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.

Weird Galidor bugs lurk in the dark

Psst–Hello? Are you awake? So, I don’t want to alarm you or anything but Ben Tritschler just built this creepy crawler he calls Beast of the Dark 2. It has wings, antennae, crazy spines, and teeth like from one of those alien predator movies. Ben says it is venomous and hungry. Oh, and it totally makes use of a Galidor Ooni head, so…yeah. Make use of that information however you see fit. Like, who knows what other forms of weirdness lurks around here in the dark, right? The title “Beast of the Dark 2” implies there might be more than one of them. Like maybe a whole swarm? Well, anyway, I’m sure it’s no big deal. Forget I mentioned it. Go back to sleep. Good night.

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Open the gates!

Builder Louis of Nutwood packs a lot of story in a small space in this snow-covered castle scene. This is part 8 of a wonderful ongoing series by Louis, and not only is it visually interesting, but there’s a written component that accompanies each part of the heroes’ journey.

In this chapter, a pair of weary travelers, one in dire circumstances, arrive at Svalg Keep to seek help from its residents. The castle is nicely sculpted and I really like the way it seems to spill off of the confines of the base. The small wooden structures are a fitting addition and do a great job of breaking up the mostly gray and white color palette of the castle. Adding more color to the proceedings are the snow-laden trees utilizing fall colors on their branches. It can be hard to work in a limited number of colors, but Louis excels at it here.
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Like the opening chapter of a great seafaring novel

“The sea, she’s like a lady. You dance with her you dance by her lead otherwise she chew ye up and swallow ye whole.” How do you like my grizzled sea captain impersonation? Needs work? Yeah, you’re probably right. I was just channeling Ahab, Nemo, and a bit of Quint from Jaws who, as it turned out, needed a “bigga boat.” This historic LEGO harbor scene by Vaionaut has all the quaint charm of Amity without the danger. Upon further inspection, the cannons, soldiers, pirates, and other details do suggest danger and intrigue–though likely not shark related. Everything from the expertly crafted curved wall, to the granite sailing ship model, to the intricate detailing on the rooftops is a treat to behold. My favorite feature is the hanging sailor-capped albatross totem bearing a close resemblance to Donald Duck.

This is like the opening chapter of a great seafaring adventure novel with each page leaving me wanting more. As it turns out, there is a bit more as this was part of a collaborative pirate build presented at Bricking Bavaria and can be seen at Rogue Bricks. Though if you click there, be sure to brush up on your German. All the German I know, I’ve learned from Rammstein, which, like my sea captain impersonations, has proven to be unhelpful while traveling abroad.

Curiosity killed the Porg

In the opening scene of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Luke famously chucks his old lightsaber off a cliff like a week-old burrito, and thanks to a not-quite-canon “deleted scene” from the Blu-ray, we now know what happened to the weapon after being discovered by the Ahch-To’s most adorable inhabitants, who just might be too innocent for their own good. Of course, every memorable moment in Star Wars deserves to be immortalized in LEGO, and that’s where builder Takamichi Irie comes in, with an excellent recreation utilizing the official life-size LEGO Porg set.

This jelly is totally my jam

I have two things to brighten your day. One is a recipe for jelly cookies. The other is this creation by Djokson called Umi the Jelly. Her hobbies include drifting aimlessly and tending to her coral garden which, truth be told, would reduce stress if most of us spent our days doing the same. She seems quite at peace drifting among the colorful reef. Her tendrils, translucent flowing limbs, even the choice of background color all comprise a rather tranquil composition. This jelly creature is totally my jam or um…jelly, as it were. See, I told you this would brighten your day!

A LEGO Los Angeles City Hall that is small yet towers tall

Bruce Lowell is a native of Los Angeles, which is one of the reasons he built this 1:200 scale LEGO model of Los Angeles City Hall. For Bruce, the model was a labor of love, having gone through multiple iterations since 2014. The finished product is richly detailed with architectural embellishments, a brick-built flag draped down the right side of the building, and dozens of tiny trees. Everything looks beautiful, and this is further enhanced by the natural background used in Bruce’s photography. In fact, I think it would make for a picture-perfect postcard.

See more details of this LEGO replica of Los Angeles City Hall

Airship! Airship! Airship!

I’m a big fan of finding new ways of integrating large LEGO pieces creatively. Peter Ilmrud does this adeptly in his Steampunk Airship. His skill with smaller LEGO pieces cannot be overlooked (for example the smoke billowing out of the top), and this would be a fantastic creation even if it didn’t have an abundance of large elements, but it’s those big pieces that make you say “oh cool, I haven’t seen one of those used like that before” or, if you’re steeped in the LEGO fan lexicon, “NPU” (Nice Part Use).

Let’s dive in and examine some of the parts used nicely here. The obvious examples are the planets – Bespin specifically – used for the balloons. Another easily noticeable piece is the dragon head fittingly used as a figure head. Further examination reveals well-integrated use of a Ninjago Airjitzu propeller, hero factory blades, and 4 Juniors boat bows used to support the wing propellers. The final example of great parts use I’d like to point out are the inside-out tires used in the the smokestack. Take a look at the images of different angles Peter’s posted and see what other cool building techniques he’s used on his airship.

Hands-on with LEGO’s new 2,300-piece Stranger Things set, 75810 The Upside Down [Review]

Netflix’s sci-fi-horror-adventure series Stranger Things has been riding the wave of 80s childhood nostalgia for two seasons, making it a smash hit for the streaming platform. With the third season dropping July 4, LEGO is rolling out a massive new set to kick off its licensing partnership. Just officially announced today, 75810 The Upside Down includes one of the key locations in the series, the Byers’ home. It’s got a twist, though, with the creepy “Upside-Down” alternate dimension mirrored below it. Trees serve as pillars so the house can be displayed with either world on top. The set features 2,287 pieces and will retail for US $199.99 | CAN $269.99 | UK £179.99. It is on sale beginning tomorrow for LEGO VIP members, with a full release coming June 1.

The set includes eight minifigures, the mirrored house, Chief Hopper’s Blazer, and a small display stand for some of the minifigures. The scenes in the set span seasons 1 and 2, so there may be a few very mild spoilers. Let’s dig in and see how LEGO accomplished an upside-down house in the first-ever Stranger Things set.

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Voyaging across great incomprehensible nothingness alone

Their similar goals of provoking thought in the beholder is why science fiction and abstract art often go hand in hand, and this applies to LEGO as well as other media. The freedom to create something new also makes it easier to send a new message. Ralf Langer has taken this freedom to create a mysterious scene of a discovery on an alien planet. What lies beyond the door? Is it a symbol of creation of new life or the inevitable change in an already existing one?

No matter the meaning, the creation is impressive in a completely technical view as well. To less experienced builders it may seem like a few simple surfaces broken up by random and inherently meaningless technical textures we like to call “greebling”, but there is much more to it. Ralf is a master of textures as he proves here with grids of minifig stud shooter triggers. The main point of this build is composition though. Ralf has joined seemingly simple parts into something that looks full, but not cluttered. My personal favourite part is the mysterious gate, with a unique texture made using LEGO treads.

Take me back to Classic Space

Adult builders of a certain age hold a special place in our hearts for what we call “Classic Space.” With the Apollo missions fresh in the history books and with Star Trek, Buck Rogers, and Star Wars capturing our imaginations, LEGO hit a sweet spot with their space theme from about 1973 to 1987. For many, they were likely among our first LEGO sets and the fond nostalgia for the theme remain with us forever. Guido Brandis captures this feeling nicely with his LL-942 Star Fire II. There are rules to the “Classic Space” look; blue and light gray are used in nearly equal measure while trans-yellow is for windscreens. Red, used very sparingly, is usually reserved only for rover rims but is utilized here as the pilot’s uniform. Modern elements not available to us in the ’70s and ’80s create a perfect synergy between the old and the new. Even its “LL” designation stands for “Legoland” and was used in the original sets. This sure takes me back!

From the dark Matrix

I’m always fascinated by how skilled LEGO builders can create interesting backgrounds for their models using simple pieces. Builder why.not? has made this awesome cyberpunk scene of a figure staring down a robotic eye, but then filled out the background to truly make the scene immersive. One wall cleverly uses the holes in Technic plates to make a Matrix-like cascade of lights, while the other uses minifigure stands and turntable bases to create an interesting texture. And finally, the presentation with careful lighting is as important to this creation as the build itself, and it all comes together marvelously.

Awesome minifig-scale Bubble Ship from Oblivion

No matter what you might have thought of the 2013 sci-fi film Oblivion, starring Tom Cruise, you can admit it featured some sweet tech. From the electric motorbike, to the huge water hoovers, to that giant upside-down pyramid, the film’s visuals were stunning. One of the most iconic vehicles was the super-maneuverable light plane which was quickly nicknamed the Bubble Ship. This stunning model by Riskjockey captures the stark, delicate visual aesthetic from the film, including swiveling landing gear. I love the smooth engine pods and the clever use of the new gyro-sphere and hatch from the Jurassic World theme for the cockpit.

Another nice part use is the large triangular panels used to create the geometric symmetry of the fuselage of the ship.

This is not the first version of the Bubble Ship–or even the second–that has been featured here on TBB over the years since the movie’s release in 2013.