Posts by Theo Spencer

Ammonite? No, this is an ammu-nite

We feature LEGO builds for many reasons here on the Brothers Brick. It might have some great parts use. Perhaps it imitates natural shapes in ways not thought possible with plastic bricks. The most important reason though is, of course, when a build inspires a good pun. So you have Sandro Quattrini to thank for the title of this post. (Naughty-lus was also considered, but I think we can all agree the right call was made here.) To be fair, it fits the other categories rather well too, although I’m not sure I’ve seen too many armed nautiluses (nautili?) before. Maybe that’s a good thing. I wouldn’t want to get hit by the bullets, or the discarded shells…

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Long have I wandered...

I’m loving this slender fort from Youenn H. (Neyoun). A lone wanderer stands above it, either syrveying the landscape below or the sumptuous texturing on the building. I would suggest he doesn’t make any sudden movements though as it looks rather precariously built! The fact everything is supported by a single column gives the build presence, especially given its relatively small footprint. There’s some great parts use here too. Whips for vines, teeth for detail on the fortress, and – my personal favourite – a crocodile tail for a big, leafy plant.

Hallowe’en has never looked so cuddly

Koen Zwanenburg has added to his collection of plushie-style LEGO builds. Normally I would describe them as adorable, but since these are Hallowe’en themed… Ah, who am I kidding! They’re still cute. Except that clown, though. The last thing anyone needs a cuddly toy of is Pennywise. The consistency of style between all of them is remarkable, even among the less anthropogenic ones such as the pumpkin or spider. I think my favourite is the little devil. Who is yours?

It isn’t just plushies that make Koen such a good builder – have a look through some of his previous work!

Learning the A to Zeffo of the Jedi

The video game Jedi: Fallen Order was a real boon for those with an interest in the history of the Jedi. Ethan Tesone has created a neat diorama of the planet Bogano, one of the first locations in the game and the home of the ancient Zeffo species. The essence of Bogano is perfectly captured, alongside some of the game’s key features. Of course we have protagonist Cal Kestis, with a custom BD-1 on his shoulder. The green crate likely hides some of the game’s collectibles – a poncho, or a lightsaber hilt, perhaps. And Cal stands atop a meditation circle, which act as the save points in the game. This might be my favourite part of the build, as it’s so well integrated into the ground. But best of all – it even lights up!

A picture-perfect Prussian puffer

This gorgeous scene of a steam engine at sunset is brought to us by Flickr user Pieter Post. Whether this is simply an alias or not, it’s a very apt name, as this build looks straight out of a postcard! The star of the show, the train, is masterfully done. The custom striping and numberplates elevate the detail without taking away from the excellent brickwork. The scenery is also delightfully colourful and nicely offsets the more muted colours of the train and ground, as well as mirroring the sunset in the background. Can you name a more picturesque scene? Answers on a postcard please!

A glimpse of the future in the palm of your hand

Hyundai’s N Vision 74 concept car caused a real stir when it was unveiled earlier this year, with petrolheads immediately falling in love. The G Brix has allowed us to fall head over heels all over again with this superb LEGO rendition of the car. Just like the real thing, it absolutely looks the business! The concept’s awesome styling was inspired by another Hyundai concept from 1974, itself used as a basis for the DMC Delorean. And while it can’t time-travel, this is still a pretty futuristic car. It’s powered by electric motors and a hydrogen fuel cell, details which G Brix has included. The angular bodywork is expertly recreated around it, while the grille tiles are a great idea to represent the headlights.

New arrivals in the steampunk insectarium

It’s been a while since we’ve checked in on Caleb Flutur‘s collection of insect automatons, so let’s see what he’s been up to! First up is this amazing butterfly, which is absolutely chock-a-block with inventive parts use. Two sizes of whip are used as antennae, with barrels and golden flowers forming the thorax. What really completes the look are the wings. These are made from canvas pieces from 75148 Encounter on Jakku and really look the part.

Step into the insectarium for more new creepy-crawlies!

The original pony car

Want a vehicle worthy of this Victorian age, but can’t afford a steam car? Yearn for the elegance of the horse and cart without wanting to appear outdated? Then Peter Ilmrud‘s mechanical carriage may be for you! Perfect for the discerning gentleman or lady, this ingenious product can be retrofitted to your existing carriage. You will have access to more horsepower than any carriage could previously accommodate! No need to keep any grain either – coal is the only fuel you’ll need, with the only emissions of a much more nose-friendly nature!* Don’t delay, act today!

*We do not accept any liability for smoke-induced illnesses, diseases, or losses of elegance. Goggles, tophat and driver sold separately. Please consult our catalogue for more modern steam-powered products.

In space, there’s no such thing as too much thrust

When is a big space engine too big? Rubblemaker says there’s no such thing. He’s found an engine that’s bigger than his little space pod, and decided it needs two of them. The power-to-weight ratio of this thing must be off the charts! Despite their almost comical size, they do look great here, with some greebling inside and on the sides suggesting some very complicated internals. I guess if the engine is that big, you might as well fit whatever you can in there. I like the two slopes for the bumblebee stripes on the wings – it’s a bit of a different take on a feature that is a mainstay of Neo-Classic Space creations like this one. Can we call them wings? They do seem a bit small for that..

Magnificent Magnate from EVE Online

Although the idea of games like EVE Online is appealing to me, I don’t think I’d ever have the time or patience to commit to exploring all its features. Thankfully I can live vicariously through builders like Eugene Levin to enjoy some incredible ship design. He has added this Sarum Magnate to the epic Revelation we featured a few days ago. The Magnate shares some common design features with its big sister ship, including that awesome dark red and gold colour scheme. Where they differ is in the shaping. This smaller craft is almost all curves, but Eugene has nailed the shaping, thanks to some judicious choices of wedges and curved slopes. I just can’t stop staring at it!

Ashes to ashes, rust to rust

In 2013, Sérgio Batista built a model of a Portugese steam train for the annual Octrainber contest. Now he’s back with a warning of what can happen if you leave your LEGO locos out for too long! The same model of engine has been consigned to a siding, and nature has done its thing. The rusty metal is accomplished to great effect with a smattering of browns, greys and dark oranges. The plants, on the other hand, bring a nice touch of colour to offset the earthy tones. There’s something quite wistful about an abandoned steam engine, isn’t there?

If you prefer your trains a bit more brand-spanking-new, take a ride to our train archives!

This build has real teeth – but not where you’d expect them

There are some who will argue that Bionicle is the greatest thing LEGO ever did. I certainly had a few in my childhood, but I would counter that one of LEGO’s best ideas of the early 21st century was the portable X-pod line. If you can’t decide, then do like Ben and combine the two into a seriously cool warrior. It was all inspired by a realisation that many of the Technic panels in this year’s 42134 Monster Truck Megalodon are the same medium blue as the X-pod covers in 4339 Aqua Pod from 2005, which coincidentally had a shark as its main model. Sharks, therefore, are a common theme in this model – from the teeth on the torso to the tails coming off each leg. Even its name, Hybodus, is an ancient prehistoric shark. So naturally, the shoulder-mounted missile pods would make it fit right in with the underwater Toa Mahri line from 2007!