Category Archives: Building Techniques

Not sure what SNOT is? Want to learn innovative new ways to create awesome LEGO models of your own? Peruse our posts about LEGO building techniques to pick up tricks & tips from the best.

Lamborghini Murciélago

Here’s what Top Gear had to say about the Lamborghini Murciélago:

Makes your eyes bleed and your heart explode with joy. And that’s before you even drive it, at which point you will simply melt and cease to exist in any meaningful fashion.

Fortunately, my eyes aren’t bleeding after seeing this LEGO version by AT94, but the headlights do make my heart explode with joy.

Though we haven’t featured him here before, AT94 is a talented young builder and excellent photographer. Check out the street scene he’s been working on for a while:

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.

SlyOwl channels his inner Escher and builds an expressionist castle

Echoing the works of M.C. Escher, as well as German Expressionism, Sly Owl‘s lopsided, sinking, crooked, all around messed-up castle is colorful and appealing in its craziness:

Also check out the other side of the diorama, featured a wonderful house that uses minifig flippers as roofing shingles:

Also a bonus, here’s a vignette of a poor soul getting sucked away by a twister:

Honing your technique

The models featured on The Brothers Brick are here because we think they’re cool, but most of them share one thing in common, they make use of advanced building techniques. These techniques range from Studs Not On Top (SNOT) building to strange parts use and connections, or as the star above demonstrates, making use of part geometry to achieve something interesting.

While nothing can beat practise and experiment for learning about these techniques there are a few useful guides and the likes out there to help you along the way. I’ve collated a list of some links for those who want to improve their building technique or who are just curious.

Didier Enjary’s Unofficial LEGO Advanced Building Techniques Guide (click Télécharger document)
Flickr LEGO techniques pool
LEGO Techniques library
ILTCO library (contains links to a number of train specific and more general technical guides)

Perusing any of these should prove illuminating and help hone your building techniques.

Of course there are plenty more out there so if you know of any then please post a link and description in the comments section.

Knight Tapestry by Bluesecrets

Bluesecrets built an incredible mosaic tapestry for the Colossal Castle Contest. The knight and his horse are incredible!

B is for Blockula

The indomitable Mike Crowley is working on a series of alphabet animals. They are small, cute and packed with that Crowley charm. Makes me wish I could build like that.

M is for Monkey:

He’s also built a pretty sweet Penguin.

Jehkay’s trooper is in the zone

We’ve come to expect excellent mecha from Jehkay, but I particularly love the posing and photography in this one:

Here’s a more standard shot, showing the unique intakes built from fairly standard bricks and the awesome face, which incorporates a hinge piece:

Ancient Japan

Chrispockster‘s scene of ancient Japan has a ton of interesting building techniques and cool minifigures to look at. I like the vines on the trees and the broken stone steps leading up to the torii gate.

Bringing the pain

Every once in a while, someone figures out that two LEGO pieces go together amazingly well. Flickr user Nolet combined a dinosaur half-torso with troll arms to create Torsten the Torturer. The half dome piece tops off nicely as a hood complete with eye-holes.

Need a workout?

Spending too much time hunched over your brick? Do what yck888 did. Build a treadmill!

Scared of Snakes?

This car, by Firas Abu-Jaber, is out to get you.

I meant to blog this right after it was posted, but I forgot. I’m not perfect, okay? Anyway, it deserves to be showcased, as its freakin’ sweet! I’m loving that giant snake too.

Death cares not for Emission Standards

I’m still getting caught up on what was posted while I was in Texas. This one by Matt Armstrong was definitely a highlight!

Every Evil Genius needs a mini-sub

So Christophe Bongay built one. I love the cut-away aspect of this creation.