Posts by Chris Burden

Iris escorts solving pirate problems

When it comes to me and LEGO, no one could doubt that I love spaceships, especially micro-scale ones like this. Full of miniaturized details, this carrier is a creation of Flickr builder Sunder_59. Various building techniques allow for an engaging structure throughout the ship. Lattice pillars in grey make up the central core of the cargo area in the middle of this Iris-class Ersatz escort carrier. Delightful micro-scale fighters sit attached, waiting to be deployed to defend from pirate attacks in the Outer Worlds. These Iris class ships were created for this purpose but weren’t built for full-on combat scenarios. In fact, this style of ship was originally a simple cargo ship until the pirate issues increased. After some power-ups, this class of ship was issued out to deter or intercept attacks. Just check out those fighters. Their different styles and clever but simple designs really suit the scale.

Iris ersatz escort carrier

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Locked up in Tower #7

Continuing his series of architecture inspired designs, builder F@bz adds this futuristic tower. Suitable for a scene from a superhero movie, the multiple levels are created with the clever use of Minifigure handcuff pieces. Layered on top of each other and overlapping between levels around the structure, the cuffs are nestled as close together as they can. This repetition leads to a satisfying result, especially when contrasted with the colorful, picturesque landscape of the base. The well-manicured hedges and trees line either side of a pink and gold road leading right up to the ground floor of the tower.

Architecture#7 by F@bz (01)

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO 40524 Sunflowers expand the botanical collection [Review]

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since LEGO added the Botanical Collection to their lineup but here we are. After the initial success of the 10280 Flower Bouquet and 10281 Bonsai Tree, as well as the 10289 Birds of Paradise that came later in the year, it was clear that LEGO would keep watering this prospering garden. Joining the ranks of the “botanical boosters” 40460 Roses and 40461 Tulips, LEGO has announced the upcoming 40524 Sunflowers (US $12.99 | CAN $16.99 | UK £11.99) to be release on January 1st, 2022.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Can’t make space wine without water

Building a colony on another world won’t be easy. It’ll require tons of resources that you better hope are available on the planet and that you can build close enough to them. Builder Bob DeQuatre is certainly aware of the issues that go along with settling new worlds. As a precious and necessary resource, water is certainly worth a hike to retrieve. This nuclear-powered, armored water tank, dubbed the Dionysus, was designed by the Mars Corporation to quickly transport water from remote extraction sites to the main outpost. Massive wheels and an armored body ensure that every drop makes it back safely. All while looking absolutely gorgeous with that white and red color scheme and interesting angles around that elevated cabin.

Dionysus

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Beware the servants of the Goblin King

Busts have become ever-popular, and with them have come a wealth of fun ideas. Builders trying their hand at sculpting a character’s features with bricks are forced to try new things and innovate. This Goblin bust by builder Jnj_bricks was such a foray that was definitely successful. Texturing really helped this character come through, from the spikey, short hair to the boats used in his jacket. The knobbly, green skin translates well as a Goblin, as do the bright orange eyes which hold a mischievous light. The gold earrings and jutting jaw with sharp teeth add that extra bit of character emblematic of this trickster species in lore, old and new.

The Goblin

Quite a few techniques were used to achieve all the interesting angles and textures of this build. Though Jnj_bricks says this is a very different style for him, it’s clear it wasn’t too far out of his range.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Okay, now you can put up the tree

I’m a firm believer that the holiday season seems to creep into our lives sooner and sooner each year. Though many are delighted to lean into it, I reserve myself to celebrate Christmas only after Turkey day has passed. Now that it has, I think it’s fair to put up the tree. This year I might take after builder Peter Carmichael and go with a fancy, fake one. The secret to a good plastic tree is the texture of the bristly branches, which the builder has achieved with a ton of three-pronged stem pieces. Subtle but elegant decorations of gold keys and white garland with lights give character to the tree. Capping it off is a delightful, translucent blue snowflake.

LEGO Motorized Christmas Tree

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Doc Brown’s Flying DeLorean

The move to 8-stud wide vehicles for LEGO’s Speed Champions line was a controversial move for some, although the space afforded allows for more detail and realism. Builder Jerry Builds Bricks chose an iconic design to reproduce that manages to pack in the details. A few clever techniques for the doors and wheels let Jerry build this sleek DeLorean from Back to the Future full of features.

BTTF DeLorean 8wide

Read on to check out more of this awesome model.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Returning to normal, piece by piece

Building within the LEGO community means so many things to each person. Young and old, we all have a heartfelt connection with this iconic building block system, and those around us often can’t help but see it. Our connection with those who celebrate and support us in our hobby is deep and strong. So when we lose it, it can be hard to look at things the same way. Builder Jason Corlett recently lost his mother, his proudest and biggest fan, to illness. As our hearts go out to him and his family, he shows us that the spirit of building can serve to heal with this Green Machine Vic Viper. Though he knows life won’t be the same without her, I believe his mission to continue to make her proud with surely succeed.

Green Machine VV

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Microscale Tales of the Space Age in LEGO

Humanity didn’t make it to space all at once. Like a ladder to the stars, our journey to the moon and beyond took many small steps. Each necessary part of the adventure, the good and bad, helped our species step out into the cosmos. Celebrating this era of discovery, builder Jan Woznica brings us a series of builds that are truly works of art. Each model evokes elements of exploration underlining our adventures in our solar neighborhood. Clever parts usage and pleasing color gradients give each of these a satisfying appeal worthy of displaying. Let’s take a closer look while you debate which would look best in your office or home.

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

See you, Stratomaxx Cowboy

With the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop just over the horizon, it’s nice to see builds inspired by the show. The unique ships of the Bebop universe are iconic and it’s easy to see echoes of the Swordfish in this design. Builder Nicolas van Grootveld used an aftermarket chromed windscreen to create this big-nosed fighter called the Stratomaxx Acer. Let’s take a look at the schematics.

Stratomaxx Acer

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Vic Viper Firefighters

After a slightly long hiatus, I’m finally back with a build of my own. I’ve been working with The Brothers Brick since May, so some of you might be familiar with the name Chris Burden from my articles. But prior to joining the team, I was known mainly by my Instagram handle, @Benny_burd. It’s taken me a year to get to it but I finally have proper photos of my Vic Viper from last year. This fire-fighting craft is commonly seen in ports, responding to engine failures or collisions. These beefy platforms can provide support to the Coast Guard, Navy, and Orbital forces for rescue missions or forest fire suppression. Strong forks armed with water cannons extend out from a bulky body. Perched atop the main engine section, a break-away glider houses the main pilot of the vessel sandwiched between two more water cannons. The wings are adjustable for optimal atmospheric travel while fixed tailfins extend out above the engines.

Firefighting Vic Viper

Continue reading →

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.