Escher prints in 3D LEGO versions

July 8, 2007 2:18 AM

Andrew Lipson and Daniel Shiu build faithful, 3D versions of Escher prints using LEGOs: Relativity, Ascending and Descending, Waterfall, and Belvedere. (Only one of those four images required any photo manipulation to create its "Escher effect" -- can you tell which one, without scrolling down to see the descriptions on each page?) Other people's LEGO adventures: a playable harpsichord, the Golden Gate Bridge, and a portrait of Catwoman.
posted by allterrainbrain (17 comments total)

Also should mention the LEGO desk, that singularly great example of dot com excesses...
posted by allterrainbrain at 2:25 AM on July 8, 2007

Wow. Very impressive.
posted by MrMustard at 3:15 AM on July 8, 2007

It's deja vu all over again....
posted by strangeguitars at 3:54 AM on July 8, 2007

Searched for lipson and found nothing... should've searched for escher. Well, enjoy the new ones here, or mods remove if preferable!
posted by allterrainbrain at 4:08 AM on July 8, 2007

Those two old posts have dead links. I hope it stays. It's good.
posted by kisch mokusch at 4:42 AM on July 8, 2007

Wow, awesome stuff. Especially since Escher designed those to be unbuildable.
posted by octothorpe at 5:37 AM on July 8, 2007

Um, the plural of Lego is Lego. Like sheep. /nitpick.


This is fucking cool.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:51 AM on July 8, 2007

and dear christ in heaven I want that Lego desk. I don't get why the guy didn't understand why the person who ordered the desk wanted the bumps up on the surface. Obviously desk-boy wanted to be able to build things at work and attach them to the desk!
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:00 AM on July 8, 2007

Relativity the LEGO version makes my head hurt. Kind of like tha Michel Gondry video done entirely in LEGO ( link discussing how they did it.

Did you know you can be a LEGO certified professional? I'm thinking that would be my next professional designation once I buy enough bricks, and convince my boss that it's a legitimate training expense...

Building things at work and attach to my desk - brilliant idea!
posted by rmm at 7:26 AM on July 8, 2007

Cool post!
posted by vronsky at 7:58 AM on July 8, 2007

OMG do I want to be a LEGO Certified Professional with a real LEGO Desk.
posted by grouse at 8:03 AM on July 8, 2007

that harpsichord sounds funny
posted by bhnyc at 8:10 AM on July 8, 2007

LEGO Certified Professional

I applied back when I was doing alot of training, teach, professional seminars, writing - and I never did hear back from them - sigh.

Oh well - I ended up purchasing two Mindstorms kits and I do things "informally"
;-) (sometimes PR, sometimes charity and sometimes just for fun...) Really have to buy a couple NXT sets now.
posted by jkaczor at 10:02 AM on July 8, 2007

teaching - sigh, yep that reflects poorly.
posted by jkaczor at 10:03 AM on July 8, 2007

My wife worked for Mr. Lego Desk. As I recall, he threw it into his employment agreement as kind of a "bet they won't go for this."
posted by maxwelton at 10:31 AM on July 8, 2007

I think that harpsichord sounds in-fucking-credible for something built out of tiny glued pieces of plastic -- to get it playing and to get it even that well in tune is a major achievement, because (as he mentions) any adjustment in one string will affect the tension of the others, in an instrument that has that kind of potential for slight creaking/shifting. I've built metal-stringed Frankeninstruments myself, and a solid frame is the *first* thing you make sure to have.

He has a great description on that page of fine-tuning the mechanism/action. I would love to hear recordings of how it sounded at first, because I bet it sounded even clankier.

Bach (and Cage) would be delighted...
posted by allterrainbrain at 1:58 PM on July 8, 2007

This movie (broken flash, scroll down or refresh) about carniverous plants used a robotic time-lapse camera mechanism made from legos.
posted by Eothele at 11:01 AM on July 9, 2007