Among the many amazing, fantastical things common to LEGO conventions, the Great Ball Contraption is a standout. It is essentially a Rube-Goldberg-esque machine that exists solely to justify its own existence. We’ve written about the Great Ball Contraption (GBC) a few times here, and most recently Ronald wrote a great walkthrough of how to get started building your own module. Ever since my first LEGO convention, I knew I wanted to build a GBC module. When our kids were old enough to attend a convention, they were similarly bitten by the GBC bug. Last year, for Christmas, I told my son that if he worked with me to build a GBC module, I’d pay for the parts to build it and a trip up to Seattle so we could enter it into BrickCon’s 2024 Great Ball Contraption. He was on board so we got to work. Design or Borrow a GBC? First,...

Joints—a topic that I’m sure can stir up some controversy. There are a variety of ways to make them, they are useful in a lot of situations and let’s face it, some of them are just mindblowing. I’m talking, of course, about LEGO joints (you know, as in elbows and knees, etc.)! If you’ve ever tried to make a brick-built figure, you are no stranger to the fact that making joints (again, elbows and knees and those types of things…not sure what else people might associate with that word…) can be quite a challenge. LEGO, of course, has made quite a few pieces for this purpose over the years (hello ball joints!), but when constructing a character on your own, they aren’t always the smoothest solutions. Plus it is a lot of fun coming up with new ways to simulate natural joints. But for those of you who may not enjoy...

In our newest dive into the world of NPU (Nice Parts Usage), we will explore some interesting uses for minifigure accessories! From guitars to firehoses, pom poms to paint rollers, these small but mighty pieces unlock endless creative potential. Doesn’t that balloon animal look like a piece of candy? is it just me? Humble Beginnings A minifigure accessory needs a minifig, right? Well, our favorite little plastic people hit the consumer market in 1978, and with them came our first taste of what was to come: an axe, a broom, a shovel, a pickaxe, a hairbrush, and a signal paddle. Fun fact: That signal paddle? I always thought it was for taking pizza out of the oven. (Am I the only one?) These tools were groundbreaking at the time, but little did we know the explosion of variety that awaited. Nowadays, it seems there’s a new accessory in every few sets....

It wasn’t too long ago that we showed you all a work-in-progress shot of a delightful LEGO bald eagle head, made by the talent that is Sakiya Watanabe. Well, now it’s time to see the work in all it’s proper glory! And as impressive as the design of that head is, I’m slack jawed taking in the entire scene. I love the use of clear elements to simulate a splash of water as the fish (with scales made from pirate ship sails) attempts to plunge back in. But the eagle definitely seems keen on catching dinner, with its plumage made of reddish brown palm leaves and it’s aforementioned head stuck in a glare of determination. This is definitely a creation I hope to see in person soon! The post This LEGO bald eagle is a soaring success! appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller (TBB Managing Editor)

Perhaps no character in folklore has been reimagined as often as Sun Wukong, the mischievous hero of Journey to the West. LEGO has devoted an entire line to reimagining Monkey’s adventures, complete with mechs and spaceships. Builder Psyro TtunTomato presents a Monkey mech that draws on another take on the legend for inspiration – the hit video game Black Myth Wukong. Of course, Monkey wields his magical cudgel, while the head is decorated with opulent tails like the video game version of the character.  The builder fills out the scene with excellent spiky trees and dense overgrowth made of vines, leaves, and the sly hairpiece. Of course, the purpose of a giant mech is to battle other mechs, and Psyro TtunTomato delivers with classic Monkey foe the Bull Demon King. The builder shows a talent for both armor plating and articulation, as the model strikes a dramatic pose.  This fearsome mech is more...