About Chris Doyle

Chris has been involved in many parts of the LEGO community for over twenty years, and has been building most of his life. A love of transparent bricks and pop culture combine in most of his creations, which tend to be pretty large scale. His website, Reasonably Clever, featured one of the longest running brick-based webcomics, as well as one of the first LEGO-themed avatar creators. His photographs and creations have appeared in several books.

Posts by Chris Doyle

A dangerous addition to the LEGO Botanical Collection

It’s a cold winter here in the US, and as I look out the window I can only wish that the snows would be replaced with the warmth and sun suggested by this lovely botanical creation from Andreas Lenander. Oh, sure, this Piranha Plant from the words of Super Mario may be classified as an invasive species, but look at the great detailing and construction here! From the fun flower pot/pipe, to the organic-yet-spiky stem, to the “V for victory” mouth, there’s just a lot to love. Its enough to make you forget that this plant wants you, and everyone who looks like you, dead.

Built as part of the Iron Forge completion, Andreas has gone one step beyond by also sharing a great video that shows just how this chompy friend was constructed!

You know, Andreas wasn’t the first LEGO builder to take inspiration from the worlds of Mario. Check out some other super Mario-related sets and creations in our archives!

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LEGO Ideas 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone: The perfect set for a speed build [Review]

The LEGO Ideas line continued its rapid pace with the January 1st release of 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone. This US $69.99 | CAN $89.99 | UK £59.99 has 1125 pieces, spanning key locations from the first level of the SEGA classic game, two brick-built monsters, the Eggman and his Eggmobile, and an updated version of Sonic in minifigure form. There are also a smattering of play features, customizable options, and Easter eggs. But is the final set a runaway success, or something you should run away from? Get ready, Player One, and read on!

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

Click to read the full hands-on review

A portrait of the artist in plastic – Frida KahLego

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo created many amazing self portraits over her impressive career. Now, South African artist Michelle Krüger has taken a fun twist to those works, and created a LEGO mosaic version using a huge array of colorful elements. This complex construction uses layers of bricks, plates, tiles, and even plant elements to create color values that aren’t currently possible in single element 1×1 tile or plate mosaics. This style also adds a lot of really interesting textures to the real-world build, rewarding the viewer for leaning in and taking a close look at just how those at-a-distance shapes are achieved.

There’s a lot happening in the worlds of LEGO mosaics lately. Check out other LEGO mosaics here on TBB for more featured builds and artists!

LEGO DOTS 41946 Extra Dots – A charming expansion [Review]

It feels like it was just yesterday (Okay, it was back in July) when we took a look at the Extra DOTS series 5 packs. What has LEGO decided to include in packs of 41946 Extra DOTS – Series 6? Well, they’re available now from the LEGO Shop Online for US $3.99 | CAN $4.99 | UK £3.49. We bought a few to see what this latest not-quite-blind-pack has to offer.

Click to read the full hands-on review

LEGO Ideas 21332 The Globe: Cartography done right [Review]

The last time that LEGO crossed paths with cartography was with Art 31203: World Map. That huge set (11,695 pieces, the highest part count to date) met with a lot of divided reviews from the fan community. While it was clearly “art” was it really a “map”? Well, fans of geography can rest a little easier now, as 21332 The Globe has arrived. Or rather, it will arrive on February 1st for US $199.99 | CAN $269.99 | UK £174.99 | €199.99. This 2585 piece set is the latest in the LEGO Ideas theme, based on the concept submitted by fan designer Guillaume Roussel. All the necessary details are there to call it a map…but the retro styling has us asking “but is this also art?” Read along as we take an early look at this set and see what you think!

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.

Click to read the full hands-on review

I’d respect Batman more if he drove a car like this

We’re still waiting for the release of the next Batman movie, but we’ve already seen LEGO release some tie-in sets like the 42127 The Batman Batmobile. That’s a pretty decent set, but Nico71 has taken things even further into a totally awesome and new direction. Nicolas has rebuilt the core kit into a T-Bucket hot rod!

Also be sure to watch their great video that goes into more detail, including showing off the working V8 engine, light effects, and other customization options!

Click here to watch the video!

Building Big, Building Bold – An interview with Jonathan Farrell [Feature]

There are a lot of different ways to approach building mosaics in LEGO, and each artist tends to make a claim on their own style. Sometimes that means “massive brick-built images”. In that theme, a clear standout is Jonathan Farrell. We had the opportunity to sit down (virtually) with Jonathan and talk about his methods, his favorite builds, and just what happens to a mosaic that fills a room once you’ve photographed it!

Continue reading →

Smug Smaug Sits Smartly in the Spotlight

There are a lot of Lord of the Rings LEGO creations out there, but Geneva Durand brings something extra to this offering. The great dragon Smaug sits atop a golden horde – pretty standard there – but this horde is lit from below with a warm yellow glow. The dragon’s form is excellent, with a good mix of red colors and a solid wing design featuring curved tile to create texture. Triangle tiles are clipped and wedged upright to create the creature’s spine, and golden horns are used to give him a grumpy expression over the Mixel 1×1 round printed tile eyes. The mix of golden-toned elements, chromed gold coins, and under-lit transparent elements, though, is what made this build stand out to me. Mainly because I wonder if Smaug’s body heat is melting that pile of gold, or maybe he just farts fire. Well, whatever it smells like, this build looks great.

Want more LOTR goodness? Check out some other featured builds!

Mattel is Swell – even in a digital age

For many, the late 1980s were a golden age for toys. Case in point, the Mattel Starcom line, and the 1987 release of the Shadow Vampire. John Blackstar has recreated this lost vessel in virtual LEGO, and boy does it hold true to the original. (Here’s a link to a short video featuring the Mattel version.) Sure, LEGO has yet to release some of these elements in the colors seen here…and I’d have to see the exploded view to understand how (or if) some of these bricks are actually connected. But that’s okay. The end result here is sleek, stylish, and makes me want to see LEGO start reviving “lost” toylines. Maybe then we can get some Micronaut crossover action. That’s super-sweet, too.

If you like to stretch your building imagination beyond the limitations of physical brick, why not take a stroll through our other featured digital builds?

A face as pretty as a song

At first glance this build by Dan Ko is interesting enough. The LEGO Space Police Logo draws you in, and maybe if you’re a child of the 80’s you’ll recognize that red beast as a Mantisaur from the He-Man universe. Or maybe you’ll just dig the Mantiasur’s cool part usage like hotdogs for eye ridges, feet, and claws. Or the 1×1 round plate “teeth” that remind me of another creepy build from Dan. But then you look closer at the rider and you can’t help but think….”Hold on. That dude has a guitar for a head.”

How do you feel about this character? Do you want to be his friend or do you want to pull a Hendrix and remove this being from our reality entirely? I admit to being slightly torn, myself. Anyway. If you want to return to the noble past (future?) of the Space Police, I suggest you view some of our previously featured builds!

The most interesting prom date you’re going to find.

Leave it to Dan Ko to create a creature that takes interesting part usage to a whole new galaxy. Titled “The CandyDate“, this depiction of alien student Dor Zinoir incorporates underused parts like a crab for a hand, Dimensions game pieces for foot-pods, and what appear to be minifigure fishing rods for the spindly legs. There are also minifigure arms, disembodied hands, and Unikitty tails in the mix. That nose is throwing me, though. It looks like a minifigure head/helmet, but I can’t place it.

Take a closer look after the break

This Alien Queen is Thicc

If you’re a fan of the LEGO Art theme, odds are you’ve acquired at least one “Thicc Separator”, the wide, black version of the classic brick separator tool. I know they seem to be multiplying rapidly in our household. Dan Ko may have figured out why. Using a Thicc Separator as a base, they’ve revealed the tool’s true form – that of an Alien Queen. And if you look close, you might even spot some black hot dogs. I’m not sure that’s related, but it sure is creepy.

Want more alien goodness? Check out our Xenomorph tag!