Black Falcons are on the move.

LEGO ships come in various shapes and sizes and are captained by different factions. Builder Andreas Lenander transports us to a scene where the Black Falcons are either embarking on an adventure. The builder shows off with the construction and placement of the sails, as I’m sure those things weigh quite a bit. Undoubtedly this portion of the build presented a challenging task as well as a unique approach to a frequently visited part of a ship build. Brick-built sails are not unique, but the approach here diverges from the often-seen use of borrowed capes and other fabrics and provides depth and volume to the overall build. Although the sails are great, a closer look at each shipmate intrigues me as I try to determine where the hairpiece was borrowed. I see a couple of familiar options- Ariel? Leia? Finally, the water caught my attention. Although the approach is simple, it almost seems obvious now. I don’t know if this builder utilized a groundbreaking approach to depicting water via LEGO bricks, but I sure enjoyed seeing it for the first time here.

Perilous journey

Towering stones, reddish tones, and brave clones in the Star Wars action scene

At first glance, the most show-stopping part of ARKUM ELO‘s LEGO diorama of the planet Geonosis is the stunning array of organic-looking rock formations. A second glance highlights the elite clone Delta Squad taking on a detachment of Geonosians and battle droids, the action so vivid that you can almost hear the whine of superheated plasma as both sides trade blaster bolts. But what makes this model stand out are the extra touches from the LEGO Star Wars video games: the health bars hovering over the action and the floating studs ready for collection. Good thing both parties appear to be at full health because it looks like the battle is about to get nasty.

Delta squad on Geonosis 2.0

A scale model in plastic kit form (no, not that sort)

Joao Nunes is sharing some pictures of his latest plastic kit. The painting is done, he’s got the brick separator and scalpel ready, and all that’s left to do is… Hang on. We’re confusing our LEGO bricks with our Airfix here! This is a very convincing facsimile of a Tamiya-style model, where instead of simply clicking bricks together, you need to painstakingly cut and paint each piece before gluing it all together. (With Kragle, presumably.) To the purist, that might sound like a nightmare – but fear not, no LEGO pieces were harmed in making this tableau. Even the box and sticker sheet are as good as new!

Speed Champions VS Tamiya

Fall in love with Fallout 4’s rustiest truck stop

Whether you’re a video game veteran who’s been wandering the Wasteland for years or a Brotherhood initiate who just gleefully binged the Fallout show, there’s plenty to love in Raymond Stuijvenberg’s LEGO diorama of the Red Rocket Truck Stop from Fallout 4.  The details are too numerous to mention them all, but let’s start by properly appreciating the building techniques involved. You can’t see them—which means they’re doing their job—but the builder used ball joints to get the roof and support at just the right angle. And yes, those are Dogmeat and Mr. Handy at the vault-dweller’s side.

Fallout Red Rocket Truck Stop

Do you dare venture inside?

Creative adobe suites in LEGO

The stacked adobe houses of Taos Pueblo are an architectural wonder whose living history goes back a thousand years. Brothers Brick alum Nannan Zhang takes inspiration from Taos for his breathtaking model The Enchanted Pueblo. While the pastel colors are much more vibrant the the walls of Taos Pueblo, they absoultely reflect the palette of a desert sunset and art of the region. The offset houses with their rounded roofs and exposed viga beams are unmistakeably pueblo, but serindipitously echo the architecture of LEGO House in Billund. There are so many lovely details with brilliant parts use, from the strings of dried chilis that hang by the doors, to the custom red soil base, to the incredible array of desert succulents (love that flowering yucca on the left!). If, like me, you’re wondering where those curvy pots that fit so well on the terraces come from, they’re sourced from old Scala flower pots.  Nannan estimates the build took 60 hours over 2 months to achieve, but the results are truly timeless.

Enchanted Pueblo

Le voyage dans Hyperspace Mountain

You don’t have to travel to Billund for LEGO-themed thrill rides. Skip the queues and visit Gregory Coquelz‘s Disney park mini-builds instead! Space Mountain was the second of Disney’s E-ticket mountains and unique among roller coasters for its fully enclosed light-and-sound experience. Four of the Disney parks followed the original 1975 design of a retro-futuristic white cone, but for Disneyland Paris, the Imagineers took a different approach, taking inspiration from Jules Verne and remaking the ride with a steampunk veneer. Gregory pays tribute to this incarnation, with a tan and azure roof and the signiture barrel of the space gun up the side (true to the Jules Verne roots, this ride launched visitors into space via good old-fashioned ballistics). I love the use of interlocked domes in dark red for the loading shute. The Verne theme extends to a micro Nautilus moored next to the “Mountain.” Should you visit Disneyland Paris today, you’ll find the shell of the mountain largely the same, but inside your coaster is accompanied by projected X-Wing fighters and TIE Fighters as part of a Star Wars retheming.

Space Mountain 1

To see more Disney Parks mini builds, check out Gregory’s Tower of Terror and Big Smol Thunder Mountain.

Trim and bear it

According to LEGO builder extraordinaire Cecilie Fritzvold, your once beloved toys get lonely once you cast them aside. That’s why Teddy here has learned the art of topiary trimming so that he can trim himself a new friend that he can care for, just as he was once cared for many years ago. Sweet moments like this make Cecilie one of our favorite builders lately.Check out our Cecilie Fritzvold archives to see what I mean. Maybe it’s time I phone up the ‘rents and have them send my childhood stuffed animals to me.

To be a teddy bear

Darkrai brings darkness to your Pokédex

In my household there is only one batch of laundry to do on laundry day; darks. Why bother with pretty pastels when your soul is as dark as a raven’s wing? That’s why I was so attracted to this LEGO Darkrei Pokémon built by Dan V. This shadow figure is known to infiltrate your dreams and turn them into nightmares, but not in any kind of malicious way. It doesn’t try to do that; it just does so because that is its nature. It has claw-like hands and skinny protuberances for legs and hair that cover one blue eye and leave the other exposed to peer into your soul. Everything I described above also can be said for the lead singer of my favorite Goth band so…there’s that.

Darkrai

Scan in the piece where you live

One of the great things about a fandom like LEGO is that it can accommodate and celebrate so many disparate special interests, from tractors to ancient Rome to ornithology. Builder voxel123 give the full otaku treatment to a subject I’ve never seen in LEGO before; radiology. Voxel has previously built medical scanners at minifig scale as well as BrickHeadz tributes to pioneering radiologists, but for his latest series of models, he works at a larger Miniland scale, using Belville dolls to staff the facilities. Each piece of machinery is part of a larger vignette where studless surfaces are crafted with the bright colors and geometric patterns you might see in a medical facility catering to children.

First, we have an open MRI system, a scanner that can accommodate those who might have trouble with the standard tunnel MRI machines, like children or claustrophobic patients.

Open MRI Suite Playset (Miniland Scale) - Scanner room

A waiting room puts younger patients at ease with a miniature MRI model and boxes of plush toys to scan. I especially like the quarter circle tile mosaics, balanced inside a transparent brick, a variation of a technique I first encountered in the Ninjago City Markets karaoke lounge.

Open MRI Suite Playset (Miniland Scale) - Waiting Room

But wait, there’s more medical imaging fun to be had!

New LEGO sets for May 2024 now available for purchase + May the 4th LEGO Star Wars sales & deals [News]

We’re on the precipice of a LEGO holiday of galactic proportions, with May 4th right around the corner! And in keeping with Star Wars Day, LEGO has debuted a host of new sets within this great theme, while placing a number of sets on sale (with a special LEGO Insiders code you redeem). The jewel in this crown of Jedi and Sith offerings has got to be LEGO Star Wars 75382 TIE Interceptor, available early on May 1st only to LEGO Insiders. But there’s other pop culture-based sets about to hit store shelves, with a lineup from the new Despicable Me 4 movie releasing today as well. If you’re interested in either offering, or maybe the new line of space-inspired minifigs in 71046 Collectible Minifigures Series 26 (also debuting today), be sure to get on over to the LEGO website (US | CAN | UK).

As always, a portion of proceeds from purchases you make when you buy online by clicking through from Brothers-Brick.com help keep our servers and other infrastructure running, along with providing funds for our sponsorships of conventions and other community activities for LEGO hobbyists around the world.

LEGO Star Wars

LEGO Star Wars 75382 TIE Interceptor | 1,931 Pieces | Available Now for LEGO Insiders | US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £199.99

We got our hands on the set early, so be sure to read up on Theo’s 75382 TIE Interceptor TBB review!

LEGO Star Wars 75381 Droideka | 583 Pieces | Available Now | US $64.99 | CAN $84.99 | UK £59.99

LEGO Star Wars 75380 Mos Espa Podrace Diorama | 718 Pieces | Available Now | US $79.99 | CAN $99.99 | UK £69.99

LEGO Star Wars 75383 Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator | 640 Pieces | Available Now | US $69.99 | CAN $89.99 | UK £59.99

Collectible Minifigures

LEGO CMF Series 26 – Space | 12 Minifigures | Available Now | US $4.99 | CAN $5.99 | UK £3.49

Despicable Me 4

Despicable Me 4 75583 Minions and Gru’s Family Mansion | 868 Pieces | Available Now | US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £89.99

Be sure to check out Daniel’s TBB review of 75583 Minions and Gru’s Family Mansion!

Despicable Me 4 75582 Brick-Built Gru and Minions | 839 Pieces | Available Now | US $54.99 | CAN $69.99 | UK £49.99

Daniel was also able to give 75582 Brick-Built Gru and Minions a look before hit hit store shelves. Read on to see what he thought!

LEGO Star Wars May the 4th sales & deals

In addition to the new products launching today, LEGO is kicking off its May the 4th Star Wars festivities early by placing a number of LEGO Star Wars sets on sale via codes you can redeem through your personal LEGO Insiders page on LEGO.com. Discounts range from $15 to $35 (USD).

75357 Ghost & Phantom II ($30 USD discount) | 1,394 pieces | US $159.99 | CAN $209.99 | UK £149.99

75371 Chewbacca™ ($35 USD discount) | 2,319 pieces | US $199.99 | CAN $259.99 | UK £179.99

75352 Emperor’s Throne Room™ Diorama ($15 USD discount) | 807 pieces US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £89.99

Plus, LEGO is offering quadruple (4x) LEGO Insiders points on the following sets:

Learning about Iberian freight trains through LEGO

Something I really like about the global LEGO community is when builders take inspiration from their local surroundings for their creations. Sérgio Batista, for instance, has crafted this nice freighy convoy with a train from his native Portugal. Now I can’t confess to being a train expert, at least not where south-western Europe is concerned, but having seen Sérgio’s model, I’ve now gone down a bit of a Wikipedia rabbit hole reading about the history of railways in Portugal. So I can say with a modicum authority that this is a CP4700 series locomotive, with an attractive brick-built livery!

Just a Lego containers train

And you know what’s better than one great scale model of a Portuguese freight train? Two scale models of a Portuguese freight train! Here’s another slightly less modern consist, with the so-called ‘Nez-Cassée’ 2620 series built by Alsthom. Fun fact: ‘nez cassé’ means broken nose in French, and the stubby cab front is where they get this nickname from. Thanks for the educational trip, Sérgio!

Just a Lego freight train

Sculpting Legends: Inside the Fantasy World of ‘Guilds of Historica’

Builder Mathijs Dubbeldam gives us a glimpse into the LEGO medieval fantasy world created by Eurobricks, known as ‘Guilds of Historica’. The build, titled ‘Sculptor’, is presented with a prompt, “. . . a large order from the King. His majesty wants an enormous statue . . .” inviting us to delve deeper into the layout and characters within the scene. Despite the prompt, the concept of a sculptor diligently working to unveil a statue of significance is readily apparent. Additionally, the presence of a green-skinned character immediately indicates that this is no ordinary medieval scene, but likely one from a fantastical world.

[Rockwail] Sculptor

In the second image, a close-up reveals how the rockwork, or brickwork, as it were, has been carefully designed and thought out, offering us a glimpse into the ongoing formation of a legendary dwarf warrior. The ‘messy’ hair on the sculptor gives the impression this artist has been hard at work with no rest. I imagine his hands – do we call them hands for LEGO minifigures? – are calloused from his past and current sculpting endeavors.

[Rockwail] Sculptor