Kinetic Sculptures :: Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith creates all sorts of found-object kinetic sculptures. From rolling balls, to turning gears, bubbling water, and even a tornado. His website features over 40 kinetic sculptures in a wide array of styles that are all worth checking out. LINK

Rolling Through the Bay :: Scott Weaver

Though this kinetic creation has been making the rounds on the internet for the past couple years, there are finally good photographs and videos available online! Built over the course of 35 years using over 100,000 toothpicks, notable landmarks from throughout the city of San Francisco are included in the sculpture.

See a really good set of photos on the Tinkering Studio's flickr page. LINK

Or watch a video of the multiple balls rolling through the sculpture. LINK

Matchstick Hogwarts :: Patrick Acton

Completed in 2006 and based on the Hollywood version of Hogwarts seen in the movies, modeler Patrick Acton built this model and displayed it at his Matchstick Marvels museum before selling it to the House of Katmandu in Spain. Containing over 602,000 matchsticks, Hogwarts is Acton's largest model to date. See more photos at his website. LINK

Toothpick Recreations :: Stan Munro

Name an architectural landmark, anywhere in the world, and chances are good that Stan Munro has modeled it from toothpicks, from skyscrapers to towers, cathedrals to temples, pyramids and more. See his creations at his website. LINK

Matchstick Formula 1 :: Michael Arndt

Using 956,000 matchsticks, Michael Arndt built this Mercedes McLaren F1 race car over the course of six years. See process photos at the hemmy.net site. LINK

Matchstick Oil Rig :: David Reynolds

Former oil-rig worker David Reynolds brought his past career with him into retirement. Spending up to 10 hours a day and using four million matchsticks, he built the half-ton model of the Brent Bravo rig in his living room before the finished piece was moved to the Bursledon Brickworks and Industrial Museum in Southhampton, Hants (United Kingdom). See more photos at the Telegraph site. LINK

Matchstick Minas Tirith :: Patrick Acton

Modeler Patick Acton is responsible for this model of Minas Tirith from J.R.R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings. 420,000 matchsticks were used to create the buildings, 24,000 small wooden blocks to build the hillside, and took just under three years to construct. You can check out more photos at his website. LINK

Toothpick Queen Mary :: Wayne Kusy

Using a million toothpicks, Wayne Kusy of Chicago built this model of the Queen Mary. See more photos at the Daily Mail. LINK

Matchstic Titanic :: Venkatesh

Model builder Vankatesh has a fascination with matchsticks and recreates world landmarks in small scale. See a short clip of some of his work on YouTube. LINK

Titanic Model :: Stan Fraser

Stan Fraser spent six years creating his backyard version of the titanic, and he is still working on it. See a few photos over at the BBC News site. LINK

Battleship Yamato

This lego model of a battleship was begun by by a fifteen-year old, and finished 6+ years later as he was graduating from college. Tons of photos of various angles and closeups are available. LINK

Ships :: John Taylor

John taylor creates some fabulous miniatures, mostly ships, made primarily from found objects. Not only does he replicate ships from bygone eras, but the materials, coloring, and even the mode of display all add to the feeling that you've found a lost (and highly detailed) relic of the past. See more ships and tons of closeups at his website. LINK