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.

Eroded rocks and wand fences

I love a good Tudor style build. And since LEGO is slow when it comes to producing castle themed sets we love to feature medieval fan creations here at The Brothers Brick. This creation by Robert features some lovely techniques. The one that really catches the eye is the use of upside down 1×2 dark blue plates for roof shingles. The roof needs the texture added by the plates because it is quite present in the build and without it the roof would look quite bland. The waterwheel is ingeniously made with a lot of A-shape wedges. For the rocks they used a variation of round bricks. This makes the rocks look like they got smoothed out by the eroding water traveling down from them. Also the cute fence made out of wands with sprue attached deserves a quick mention.

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LEGO DOTS 41935: Lots of DOTS – Yep, that’s a lot of DOTS. [Review]

Sometimes, with all the licensed properties and amazing in-house themed models, it’s hard to remember that LEGO is also meant for those who would rather create their own things. That’s why I’m so fond of DOTS – it’s a call to the artistically inclined to get to building. We’ve shared several reviews of the DOTS Extra DOTS booster packs, but now LEGO is also offering a cost-effective way to quickly add 1040 pieces into your parts bin. DOTS 41935: Lots of Dots is available now from the LEGO Shop Online for US $19.99 | CAN $24.99 | UK £17.99. We bought a copy, so come along as we take a look at just what makes up “Lots of Dots”!

Click to read the full hands-on review

Do they take turns riding each other?

Racing around the universe can get lonely, but the Student Scissors has found a solution – A cool bike that transforms into a robot companion! Viral Racer Unit-01 features a great looking pilot figure that makes use of the head from the Collectible Minifigure Series 19 Galactic Bounty Hunter atop a studly (although almost studless) brick-built body. The teal accents are carried over into the fenders on the motorcycle – a vehicle that has, shall we say, more to it than meets the eye.

Yes, the bike transforms into this cool reptilian looking mode. I really like how the dual radar dishes that make up the tires split, and how the dinosaur tail elements go from fenders to tentacles. Best of all, the overall shape of this mode doesn’t really suggest the motorbike version; rare feat in transforming models.

But best of all, the two figures fit perfectly together, ready to take on the world. Or worlds.

If you in the mood for more multi-form goodness, be sure to check out our transformable tag!

There’s something fishy about Skaldar Port

What is better than a nice medieval building made out of LEGO? An entire medieval city! Louis of Nutwood created Skaldar Port. A place that apparently is salty, damp and a bit stinky. It’s supposed to smell like fish. Even though it smells, it’s a place of hope for a lot of people who want a fresh new start in life. What makes this build amazing isn’t just its size. Each little building could perfectly work as a stand-alone creation. The stonework on the little houses is made with great attention to detail. There are a lot of different bricks used to depict the crumbling bricks of the building. From slopes to tiles to bricks to wedges. Using the same technique for the roof and the Tudor style throughout the build creates a uniformity to the creation that is really nice.

These caves are several miles down, but only six studs deep.

Mystery and adventure await all those who are brave enough to ride the secret elevator to the underground boat dock in The Deep Down, by Eli Willsea. Limited to what he could fit in a carry-on suitcase for a cross-country convention trip, Eli managed to pack a mountain of detail into a microscale space. This build gets some amazing results from some deceptively simple techniques, like the boat dock made from half-pressed together plates and the roof of the house held on only by gravity.

But it isn’t only simplicity that makes this build shine. The scene includes a working elevator and lights that illuminate the underground chambers for an extra eerie atmosphere. Take a look at the video below to see all the features of the build in action and get inspired to do some exploring of your own.

Rendezvous with this SHIP for all your refueling needs!

Back at it again with the SHIPtember fare, we have an intricate, industrial SHIP by builder Sunder_59. This model is the latest of Sunder’s giant spaceships and there was plenty of planning as usual. This tanker, the ORS Hinduan, features plenty of brick-built cylindrical and spherical elements within its asymmetrical design. The shape of the ship, especially with the elevated bridge, is reminiscent of naval freighters. Equipped to refuel ships large and small, this side of the ship has landing pads and refueling stations above each tank while two large, extended refueling rigs are attached to the bottom.

Sensor and communications arrays extend from the front of the ship, though I imagine the pill-shaped section jutting out from the base is a form of docking mechanism. On the other side, the detailed, exposed elements of its large engines fit into a near-future, “hard sci-fi” model, like the ships of The Expanse. Known as greeble amongst builders, the mechanical components that Sunder has built into the engines elevate the design to something more realistic. For example, the orange spheres held in the rigging are probably reactors which is a delight to see accounted for within a design. The left side of the ship includes (what I imagine to be) an extendable solar panel as well as different piping around the tanks.

Some close-up shots give you a chance to appreciate the various techniques that Sunder_59 used to sculpt this. The bridge and refueling platforms are wonderful details. The bright yellow is eyecatching but compliments the blue(s), grey, and white of the ship’s body.

This builder seems to really understand how to build a SHIP from design to the challenges and benefits of space. For example, note the dark grey booster sections on the front and back of the ship which help adjust its heading and orientation. I can’t wait to see what Sunder_59 brings us in SHIPtember 2022.

On a trip to Southern Europe without the hassle of traveling

What do you do when you can’t go on your trip to Southern Europe? Right, you just build a mini version of it! Andrew Tate made this lovely LEGO town square with a combination of different European style buildings. The build features a restaurant, a clothing shop, and lots of apartments above the shop and the restaurant.

There are a lot of nice details added to the buildings. One of my favorite elements is the fluted profile brick being used in brown as shutter and in tan as pleated blinds. The 1×1 tiles on the blue building do a great job representing tiles. The sand green building has windows adorned with loaf slopes. One of the things that really make this creation a lot of fun is the number of levels it has and the activity that is going on on each level. Your eyes can scan the picture multiple times and every single time you’ll notice something new. I can already imagine myself sitting on that lovely city bench underneath the blooming gazebo enjoying the busy city life in front of me.

Titanic ship on a tiny budget

Struggling to find the cash or time to invest in the enormous new LEGO Titanic set? Well builder POMXLEGO may have a solution — why not build your own teeny-tiny version instead? This is an excellent microscale model, managing to nicely capture the essential elements of its larger inspiration — the shaping of the hull, the colours, and the raked angle of the masts and funnels. It’s immediately recognisable without attempting to cram too much into its tiny footprint. I love the use of inverted vertical clips along the top to create texture and detail.

Alien’s Nostromo recreated in the brick

1978’s Alien is a watershed moment in sci-fi cinema — tapping into the enthusiasm for all things sci-fi following the success of Star Wars, but using its interstellar setting to spin a very different, very adult, and very scary tale. LEGO builder Bousker perfectly recreates the film’s opening sequence with this depiction of the eerily quiet interior compartments of the starship Nostromo. Ron Cobb‘s original production design for the ship’s interiors have become as iconic as Giger’s famous design for the film’s beastie. The Nostromo has an industrial functionality and a cold but lived-in look, coupled with a whiff of the 70s with those curves and stark white walls. Bousker has captured the feel of both design and sequence perfectly — I particularly love the curved couches, the ladder between decks, and the scattered equipment awaiting the rousing of the crew from their cryosleep. Classy touch to add the cinematic black strips to the image too.

Tyler Clites’ SHIPtember entry is a shining star

LEGO Master Builder Tyler Clites has delivered a truly out of this world contribution to SHIPtember with the Zosma Starcruiser. The impressive shaping alone would make this a stand-out. The individual triangular sections, which make ample use of negative space, are gorgeous. And the way those sections sit askew on the larger frame evokes the sharp, elegant angles of a piece of jewelry. But, beyond the shape of the craft, Tyler’s gone the extra mile and used color to incredible effect. The way the thin lining on the ship moves from red to orange to yellow creates a gradient that almost tricks your eye.

It’s hard not to see these colors pulsing across the ship as it traverses through the night sky. Do the colors send a message? Is it an energy transfer that powers the ship along? Are we seeing some alien warp drive in action? Let your imagination run wild as you admire Tyler’s work here, or any of the other amazing ships from our SHIPtember coverage.

Microscale temple is a miniature masterpiece

When building microscale, you need to look at parts a little differently, as evidenced by the very creative collection of curved and angled parts Nannan Zhang used on this Japanese castle. Front fenders, rear spoilers, and other small black parts usually found on cars create a tiered roof that reminds me of Nagoya Castle. A trio of cheerleader pom-poms make perfect cherry blossom trees, while a hot dog is used for a small arch. Almost as interesting as the castle is the green and gray landscape it sits on.

Out of the Mouth of Sauron

You ever ask yourself “what if Lord of the Rings was a space epic?” Well, builder Steven Wayne Howard certainly entertained the thought. Another SHIPtember contribution, this space citadel was named for the dreadful Mouth of Sauron. Commanded by the lieutenant of the Barad Dur system in the Middle Space galaxy, this terrifying craft laid waste to planets and systems in the name of Sauron’s dominion. With a face like that, it’s no wonder it’s rumored to be the remnants of the galactic tyrant himself. The mouth, spinal cord, and brain are now repurposed under the watch of the black hole known as the Eye of Sauron.

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