About Alexander

Alexander Alekseev is an active member of the Russian LUG since 2007. Linguist by education, he believes that LEGO pieces are the most effective mean of self-expression and communication between people.

Posts by Alexander

Any day is a good day in Paris

Here’s a building challenge for you: Build an image of Paris with LEGO bricks. What would you include in your version? The Eiffel tower? Or maybe the famous Louvre? And how about a small french bakery? There are so many icons of the capital of France to choose from, but Markus Rollbühler nail this challenge in the most elegant way. His Parisian corner has nothing to do with sightseeing or monuments, but its every little detail says Bonjour! It takes some time to spy all the awesome elements of the diorama, but my number one pick is Citroën 2CV, ça c’est magnifique!

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A spaceship built for two

Is there anything more romantic in this universe than a trip to some distant world in a two-seat Neo-Classic Space ship? Aussie LEGO fan aido k makes the dream come true for this lovely couple of space explorers. Just like many other great LEGO models, the design of the spaceship started with a single piece, in this case, a bulky Spinjitzu rotor. The amount of exterior elements on the ship’s body and wings looks just perfect; massive engines, a couple of pipes and small grills create a totally swooshable model.

Shiny ride for a dark knight

Probably, the worst thing about being Batman is that you always have to keep a low profile. Whether you’re punching criminals or chasing a villain through the Gotham City, the less attention you’re drawing to yourself, the better. But how can Batman be okay with this lifestyle while driving a collection of jaw-dropping vehicles? ianying616 presents an ostentatious alternative: the ultimate edition of the famous Batpod. Completely covered in chrome, including many custom chromed elements, this vehicle was designed to draw the eye. The metallic color of the pieces goes perfectly with their shapes; all the LEGO Technic connectors and panels make the model look like a diecast.

Hands on with LEGO SPIKE Prime at Moscow International Education Fair 2019 [News]

During the past week, the recently announced LEGO Education SPIKE Prime sets made their first appearance during the Moscow International Education Fair 2019. Certified LEGO Education teacher and LEGO Ambassador Vera Senyuta, PhD, attended the press-conference and brought us the latest details about LEGO’s most advanced educational solution.

The press conference and the presentation covered both LEGO SPIKE sets, 45678 LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Set ($329.99 USD) and 45680 LEGO Education SPIKE Prime Expansion Set. The event was hosted by Tom Hall, General Manager, LEGO Education International; Yannick Dupont, Content Manager; and Thomas Rose, Training Program Manager. Together they told the audience about the idea behind the new sets and how the set will play a role in modern schools, as well as answered questions about the products.

Editor’s note 4/15: Since publication of this article, LEGO Education reached out to us to share some clarifying information about SPIKE Prime that we have incorporated into the article and quoted below.

Keep reading about the new LEGO Education SPIKE Prime set

New exclusive set 40366 LEGO House Dinosaurs unveiled [News]

Remember the mighty brick-built dinosaurs exhibited in the Masterpiece gallery of the LEGO House? Now, after your next visit to Billund, you can take all three of them with you – or rather their adorable copies designed for 40366 LEGO House Dinosaurs set. The set will contain 864 pieces and will be exclusively available at the LEGO House starting April 17, 2019 for the price of 599 DKK (appr. $90 USD).

Click here to read to full press release…

Interview with LEGO Star Wars designers Jens Kronvold and Kurt Kristiansen [Feature]

Earlier this year on March 29th, The Brothers Brick team was invited to take part in a Star Wars Fan Media Day at the LEGO House in the centre of Billund, Denmark. One of the main events was a round table discussion with LEGO Star Wars designers Jens Kronvold and Kurt Kristiansen — designers who have been working on LEGO Star Wars sets since the very first wave of products hit shelves back in 1999. Jens and Kurt had a lot to share with us, so we didn’t miss a chance to ask them some of the most exciting questions.

Kurt Kristiansen (left) and Jens Kronvold (right)

Q: Tell us about the LEGO Star Wars model design team. How many people does it include? How many lead designers are there?

Jens: Right now, the model design team consists of 10 people: me as the Creative Director and Lead Model Designer and nine other model designers. We also have two graphic designers, who create designs for all the stickers, printed pieces, and minifigures. While in the office, we sit it an open office environment together with the marketing team, people who design building instructions and other specialists. So, all together we form one “super-team” which I find particularly nice and convenient. If you need to talk to somebody, they’re just next to you!

Kurt: It’s the same with any other model design team. And if, say I have a question regarding LEGO Technic elements, I just need to walk 10 meters down the aisle and I can talk to anyone of my colleagues who are working with LEGO Technic pieces. So, it’s a very open office environment.

Q: How many sets does LEGO Star Wars model team create each year? How many sets are designed by each member of the team?

Click to read the rest of the interview with LEGO Star Wars designers Jens Kronvold and Kurt Kristiansen

I see that rims and I want them colored (chrome) red

Ken Block’s 1,400hp AWD Ford Mustang Hoonicorn is not your ordinary GT Fastback from the 1967 model year, even though both cars still got the body of a 1965 Mustang. A huge fan of LEGO cars, lachlan cameron, skilfully captures the car’s wild design with a ton of LEGO Technic liftarms and panels. No need to say, the result is just stunning, but these jaw-dropping red chrome rims is where the car really shines. Custom LEGO pieces can contribute a lot to any build’s final appearance, and in this case the rims create the Mustang’s character. But don’t forget to check out the rest of the chrome parts, as well as a whole bunch of custom stickers that make the LEGO version almost a perfect scale copy of the real car.

A fine study in Dutch country life

The Netherlands isn’t only about tulips, windmills and the narrow houses of Amsterdam’s center. For legotrooper501st, his recent trip to the Netherlands inspired this serene and peaceful diorama of a Dutch rural house. I tend to think it’s the colors and the composition that set the mood; there’s a lot in this build that makes it look almost like a painting, while it can boast a whole bunch of brilliant building solutions, like the roof, tall grass by the water and dark water itself.

Come join us! The Brothers Brick is recruiting now [News]

Have you ever wanted to tell the whole world about the awesome LEGO model you just saw? Are you the person your family and friends look to on Facebook or Twitter for the latest LEGO news and the best LEGO creations? If you have a passion for LEGO and want to share it with the world, The Brothers Brick might be the place for you.

As a TBB Contributor, you’ll get to highlight the news you find, showcase your favorite LEGO models from other builders, and even show off whatever you build yourself. You will be writing 3-4 new posts each week. But all that sounds easier than it actually is.

To help make sure that you’re successful as a new Contributor, here’s what we’re looking for:

Adult LEGO builder (AFOL) aged 18 or older.
Established track record in the AFOL community, whether on Flickr, a LEGO fan forum, or somewhere else.
Good communicator and writer, as evidenced in comments and forum/group discussions.
Previous blogging or article writing experience a strong plus.

TBB Contributor positions are unpaid — all joking about secure compounds and million-dollar yachts aside, The Brothers Brick is run by a bunch of passionate volunteers who write about LEGO in their spare time. All money the site earns through the support of our loyal readers goes toward server and bandwidth costs, purchasing products to review, sponsoring contests and fan events like BrickCon, and helping out the LEGO fan community wherever we can.

Even though it’s a volunteer role, being a TBB Contributor provides a genuine opportunity to participate in one of the top hobby sites in the world. If you don’t have prior blogging experience, you’ll have the opportunity to learn or improve on tangible professional skills such as writing for the web, headline writing, search engine optimization, and social media strategy.

To apply, fill out the form on our TBB recruiting page. Questions? Ask us here in the comments.

LEGO Star Wars 75227 Darth Vader Bust revealed as Star Wars Celebration and Target REDcard exclusive [News]

LEGO has revealed 75227 Darth Vader Bust, another set in their Star Wars 20th Anniversary lineup. The exclusive set contains 327 pieces and will retail for $39.99 US. The set will initially be available at Star Wars Celebrations, with limited general availability to Target REDcard members on April 11th.

(EDIT: Target did not make the bust available on the 11th and instead posted it early in the morning on the 12th. It appears to have sold out in less than 15 minutes. We have reached out to Target to see if any other batch will be made available but have not heard back. For those that missed it, instructions are available.)

Click here for the complete press release and pictures of the front and back of the LEGO Darth Vader Bust

Everything is awesome when I turn my music up

Apocalypse is never a valid reason to stop enjoying your favourite tunes. Look at Emmet who keeps his chin up when the world around has almost been destroyed. British LEGO fan and builder justin_m_winn peeks inside Emmet’s hideout equipped with high-end stereo. This two-layers vignette has a lot of details smoothly mixed together. A room like this would fit somewhere inside 70840 Welcome To Apocalypseburg set; just imagine Emmet shaking up all of his neighbours with Everything is Awesome!

Emmet isn’t alone in keeping his chin up during the impending LEGO apocalypse. Justin has also built “Apocalypse Benny” (with his robotic arm) a wonderful display vignette, using super-rare pieces from original Classic Space sets.

Candy-colored weapon of mass destrucion

Well, let’s face it: the citizens of Heartlake City must be hiding something. A city full of happy minidolls swarming around cafés, parks and shops has always seemed to me to be extremely suspicious. Now, The LEGO Movie 2 brought us a completely different perspective on amiable minidolls – General Mayhem, who’s been attacking the movie’s protagonists from the very first sight. Lu Sim looks inside the General’s warlike character and brings this stunning ARMT-H08SM Havoc — a mech that would suit Mayhem just fine. Azure and pink accents look very sharp on the mech’s white body, while missiles made with round pieces with 4 petals is a perfect choice of weapon.