Posts by Kyle Keller

A LEGO creation of a great “scale”

When I think of LEGO’s Bionicle line, I think of the heroes defending Mata Nui from the Bohrok, not participating in their respective recreational hobbies. And yet here we find Toa Pehi scaling the face of a cliff in this creation by Deus Otiosus. This wonderful build marries together so many different styles: the character creation concepts making up Pehi, the multifaceted rock wall creating a shell of slopes and curves, the gradient of blue plates and bricks forming the mosaic of a sky, and the forced perspective technique employed for the forest below our climber. Each of these schools of LEGO building exist in harmony here, combining to make a truly stupendous work of art! Next up, will we see Toa Gali crocheting a sweater or Toa Lewa rocking out at karaoke?

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What’s your favorite LEGO moment of 2023? [Feature]

The current year of 2023 is quickly coming to a close, and it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on all the wonderful moments with LEGO we’ve had over the last 12 months. Maybe it was the release of a new set or LEGO theme that tops your list. Maybe it was spending Insiders points on a new reward, or a particularly fruitful trip to the LEGO store’s pick-a-brick wall. It could’ve been time spent with friends at a convention, or winning an award for a collaborative build. Or even finally tracking down that long-sought-after “Holy Grail” set from your childhood. Whatever marked the pinnacle of the LEGO hobby for you in 2023, we want to hear about it! Fill out the form below with your best LEGO moment of 2023, and be sure to say why you picked it and what it means to you. We’ll come back later this month to recount some of our favorite submissions.

Fill out the form with your best LEGO moment of 2023 below!

LEGO offers a trio of highly-anticipated sets to kick off December [News]

Amid all the Black Friday hoopla, the beginning of December nearly managed to sneak away into obscurity in the shadow of Avenger’s Tower. And yet, we have a set of new adult-themed sets hitting store shelves today: LEGO Ideas 21344 The Orient Express Train, LEGO Icons 10326 Natural History Museum, and LEGO Icons 10329 Tiny Plants. And while all the Black Friday and Insiders Weekend deals/GWPs have now dried up, a pair of new GWPs we recently reviewed are now available on the site: US | CAN | UK.

Take a look at the December releases below!

A festive Muppet mosaic made of LEGO

If you’re a 90’s kid like me, then The Muppet Christmas Carol was a likely staple of the holidays during your childhood. And builder Josh Parkinson has channeled all the energy of that 1992 classic into this beautiful wintertime LEGO mosaic of Kermit the Frog. I love the shifting shades of green, red, and brown on the main figure, creating pockets of shadow and depth using quarter tiles. And the feather pieces used in Kermit’s scarf are a great touch of texture. But the best part usage in the build has got to be the inventive lighting of the streetlamp, putting a 4×4 dish from the Starry Night set to work.

Be sure to check out the rest of Josh’s tributes to the Muppets and more in our archives.

Scrying on your LEGO competition in the Brickscalibur contest

You can tell it’s once again Brickscalibur season when Markus Rollbühler is showing off his enviable LEGO trophy-building skills. Until January 15th, builders will be submitting their best Castle-adjacent creations for a chance at a prize. This devilish warlock seen mid-scrying spell is the trophy for the Medieval Micro category, and it’s an astounding creation! Markus’s ability to make the plastic bricks appear to be flowing cloth is superb, as are all the accoutrements to the spellcaster like the candlesticks and pile of papers. But enough talk – I need to get building if I’m going to have a shot at taking this home! Check out the Brickscalibur website for all the categories and rules if you’re interested.

Come mine the LEGO skies!

Sky islands have been a favorite subject for many a LEGO creation. And it follows from logic that when all the rocks are floating up in the air, then so, too, are all the precious metals and minerals contained therein. Builder John Snyder shows us what a mining operation might look like suspended amongst the clouds with this glorious bit of steampunk-ery. The outpost is abuzz with gears, vents, winches, and pipes. And located right at the center of the whole shebang is the furnace, about to smelt another load of aerially-harvested lode. It was no-doubt uncovered in one of the neighboring rocks using that hot air balloon/drill combo. It’s one of the most ingenious uses of the LEGO ornament bulb I’ve ever seen!

The terrific LEGO tower of technique

It’s never too late to learn a new way to connect these LEGO bricks! And Maxim Baybakov shows us how it’s done with this North Tower creation. Fully embracing the half-stud measurement (the most important unit of measure in LEGO building, in my opinion), this tower slowly converges into a tight square of 10×10 studs using a brilliant studs-out technique that I’ve never seen put into practice like this. The finished model looks clean, with the only exposed studs included for effect. There’s even room for such great details as that adorable brick-built front door!

Maxim gives us a peek at the interior technique with the graphic below. Such a complex means of generating that half-plate indent while ascending up the fortification, employing SNOT (studs not on top) with bar and clip connections to bring the tower into being. I’m definitely going to give this a try on my own as soon as I can!

A LEGO fire engine that’s rungs above the rest!

Every once in a while, you come across a LEGO creation on Flickr that just makes you stop and say “Wow!” That’s exactly what happened when I spied this exquisite ladder truck by Dan Nguyen. It’s an impossibly-realistic design, from bucket all the way back to to the rear step. I certainly appreciate the array of compartments, typical of a fire truck. And each is filled with the tools of the trade. Vehicles remain one of my (many) weaknesses when it comes to my own designs, so I’m in constant awe of those able to bring real-world transports like this to life.

LEGO kicks off Black Friday with release of 76269 Avengers Tower [News]

Timing the launch with Black Friday, LEGO has released 76269 Avengers Tower for purchase through their website. As we previously covered, the set is nearly 3 feet tall (90 cm) and clocks in at 5,201 pieces. Plus, with a count of 31, this is the most minifigures included in a single set ever. If you’re considering picking up this new addition to the Marvel stable and are a LEGO insider, you can also get the 5008076 LEGO® MARVEL TAXI gift-with-purchase if you pick up the Tower between now and November 27th. But if Marvel isn’t your thing, there are still other deals and GWPs available on Black Friday that have carried over from LEGO Insiders Weekend.

Check out the Tower and new GWP below!

A message from a thankful editor

For me, an American in Washington state, today marks Thanksgiving, a day built around good food and counting one’s blessings. I’ve crossed the first off my list with this lovely LEGO turkey, complete with a pair of golden brown drumplates. And normally I would spend the rest of the article gushing about the techniques I used, how I was inspired, or what I plan to use it for. Maybe I’d even make a joke – something about carving it with a brick separator, no doubt.

But instead, I’d much rather focus on the second point I listed above: giving thanks. Five months ago, I took on a heaping helping of responsibility at The Brothers Brick, and I’m so incredibly grateful for the team here and all the help and patience they’ve given me as I’ve adjusted to my new role. I have the honor to work alongside some truly inspiring people, and my admiration of their collective writing ability, IT know-how, graphic design skill, and LEGO artistry knows no bounds! And thank you too, dear reader, for clicking on the link, for reading our posts, for commenting and enjoying this wonderful hobby with us. TBB exists to serve the LEGO fan community with news, reviews, and a spotlight on the best creations we can find. And we would be nowhere without our readership!

Beware this brilliant biting LEGO botanical

I think this ferocious floral fright by Woomy World is just jealous it didn’t get included in the LEGO Botanical Collection 10329 Tiny Plants set, scheduled for release on December 1st. That would explain the sneer it’s rocking in the shot below, but it could also be the spiky shield pieces from the Hero Factory series crafted into that toothy visage. In fact, the whole creation is brimming with Bionicle and Hero Factory parts, leading to a very natural look and a dark, sinewy stem.

For those impressively-large LEGO hauls across Europe

While production of the Scania 3-series may have ended in 1998, brick-built truck aficionado Dennis Bosman crafted his own from LEGO featuring all the markings of the UK-based H.C. Wilson transportation company. The shaping here is spot-on, with proportions and front grill indicative of the Scania R143. But the real triumph here has nothing to do with the bricks themselves. This has got to be some of the best stickering I’ve ever seen on a model! The custom H.C. Wilson decals are professional-level, and give the truck an added boost of character to match that sporty red paint job. I know who I’m calling when I need to move some brick!