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.

Gayle Spiller’s enchanting LEGO box dioramas [Interview]

Gayle Spiller turns whimsical ideas into inspiring LEGO models packed with detail. Her builds, like the Butterfly Collector, are so dense with imaginative use of parts, you can get lost in them. In 2023, Gayle joined the exclusive group of builders to be featured at the LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery. In recent months, Gayle has been playing with a new, cozier build format – one that, like minifig habitats, could inspire builders looking to make their own MOCs from their favorite pieces who might be intimidated by larger constructions. We checked in with Gayle to talk about her latest series and life with LEGO since her invitation to Billund.

TBB: First of all, congratulations on being chosen as one of the latest builders invited to display your creations at the Masterpiece Gallery at LEGO House. What was it like to learn that your works would be displayed in Billund? What was it like meeting the other amazing builders and the LEGO team? Has anything changed in your relationship with LEGO building since your works were spotlighted?

Gayle: Thank you. Being asked to exhibit at the Lego Masterpiece Gallery 2023/24 was a complete surprise and I definitely had imposter syndrome. It was a fantastic experience and I loved meeting the other builders who I had admired online for so long. It was interesting to learn about their building methods, how for instance Zach produces some of his spectacular pieces in only 3 hours. That was a revelation and definitely inspired me to scale down and create something that would take a weekend to finish rather than some of my larger projects which have taken months.

Click to see more of Gayle’s immersive box dioramas

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Microscale Miyazaki (Or how to be inspired by Studio Ghibli without letting generative AI do all the work)

Lately, every social feed has been clogged with AI slop pillaging the surface-level aesthetics of Studio Ghibli films. Here’s a palate cleanser from Joe Lam – a microscale LEGO Catbus and Totoro. Celebrating Totoro, it’s instantly recognizable from just 9 or 10 elements, and the Catbus is packed with personality. The eyes are especially inspired, using Batman logos for the wild pupils.

Joe designed the Catbus back in 2023, but what better time to celebrate the joy that comes from human creativity? And maybe have a look at other Totoro builds that have inspired us over the years.

“Star Tours, this is serious LEGO site. What are you doing here?”

Disney’s cinematic renaissance might have kicked off in 1989 with The Little Mermaid, but the Disney parks were entering a new era two years earlier with the debut of Star Tours. The immersive ride combined motion simulation with state-of-the-art special effect filmmaking to transport riders into the Star Wars universe, joining a trench run to take out the Death Star. Okay Yaramanoglu recreates the StarSpeeder 3000 in LEGO with a model with the greebles and pinstripes that will take you right back to 1987.

Use the fast pass and jump right to more pics of Okay’s e-ticket build of the Star Tours speeder

Dark Side? Light Side? Take a walk on the Wild Side of Star Wars [Minifig Monday]

Star Wars canon is packed with bizarre aliens and over-the-top villains, but sometimes the franchise plays it a little too safe. For today’s Minifig Monday we’re highlighting original Star Wars characters that take risks, push boundaries, or even get a bit silly. Which in a universe with characters like Elan Sleazebagano and Therm Scissorpunch is saying something!

Our first set of characters comes from Tylar, whose Islamic astronomy tower wowed us last year. Tylar re-imagines the Geonosians from Attack of the Clones as masters of pre-historic Earth, armed with bronze age weaponry and even taming dinosaur mounts. Killmonger‘s mask from Black Panther fits perfectly with the aesthetic of this remixed faction. Minifigs aside, Tylar poses his characters on some truly epic brick-built sand dunes.

Sticking to the prequel era, here we see Padme and General Grievous in fine fantasy form courtesy of Expansion Bricks. I’m getting strong Ray Harryhausen vibes here with the living skeleton and Padme’s swashbuckling accessories. Grievous’ large golden sword is an impressive little sub-build on its own.

Read on for more weird and wonderful sustom Star Wars minifigs

The Jetsons never had it so good

LEGO builder shiu delivers a brilliant take on the racing future with his eVTOL, Rodenbach. Many lament that the Jetson’s flying car has not made it to us in 2025, but if the Rodenbach is what the future holds, it will be well worth the wait. While this is build is for the future, the shared details from modern cars keeps it familiar, such as the wheel wells even though there are no wheels. Take a look at the builder’s 360-spin to see all the beautiful angles and part usage.

I’ve got a good feeling about this LEGO starfighter

Personally, I don’t really understand the Jedi interceptor compared to the larger Jedi starfighters, which seemed to be faster and more maneuverable. But I can not deny that Matt has captured Obi-Wan’s iconic fighter from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith perfectly in LEGO. From the diminutive cockpit to the flip-out wings, which use a clever attachment to allow the wings to open and close. The ship also sits on an angled stand that blends in to the background very well.

If you are thinking that something is missing, think again, as Matt has also recolored the model for Anakin’s interceptor as seen in the long shot opening sequence. This view also gives you a look at the back of the creation.

We’re gonna need a bigger truck

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, the movie that ushered in the era of the summer blockbuster and villainized sharks forever. While the back half of the film focuses on the heroes at sea on the Orca, for most of the film, Chief Brody is driving around the seaside village of Amity in his Chevy Blazer. Builder Robson pays tribute to the film’s other iconic vehicle in a fun diorama of Brody and Hooper confronting Mayor Vaughn about the wisdom of re-opening the beach. Robson’s custom billboard is modeled on the one in the LEGO-made short film “Jaws in a Jiffy” made in support of the LEGO Ideas Jaws set. Robson deftly captures the square-body look of the Blazer featuring the removable back canopy of that era, with custom decals to match the on-screen props.

No stranger to tackling Spielberg blockbusters, Robson also made these excellent Jurassic Park vehicles.

Tachikoma meets Classic space in this amazing LEGO mashup

Intrepid wildlife photographer Cool Dogs 2.0 captures the elusive classic space Tachikoma on patrol with a red spaceman. This plucky think-tank makes great use of the relatively new inverted clip both for the hands and as wheels on its four legs. I’ve been re-watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex lately, and the white background reminds me of the short clips after the credits of each episode that feature a team of Tachikomas having adventures together.

Darker, you want it? Killed the flame, we did.

At first glance, this may look like an average Dagobah scene- but what’s average about Dagobah, really? Upon closer inspection, though, LEGO builder extraordinaire Louis of Nutwood presents a darker side of Dagobah. The first clue that something is amiss is the sunken TIE-Fighter panel implying that Luke may have arrived in the Imperial craft, instead of an X-Wing. Luke’s red lightsaber is another clue as well as his black outfit, which he technically doesn’t don until the third movie. So instead of going into the tree of trippy hallucinations and seeing his own face after lobbing off Darth Vader’s head, what abomination does he see in this Dark Side Dagobah? Maybe it’s an eternally yammering Jar-Jar Binks. Or perhaps C-3PO, except with a thick New Jersey accent begging the question, “do you even lift, bro?”

I’m well aware that the overlap of the Venn diagram of Star Wars fans who get my Leonard Cohen reference in the title is quite narrow, but for the three of you — you’re my kind of people.

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for April 5, 2025 [News]

In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders worldwide, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the 1st week of April 2025.

TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS As far as news goes, this week was a bit unconventional, with our April Fool’s Day articles generating a great mix of reactions from the community. We’ve also been cranking out many new features recently to show off a wide variety of content, like custom minifigures and theme-building events like Febrovery and Marchikoma. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoy putting them together. If you want even more news and reviews from TBB to read over your morning coffee or bagel, be sure to check out Last week’s Brick Report

[FEATURE] Celebrate the release of A Minecraft Movie by embracing Creative Mode with imaginative LEGO creations — Our roundup of Minecraft inspired builds in tribute to the new movie now in theaters.
[FEATURE] This Week in LEGO Bricks: Building with character! — Our showcase of great LEGO builds of the week by A Brick Dreamer features many amazing character builds.
[REVIEW] LEGO Icons GWP 40761 The Lord of the Rings: Sméagol & Déagol — Despite the dire ending of this pastoral scene, this GWP will make a fine addition to your collection, right, Precious?
[FEATURE] Marchikoma 2025 – celebrating the latest and greatest LEGO “think tank” mechs — Our roundup of awesome fuchikoma mash-ups from one of the monthly building challenges popular in the LEGO community.
[APRIL FOOL’S!] The next LEGO geographic mosaic set revealed: 42025 Map of Greenland — Celebrate the 51st state with this “colorful” mosaic… too soon?
[APRIL FOOL’S!] LEGO debuts Creator 1-of-3 line with upscaled Classic Space Minifig spread over three sets — Did we fool you with this clever new theme announcement? I still wish this was a real product (the spaceman, not the 3 separate sets).
[NEWS] New LEGO sets for April 2025 coming soon! — April sets available now… did you poick up your Shire in time to get the GWP?
[FEATURE] These magical minifigs have us under their spell — Get ready for a roundup of magic users in many shapes and sizes.

It’s turtles all the way down – until you reach the elephants

“Through the fathomless deeps of space swims this LEGO star turtle Great A’Tuin, bearing on its back the four single-mould elephants who carry on their shoulders the mass of a microscale Discworld. A tiny sun and moon spin around them, on a complicated orbit to induce seasons, so probably nowhere else in the multiverse is it sometimes necessary for an elephant to cock a leg to allow the sun to go past. Exactly why this should be may never be known. Possibly the Creator – that being Jan Woźnica – of this build got bored with all the usual business of nice parts use, AFOLs and studs-not-on-top building, and decided to have a bit of fun for once.”

Of course, the above is paraphrased from the late, great Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novel Wyrd Sisters. If you like Discworld as much as I do, be sure to take a look at more related builds in our archives!

Nothing says springtime like puffy white clouds [Building Techniques]

This rock-covered hill with billowing clouds by Caleb Saw is giving me serious Howl’s Moving Castle vibes, or really, almost any Studio Ghibli film. The soft focus on the background would help hide the many connections used to assemble the cumulus clouds if Caleb hadn’t done such a masterful job of doing that themselves. Can you spot the many unique elements used? There must be at least 10 different radar dishes, domes, and curved slopes used, not to mention some balloon parts.