As LEGO continues to paint every conceivable theme with a BrickHeadz brush, we can expect to see BrickHeadz from most of their licensed properties, and the Wizarding World is the latest to succumb to the block-headed wave of brick-built figures. A few weeks ago, we took a look at the first set in the series, 41615 Harry Potter & Hedwig. Today we’re turning to the other two sets based on the classic Harry Potter films, 41616 Hermoine Granger and 41621 Ron Weasley & Albus Dumbledore. They retail for $9.99 and $19.99 USD, respectively. Hermione includes 127 pieces, while the two-pack includes 245 pieces. They are available now in the USA and will be available elsewhere beginning Aug. 1.
Category Archives: LEGO
Tiny castle wins the prize
This tiny castle by -soccerkid6 was built as a prize for a castle building contest but stands on its own merits as a great microscale model. Many different red elements make great roofs, and I love the ice-cream cones inverted under that long hall. The rockwork is also interesting, with lots of techniques normally found on much larger builds, such as the uneven base and sideways bricks.
And in case you are wondering what it looks like from the back–I know I was.
Sculpting an elegant monochrome unicorn
As we all know, building with LEGO isn’t just about creating cool things, it’s also a fantastic art medium. Not only that, it’s a wonderful outlet for self-expression. One builder and incredible artist, Ekow Nimako, is a master of gorgeous monochrome sculptures. This white unicorn is just one of his many creations.
It turns out that he has built a similar piece in almost all black. Also, it sounds like he is considering building a large-scale version of this creation, with a child on its back. If he does, I’m sure it will be incredible! Ekow has many amazing builds, so keep an eye out for future coverage!
Clean and simple microscale castle is packed with charm
When it comes to building a great microscale castle, there is something beautiful in the simple choices, color, angled walls, round or square towers, a bridge. This lovely castle scene by Henjin_Quilones has many of these simple choices that add up to an enchanting build.
One of my favorite features is the use of inverted 2×2 round bricks, with windows at the top made with the gaps on the underside of the bricks and plates. A few well-placed gears are another nice detail. The grooved bricks used as stairs was a surprising feature. I also really love the smooth walls topped with slopes, and the very few windows placed very thoughtfully.
Besides the castle itself, there are other areas of the scene worth noticing, like the small village and docks, the watchtower on the far side of the bridge, and the detailed landscaping.
Third San Diego Comic-Con 2018 LEGO exclusive revealed as Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp [News]
The third and final set out of the three VHS-boxed-exclusives has been revealed and it is not a surprise to see a Marvel franchise attached to the theme. Ant-Man is featured as a bust together with a Wasp minifigure from the upcoming movie, emerging out of the bay in Giant-Man form (as seen in the trailers).
Click to get a closer look at the newly revealed SDCC exclusive
Building Ninjago City: The Brothers Brick open collaboration [Feature]
Summer is here, and that means there are only about three months left until BrickCon 2018. As we announced in May, The Brothers Brick will be hosting a public collaborative display of Ninjago City open to any full convention attendees. Check out that announcement for detailed instructions on the guidelines and how to participate. In the meantime, we here at TBB have been busy little builders, and have over a dozen city blocks underway, not to mention a massive volcano lair for Garmadon. Today we want to share some tips and tricks to help get you started, as well as some of the building techniques that we have used so far in the construction of the lower levels of Ninjago City. Let us know in the comments below if you would be interested in more detailed guides or additional techniques shown in our city blocks.
Ninjago City is a layered city, with the oldest buildings on the bottom stories, rising to modern, nearly sci-fi architecture at the top. As such, we’re approaching the building of our modules from the bottom up, starting with the oldest, lowest level. Nearly all of the buildings shown here will have additional structures placed on top to complete the upper levels–in many cases several more stories. Look for additional articles as we continue building the upper levels. Each of these modules conforms to our standard to ensure the whole layout will fit together well (except in the few special modules we’ve noted).
Daisy daisy, give me some LEGO do
LEGO, with its cuboid forms, can be a tricky medium in which to attempt organic shapes. Ольга Родионова has done a lovely job with these daisies though — beautiful white petals surrounding a glorious sun-yellow core. Nice work with the green clamshells underneath too. The depth of focus on the photography is excellent, creating a nice sense of scale, and adding immensely to the model’s presentation.
LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz: 41619 Darth Vader and 41620 Stormtrooper [Review]
Nowadays, we’re slowly approaching the point at which, when spotting a new BrickHeadz set on a store shelf, you might wonder, “I thought they’d already released this BrickHeadz character!” And this is no joke — with almost 60 figures released so far one can easily lose track of characters turned into funny chubby heroes. Now, you either get each and every one of them to keep your collection complete or spend more time choosing some of the very best sets. LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz 41619 Darth Vader and 41620 Stormtrooper totally deserve a closer look. They are not just a couple of iconic movie characters, but also a very solid addition to any BrichHeadz collection.
Click here to read our review of the sets!
Worlds collide in this clever theme park mashup [Video]
If there really was a theme park with cloned dinosaurs, who do you think would own and operate it? Considering Walt Disney Parks is the world’s largest theme park company and Disney has a history of purchasing competitors, it’s not a huge stretch to imagine a T-Rex sporting Mickey Mouse ears. Paul Hollingsworth and his team at Digital Wizards Studios explore this hypothetical scenario in their clever brickfilm, Jurassic Disney World.
Paul and team have done a great job integrating official sets such as Cinderella’s Castle and the Jurassic World gyrospheres with custom builds like Jurassic Park jeeps and a bubblegum tank for Minnie Mouse. Every scene is densely packed with clever gags, impressive animation, and easter eggs (such as a brief cameo by a mutant dinosaur from the short-lived Dino Attack theme). Be sure to watch it twice to appreciate the finer details.
Fill your tank up at this 1960s Italian gas station
What has six legs, barks, and has a lot of gas? The answer, of course, is this lovely 1960s AGIP gas station built by Norton74. AGIP was founded in Italy back in 1926, and the company’s mascot is an unusual looking six-legged fire-breathing dog. For this model, Norton74 drew inspiration from his childhood memories of classic AGIP gas stations, and the results are spectacular. The structure’s rounded walls and sloping roof are not only characteristic of the period being represented; they also add a visual interest that really makes this model “pop.” Other fun details include a pair of slick looking gas pumps, utility poles, and even a cute dealer display for Pirelli tires. Finishing off the entire scene is a sharp looking yellow AGIP tanker truck.
But wait; there’s more. Flipping the gas station around reveals a fun backyard junkyard, which is something you would almost expect to see behind the real deal. Someone had better lift that oil drum upright, though!
Bite-Sized Defender of the Universe
While the 2,300-piece LEGO Ideas Voltron takes the big stage with its recent reveal, we couldn’t help but also notice this tiny little BrickHeadz version by curtydc. With emphasis on the signature headpiece and the primary colors for the rest of the body parts, they make it instantly recognisable. The introduction of the Round 1×1 Quarter Tiles back in 2016 has given a smaller builds like these more detailing.
Full steam ahead on the farm!
Steam traction engines first appeared on farms in the 1850s, and they were massive vehicles used for everything from hauling implements to powering belt-driven equipment. Use of these vehicles declined with the rise of the internal combustion engine, but their legacy lives on in the form of modern farm tractors. Thanks to builders like Bricked1980, their legacy also lives on in LEGO form! Bricked1980 does a really good job of capturing the look and feel of the vehicle, along with providing a rendered background that feels like an agricultural field. The color scheme is pleasing to the eye, consisting of a black boiler, green body and brass accents. Bright red wheels add a splash excitement. It’s worth noting that Bricked1980’s model is a digital render and, as such, it features some parts in non-production colors. However, it presents a sharp looking image with an equally great looking model.
