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.

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake in LEGO

Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is iconic. It’s a familiar love story of the White Swan, Odette, and Prince Sigfried. One thing I always thought was amazing was Odile’s fouettés: this is where the dancer spins 360 degrees, on pointe. Odile does them to “steal” the prince, and the original ballerina could do 32 in a row.

In 1995, choreographer Matthew Bourne left his mark on Swan Lake with one major change: the swan’s gender. Odette and the corps de ballet, traditionally danced by ballerinas, was now performed by male dancers. David Hughes has given us this glorious and very recognizable sculpture of the Lead Swan in the classic pose, used by the dancers to imitate some bird-like moves giving grace to the dance.

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Teal me a story

Spoiler alert: most UFO pictures are faked, including this one. Teal is a very rare color, and most of these bricks were never made in it. Which makes this virtual model all the more striking. Digital artist dunkleosteus_ldd used Lego Digital Designer and Bluerender to design this uniquely shaped alien craft. Perhaps it could be built in real life using a more common color. Would it still look this cool in red?

This LEGO drone cannot wear skinny jeans

This LEGO drone by Guy Smiley has the build of a machine aimed at impact and intimidation rather than agility and speed. It bears a resemblance to the drones in the awesome short film Keloid, a source of inspiration for LEGO drones since 2013. Those thunderous thighs would make a grown man quiver, not to mention the weaponry carried in its arms. I’m not exactly sure what type of weapon is in its left arm, but it looks like some sort of futuristic chain gun with a handy supply of rounds in the chamber.

I particularly like Guy’s colour blocking technique, the use of two main colours nicely highlight the shaping of his drone. There are some clever parts in there if you take a closer look, it’s not often cupboard doors form the head of a drone!

If you liked this build, Check out this previously blogged Militech Weapons Platform and drones by drone builder extraordinaire, Devid VII which were also inspired by the film Keloid.

Passing on to LEGO Nirvana

There’s a saying in Japan that you’re born Shinto, get married as a Christian, and die a Buddhist. In other words, you practice Shinto rites from birth, have a Western-style wedding, and leave this world through Buddhist funeral ceremonies. Thus, one of the many unique aspects of Japanese culture I experienced growing up there was seeing station wagons with tiny, shiny golden Buddhist temples sprouting from their backs. These little mobile temples are actually Japanese hearses, and Moko has once again used his collection of chrome-gold bricks by building a LEGO version of this iconic Japanese vehicle. In case you’re too dazzled to notice, I’ll also point you to the clever front grill on this 4-wide LEGO car.

Check out Moko’s blog for more photos, including breakdowns and building techniques.

And for all our bilingual readers out there, here’s a totally ridiculous vehicle. Unfortunately, that’s the best I can do, since the very silly pun in Japanese (「オハカー」) simply does not translate. The car has a pullback motor, though I suspect a crash could result in grave consequences.

That pun is so funny I need to go lie down now and meditate on my life. Memento mori.

This real-life LEGO Minifigure Costume will fuel your nightmares for years [Video]

Adam Savage and the crew of Tested have been dabbling in the world of LEGO lately, including visiting BrickCon and building Jason Allemann’s Sysiphus Kinetic Sculpture. Their latest LEGO hijinks, though, are sure to leave you appalled — they’ve designed a “real-life” interpretation of a LEGO Minifigure as a cosplay costume. If you’ve ever wondered what a happy yellow minifig head might look like if he was made of flesh and blood, wonder no longer. It is disturbing, and looks fresh out of Area 51.

Super Mario looks super with bricks

In 2015, the thirtieth anniversary of Mario, Nintendo released an awesome amiibo of every player one’s favorite koopa slaying plumber as a 3D version of the original character sprite. Perhaps used as a guide, John Kupitz constructed the 3D projection with LEGO bricks to equally impressive results. Sure, the voxels in the LEGO version aren’t perfect cubes, but they’re close enough that the build is instantly recognizable.

Building hot rods at the local parts shop

This street scene in what looks like sunny California by sanellukovic certainly doesn’t lack for local color. My eye was immediately drawn to the excellent brick-built lettering that spells “PARTS” on the garage, as well as the realistic palm trees with leaves in varying colors, but it’s the little scenes peppered throughout the larger diorama that kept me looking. The engine on a dolly inside the shop is great, but my favorite mini-scene is the old lady picking up after her chihuahua who’s just done some business on the grass.

The builder has also shared this excellent 1929 Ford Model A Sedan “rat rod,” with a highly detailed engine and a body in a rusty-looking “dark nougat.”

If it bleeds, we can kill it

I watched Predator with the lights off late one night by myself when I was 14, terrified just as much that my parents would find me watching a hyper-violent R-rated movie as I was of the invisible alien antagonist. Cid Hsiao has built a Predator figure that uses the organic armor of Bionicle and Hero Factory to great effect. Placed on a stand built from regular LEGO bricks, I need this imposing fellow standing guard on my desk.

The Foxbat Fighter rebuilt for combat

As new pieces and building techniques emerge and as builders improve their style, it’s interesting to see a builder revisit a previously built design. Benjamin Cheh Ming Hann shows a side-by-side comparison of his custom fighter design, the FB12 Foxbat, with his original 2013 build on the left and 2014 rebuild on the right. Improved color blocking, an overall smoother shape, and added rear fins and air intakes show Benjamin’s efforts to rework an already great compact fighter design.

See more views of Benjamin’s FB12 Foxbat on his Flickr, with an album each for Mark I and Mark II.

Keeping things running at optimal level

This rad little droid built by Marco Marozzi has all kinds of neat details packed inside its frame. I especially like face, with the thin tire squeezed in between two translucent orange armor plate pieces to break up the orange a bit. Though the droid is what grabbed my attention here, don’t miss the overall maintenance scene with engineers in oversize helmets — a bold idea to choose over standard minifigure headgear, but it works well.

Slimes: they make a popping sound when they burst

Slimes. What are they good for? Nothing. They’re purple and oozy and maybe a little bit cute, but they get into everything and multiply like there’s no tomorrow. Sometimes, you just have to take a the drastic option, and that means grabbing the biggest hammer you can find. SPLAT! Well, that’s one fewer slime to worry about. I feel like this hilarious little vignette by Letranger Absurde was inspired entirely by the purple splat piece, aka Toy Story Stretch’s octopus arms, and I don’t think I’ve seen a better use for that piece yet.

Cold winter at the Nordheim Greathouse

Isaac S. is working on a Skyrim collaboration, and based on the other bits he’s posted, it looks like it’s going to be wonderful. The Nordheim Greathouse brings it all with lovely textures to the wood and stone, along with a very very chilly atmosphere with bits of ice and lots of snow. I love the details, like the wood around the windows at the top of the tower, and those wonderful brick built, locked doors.

If you’re in the area, I encourage you to check out BrickFair VA, coming up Aug. 3 – 7, 2016.