Recently, we find ourselves writing a lot about Pan Noda‘s LEGO houses. Why? Well, just look at them! The latest edifice to be built is this “Shrine of the Underworld”. If you’re gonna live somewhere as wacky as this, might as well give it a cool name, right? This strikes me as being what high-rise living might have been like in Eastern Asia before skyscrapers took over. Like many of Pan’s buildings, it makes use of a lot of vertical space, and like all of them, has a really unique character. The wall technique is particularly eye-catching here. Presumably making use of the fact two plates isn’t quite equal to one brick in width, it means you get some great weathering on the walls while retaining an authentic wooden-plank look. The post A(nother) vertical LEGO architectural marvel appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Theo Spencer

In a LEGO world of castles, spaceships, and battle mechs it’s sometimes nice to enjoy something a little different. Kristel Whitaker presents us with a stunning piece of art inspired by Japanese art. She tells us that the plum blossoms in Japanese culture represent hope, renewal and vitality, being the first to flower in spring (before the more famous cherry blossoms).The background is based on shoji, the paper sliding doors and windows common in Japanese homes. With the bold red sun against the white background, this piece almost looks like the Japanese flag, a notion that was surely not lost on a talented artist such as Kristel. This wouldn’t be the first time we were totally delighted by her LEGO creations. Please click the little blue link to peruse our Kristel Whitaker archives to discover more. The post Celebrate Japanese culture with the Plum Blossom appeared first on The Brothers Brick....

Nowadays, with box office and sales numbers being such a huge part of how media gets reported on, it can be hard to be a fan of something without having to engage in a little bit of business discussion. For example, Marvel’s 2019 blockbuster Captain Marvel took in more than a billion dollars at the box office. But the follow-up movie is titled simply The Marvels and is bringing Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers together with Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) for an ensemble adventure. Naturally, movie websites and user forums across the internet are littered with opinion pieces as to whether this shift in the franchise is a smart business move or not. But the truth is, not a one of us knows right now how that decision will play out. And we shouldn’t care. All that should matter is “Do we like the movie?” Similarly, when...

A little more than 11 months ago, I wrote up a beautiful LEGO tea house by my very talented LUG-mate Kimberly Giffen. That build, The Giffen Gardens, won Best in Show at BrickCon 2022. And here I am, after another BrickCon, pleased to say that Kimberly was able to repeat her achievement and win the Best in Show once again with a recreation of the Silver Pavilion (Ginkakuji) from Kyoto, Japan. I had a chance to talk with Kimberly after the convention about her work, and was able to learn a lot about the model and her process. Inspired heavily by the work shown in the Architecture theme at Bricks Cascade and by Instagram brick artist darksamishgray, she knew her next build would focus on a Japanese structure. She set to work researching for weeks, drawing heavily from the video game Ghosts of Tsushima, a game set in 15th century Japan...

We here at TBB are no stranger to the space-tastic LEGO creations of Chris Perron. And his latest, featuring the canopy from Buzz Lightyear’s XL-15 is a spectacular representation of Blacktron building! The trans-red “wings” jutting out to the sides are wonderful, reminding me of an energy field kind of like that generated by NCC-1701’s warp nacelles. All of the sharp, cutting angles feel right at home with LEGO Space of the late 80’s, though the parts utilized include some more-recent offerings. For instance, there’s the 4-wide brick separator included in mosaic sets. I’ll give you a minute to spot where it’s hiding. The post This striking LEGO Blacktron Striker strikes a chord appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller

LEGO builder extraordinaire Anu Pehrson joins us to give an inside perspective on how she built this enormous 200,000-piece minifigure-scale diorama of the Wall from Game of Thrones. If you’re not familiar with Anu, she likes to build big. If you happen to be in Denmark soon, check out her huge model of the Greyjoy Stronghold, which has been showcased in the LEGO House for the past year. She previously gave us a behind-the-scenes look at her 20,000-piece rice plantation diorama from The LEGO Ninjago Movie, but now she’s gone ten times bigger. So read on as Anu walks us through the entire process of building the Wall from early concepts to finished model. Building the Wall As builders, most of us are inspired by things we encounter in our everyday lives, travels, and other interests such as books, music, etc. I immensely enjoyed reading Game of Thrones and was inspired...

LEGO builder Dad’s Bricks (Joe) clearly knows a thing or three about natural beauty. While females aren’t without their charm, in the birding world, it’s often the males that are known for their beauty regimen. And what a beauty this one is! Either this fellah is well integrated into the garden flora or he’s part of the lovely garden with flowers blooming from his plumage. Joe (can I call you Joe?) has demonstrated plenty of artistry and masterful build techniques. I can get lost in the intricate textures and colors on display here. As it turns out, this isn’t Dad’s (can I call you Dad or is that awkward?) first go at the beauty parlor. A leisurely perusal through our Dad’s Bricks (Joe) archives proves repeatedly that he can find stunning beauty in LEGO bricks. The post A peacock’s plume in bloom appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author:...

It’s a good job – and a happy coincidence – that the Star Wars universe has such a good proficiency in English (or Basic, as it’s known). Otherwise, we’d end up having to learn things like Binary or Huttese to have any idea of what’s going on. Thankfully, if you’ve watched The Mandalorian, you’ll know how to pronounce the name of Simon Wild‘s epic LEGO starfighter. Bo-Katan calls it a Kom’rk-class fighter transport, otherwise known as the Gauntlet. Simon’s model features a shade under 3,000 pieces and is apparently faithful to minifigure scale, putting it firmly in Ultimate Collector Series (UCS)-scale territory. The SNOT and wedge plates used to create the pattern on the wings look great. It’s all the more impressive when you consider how structurally awkward this ship is, with everything connected at one end only. Building it must have been nearly as hard as learning Shyriiwook! The post...

If you are stuck in a post-apocalyptic LEGO world scratching out a living recovering unusual salvage from the before-time, there can be no mode of travel more reliable than a beast of burden who can also defend your stash. This duo of ride and rider by Justus M. are ready for anything as they scour the landscape for supplies to trade. Built for the Iron Builder challenge, the golden handcuffs are used 40 times, most noticeably in the feet, and as a woven blanket under the beast’s saddle. One of my favorite details is the gas mask, made with only 6 parts, and that roller skate is the perfect part usage! The post A charming pair of scavengers appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel

Disney’s next big animated flick is Wish, and three LEGO sets based on the film were revealed today. All three depict buildings in the movie’s Kingdom of Rosas, as well as the protagonist Asha in minidoll form. The fabled LEGO goat also returns! Well, sort of. 43223 Asha in the City of Rosas includes pet goat Valentino. Star – presumably another of the film’s main protagonists – also features in this and the other two sets, 43231 Asha’s Cottage and 43224 King Magnifico’s Castle. All three will be available in a little over a month, from October 1st. 43223 Asha in the City of Rosas | 154 Pieces | Available October 1st | US $19.99 | CAN $24.99 | UK £18.99 43224 King Magnifico’s Castle | 613 Pieces | Available October 1st | US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £84.99 43231 Asha’s Cottage | 509 Pieces | Available October 1st | US...