Tag Archives: Dioramas

There’s nothing like a massive LEGO diorama to prove that you’ve arrived as a LEGO builder. The LEGO dioramas we feature here span everything from realistic medieval castles to scenes from World War II, and more than a few post-apocalyptic wastelands.

Quit whining. It’s fun to move to a new place. It’s an adventure.

Are you ready to be Spirited Away? Rylie Howerter is ready help to start the journey with this astounding recreation of the Red Gate. This is one of those builds that has you doing a triple take – but, yes, this all LEGO. Amazing photography adds great atmospheric depth of field , but the trees and other greenery in the foreground is what completely sells this neglected entrance to the unknown. There are even more detailed views at Ryan’s Instagram post, and I suggest you take a moment to explore those, too.

If you like your Miyazaki inspired builds a little more animated, then check out this great Soot Sprite from our archives. And here’s to hoping that we’ll see even more Studio Ghibli creations there soon!

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TBB Cover Photo for January 2021: A Successful Scrapyard

This month’s and this year’s first cover photo comes from Faber Mandragore. “Joe’s Scrapyard” is a fun little diorama, and as a fan of all the different types of LEGO wheels and tires, I’m very excited to hunt through to examine all the different tires.

I’ve said this before, but my favorite builds for cover photos are those that tell a story and let you dig in, creating a scene that’s playing out. Here, I imagine Joe uses parts from these old busted cars (especially love the variety and variation of destruction to each vehicle) to upgrade his yellow hot rod. I imagine he’ll find enough new parts over time to build a new car. Thanks for taking care of the scrapyard Joe, someone’s gotta find use for all these old vehicles.

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.

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Taking stargazing to the next level

Free from light pollution and smog, this observation deck would be perfect for spotting a planetary conjunction. But there’s certainly a greater spectacle in this vibrant LEGO creation. The Galaxy Cliff Lighthouse by Pete Strege offers an incredible, up-close view of a spiraling galaxy. This Ferris-wheel-like galaxy is motorized, which is quite an engineering feat for its unique shape and scale. Its free-standing tail overarches the entire model, making this build an event of a lifetime.

Click here to see more views of the Galaxy Cliff Lighthouse

Elvendale is more beautiful than you realized

The LEGO Elves theme was retired not long ago, and sadly it never quite gained the popularity among adult fans that I think it deserved. Thankfully, though, there are a handful of builders who’ve been designing beautiful creations in the brightly colored world of Elves, and this gorgeous diorama by Stilly Bricks shows how delightful Elvendale can be. They built it a few years ago, but only recently got around to photographing it, which is understandable given that the massive village is over 5 feet long from end to end, and more than 2 feet deep.

Click to check out more details of Elvendale

I am the future. The Tiberian Sun has risen!

Just like LEGO builder Gregory Coquelz, I was a huge fan of Commander & Conquer: Tiberian Sun when it debuted in 1999. So as soon as I saw this excellent pair of dioramas depicting GDI and Nod forces, I knew we had to feature them. First up is GDI with an iconic ore harvester sweeping through the fields of blue Tiberium Vinifera, accompanied by a Wolverine mech and a few soldiers. The diorama is simple, but it captures the bleak wastelands of the game. A blossom tree adds some interest (as well as a renewable source of Tiberium).

Of course, no C&C creation would be complete with the insane machinations of Nod, and so Gregory has also made an iconic scene with a Hand of Nod, along with a turret, buggy, and a few more soldiers. The broken road is a great touch, with the wedge plates fitting together perfectly to create the uneven edges. Continue reading →

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window

While Psycho isn’t without its charms, Rear Window is my all-time favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie. I’m certain LEGO builder Mark would agree that you ought to check it out if you haven’t already. If you’re feeling a bit voyeuristic with this scene, that, dear readers, is the point. James Stewart plays a wheelchair-bound photographer with nothing better to do but to peer into his neighbor’s windows while his broken leg heals. (This was before Xbox and the internet, mind you.) While learning a lot about his Greenwich Village neighbors’ lives and habits, he is pretty certain he has also witnessed a murder. The rest of the story unfolds with a flavor of suspense and intrigue that only Alfred Hitchcock could pull off.

Mark replicates the scene nicely with vivid detail. I can just hear the talented pianist practicing in his apartment with the titillating “Miss Torso” dances in hers. And why are those flowers just a bit shorter than they used to be? The answer is a bit gruesome, and neighborhood pets ought to beware!

Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

There are plenty of neat Batman LEGO dioramas to go around. For some reason, there’s a bit less love for Marvel’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. But Instagram user Hachiroku92 changes all that with this decidedly amazing diorama featuring Spider-Man and Sandman duking it out the only way blockbuster heroes and villains can; with lots of collateral damage. Let’s just say the company insurance paperwork for that cement mixer is going to be a sticky pickle. The scene comes to life with convoluted action and stunning photography. Sandman’s amorphous form and giant hand is nothing short of dreamy. Maybe you can construct your own Spider-Man diorama using the parts from the new Spider-Man sets. And before you comment that the old-fogey title was a missed opportunity to cite a more contemporary Metallica tune, I already had Enter Sandman stuck in my head for like a week and now it’s stuck in yours. So…you’re welcome, I guess.

TBB Cover Photo for December 2020: Into the Wintery Wild

This month’s cover photo from Andrea Lattanzio takes us back to the wild. The Magic Bus we’ve been treated with before has now been treated with snow, which makes for a lovely winter scene.

The bus remains familiar, but there have been some added details to give depth and texture to the snow. Additionally, trees that were once leaf-filled are now barren and covered with snow, the firs have been replaced with white branches, and the clever touch of icicles added to the bus windows complete the scene.

Be sure to visit Norton74’s flickr page for a bit of history on this bus that no longer resides in Alaska’s wilderness. It’s an interesting story that makes for a great scene.

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.

Keep up with The Brothers Brick by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Pinterest. And for extra goodies, follow us on Instagram, Flickr, and subscribe to us on YouTube.

Top Secret: Roswell 1947

Aliens get a bad rap, don’t they? They’re scary, mysterious, and they’re the bane of midwestern farmers and cattle everywhere. They’re also seemingly responsible for a slew of uncanny and sometimes hilarious crop circles and plus they’ve got that whole probing thing which some folks have mixed feelings about. Andreas Lenander calls this LEGO diorama Roswell 1947. The depiction of the UFO scorching the earth does nothing to squelch the alien’s reputation but it is admittedly cool. The large saucer dishes go way back to the X-Pod line from ’04-’05. The light brick built into the landscape gives this piece that extra helping of awesomesauce. You may (ahem) probe deeper into our archives to see just how fascinated we are with Andreas’ stuff and aliens in general.

A castle diorama with all the essentials

Sometimes a simple two-toned LEGO castle can go a long way. In this diorama, Mark of Siloam brings us Huntington Castle, his largest build to date measuring at 20″ by 45″. I’m not sure how much that is converted into studs, but it sure looks grand within this lively diorama. With its solid sand green and gray brickwork, the Huntington Castle is well-fortified with guards peering out into the land. When the castle’s functioning portcullis is lifted, the drawbridge can be lowered to access the main dirt path. A neat windmill sits just across the river, next to an open field for cattle to graze. The overall composition is rich in detail, and I’m still picking out the subtle changes in landscaping throughout the build and spotting new animals in every corner.

Here’s to more castle dioramas, Mark! And as we’re heading forward, why not drop in our archives for a look at one of Mark’s past builds from 2016.

Take a visit to Elvendale in this huge, incredibly detailed LEGO model!

Despite the presence of minidolls, I think that LEGO’s Elves theme was almost universally beloved by adult fans of LEGO (and undoubtedly, many loved the dolls, too). What was there not to like? There were great re-colors of common pieces into bright pinks, blues, and purples, perfect for everything from spaceships to fantasy forest dwellings, there were new hairpieces for more elves, there were dragons, not to mention the great accessories, and perhaps most of all sets that by themselves were great, with nice value for the money, good play features, and cohesive structure. I was a fan. It seems likely that I was never as much of a fan as Ben Arkley, however, if this enormous Elvendale creation is any guide.

Click to see details of this awesome build

A little cottage in the forest

One of the best things about LEGO is the online community, which appears to be ever-growing. I really like discovering new online accounts of fans of LEGO. Yesterday I discovered a new (to me) creator and I would like to share their latest creation with you. Titled “Little cottage in the forest,” it was made by Alex Bromfield, and I have so many nice things to say about it. I like the irregularly shaped base and the use of all the headgear for the cobblestone path. And the cobblestone path isn’t even the only way Alex incorporates headgear. He also uses it to create a bird’s nest and a small bush. On the walls of the Tudor-style house, he used a mix of white, tan, and dark tan bricks to give it a more weathered look, which is further continued by adding tiles, slopes and cheese slopes to the roof. Can you believe that this creator is only 13 years old? I am telling you, this is one to keep an eye on!