Since 2016, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of ‘big’ LEGO sets, and what used to be a relatively rare event is becoming run-of-the-mill. As well as identifying the best method to judge the size of a set, we’ll appraise recent trends and the wider landscape of big sets, and look back on two decades of LEGO’s ‘Big Beasts’. Image by Chris Clarke So What Is A ‘Big’ Set Anyway? There is no conclusive way to measure how ‘big’ a LEGO set is, which is essential if we want to assess the value for money (or lack thereof). Piece count has been the traditional measure, but the release of 31203 World Map and its 11,000 or so tiny round tiles, took away any remaining authority the already flawed ‘price per piece’ metric had. Image © The LEGO Group 31203 World Map Weight Is Better Than Piece Count Price...

As more and more Collectible Minifigure series (CMFs) are produced based on licensed themes, the question always arises: “Why can’t we have a Star Wars series?” There are certainly enough characters from a galaxy far, far away that haven’t been made into minifigs yet. With the Disney 100 CMF series soon to be released, let’s return to the year 2000 where a short-lived line of sets would provide not only collectible Star Wars figures but figures for a number of original LEGO themes as well. These odd display pieces with stands and information cards were released as “Collectible Mini-Figures” several years before the CMF series was conceived. So let’s dive into what exactly this strange line of sets was. History While fans might not always agree and new complaints arise with more and more specialty minifigures being released, LEGO has a long history of making consumer-friendly ways to acquire individual and...

LEGO Brand Stores will be doing a make and take event for a LEGO Photo Frame just in time for Mother’s Day. The event will be happening on Sunday, April 28 from 12-2pm local time. There’s only a limited quantity per store and will be available on a first come first serve basis so get there early if you want to participate. LEGO® Photo Frame make and take event is intended for participants aged 6+ years. The LEGO Photo Frame model will be available on a first come first serve basis, while supplies last. LEGO Photo Frame offer is valid on 04/28/2024 from 12-2pm only. Limited to one LEGO Photo Frame build per guest. LEGO Photo Frame model cannot be purchased. The post LEGO Store Mother’s Day Photo Frame Make & Take Event appeared first on The Brick Fan. Original linkOriginal author: Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

One of my early entry points into MOC building was joining the Disney Habitat Challenge on Instagram in 2022. It was my first Instagram challenge, and it got me hooked on the benefits of habitats (and joining challenges for that matter). Disney Robinhood habitat by @Brickbuiltjosh Their small size is a welcome challenge while being super manageable to create, even when life was turned upside down as happened last year. They seem small and innocuous, but they can pack a ton if you approach it with curiosity and an eye for detail.  Habitats are the haiku of LEGO building: easy to dismiss, but you can fit worlds inside its small structure. We’ll explore exactly how you can make the most out of those 8x8 stud haikus with five key skill areas that are guaranteed to elevate your build’s impact. If you’re new to building your own creations or are hesitating to...

A LEGO Store at the Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan has put out the upcoming LEGO Icons NASA Artemis Space Launch System (10341). The set contains 3,601 pieces and includes the Artemis I shuttle with the two boosters along with the service structure and the launch tower. There’s no word on the pricing or launch date yet at this time. **Via Reddit** The post LEGO Icons NASA Artemis Space Launch System (10341) Revealed appeared first on The Brick Fan. Original linkOriginal author: Allen "Tormentalous" Tran

Why look at the clouds from below when you have a much better view up above! Carter (Carter Witz) and Hadden (Roanoke Handybuck) prove this to be true with their wonderful collaborative MOC, Cloud Life. I was able to catch up with the builders and find out how such a collaboration happens—and get an insight into their creative process. Cloud Life Planning and Collaborating Chris: Hey guys, it was great to see this in person at Bricks Cascade. Thanks for taking the time to dig a little deeper and nerd out over this fantastic MOC! First up, this was a team effort between the two of you—how did the planning for this project go? Blue is carter (LEFT), green is Hadden (RIGHT) Hadden: Hey Chris! Thanks for the interview! Planning was very spontaneous and it took place in a 60ish minute Discord call around 2.5 weeks before Bricks Cascade. We sent...

Crescent Moon Rock Sculpture by Nannan is the latest project to achieve 10,000 supporters on LEGO Ideas. The build was inspired by a real rock sculpture by Mugen Woong and it features a scholar’s rock in the shape of a moon. The project joins Spirited Away, Appa the Sky Bison, from Avatar the Last Airbender, Venus Flytrap, Minerals Display, Dreamworks’ Shrek’s Swamp 2, Hello Kitty and Friends – 50 Years, Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch, Medieval Tournament, Among Us: The Skeld, Cherry Blossom Ikebana, Roman Forum, The Wizard of Oz 85th Film Anniversary, Interstellar, Working Suspension Railway, Metallica M72 World Tour, Suitcase Express!, Outer Wilds, Medieval Inn by the Gatehouse, Clockwork Solar System, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, My Neighbor Totoro, Tower Chess, Medieval Bee Farm, LEGO Gundam, Dancing House, Prague, The Wizard Peaks, Rocky Reef Restoration, Finding Nemo – First Day of School, Coraline – The Pink Palace, Vintage Record Player, The Highland Cow,...

In not-so breaking-news, something that has flown mostly under the radar of most in the brick-osphere—LEGO has updated their brand identity in partnership with Interbrand. You may now be thinking “What is a brand identity?” and that’s totally fair because it likely won’t have much of an effect on you as seasoned hobbyists already loyal to the brand. A brand identity is a term that collectively describes all of the visual elements that make up a brand. The colours and shapes of advertising, the typefaces chosen for written material, the word-choices used to craft a certain personality or ‘voice’, and of course the logo go into creating a recognizable identity. It was only a few months ago that I brought up the (at-the-time) current brand font and identity with the use of Cera Pro! Is a mere four years too short of a turnaround on a new look for the brand?...

LEGO Canal Houseboat by JonasKramm is the latest project to achieve 10,000 supporters on LEGO Ideas. The 1,200 piece build features a minifigure-scale houseboat complete with a full interior. The project joins Spirited Away, Appa the Sky Bison, from Avatar the Last Airbender, Venus Flytrap, Minerals Display, Dreamworks’ Shrek’s Swamp 2, Hello Kitty and Friends – 50 Years, Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch, Medieval Tournament, Among Us: The Skeld, Cherry Blossom Ikebana, Roman Forum, The Wizard of Oz 85th Film Anniversary, Interstellar, Working Suspension Railway, Metallica M72 World Tour, Suitcase Express!, Outer Wilds, Medieval Inn by the Gatehouse, Clockwork Solar System, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, My Neighbor Totoro, Tower Chess, Medieval Bee Farm, LEGO Gundam, Dancing House, Prague, The Wizard Peaks, Rocky Reef Restoration, Finding Nemo – First Day of School, Coraline – The Pink Palace, Vintage Record Player, The Highland Cow, Scooby-Doo! and the Ravenwood Mansion, Men in Black: Agent K’s Transforming Jet...

Welcome back all you beautiful builders! Today it´s time to look at a few techniques for building textured LEGO walls. I know, sounds amazing right? I mean, when looking at a building, is there really anything more exciting than the walls? More exciting than drying paint! (Um, never mind, don´t think about that too much…) Let´s just dive in and see what MOC examples are out there of cool LEGO wall techniques! There are, of course, a variety of ways one can construct a LEGO wall, so let´s start with the more basic and work our way from there. Stacking Bricks First off, the most classic way is to simply stack bricks or plates on top of each other. This is a simple and sturdy way to get where you need to go. However, mixing different colours or types of bricks/plates can make even a simple technique seem rather impressive and...