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.

Awww, what a cute little tower you have there Saruman

There are few towering structures more recognizable than the two towers featured in the Lord of the Rings novel of the same name. The obsidian-colored sharp-cornered Orthanc has more in common with its dark counterpart in the book, Barad-dur than it does with any of the man or Dwarf made structures of Middle-Earth, namely a lot of sharp pointy bits. Even in this microscale model by Jesse van den Oetelaar the tower at the center of Isengard looks quite ominous. One of my favorite details is the angled bars made by wedging the lever part in between grille plates. The round base was constructed with black clamps attached to flexible tubing, and it is a simple yet effective technique.

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Some gleaming treasure and its fintastic warrior guardian

Builder JastaBrick gives us this amazing scene from the depths for the Summer Joust contest, in Going Big category. This is the sort of build that show off the nearly limitless capabilities of LEGO. I have a special appreciation for builds that render organic movement and shapes. This build does so wonderfully with the tail of the merman warrior. The segmented approach allows for some excellent bend and movement of the warrior as he comes up to defend the treasure. Even the armor has some organic elements to it with the curvature of the plating. There’s even a more literal organic representative in the form of a little grey frog! The sea plant life is sparse, but each is unique unto itself, lending greater diversity to the colors and shapes of the build. Even the treasure chest is fun to look at, especially the nice detail of minifig handcuffs for the handle. The base itself is well shaped and really grounds the whole scene. It shore is a fun build!

Now that’s what I call sci-fi

Although I didn’t grow up during their heyday, I’m a bit of a sucker for that retro, 70s sci-fi aesthetic. You know, original-series Star Trek, Silent Running, Alien, that sort of thing. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Keith Goldman has perfectly encapsulated that (as he so often does) in his latest creation. The build itself is impressive, but the composition is particularly stellar. Keith says the off-kilter angle was deliberately chosen to evoke the unsettling intrigue of a comic book cover. In fact, all it needs is a title in a dramatic font, some catchy quotes, and a little ’50c’ sticker to make it look exactly like that.

The sense of scale and position is quite deceptive: initially, I thought we were looking up at some massive space cathedral, but the little white trophy ‘nanofigures’ give us our reference. This means that that skeleton in the glowing green cell, tank, pod, or whatever it’s in must be enormous. That’s what I love about this piece. No backstory, but by poring over the details you start asking questions which quickly set the imagination running. What facility is this, and where do all those tunnels go? What’s in the yellow pods? What (or who) was that skeleton? Who are the figures gathered around it? Most importantly, why is it there? Somehow, I don’t get the impression this is a zoo…

Dutch kitchen design from a not yet forgotten time

As a Dutch guy I just had to feature this Dutch LEGO kitchen creation by Victor van den Berg. It reminds me of paintings by Jan Steen, but then tidied up. In the Netherlands, we even have a saying about it. It’s called ‘A household like Jan Steen’s’, which means a really messy household. This however does not apply to Victor’s creation. It looks very sleek and well designed. We can spot a lot of Dutch interior trends from a distant past. Delfts blue tiling, elaborately carved wooden furniture and the tableware on display on wooden shelves throughout the entire house. It makes me reminisce about my sweet grandmother’s home and the smell of freshly baked pies.

With shock and awe, behold the lead Decepticon scientist

Shockwave’s cold intellect and looming presence stand out in this LEGO figure by Shaddowtoa. Coming out of the Transformers toy line, Shockwave is the Decepticon’s leading scientific mind. This articulated figure captures his often repeated iconic look as established by the 1984 The Transformers animated series. This figure bears the classic purple and grey color scheme befitting Shockwave, with that dark pink chest. His singular yellow eye shines out from his angular head, analyzing everything in his gaze. The recessed black around the eye is cleverly achieved by way of SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques paired with brackets and slopes for the purple surrounding it. The articulation of the figure is well worth the sacrifice of the transforming elements. The figure has bend at the shoulders, elbows, ankles, knees, hips, head, and waist–not to mention the articulation in his wrist and fingers.

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An inspired basilisk

This little LEGO creation by KitKat1414 may sit on a tiny base but it packs a huge amount of skill. KitKat says this fantasy build is based on the ruins of St Andrew’s Cathedral, and the mottled stonework is excellently sculpted to portray the decaying Gothic architecture using a wide variety of grey elements. The green basilisk is wonderfully articulated circling the spire, and the face is a masterwork of brick techniques, of which the best might be the two baby dragons that combine to form the nose.

Something wicked this way comes...

1:1 scale builds fascinate me and how the builder has used LEGO at this scale to display the subject of the build and furnish with detail. This LEGO build from BrickheXe has certainly cast a spell on me! This builder has constructed a Witches Grimoire, ink, and quill for capturing those last-minute spells and curses.The construction of the book is nicely done, clasped, and bound by making excellent use of a Dots bracelet whilst the front cover is effectively decorated through the use of various Gold pieces to serve as embossed detail on the witches tome and embellished with a mysterious purple stone and complimented with the burning candle for those middle of the night spell castings!

There’s some great parts usage in constructing the candle, the hockey stick in clear view works incredibly well for oozing wax and I appreciate the creative ways builders employ unusual parts into their builds! Without using any feather pieces, the construction of the quill perfectly captures the fluffy, feather qualities of this scribes tool complete with accompanying Ink well using all the right parts to finish this collection of ethereal trinkets. Collected together, I can imagine this sat on a Witch or Wizards shelf alongside the Hogwarts Icons!

These miners face a major obstacle

The dwarves of Undark were merchants renowned for their valuable ore, but one day they simply stopped coming to market. Sebastian Arts depicts the reason for their disappearance in this impressive build, showing an enormous dragon head throwing the underground mines into chaos. Sebastian has done an outstanding job with this vignette, crafting clever columns that look carved from stone, and even building a mine cart track that splits into two directions. The bright colors of the dragon head make it an instant focal point, but the multitude of minifigures are positioned in such a way that the action of the story is clear and easy to follow as your eye wanders along the build.

This modern home is the perfect place to find yourself

Builder Sarah Beyer has crafted a home that looks like a high-end VRBO listing, and we’re wondering when we can check-in. The pine trees shading the swimming pool promise a getaway from civilization’s stresses. But the flat roof and terrace, along with a windowed conservatory, mean you can still relax inside with all the latest modern comforts.

Inside you’ll find everything you could want during a long weekend vacation; from the latest in home entertainment equipment to a dining area suitable for a romantic dinner for two. Does anyone know the WiFi password?

Bricks aren’t supposed to bend that way!

Master of the geometric LEGO construct, Zachary Steinman has produced another marvelous sculpture. The three coordinate planes (xy, yz, and xz) all head toward a singular intersection at a central point. But instead of meeting, they bend into one another, creating this star-like shape. The bend is created in our favorite plastic medium by placing 1×2 rectangular bricks next to 1×1 round bricks, allowing for a curve without sacrificing stability. While this technique is no stranger to many a LEGO Castle builder, it’s nice to see it in a simple and artistic application such as this one.

Restocking Fort Stockton

Part of a larger LEGO concept by the builder, this model of the docks at Fort Stockton, Wullham features some lovely architecture, delightful parts usage, and realistic rock formations. Flickr Builder Evancelt enjoys historical era models full of red jackets and muskets set against natural scenery with old buildings. Here they used some simplistic parts as crenellations and molding along the top of the fort, while cleverly employing letters with a red seal as diamond-leaded windows. Well-molded sea grasses and foliage compliment the sharp change to rock as we move down to the dock. Basalt formations are a delightful bit of geology that we don’t see enough of in LEGO builds or real life. Using dark grey at the base to illustrate the spray and waves of the sea on the rocks is a great decision that adds to the realism of the build.

Of course, the multilayered dock is also wonderfully detailed. Multiple shades of brown make up the boards, while reddish brown and dark brown in the supports mirror the water effect used on the rocks. The lamp piece is a good period setting element that matches well with the flat-topped chest. I love seeing historical models that aren’t focused on war. Sure, these are soldiers at a Fort but still, this is more about daily life than about a battle and I’m all about that. Not to mention how soothingly executed that blue sea is on the eyes. Well done, Evancelt, well done.

Spooky, hungry alien will eat you in good time

Doesn’t he just look…friendly? Those big eyes and that toothy smile just set your mind at ease, right? This model of B.A.R.R.Y. the hungry alien by LEGO Masters contestant Caleb Campion is a grotesque balance between friendly and frightening. His delicately sculpted head has a Grendel-like appearance that only a mother could love, not to mention the cursed Jar-Jar Binks heads that Caleb used as hands. The red cape from the Monkey King mech gave him a bit of a challenge but the final result blends well into the red tentacles swarming out from beneath B.A.R.R.Y.’s body. The bright red stands out well against the stark background and perfectly frames the mess of exposed innards in the creature’s chest. If I had landed my craft and been greeted by this, I’d be hightailing out of the atmosphere already.

B.A.R.R.Y.’s ready for his close-up! This creepy face might be the last thing you see on this distant exoplanet. Eagle-eyed builders will recognize the plethora of droid arms used to round out his head in addition to the droid head used as his nose. With everything going on, or going wrong, with this build I’d believe it if you told me this is what it looks like when you take a Muppet’s skin off. This looks like someone locked Animal in that attic from the insurance commercial for a hundred years.

It’s no surprise that a LEGO Master’s contestant could weave together bricks in such a cute but creepy way. Caleb Campion continues to show us the chops that got him on the show in the first place, setting up not only well built characters but also complimentary scenery that helps tell the story.