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.

Grab a bite or a drink at Cafe CoCo

A new modular from Andrew Tate is always a treat as this master of minifig-scale architecture has a knack for builds that sweep you away to a specific time or place. His latest model, Cafe CoCo, captures the timeless and unhurried aesthetic of a European old town street corner that could just as easily be in Paris, Vienna, or Prague, fifty years ago or today. I can practically taste the Aperol spritz. The dark-stained wooden facade on the ground floor provides warmth and old-world charm against the tan stone building. Andrew packs the model with fun details and techniques, like the lamps held aloft on black hot dogs, or the pot snaking plants made from actual rattlesnakes. For the stone sidewalks, Andrew uses masonry bricks laid flat, a great technique that conveys the texture of paving stones without visual noise to distract from the scene above.

Andrew “Snaillad” Tate says he builds at a snail’s pace, but over time he’s built an “>impressive body of LEGO creations that are always worth a revisit.

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TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for June 8, 2024 [News]

In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the first week of June 2024.

TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS Obviously you read last week’s Brick Report but have you read all the news this week? That’s what we’re here for! Let’s get caught up together, shall we? This week we had a couple news items about BrickCon, some free instructions, and a new Lambo.

[INSTRUCTIONS] Stitch together your very own lovable LEGO alien — Tyler Clites provides free instructions for his original LEGO Ideas Stitch model submission
[NEWS] LEGO Icons 10337 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole debuts on the LEGO website — This classic sports car gets the LEGO treatment
[NEWS] BrickCon 2024 tickets on sale today for the public exhibition — Get your tickets to the longest-running LEGO fan convention in the US!
[NEWS] This year’s TBB sponsored collaboration at BrickCon 2024 is all about growth! — Now that you’ve bought your attendee tickets, plan your build for The Brothers Botany collaboration!

OTHER NEWS

Official Trailer for Pharell Williams film, Piece by Piece – Focus Features YouTube Channel — Coming this October to theaters!

This dimunitive Dune ‘thopter is thoroughly thrilling

With an impressive minifigure complement and plenty of wing-flapping, landing gear-extending action, this year’s 10327 Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter was an early contender for my favorite LEGO set of 2024. Still, for some, its higher-than-average price per element might be as hard to swallow as the Water of Life, so we’re fortunate we have GolPlaysWithLego to create this iconic aircraft at a smaller scale.

One of the biggest challenges in rendering the ornithopter at any scale is making those long, spindly wings. Heck, the official set had to create a whole new piece to solve that problem. In this case (in an inspired choice worthy of the Kwisatz Haderach) the wings are ingeniously made from garage door panels. Here’s a rear view, where you can see the boarding ramp and landing gear recreated with beautiful fidelity. It just goes to show that when it comes to desert power, bigger isn’t always better.

LEGO Icons 10337 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole debuts on the LEGO website [News]

There are few sports cars as iconic as the Lamborghini Countach. And after getting a taste of this design in LEGO form with Speed Champions 76908 Lamborghini Countach back in 2022, we now have a proper ode to the vehicle with LEGO Icons 10337 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole. With the line first debuting in 1974, this specific version of the Countach from 1985, the 5000 QV, features a redesign of the engine with 4 valves per cylinder (where “quattrovalvole” comes from). And while the LEGO model may not have that much detail, it does feature those iconic scissor doors, and access to the engine in the rear and the “frunk.” Clocking in at 1,506 pieces, LEGO Icons 10337 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole will be available from the LEGO website on July 1st for Insiders and July 4th for everyone else. The set will retail for US $179.99 | CAN $239.99 | UK £159.99.

Check out more pictures of this new set below!

This LEGO dragon may fit in the palm of your hand

One thing we learned from How to Train Your Dragon is that dragons do indeed come in many shapes and sizes, as evident in this dragon by Joss Woodyard, inspired by a toad which reminds me of the rock-eating Gronckle, especially with those tiny wings. Lots of long curved parts used as tails and claws are here used to sculpt the dragon’s large mouth and tongue. The small eye tiles commonly found in nightmare creatures from the LEGO Dreamzzz theme make perfect reptile eyes, while the transparent wing element makes a great dragonfly wing on this dragon’s lunch.

Finally a fantastic LEGO Cait Sith

Feline hero Cait Sith epitomizes why Final Fantasy 7 captured the imagination of generations of gamers. Whereas other RPGS might let you choose between elf or dwarf, cleric or druid, FF7 gives your party a robotic fortune-telling cat with a Scottish brogue who rides into battle with atop a giant living plush toy using a megaphone and gambling powers to shift the odds. Nathan Don (Woomy World) pays tribute to the beloved gaming icon with a faithful LEGO model that is bursting with personality and perfect parts usage. From the soles of his chunky boots to the tip of his crown (borrowed from constraction scale King Mathias), the shaping is impeccable, especially the face.

Time and again Woomy World demonstrates incredible skill in connecting just the right pieces using innovative connections to create organic and cartoon-like models. Using grey hot dogs for Cait Sith’s perpetually squinting eyes works perfectly, and a pair of white ninja cowls for the upper lips frame the adorable pink tongue. For the knotted bow on the cape, Woomy World uses the ribbon hanger of a holiday ornament. If you’re feeling lucky, take a limited break and explore our Woomy World archives.

A shell for protection – just like the Koopas

You may remember gGh0st‘s first build in his Iron Builder duel with Sandro Quattrini: a katana. Here’s a refresher, if you need – it’s worth seeing again. Well, he’s come full circle with his ninth and final build. And just as the shell seed part protects a Koopa, the shells protect this samurai warrior, making up the armor and helmet. But I’m liking some of the other building choices too! In particular, the tile pieces for the plating around the waist, and the Bionicle mask make a great men-yoroi (the face protection that samurai wore). Only time will tell whether it’s enough to win this battle – but it’s been fantastic watching these two builders face off!

LEGO Senshi looks ready to get cooking up some wild scorpion and mushroom

The popular manga and anime Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi) is whimsical and charming, a lot like this LEGO model of one of the main characters named Senshi, the dwarf by Eric Tsai. Senshi is a talented cook who knows all the best ways to prepare dungeon monsters to bring out their flavors. Carrying his well-used axe and his dragon fire-proof cooking pot on his back, Senshi’s bountiful beard and large eyes are perfectly captured in LEGO.

LEGO takes you back to childhood

When I think back on my childhood, spending time indoors with LEGO and video games figures prominently, but for those sunny days when mom wanted me out of the house, it was all about the playground. The more slides and things to climb on and hide in, the better! The Brothers Brick alum Nannan Zhang captures that nostalgia with a playground so familiar that, chances are, you probably played in one just like it at some point. It’s an elegant build, making the most of prefab rails, slides, and Harry Potter pavilion tops to recreate the modular and child-safe look of an authentic playground structure.

Nannan’s playground was created as part of OhioLUG’s collaborative summer camp display for the Columbus Metropolitan Library – the full gallery of the massive display is guaranteed to make you feel like a child again.

Taking Bionicle to the red planet

The Bio-Cup is underway, a contest utilizing the sometimes-awkward parts of the Bionicle theme! And it’s kicking off in a big way – the theme for the first round of this annual LEGO contest is “Space”. With such a broad topic, some builders have gone to some really far-flung galaxies, but Mohamed Marei has elected to hop over to our neighbouring planet in his Mars rover. I’m seeing a lot of call-backs to previous LEGO themes here. Of course, that includes some of the older Bionicle pieces used here, or the Technic figure and helmet. But that space-suit reminds me of some of the minifigure space-suits from the 1990s, and the rover is decked out in a similar livery to the Mars Mission sets from the mid-2000s. To be fair, orange is very on-brand for Mars!

Anyone hip for a road trip?

The classic 2011 model of the beloved T1 VW van is back in this LEGO model by Isaac Wilder! Isaac has done an excellent job miniaturizing the old model using a triangular sign to capture the swoosh of white on the front of the van, chrome silver 2×2 dishes (discontinued in 2004!) for the hub caps, and even reusing the curtains from the original. Isaac hasn’t skipped on the scenery either. The pine tree and the olive green bush below it look like they are partially held together by interlocking the fronds of different leaf parts. So grab your rainbow shirts and tie-dye folks. We’re off to the Woodstock and the era of peace and love, baby!

Houston, we have a cuteness overload

When we talk about boldly going where no one has gone before, most of us don’t mean in the litterbox. Unless you’re this adorable LEGO feline astronaut by miscellanabuilds, of course. Borrowing its wide blue eyes from LEGO’s official new 21349 Tuxedo Cat, the model is probably the cutest thing you’ll see all day. With those outstretched paws and curly little tail, you’re not sure whether to pet it or cheer it on as it orbits the giant ball of yarn we call Earth.