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.

Burton-era Batmobile blasting off

When it comes to movie Batmobiles, few versions are quite as iconic as the extra-long, jet engine powered model from the Tim Burton films. This sleek, finned creation by Riskjockey manages to combine luxury and high tech with its smooth curves, intake vents, sliding canopy and those giant signature batfins. The use of arches for the side intake vents is one of my favorite part usages. It’s also worth noting the subtly angled headlight assemblies on either side of that lovely jet engine intake on the front.

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All the world’s a stage, and all the minifigures merely players

Many of the best LEGO creations are carefully composed scenes which tell a story. MorlornEmpire takes this thought one step further — building a delightful LEGO Castle scene which depicts a medieval theatre with a play in progress. The theatre walls are nicely chunky and use the classic technique of scattered dark grey tiles to simulate stonework, with an added splash of colour from the well-positioned climbing foliage.

However, appropriately enough, it’s the on-stage action which commands the attention — don’t miss the scenery flats of rolling countryside and hilltop castle, and the smart use of curved tiles to create an impression of a curtain backdrop for the sky. All this creation is missing is a rowdy audience of peasants chucking vegetables at the actors during boring sections of the play–a regular feature of theatrical performance until relatively recent times!

Beauty and power on the high seas

Imagine being a pirate and looking along the horizon to see the flagship of the royal navy barreling your way. Say, Stephen Chao‘s Royal Guardian, for example. With more than enough canons to knock the wind out of anyone’s sails, it’s a sight to behold. To be honest, I like history but I’m not a huge history buff; yet I can’t imagine there was ever a pirate ship as formidable (except in movies). I suppose its only downfall would be the speed it would lose with the weight of those canons.

Logistics aside, this build is well detailed and impressive in more ways than one! It’s very busy but clean at the same time. And not only does it look realistic and have superb shaping, it’s also fully furnished. Because, go big or go home, right? The mammoth ship comes complete with captain’s quarters, a galley, a full arsenal, and more.

Like the kind of ships that sail upon the oceans blue? Check out this unique swashbuckler, or maybe another with a gorgeously sculpted stern.

The Huntsman to stalk your dreams

Some people suffer from arachnophobia, the fear of spiders. Other people suffer from robophobia, the fear of robots. After seeing Jayfa‘s latest build, I think I now suffer from arachnorobophobia, the fear of spider-robots. The Huntsman, or Plague Mech: Pi, takes some inspiration from the huntsman spider, which in some regions can have a legspan of nearly a foot (30cm); the long limbs of the mech clearly mimic that of the leggy arachnid, and the large fangs look capable of delivering a devastating punch of poison.

The mech looks almost like a cross between General Grievous from Star Wars and a Xenomorph from Alien. Neither of those are friendly, and judging by the menacing pose and darkly ominous lighting, this one is not nice either. The details are what really make it unique, however. Minifigure hands give the fingers a grasping quality, and the ribbed hoses add a touch of texture to liven up all of the black. Tiny highlights of red and transparent-red elements make it even more sinister. Clever connections in the arms allow all sorts of poses, making it capable of reaching out to clutch its helpless prey. I am not sure I will be able to sleep tonight with this nightmare of a Huntsman lurking about. How about you?

A modern twist on the classic castle

One of the most popular LEGO themes of all time is Castle, a staple of any LEGO fan from the late 1970s to the present. Builder Ciamosław Ciamek treats us to his own version of the Black Falcon Stronghold, showcasing modern building methods and a level of detail not seen on these sets back in the day. In particular, the smokestacks add an even deeper sense of realism (gotta stay warm in the winter, right?) to the castle. I really like the tried-and-true use of ice cream scoops as the smoke coming out of the chimneys.

Even the interior is incredibly detailed. And as you can see, these guards need a little more target practice.

Astounding LEGO Super Chief train up for charity auction [News]

The Super Chief was the flagship of the Santa Fe Railway. During the 30s and 40s it earned the nickname “The Train of the Stars” by hauling Hollywood celebrities from Chicago to Los Angeles, and becoming almost as famous as its passengers. Tony Sava has put together a formidable LEGO version of this iconic train, and has decided to auction it off for charity at Brickworld 2019 in Chicago. The 8-wide locomotive is a beast, beautifully detailed, fitted with Power Functions motors, and features smart custom stickers to recreate the Santa Fe livery. It’s a lovely model, and a lovely gesture for it to be donated to a charity auction — I hope it raises a caboose-load of cash.

A droid strewn jawa junkshop

Capturing atmosphere in LEGO is an art, and it’s an art that Ben Cossy has mastered in his moody model of a Jawa junkshop. Its cleverly built sand crawler interior is combined with sophisticated photography, conjuring up that distinctive Tatooine feel. Having scavenged through his LEGO bins, Ben has decided to showcase the elusive TC-14 as the Jawa’s latest prize find. The silver protocol droid works as a glistening visual foil, backlit by the glowing red furnace grill. It’s a neat cinematic trick that renders the whole scene believable and somehow resonant with the Star Wars universe.

The massive mech of your nightmares

If you’re looking for a video game villain to rule all, look no further. Anthony Wilson’s centipede mech will leave you squirming in your seat. This thing is filled will all sorts of nasty, from its menacing claws to what can only be described as egg-filled hatchling pods. The overall color scheme is phenomenal and the parts usage is superb.

Every inch of the build is filled with cool techniques, from its numerous varying legs, up its spine, and to its terrifying head, complete with serrated swords for pinchers. The design truly brings it to life. Now, it’s important to realize how big this thing is. It would be scary enough small, but it’s over 50 studs tall, not including the upper arms. That’s 40+ centimeters, or nearly a foot and a half. Imagine if it was human scale compared to a minifig. Shudder.

Posing is everything when taking pictures of a build like this, and Anthony has nailed it here. While it’s a completely different kind of build, he also did a great job posing his coffee-loving dragon.

A garden for Nya

Builder Rollon Smith brings us this serene garden scene grown especially for Ninjago’s Ninja of Water, Nya. This is just one part of a lovely trio of scenes dedicated to exploring Nya’s past.

I love the symmetry used in this build as it creates a wonderful sense of balance and harmony. A place you could go to meditate in peace. Some clever use of parts such as the upside-down Wonder Woman tile and the sideways Brickheadz glasses add some fine detail. I’m also quite fond of the elegant curves and shape of the back wall.

Read on to see the rest of the tryptic!

Brick-built ode to Notre-Dame de Paris

Since the disastrous fire on April 15th, many LEGO fans have built their own renditions of Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. It comes as no surprise that the best rendition I’ve seen was built by Rocco Buttliere. Rocco, who has a penchant for recreating famed architectural landmarks of the world, got to work on this one immediately following the fire.

Not only did he build the cathedral itself, but he accurately reproduced the landscape around it: remove the building and this creation would still be a masterpiece. The curves of the river and roadways, the textured ground and gardens. I’m especially fond of the little details, like the old hinge tile used as bollards – magnifique! While the surroundings are definitely beautiful, we can’t ignore the church itself. While I might be satisfied to just recreate the shape of the building, Rocco has carefully detailed the structure’s ornate detail. Everything is here, from Gothic arches and rose windows to buttresses and even gargoyles. This is achieved through skillful use of the LEGO parts palette, using a wide variety of old and new pieces of all different types: Technic elements, textured bricks, and minifigure accessories. With this creation, Rocco has built a fitting tribute this wonderful landmark truly deserves.

If you enjoyed this, check out Rocco’s other amazing creations we’ve highlighted, such as the entire Thames waterfront of London.

Smoke and cloak

The two most immediately eye-catching bits on this scene are the smoke and cloaks–well, capes, actually; 8 to be exact. Kevin Peeters does a nice job incorporating them into this lovely windmill. But that’s not the only great part about this build. The cobbled-together look of the stone building and rooftops makes for a great medieval homestead.

The foliage, including the fall-colored tree in the back are also nicely done. But my favorite part might just be the white snake element used for the wisp of smoke from the chimney, a technique we never tire of.

If you’re a fan of the medieval theme, check out some other cool architecture, like a seaside market, floating castle, hero’s cottage, or micro kingdom.

Tougher than crocodile skin

Crocodiles are one of the toughest animals on the planet. Makes sense, considering their ancestors were around during prehistoric times. So why not create a mech in their image? This excellent mecha croc by Mitsuru Nikaido is one of the coolest I’ve seen. All of the plating and fine detail make for a handsome and fierce opponent.

As a big animal person, I’m always impressed by lifelike body-shaping, and I’m not sure it could be done better here, especially considering it uses a plethora of pieces to give it that mech look. To me, that seems more difficult than building a realistic croc. I love everything about that head, including the lever based used for the eye. The back legs and perfect taper of the tail are also noteworthy.

Mitsuru Nikaido is no stranger to impressive animal mechs. Just take a look at his chameleon (scroll down), lemur, dragonfly, and crane and grasshopper duo.