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.

The future of details is now

There are times when a LEGO creation is futuristic because it is a spaceship, robot or another sci-fi element. There are other times, when the build itself is futuristic in its construction techniques and concepts. This spaceship by Nick Trotta is one of the cases when these two aspects intersect. LEGO creations keep evolving and advancing with time and this one is at the cutting edge for sure.

From complicated angles to unique solutions for round shapes, there is a lot to see on this little spacecraft. The best and most progressive parts, though, are the technical details like hoses and gears, carefully enclosed by surrounding panels. So many different colours would not look good in most cases, but Nick has balanced them into a pleasing colour scheme.

For more inquiring readers, the builder has a video showcasing his creation in detail.

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Sometime it’s fun to be the third wheel

Vince_Toulouse is a master at creating LEGO vehicles that combine an old-timey look with a futuristic style. The builder’s newest creation, the “Meteor 3x”, has a couple of great quirks. It’s inspired by an imaginary vehicle, the “Sonic Yellow,” and it makes use of a large Duplo part for the end of the smoke coming out of the pipes. Aside from that, the shaping of the main body is brilliantly smooth and the two-tone colour scheme really makes it stand out.

Orange is my new telehandler’s color

Kirill Mazurov has no mercy when it comes to motorization of his own builds. The latest Merlo ROTO Telehandler is just about 80 cm/31 inches long, but is fully packed with 14 Power Functions motors. There is literary nothing this monster isn’t capable of, not to mention his formidable telescopic hand which reaches the height of 83 cm/32 inches once fully extended.

It’s not hard to guess the major donor of pieces for this monstrosity was the glorious 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The fresh-looking curved 3 x 13 panels at the back of the body create very smooth curves, which can hardly be expected in such a heavy machine.

Modern day Sisyphus

They say great minds think alike, but I’m sure it is much better when great minds think together. Last month Josh DaVid shared a mesmerising lawn mower kinetic sculpture. And now JK Brickworks gets into a game by upgrading Josh’s work with a figure from one of his own masterpieces, Sisyphus kinetic sculpture. The result is a very witty sketch of a modern day Sisyphus. Times has changes, so have the instruments, but not the human’s nature.

The video shared on Youtube is just 4:30 minutes long, but, no doubt, one can spend a whole day just watching this endless battle between the human and the nature.

Master Wu’s Secret Hideout

This looks like it could have come straight from The LEGO Ninjago Movie. Titled “Master Wu’s Secret Hideout,” this temple-like structure by Lysander Chau is comprised of a nice mix of future Zen-type designs on the bottom third of the build and the remaining two floors are very classical Ninjago-ish themes. What makes it stand out a little more is its use of gold adornments — just enough to make it feel grand but at the same time homely. I’m beginning to wonder if Master Wu has a second job in order to afford such a luxurious abode.

It’s close to midnight, and something evil lurkin’ in the dark...

There were a couple of things about Plants vs Zombies that kept me hooked to the game a little longer than it was probably supposed to – the mesmerizing and never-ending melody and seeing this particular reference to Michael Jackson in zombie form! Builder Hsinwei Chi beautifully captures the in-game version of Michael in full detail, including his signature one-handed white glove. The power of pop culture just makes me want to whip out my mobile device and take it for another spin!

Hit more to see a couple extra iconic poses!

A palace fit for a minifigure queen

Royal palaces are normally buildings with amazing architecture, plush interiors and rich decoration, and this LEGO palace is no different. Built by Johan Keuterink, this huge modular palace has a few similarities to Buckingham Palace, not just in its Neoclassical architecture style, but also the two Royal Guards that the Queen has lent to protect the entrance! Although the Baroque details will not be to everyone’s taste, the aim is to impress visiting heads of state, and Johan’s palace should certainly achieve such an aim. I love intricate exterior street lights and the front door with some suitably impressive gold handles.

Johan has taken the time to ensure that his palace has a lavishly decorated interior — Donatella Versace would feel at home in this house! The throne room is an example of the extensive details inside the palace with vast chandelier, patterned floor, and more gold than Fort Knox.

The unappreciated droids from classic Star Wars

GNK Power Droids are better known as “Gonk” droids because of the low, honking sounds they produce while moving about. This larger build by Eric Druon gives us a close-up detail of what we usually see represented with smaller bits and fewer details.

I do appreciate how the builder took the time to even showcase the battery packs inside. The best way to understand its purpose in today’s context is the equivalent of your mobile power chargers — they’re there to provide juice whenever you need it. If there’s one thing from the future that needs to happen soon, this is it. We’re definitely going to need more of these turned into a reality as they simply wander around on-screen as in the Star Wars movies, and I’m assuming be available for you on demand. It certainly beats carrying around an additional battery pack in your pocket today.

The escape of a colourful monster

The Masterpiece Gallery in LEGO House has creations from seventeen different fan builders from all over the world. French builder Samuel Pister has specially designed this fantastical monster for the display. Samuel explains that the build is the story of a colourful monster who is confined in the display case and wants to escape. The only language the monster speaks is modelling colours to express his emotions, and he is trying to call out to visitors to help him. The monster looks at the outside world with the face of the lime goblin, and he tries to push up the display with the orange tree. He is asking for love and touching the window with an aqua hand.

You might think that there is no way this monster can escape but by leaving a mark in the mind of the visitors, engraving colours and leaving questions, he will escape with them when they exit the house.

To move space cargo, you need space freighters

Freighters are a not uncommon amongst LEGO spacecraft, but still notably less frequent than fighters – that is why they are always a welcome change from the usual militarized space genre. This time we can thank James Zhan for the refreshment, although the guns mounted at the side still hint at a somewhat violent universe.

The cargo crate’s shape and texture contrasts nicely with the core of the spacecraft, but I do wish James contrasted the colour too. As far as the freighter itself goes, it has a lot going for it. The rounded shape, while simply constructed, is pleasing to the eye and the body is filled with different doodads and details to break it up without making it look too chaotic and scattered. The careful little hints of orange make an otherwise utilitarian colour scheme quite a treat too.

Chris McVeigh’s My First Computer DOS Edition [Review]

Even if you’ve not heard of Chris McVeigh, you’ve probably seen his builds in one way or another, especially his iconic Classic Mac that’s been featured quite a bit across the media. As a brick artist, Chris specializes in capturing fragments of details in tiny builds that give maximum impact. The other great part about Chris’s builds is that all of his build guides are available free for download and all you need to do to enjoy his wonderful creations are to source the bricks from sites like Bricklink or gather what you have from your very own stash. Of course, there are those that may not have the time or knowledge of the secondary LEGO market to gather all those parts, which makes purchasing a custom kit directly from the artist becomes a great option. For those that do, there’s no detail spared in the experience. Trust me on this, I’m going to bet that you’ll be impressed by the level of care and detail that Chris puts into this.

Read the full review

Good coffee is like good building – it’s all in the technique

Sometimes the use of interesting techniques, or a lot of clever parts usage, can overwhelm a LEGO model — distracting from the creation as a whole, interfering with the design intent. However, this
café model by César Soares manages to create an attractive and cohesive scene whilst being packed to the hilt with ultra-smart building techniques. The brick-built signage and the lovely brick-built furniture might catch the eye first, but don’t miss all the surrounding textures. It’s worth zooming in to check out the tile roofs built of air tanks and ingots, the uneven stone paving, and those walls — the red brick facade is constructed from plates and bars, and the lower grey wall is built out of briefcases!