Awesome Models

After seeing Studson Studios’ model of Howl’s Moving Castle, the guys from Nerdforge were inspired to build a similarly complex new cover for their basic black Xbox Series X. After building a form-fitting wood wrap for the game console, Martina used foam, junk, and toys to create the structure. Hopefully it won’t overheat.

Modelmaker Boylei Hobby Time created this fanciful miniature of an airship based on viewer requests. He started with two individual dirigible models and combined them to form the floatation system for a steamboat that hangs beneath them. The finished piece looks like something from Jules Verne’s imagination.

Fab365 shows off a 3D-printable model they designed of Pixar’s adorable robot WALL-E. What makes the model special is how its main body and gear structure can be printed all at once then folded together. The grey parts and some moving pieces are printed separately. An STL of the model can be downloaded for free here.

Modelmaker Excessively Sentimental shows off the painstaking process of building a 1/48-scale diorama of a rickety old barn. The level of detail is astounding in the balsa wood model and its surroundings, from the distressing on each wood plank to the individual blades of grass and leaves. (Thanks, Orion!)

The Bugatti Centodieci is an incredible car, inspired by the automaker’s 110+ year history. Just 10 of the cars were produced, at a price of $9 million each. The guys from ND Woodworking Art couldn’t quite afford one, so they built a kid-sized version out of wood. It has working lights, steering, and a basic drivetrain.

Build your own desktop solar system with this wooden model kit from Robotime. As you crank its handle, eight tiny worlds spin around a glowing sun, simulating the relative speeds of each planet’s rotation. The 316-piece, 13.78″ tall model is best for advanced builders and takes about 7 hours to assemble.

3D printing technology has been a boon for model makers. Knarb Makes shows off a diorama he built of a medieval city with the help of the tech – though there’s still plenty of artistic talent on display. The impressive Venice-inspired scale city has more than 50 buildings, bridges, canals, and lighting.

Thanks in large part to Back to the Future, the DeLorean DMC-12 is one of the most iconic cars of all time. While we probably will never drive one, it’s good to know that it’s possible to build a tiny version with enough skill and time. Ank Creative shows off the modelmaking process for one incredibly detailed mini DeLorean.

Unidragon’s flat-pack wood model lets you build a miniature muscle car. Clearly inspired by the Ford Mustang, the model has fastback styling, a mini V8 engine, a detailed interior, and its doors, hood, and trunk open. The 230-piece kit comes in red, yellow, or black, and it’s 50% off the original price at the moment.

Robotime’s latest ROKR wood model lets you build a tabletop marble run that looks like a tiny chocolate factory. Turn the crank, and colorful marbles roll through twists and turns of the maze. The 420-piece model takes about 7 hours to assemble and offers ample challenge for kit builders. We only wish it made real candy.

To celebrate 90 years of LEGO, the Billund, Denmark toymaker is releasing a unique set that includes 15 mini builds based on iconic models. The 1100-piece set #11021 incorporates classics like the 1932 LEGO Duck, the 1998 Secret of the Sphinx, the 2020 Pineapple Pencil Holder, and the 2013 NINJAGO Golden Dragon. Drops 5.1.2022.

This steampunk chameleon won’t blend into its surroundings, but it does look amazing. The 745-piece stainless steel, iron, and copper model has numerous articulated joints for posing, and its metal parts have a rainbow heat-treated finish. The finished lizard model measures about 10″ long.

Previously, ClayClaim built a miniature scene based on a level from Super Mario 64. Now the Fimo clay artist is back with another build inspired by the N64 game – Princess Peach’s iconic castle. He achieved the low-poly look by cutting lots of sharp, angular blocks of clay. Those Mario, Yoshi, and Cameraman sculpts are adorable.

We’ve seen the fascinating way in which factories crank out plastic water bottles by the thousands. Now see the level of effort it takes a model maker to create a single bottle that looks just like a bottle of Crystal Geyser water, only after it’s been put through a shrink ray.

Studson Studio shows off the process of building a model based on the awesome and imposing elephant mechs from Horizon Forbidden West. Rather than buying the off-the-shelf Tremortusk collectible, he created a custom version out of parts from other action figures, toys, and everyday objects.

Over the years, there have been many fan builds based on Doc Brown’s DeLorean time machine. Now, LEGO has made it official with this 1872-piece kit that can be configured to look like the versions of the car from BTTF, BTTF II, and BTTF III. It includes a light-up Flux Capacitor, a Mr. Fusion, a Hoverboard, and more.

Do you love roller coasters? The guys at CoasterDynamix make teeny models of virtual thrill rides for your desk or bookshelf. They come in a variety of designs, including traditional, looped, and adventure-themed rides, each sold as an easy-to-build kit. Find more variants here.

Model maker Plasmo shows off another amazing build, taking on Imperator Furiosa’s epic War Rig from Mad Max: Fury Road. He used a resin-based 3D printer and a downloadable 3D model to generate its numerous parts, but bringing it all together and making it look so great is all Plasmo.

Wrebbit’s 280-piece puzzle lets you assemble a 3D model of the Ghostbusters’ ECTO-1 station wagon. The car is covered with lots of movie-accurate photographic details, from the license plates to the roof rack filled with gadgets for detecting and dealing with the paranormal. The finished model measures 14.5″ x 4.75″ x 5.5″.

Studson Studio is a master at creating miniatures based on video games and animation. His detailed model of Luigi’s Mansion will bring a thrill to any Nintendo fan. He built it primarily out of foam and paper boards, coffee stirrers, and modeling compound. We love his creative use of food skewers for the fence.

Watch an artist make this incredibly precise model of a Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa motorcycle entirely out of paper and glue. Every tiny detail is there, from the engine to the dashboard gauges to the drive chain. It’s just one of several intricate papercraft models you can find on the Paper Modelling YouTube channel.

This commercial by Dorian & Daniel uses incredible miniature scenery to deliver a powerful message about humanity’s impact on the environment, and how we’re the only ones who can change it. The promotional spot is for Erste Sparkasse, the first bank to join the EU Green Consumption Pledge.

Glen Makes created this wonderful little diorama of a miniature Millennium Falcon as hovers over a sandy planet below. The detailed ship model’s LED lighting and the backdrop image really bring it all together. (Thanks, Mike!)