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 isn’t just your average cube, it’s a mech!

It’s incredible to think that Moko has built 10 of these fantastic cube mechs. This model marks the way as number 10, even using the celebration tile from Lego minifigures series 20. Built in a metallic colour scheme, it’s fascinating to see the static cube mode transform into a sleek looking mech. Angled tiles are put to great use in the box mode as they meet at just the right positions to create the square faces of the cube. The purple pentagonal part acts as a visor and snuggles in comfortably in the box mode.

The robot’s ability to transform is ultimately down to ball joints and clips. In the transformation, sections of the cube are stretched out and often twisted round to create the mech form. The long legs and disproportionate form of the robot mode are reminiscent of designs from mecha shows.

Check out a video showing how the mech is posed!

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A modern-day Great Wonder recreated in 9,000 LEGO bricks

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt is a contemporary complex of museums and archives, a planetarium, and of course, a library. This modern tribute to the Great Library of antiquity has been recreated from over 9,000 LEGO bricks by that master of microscale LEGO architecture Rocco Buttliere. Measuring nearly 2′ square, the model took around 60 hours to design, and 30 more to build. All Rocco’s effort was definitely worthwhile, as this creation captures the complex shapes of its inspiration perfectly. And it’s not just the central subject which provides a showcase of building skill — don’t miss the beautiful sweeping curve of that seafront road.

As with all of Rocco’s amazing LEGO microscale models it’s worth zooming in for a closer look at the detailing and depth of texture he manages to cram into a tight footprint. I spy some printed window panels from Dr Who’s Tardis deployed as solar panels…

Roll out the barrel with this medieval cooper’s workshop

Back in “the olden days”, if a town had a brewery or distillery, chances are it also had its own cooperage. The craft of barrel-making is now much less prevalent — even in a place like Scotland, which boasts hundreds of whisky distilleries, there are only a small handful of cooperages left. seb71‘s LEGO version of a medieval cooper’s workshop was always going to capture my attention for its subject matter, but the building techniques and styling mean it’s also a lovely model. The wooden beams are nicely done, and the jagged stonework of the walls and arched doorway create an eye-catching depth of texture. However it’s the smaller touches of additional detail which make all the difference — don’t miss the weathered effect created by the dark tan plates used for the wall under the eaves, and the wonderful shaping of the base.

Even better, this medieval model includes a detailed interior, visible from the open-sided rear. The ground floor is the cooper’s workshop, including the scorching of a barrel, and the family’s accommodation above…

This build is an absolute banger.

They say you never want to see how the sausage is made, but I am curious about how that table is constructed. This small, but effective build by LegoLyman grabs your attention with the red sausages and the crank driven meat grinder; but I’m impressed with the extra attention given to the table. The bottom ends of two minifigure suitcases impart a little extra detail that helps the table feel real. It’s a wonderful bit of complexity in a something that seems pretty straight forward at first. Like the perfect blend of spices in a sausage.

This may smell bad, kid...but it’ll keep you warm...

The tenacious smuggler turned burgeoning rebel general, Han Solo, really saved the galaxy by cutting open that poor Tauntaun. Thankfully, his quick thinking made good use of the dead creature’s lingering heat. Before you start wondering if that residual heat would really keep Luke alive through a night on Hoth, just remember that Han says he’s putting up a shelter. The real tragedy is that Han knew he’d be sacrificing that, er, magnificent creature when he left Echo base. He was warned! Still, I’m sure Luke was grateful, both for being saved and for being unconscious during his nap in a Tauntaun carcass. Mostly. Anyway, this playful Miniland-scale Star Wars model by Ochre Jelly hits me right in the nostalgia.

The Miniland building style allows for playful details in brick-built figures. Ochre Jelly is fond of this style and has built some iconic scenes and memes in the past. Here he’s done a wonderful job with the Hoth versions of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker from the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back. Their respective outfits translate well to bricks and plates with proper color blocking. Han’s fuzzy hood achieved with exposed studs is pretty neat and his stance captures his mood perfectly.

The scale of the figures definitely allowed for more detail and curves in the Tauntaun. Big, thick legs and distinctive claws, along with a saddle and amazing horns, match well with the source material. Those Minifigure arms used as guts are a real clincher, though. A mess of blue clips and plates seem like blood pooling under the multi-colored assortment of Minifigure body parts with hotdogs thrown in for good measure. Delusional Luke probably appreciates that warm goo a little bit, right?

I’m just glad that the LEGO Group hasn’t made scented bricks because we do not need to know the actual difference between the outside and inside smells of a Tauntaun.

Beneath the waves of 4546B

Have you ever been chilling in space, floating in your ship one second, only to wake up on a water world as the sole survivor of your crew? We’ve all been there, but thankfully the Alterra Corporation has you covered in the event of such a mistake. Those familiar with the Subnautica game series will surely sympathize, having swum in the suit of Ryley Robinson themselves. Builder Lysander Chau was inspired by their time in the oceans of 4546B to build this scene of a crab-squid chasing after the Seamoth.

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This Clone Wars model is blasting off

This cleverly constructed build is a collaboration between Hp Bricks, who designed the head, and Glenn Tanner, who built the rest. The model shows the helmet and part of the torso of Gar Saxon, from the Clone Wars tv series. The aggressive style of the armour has been captured through the use of angled pieces which creates sharp and protruding details. The explosive fire from the jetpack provides the model with a unique aesthetic as normally body busts can be quite static. It’s probably not the focus of the build but there are ice cream parts in grey at the stand of the build representing smoke clouds from the jetpack. We don’t often see a head and torso sculpt like this in action, so this model is a welcome treat.

Cloudstone Castle welcomes visitors – bring a sword

Sometimes it’s about the design, sometimes it’s the techniques, sometimes it’s the colour scheme, and then very occasionally there’s a LEGO castle that has it all. Cloudstone Castle is a collaborative build between Joel Tyer and Spartan Bricks, and it’s an excellent addition to the ranks of the larger LEGO castle creations. The texture and detail in the fortifications are nicely done, and a couple of off-grid angled sections prevent the structure from feeling too formulaic. I like the repeated motif of quarter-circle tiles used as decoration on the buildings. The island’s rockwork is detailed without being too busy, framing the castle and providing context rather than distracting the eye from the central subject, and the watery base is very pretty. Tying it all together, the overall colour scheme is well chosen, muted without being miserable, evoking the feel of an overcast day — clouds and stone indeed.

Apache Helicopter go Brrrrrrr

You know, lore isn’t for everyone. The beauty of LEGO is that it allows us to build the world around us as we see it, and that doesn’t always require a backstory. Having said that, collaborating with others to create a fleshed-out world can be extremely satisfying. I recently talked with self-dubbed LEGO Dad, Simon Liu, about the Apache helicopter model he built for the world-building group, World in Darkness. He explained that the group is focused on factions in a world where the Cold War kept going and that each faction has specific color schemes and gear. Apparently, Oceania’s sand-blue vehicles proved to be a bit “fun” for him due to that color’s limited part diversity, I imagine. Nonetheless, the AH-64X is a beautiful beast. Tiles, slopes, and printed pieces decorate the entire body, carving out the curves and angular sections of the Apache design. Ample headspace is provided for the pilot and gunner in the cockpit. Armed for close aerial support on the front line, this helicopter can protect Oceania’s soldiers day and night. The excellent sticker choices elevate the model, emblazoning it with the Oceania logo and striking lines along the body, wings, and tail sections. The detailed rotor is topped off with a radar dome made with two large dishes, and the turboshaft engines cleverly make use of rotation joint sockets as the intakes.

Simon Liu is a legendary builder and godfather to the upcoming SHIPtember tradition. A master with LEGO, familiar with many secrets of the system, this builder clearly loves his community. Groups like World in Darkness, and many others, give plenty of builders the opportunity to explore their concepts and create new worlds with others. Simon will tell you, he’s happy to see groups like these thriving and loves to see the growth, mentorship, and inclusion shared between the older and younger generations. I personally agree and have long said that the LEGO community is one of the most positive and uplifting groups I’ve ever been a part of. Keep up the good work, LEGO fans.

Lando’s Treadable from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker at LEGO UCS scale

While Star Wars may be known best for epic spacecraft like the Star Destroyer and the Millenium Falcon, there have been more than a few vehicles of a more humble design, like the Sandcrawler. The new sequel trilogy had perhaps more new ships than previous movies, but Jürgen Wittner, has set his sights on one of the most interesting new vehicles, the Treadable, the tank of a mobile home owned by Lando Calrissian.

Check out more photos of this most unusual vehicle

The Muppet Show or bust

For me, The Muppet Show was the perfect in-between show for those in-between years. It wasn’t quite a cartoon, and it wasn’t quite as boring as those serious shows the grownups watched. It came on in the evening, so you felt just a little bit grownup watching it without going into Murder, She Wrote territory. A LEGO builder who goes by the name j-p-30 his us right in the between childhood and adulthood feels with these three clever busts of some of our favorite Muppet friends. We have poor Beaker, whose scientific experiments tend to end in fiery calamity. Gonzo was the weird bendy-nosed Muppet Show pianist, and the less said about Animal’s outrageous antics, the better. All together, you’ve got the makings of a trio that could make us giggle even if Trapper John M.D. was totally your jam. Well done, Mr. j-p-30!

Imperial Soviet Nuclear TIE Bomber

Yes, you read that right. And your eyes are not deceiving you. LEGO builder Ghalad managed to combine an obscure nuclear seaplane from the Soviet Union with a classic Star Wars TIE fighter. The resulting digital build is something you could have expected to appear in the sequel trilogy of Star Wars films.

It’s unlikely you’ve heard of the Lun-class Ekranoplan, a Soviet-era seaplane capable of launching nuclear warheads through tubes based on top of the plane. It was developed before the age of ballistic submarines, filling the gap between land-based nuclear bombers and sea-based launch platforms.

From Wikipedia

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