Posts by Jake Forbes (TBB Managing Editor)

A LEGO castle legend returns to the Guilds of Historica

Since 2013, over in the Eurobricks forums, Castle fans have been building out a shared fantasy world with story arcs and challenges called Guilds of Historica. Peter Ilmrud is a longtime member of the community who hasn’t added to the world in a while, but returned last month with a beautiful piece of forced perspective featuring his sigfig Parzival approaching a desert metropolis.

With just the microscale model in focus, we can better appreciate the wonderful technique, like one boat made with chocolate frogs and another from a hotdog bun, an upturned butterfly net as a dome, and a book cover for a tent.

Peter promises that the microscale model above is just an appetizer for a larger return to Guilds of Historica next year. Based on the builder’s previous creations in the setting, we’re in for a treat. Here is Peter’s creation from the GoH 10th anniversary contest two years ago – the Port of Zamorah. (Visit Peter’s Flickr to appreciate it close up.)

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How three builders celebrate travel with LEGO [Feature]

LEGO sets can make excellent souvenirs to take home from vacations, but how can LEGO prepare you for a trip and make that journey even more special?

Australian AFOL Kristel Whitaker recently wrapped a European vacation where she documented her trip with Polaroids built from LEGO. Rather than visit first, build later, Kristel prepped her “photographs” before leaving Australia based on iconic locations, then took an on-location photograph to match. The results are so much fun!

I love the use of monochrome for the LEGO versions, which makes them feel timeless but could also simplify the need to color-match exactly, like with this snapshot from Copenhagen’s Nyhavn.

Kristel’s compositions also help keep scope manageable when the subject is enormous, like with this shot of the Colosseum that she managed to perfectly match on location.

See the world with more AFOL adventurers after the fold!

All aboard the itty-bitty choo-choo!

When LEGO dropped this season’s winter village addition, 10361 Holiday Express Train, we were shocked to find a 3D-printed engine inside. Builder Owen (_brickbytes) used that one funny element as the seed for a full microscale scene. The little engine is followed by cars that mirror the scale and detail of the printed piece using system elements. The extra-thin quality of LEGO hinges works brilliantly both as tiny wheels and to give the coal hopper interesting shaping. Owen’s microscale chops extend beyond the centerpiece train. Using book covers as thatched rooftops is clever indeed, and of course, I’m always happy to see green antlers used for microscale foliage!

Gearheads unite- Building on motorcycle MOCs of the past

I’m the first to admit, I’m no gearhead – I can barely tell the difference between a Buick and a Bentley – but that doesn’t keep me from having the deepest respect for LEGO builders who are as passionate about their cars as I am castles. The precision and innovation that go into making recognizable vehicles in miniature is its own kind of magic. Sam Andreas, aka Sseven Bricks, is one of my favorite automotive builders, thanks to his sharp lines, crisp photography, and clever parts use that never skimp on detail, even at 6-7 studs wide. Like this Chevy P20 step van. Now the builder is first to admit that this vehicle is just “a big grey box on wheels,” but it’s what’s in the back that caught my eye.

What a beautiful chopper! So much detail at minifig scale with tricks like using minifig hands for handlebars and kickstand. I love builds like this. Now, as talented as Sam is, he’s also building on a the innovation of those who came before and it’s wonderful to see him credit those inspirations.

The motorcycle above was inspired by the work of Sanel Lukovic from back in 2018. Sanel hasn’t been as active in recent years, but his legacy is massive. It’s always great to be reminded when legendary builders past works are still inspiring new builds.

Read on for another example of Andreas iterating on iconic builds for his incredible vehicles

LEGO goes Back to the Future with sleek and affordable Speed Champions set [News]

Great Scott! LEGO is bringing Doc Brown’s DeLorean, and not only is it an awesome-looking set, but it’s also priced like sets from the ’80s? This is heavy. Arriving on January 1, 2026, LEGO Speed Champions 77256 Time Machine from Back to the Future has everything going for it except for that clunker name. 357 pieces for $27? Yes please. New minifigs for Doc and Marty? Don’t mind if I do. Excellent shaping and details on the DeLorean on two alternate builds? If my calculations are correct, this set delivers. The only things not included are roads, but where this car’s going, you don’t need ’em. Coming off an onslaught of massive and expensive IP-based sets, it’s refreshing to have an affordable way to indulge in nostalgia or share a classic with a new generation. More of this please, LEGO! What do you think? Will you be picking up the new DeLorean when it flies in next year?

LEGO Speed Champions 77256 Time Machine from Back to the Future | 357 Pieces | Available January 1, 2026 | US $27.99 | CAN $34.99 | UK £22.99

If you don’t click to see more of this heavy set, Darth Vader will come down from Planet Vulcan to melt your brain.

Minifigs of spooky season – the first omen [Minifig Monday]

Throughout October, spooky builds take over LEGO feeds like a Spirit Halloween store. With so many eerily good costumes and creepy characters this month, we thought it would be a treat to summon the specters early for a month of monstrous madness!

ASortaOkayBuilder kicks things off with Manny, the skeletal bard. Equipped with Héctor’s guitar from Coco and a trans neon green ectoplasmic flourish, this swashbuckling is the perfect minifig to lead us to the lands of the dead.

Captain Dark Shark captures footage of paranormal activity in medieval times. Created for the newly launched Graymane Guild Role-Play community, this haunting is sure to kick of an epic quest when the villager enlists magical help to solve the Ahsenhollow curse.

Anotherlegoaccount has been going through the decades capturing obscure horror films you’ve probably never heard of, like the obscure 1979 Soviet sci-fi thriller “In Space” with its hideous Extroform. The scene with the mandroid was terrifying. I’m just glad the dog survives.

Trick or treat? Spooky Halloween and horror minifigs continue after the fold

It’s Wolfpack vs Lion Knights in this incredible LEGO Castle collab

German AFOLs Andreas Pettau (Feanor) and Larsvader have each created impressive medieval builds on their own, but past builds could hardly prepare you for the epic collaboration they debuted at Berlin SteineWAHN! event last month. Spread across 24 32×32 baseplates, “The Wolfhunt” pits two Classic Castle factions against each other in a detailed landscape enhanced by lights and motion. Andreas built the fantastic Wolfpack Tower and the surrounding swamps, while Larsvader constructed a castle, palisades, and forest for the noble Lion Knights. The collab won the popular vote for best-in-show as well as the judges’ vote for best collab.

A collaboration like this is best enjoyed in video, and thankfully, Feanor documents the build for those who couldn’t see it in person. Watch till the end to see the incredible dark mode.

Brace yourself for more pics of this epic castle collab

Glorious LEGO-lution celebrates Arcane’s end in bricks

Over two seasons, the Netflix series Arcane brought the fantasy world of League of Legends to life in gorgeous animation. Like many, builder craftingcorrine wasn’t ready to let go after the final episode aired, so she turned to LEGO to recreate Viktor’s Glorious Evolution. The colors are gorgeous, matching the rich, painterly tones of the animated series with layers achieved by the use of transparent elements. I love the blend of mosaic and character model rising from the tiles and the clever parts usage, like a baby Friends turtle on the god-form’s chest. As a multi-media artist, Corrine painted a custom Jayce minifig to match the scene.

As a bonus, Corrine discovered that the mosaic glows under blacklight.

Corrine’s “Glorious LEGO-lution” was displayed at Brickworld Chicago where it was nominated for best 2D artwork. Congratulations, Corrine – we can’t wait to see where your building takes you next!

How did the jaguar get its spots? For this incredible LEGO model, from tires and more

Automaker Jaguar’s mottos are “delete ordinary” and “copy nothing,” and those mottos could just as well apply to builder Sakiya Watanabe, who, over just one year of building characters and creatures, has constantly pushed boundaries with LEGO parts use. Take a close look at the builder’s latest model and you’ll find surprises throughout. The face is dense with clever solutions, like a turkey nose, fabric tongue, and minifig arms. The rock base hides a Scout Trooper helmet, Power Miners monster mold, and what I think is a DUPLO baby hippo.

But the most exciting technique is the Jaguar’s spots, created by inverting tires and using minifig hair or brick configurations inside to create organic shapes. Perhaps there’s a bit of homage with Sakiya’s jaguar to DeRa’s incredible tiger, current on display in the Masterpiece Gallery in Billund.

Click to learn more about how the model was created

You’ll want to enable cookies for this adorable LEGO creation

Stewart Lamb Cromar is one of the nicest AFOLs you could ever hope to meet, and I was lucky to get to see the builder and his latest MOC at Skærbæk Fan Weekend last month. The creation, Milk and Cookies, of course features Stewart’s favorite theme – Fabuland – but rather than taking place at animal scale, the mice are feasting on 1:1 scale props. The brick-built chocolate milk carton is a the building highlight, but it’s the inclusion of human-sized LEGO mugs and inspired use off a paper bag as a ~~cookie~~ biscuit wrapper that make the build truly special.

The cheeky mice feature in this beautiful postcard illustration that Stewart commissioned from artist Kornél Pittmann that I was lucky to receive at the event.

As cheerful a person as Stewart is, I’ll never forget how dark his humor can go, as evidenced by his entry in our Dungeon Crossing contest earlier this year.

A symphony of Silksong tributes in LEGO

Hollow Knight: Silksong is the rare game that delivers on the hype, blending beautiful worldbuilding with brutal difficulty. Protagonist Hornet and the bug-like denizens of Pharloom have inspired an outpouring of fan models from the LEGO community. Here are some of our favorites!

Fresh off his incredible series of Hollow Knight builds, Joss Ivanwood begins climbing Pharloom with a series of encounters. First, Hornet encounters Shakra, the mapmaker. She’s a lot tougher than Cornifer!

My favorite of Joss’ new builds is Sherma, just a little guy on a big pilgrimage! The party hat in golld makes a perfect miniature chime.

Our tour of Pharloom’s bugs continues after the break

One does not simply make LEGO models of Barad-Dûr this big

Barad-Dûr, seat of Sauron’s power, is known more by reputation than by first-hand accounts in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien describes it as “wall upon wall, battlement upon battlement, black, immeasurably strong, mountain of iron, gate of steel, tower of adamant.” Peter Jackson’s films made Barad-Dûr an iconic on-screen presence with the fiery eye watching all from atop the tallest tower. It was that version that LEGO adapted for last year’s massive Icons set. For Jae Min Lee, a Korean fantasty builder who goes by the handle Saint, the official set didn’t match the picture of Barad-Dûr in his imagination. For over a year, Saint iterated on his vision of Sauron’s stronghold with the latest version debuting just in time for Korea Brick Party 2025. Saint was kind enough to talk with us about his LEGO journey into Mordor.

Our Interview with Saint follows