There are a lot of different ways to approach building mosaics in LEGO, and each artist tends to make a claim on their own style. Sometimes that means “massive brick-built images”. In that theme, a clear standout is Jonathan Farrell. We had the opportunity to sit down (virtually) with Jonathan and talk about his methods, his favorite builds, and just what happens to a mosaic that fills a room once you’ve photographed it!
The Dakar Rally ended on January 14th and Audi made an impressive debut of the futuristic RS Q E-tron. In celebration of the annual event, builder Martin Josh Vala has created a series of his own rally car ideas. The Shark T1+ is the eighth in the collection and is loosely based on the SRT Rally Team’s car. With some help on the suspension from his friend Dariusz Sędziak, this model is ready to hit the track. Its sleek body and high front end ensure a fighting chance against the competitors.
Well, those are a different kind of TIE fighters… Dan Ko built the most striking microscale spaceship for a Space Jam contest. I’m in love with it, and that may or may not be because of the teal – my favourite colour. The colour scheme with the purple highlights somehow feels like it belongs in an established universe. Whether it be LEGO Classic Space, or any sci-fi franchise, this carrier appears to swoosh straight out of it. The part usage is also worth noting – teal coloured brick separators and the little bow ties that represent the tiny starfighters.
Want to see more builds with teal? I sure do! We have a whole collection of them here!
Everyone in the village knows not to sail too close to the undersea cavern that Apahir calls home…but today they got careless. Joseph Zawada has crafted a kinetic scene of a gilded leviathan making the fishermen pay for trespassing in his realm. Joseph has long been inspired by the gold adorned enemies in the video game Bayonetta, and he used Brickscalibur as a way to finally scratch that itch with a beast of his own. The result is a monster that’s beautiful to behold, but terrifying to see up close.
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the fourth week of July 2021.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS It was another thin week for news, but we did cover a few announcements from LEGO about plans to retire the LEGO Digital Designer software in favor of the more popular Stud.io from Bricklink, as well as plans to consolidate services for ordering LEGO elements directly. We also unveiled the latest collectible VIP coin.
OTHER NEWS
Now that the world has finally seen the release of Denis Villenueve’s adaptation of the classic novel Dune by Frank Herbert, many LEGO builders have taken inspiration from the movie and the original source material, using desert power to fuel their imagination. One of the most interesting vehicles in the story is the small patrol craft known as ornithopters, or ‘thopters, which are described as looking a bit like a dragonfly, with two sets of wings that can either flap or retract for jet-powered flight. Alpha Bernini‘s version of the four-winged craft may look a bit unconventional, but there are many interesting details of note. First, the angled cockpit with its transparent blue canopy really picks \up the insect vibe, paired with the small Mixels jointed legs.
The long scaffolding part used for the tail further resembles the extended abdomen of the dragonfly. Seen from the side, with the wings folded back, the cockpit also includes storage space below the pilot’s chair.
Be sure to check out our other Dune-inspired ornithopters featured recently.
Up here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s that dreary time of year. It’s a gorgeous place to live, but gloomy, bone-chilling rain continues for weeks at a time, making even those who love rain crave the sunshine. I can’t wait for summer, and this adorable LEGO sand castle is a cheerful reminder of what’s to come. Built by fellow Seattleite Peter Zieske, it uses clever angles to give it that classic shape.
I’m a big fan of this playful creation, which includes an excellent shovel and a colorful spinning pinwheel. (Yes, it’s actually motorized to spin!) But this isn’t even my most favorite build from Peter! While you’re here, take a look at his awesome record player and adorable wind-up penguin!
John Kupitz has created this incredible build of everyone’s favourite plumber, Mario. A wide range of pieces are used in this model’s construction, from a baguette to a scorpion and even a rabbit in the M logo at the hat. On the right side of the face, a monkey is cleverly hidden and represents part of the hair, while there is a Mario printed piece, from the NES set, at the ear. The photo of this mosaic has been taken at just the right angle so that all the parts blend to form this stunning display.
I always say it, there are just not enough Stargate builds out there. That seems to be changing more and more, as seen here with this vignette by Builder Douglas Hughes. Somewhat of a double hitter for references, this model follows in the style of our 2021 Creation of the Year with its own distinct character. Capturing some Stargate history, Douglas imagined the false god moving into his new apartments. A Cheops class warship shoots a matter stream down into the Great Pyramids of Giza as the sun sets behind it, the Nile alight with a red glare. Clever building techniques and color-blocking create a gradient that effectively emulates the dulling brightness of the setting sun. The use of black bricks for the pyramids and ship is a great way to achieve the silhouette effect. The translucent red river is my favorite part though, as it’s a perfect way to capture the depth of field with an added layer of realism.
This is a great example of the power models like this have and Douglas did a fantastic job with its color and layout. Maybe 2022 will bring us more of these delightful vignettes in addition to more Stargate love. Whatever it brings, I hope its not a bunch of Goa’uld in a Cheops.
Daniel Cloward is no stranger to builds with a storybook sensibility. But his latest creation is one of the most impactful pieces of LEGO storytelling we’ve seen. This ramshackle space is the cloud-based home of a pilot who needs to fix his airplane so he can return down to the world he’s left behind. But the pilot can’t bear to face the people below that he has wronged, and so his plane sits broken and incomplete, as does his life.
There are so many details in this space that speak to the lonely pilot’s state of mind – the pictures of old friends on the wall, maps of places once explored. And there’s a ton of great technique at work here: the arching entrance way, the blend of bars and tiles in the floor, the use of forced perspective. The genesis of this build was an Iron Builder round with antenna base and handle pieces as the seed part. They may not be immediately obvious, but there are plenty of them buried in this build. Try and pick them all out.
LEGO builder Francis Wiemelt has aptly named this piece So it begins. This is apt because it is a new year and this is Francis’ first entry into the first Iron Forge competition of 2022. That’s a lot of firsts! He goes on to tell us that the seed part is a lever (base or antennae), used here twenty-three times in the Uruk-hai army, and eight times in the fortress itself. Iron Forge competitions mean frantic building and stress for a chosen few intrepid builders, constant entertainment for you, and job security for us. Kinda like The Hunger Games. Good luck, Francis Wiemelt and may the odds be ever in our favor…or something.
If I were searching for an island of magic like the explorer in this LEGO vignette by Josh, I’d be pretty excited when I saw this. Josh doesn’t provide us any further details on the specifics, but this mysterious island is flowing with lava and surrounded by a steaming sea. At the center lies some sort of magical cauldron. Note the subtle gradient beneath the transparent light blue tiles, giving the water a sense of depth.
