When I first saw Eli Willsea‘s epic LEGO diorama “Into Dungeon Depths,” it took my breath away. The epic vertical scale, the mix of colors and form, and the aura of foreboding make this one of the most striking works from one of our favorite builders. The cross section of the burrowing wyrm skeleton is the star attraction; the way its snaking body weaves around stones and intersects with the geometric stairs must have been an incredible building challenge, but the results are magical. Eli does impressive work with the lighting as well, both through the color gradation of bricks as the stairs descend, and through an ominous red glow coming from the dungeon floor. What will the three minifig adventurers find at the end of their descent, I wonder…? “Into Dungeon Depths” is Eli’s entry into the Stairway Stories category of the Summer Joust contest. See why we loved his...

While not all LEGO fans have embraced Bionicle, there’s no denying that for a generation of builders, Bionicle was a gateway to both a world of construction and deep lore. For a recent collaboration between top Bionicle builders in the community, participants re-imagined characters from Bionicle Generation 2 utilizing the latest constraction techniques. We were especially struck by the pair of Ekimu and Makuta, The Mask Makers, as designed by Toni A. Toni cites Dark Souls and H.R. Giger as influences, which might seem an aesthetic jump for Bionicle, but perfectly fits the lore of these bio-machine gods. Ekimu, wearing the Mask of Creation, is the culmination of 3 years of iteration from Toni and the effort shows with some of the most impressive dark fantasy sculpting I’ve ever seen in a character. Makuta, wearing the Mask of Control (inverted), came together quicker and perfectly compliments his brother with a devilish...

The term “shrimp” doesn’t typically evoke an image of a fearsome creature, but what if you combined the obscure and dangerous Peacock Mantis Shrimp with a Dragon? Lego builder, and imaginative creator, Joss Ivanwood, who takes pride in designing and building “dragons, robots, monsters, and more,” has merged the otherworldly mantis shrimp with a dragon. The use of bright colors, combined with what can only be assumed is an expert-level application of LEGO Technic joints, transforms a fish’s nightmare into a vibrant and imaginative reality. The post Dragon meets Mantis Shrimp appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: John Trevino

Construction vehicle kingpin Beat Felber is on a roll with functional LEGO models of the heaviest of heavy equipment. Riding right behind his impressive Terex Unit Rig comes another massive earthmover, the Champion 100-T Grader at 1/28.5 scale. The largest vehicle of its type to see general production, only 10 of these 100-ton machines were made by the Canadian manufacturer. As with most of Beat’s builds, this model utilizes a suite of power functions to mirror the functionality of the real machine. Five motors control the blade alone, ensuring a clean shave grade. The rear bogies and front axles oscillate independently guaranteeing all 6 wheels maintain ground contact. Here at The Brothers Brick we always admire builders who can fuse a personal passion with the possibility of LEGO, and once again Beat Felber has pushed LEGO potential with a scale model that achieves photo-accurate looks without skimping on functionality. The post...

Nostalgia bomb, incoming. This delightful build from Jonah Schultz is three things in one: a tribute to timeless preschool toys, an homage to the ubiquitous I Spy puzzle books from the ’90s and a showcase of an Iron Builder‘s ingenuity with LEGO bricks. There are so many details to love, from the perfectly proportioned BRIO trains in primary colors to the wonderful debossed lettering on the alphabet blocks, to the judicious use of specialized elements like the Bellville teddy bear, Duplo balls, and Race Car Guy accessory to complement the studs-free build. The most impressive feat of all is how the seed part – baseball bat in silver – is incorporated into the build as train axles, domino pips, and a camera button. And it’s a hidden object puzzle! Can you spy all of the secrets hidden in the picture? The post I spy a builder making blocks from LEGO bricks...

Tokyo-3, an alternate history version of the metropolis, is defended from attacking monstrosities called Angels by giant mechs with a single pilot. Marco De Bon enjoys building LEGO scenes including these mechs with sections of the fortified city. We previously featured two other Neon Genesis Evangelion blocks showcasing unit-00 and unit-01. But now unit-02 joins the line-up! The mech is skillfully built to hide any obvious LEGO joints. He straddles a highway that uses transparent blue window panes for force fields. Gold stud-shooters make the perfect rooftop machinery in the foreground. The post LEGO Neon Evengalion mech stands ready to defend the Tokyo of the future appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Daniel

“In a mystical chamber adorned with an array of glass jars, bubbling potions, ancient scrolls, tomes, and exotic flora, the air is thick with the scent of arcane knowledge and potent enchantments.” So begins Syrdarian‘s description of their spellbinding LEGO herbalist’s workspace. Everything you need to cast a spell or heal a malady is right here in piles and stacks, from the crystals on the floor to the jars on the shelves and the cut flowers on the worktable. Boxes and baskets of berries and flowers sit next to the staircase, while tomes of arcane lore rest where they can be readily perused. The herbalist’s hobbies clearly range beyond plant lore, judging by the lute carefully placed against the wall and the pie and sweets tucked away on a shelf. Joining the herbalist are three different frogs, a rubber ducky, and a hungry mouse. The plates and brick elements in the...

While you can’t buy buy buy official Deadpool & Wolverine Brickheadz from the LEGO group, mutant and merc fan Shipmaster steps up with fan variants that are too perfect to be pruned by the TVA. The headlining movie heroes are joined by lesser known fan favorite Gwenpool, who shares Deadpool’s meta superpowers (if not his penchant for blood and vulgarity). Shipmaster does a stellar job matching the characters’ comics appearances without skimping on LEGO skill. Binoculars make for the perfect ammo belt around Wade’s waist, and Wolverine’s “ears” nail the X-Men ’97 costume look, but my favorite technique is the log on Logan’s display stand. The post Deadpool & Wolverine & Gwenpool get the fan BrickHeadz treatment appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Jake Forbes

Summer is in full swing for the northern hemisphere, and LEGO fans are discovering a massive wave of new sets releasing on the LEGO website today. With offerings from Star Wars, Marvel, Technic, LEGO Ideas, and other themes, there’s plenty to have a gander at. I’m particularly excited about releases like LEGO Technic 42182 NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle – LRV, LEGO Star Wars 75389 The Dark Falcon, and Marvel 76297 Dancing Groot. Of course we won’t be able to cover everything, but check out all the highlights from this month’s new releases below. And if you want to see all the sets that just hit the virtual and real-world store shelves, head on over to the LEGO website (US | CAN | UK). LEGO Star Wars LEGO Star Wars 75389 The Dark Falcon | 1,579 Pieces | Available Now | US $179.99 | CAN $239.99 | UK £159.99 LEGO Star...

Picture this: you find a single LEGO multifaceted hemisphere piece (also known as an insect eye) lying around in your collection. What can you build from there? Some might opt for a giant fly or a spaceship. But if you’re alanboar, the answer is Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. The insect eye forms the titular earring, which draws the eye to the center of the painting, but the rest of Vermeer’s masterpiece has also been faithfully recreated here—including the expressive eyes, the shadow on the face and clothing, the texture under the head-wrap, and the gradient on the hair. Also noteworthy is the choice of the ornate railing piece to create the scrollwork in the frame. I like to think Vermeer himself would be proud. The post Where Dutch mastery and LEGO artistry meet appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Ryan Kunz