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.

A box that unwraps itself

Sometimes I see a LEGO Technic model that makes me scratch my head and wonder how the builder came up with the idea, let alone actually made it work. This unfolding box by YouTuber munimuni Bekkan is definitely one of those times. This clever little box is motorized so that it can unfold to lay completely flat, and then close back up. I’m not sure what you’d use this for, but I know there’s got to be something awesome. I do know that I could have used something like this last time I moved…

Check out the full video of it in action below.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Monochrome minifig habitats in all colours!

Taste the rainbow? No, that doesn’t seem right. Build the rainbow! With minifigs in matching colours! That’s better. Caz Mockett did exactly that when she undertook the challenge of building isometric minifigure habitats in most of the current LEGO colours. The massive rainbow collage you see below is beautiful, but the vignettes really shine individually. Take a closer look and notice the details and parts usage. Each isometric habitat tells a unique story of the minifig and their surroundings.

Few builders tackle the challenge of building in monochrome, working with LEGO elements of the same colour. When they do, it’s usually in white or a shade of grey, and the build is something sculptural. Caz on the other hand went for all the zany colours LEGO has to offer, from earthen tones to magentas and azures. She shows true dedication in collecting rare and expensive minifigure parts for her coloured habitats.

Check out each minifig habitat in Caz’s photo album, or hear the builder talk about them in her YouTube videos documenting each build.

LEGO Disney BrickHeadz 40476 Daisy Duck and 40477 Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey & Louie [Review]

Ever since LEGO first introduced Mickey and Minnie Mouse back in 2018, and followed up in 2020 with Goofy, Pluto, and Donald Duck, fans of these classic Disney characters may have noticed some missing characters; namely a few other ducks from the line-up. Well, the wait is now over, as LEGO is coming out with four new BrickHeadz in two sets: Daisy Duck (#126), and Donald’s Uncle Scrooge (#127), and his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie (#128-130). We received advance copies of the feathered family and we’re breaking it all down, and building them up to give you the scoop.

Both sets will be available on June 1st. 40476 Daisy Duck includes 110 pieces and is estimated to cost US $9.99 | CAN $TBD | UK £TBD while 40477 Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey & Louie includes 340 pieces and is estimated to cost US $19.99 | CAN $TBD | UK £TBD.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick early copies of these sets for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Let’s get into it

The rare and majestic shoebill mech

I’ve been fascinated by the shoebill lately. I mean, that’s not unusual, I’ve always had a love for animals both odd and familiar but there has been an uptick in my shoebill YouTube searches lately. They’re such weird and majestic creatures who seem to know things beyond our understanding. Do you agree? I guess you just need to see the same YouTube videos I’ve been watching to know what I mean. So with that said, you can imagine my delight to see that Mitsuru Nikaido has built a lovely LEGO shoebill mech. Of course he has! With his distinct style and love for animals, he has consistently been among my favorite builders. Here’s why.

The Hiding of the Druid Shrine

I am an absolute sucker for LEGO photography where all that meets the eye is LEGO. Hardly no backdrop visible. Just bricks. For me this helps me stay in the scene a lot better versus seeing it as a creation made of bricks against a nice backdrop. A good example of this is Benjamin Stenlund’s latest creation. It depicts a druid in a sacred shrine. For the druid Benjamin used the sorting hat, which to me always looks like the sorting hat. Therefor it always looks kinda out of place in non Harry Potter creations. However in this case it works perfectly fine thanks to the shadow cast on the druid figure. Benjamin made a rocky landscape covered in foliage. The rock work looks really intricate and I would have no idea where to start when making them. The trees give a nice pop of colour to this creation. There even is a waterfall that lights up in the dark. My guess is this is where the secret treasure is hidden. Somehow this creation gives me strong Lord of the Rings vibes, but this is not the case. You can read the backstory to this creation in Benjamins caption.

TBB cover photo for May 2021: Domino Rally Diorama

Watching dominoes fall is fun. It’s mesmerising. In addition to the time and concentration spent setting them up for that sole purpose, it’s satisfying watching the art form of them tumble into each other. It’s better when the layouts are intricate and imaginative, full of varying levels and moving gizmos that further demonstrate reactions. As a part of the RogueOlympics 101 parts challenge, builder Ben Tritschler built a small layout resembling wooden building blocks that every small child seems to have had. And it functions too! Ben also uploaded a video where he topples the dominoes and it’s oh so satisfying! Fun fact: That’s Stretchy from Little Robots, and he is genuine LEGO, as he comes from an old Duplo set.

Check out more builds from the RogueOlympics contest here!

Submit your LEGO creations for a chance to be featured across TBB social media for a month! Check out the submission guidelines share your builds today. Photos that do not meet the submission guidelines will not be considered, and will be removed from the group.

Keep up with The Brothers Brick by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Pinterest. Follow us on Instagram, Flickr, subscribe to us on YouTube, and join our brand new Discord server for extra goodies!

Turning a classic Porsche into a modern marvel

Recently LEGO has come out with the 10295 Porsche 911 Turbo & 911 Targa set. Most builders would buy the set and display it on their shelf as is. But Firas Abu-Jaber isn’t like most builders. Not by a long shot! He has used the same parts exclusively from that set and built the stunning new 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo S. It features functional elements including working steering connected to the steering wheel, opening doors, hood and engine cover, and many other amazing details we’ve come to expect from Firas.

Here is another image detailing the many working features of this model.

I’ve initially thought I’d give the set a pass for its “boring” white color but one builder had me rethinking that strategy by using the parts on a sleek futuristic Porsche and now Firas has me reconsidering as well. Even our reviewer liked it. What do you think of the set? While you’re mulling that over, check out why Firas is the automotive LEGO master.

A miniature modernist maze

Monochrome geometric shapes descending into infinity – this is the only way to describe Simon Liu’s amazing “Hexahedral” LEGO model which can also be referred to as “Cube City”. Surely it is an interesting architectural concept, the model itself reminds me of drawings done by M.C. Escher, with all of its interesting perspectives, spaces, nooks and crannies.

The visible city portion of the build is divided into cubicle-like zones each containing various buildings and houses, these are mostly rendered using 1×1 modified headlight bricks topped with either a double or pyramid 1×1 slope – all in light grey. Various other small pieces including a ton of 1×1 tiles, ingots, 1×2 grilles, levers, and other modified 1×1 pieces are included to create intricate designs and spaces within the cubicle zones. Any area that has not been carved into this slab of stone-colored brick is plated with 1×1 tiles in a minesweeper-like grid. This build is just wonderful to look at especially with the visual contrast Simon creates between empty space and grey plastic.

The city of Midgar…before the Mako disaster

As dystopias go, Midgar from the cult-classic game Final Fantasy VII has to be as dystopian as it gets – a Pangea of slums surrounding a giant reactor sucking out the planet’s lifeblood and to top that off, it always seems to be night in this location. Fletcher Floyd conjures up an amazing micro-scale LEGO build of the most iconic setting in the widely loved game.

In a circular pattern, Floyd assembles a menagerie of smaller light grey elements to construct the metropolis. Literally any grey LEGO piece you can think of is included in this build – from 1×1 cones and cylinders, to lightsaber hilts and binoculars, even chalices and steering wheels help render the industrial mess that is Midgar. The area surrounding the city is rendered with some tiles and mostly 1×1 plates in earth tones such as tan, reddish brown, and light brown. Overall this build perfectly recreates the look and feel of Midgar in miniature.

Hornworm

I could write a whole feature about this hornworm by Moko to tell you all about how magnificently they used the Crane Grab Jaw with Axle and Pin Hole. That the axle looks just like little caterpillar legs. I could tell you that the use of the sport helmet for a little nose is cute as a button. Hedwig’s eyes work perfectly for this little fellow as well. And that it is really nice to see the binoculars and the horn in orange make an excellent mouth while continuing the colour pattern. I could do all that, but I am not going to. I am just here to point out that Moko used not one, not two but three types animals on in the twig the caterpillar is walking on. It is a frog, a rat and a dog. And to me that is just golden.

LEGO reveals 2,048-piece 10292 Friends: The Apartments as part of the Creator Expert lineup [News]

As the follow-up to the tremendously popular 2019 LEGO Ideas 21319 Central Perk set based on the 90s television show Friends, LEGO is today revealing an even larger tie-in set, 10292 Friends: The Apartments. Like the set based on the coffee-shop hangout, The Apartments is designed as a television studio and is filled with references to iconic episodes and moments from the series. The set includes both Rachel and Monica’s apartment and Joey and Chandler’s apartment, along with a small segment of hallway connecting them. Seven minifigures are included, with Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, Ross, Joey, and Janice. The set is part of the Creator Expert series, and will retail for US $149.99 | CAN $199.99 | UK £134.99. It will be available to LEGO VIP members starting May 19, with general availability June 1.

Continue reading →

Every canvas is a journey all its own

Sometimes I am too fast when it comes to labeling LEGO pieces as useless or at least single use pieces. When I first saw the Disney Storybook Adventure sets I liked the small parts that came with it and the Micro Dolls. I couldn’t care less, however, for the book covers or the big 6 x 8 oval plates that came with it. Keith Reed has proven me wrong by using these pieces in a lovely way. In their latest creation the oval plates have been used as paintings. Displayed in a very lovely and well lit hallway. I may be reading too much into it, but my guess is that even the foliage outside matches the paintings. I see red roses in front of Belle and a shell in front of the Ariel painting. In front of Mulan we have the azalea and the magnolia. And last but not least, in front of Elsa and Anna there is… nothing to back my theory up except for two different flowers that might represent the different princesses. As I said, I might be reading to much into it. Whatever the meaning, it’s a beautiful and elegant scene.