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 partners with NimbleBit to create the LEGO Tower mobile game [News]

Fans of NimbleBit’s popular mobile game Tiny Tower will soon have a chance to make their blocky, pixelated world out of LEGO. The new game, LEGO Tower, challenges you to build a skyscraper with apartments and businesses for your digital minifigures to live, work and play in with one huge elevator that connects them all. The game will be available starting this summer.

Interested tower builders can also visit LEGO Ideas on March 26th to find out how their creations can be featured in the new mobile game.

Click to get a closer look at the new LEGO Tower mobile game

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Bringing LEGO to life with a handsome macaque

It takes a great deal more skill to sculpt with basic LEGO bricks than you might think. The ability to produce organic curves from rectangular bricks is awe-inspiring, and strikes envy in those of us who are always searching for that perfect shape. Upon seeing this life-size Rhesus macaque, I knew it had to be the work of Felix Jaensch, who is a master of the art. I must say, it really could not have been done better!

Adult males like this one (just in case you weren’t sure if it’s a male) are about 18-25in long and weigh an average of about 16-19lbs. They have an expressive face, which is perfectly captured here. Additionally, the lovely use of a select few slopes gives the fluffier bits texture and character, and the minifigure hand to finish the nose is genius!

Rhesus macaques are probably the most commonly known macaques in the world. That’s partly because these monkeys have a massive home range in central and southern Asia, and are invasive in several other places in the world. They’re also widely studied and used in research due to their high level of intelligence and fairly close physiological relation to humans. It was a study of their blood that led to our understanding of the Rh blood-typing system we use today!

If you like Felix’s style, check out some of the other life-size animals we’ve featured, like his Red Panda, Macaw, Rabbit, or American Kestrel.

All aboard the Victorian Railways from Melbourne to Sydney

Back in the early 20th century, the Victorian Railways in Australia ran two S class steam locomotives, first without streamlining and later with streamlined Art Deco styling. Australian LEGO train builders Alexander and Teunis Davey have collaborated to build both versions of these vintage trains. The earlier version looks beautiful in dark red with black details, while the later streamlined version looks fantastic in dark blue and gold.

Alexander users a number of custom elements in the locomotives, including 3D-printed rods and valve gear, as well as the gold locomotive names and trim. As much as I love the Art Deco look of the 1937 train, I’m smitten with the classic look of the original, unstreamlined locomotive.

LEGO Star Wars 75227 Darth Vader Bust revealed as Star Wars Celebration and Target REDcard exclusive [News]

LEGO has revealed 75227 Darth Vader Bust, another set in their Star Wars 20th Anniversary lineup. The exclusive set contains 327 pieces and will retail for $39.99 US. The set will initially be available at Star Wars Celebrations, with limited general availability to Target REDcard members on April 11th.

(EDIT: Target did not make the bust available on the 11th and instead posted it early in the morning on the 12th. It appears to have sold out in less than 15 minutes. We have reached out to Target to see if any other batch will be made available but have not heard back. For those that missed it, instructions are available.)

Click here for the complete press release and pictures of the front and back of the LEGO Darth Vader Bust

Building good fortune on a rainy day

In many Asian cultures, koi ponds symbolize luck, good fortune, and abundance. They also tend to represent courage and perseverance. Perhaps that’s why, even with the abundance of rain, this geisha isn’t afraid of her makeup running!

Banter aside, this expertly photographed build by Architeclego is stunning. I personally find heavy rain beautiful and almost calming. From inside, its enveloping, rhythmic drone is even cozy. This is one of those picture that provokes those feelings.

While the photography in itself is compelling, the build is not to be overlooked! I’m a fan of the layout and recessed pool, and I especially like the inversion of the arch bricks for the roof. We certainly hope to see many more pieces of art like this in the future.

A LEGO brick that quite literally oozes with art

I am a big fan of LEGO art, and nothing makes me happier than being able to share it with the world here on the Brothers Brick. Today’s work of art is an abstract creation by jarekwally. It represents a black 1×1 brick leaking colors, but the meaning is left for us to interpret. The builder shares nothing in the description except that the idea was in his head for months.

There are three major components to the build, with each having being well done. First, there is the instantly recognizable upscaled black 1×1 brick. Next, we have colors bursting from its open top, using curved parts to emulate a bubbling effect. The third part is the splash, which conveys a dynamic sense of action. Why is it a 1×1 brick? What is the significance of the colors? What makes them bubble out of the brick? I will let you, the reader, decide.

This LEGO bubble wand is super slick with parts that stick

At first glance, it is easy to mistake this LEGO re-creation of a bubble wand by Anthony SÉJOURNÉ as the real thing. It certainly looks the part, complete with a simple bottle and bubbles made from a variety of transparent domes, radar dishes, and cockpit canopies. Comprised of approximately 21 elements, this is the perfect creation for the start of spring.

Saber Squadron leader swoops into battle

Star Wars has brought us so many cool and iconic LEGO spaceships over the years, but in my opinion, one of the coolest and most intimidating fighters in the Imperial fleet is the TIE Interceptor. From the angled wings to the four wing-mounted laser cannons, this is one fierce fighter. This model by sok117 depicts a specific Interceptor that, according to Legends, was the leader for Saber Squadron, an elite unit tasked with defending the Star Destroyer Avenger during the Battle of Endor. This model features a red stripe on each wing panel which sets it apart from other TIE Interceptors.

Get a deeper look into the iconic minifig with this anatomical model

There have been pictures showing anatomical diagrams of minifigs as far back as 2008 and brick-built versions starting in 2009, but this idea is still quite alive, as proven by Brixie63 with her latest creation. This half-dead minifig is not Brixie63’s first attempt at a scaled-up minifig — check out this Santa we featured last Christmas!

The minifig is built with the iconic red torso and blue legs on one half and a faithfully recreated skeleton on the other. The head is especially well built, capturing all the printing and curves with bricks facing all possible directions. I especially like the skeleton’s teeth made of 1×2 grill tiles.

LEGO reveals Disney Collectible Minifigures Series 2 [News]

LEGO has revealed the full line-up from the much-anticipated second Disney Collectible Minifigures series, including characters from Frozen, Hercules, Aladdin, Nightmare Before Christmas and more. The collection includes 18 characters from many beloved Disney films and will be available from LEGO and other toy retailers starting May 1st for $3.99 US | £2.99 UK | 4.99 CAN.

Hot off the heels of the LEGO Ideas Steamboat Willie set announcement, it might as well be Disney week in all things LEGO. We have your first look at all the new Disney minifigures right here, including close up photos of each character.

Click to see all the new LEGO Disney minifigures

This LEGO Lancia rally racer almost looks real

When it comes to crafting scale LEGO car models, there are few better than builder Bricksonwheels. This amazing 1:11-scale Lancia Delta depicts the winning car from the Tour de Corse in 1992, and it’s marvelously detailed. The eye-catching decals were designed in collaboration with fellow builder JaapTechnic, and the slew of sponsor emblems and stripes bring the car to life.

The full name for this magnificent little hot hatch is a Lancia Delta HF Integrale EVO, and the LEGO version uses about 1,700 pieces. It’s got a full interior, including an accurate roll-cage, and all four doors open, along with the rear gate and hood. The builder created this slick overlay to show off all the goodness inside.

A house is more than the sum of its parts

Sometimes when a builder makes a LEGO model from one of the many computer programs out there, the use of parts in colors that don’t exist in actual bricks will give it away. Not so with this wonderfully detailed stone house by aukbricks which, according to the builder, uses only parts available in the real world. The texture of the stone wall is amazing, and I can’t decide whether the digital model would take more time to build than actual bricks.

I also love the use of grilled bricks for the shutters, and don’t miss the curtains, visible behind all of the windows. If you like the look of the wall technique, be sure to check out the builder’s Flickr feed, where you can find a simple tutorial. While the architectural details are quite nice, the trees also deserve a shout-out.