Posts by Kyle Keller

Hobbit-sized Bag End is a micro masterpiece

So admittedly, I’ve got a bit of a thing for LEGO trophies — those small builds organizers hand out when you win a category in events like online contests and LEGO conventions. I love the design decisions that have to be made when you’ve only got a tiny patch of real estate to work with. So I’m absolutely gaga for this tiny Bag End trophy by builder Caleb Huet! His use of the smallest green curves to shape the hill is excellent. The details on the front, including the use of snowflake tiles for windows and brown horns for the trim, are such an accomplishment with so few pieces. And the iconic round green door makes this microscale marvel instantly recognizable without any minifigs or title cards. And that’s not even mentioning all the organic shaping that went into the tiniest topiary atop the hut. Whoever wins this model in the Middle Earth LEGO Olympics is a lucky LEGO builder!

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 Ideas reveals 21336 The Office, now available for pre-order [News]

Folks, Pretzel Day has come early! This morning, LEGO debuted it’s latest Ideas set: 21336 The Office. Based on the US television show of the same name, the diorama features a whopping 15 minifigures! Almost all of the regular cast members are featured, as it looks like Andy may be off at anger management after punching a Technic hole in the wall. In these 1,164 pieces, we also get details from some of our favorite storylines: Meredith’s encounter with a bat, the teapot, “Lazy Scranton,” Kevin’s chili, and the iconic stapler in jello. Forget new chairs or a new copier, this is where the surplus should go! LEGO Ideas The Office is now available for pre-order in the US and Canada, with release on October 1st. It retails for US $119.99 | CAN $149.99 | UK £104.99

Click to see more on the set from Scranton!

The dust in your home is a menace

It’s my experience that LEGO, much like Nature, abhors a vacuum. But this trio of soot sprites by icebat02 are a good reason to still break it out every once in a while. I mean, I can’t believe how smug they all look, lounging about in this beautiful modern living room. Each of them clearly has its own attitude, given the clever choices in eye, arm, and leg placement. And while the motes are quite striking on their own, with poofed-up bodies made of levers and tubes, the scene they inhabit displays some wonderful techniques as well. I find the design of the coffee table, consisting of transparent panes on top of a smattering of green cheese slopes, to be simply outstanding. The verdant artwork on the right wall matches the coffee table nicely, adding a second pop of color. And the lavender flowers throw me right back down to that awesome couch with not a single stud showing! Overall, an excellent example of both character design and color usage.

Plan your day the dwarven way

Ever wonder what your a day looks like for your average dwarf? Well, builder Ids de Jong provides the answer in this great LEGO scene. First off, dwarven hygiene is of the utmost importance, so we have a pair scrubbing off all the dirt from the mines in a subterranean river. The minifigure torso choices here are excellent, showing their bottom halves submerged below the trans-blue water. The droid-arm ladder next to the bathing pair is a classic choice, and feels right at home in this scene. I absolutely love the pillar right next to it, with its center turned 45 degrees creating an interesting look.

Mine for more pictures below!

Neither rain nor sleet nor discarded fruit skin...

There’s almost too much clever parts usage in this LEGO delivery-monkey character by Nikita Nikolsky. Nah, I’m just kidding. You can never have enough excellent part usage! With the red snake for the monkey’s tie, the Dots bracelet for the strap on its mailbag, and the Bohrok masks strapped on as knee and elbow pads, this build is certainly overflowing with examples. The motion Nikita has created here is fantastic, with the rocket shoes shooting out flames and the white smoke trail leading up to a bit of hazardous fruit. It’s clear that letters are about to start flying! And I’ve got to take a minute to marvel at those shoes, some of the best brick-built ones I’ve seen. The white tread, on full display as our runner falls prone, is a symphony of texture befitting the rocket-propelled footwear.

A LEGO builder in his element

If there’s anyone I trust to build a spirit consisting of the five elemental forces, it’s got to be Eero Okkonen. I mean, after all, the dude writes for a LEGO blog called New Elementary, so he’s got to be an expert! And, in typical “Eero” fashion, earth, wind, fire, water, and void aren’t the only elements excellently displayed here. That bending trunk of Bionicle bits looks so organic, especially in contrast to the stone corners of the nearby lantern. And I absolutely love the plating used for the warrior’s kusazuri, as well as the shaping of their hair. It seems very similar to the design for “Wind” within the kami, strands snaking down onto armored shoulders. The largely grayscale nature of the build helps to make all the colors pop out, even more, drawing the eye to the orange of the spirit, the pink flowers of the tree, and the gold worn by the warrior.

A room built for concocting

No one sets a LEGO scene quite like Victor van den Berg! I mean, check out the old-school laboratory he’s brewed up! Each flask and beaker are carefully placed on the table, drawers overflowing with ingredients, and a wall of shelves loaded with tinctures and concentrates adorn this gorgeous room. Brown arches and pillars carve paths through the dark tan bricks, above a floor tiled to complement the multicolored bottled spread throughout the lab. Add all that to the lived-in touches of the workspace like the armchair in the corner or the cord of wood in a crate next to the wrought iron fireplace, and the space radiates a homey charm.

But nothing adds warmth to this workspace like Victor’s excellent use of light. From the fireplace, the hanging lanterns, and especially the windows to the rear of the space, light illuminates the build in an uneven and realistic manner. But the focal point has got to be the sunlight pouring in through the skylight. It highlights all the detailed instruments and vials on the central table, best viewed in the photo below. As someone who’s put in a couple of years standing at the lab bench and read a few too many books on the history of science, the equipment here is spot-on for that of the age. Nothing like determining the index of refraction the old-fashioned way!

The biggest little set in LEGO’s Wild Wee-st theme

I’m going to be completely honest with you: the noises that came out of my mouth when I first saw Nannan Zhang‘s LEGO microscale Fort Legoredo were mostly unintelligible. I mean, it’s just so flippin’ CUTE! I love the horse designs in this scale, as well as the care put into the microfig design. Even with only a few bricks, it’s unreal how I can clearly identify each of the three bandits from this theme. The use of grill pieces to emulate the log profile bricks from the original is inspired, and Nannan has effectively recreated the big rock pieces using light-gray plates and tile embedded in the walls.

Here’s a peek at the interior of the fort’s back wall. The printed tiles chosen to replicate the original model’s shutters are spot-on, as is the teensy jail cell below. There’s even a pair of binoculars subbed in for the fort’s chimney from the original set. And don’t forget the fort’s iconic blue sign, held by a pair of clips to the red roof. The whole thing is a welcome bit of nostalgia for me!

“Incoming message on the viewscreen, Captain”

Builder Paul Hetherington is totally feeling some classic sci-fi vibes with this bridge scene. Given the four spooky spacemen on the viewscreen, the crew of this intrepid starship must be shaking in their space boots! As is typical with his designs, I’m in love with Paul’s use of repeated patterns throughout the ship’s command center. It’s just trapezoids for days along the walls and in the ceiling! And all of them in pearl metallic gray, contrasting well with the blue, light gray, and yellow throughout the rest of the scene. My mind immediately goes to a mash-up of classic Star Trek and LEGO Classic Space, which I’m sure is the intent. And right in the center is a beautiful LEGO-inspired art piece by Robin Thompson, depicting the long forgotten crew returned for revenge!

From this angle, you can get a better view of all the switches and dials available to the starship’s crew. I particularly enjoy the use this two-wide windscreen, my favorite LEGO part! And the lighting along the floors and pillars fits right in with the sci-fi aesthetic.

A look back in time outside the walls of Alexandria

I’m really digging this serene view of LEGO Alexandria by builder Jesse van den Oetelaar! Employing forced perspective, a micro version of the ancient city’s walls can be seen on the other side of Lake Mareotis (modern-day Lake Mariout in Egypt). I like how the micro greenery around the wall looks to be a miniaturized version of the flora we see in the foreground. The reed design front-and-center is wonderful, employing wands and paintbrushes to add variety to the verdant patch. Even though it’s tucked away to the right, the designs on the sandstone building are intricate and fit right in with the medieval setting. And the water flowing out of the fountain is some especially nice parts usage. But my favorite part of the scene is the subtle texture added to the water’s surface with the occasional bare stud. It adds motion to the build without disrupting the serenity of the view.

Need anything from the store?

At long last, builder Letranger Absurde has returned after an 18 month break from LEGO. And what better way to jump back onto the scene than with this beautiful Japanese store! Letranger adeptly uses textures here to emulate paneling on the wooden walls and tiled roofs. This helps to break up the mostly two-toned building, providing depth and character. Speaking of character, I love the pair of fences flanking the store. Without looking completely ramshackle, these dividers still add a hand-crafted feel to the setting. Lay on top of that other excellent details like the power pole in the background, the exquisite sign above the storefront, and the darling cart of produce in back, and I suddenly feel like going on a shopping spree.

And if Letranger Absurde is a new name for you, check out all their prior builds featured on TBB.

A LEGO 1964 Chevy Impala that offers a very low ride

Every once in a while, I’ve come across a LEGO build that’s well outside my normal genre of building, but is so impressive that I have to sit up and take notice. And this 1964 Chevy Impala Lowrider by Tony Bovkoon is exactly that type of build. The lines on this auto are so clean and crisp. All the angles on the ornate grille are perfect. And the zebra-print interior feels like the perfect added detail. I can only imagine the hours that were poured into the overall design. I especially like the use of the dragon symbol parts behind the backseat.

More of this impressive Impala below