Posts by Michael

There are secrets hiding in this library’s collection

There’s nothing like going to the library to discover something new, even if the library is made of LEGO. Jesse van den Oetelaar presents a small window into a magical library chock full of secrets and rarities. Made for this year’s Brickscalibur contest, this build has great textures from top to bottom, with details galore to explore. We see two stories to the building with books and artefacts from floor to ceiling. Let’s take a closer look at some of the details on the second floor and its railing. There’s some nice parts usage with wand elements standing in for the railings filler spokes. The bookcase has colorful tiles for the books filling the shelves, a classic method for full bookcases. I love the use of tan Technic pins for all the candles. Their unique shaping is perfect for such an illuminating portrayal.

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.

A big city on a peaceful island in microscale

What I love about LEGO microscale builds is how it can shift how we see the smallest of LEGO parts. Joe (jnj_bricks) brings this build to life for this year’s Brickscalibur contest in the Medieval Micro category. The city does feel alive with movement from the waterfalls and the vibrant greenery throughout the cityscape. Taking a look at the staircases, they have nice usage of the grooved brick piece at an angle for the stairs. There’s also some nice usage of the 1×1 horizontal clip piece in the buildings and their details. Stacked, the part offers some cool textures to the walls of the leftmost building. My favorite parts usage, though, comes from the battle droid legs for some fine arcing details. You can spot them on the highest spire and the causeway behind the winged minifig statue. There are many more details, so take your time exploring the build. Can you spot the Woody hat?

Bridging the past and the present with a royal redesign

Builder -soccerkid6 goes to the drawing board with this new vision of the classic LEGO Castle set 6078 Royal Drawbridge. The original set is from year 1995 and features a bridge that’s less draw and more sneaky. It could drop anyone on it into the water around it–it’s a trap! Of course, being a set from 1995, the details are rather sparse with limited parts in existence at the time. This redesign, on the other hand, is rich with details and parts. First, the drawbridge is the spitting image of what we expect a drawbridge to look like, complete with the chains. The towering battlements are fuller now, featuring lovely detailing in the exposed brick textures of the walls. The spires are stronger with the blue drill pieces for the points, but my favorite little touch in the whole build is the inclusion of flowers with the greenery.

A happy little dragon with a hobby

Humans aren’t the only ones who like to build castles out of LEGO! Sometimes dragons do too, like this cute little red one from Dan Ko. This nerdy dragon, Nurdley, comes to us for the BrickNerd Nerdvember contest. This year’s theme is High Fantasy, which means this dragon will feel right at home with his custom castle. I just love this build! It’s a small build, but that just means there’s got to be all sorts of clever parts usage. It’s easy for things to take on a blocky design with LEGO, but there are some really cool parts that can add curves and shape to a build. Take for example the minifigure phone pieces for Nurdley’s arms. Or the excellent usage of car seats for his wings. Even the castle uses some cool parts for further texture and definition, like the pieces making up the tower.

This is your Link to adventure in the land of Hyrule

It’s dangerous to go exploring without a sword, though decidedly less dangerous when everything is made of LEGO. John Kupitz recreates the iconic moment when the hero Link receives the sword in The Legend of Zelda. This build looks like you just ripped it right out of the video game! The 2D, top-down side-scrolling appearance is achieved through clever SNOT and side-ways techniques. It allows the build to stand up and gives some unique layering to get in all the details from the 8-bit classic. I didn’t grow up with this particular Zelda title, but the build makes me nostalgic all the same! I can hear the discovery music upon getting the sword, a sound any Zelda player will recognize across the series. Remember: if you’re going to adventure in Hyrule, take a sword. If you’re going to adventure in LEGO, I recommend taking a brick separator.

This is the Jedi starfighter you’re looking for

You don’t have to travel to a galaxy far, far away to see Koen Zwanenburg‘s LEGO build of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s starship from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. One of the sure things about the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy is the beauty of the spaceships zipping around the galaxy. This take on the Delta-7 Jedi starfighter does the on-screen ship justice. Every angle is present, and the color scheme has just as much pop. I’ve always loved the green accents in the Republic color palette–it really gives the ships something special. Koen captures the different layers of the ship seamlessly. I really can’t stop looking at this build! Of course, this has always been one of my favorite ships from the Star Wars franchise… I can’t wait to see what ship Koen takes on next.

A haunted house could be a trick but for our eyes it’s a real treat!

Feast your eyes on this treat of a LEGO build from Jaka Kupina. It’s no trick, honest! It’s a classic haunted house build, one that really captures the best balance of whimsy and terror often found this time of year. While it’s not the kind of place I’d like to trick-or-treat at, the sinister appearance doesn’t stop this ambitious youngster. The build features great details like those crooked gravestones by the cute cat. Does the wicked grinning scarecrow know something about that ominous chain running under the stairs? Of course, there’s the house itself, a full character on its own! It really stands out with all those lovely textures–I particularly enjoy the roof textures giving it a sense of weathering and time. Halloween adventures await beyond the threshold, but beware if you’re faint of heart.

Upgraded firepower to win those Halo battles

The Covenant should beware the LEGO builds coming from EliteTC, like this awesome Scorpion tank. It’s always a blast to drive one of these in the Halo games, and seeing it translated into LEGO brick is a great sight. It’s a vehicle that works well in the medium with its angles and details. EliteTC does a good job of getting the shaping right, from the barrel of the main gun down to the tread sections for mobility. The greebling is slick, capturing the finer points of the vehicle. If you told me this could move on its own, I’d believe it! It looks fully mobile, like it can’t wait to blast down some Banshees or duel with some Wraiths. It’s a wonderful build for an iconic gaming vehicle.

Something slithering in the air

Fanged serpents are terrifying, whether made of LEGO or not, but this one is on another level! Aiden.Builds presents a high-flying serpent showing off its fantastic fangs and wings. The main body of the creature is black, which brings the colors forward for a striking look. There’s great parts usage at work here with all those segments allowing for the curve of the flying terror. It bends this way and that–I bet it looks amazing flying around in the sky, weaving through the air. I just don’t want to get too close! The way those fangs look, I know it’d make short work of me for a snack. This is one better observed from a distance in its natural habitat, rather than getting up close and personal. Luckily, it’s made of LEGO, my preferred way of looking at such amazing and terrifying creatures.

Summers at grandma’s house

This LEGO build from Qian Yj awakens warm feelings from my childhood, of summer visits to my grandma’s house. From spending time with grandma, to watching TV together, and even having some sweets–this build hits all the memories! Not only does the build feature nostalgia, but check out the textures around the scene too. It’s rich in diverse textures and colors, such as the tile work of the patio floor. I really enjoy the plant life around the place, particularly the vines and lattice with a cute cat perched atop it. Of course, one of the most delightful parts usage I appreciate about the build is the use of the modified plate with double bearings as the roof tiles. Check out the rest of the build’s details and see what cool things you can find.

‘Tis the spirit of the season

Leaves turning into vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges in the Fall are beautiful in real life and in LEGO. This build from Patrick Biggs showcases the annual changing of the leaves in a big way! There’s the forest itself, with all those little star and flower pieces spreading out across the base of the scene. However, the center of the build is the great stag standing tall over the forest. The giant spirit of Autumn is beautifully sculpted, once again showing off Patrick’s abilities to craft lovely creatures out of LEGO. The spirit looks over the world, paying no mind to the human-made church in the foreground of the forest. It’s a beautiful reminder that Nature doesn’t care what the latest invention of Humanity is. Nature will carry on as it always has, and how lucky we are to be witness to the splendor of our planet!

Falun in love with this Falu red cottage

Builder Sarah Beyer presents a lovely modern LEGO cottage on a peaceful island. The cottage utilizes the shaping of the island rather well with its tiers. There’s a balcony and deck to enjoy the sights from, and plenty of plant life to keep a gardener happy. The cottage itself features multi-colored additions that frame the Falu red central portion of the building. This color of paint originates from Falun, Sweden and is most famous for appearing on cottage and other pastoral buildings like barns. Ever wonder why barns are typically red? This is why! This color can be found on many cottages in and around Sweden, and this LEGO one is fine addition to the Falu red legacy. The cottage has a sharp and clean design, and were it real I’d love to visit! Of course, to take a small tour, head over to Sarah’s feed to see the detailed interior.