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.

Andor’s TIE Avenger debuts in LEGO in fan build

You should be watching Andor for the incredible writing and performances that bring the Star Wars universe to life with unmatched texture and nuance. But if you’re reading on a LEGO site, chances are you’re also scanning every scene for new ships and droids to inspire future MOCs or sets to anticipate next May the Fourth. Andor season 2 delivers on both cinema craft and spacecraft in its opening minutes with an incredible TIE Fighter heist, and I know I wasn’t alone in seeing that ship and saying, “that will make an incredible LEGO set!” Builder Michał Kozłowski, aka Edge of Bricks, was inspired by the first shots of the TIE Avenger in the Andor trailer and set to work making a remarkably screen-accurate version from 1,088 parts.

Originally appearing in the PC game Star Wars: TIE Fighter, the TIE Avenger is a cousin to the TIE Interceptor. A quality over quantity shift from the standard TIE strategy, the Avenger is equipped with heavier armor plating, a robust armament, and a hyperdrive. Michał’s model captures the wing-mounted missiles, but it is missing the heavy laser beneath the cockpit and the rotary cannons to the sides, which we didn’t get a clear look at until the first episode premiered this week. No doubt Michał will correct this, and in the meantime, it’s a remarkable likeness on a quick turnaround

See more pics of this top-secret Imperial fighter

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Maxx’s Moomin is here to melt your heart

The Moomins, created by Finnish/Swedish author Tove Jansson, are timeless characters long cherished in Scandinavia, Japan, and increasingly the world, thanks to new printings of the amazing storybooks and comics, merchandise, movies, and even a new video game. One medium that Moomin hasn’t conquered yet is LEGO, but Maxx Davidson corrects this oversight. Moomin, ever the awkward romantic, is a perfect subject for Maxx’s whimsical style of building. I would love to see Jansonn’s characters come to LEGO so that I can admire them as I drink from one of my many Moomin mugs. If the residents of Moominvalley continue to grow in recognition, maybe they’ll eventually make it through the Ideas or Icons lines. Until then, I’ll hold Maxx’s model in my heart.

Not all protocol droids are as nice as C-3PO

Say what you will about the Star Wars buildable LEGO figures: they’re clearly proving to be a source of inspiration for talented MOCers out there. There’s already a protocol droid in LEGO’s official line-up, and Adam Dodge has added another – although one with far more sinister motives! This is a superb rendition of 4-LOM. If you don’t recognise him, let me fill you in: he’s a protocol droid who was able to re-program himself to be a bounty hunter due to a flaw in his coding. And I mean… If I were able to re-write my prime directive, I’d probably pick something a little safer than bounty hunting. Cosying up to people like Darth Vader or Dengar doesn’t exactly scream ‘easy ride’ to me.

LEGO Mid-century modern house is the definition of design

I am pretty sure this mid-century modern LEGO house by Sarah Beyer may be my entire personality right now. The attention to mid-mod detail doesn’t stop with the house’s design, or with the great exterior features and landscaping. The interior is filled with period-appropriate furniture, all assembled with great building techniques. Sarah calls the house Endeavour, in honor of the British TV series of the same name, which inspired her with insights into 1960s interior design. (If you haven’t watched Endeavour, put it on your watchlist, along with it’s in-universe friends Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis.)

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“Do we need the monkey?”

In 1981, one movie dominated the box office and launched an enduring and often imitated franchise. That film of course was Raiders of the Lost Ark. Even LEGO got in on the imitation game, though they waited until 1998 to introduce us to Johnny Thunder (AKA Sam Grant or Joe Freemann, depending on where you grew up.) LEGO builder adotnamedstud expertly brings this memorable “Indy-flick” moment to life, using detailed textures, effective vignette-style worldbuilding, and by taking full advantage of all the printed tile elements exclusive to LEGO set 10359 Fountain Garden.

Small but impactful choices throughout the build really add up, such as the weathering on the door, a well balanced color palette, and little callouts to other moments in the movie, like Marion’s frying pan. LEGO “Director” Minifigure (unofficially Steven Spielberg!) would approve.

Holy Week collaboration is a testament to creativity and faith

From Byzantine icons to Michelangelo murals to swords-and-sandals epics, the New Testament gospels have been a source of artistic inspiration for nearly 2000 years. During the lead up to Easter, RebelLUG members Kevin Wanner, Eli Willsea, Chris Roberts, and James Libby collaborated on a series of 8 builds corresponding with Holy Week. Regardless of one’s faith, the series is an inspiring use of LEGO as a storytelling medium and a showcase of amazing talent in the community.

Kevin contributes the first entry, an immersive scene that depicts Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey, the origins of Palm Sunday.

Read on for the full holy week collaboration

We’re feeling a bit of déjà blue

TBB regular Andreas Lenander transports us to another time and place with this “revamp” of his LEGO Falcon chapel model from last year. The chapel design in this medieval scene remains largely unchanged from the original except for the new blue hues in the roof, but Andreas took an entirely different approach to the setting and landscaping this time around. The autumnal leaf and feather elements in the twisted tree look like they were made for each other, and the circular base with a mixture of inlaid curved slope elements elevates the entire build (literally and figuratively).

You can learn more about Andreas’ building process on his YouTube channel, including how the base’s construction was “an unbelievable pain”. An experienced builder he may be, but apparently he has never stepped on a LEGO piece.

Battle Chaser forged in brick

While I am unfamiliar with the source material of the Battle Chasers comic, I do recognize an epic character design brought off the page into life…or brick. LEGO Designer Wes Talbott has done exactly that with his build of the character Calibretto. And in the process, it seems Wes has managed to use every new slope, wedge, and tile that exists. This build could also fit in perfectly in the LEGO Nexo Knights theme.

Factions may merge in the LEGO Star Wars Factions extended universe

There are LEGO vignettes that tell a story, and then there are LEGO vignettes that put you in the room. darth_bjorn puts you in the room of Rothana Heavy Engineering. The clean reflective floor, the dark red leaves, the gray mixed in with the dark bluish-gray pieces, the large windows right out of Star Wars designs…that all pull you straight into this intense scene where an alliance is being struck. At this point, I’m probably required to sign the business deal being negotiated, but we’ll see how it plays out.

Andromeda Asteroid Mining Rig – I’ve expanded my microscale space frontier

I’m continuing to expand my microscale space universe. Last time I checked in with a lunar launch diorama, as my home-brew theme shot into deep space from the moon. Now the Interplanetary Expedition Alliance, or I.E.A., has set up a large mining facility out in the asteroid belt.

The facility consists of a large space station as the hub, and two captured asteroids being mined for their mineral wealth.

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LEGO Avacyn has flying, vigilance, and protection from brick separators

Back when I played Magic, the Gathering, I was more of a green or black player, but I lost more than a few games to angel-themed white decks with their ability to cancel incoming damage. For his latest character creation, Eero Okkonen translates Magic’s seraphic hero Avacyn from the plane of Innistrad into brick form, and the results are divine. The wings are substantial but somehow look light, balanced on the angel’s back. Avacyn’s bust is cleverly shaped from a pair of bigfig arms. The lance head with macaroni tubes is perfect. Showing that even a master is always learning, Eero shares that the angled pattern around the hip area was created using the grid-breaking techniques shared on New Elementary last month in this essential article.

Craving more Magic characters? alex_mocs creates another white hero with this haunting Elesh Norn model.

Spaceship + Geometry + LEGO = one fascinating fractal fighter

The Nexo Knights theme introduced quite a few new angled slopes and other geometric parts to LEGO, like the famous “Nexagon“, and the sharp-angled slopes used on the sides of this fighter by Inthert. With its many sharp angles, this 6 pointed starfighter is giving me Black Sun vibes (one of the many crime syndicates from Star Wars legends). The color scheme fits well with Nexo Knights as well, with the gun metal gray and bright color accents on a largely blue livery.