While we focus mainly on the AFOL community here at BrickNerd, I thought it would be fun to reconvene my scientific panel of children for another round of “LEGO According To Kids.” As builders and hobbyists, we use a lot of acronyms and nicknames to discuss LEGO. But can someone with little to no exposure to the hobby understand any of the lingo we use? I quizzed my kids, aged 3, 6 and 7, to see what translates from our comprehensive BrickNerd AFOL Slang Dictionary. I picked some of the more common parts with well-known nicknames to see what they thought. I first asked what they thought the part should be called, then got their reaction on the actual nickname. Name That Brick! To start off, I chose some pieces with fairly known nicknames within the LEGO community. While many of these element names are subjective, I went with the most...

When Black Falcon knights need room and board between tracking down bounties on Wolfpack hooligans, where better to stay than Ben Cossy‘s beautiful Black Raven Inn? Ben’s latest medieval LEGO build innovates on classic half-timbered designs. I especially apprecaite the mix of white bricks with tan and sun-yellowed white to give the plastered walls a weathered look, constrasted with the dark brown timbers. For the foundation, Ben plays with a new technique of offset stacks of 1×1 tiles clipped to tubes. While the building is striking on its own, the sand green landscaping and voluminous trees really sell the scene. For details how how he pulled off that unique foundation and to hear what inspired this amazing build, watch and listen as Ben guides you through the process. If you, like us, give this inn a ten, then consider revisiting Ben’s past models featured on TBB. The post The grass is...

Despite being named Castle of LEGO Sword, most of the knights defending this fortress are armed with literally anything else. Luckily for them, this build by Yujie Jiang is instead named after the giant stone sword mounted inside the keep. This build has character as big as its gigantic sword. For starters, said giant sword is an outstanding up-sized replica of the classic LEGO sword that was produced in multiple forms between 1978 – 2016. This sword makes excellent use of 4×4 round bricks and is studded with neat little gems. The tower’s design is effective as well, with a door made of tiles mounted inside a 1×6 arch, and the general structure using 1×2 profile bricks, chisled pentagonal shields, and the extra touch of the carved lion head above the door. That sword, though, is a thing of beauty. It’s approximately human-sized and can be pulled out by any friendly...

LEGO has revealed an upcoming gift with purchase set with the LEGO Water Park (40685). Details on when and how to get it are still under wraps but it does have 132 pieces and it features a water park with a couple of different of slides. Slide into building fun with the LEGO® Water Park (40685) set for kids aged 7 and up. Brimming with details that young swimmers will adore, it makes a great Children’s Day gift. Kids will have fun building the water park before diving into its cool features, including a tower, snack area and a barrel that releases water elements. And the excitement doesn’t end there. Role play is easy thanks to the 2 minifigures, who can ride the water slide and relax in the swim ring. What a fun day out! The post LEGO Water Park (40685) GWP Revealed appeared first on The Brick Fan. Original...

Occasionally, an excellent example of great parts usage shows up online. One of the most recent such examples is this Colorful Owl by Nikita Filatov! This artist has done a splendid job of repurposing parts from the Wildflower Bouquet to create this adorable little friend of an owl. The dark purple bicorn hats make up the fluffy plumage of the owl’s wings, while the belly feathers are made of magenta paddles, and the eyebrows, which add so much character to the little bird, are made of wavy swords. If you, like me, didn’t recognize the disks that make up the whites of its eyes, have no fear; in that tan color, they are from the Wildflower Bouquet – and the part was made originally for the wheels of the James Bond Aston Martin. I’m looking forward to seeing more builds from NikiFilik. This one has been a (wait for it…) hoot!...