s web pieces, and they made a cool incense burning thing with, again, Batman lantern. Sickle piece from Ninjago created some druidic vibes.

Glamhoo of Raven’s Flight. Old Moko technique from middle Brickshelf period (maybe 2007) used two old bats on 32034 180 degree angled TECHNIC connector to create a cool iron cross. I stole that technique for couple of MOCs. I wondered if something similar could be done with these new, headless bats, which I heard were suggested by Jonas Kramm, my old Iron Builder rival. Thanks Jonas, I like the bats. Here they’d look better if rest of the staff end was dark blue too, but you can’t get everything. Unrelated to the seed parts, I like the cloth skirt on new dress combination.

The Fantastic Fantasy Figbarf

Here's the last figbarf for now. This one has some fantasy figs, being successor of this one from 2014. Some Nexo Knight heads bought via Bricks&Pieces are used here, alongside with recent CMF parts; the newest series didn't make into this one, though.

-Eero

Angalone Brondellier, Hussar-Centurion of Mugnusmanfieston. Has incredibly silly but showy suit of armor. She's of the ceremonial guard and doesn't participate in real military manoeuvres.

Golaf is a happy norseman. Laughing, along with walrus meat and dried cod makes him warm (at least mentally) during the long months of winter. He's got attitude.

Aberdineck Husmurckël is an ancient lorde that has returned to avenge his killers. He doesn't want to, but no one asked him. His sword is to ethereal he can't even stab anyone with it. Poor man. Or ghost.

Nielonna, forestwoman shaman of the cult of the Enormous Moose. A friend of all-things-living. Well, not really. Dislikes woodcutters and Diprion pini. Likes a good pair of boots.

Omlesh Curmeier, a chorister nun of the temple of Ran-Forlon. Knows about gold, incenses and chrism. And all them religious sing-songs.

The New Era of Steampunk Figbarf Vol. 1

Wellllcome back to the odd and always surprising world of minifig barfs! It has been a while since my last barf.  There are several reasons. Most importantly I've been focusing on brick-built figures (well, I still am! No worries!) and been building things on larger scale. Another thing is that minifig barfs are sometimes frustrating to photograph (I used black backdrop this time), and thirdly minifig parts are expensive, and I've been trying to cut down brick consuming a bit, as I'm moving out on Friday; Here we go, Tampere!

But I made this and two other barfs (steampunk rogues and fantasy castle figs) after getting a Bricks&Pieces order tomorrow. Some of the figs and combos are from barfs never posted during couple of years. The best ones have survived.

-Eero

Elizabeth Rye, hunter of all abominations under the sun and the moon. She's a former exchange student in Miskatonic University. Banshees are her speciality.

Laura Mansher-Crossbye, a geologist and an adventurer. She graduated from Cambridge in 1882 and is one of the empire's leading young scientists.

Astromus Grandbugle, expert on occultism. Some think he's a mad old man or a con man, but at least he's super serious with his studies. He says his leg was bitten off by Kappa in Japan. This geezer is ready to teach his knowledge on demon folk to anyone serious enough to fight them.

Baron Carl Heyrichburrough (pronounced "hrimbo") is a modern gentleman of the New Era. He has been part of many charities, funded several airship expeditions and promoted the importance of education for the lower classes. His passion is different, though: He dreams of building an underwater vessel to discover the Loch Ness Monster.

Claysia Bellringer, a self-made engineer, tinker and mechanic. She has no education, but she have looked and learned. She can do pretty much anything from crochet to crowbars.

Discworld Wednesday: Unseen University Staff Part Two

 Here's the second batch of UU "pointies": Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully (My ultimately favourite Discworld character since the first Pratchett book I read) and some of his friends and sort-of-enemies.

 Doctor John Hix, Head of the Department of Necromancy Post-Mortem Communications. He is a generally nasty person due to university statute; Skull ring, remember? Unexpected smacks, cursed household items and so on - but otherwise he's decent cap who often partakes the plays of amateur theatre. His parents were named Hicks, but "evil" wizard can't pass the chance to use X instead, right?

 Ponder Stibbons, the youngest member of the University Council and holder of many important titles. Ponder was quite lazy at the beginning and graduated due to mistake, but has later built career with new generation of magic at the High Energy Magic Building. Is kind of a sidekick to Ridcully after Bursar went completely mad.

 Mustrum Ridcully, the Archchancellor of the Unseen University, is man who ended the tradition of killing upper-level wizards to get their place by being simply impossible to eliminate. He loves hunting and fishing, has fought trolls in bar brawls, is in excellent shape for his age and owns several crossbows. He doesn't usually rely on magic (six-feet long oak staff is usually more effective anyway) but is skilled with it, being able to perform the rite of AshkEnte (summoning Death) quickly without usually needed junk. Most of his dialogue is bellowed, at least on the earlier books.

 Dean, or more precisely Man Formerly Known As Dean, Henry, Two-Chairs or Archchancellor or Brazeneck University on Pseudopolis, is incredibly fat wizard (duck-like, as they say) and very prone to influences, like Music With Rocks In. He is never nice, often first to shoot fireballs, and treated as a traitor by Ridcully after leaving UU to become the Archchancellor of Brazneck. Likes to go hut-hut-hut.

Dr. A.A. Dinwiddie, best known as Bursar, was once a decent wizard if a bit quiet and deeply into maths. Nobody wanted his job despite wizards killing each other all the time. Then Ridcully became the Archchancellor and everything changed. Ridcully's shouting (BURSAAAR) and shooting (the target was at the door of Bursar's office..) drove Bursar completely nuts. He is kept in somewhat sane minds with dried frog pills since then.


-Eero

Discworld Tuesday: Unseen University Staff Part One

 The Discworld week rolls on: Now it's time for some sorcery (but fortunately not sourcery, wouldn't mind turning into a frog or pitchfork or something). There are some wizard characters, important and not-so-important, but magical nevertheless. Wizards are my all-time-favourite characters, and Pratchett definitely has an original approach on them.

The Lecturer in Recent Runes, not names Arnold, is a flat character but a solid part of the Senior Faculty. Known to be good at playing banjo made of Roundworldian turtle shell.

 Rincewind, the unpaid  Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Geography among other titles, is the original Discworld protagonist and definitely not the most heroic one. Enjoys potatoes. Has saved the Disc several times and the Roundworld at least one.

 Ook.

 The Chair of Indefinite Studies, known shortly as Chair, is probably even flatter character than Runes. He is not interested in dealing definite problems. They are not his business.

The Senior Wrangler is an another member of the senior faculty. He is a philosopher who looks a bit like a horse. His first name is Horace and he's thin, belabouring and often frustrating and has some sort of crush on Mrs Whitlow the housekeeper.



More magic tomorrow, I tell ye.

-Eero

Discworld Monday: The Original City Watch

 It's surprising that there haven't been any MOCs or minifigs inspired by Terry Pratchett's Discworld as I have been an avid fan ana reader since... Christmas 2008, probably, when I saw Hogfather TV adaption. I read the books during the years between now and then when they got translated into Finnish (though I read Unseen Academicals, Snuff and Raising Steam in English before they got translated, and have been reading the older ones in original language recently; Carpe Jugulum right now, finished Going Postal few days ago). Here's the first minifig barf, the original members of the Night Watch from Guards! Guards! (which, honestly, isn't very good compared to the newer watch books if you ask me; on other hand, Night Watch is my favourite Discworld novel overall), though probably not in their night watch outfits; though Vimes, Nobby nor Fred probably haven't changed their boots, chestplates or helmets since then.

Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson, or to dwarves "Kzad-bhat", the head-banger. Handsome, honest, clean and charismatic watch officer. Has mirror-clear armor and helmet and a sword that is definitely not magical.

 Commander Samuel Vimes, His Grace, His Excellency The Duke of Ankh, the Blackboard Monitor of the Dwarves and so on - and a damn good copper. Famous for being unbribable. Known as Vetinari's terrier.

 Sergeant Frederick "Fred" Colon, Vimes's oldest friend and kind of sergeant that never gets promoted into a officer. Stupid, slow and cowardy, but surprisingly good jailer and skilled at listening to the City. Often guards important objects like Brass Bridge, Opera House or Royal Art Museum in case they would get stolen.

Corporal Cecil Wormsborough St. John "Nobby" Nobbs, best friend of Fren Colon, is a hideous creature who carries a note from the Patrician certificating that he is a human being. Scoundrel and a rogue, but rather harmless one. Armor and weapons immendiately rust near him. Has recently developed a romance with a goblin girl.


-Eero

Post Scriptum: Hopefully we get some official Discworld stuff if the CUUSOO projects gets trough the review. Thumbs up!

The Evil Steampunk Figbarf of Evil

 There's another one of these steampunk figbarfs, this time from the nastier side!

Le Clonairre Révolution is one of the automaton soldiers used by Great Empire lé Fränc in the second great steam war. They did not serve their purpose well, but ended up slaugthering own troops as well as enemies. Most of these metal warriors got destroyed, but legends tell that some still roam on the old trenches, needing no rest nor nourishment.

 Jacob Napander is a mad inventor and a smelly little man. He uses petrol as a moustache wax and designs vaporizer guns for living. He isn't one of those "I will conquer the world buhahaha" mad inventors, but one of those basement-dwelling eccentric ones.

 Frans Von Guggenheim is an evil, evil man. He is a great art patron and tries to infect poor cities with odd and extremely expensive tax-funded museums of modern art. He is a true threat to well-fare state.

 Marianne Harkley stems from a long line on pirates and air pirates. She is, in a way, the heir of a big family business. She is not a nice woman, a stranger told me in a pub, even though the lack of eyepatches, peg legs and hook hand might lead astray.

Mortimer Von Übermesch is a old pirate and a bandit, living in his little kingdom at the mountains of Roumania. He has set the style for successfull bandit leaders with a fine bear skin har, black leather greatcoat and wild but cool facial hair.


-Pate-keetongu

Who will stop the Steampunk Figbarfs?

 Yes, another steampunk barf. I have been keeping a bit busy with a LEGO convention Leiki Legoilla 2015 last weekend and numerous WIPs, both SYSTEM and Bionicle, Klaanon and castle, dwarves and non-dwarves. These figs use some parts bought from the convention and some ordered from TLG's bricks&pieces.

 Catherine P. Brundenberg is an inventor and wife of Howard H. Brundenberg. Vapour-trike "Rhebok" is their greatest invention, although it has provoked horror on the streets and slopes of Brasshill. Catherine is the master of the technological details while his husband deals with aerodynamics and things like that.

 If your airship's rotors are slowing or the steam on the tubing is leaking during a long flight, better call James A. Magnify, an air mechanic. He uses his protective suit to cling on the airship's hull or wings during the flight and welds, fastens or patches what is broken.

 Onia Von Bubberdubber is a fine lady, unsurprisingly, who enjoys travelling in the northern countries among the natives. She has collected many items from these cultures to her Cabinet of Curiosities.

 Sacharias Dabbel does the dirty work protecting the citizens when the police department is too busy. His impressive friendly muttonchops give him the authorization and his tattered vest suit shows who's in charge.

Allyna Vestermannen is a fashion designer and a tailor. She is tired of everybody having leather corset and tries to make a bit more comfortable clothing. Cardboard cog details are another thing she can't stand. Her favourite items are flowing capes and detailed leather skirts.





-Pate-keetongu

Mini-me?

Here's a minifig version of Tongu, thrown together using keetorange space marine armor bought on Bricks&Pieces. Or well, not really thrown together as it took time to find a way to connect the plate on top; It uses Ninjago skeleton arm and looks horrible from the back. Might still use this to make some SYSTEM Klaanon creations. Scale is a problem, though; If Tongu would be minifig-sized, average Toa or skakdi characters were microfigs...

-Pate-keetongu

PS: This is the 200th post of this blog. Well wasted on a single minifig. 

GoH Minifig Series: Kaliphin

 Cyclops Centurion Graabolk is a mighty man (cyclops) in Kaliphin. He is bit of a strategist but mainly just horribly brave and inspiring leader.

 Smyt Smytsson is a bad-mannered dwarf bandit. He is likely banished by his kin due to his un-dwarfish clothes, manners and choice of weapon, or probably because they envy his pompous moustache. Uses a lot of chewing tobacco.

 Glorp the orc is something like a friend of Smyt's. He is a bandit too, master of mugging bedouins. He wears a head of one of his victims on his head with the turban and all.

Cherbyl is a desert sprite, alluring but dangerous. She seeks the deserts for lost explorers and caravans and misguides them with mirages. She has form of a human, limbs of a bird and mind of a snake.



-Pate-keetongu