Recreating reality in Lego

In 2006, Vice President Dick Cheney pumped birdshot into a friend's face, simultaneously upping his thug cred while inspiring Lego fan Thom Beckett to depict the scene in plastic bricks.

Next, consider the work of professional Lego builder Carl "the Lego Guy" Merriam, who built this model of a drill press for a Christmas display depicting Santa's workshop.

These two models are a sampling of a huge category of adult Lego fans' work, involving recreating objects found nearby or in popular culture in Lego. Builders have tackled everything from scenes from movies to scale models of famous buildings to depicting historical events. It's a challenge trying to find the right parts in the right colors to complete your vision. But it's not enough to merely have your model resemble the original -- what matters is that the "spirit" of moment: Beckett's capture of Cheney's "oh shit!" moment is the classic example.

Buy John Baichtal's The Cult of Lego on Amazon.com

• [oldtaku]

  Sorry, but there’s no way Cheney would look that horrified about merely accidentally shooting a fleshbag.

  But thanks for the book pointer!

  • [Brainspore]

    That’s not a look of horror. It’s a scowl of barely contained rage that someone blocked his shot.

• [fjsr]

  More John Bolton than Cheney. Plus, I want to see the peppered face not the unharmed butt!

• [patrick dodds]

  Can’t find a link at the moment but wasn’t there a great mashup called “Cheney’s Crying”?

• [Finnagain]

  Well at least the guy apologized.

• [pjcamp]

  Dick Cheney’s gun is taller than him? Is he a midget or does he shoot a muzzle loader?

• [dlelash]

  Cheney’s Got A Gun?
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXAzAgb4pA

• [Patrick Holderness]

  have a look at this lego printer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX09WnGU6ZY

• [Daniel]

  Man, I remember being a creepy little kid recreating the penultimate scene from “Cask of Amontillado” in Lego.  I didn’t realize that sort of poor socialization and misanthropy could have gotten me on BoingBoing one day.  If only I’d stuck with it!