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.

Functioning LEGO pinball machine bounces you from the Shire to Mordor [Video + Interview]

We’ve posted several impressive LEGO-built games over the years (including LEGO versions of Settlers of Catan, Trench, Go, and even a LEGO Star Wars pinball machine), but Jonas‘s Lord of the Rings-themed game is truly jaw-dropping. This one hundred percent LEGO, fully functioning pinball machine includes microscale scenes from all your favorite Middle Earth locations, including Hobbiton (the ball shooter lane), Helms Deep, Ortanc, Weathertop (a bumper), Fangorn, Minas Tirith, and even the Black Gates of Mordor (each gate is a flipper!)

The machine is over two feet long and a foot wide and tall (or 62cm x 32cm x 36cm to be precise) and Jonas says it took him twelve straight hours of work and more than 2000 pieces to create this arcade masterpiece.

Watch the video below to check out the game in action and remember, no shaking or nudging allowed!

Click to read the interview with Jonas

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In space, no one can hear you smack your lips

Things are heating up in our Space Chefs Competition Kitchen with these two fun entries whetting our appetite for more culinary creations.

For a quick appetizer, Lego 7‘s Hot Dog Chef will relish the opportunity to make the largest, tastiest hot dog in the galaxy. With spare dogs in the back and condiments at the ready, his speedy skills will let you ketchup and get on with your day!

For a second course, Marco Marozzi serves up his slightly fishy looking Masterchef. I love his head and eyes, while his belly suggests that he likes to taste his culinary creations first. With four arms I’m sure he can fillet a fish faster than you can say it!

If you haven’t entered yet, don’t get yourself in a pickle…there’s still time as the competition is open until midnight 29 Feb 16. Head over to the Space Chefs group on Flickr and check out the categories, rules and prize details.

Cylon Raiders vs Colonial Vipers

Beauty is not necessarily complex. Simon Pickard proves simplicity goes a long way. He uses a single part to represent the Cylon Raider ships, and his Colonial Viper fighters don’t require more than 20 pieces. Minimalism may become a new trend in LEGO creations!

There were only a handful of Vipers remaining to defend humanity in the reimagined series. It was always painful to watch them go boom against the practically unlimited number of Raiders. Simon obviously isn’t as sentimental as I am – he prefers to blow one up for this creation. Shame on him!

Tiny Dortmund is a German gem

Michael Jasper has built an excellent microscale model of his home town Dortmund in a similar style to the new LEGO Cities Architecture range.

Even if you’re unfamiliar with the city itself, you can admire the quality of these tiny creations. The church is a fantastic build for so few bricks, and the coal mine is a lovely little model. But the undoubted star of the show is the Borussia Dortmund stadium where clever parts use delivers an impressive level of detail. The use of “cheesegrater slopes” set at an angle to provide the stadium walls is a particular stroke of genius.

Thumbs up to this updated LEGO BB-8!

To avoid duplication and showcase a broader variety of LEGO creations, we don’t often feature updated versions of LEGO models we’ve already highlighted, even if they’re significantly improved. But Will Galbraith and his friend Takamichi Irie decided to collaborate on an improved, more functional version of Taka’s BB-8, and the result gets a huge thumbs up from me!

The main challenge was that Taka was off in the UK studying, with Will back in Japan. The pair collaborated remotely to research BB-8’s various compartments, disassemble Taka’s original model, add the compartments to the sphere, and update the design of the head. Will documented the whole process on Twitter, so be sure to check that out — along with Will’s write-up on Flickr.

I’m craving some lovely tempura

Many restaurants in Japan have plastic models of their food in their front window. Japanese builder nobu_tary has recreated the fake food that gaijin visiting Japan sometimes find so amusing. But as someone born and raised there, I know that it’s food art in its own right, and I can admire the well-built fried shrimp drizzled with sauce, chopsticks, and even some delicious pickled eggplant peeking out from behind the red and white striped bowl.

And after chowing down those crisp golden shrimp, you might consider ending the meal with some fruit. Perhaps a LEGO banana by the same builder would do nicely. Don’t forget to brush your teeth after every meal.

Tary says on his blog that this is his entry in this year’s Original Model Contest, held by clickbrick for the past 14 years. You can see this entry, along with all the others, at the Odaiba store in Tokyo from this Saturday through the end of March.

Jurassic Park meets the Lord of the Rings

If dinosaurs and humans had ever lived in the same period of time, I would always imagine that we would be hiding from these monstrous predators in deep caves and high trees. It’s not the case with Wochenender, who envisages a world where the humanoid races tame and enslave the horrifying birds. I’m not sure if you’d agree with him but this diorama definetely stands out! Amazing topography, unearthly vegetation and overall ambience catches your eyes. Also note the great mix of minifigure parts from different series.

The marching army doesn’t seem to be up to any good but if you wish to enjoy this lovely scenery on a peaceful day, don’t forget to check this photo out! For the rest of the series, this album comes to your aid.

Tis the season

Between such varied projects as his Discworld and Mad Max characters, Finnish builder Eero Okkonen has been working on a series of LEGO sculptures depicting the four seasons personified as female spirits. Eero capitalizes on his signature technique that blends System and Bionicle pieces, including some great use of leaf parts as well. My favorite has to be the representation of Spring, with her windblown hair and a dress that utilizes balloon parts from a certain LEGO Friends set (parts I always thought would be useless, but which builders continue to make great use of).

One small step, one cute spacewalk

Continuing his quest to find the absolute limit of use for the Belville shoe, Grantmasters has stepped it up a notch by creating the most adorable spaceman imaginable–one that manages to use fewer bricks than a pair of hands has fingers. Speaking of which, the spaceman’s arms and legs are actually made from a pair of minifigure hands!

The Brothers Brick wishes you the best of luck on your space-adventure tiny one… You’re going to need it considering the size of your steps!

Cloud 9 has a silver metallic lining

Tim Schwalfenberg takes us to Cloud 9 and induces a state of euphoria with his amazing build. Within an ingenious silver gyroscope lies a beautiful, futuristic city that Tim describes as “one of the galaxy’s top tourist destinations“.

This really is a beautiful build. I love the gyroscope orbiting around the city of Cloud 9, while the city itself reminds me of Dorothy’s first view of the Emerald City. I want to pack my bags and go…

Give me space to build!

As February comes to an end, it brings us the final rovers of FebRovery 2016. Jon Blackford has probably got the most stylish couple of rovers in the whole galaxy.

Although, the flatbed’s curves may get all the attention (which they undoubtedly deserve), be sure to have a look at the loader’s arms — a beautiful example of how to get an impressive result with just a few plain gray pieces.

Some journeys take us far from home

And some adventures lead us to our destiny. Dwalin Forkbeard built the iconic wardrobe from the Chronicles of Narnia that leads to the magical land of Narnia. Though the professor’s home on the back side of this build could use some more furniture and maybe a rug, I’m in love with the Narnia scene and the wardrobe itself. The snowy landscape and those coniferous trees are stunning and the new LEGO satyr makes for a perfect Mr. Tumnus.

Dwalin captured a beautiful, out-of-focus-foreground photo of the wardrobe and beyond, presumably depicting the Pevensie children’s first glimpse of Narnia. He also built an 8 by 8 vignette version of this build for a sweet contest over on Eurobricks where you can win an entire set of the new Series 15 Collectible Minifigures, including the Satyr and (everyone’s favorite) Left Shark! The contest ends on March 10th so there’s still time for you to follow Dwalin’s lead and submit an entry or two of your own!