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.

Elvendale is more beautiful than you realized

The LEGO Elves theme was retired not long ago, and sadly it never quite gained the popularity among adult fans that I think it deserved. Thankfully, though, there are a handful of builders who’ve been designing beautiful creations in the brightly colored world of Elves, and this gorgeous diorama by Stilly Bricks shows how delightful Elvendale can be. They built it a few years ago, but only recently got around to photographing it, which is understandable given that the massive village is over 5 feet long from end to end, and more than 2 feet deep.

Click to check out more details of Elvendale

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I am the future. The Tiberian Sun has risen!

Just like LEGO builder Gregory Coquelz, I was a huge fan of Commander & Conquer: Tiberian Sun when it debuted in 1999. So as soon as I saw this excellent pair of dioramas depicting GDI and Nod forces, I knew we had to feature them. First up is GDI with an iconic ore harvester sweeping through the fields of blue Tiberium Vinifera, accompanied by a Wolverine mech and a few soldiers. The diorama is simple, but it captures the bleak wastelands of the game. A blossom tree adds some interest (as well as a renewable source of Tiberium).

Of course, no C&C creation would be complete with the insane machinations of Nod, and so Gregory has also made an iconic scene with a Hand of Nod, along with a turret, buggy, and a few more soldiers. The broken road is a great touch, with the wedge plates fitting together perfectly to create the uneven edges. Continue reading →

An American in Amsterdam

Don’t miss the train! This LEGO train creation by Ervvin makes me want to buy the next ticket available for a ride.

In post-World War II Europe, the United States committed billions of dollars to help people resume ordinary lives. Part of that went to rebuilding Europe’s largest transportation network, the railway. This engine here is an NS1200 series electric locomotive, with components built in the United States and shipped to the Netherlands to create the electric powerhouse that helped move the Netherlands on the path to reconstruction.

You have to love this design, no question about it. It’s very smooth yet leaves room for all the little details like vents and wires. The use of minifigure skis on top of the connecting vanes was incredibly insightful.

Next time you’re in the Netherlands, make sure to stop by the National Rail Museum in Utrecht to get a look at one of the last of these engines still in operation!

No bull about it, there’s LEGO here.

Trust me when I tell you, we are already impressed by Takamichi Irie’s LEGO work. But when a builder of his caliber breaks the rules a little (or a lot) we take special notice. 2021 is the Year of the Ox so we were happy to see this rather charming and (ahem) unorthodox creation grace the interwebs. Takamichi tells us it takes inspiration from his grandfather, who was an artist and graphic designer who had unfortunately passed away last September. The horns, tail, and hooves are LEGO pieces but the body is constructed from cut and folded card stock. Some gluing most certainly helped the process along. The end product is reminiscent of the official LEGO Forma sets so perhaps this isn’t as unorthodox as initially thought.

Whether this irks your purist leanings or inspires you to break the LEGO mold a bit, you’ve got to admit this is pretty neat. Check out more of his work in our archives.

Is it time for a LEGO duet?

In late 2020, LEGO released a LEGO grand piano in the Ideas line of their products, but you know what would go great with a LEGO Piano? A LEGO violin of course, and CK Ho on flickr crafted a beautiful brick-built violin for music fans to enjoy.

Unlike the piano, the violin is notably a curvy instrument, therefore the notion of a brick-built violin already presents a challenge in shaping the form of such an object with LEGO bricks. This builder smartly utilizes reddish brown brick arches in order to create the curving body of a violin with LEGO. The rest of the violin’s corpus is comprised of reddish-brown bricks, plates, and tiles arranged by way of the SNOT (studs not on top) technique.

Click to see more of this LEGO violin

There’s no doubt a-boat it, that’s a fine house

Some LEGO elements really have only one use, at least, to most of us. But Nicolas Carlier has stepped up to the challenge and found a masterful way to use the LEGO boat part, used here as the frame for the front window of this precariously supported wizard’s house. I’m getting a bit of a Weasly’s Burrow vibe here, but that’s alright with me.

Transforming the Transformers into action figures

There are lots of different versions of Transformers toys, and true children of the ’80s will remember that some were more focused on being cartoon-accurate action figures than on changing shape. Chungpo Cheng pays tribute to these important, classic, and often overlooked versions with a quartet of robotic heroes and villains. Soundwave, Megatron, Optimus Prime, and Jazz look like they could have stepped directly off the screen and directly into a long-forgotten aisle in Toys-R-Us. There’s some clever part usage to get the key shapes across this scale. Highlights include the domed 1×1 tiles on Megatron and Jazz’s heads, The Technic axle connector for the barrel of Megatron’s gun, and the modified 1×1 round plate with rod pieces used for Optimus’ exhaust stacks.

If you like your Transformers on the larger size, then you’ll be happy to know we’ve also featured a lot of other fan-built creations. But hopefully, we’ll see more action figures in this scale. Anyone up to add some microscale G.I. Joe characters for a crossover?

A Nice Turkey Dinner Works All Year Round

Sure it’s January but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a nice gathering with immediate family involving fancy turkey dinners. In fact, during this ongoing pandemic, a fancy dinner at the dining room table could be just what you need to break away from the monotony of lockdown life. That being said, Jonas Kramm’s dining room model is good to go for all seasons.

The interesting use of elements is what really draws me to this model. I really love Kramm’s use of the tennis racket element in his wicker chair builds. The blonde hair-piece next to the turkey element really makes an appealing souffle. Other eye-catching uses of parts include a single red stud in a bowl either serving as ketchup or cranberry sauce and of course, the lamps made out of the black sausage pieces connected to golden eggs. Kramm’s model is just filled with a warm family vibe.

LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71029 Series 21 Feel Guide [Review]

The new year is here, and with it comes a new series of minifigures. LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71029 Series 21 are now available, and with just 12 unique minifigures this time around, be sure to read our full review to get the scoop on which you’ll want. The good news is that if you want a full set, that’s easier than ever. Long-time collectors know that with some nimble fingers and bit of patience, you can tell what each pack contains before you pay a dime. This means you can get full set with no duplicates, saving your hard-earned cash for other stuff (like the 100+ new LEGO sets for 2021). We’ve compiled a handy Feel Guide to help you on your quest that contains all the info you need to get started.

LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71029 Series 21 are available now for US $4.99 | CAN $4.99 | UK £3.49. They may also be available from third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.

Click to see the Feel Guide

If a castaway life is this good, send me on a shipwreck!

I had a feeling that a scene like this couldn’t come soon enough from the castaway minifigure in the latest Collectible Minifigure (CMF) lineup. What’s not to love about this scene where a cute abode is made up of wood drift and healthy unlimited sashimi from the sea. Tom Hanks would be proud of this shipwreck survivor indeed. We’re got a tip by builder Kev.the.Builder that the hermit crab (from the same blind CMF pack) is definitely in the scene, but can you spot it? It finally hit me and I feel something is amiss… where’s Wilson?

A Quaint Season’s Greetings Scene

Winter is here, and I’m sure many folks are transitioning from holiday cheer to some peace and quiet. This little A-Frame micro-scale build by KitKat1414 certainly embodies the more quiet nature of early January.

Although this model is on the smaller side, there is so much to love. The base is built using the SNOT (studs not on top) technique, while the cobblestone pathway leading to the small home utilizes slopes and tiles placed on their sides, not making connections to studs. The use of the crutch element as a doorway is particularly clever, and I also enjoy the croissant piece in white used to render snow. The little builds comprising snow-covered evergreens and the brown leafless tree add the perfect winter touch to this mostly snowy white build. This model certainly feels a lot like winter.

Blood, sweat and tears – behind the scenes of a medieval construction project

I always wonder what it takes to build a beautiful, weathered LEGO building like the builds of Ralf Langer. His creations always leave me with the same questions. How are all these parts connected? How sturdy is it? Can you pick it up and move it around without it falling apart? What does the inside look like? How does he manage to create such amazing builds? Well, the answer is simple: All it takes is some blood, sweat and tears (and a couple of beers). Ralf’s latest build shows us a little behind the scenes. We can see a castle style building with the scaffolding still next to it. The scaffolding itself is quite cleverly made using lightsaber handles, plates, and a lot of tools.

The building itself is pretty as usual. Ralf uses a lot of different types of bricks to give his builds a weathered look. This also helps to avoid the “big grey wall” effect. The stained glass window is quite cleverly made by attaching transparent round tiles to transparent plates with a string net between them. Unfortunately for me, this behind-the-scenes creations answers none of my questions.