Category Archives: LEGO

You’d probably expect a lot of the posts on a LEGO website like The Brothers Brick to be about LEGO, and you’d be right. If you’re browsing this page, you might want to consider narrowing what you’re looking for by checking out categories like “Space” and “Castle.” We’re sure there’s something here that’ll fascinate and amaze you.

LEGO Technic 42131 Cat D11 Bulldozer [Review]

Like the latest ridiculously expensive smartphones, LEGO Technic flagship sets make you consider one question: is it worth upgrading? Same prices, same play features, and, maybe, a couple of new tricks to show off. This fall it’s all about the new LEGO Technic 42131 Cat D11 Bulldozer: 3,854 pieces, four motors, a bunch of new pieces, and a price tag of US $449.99 | CAN $549.99 | UK £419.99. Is the set worth upgrading from the reigning king 42100 Liebherr R 9800 Excavator? Let’s build and play with one and see what it has to offer.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with a copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Read on for the full review

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What? I just want to shake your hand!

It was nearly a year ago that Faber Mandragore released the first version of their Jäger Mobilanzug into the wild. Since then there have been some quality design upgrades – this mech suit has been “re-armed” with enormous and hefty claws instead of the previous arm cannon. Range attacks are apparently still possible with that new shoulder-mounted gun, but it’s obvious this mech is now ready for more in-your-face mayhem. I particularly like the use of Technic gears in the shoulder assembly.

The opening cockpit and driver are also worth calling out. The functional feel of this build makes me wish that the smaller LEGO-released Mechs were half as formidable.

Faber isn’t limited to just reimagining old builds, though. Take a stroll through their other featured creations to really get a feel for what this artist is capable of!

The mechanical Huntsman never stops its search for prey

In usual fashion, builder Mitsuru Nikaido is back with another Mechanical Creature. This time it’s a Huntsman spider with some heavy Matrix vibes. This builder always has clever parts usage paired with an iconic color scheme that is simple but recognizable.

This model’s feature part would probably be the skis used in each of the spindly legs. But if you look closely, they’re also in the mouth of this creepy guy. Runner-up for parts usage would be the hinged bar holder, which is used to add some rigidity to the legs as well as to emulate the spider’s eight eyes. That Sentinel-style cephalothorax is a tight build that uses a Hero factory chest plate and hinged panels to hide its inner workings.

The abdomen continues the trend of the hinged panels to capture its curves. I always love how Mitsuru uses hoses and angled tiles in his models.

Hopefully, we never have these running around like the Boston Dynamic Spot bots showing up more prevalently nowadays. I will have no defenses against their terror.

Large-scale LEGO Batmobile is ready to move out

I was given one of the large-scale Batman LED torch figures a few months ago and it planted a dreadful seed in my mind. I don’t know about other LEGO builders, but once I have an interesting idea for a model it haunts me, making me unable to concentrate on building anything else until it is exorcised by an attempt to put it together. After months of experimenting and tweaking (and multiple Bricklink orders), I finally ended up with a Big Ol’ Batmobile — over 10 inches long and 4 inches wide. The trickiest part of the process was embedding the domed canopies neatly within the bodywork, but the worst part was undoubtedly when I discovered late in the build that a key piece was unavailable in the colour I required. Do not be too outraged, dear reader, when I tell you I resorted to spray paint.

I’m not a scale-modeller, I don’t have the patience or toolkit of building techniques for it. So the key for me was capturing the spirit of the original Batmobile — its styling and key elements — without attempting to recreate it perfectly. Identifying those signature elements was the first step — bubble cockpits, red striping, a “bat face” in the front grille, the three rocket pipes, and, of course, prominent fins to the rear (as seen in the image below). I’m pleased with how this model eventually turned out, although in future I won’t underestimate how long it takes to build something to a larger scale than you’re used to.

This Octonauts Octoray is Octonuts

The LEGO fan community goes in deep with giant space vehicles in SHIPtember. Adam Dodge, however, has taken a couple of interesting twists on the theme by going with a ship that’s not only super-wide rather than super-long, but also super-underwater. Based on the adorable animated adventures of the Octonauts, this is one studly tribute to the Octoray craft. The lines are crisp and clean, the wing-based turbines are spot-on, and the transparent cylinders used for the front windows are a really nifty solution. Even better, this Adam build this vehicle as treat for his son. That adds a big dollop of “awww” on top of the “wow”.

Are you looking for more undersea adventures? Check out other featured submarines!

Falling for these autumnal flowers

This bunch of autumnal LEGO flowers by Barbara Hoel is a beauty — one of those creations which at first you scroll past assuming it cannot possibly be made of bricks and has made it into your feed due to some glitch in the algorithm. But then you look again and realise the pot is brick-built, oh… and the stalks, and the flower petals, oh and EVERY LAST PIECE OF THE THING, including those wonderful puffballs to the rear. The parts use on show here are delightful, well worth a closer look, particularly the use of pearl gold crowns for the impressive puffballs. We’ve seen more LEGO flowers since the release of the official LEGO flower sets, and when they look as good as this, long may this horticultural building trend continue.

Three versions of Bag End made from three different LEGO sets.

As a child, one of my favorite things about holding a new LEGO set in hand was turning the box over and looking at all the alternate builds that the set could be reconfigured into. These weren’t official models. There weren’t included instructions for them, like you see in the Creator 3-in-1 sets of today. The pictures were just springboards for your imagination. While the LEGO Group might not market the versatility of their sets in the same way anymore, that doesn’t mean modern sets are any less customizable. And if you need proof of that, legoapprentice has got you covered. He’s built three different versions of Bilbo Baggin’s home, Bag End, made from only the pieces available in three different LEGO sets.

The first version of Bag End is probably closest to the one you’re familiar with. Made from the 21325 Medieval Blacksmith set, this build draws heavily on the medieval roots of Tolkien’s fantasy world. Bilbo looks right at home next to a pair of knights and a blacksmith. And the large chimney up top is no doubt evidence of a kitchen that’s serving up tons of delicious Hobbit meals. Perhaps a pie made from the apples grown on the tree up top.

Click here to see the other alternate versions of Bag End

TBB Cover Photo for October 2021: Gladiator mechs

“Are you not entertained?” Former LEGO Masters contestant Aaron Newman presents his latest creation: gladiator mechs. While similar in style, each mech is unique and distinguishable. The yellow winged “Bugbite” has insect like features and reminds me of the iconic Bumblebee. The dual wielding “Whiplash” stands tall and majestic like some of LEGO’s larger mech sets. “Pinhead” is capable of delivering heavy blows with a second set of arms. These builds may be on the smaller size, they are meant to represent massive battle bots piloted by a “trophyfig.”

With this scale established, we now have to look up at them, as Aaron’s photography and editing gets us to do. The lighting of the actual build is interesting and allows them to blend in with the custom background of a futuristic stadium that Aaron carefully crafted. This unconventional composition gives the impression of a render, or even a shot from a high budget film. Aaron has really gone above and beyond to present his amazing builds in outstanding ways.

You can see more of Aaron’s build’s here

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TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for October 16, 2021

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 second full week of October 2021.

TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS We reviewed the latest DOTS offering, and the gargantuan first LEGO Ideas Review of 2021 revealed which of the record-breaking FIFTY-SEVEN qualifying set candidates would proceed to the product development phase!

[NEWS] LEGO Ideas First 2021 review are in: three new products are coming — Two finalists out of 57 are approved for development, with one more still under consideration
[REVIEW] LEGO DOTS 41935: Lots of DOTS – Yep, that’s a lot of DOTS — Chris Doyle can’t get enough LEGO DOTS.

Click through to read more LEGO news from around the world

This LEGO Star Wars mosaic is far from child’s play

LEGO’s foray into the art world, with its various mosaic sets, has inspired fans to create their own fantastic art. There’s even a Mosaic Maker which allows you to upload your own image and create a custom set. I’ve had friends order a few and they always turn out great. But I think builder Brent Waller invested a lot more thought into this textured mosaic of the Child from the Mandalorian. This absolute work of art was created as a gift for his son’s birthday and I have to say that this guy definitely deserves a Great Dad award. Measuring 1 meter wide by 60 centimeters high, this massive mosaic features tons of different pieces and colors masterfully placed and blended to render a close-up image of Grogu in his floating bassinet. But this portrait also has a secret: the Child and the Mandalorian are hidden within all that greebly goodness. Can you spot them? I’m not giving any hints so good luck!

The mosaics in the LEGO Art sets make use of a pixel approach to create images of Darth Vader, the Hogwarts crest, or even Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe. While this technique is quite effective at rendering plenty of different images, the grid pattern is difficult to break and some sharp diagonal lines aren’t captured well. That’s my opinion as an artist, at least. But Brent Waller’s use of a plethora of pieces allowed him to create sharper lines and textured surfaces. These draw the eye in new ways, almost tricking it into seeing aspects of the cloth, or the shadows in the bassinet, that aren’t really there. A vast array of pieces and colors on such a large canvas also allowed for better resolution in the image. From a distance, this barely even looks like a LEGO creation.

I’m sure Waller, Jr. was excited to see this once it was complete. It would be an amazing addition to any room but if I were him, I would put it right above my desk. I can’t imagine this will end up in the scrap pile any time soon though. This is nerd-family heirloom material so it will surely make its rounds in their home for years to come.

What’s tiny and cute and stomps around on 3 legs?

What’s tiny and cute and stomps around on 3 legs? The Niffler, of course! Provided he’s piloting this unusual LEGO mech by Andreas Lenander, that is. The adorable little creature from the Wizarding World is surely up to something cute, and when was the last time you saw a 3-legged mech with claw hands? The bit of bright foliage in the background is also the perfect accompaniment to this build. It’s amazing how just adding a touch of scenery like that can give a whole new dimension to a quick build like this mech.

Beelzebub says never mind the bollocks

What happens when you’re a demon from Hades but still love Dead Kennedys, The Buzzcocks, and The Sex Pistols? Well, that makes you a punk rock devil and that is precisely what Steven Wayne Howard has built with LEGO. The eyes are eyeball-printed minifigure heads situated within space helmets and are bricked upsidedown. It makes for some great expressions! This builder has dazzled us before with some neat build techniques including one recently. Check out what I mean in our archives.