To celebrate the release of the new Fantastic Beasts movie this month, LEGO is releasing 40289 Diagon Alley as a giveaway on LEGO Shop purchases over $99. LEGO sent us an early copy of the set to review. The microscale set is built to the same scale as 71043 Hogwarts Castle, and includes 374 pieces along with a minifigure of wand shop owner Mr. Ollivander. The packaging & instructions Diagon Alley comes in a small box, tightly packed with two sets of numbered bags. The instruction booklet is folded inside, with 62 steps spanning 72 pages. A single 2×14 plate hangs out by itself loose in the box. The back of the box features a closeup of the street scene, with callouts explaining what each structure represents. The build & parts Small freebie sets like this tend to feature pretty basic building techniques and standard parts, resulting in a quick build....

Route 66 is the mother of all highways in the USA, cutting across the nation from coast to coast through small towns and scenic vistas. Though it’s since been eclipsed by the interstate highway system, it’s captured a special place in history for making the trans-American highway a reality. LEGO builder hachiroku24 brings us back to Route 66’s glory days with an awesome rendition of the highway marker sign, part mosaic and part sculpture. The excellent use of the 4×4 quarter-circle macaroni tiles lends both the numbers and shield outline just the perfect curves. The post It’s a long road ahead appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Chris

Halloween has come and gone, but it should not be the only day of the year when we get to see dark and moody themes. Tymothy Shortell would agree, having built castle ruins that look perfect for the season yet apropriate throughout the year. All the colours, or lack thereof, make for a great atmosphere, mostly facilitated by the dark gray of the castle wall. While the castle is my favourite part, the landscape is very important too. The whole scene is a round shape, with natural flowing transitions between rocks and grass. The editing and photography are what takes the build to a higher level though, especially a dim orange light shining through a window. The post Who stokes the fire in the long-forgotten castle? appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Luka

A good microscale model can be defined by innovative use of new LEGO elements re-purposed to create unexpected new forms. A great microscale model combines this with traditional parts and colors to form a symphony that sets the model apart. This roadside chapel by Jens Ohrndorf is a perfect example of this mix. Take the entry roof, made from this modified plate with a small raised tab. Or the windows, made from the underside of 1×1 plates. Lining the foundation is a row of light gray ingots. I also enjoy the trees, which are just the right size for the scene (a design inspired by the trees in 10253 Big Ben). The post Modest microscale church appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel

Today at BlizzCon, LEGO not only revealed the entire lineup of Overwatch sets (available for pre-order now), but also showed off this towering 9-foot tall model of D.Va and her mech made from nearly 150,000 pieces. D.Va and her mech weigh a combined 1,256 pounds, took LEGO master builders 731 hours to build, and contains more than 43,000 pink bricks. The model is based off of the upcoming LEGO Overwatch set 75973 D.Va and Reinhardt. The model will be on display to attendees of Blizzcon from November 2-3 at the in Anaheim Convention Center. Check out this timelapse of it being built: Also, take a look at the gallery below for close-ups and a view of the back of the model. The post 9-foot tall LEGO Overwatch D.Va and her mech tower over BlizzCon [News] appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Dave Schefcik