The Crazy Bus is the funniest, weirdest, and strangest bus out there. I built the Bus these days when I was forced to stay at home alone (!) and the thermometer touched 40 degrees, I felt like I was in hell! I was probably a little “dazed and confused” when I thought about it, however here it is. It is a sort of post apocalyptic refuge where two survivors, after yet another environmental disaster caused by human beings, find shelter to spend their days waiting for a new era.
In some ways it can be considered as a continuation of my previous Floating Dystopia, they have many things in common (and also some parts of the MOC itself).
The front and the back of the bus can be connected with two simple technic pins thus forming a mini bus. This way it’s even more bizarre! In the next few days I will show you the Mini Crazy Bus with some new brand photos, stay tuned!
There are a lot of tools, objects and weird parts, check them out and have fun spotting them all. Enjoy!
Let’s take a look at some extra-pics of my latest super fresh build: the Crystal Mill. The double shack is built using my classic lifted-up tiles style, and it rocks! While it’s my very first waterfall, rocks and trees come from my previous builds such as the A-Frame Cabin and the Blue Cottage. I used more or less 2,500 plate round 1X1 trans-light blue to create the water effect. There are many other hidden details and very interesting tecniques here and there, hope you have a good time spotting them all.
The Crystal Mill, or the Old Mill is an 1892 wooden powerhouse located on an outcrop above the Crystal River in Crystal, Colorado, United States. Although called a Watermill, it is more correctly denoted as a compressor station, which used a water turbine to drive an air compressor, and was originally built with a horizontal wheel. The compressed air was then used to power other machinery or tools. The building is built on a mining claim named “Lost Horse”, it fell into disuse in 1917 when the Sheep Mountain Tunnel mine closed.
I spotted the Crystal Mill while browsing in search of new rural houses to build and it caught my eye. For the first time, I built two blocks of rocks and a waterfall made from hundreds of 1×2 trans-clear plates. Many other builders have tried their hand at this type of build so thanks for inspiring me.
The story goes that an old gold digger* accidentally discovered the now disused Crystal Mill, and immediately decided to live there isolated from the rest of the world. One day an explorer* on a small boat while sailing on the Crystall River came across the old shack…What will happen when the explorer and the gold digger meet?
*Mainly based on the CMF Prospector (Series 12), without a doubt one of my favorite Minifigs. **Probably the explorer was part of Johnny Thunder‘s Adventures team 😉
“When it comes to beautifully constructed LEGO cabins, Andrea Lattanzio is in a class of his own. Whether you’re looking for perilously perched adventure or a little holiday magic, odds are good Andrea has you covered. Andrea’s latest build is the Crystal Mill, a real-life Colorado landmark as it might have looked back in the 19th century. The realistic trees and gorgeous waterfall catch your attention right away, but don’t overlook the smaller details of the cabin, like the minifigure wand elements on the front-door and the creatively crafted ladder.”
Let’s take an in-depth look at the “behind the scenes” of my latest work, the tribute to master Miyazaki straight from Tokyo. As usual, we start from a simple drawing to get to the photo-shoot, and in between the different building stages. Scroll through the images and find out the secrets of my very gray diorama. Have fun!
As usual we start with a drawing, and yes, it will be a very gray MOC…
The simple but effective facade is ready. I used dozens of dark bluish grey 2X1 tiles to get the same texture as the real building. The whole structure is quite strong.
Let’s add the reddish brown porch and the large canopy in the same color as the building. The base of the porch is done with Brick, Modified 1 x 2 with Masonry Profile, but inverted.
It’s time to add the black roof, quite similar to my Blue Cottage, and a handful of details.
Tall trees and plants with autumn colors frame Nibariki, only the main characters of the diorama are missing now…
Here they are… Mr. Miyazaki and his beloved Citroen 2CV called Nibariki in Japanese. The diorama is ready for the photo shoot!
Click! The gray background makes everything more difficult, sometimes ugly creases appear and we have to fix with photoshop.
The diorama is complete! Miyazaki Minifig is composed by different official LEGO pieces, the head comes from Ernie Prang of HP The Knight Bus set, and it looks perfect!
My latest creation is a tribute to Hayao Miyazaki, Japan’s greatest animation director and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, best-loved of all the Japanese animation studios. I had already written in the past how his films and his stories often inspired my creations, especially in terms of atmosphere and environments. Back in 1998, Hayao Miyazaki designed and built a house for his production company, called Nibariki. This house is located nearby Studio Ghibli’s main building. Nibariki means 2 horsepower in Japanese and the name is a clear tribute to the beloved Citroën 2CV that the Japanese artist has been driving for more than forty years. Above you can see both Mr. Miyazaki’s new office and his Citroën 2CV. And of course our beloved masterful storyteller too.
Miyazaki bought his first 2CV as a university student in the early 1960s. It was a right-hand-drive model, imported from the U.K. and painted bright yellow. A 2CV first appeared in Miyazaki’s first feature-length film, 1979’s The Castle of Cagliostro. An action-adventure tale involving a mischievous gentlemen thief, the well known Lupin III, and featuring multiple car chases, including the heroine, Clarisse, escaping in her 2CV.
Miyazaki’s current Citroën is a 1987 2CV 6 painted in light gray and is exactly like the one you see in my latest creation.
“Internationally recognized director and creator Hayao Miyazaki has had an inspirational effect the world over through his work at Studio Ghibli. Builder Andrea Lattanzio has been open about how Miyazaki’s films and stories have influenced his own models in the past. His latest model is a tribute to the home Miyazaki had built near Studio Ghibli’s main building back in 1998. Framed by brightly colored trees that contrast the grey and black tilework covering the building, Andrea shows off his architectural skills in yet another masterful model. Offset tiles help create an effect similar to the original wooden siding while fresh planks and posts in the deck, yet to become green with moss, provide a peaceful place for the famed director to contemplate life. Made for his production company, Nibariki, or “two-horsepower”, Miyazaki called the house itself “buta-ya,” which is commonly translated as Pig House. Though the building’s name may be more of an abstract reference from the director, the company that called it home derived its name from Miyazaki’s beloved car model, the Citroën 2CV. Of course, this was a perfect opportunity for Andrea to show off another skill of his, automobile modeling. Parked in front of the building’s entrance is Miyazaki’s current 1987 2CV 6 Citroën, though a tribute to his original 1960s 2CV makes its own appearance in 1979’s The Castle of Cagliostro. The custom minifigure that Andrea created works perfectly as Hayao Miyazaki, from the hair and glasses to the apron over his modest clothes. The famed Studio Ghibli co-founder may be ironically morose and melancholic like this house, but his stories provide a splash of vibrance to life like the flowers and plants on the deck.”
