When it comes to Star Wars droids, few are as instantly recognizable as the Imperial Viper probe droid. The multi-eyed, multi-armed profile still gives me chills thinking back to the first time we saw it unfolding above the white landscape of Hoth like a mechanical nightmare. Calin has captured the likeness in LEGO masterfully at such a small scale… using a variety of rounded black parts for the eyes, from a train wheel with a red bar in the center, to a tire, and even a helmet or two. The use of angled droid arms is the perfect choice for those spindly claw-tipped limbs. And a pair of fencing foils make for great antennae. The post Microscale LEGO probe droid is a mini-masterpiece appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel

I love it when a great LEGO collaboration comes together! A group of friends built the Pokémon Ultra Beasts and the end result is pure gold. Take Aidan Hayward’s Celesteela, for example. This is one of the dangerous UBs, (that’s Ultra Beasts) high energy readings can be detected coming from both of its huge arms. Benjamin Anderson’s Buzzwole is chock full of bodybuilder attitude. He’s often found flexing in poses that show off his physique; and if I had muscles like that, I’d probably do the same. Petersheikah takes on Guzzlord. His whole mouth cavity glows in the dark, which is pretty cool. Ron Folkers tells us that Katana, which is as thin as paper, is like a sharpened sword, capable of cutting anything. But my personal fave is Xurkitree, built by Care Creations. It sort of reminds of of the Elder Things of Lovecraftian lore. There’s more Ultra Beasts in...

Thomas W had planned a different build for his contribution to a fairy tale collaboration but had to shift gears at the last minute. The result is a happy ending worthy of a fairy tale. This vignette, with its impressive tomes and frog-occupied wishing well, sets the imagination racing with all kinds of storybook adventures. But the real work of art is that glass slipper. There’s a limited number of bricks available in the trans-clear color, but Thomas transformed them into something special anyway, as easy as turning a frog into a prince. The post Nothing’s hipper than see-thru slippers appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Norm Harper

Although they call it SHIPtember, the nature of the beast means we often get enormous LEGO spaceships popping up well into October. Building one is one thing, photographing such large creations is a whole challenge unto itself! SweStar has risen to both challenges in admirable fashion. I love the muted colours on this freighter; the sand green and blue coupled with those pops of yellow and orange looks really good. I really love the fact that they’ve expanded the scene beyond just the Seriously Huge Investment in Parts (SHIP) too. The containers, ground crew, and that adorable orange loader all add a charming extra touch. The post SHIPtember’s never over, we just get SHIPtober appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Theo Spencer

When a new Iron Builder competition starts up, it’s hard not to feature some of the fantastic creations that come from the parts-usage head-to-head. In this round, both our competitors are trying to best utilize the Technic rotor blade in red. In a strategic move, challenger Duncan Lindbo attempts to cut down his competition with a brilliant chainsaw creation! It’s such a clean model, with excellent lines and a superb use of the seed part. But the log it sits on is equally impressive, all knotted and gnarled on the exterior, yet smooth and ringed where it was recently cleaved. Good luck to Duncan and his challenger Dan Ko as they duke it out! The post Iron Builder: It’s like a beautiful dance with a LEGO chainsaw! appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller

So the big-scale version of our favorite Star Wars youngster put out by LEGO was pretty darn adorable. But George Panteleon just had to go for bigger and Bambi-er with this Grogu figure that’s cute as all get out! I love the textures on his robes: the studs out fluff around the child’s neck and wrists contrast the sloping folds of the rest of the garment. But those big, entrancing black eyes giving you that mischievous stare. You just know he’s looking to steal that metal ball at the end of one of your flight controls. The post Going gaga for LEGO Grogu appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller

Frequently featured for his impressive LEGO train builds, Pieter Post comes in strong once again, this time tackling the Bavarian D XII locomotive in its natural habitat. Before getting into the train itself, please take a moment and appreciate the German countryside laid out in this impressive scene. The impressive mix of fields, brambles, and reedy water leads to a carefully constructed incline topped with the train tracks. Building this hill at a bevel along the track’s curve, and with a clean slope of pieces merging the angled plates into the hill’s underside, the whole ordeal is impeccably clean! And make sure to give the scene a hard look to appreciate all the brick-built wildlife populating the scene, as well as the stud-reversal technique Peter used to make that gorgeous bridge. But as in all of Peter’s scenes, the train is the real star of the show. You’ll have to forgive...

Thorsten Bonsch, our favorite prolific German builder of Lord of the Rings LEGO scenes, concludes his 5-year epic journey there and back again with this thorough rendition of that famous Hobbit hole, Bag End. It seems fitting that Thorsten saved his most accurate, winding creation for last as he packs every tiny detail into the cozy Bagginses residence of the Shire. Notable rooms include the study where Bilbo journals his adventures (check out the chair that includes sausages, and the intricate cheese slope floor design), the incredibly well-stocked pantry (did you know LEGO made that many different pastry-printed 1×1 round tiles?), and of course the dining room where he entertains many a dwarf before the eventual adventure that would set him on a collision course with Gollum and the One Ring. Be sure to click through to his Flickr stream for even more of the amazing artistry on display in this...

You can keep your Blacktrons, Futurons and Classic Spaces; the space theme that stole my heart growing up was LEGO’s Life on Mars theme. These days, it’s perhaps most notable as a source for the retired sand-red and sand-purple colours. But the set design wasn’t half bad either if you ask me, or Duncan Lindbo, for that matter. He’s seen fit to revamp 7311 Red Planet Cruiser for Mechtober. (It’s like October, but for building mecha.) And it looks great! A one-legged mech is an unusual concept, and Duncan has made some nice upgrades. The best one is the discs on either side, turned into what look like sensors or transmitting equipment, rather than… Whatever they were before. Wings, maybe. As much as I do like the Life on Mars line, I have to admit they only ever looked this good in my imagination! The post A radical redux from the...

Builder Josh Parkinson has become quite the LEGO master of juxtaposing the near and far. I was wowed by his technique in the Doctor Strange vignette he made last year. And his powers of forced perspective have only grown since then, as is evident in this beautiful North Pole scene. Josh continues to astound with his ability to make minifigure habitats, six of them in total making up the two interiors seen here. But I’m also quite impressed with his snow layering on the roofs, trees, and distant hills. When combined with the backlighting at the build’s horizon, the whole scene pops, giving “the luster of midday to objects below.” The post Forcing new LEGO perspectives on Christmas appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller