Atop the bell tower, a solitary warrior confesses her sins to the moon. This striking scene from Clockwork Bricks is a master class in contrast and perspective in LEGO. The foreground elements are dimly lit so as to appear all black against a night sky lit by the pink moon. Pagoda tile rooftops are a popular theme in LEGO architecture, but Clockwork Bricks manages to innovate here, incorporating tires into the tiles and a dragon’s wing for extra flare. Larger tires make up the bell. Brick-built clouds and micro builds of distant mountains sell the forced perspective. Clockwork Bricks built this evocative scene for the 2024 Summer Joust competition, where it won top prize in the “Pick Your Poison” category. The post Nocturnal ninja life takes its toll appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Jake Forbes

The LEGO 21334 Jazz Quartet is a great set, but what happens if the musicians need to swap out instruments? PaulvilleMOCs has their back, designing these amazing instruments as a supplement to the official set. Both the sax and the trumpet fully capture the intricacy of the real-world instruments, achieved with a few simple parts in the case of the trumpet. The saxophone uses a bigger assortment of pearl gold parts to suggest the instrument’s various tubes and valves, along with a black mouthpiece. The pads (the little round things that lift up to produce different sounds) are represented with well-placed round 1×1 rounded tiles. Both instruments are accurate enough to give me vivid flashbacks of junior high band class. The post A pair of builds that hit just the right note appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Ryan Kunz

There’s a feeling I get when I look at a great LEGO build, like this one by Tomasz Bartoszek! You can feel the scene drawing you in as you look for all the tiny details in this packed build. Tomasz has added a ton of designed disorder to the build that adds to the organic feel of the scene. For example, those gaps in the slats in that gate in the background are simply the gaps between bricks that aren’t pushed together. So, don’t be alarmed now if there are gaps in your brickwork. It’s just another building technique! Check out that tiny brick at the bottom of the stairs. That’s an old Modulex brick that Tomasz snuck in. Finally, the window in the door on the left is made from chain links. And don’t worry, that minstrel isn’t playing alone. The drummer will be there in four minutes! The post...

The Imperial AT-ST scout walker is secure in the S-tier of all-time great Star Wars vehicles and frequently shows up in official LEGO sets and fan creations. It’s been 18 years since the beloved “chicken walker” received the UCS treatment, making it prime time for a remake with modern techniques and parts. Carl Greatrix took on this challenge and created perhaps the most screen accurate AT-ST we’ve ever seen in LEGO. The legs, side-mounted cannons, and especially the rear, feature just the right amount of greebling (the decorative bits of tubes and texture that give Star Wars vehicles that gritty garage aesthetic). A few judiciously applied custom decals push the accuracy to the next level. Perhaps most impressively, Carl engineered the legs with enough strength to balance this notoriously tricky top-heavy design without support. Carl is no stranger to building screen vehicles in incredible detail as he works as a senior...

Ah, the influencer. A much-maligned – sometimes unfairly so – mainstay of modern social media. Although I don’t know much about LEGO influencers, I do know about some influential LEGO builders; namely, Nick Jensen. And he has turned his talented hand to… Well, a brick-built influencer! (These articles aren’t just thrown together, you know!) This social media savant’s pose gives her so much character, and it’s not hard to picture what that selfie she’s taking will look like. Front and centre of the piece is a great use of a particular LEGO part, though. A cupcake holder – seen in a couple of Dots sets – makes for a fantastic miniskirt! href=”https://www.flickr.com/photos/nickjensen/53930483696/in/pool-lego/”> The post Building under the influence(r) appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Theo Spencer

Can’t pick just one big-budget sci-fi franchise in which plucky insurgents strike back against an evil from the stars? Now you don’t have to. Moptoptrev‘s “Neytiri’s First Space Flight” blends the aerial rides of choice from both Avatar and Star Wars in vivid color. The LEGO creation is part machine, part creature, and all deadly. Even without the Avatar additions, the color scheme makes for a visually stunning X-wing, but the banshee parts take it to a whole new level. The craft’s signature S-foils have been replaced by banshee wings, and the laser cannons are now banshee heads. The largest head forms the nose of the living starfighter. I don’t know how all those heads work together, but one thing’s for sure: if you’re a bad guy, this is one thing you don’t want to see in your rearview mirror. The post Lock your banshee in attack position, we’re going in! appeared first on...

Although it likely falls foul of a few OSHA or health & safety regulations, it can’t be denied that the Burrow – home of the Weasleys in the Harry Potter books and movies – leaves a lasting impression with its ramshackle vibe. Having been in a handful of playsets, LEGO is now seeing fit to release an upgraded version of this rickety residence. 76437 The Burrow – Collector’s Edition will hit shelves just in time for Back to Hogwarts day, i.e. this September 1st, for US $259.99 | CAN $339.99 | UK £219.99. That price nets you the 2,405 pieces required to build the Burrow, but between its release and September 10 it will also qualify LEGO Insiders for some additional gifts with purchase (GWPs). Chief among these is 40695 Borgin and Burkes: Floo Network, which includes a Lucius Malfoy figure and is available if you spend US $130 | CAN...

She was a high-town girl, raised in comfort. He lived in low-town, busking for coin. She hears a hum on the whispering wind. Could it be love? All that keeps these two apart is a short flight of stairs. Tomasz Bartoszek captures this romantic moment in LEGO with a scene that is packed with medieval detail and incredible parts usage. The brickwork throughout features some lovely SNOT (studs not on top) techniques, especially on that heavy wall through which the staircase rises. My favorite details are the large door that uses gaps between bricks to look like wooden planks, and the slate roof that integrates capes for a truly ramshackle look. The distinct colors and building techniques for the high and low towns make this scene of star-crossed lovers really shine. Tomasz’  build won the runner up spot in the 2024 Summer Joust Competition “Stairway Tales” category. The post Love is...

Cyberpunk isn’t a genre one typically associates with subtlety, but for his latest LEGO creation, Quian Yj achieves just that balance. At first glance, this multi-story inn looks like a building you might see today, or any time during the Qing Dynasty. But look a little closer and you’ll notice that the signs are neon and the roof tiles are transparent, perhaps a solar layer to power this waystation of the future. Honestly it makes a lot of sense that old buildings would be retrofitted for a cyber future rather than razed and replaced with 80s industrial vibes. I appreciate the mix of window styles (including the stained-glass from the Brick Bank) suggesting a building that has undergone regular repairs and updates over a century or more. Even with a sci-fi work like this, Quian Yj’s architectural builds feel so cozy and lived-in. I wonder if the inn has any vacancies?...

Yesterday, Part 1 of our TBB review of LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 covered the Breath of the Wild version of this arboreal guardian. But now we need to run through a couple measures of the notes A, D, and F to play the Song of Time on our ocarina and roll the review back to the beginning again. This time, we’ll be diving deep into the Great Deku Tree version from Ocarina of Time. LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 comes in at 2,500 pieces with release on September 1st. The set is already available for pre-order, retailing for US $299.99 | CAN $389.99 | UK £259.99 on the LEGO website. It may also be available from third-party sellers such as Amazon and eBay. But what about part 1? If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you give LEGO The Legend...