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.

Leave your troubles on the shore and glide above the sea

It’s certainly not summer yet, even in southern California where it’s still cloudy and stormy. Models like Ted Andes’ streamlined sailboat called the Rhapsody make me yearn for the season’s arrival even more. Although at first glance you might think it’s just your average high-end sailboat, Ted has actually built a futuristic vessel that hovers above the water, almost like a hydrofoil with its white fin-like appendages sticking out from the bottom of the hull.

Close inspection reveals that the hull and sails are constructed almost entirely from assorted Technic panels, allowing the builder to achieve the sweeping curves of the vessel and the cloth-like appearance of the sails. Let’s also not overlook the expertly constructed wooden deck and classic white coloring with blue and red accents. This boat is sure to awe onlookers on any expedition into the bay, whether it’s hovering or not.

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How to build a construction toy with a construction toy

For well over a century, BRIO of Sweden has been manufacturing high-quality wooden toys. Builder ForlornEmpire was inspired to replicate BRIO’s MEC construction toy in LEGO-form. BRIO Mec sets typically consist of wooden beams, plastic pegs, tools and more. ForlornEmpire’s concept is whimsical looking in terms of form and presentation, complete with the characteristic tan representing wood and bright colors for the plastic mallet and pins. Speaking of the pins, they make clever use of the construction helmet and 2×2 disc weapon. Modifying the BRIO logo to read BRIC is a nice touch.

When LEGO was making toys from the 1930s through 1950s, they were contemporaries of BRIO. In fact, it’s worth noting how the BRIO Mec construction system is reminiscent of LEGO’s BILOfix wooden construction toys introduced in 1959. Both Scandinavian toy makers were likely inspired by metal beam construction toys like Meccano and Erector.

The perfect time piece

A LEGO builder’s mind is trained to see creative possibilities in the most obscure elements. Jens Ohrndorf’s lateral thinking has come up with a perfect practical application for the 1 x 1 white plate with black square print. His beautiful metronome lines up the printed bricks to create the tempo selection gauges at aesthetically pleasing single plate intervals. Along with other neat choices like the winder key give the build the intended feel of a real world object.

The Emperor’s light guides his fire

“I want your boots, your clothes, and your motorcycle…” Oh. Sorry. Wrong Terminator.
Paddy Bricksplitter brings us an excellent LEGO version of the other Terminator — one of the fearsome Space Marines from the Warhammer 40k universe. The details on this are excellent — the hanging skulls and holy books, the belt, the neat circular base, and that Imperial crest across the chest. A Bionicle face makes a good match for the Marine helmet, and those signature shoulder pads create an immediately recognisable outline. In the grim darkness of the far future, there may well only be war, but judging by this model’s gleaming white colour, there may also be soap powder.

Sports cars for everyone

It’s always impressive when a LEGO builder packs lots of details into a small-scale vehicle, doubly-so if the model also features interior detailing and an engine. So it must be “triply-impressive” when that interior provides a chassis for modular designs to be popped on top. That’s what Angka Utama has done with this latest LEGO creation, putting together a backbone under-chassis which — with a few minor modifications — can take a variety of shells on the top, radically altering the external styling.

For a tiny “seven wide” model this is pretty smart, with smooth curves and opening doors on the external shell, and a chunky engine and sweet bucket seats for the interior. But the star of show here has to be the modularity — here’s the same internal chassis, slightly tweaked to take a brash yellow Italian supercar look…

Call pest control. We have a massive wasp!

A builder going by the name of Gonkius has built a SHIP called WA:59, or The Wasp. According to the Triassic era LEGO builder gods who made this stuff up, SHIP stands for a Seriously Huge Investment in Parts that must exceed 100 studs in at least one plane. Not only does this creation satisfy that definition, but the builder went the extra mile with some neat LED light up features both fore and aft. Aside from its striking yellow and black striped color scheme this sleek craft bears little resemblance to an actual wasp from the side.

However, when viewed from the front at a three-quarter angle, the resemblance to a wasp becomes more apparent with a feature replicating the compound eyes of an insect. The glowing alien heads beneath the canopy are an excellent touch. Strangely, this SHIP looks as if it would feel equally at home in space or under the sea…or perhaps ruining your next picnic.

Welcome to the Coral Hotel, where your ocean view room is ready!

This gorgeous piece of LEGO architecture by Andrew Tate is an Art Deco fantasy. Growing up near beach towns as a kid I saw tons of places like this with names like The Dunes, Ocean Vista and The Tides. They were bright, cheerful buildings with tropical color schemes and sun burned beach goers coming in and out. I was fascinated by the various examples of architecture, which ranged from Art Deco design to that of the Atomic 50s.

Get a closer look at this Art Deco architecture

By Jabba, this may be the tiniest throne room ever

They say the clothes make the man…and sometimes, the hat makes the Hutt. This microscale LEGO model of Jabba the Hutt’s throne room by Grantmasters was inspired by the dark green bandana element and a rainbow of tiny statuette minifigures. Among them is a Dementor from the microscale Hogwarts set used to depict Luke Skywalker as he attempts to mind-trick the slimy crime lord. My second favorite part use, after Jabba himself, is the Niffler figure.

Seaside market is open for business

Can you hear the sound of seagulls? The peasants and knights sure can in this medieval seaside market built by Teabox. This is an incredible build, featuring a multi-tiered castle wall manned by red knights, fishermen returning from a day’s catch, and a guild of green traders arriving for a visit.

It’s the little details that make this creation so full of life. It’s all here, from the wooden piers on the waterfront, to the flowers growing through windows, or the soon-to-be-eaten crustaceans caught in the crab traps.

Avengers, assemble!

With Avengers Endgame recently hitting theatres and climbing its way to being the highest grossing movie of all time, many fans have taken time to look back and appreciate the earlier films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For some, this comes in the form of re-watching the movies in order, but hachiroku24 was inspired to build the scene from the first Avengers movie where they all assembled for the first time.

I’m a big fan of displaying minifigures grouped together how they appear in film. I’m always more impressed when they’re posed as they are on screen, and their environment is well-built. While this little vignette is beautiful just the way it is, the bridge is so well done I would like to see more of it. The structure looks quite sturdy, so I imagine it could be repeated as a full bridge, and I’m loving the simple-yet-elegant use of headlight bricks as the railing.

I’m on a boat!

Are you aware that a hedge fund has nothing to do with shrubbery? Do you use the word “summer” as a verb? Have you ever summered in the French Riviera? Do you lack the ability and the know-how to change the channel on your theater sized TV because you have people do that for you? Does your walk-in closet have a heated swimming pool? Then you, my new friend, are a billionaire and you might be quite familiar with the super yacht. You know, for when a regular yacht just won’t do! I don’t know if Arjan Oude Kotte has a super yacht in real life, but it is a sure bet that he, if nothing else, has a massive LEGO collection. This model of an M/Y Scout Super Yacht is more than 48 inches long (123cm) and is built from roughly 14,000 pieces.

Here is a video of the undertaking. My favorite detail is this handsome minifigure enjoying a beverage on the aft deck proving, once and for all, that rich people do it better. All kidding aside, I strongly encourage you to check out the rest of Arjan’s work, as he is no stranger to building intricately detailed models of ships and boats. Now where did I leave my Henri IV Dudognon Heritage Cognac Grande Champagne?

No matter your age, always follow your passion

Growing up doesn’t necessarily have to mean giving up what you’ve grown to enjoy over the years. Vir-a-cocha captures the essence of this sentiment with a picturesque LEGO beach scene. While the figure’s white hair suggests he’s older, he looks to be living the best years of his life. The old man’s muscular physique indicates he’s in good health and ready to take to the waves, and he has pulled up to the beach in a classic yellow and black 1970s Dodge Challenger. Each build is well-executed, and I especially enjoy the the man’s flowery Hawaiian shirt. Of course, the image wouldn’t be complete without the colorful background and real sand!