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.

The root of inspiration

Mushrooms seem so small and innocent when they pop up on the forest floor, but down in the soil, their mycelium roots make up a vast network that connects plants and fungus in ways that humans are just starting to understand. Builder Margit explores the secret life of mycelium in LEGO form with a dramatic interpretation of this subterranean world where a forest spirit sacrifices its body to connect mushrooms and tree roots. Margit’s staging is quite striking, using clear supports to suspend the model and let the roots and network shine. The mycelium spirit is beautifully shaped, especially its rounded belly and haunting face.

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Hitting the bullseye with a poison dart frog

One thing you should know about the LEGO community is that certain animals have something of a cult following in brick form. The crab craze has been well-documented in our TBB archives, for instance. But another favourite is the humble frog. This one comes in all shapes and sizes, from the little green frog piece to more life-sized models like Áron Gerencsér‘s latest amphibian. Áron is a bit of a don when it comes to Bionicle and other ‘constraction’ figure pieces, so it’s little surprise to see them used to such good effect here. The blending of organic shapes is practically seamless. This li’l guy looks about ready to jump off the screen!

And yes – the frogs, too, have their own Brothers Brick archive. Hop on over to have a look!

Build your own minifig scale Alien Xenomorph [Instructions]

We’ve seen a lot of impressive LEGO takes on the Xenomorph from the Alien franchise over the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever encountered one as perfect at minifig scale as this take from twin brothers Brandon and Taylor. The micro model packs in 41 LEGO elements and manages to capture the biomechanical menace of Giger’s design despite being smaller than a juvenile newt. The designers were generous enough to share the instructions so that you too can dabble in creating the perfect organism.

Click to see the instructions!

Maybe this wonderful wall will be the one that saves you

Walls were an essential part of medieval life. You could send your protagonist there to defend from the coming winter, you can blow raspberries and throw chickens from them, and they offered great views of the moat. In a pinch, they could even hold off invading armies. This LEGO medieval wall from builder n.o.l.d.o.r is a beautiful bit of brickwork, it would be a shame to see it besieged. I’m in awe of the subtle textures on the brickwork, where slightly recessed sections of wall allow SNOT tiles to stay flush. The tall wooden parapets are gorgeous. Even the patch of landscaping is a masterclass on subtle shaping.

n.o.l.d.o.r continues the wall’s story on the other side, with even more impressive brickwork. The green and black banner again uses the trick of recessed bricks to create the illusion of a thin surface. The mix of minifigs adds drama and hints at a larger fantasy world of goblins and elves co-existing with humans. Those halberds with ice skates as axe blades are truly wicked designs.

Many motors make this massive LEGO MAZ mobile!

Earlier this year, Nathan Hake debuted this huge LEGO model at a convention, and we have finally been graced with pictures! This behemoth is a MAZ-537, a former Soviet vehicle used for carrying… Well, pretty much whatever you want, from armaments to heavy machinery. It’s typical of vehicles of its ilk and era, with great big tyres and utilitarian styling. In LEGO form, Nathan has combined Technic and System pieces to pull off the MAZ in terrific detail. And of course, there are plenty of play functions: it’s got working suspension alongside motorised steering and propulsion!

But how do you level up such a huge undertaking? With an equally huge diorama, of course! This makes for a very nice display piece, with the colours of the river, grass and appropriately autumnal birch trees providing some pleasing contrast to the grey hulk of the truck.

I recommend heading over to Nathan’s Flickr to check out some of the videos of this creation in action – even in the real wilderness!

Magenta Haunter is the belle of the Shadow Ball

A wildly good Haunter appears courtesy of LEGO Pokémon master Zane Houston. Just thinking about making a huge ball in LEGO using just an uncommon color like magenta would make a Sobble (#816) cry, but Zane makes it work with a deft jigsawing of wedge plates. Haunter’s floating hands grasp its special Shadow Ball attack. Creating this erratic form must have made for a bumpy ride, especially considering every non-white surface is covered in studs. The erratic shaping of the energy ripples framed by purples is brilliant and hearkens back to Zane’s electrifying Pikachu model from last year. During the build process, Zane experimented with brick-built eyes, but his solution of using T pieces for the tiny pupils perfectly captures Haunter’s ghostly gaze.

We’ve got a highly detailed TIE fighter on our scopes...

Not long ago, we featured Joel Short‘s screen-accurate LEGO X-wing. As great a replica as it was, it had nobody to chase it around. Enter Joel’s latest creation (well, actually an update of an old creation, but it’s a great update): the legendary TIE fighter. I don’t know if you can hear a picture, but I look at it and hear a TIE’s distinctive roar.

Can’t shake the fighters on your tail? Let’s get a little closer.

He has the whole world in his hands

This giant LEGO ant carrying the entire Earth by Plaåtart’s Creations doesn’t seem so farfetched considering that ants can carry 100 times their weight. That would be the equivalent of me lifting a semi-truck! Meanwhile, here I am straining to get a gallon of milk out of the fridge like a weak wussy-man. Unless this is a well-known builder in disguise, this appears to be the first time we’ve featured their work here so let’s give them The Brothers Brick Bump they rightly deserve. With build quality this (ahem) strong, we look forward to seeing whatever else this builder will lift up in the future.

X-treme makeover, X-wing edition

Over 25 years of LEGO Star Wars, we’ve seen at least 10 different Tie Fighter variants but the beloved X-wing has only ever come in two flavors: your classic T-65, or the modestly upgraded Resistance era T-70. True, the “good guys” have a veritable alphabet of other craft, but surely the flagship fighter deserved a bit more variety? Builder Don Wilson imagines a New Republic-era fighter that takes a bolder approach to upgrading the X-wing design. Based on a fan design from Corellian Customs, the “Thumper” Heavy Artillery X-wing trades curves for sharper angles and muscle car power.

Click to lock S-Foils in closed position and see more of this sleek fighter!

Hitting the slopes in LEGO – literally

The end of August (and summer) signals the start of many countdowns. Some will be eagerly awaiting spooky season, while others will already be counting down the days until LEGO sets are wrapped under the Christmas tree. But just like Ciamosław Ciamek, I, too, am looking forward to winter – but not for the festive season (which shouldn’t start until December anyway, if you ask me). Winter brings snow, and snow means the ski season starts again! But Ciamosław’s build presents us with a cautionary tale. Even if skiing is a bit like riding a bike, it’s always worth giving yourself an easy slope first up to dust off the cobwebs. Don’t go straight for the double-black-diamond. Otherwise, you could end up making an unintended intrusion into someone’s piste-side cabin….

LEGO Rosalina watches over you from beyond the stars

Cecilie Fritzvold is no stranger to building Nintendo mascots with LEGO. She brought Mario Kart to brick form long before there was an official license (and revisited it in adorabuild form!) For a recent Smash Bros collab, Cecilie chose her fighter from the constellation of Mario characters: Rosalina from Super Mario Galaxy. The celestial maiden and adoptive mother of the Lumas became a fan favorite, injecting more sadness and story into the Mario formula. Cecilie perfectly captures Rosalina’s charm in brick form, from the half-covered face to the pre-spin pose with the Star Cursor. The design of Rosalina’s partner, Luma, is equally impressive from just a handful of parts, especially the floppy point made from a cattle horn. While the pair might look sweet, especially in LEGO, don’t underestimate them in the Smash Bros arena or they just might blow you to star bits.

Amazing LEGO big rig delivers the goods

Keep your Mustangs and your Harley-Davidsons. For me, nothing captures the spirit of the American road like a semi-truck. German LEGO builder Eugen Sellin pays tribute to the American freight truck with a gorgeous diorama that pairs his highly detailed vehicle design with an enormous warehouse. The truck is built in the 9-wide* scale of newer Speed Champion sets, which allows for smooth lines and great detail in both the cab and the freight pallets being pulled (love those Octan cylinders). The warehouse is just as impressive, elevating a simple box design with wonderful textures, great use of color, an asymmetrical base, and attention to detail from the ventilation units to the papered-over windows. I especially appreciate the care taken to the road and concrete barriers. Even in the face of infrastructural decline, blue-collar workers keep on truckin’.