Category Archives: Models

This is what we’re all about. We scour the web for the best custom LEGO models to share with you. From castles and spaceships to planes, trains, and automobiles, you’ll find the best LEGO creations from builders all over the world right here on The Brothers Brick.

We can’t take our eyes off this microscope

Kamil Banasik has been hard at work in the LEGO lab, and the result is this magnificent tribute to the microscopic world. The microscope at the center would be a note-worthy build on its own, as a near perfect 1:1 scale recreation of the real thing. But the way that it’s framed, with those LEGO particles climbing up the those angled arms, takes it from a clever piece of engineering to to a work of art.

The only thing that troubles us is that when you peer into this microscope, it looks back up at you. Someone call Ant-Man, I think the Quantum Realm might want a word with us.

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Swapping MOCs for a double dose of creative styles

When it comes to LEGO mechs and brick-built characters, Zakar.ion is one of the most prolific and distinctive builders in the scene. They’re also one of the most collaborative and generous builders around, joining and starting collabs every week. One of my favorite traditions is the “swap collab” where zakar and another builder each pick a model from the other’s catalog of creations, then remake it in their own style. For zakar’s latest swap, the builder teams with neo_mocs. Here we see zakar’s take on neo’s Luna and Misty characters.

Below, you can see the inspiration and the remake side by side. Some of the elements, like the cat face elements from 11034 Creative Pets, carry across builds, while the body construction is a total re-engineering. Constraction pieces out, macaroni tubes in!

the other half of the collab follows

A Millenni-YUM Falcon

Summer is here, and everyone loves a juicy slice of watermelon to help beat the heat, even in a galaxy far, far away. So Maxx Davidson is helping deliver that treat to the furthest reaches of space with this fresh take on a classic Star Wars ship. Maxx has made perfect use of various shades of green to capture the look of the melon rind, and those diamond tiles as seeds on the front mandibles are inspired. But my favorite detail is the round fruit slice tile serving as the cockpit window. Delicious.

The Big Block made from little bricks

Fresh off the heels of the great review of the new LEGO Shelby Cobra, we get another delivery from Firas Abu-Jaber, the third-generation Chevrolet Big Block Camaro. From the detailed guest review that Firas delivered, the amount of effort and detail provided to this Camaro should come as no surprise. While Firas calls out the love and effort put into the engine, for me, it’s the headlights that make the build shine. Those 80’s headlights are essential to the design of the third-gen Camaro, and they are exquisitely done.

Be sure to take a full walk around the Camaro in Firas’ gallery.

A lean, clean green machine

The Aston Martin Valkyrie was an on again/off again store for endurance racing. But, with a successful completion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans this month, SFH_Bricks has made sure the Valkyrie will live in a permanent “on” status. With a mix of bright-green, dark-green and lime, SFH brings the Valkyrie to life in Speed Champions scale. Now we just need to hear the 12-cylinder engine howl.

This gargoyle has gone from grotesque to gorgeous!

By many accounts, gargoyles were installed on the sides of buildings to ward off evil spirits and demons. That makes them heroes, despite their somewhat scary looks. But as Magmafrost13 demonstrates, throw a pink skirt on a monster and suddenly the scariness makes way for cuteness. Kind of. I have to admit, all I’m imagining is an anime in which a bunch of gargoyles have to learn to ward off a series of demons through the power of friendship, love, and togetherness. Magmafrost13, I have an idea for a pitch…

Make medieval time to tour Ben Hauger’s towering LEGO castle creations

98283, Brick, Modified 1 x 2 with Masonry Profile. In our house, we call it a “brick brick.” And Ben Hauger uses it perfectly. Its use is spread out and in two different colors, giving a wonderful pattern to the castle. Given that the “brick brick” is my wife’s favorite piece, how appropriate that the Falcon’s Roost castle is said to be the Lady’s keep. Be sure to fully zoom in on this photo to enjoy all of the part usage, from the minifig handcuffs in the coat of arms, to the growing vines and tiled rooftops.

Ben’s castle creations are always big endeavors and spectacular to study, so it’s a rare treat that we get two new builds in one week. Ben’s dragon–or wyvern–flies above a falling knight. A beautifully structured dragon over a wonderful rock cropping.

Read on to see some of Ben’s classic castle creations

Rolling up on a raid with your best goblin buddies

You know that feeling when you and your homies all pull up somewhere in matching drip and you feel like you could take on the world? That’s the vibe I’m getting from Eero Okkonen‘s trio of goblin buddies. They look absolutely rad, and full of character. Van-Gug in the middle is definitely the broody leader of the group – they organised this meet-up in the first place. On the left, that is – for want of a better word – the group clown, Bragg. There’s an opportunity to do something wild? They’re in on it. And they’re egged on by the behatted Kargas on the right. Yeah, they might be a little shy, but they still crack the funniest jokes out of nowhere. And you’d best believe they’ve all got each other’s backs with those big swords.

Gayle Spiller to the Dark Tower came, erecting a brilliant monument in LEGO to Stephen King’s masterpiece

Stephen King has authored so many unforgettable works about relatable good folk reckoning with true evil, from horror classics like It and The Shining to more grounded works like The Green Mile and Mr. Mercedes. But for many fans (myself included!) King’s masterwork is the Dark Tower cycle, a sprawling fantasy/horror/western epic written over 30 years. I first discovered the book as a teenager, drawn in by the incredible and evocative Michael Whelan illustrations. It was a world I longed to see more of… but sadly, the first movie adaptation was a huge miss. When I saw that Gayle Spiller, the amazing LEGO house masterpiece alum with a maximalist building style, had tackled the Dark Tower in bricks, I knew we were in for a treat, but I wasn’t prepared for such a detailed tribute to King’s universe.

Gayle captures the eldritch horror of the tower itself surrounded by the beautiful Can’-Ka No Rey filed of roses. She captures the beams that support the tower, each connected to its spirit animal. There’s an Unfound Door to take you between worlds. And even a sly reference to the lobstrosities that cost Roland some fingers. Of course the Ka-Tet is all here, a group bound by fate.

The palaver goes on with additional pictures and thankee sai

Getting deep into Bionicle lore with the Bio-Cup

The Bio-Cup, as the name suggests, challenges builders to make creative use of parts from LEGO’s beloved Bionicle theme. This theme covered a lot of ground, so it’s easy to draw comparisons between MOCs and sets, but Margit‘s latest reminds me of some of my favourite Bionicle villains. The underwater-dwelling Barraki were very reminiscent of some of the strange aquatic creatures you might see in the ocean deep. Creatures that have a certain ghostly quality. Which makes them perfect for Margit’s chosen sub-theme for this round of the Bio-Cup: Ghost/Wraith! See, it all comes full circle.

Margit’s spectral spectacle won her category in round 1. We can’t wait to see what she comes up for in Round 2!

LEGO Palico and feathered mount are ready to help you hunt monsters

Capcom’s Monster Hunter games have gone from niche to mega popular, so it’s high time we see some of the incredible creature designs get the LEGO treatment. Thankfully Mitch Phillips answers the call, not only nailing ornate feathers and fur from LEGO elements but sharing the process so we can train up to capture our own monsters in bricks. For the feathered mount, Mitch draws on leaves, flippers, chima wings, and so many other clever parts. Kudos to Mitch for spotlighting the technique used on the neck feathers that was learned from character-building legend Jayfa. Even though it’s a simpler build, I’m smitten by the ~~kitten~~ Palico companion.

For a breakdown of how the creatures were built, and tips on building complex and colorful characters that draw on LEGO’s broad range of parts, I can’t recommend Mitch’s video stream enough.

DeRa celebrates Kitano Ijinkan-gai landmark Weathercock House with LEGO modular masterpiece

Japanese builder DeRa has created some of the most spectacular MOCs of recent years, such as this entrancing LEGO tiger and brick-built Godzilla. But while mecha and monsters have been the builder’s calling card, DeRa’s academic focus as a university student is architecture. For their latest build, DeRa brings an AFOL’s perspective to the iconic Weathercock House from Kobe Japan’s Kitano Ijinkan-gai, a neighborhood where foreign residents created magnificent manors of Western design in the early 20th century.

Sticking to LEGO modular conventions, DeRa builds atop a 32×32 and 16×32 stud plate while allowing between 4-6 studs for sidewalk space. This pushes the build into stylized space, with both exterior and interior designed around minifig scale. But DeRa’s design holds another secret.

Like an ornate puzzle box, this modular slides apart into 12 separate modules!

Read on for details on the build process and pictures of the interior