About Andrew Becraft (TBB Editor-in-Chief)

Andrew Becraft is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Brothers Brick. He's been building with LEGO for more than 40 years, and writing about LEGO here on TBB since 2005. He's also the co-author, together with TBB Senior Editor Chris Malloy, of the DK book Ultimate LEGO Star Wars. Andrew is an active member of the online LEGO community, as well as his local LEGO users group, SEALUG. Andrew is also a regular attendee of BrickCon, where he organizes a collaborative display for readers of The Brothes Brick nearly every year. You can check out Andrew's own LEGO creations on Flickr. Read Andrew's non-LEGO writing on his personal blog, Andrew-Becraft.com. Andrew lives in Seattle with his wife and dogs, and by day leads software design and planning teams.

Posts by Andrew Becraft (TBB Editor-in-Chief)

Frank finds Jesus

Shannon Young, who just announced the winners of his Vig/orama Contest, illustrates the potential answer to a question that someone might ask you on a street corner: “Have you found Jesus?”

Why yes, in fact, Frank has found Jesus.

Frank finds Jesus behind the couch

You have to admit, it’s pretty funny. Via GodBricks, where Bruce has an excellent theological point about the fallacy of the question that Shannon is poking fun at.

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.

Lone Ranger and Tonto will have to wait ’til heaven for their inevitable fistfight

This little scene by Craig Lyons (LegoLyons) highlights an excellent pair of Lone Ranger and Tonto minifigs. Tonto doesn’t look too happy. Reid better watch his back.

LEGO Lone Ranger and Tonto

Okay, that’ll be my last Wild West creation for the night. Hi-ho, Silver, away!

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.

Crossing the Nevada desert in comfort and style

What’s with all the LEGO Western creations the last few days? One builder we haven’t highlighted yet is Josh Morris (I Scream Clone), who’s been churning them out faster than I can bookmark them.

Aside from his hilariously named outhouse, my favorite Wild West creation from him so far is this stagecoach:

LEGO stagecoach

One horse (without reins) seems a bit underpowered, but the stagecoach itself is excellent, atop an irregular base replete with iconic saguaro, buzzard, and cow’s skull.

Don’t miss Josh’s other great Western creations, including Gold Rush Fever.

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 Technic steering wheel for iPhone games

With two posts bashing the iPhone today, I figured I’d balance things out (beyond writing all my posts on a MacBook) by highlighting something pretty cool that made the rounds of the interwebs a couple weeks ago.

Ladies and gentlemen, behold the itty-bitty steering wheel for iPhone games:

Via Cult of Mac.

Now, we normally don’t post things without attribution, but I can’t seem to find the original builder (the YouTube video doesn’t appear to have been posted by the builder). Any help tracking down the genius who designed this would be very much appreciated.

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 CL!CK short film is awesome, but doesn’t explain what the heck CL!CK is

I have no idea what LEGO CL!CK is about — probably because I don’t have the patience to wade through the pseudo-interactivity of someone’s love affair with Flash. But that doesn’t stop this video from being gorgeous.

Perhaps CL!CK has something to do with the vaguely useless iPhone app FBTB reviewed (or vice versa), which had at least one of us fooled. Regardless, the video is whimsical and fantastic, as is the dude’s mustache.

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.

Mars is at least 54 million miles farther from the Sun than Earth

I almost passed up Justin Vaughn‘s little Mars colony until I saw it on MicroBricks. Why? The lighting just didn’t seem right.

LEGO microscale Mars colony

In reality, the lighting is perfect. Light on Mars is a lot dimmer than on Earth, with an orange hue from the dust-laden skies. The biodome is built from two halves of Buzz Lightyear’s helmet from the new LEGO Toy Story Construct-a-Buzz set.

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 iPad less absorbent than Apple’s version; still won’t run Flash

Despite being an early adopter of many technologies, I still don’t have an iPhone, I refuse to tweet, and thought the Wii would flop. Well, at least I was proved right about that last one in the long run.

Though I remain skeptical of Apple’s latest foray into palmtop computing (I have a Newton downstairs somewhere), I’m certainly impressed with Joe Meno‘s LEGO version.

LEGO iPad

Joe’s LEGO iPad has just about everything, including swappable screens and the Apple logo on the back. Ironically, the only thing missing from the LEGO iPad is a little blue 2×2 brick indicating that the Adobe Flash plugin is broken

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.

Paul Lee & son win national LEGO Minibuild contest [News]

Paul Lee and his son entered their local LEGO Store’s monthly Minibuild contest back in September, and recently learned that their entry has just won the national contest, and will be featured as this coming September’s monthly model.

LEGO Miniland boy with backpack

It’s a great little Miniland character that would look perfect on the tiny streets of LEGOLAND California, complete with sneakers and backpack casually slung over one shoulder. Congratulations to the father and son team!

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.

BrickMagic LEGO festival coming to Raleigh, NC May 8-9, 2010 [News]

BrickMagicBrickJournal and their publishers TwoMorrows are hosting a LEGO event May 8-9, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Here’s the event’s description:

  • Meet professional LEGO builder NATHAN SAWAYA, and help him assemble an incredible LEGO structure!
  • See a huge hall filled with custom LEGO creations by top AFOLs (“Adult Fans of LEGO”) from around the country!
  • Participate in workshops on building techniques and making custom minifigures!
  • View animated LEGO films running continuously both days!
  • Watch a robotics competition by First® LEGO® League teams from area schools!
  • Build a special LEGO Mother’s Day rose for your mom!
  • Cheer for the Great LEGO Boat Race, and see presentations on Mindstorms, creating LEGO Mosaics, and more!

For exact times and prices, check out the BrickMagic website.

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.

Bricks Adventure 2010 happening right now in Hong Kong [News]

With sincerest apologies for the belated post to our thousands of our readers in Hong Kong, Bricks Adventure 2010 has been happening on the University of Hong Kong campus, January 27 through February 12.

LEGO Bricks Adventure 2010 poster

ArzLan, Antony Tam, John Ho, and many other talented builders are there, along with America’s own Dan Siskind.

LEGO town

Photo by Erikmok

Check out all the photos in the Bricks Adventure 2010 photo pool on Flickr.

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.

Printed Twi’lek minifig parts now available from Arealight Customs [News]

You don’t have to travel to Ryloth to get your hands on a lovely Twi’lek dancer, jedi, personal assistant, or sith minifig. Arealight Custom Work now sells printed versions of the custom accessories we reviewed last year, as well as new curved torsos.

Custom LEGO Twi'lek minifigs

The heads are 5.00 USD each and the torsos 4.00 USD. Check out more photos on Flickr.

As someone too untalented to try designing, printing, and applying waterslide decals myself, I just ordered a full set and can’t wait to make them dance around on my coffee table. ♫ Jabba’s Theme ♩ as Pugsly observes approvingly…

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.

Who says Tyrannosaurus Rex wasn’t a lovely blue and tan?

Not aurore&aube, whose excellent T-Rex looks like it’s just stepped from the Jurassic onto a modern city street.

LEGO Tyrannosaurus Rex

(What color is tan on the official LEGO color palette?)

Thanks for the tip, -Disty-!

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.