You may have seen our recent news announcement for the LEGO 10271 Creator Expert Fiat 500 set. Now we have a chance to build and review the iconic little car. The set consists of 960 pieces and is rated for ages 16+. It retails for the price of US $89.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £74.99; and is available directly from LEGO Stores & LEGO.com as of March 1, 2020. The box, instructions and contents The front of the box features a handsome photo of the legendary Italian car in front of the equally legendary Flavian Amphitheater (aka Colosseum) in Rome. An artist’s easel, palette and painting features an impressionistic approach to the very same scene because…it is so meta and self-aware. The backside showcases many of the play features including opening cabrio-style roof, doors, rear engine space and trunk up front. The primary photo is a rear view of the...

When I first took a glance at this scene by Eero Okkonen a week ago, I assumed the glowing eyes of the monster, called Uku-Li by the builder, were simply the result of some interesting building techniques, lit up by a light from below. Interesting? Yes. Technique? Maybe. Built from LEGO bricks? No, because as I realized upon closer inspection, that is indeed an actual cat back there, in fact, it’s the builder’s newest cat, Ukuli. Star of the show aside, I always love to see modern takes on old LEGO themes, this particular build is a modernization of the Orient Expedition subtheme of the Adventurers line. We can see Johnny Thunder on the right, evidenced by his signature hat, Dr. Charles Lightning at the center, and Pippin Reed taking photos on the left. And don’t miss the use of a Duplo grass piece as vegetation in the top right corner....

I love to see LEGO parts used in innovative ways, as well as LEGO creations that are just a bit different from what you normally see. This map by alego alego hits the target for both of those things for me. While the 1-to-1 map and accessories aren’t huge by LEGO model standards, they’re all jam-packed with detail and nice parts usage. The map itself is a simple mosaic, including a well-integrated circular compass rose, as well as appropriate printed tiles. The perfectly sized black compass case is very simply represented by the Vader pod piece. My favourite details are the hilts of chrome knives used as pins on the map, and the subtle use of these rock/claw pieces as wax piling up at the bottom of the candle. What creative part usage can you spot? The post Plot your course to Leviathan appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal...

This week LEGO Masters contestants and newlyweds Tyler Clites and his wife Amy may have predicted their future. It entails a huge baby demanding all their time/energy/milk and attention and a few cats who might like equal billing. But a ferocious monster cat emerges from beneath the floor tiles and is hellbent on defeating Superbaby and…whatever else monster cats are into. This mini version of their real-life entry demonstrates why parents and pet owners can’t have nice things. If it sounds like the makings of a comedy-monster movie that’s because it is. Last week’s challenge was about movie genre mash-ups and all the entries were just as wild and unpredictable. The show has been a madcap rollercoaster ride so far so be sure to catch LEGO Masters tonight at 9pm on FOX to see what trouble Tyler, Amy, and the other contestants will get into next. Be sure to also check...

There’s nothing like taking the family and the pets on a scenic road trip. On second thought, leave them at home, there is no room for them in a Tommy Ivo dragster anyway. And if you’re soaking in the beautiful sights along the way, then boy are you doing it wrong! Ian Ying has built a LEGO version of TV Tommy’s legendary Twin Buick AA Dragster and the result is…well, legendary. The real thing has broken several world records including being the first gasoline-powered dragster to break the nine-second barrier. I’m sure this LEGO version must break a few records like…um…best use of custom chromed-out motorcycle rims or something. Whether it be the copious amounts of chrome or its aggressive stance, I’m pretty smitten with the whole kit and kaboodle. But then again, I would be. It would seem Ian is an up-and-coming builder to watch out for because here are...

You may have heard of the Green Fairy associated with Absinthe, but did you know that Guinness has a fairy, too? Perched atop a foamy brew, this red-headed sprite is ready to promote all sorts of questionable decision making. Okay, maybe I made all that up. And maybe that’s just root beer. But something makes me think this drink is higher octane than that. Only LEGO builder Timofey Tkachev knows for sure. Built for the Fairybruary contest on DoubleBrick, Timofey has used garage door panels and ice cream scoops to bring the beverage to life. The fairy has some interesting part usage, too, including more of those garage door panels and even Unikitty tails. My only concern really, is that she’s decided to sit directly in the beer. That can’t be sanitary. The post A magical adult beverage appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Chris Doyle

If you are anything like me and were raised watching plenty of Disney movies, your idea of what a fairy looks like is probably skewed towards Tinkerbell. That is, a relatively benign, miniaturized, and heavily sexualized female (big breasts, tiny waist, long legs, etc.) that hangs out in bushes or around flowers. Now, that’s all well and good, I suppose, for those who get their kicks that way, but it leaves out an enormous portion of the realm of Faerie. LEGO builder Alexey Tikhvinsky gets it. Eschewing the dainty feminine for something that reminds me of the Polynesian culture in Moana (I told you I’ve watched plenty of Disney movies), Alexey has created something with wings (like Tink), garbed in plants (also like Tink), and holding a spear (not like Tink). The stormy eyes paint a picture of something definitely not benign if the spear didn’t clue you in first. This...

The 1990s are a golden age of under-appreciated comic book movies. Sure, just about everyone loves the 1992 Batman flick, but what about Mystery Men? Or Darkman? Or, better still, 1994’s The Mask? Based on the Dark Horse comics of the same name, Jim Carrey starred as a wisecracking, fourth-wall-breaking, indestructible anti-hero. Sort of the Deadpool before Deadpool. Pistash has recreated one The Mask’s most meme-able images in LEGO, and it’s just as expressive as the movie version. (Or its animated inspiration.) Some standout bits of construction include the use of a zebra-print tile for a handkerchief, and what I think are FreeStyle wheel pins for pupils. And there lots of curved slopes in magenta for the tongue. But I bet you noticed that bit for yourself. Let’s end with a bit of oddball trivia I discovered while researching this post. I mentioned the Mask’s similarities to Deadpool earlier, right? Well,...

LEGO Masters has aired its fourth episode last week where contestants had to mash-up movie genres, though sadly another team went home. The Brothers Brick had the opportunity to sit down with them and talk about their experience, how family experiences shaped their outlook on life, and what the reaction has been to appearing on the reality show. In the interview conducted jointly with BZPower and True North Bricks, the team talks about which challenge they would have been awesome at and what they would have done differently. If you haven’t yet watched the episode, be warned that there will be spoilers! If you’ve watched the episode, by now you’ll know we’re talking about the “Father and Son BFFs” Manny and Nestor. Nestor wasn’t able to participate in the interview but we chatted with Manny last week. How did you first get into LEGO? When I was three, turning four years...

Last weekend, LEGO revealed the latest addition to the LEGO Creator Expert garage — an adorable 10271 Fiat 500 set. Although it is the smallest model in the line-up of large scale vehicles, don’t let its modest dimensions and piece count fool you. There is more to this lovely car than meets the eye, and there’s no better way to learn all the secrets and inspirations rather than shared by the model’s designer Pierre Normandin. In the most recent LEGO Designer Video, he speaks about the challenges of designing such an unusual car, reveals the meaning of the number plate, and shows his favorite part of the model. 10271 Fiat 500 is available directly from LEGO Stores and LEGO.com for US $89.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £74.99. The post LEGO Designer Pierre Normandin talks about his inspirations for the new LEGO Creator Expert 10271 Fiat 500 set [Video] appeared first...