Category Archives: Models

This is what we’re all about. We scour the web for the best custom LEGO models to share with you. From castles and spaceships to planes, trains, and automobiles, you’ll find the best LEGO creations from builders all over the world right here on The Brothers Brick.

This stunning U-Boat has roughly 15,000 LEGO pieces and removable hull panels

Sometimes something comes along that has us simply awestruck. That would be the case with this stunning LEGO 1/38 scale U-BOOT TYP VII C built by Ciamosław Ciamek. This model has roughly 15,000 pieces and is about 70 inches or 177 centimeters long. It also took staggering four-and-a-half years to build. In case you were wondering this is the same type of U-Boat from the Das Boot movie, which, in my opinion, is one of the tensest and most exhilarating movies ever made; a worthy watch if you haven’t seen it already. The hull panels can be removed on both the port and starboard sides. Here’s a view with the port panels removed to view the interior spaces.

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In order to finish first, you first must finish (building)

Calling a build for a contest ‘First Place’ could be seen as a tad arrogant. But I think we can let it slide in Vohdoff‘s case given the quality of this latest Bio-Cup effort. It’s a build so smooth I had to triple-check it was indeed made of Bionicle pieces, let alone regular LEGO! All the panels are so seamlessly blended – I bet this thing cuts through the air like butter. The bike itself is very Akira-esque. It bears a resemblance to modern high-performance motorcycles you might see on the road, but there are just enough unusual elements to give it a near-future sci-fi aesthetic. The same could be said for the rider in their chunky leathers. Take the head, for instance: it comes from a K-2SO buildable figure, which could imply a mechanical pilot. But it looks just human enough that it could equally be a futuristic helmet suitable for high-speed riding. Either way, they have good taste in machinery!

The ship is the knife and outer space is the butter

I always knew LEGO could be sharp (underfoot), but this ship from Tim Goddard really shows off how sharp! There’s not a curve to be seen, outside of the canopy, on this interceptor, giving it the intended sharp-edged appearance. The ship looks like to could cut through anything as it speeds along on its mission. It possesses the style choices of the classic LEGO Space theme–always a welcome sight! Even the canopy is in the color scheme of the theme, but that’s not where it comes from… The canopy is the only curve in the build, and it comes from that most excellent Lightyear 76832 XL-15 Spaceship set. It’s the perfect canopy for this build, lending itself well to that tapering wedge of the nose. I also really appreciate the sloping where the wings join the body. The use of wedge slopes with hinges isn’t a new technique, but it’s one that works really well for filling and adding definition.

Taking a look beneath the ship reveals the full arrowhead-like shape of the interceptor. It also reveals some cool detailing, like the laser cannons mounted under the wings, done with brackets, round plates, and lightsaber hilts. However, my favorite detail on the underside are those brackets running down the midsection of the nose. They create a neat effect I just can’t get over, especially when paired with the other textures around them. Not to mention, these no doubt add some dynamism and choice when it comes to a display stand. They offer plenty of connection points for an angled display scene.

It’s not Amazon Prime, it’s a Prime Amazon

Seeing nature transformed into plastic bricks can be an amazing experience, and Maxx Davidson shows us just how it’s done with this 1:1 recreation of a Yellow Crowned Amazon. This green and yellow parrot has some gorgeous curves to it’s body, and some beautiful plumage to boot. I admit, though, that it was the 1×1 round bricks and “jumper stand” handles that form the talons that first caught my eye. It’s a neat solution that successfully mimics the real biology’s textures.

Like what you see here? Well there are a lot more realistically sized creations in our archives!

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.

Parts of a feather will flock together

I’m sure I read a piece of wisdom on this website a few years ago that read: “for a great LEGO creation, you don’t need a lot of pieces – you just need a lot of one piece”. Having had a look through Azurekingfisher‘s photostream, I wonder if they might have said it themselves. They are clearly a big fan of the classic leaf element, which sees a lot of use in their collection. It’s done everything from mosaics to planets. Another frequent use is as avian feathers, often with spectacular results – none more so than this stunning bird! I love creations like this that use the inherent mechanical properties of LEGO parts to creative effect. Since the plastic is quite thin in places on this bit of foliage, it can be gently flexed into a curve, at odds with LEGO’s inherent grid-based nature. In this case, the part repetition also makes it visually appealing. Especially in pink! I’m not sure if it’s based on a particular type of bird – to me, it’s reminiscent of a phoenix. Which, for a build this majestic, is entirely appropriate!

Ghalad Grommash the Bust

Much like orcs, some builders get attention by just existing. While Orcs face any number of judgments about their character and culture due to their appearance, builders like Steven Howard garner a fandom by making intensely detailed models. A spaceship and figure crafting legend, Steven is an accomplished builder with a seeming ability to perfectly render his ideas into LEGO models. This bust, loosely based on Grommash Hellscream from World of Warcraft, is somewhat of a first for Steven, since he usually crafts full bodies for his characters too. Not that he doesn’t plan on trying to build one eventually, once he can get ahold of all the parts. After all, this orc’s head is not small by any since. I’d wager this whole build is probably bigger than the upcoming Mighty Bowser and it packs a bigger visual punch to show it.

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Then why is it a HAMburger?!

This cyborg version of an old Fabuland figure is pretty torn up about your food choices. Flickr Builder Moko has been making mechs for a long time and, after creating some cyborg versions of LEGO animals, they’ve moved on to some LEGO legends. For the unfamiliar, Fabuland sets were introduced at the end of the 70s and went out of production at the end of the 80s. As Moko puts it in his blog, Fabuland offered a more “picture-book-like world view” with anthropomorphized animal citizens. Think of them as the middle sibling between Duplo and LEGO with a twist of Richard Scarry’s Busytown. Though these figures and sets aren’t produced by LEGO anymore, they still have a core fan group among some collectors due to their rarity and obscurity. Here Moko has created a mercenary cyborg soldier with an edgy appetite. The plethora of detailed, hinged elements that Moko uses combine in the arms, legs and bodies provide a thick, responsive frame to protect the rider within. Fully armed and prepared for combat, this mech only has one week spot but its a necessary one. After all, how else are you supposed to keep eating during battle? Can’t have crumbs in the cockpit either.

Aside from all of the amazing details and angles that Moko has created, the solid yellow crystal piece with a red brick as French fries is a stand out detail here. The color-blocking and range of motion that Moko employs always renders a satisfying product that reads well and strikes envy in LEGO mech fans everywhere. Either that or fear, given its intense arsenal and bulk.

This divine LEGO build is an angelic delight

I’ve been a little busy recently, but when I saw this LEGO angel from Gauntlet. Out beyond that, the wings really help lift this design, and I appreciate the parts used in the wing construction here. They add a significant amount of detail, and are a worthy inclusion by Jerac. Ready to face any evil, this angel wields a crystal sword and I love seeing transparent pieces being utilised in varied and different ways. What gripped me in this build is how the hood completely hides the face, adding an otherwise haunting undertone to the build, and creating a little mystery in this impressive sculpture.

A micro modular build for all your space saving needs

Want a LEGO modular set, but don’t have the room for a large set? Legobricks Bricks has you covered with this micro-scaled version of the 10255 Assembly Square set. Same buildings, but in a smaller format that’ll easily fit on a desk. I always enjoy seeing large building sets made at a smaller scale because it’s always a treat to see how the builder realizes the defining details. Here, Jelle gives us the same shapes for the buildings, so right away we can tell where everything is. The signs for the base shops stand out with their hinted at shops: the café, the flower shop, and the bakery. And if the signs weren’t enough, the defining decorations of each shop are clearly present. The canopies and outdoor seating for the café, the flowers in the window for the flower shop, and the large display window of the bakery. And the fun doesn’t stop there! There’s also the fountain, surrounding street lights, and sidewalks in microscale. Using those little trophy figures, you can play and interact with the whole micro assembly much the same as the original.

LEGO Arcana Number Nine

When I first saw this model, I had to do a double-take. It didn’t register as LEGO at first but the second glance proceeded to blow my mind. Builder Ted Andes created this fantastic model for a big competition between builders that happens most summers nowadays. Inspired by the ninth card in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, The Hermit, this model utilizes a slew of old and new pieces from the System and Technic alike. Light nougat hands hold key objects from The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck’s version of the Hermit art. Candlesticks in dark tan make a simplistic staff that fits perfectly with the hands. The other arm lifts up a lantern made with slim black wedge belt wheels linked with bars and studs as the frame while two oppositely oriented triangular clips create a light flare effect to match the card. Spiky Hero Factory armor in white is inverted as a beard that consumes the Hermit’s face while his hood is made of a large Chima Gorilla head. A clever camera angle hides the gold and mouth details of the mask just enough to sell the hood effect. A fabric cloak hides most of the inner structure of the figure which is mounted on a raised mountain baseplate that mostly showed up in Bionicle sets.

The meaning of this card within the Tarot is somewhat clear. It is a time to look within and identify those things about yourself that may need reexamined. Sometimes the answers to life’s questions lie inside and only through introspection will they be revealed. Similarly, Ted Andes has presented a magical model that hides the secrets to some of its construction behind that dark robe and black Technic panels.

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.

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