There’s something both unsettling and mesmerizing about this otherworldly LEGO jellyfish by Mitsuru Nakaido. It’s undeniably a machine, with its cool palette of light and dark bluish-gray, yet the tangled stalk of wirelike tentacles (woven from various cable, hose, and rope elements) gives it a smooth, organic feel. Is this creation the housing for some unknowable alien intelligence? Is it a relic of some advanced mysterious ancient civilization beneath the sea? Is it something else entirely? That’s up to you to decide. The post Get caught in the grip of this biomechanical jellyfish appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Ryan Kunz

Dump trucks are a staple of the LEGO City and Technic lines, but those versions focus on the highway-friendly variety that you might see around construction sites. The Komatsu 930E, modeled here by TsungNing Lee, is not that sort of truck. It’s an ultra-class behemoth, standing 24 feet (7.37m) tall, capable of hauling over 300 tons. That puts this massive model at about 1/2 minifig scale. TsungNing works almost entirely with LEGO system parts, with only a few Technic elements to handle the steering mechanism and axels, and custom stickers to match the real thing. I’m impressed by the use of curves in this bulky beast, both in the inverted slopes of the bed and the precisely bent tubing for the railing. While the model itself isn’t new TsungNing recently shared a thorough gallery of this and other masterfully detailed trucks from his collection. As a bonus, TsungNing also made a...

What do LEGO dwarves have to be resentful of? Well, elves got their own fondly remembered line, orcs featured prominently as Castle foes for a spell, and dragons appear in multiple themes and get their own zodiac calendar year. Oh, the indignity! We can’t know what animus brings motivates the dwarven king in Illia Zubashev‘s grand diorama, but chance are it involves gold, elves, or grudges. Probably all three.  Illia calls this creation The Hall of Grudges of Karak Izûm, a sacred site for dwarves of the Warhammer ilk. It’s a truly grand scene where a lone minifig king and the holy Book of Grudges are dwarfed by a hulking statue and a towering wall of brick and stone, showing the immense scale of the underground dwarven empire. Illia employs a solid mix of profile bricks, offset tiles, and SNOT work (studs not on top) in the impressive wall and floor. The...

Say what you will about the prequels, the opening scenes of the Phantom Menace are extremely compelling. The red Jedi cruiser approaches a Lucrehulk battleship – depicted for us here in LEGO by Jonah – for some tense negotiations. Jonah has made use of a number of classic techniques to capture the smooth curved lines of the ship in the notably square medium of LEGO. The center part of the ship is made using the Lowell Sphere, and the wider curve of the arms is made using hinge plates. Jonah has also added plenty of trans-light-blue accents to increase the visual interest of this build! Unfortunately this LEGO model will probably be short lived, as I can see a certain prophesied child in military hardware approaching bring this battleship to an unfortunate end! The post A spherical Star Wars battleship in a vacuum appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal...

Once again, builder Maxx Davidson has treated us to some delightful eye candy, skillfully incorporating not only LEGO bricks, but also other assorted elements that might require a deep dive into the internet to confirm their authenticity as “LEGO-branded.” Titled ‘Assorted Childhood Toys,’ the undiscerning eye would be hard-pressed to identify these as toys built out of other toys. However, the builder has expertly used LEGO to transport the beholder to a place of reminiscence. Though rare to come by nowadays, this evokes memories of trips to the grocery store. I almost want to ask Mom for a quarter in hopes of scoring a small plastic treat! It’s hard to imagine anyone who wouldn’t immediately recognize the shape of a yo-yo, isn’t it? This contraption fuses together parts from the LEGO Dots and Sonic the Hedgehog themes into an iconic toy. While these ginormous jacks are a sight to behold, it’s...

From the LEGO builder Caleb Huet, we have a diorama titled ‘The Traveler.’ It’s a safe assumption that this scene intends to transport our imagination to somewhere in Middle Earth. Inspired by Jordi Escamilla’s ‘Waterfall,’ the builder has transformed inspiration from 2D art into the third dimension. Intricately crafted rockwork, lifelike tree builds, and mesmerizing water effects cover the piece, with each element of this diorama standing as a testament to the builder’s creativity and skill. Together, they create a scene that leaves us marveling at the potential of simple plastic elements to evoke such depth and beauty. Have a closer look at the carriage centered over the bridge, and note the build techniques utilized in the bridge itself. Partially-connected bricks form the underside arch spanning between abutments in a great bit of brick ingenuity. The world of LEGO creations has been enriched by the vast and captivating content of The...

There’s something a bit off in this LEGO setting devised by Pan Noda. The intentionally-grainy shot of this brick-built mall food court definitely gives a Backrooms vibe. In a space typically characterized by the bustle of shoppers, the smell of fast food, and the occasional offer of a free sample, the stillness that occurs after hours sure can send a shiver down your spine. It’s hard not to wonder what could be hiding behind a pillar or counter. In fact, maybe it’s best to just get out of here… if I still can. And if you’re up for more spatial and architectural wonders by Pan Noda, be sure to check out the TBB archives. The post Finding oneself in LEGO liminality appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller (TBB Managing Editor)

LEGO and video games have proven to be a powerhouse of family-friendly fun, but combat in LEGO games is a pretty basic affair. If punishing action is more your speed, perhaps you’ve wondered what a LEGO Souls-like game would look like? If it’s anything like Marius Herrmann‘s Corrupted Monk from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, it would be a beautiful game indeed! FromSoftware, makers of Elden Ring and Dark Souls, are known for their amazing enemy bosses that combine punishing difficulty with breathtaking dark fantasy character design. For many, the Corrupted Monk is the pinnacle of boss encounters, as dueling this demoness requires total mastery of the game’s robust combat system (unless you cheese the boss — no shame in that!). Marius’ model employs some incredible parts usage to capture the Monk’s haunting appearance, like the use of an inverted Ninjago Anacondrai helmet for a mouth and a frog for a nose....

The Stinger Mantis is the iconic hero ship and base of Cal Kestis and his NPC companions during his adventures in the Jedi: Survivor and Fallen Order games. This fantastic piece of Star Wars design is recreated in high LEGO detail in this model by Tim Goddard. Tim has spared no expense, and pushed LEGO’s clutch power to achieve the outstanding greebling (or scientific texturing, if you will) on the ship’s vertical fin. I love the details on the outboard engine; the front of the engine is a white life preserver, while the rear nozzle features a ring of clip-and-tube-holders. Speaking of rocket nozzles, it’s worth taking a look at the rear of the ship. You can see more clearly that the outboard motor is mounted on a three-plate-high wing, where the outer two layers have studs pointed in opposite directions. That’s proof of Jedi tricks, I dare say! Finally, you...

My favorite LEGO set of last year (and possibly of all time) is the LEGO Lord of the Rings 10316 Rivendell set. I could wax verbose about that set, but I don’t have to — because everything I loved about Rivendell is back here in this piece, which builder Martin Gebert calls “Rivendell-inspired.” You can certainly see the official set’s influence — the organic blending of nature and masonry, the pastel greens and whites, the otherworldly architecture. And yet this build manages to take the fantasy even further — look at that lovely hanging fountain and the perfectly irregular smoothness of that outcropping. Best of all, this model (entitled “The Arrival of an Old Friend”) is just chapter 1 in a series, so be sure to follow Martin and keep exploring this incredible slice of a fantasy world. The post A fantastic build in more ways than one appeared first on...