I’m a sucker for a real-world creation, especially one as well executed as this one from builder legoloverman. The thin lines were achieved through the clever use of hinges, and the spiral binding with hoop blades. My favorite detail is more subtle though, and perfectly appropriate, that’s Eraser’s head on the end of the pencil there. Original linkOriginal author: Tommy

It wasn’t very long ago that we featured an interview with superb Japanese builder Takamichi Irie. We’ve also covered a number of his builds on this site. So if you’re having deja vu about seeing this lovely animal before, you’re not crazy! The sleek scorpion is back as one of Takamichi’s signature automata. Using only brick-built cogs and simple mechanics, he’s breathing new life into this automaton and other eye-catching builds. In the latest version, the turn of a crank makes the kinetic sculpture come to life. The pincers go up and down, and the tail flicks dangerously. The scorpion is also accompanied by an adorable little grasshopper, doing his best to hop away. Do you remember Takamichi’s Rosalia batesi? He turned that one into a kinetic sculpture as well! It essentially has an identical mechanism to the Stag Beetle Automata that we mentioned in our interview with Takamichi. But it...

One of the things I love about Alan Boar’s LEGO creations is the amount of time he takes to research his subjects. In this case it’s the Taikoo Ropeway, an early cable car system built in 1891 to link Hong Kong’s Taikoo Dockyard to the Taikoo Sugar Refinery. The finished diorama, built in collaboration with his wife and son, is rendered in an aesthetic reminiscent of Chinese landscape painting. Designed in monochrome, the Mount Parker setting is wonderfully accented with stylised brick clouds. In front of the clouds, a grey building frames the predominately white ropeway scene, helping to highlight a host of fascinating features. The post Take a cable car to the clouds appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: David Alexander Smith

To celebrate the release of the new Fantastic Beasts movie this month, LEGO is releasing 40289 Diagon Alley as a giveaway on LEGO Shop purchases over $99. LEGO sent us an early copy of the set to review. The microscale set is built to the same scale as 71043 Hogwarts Castle, and includes 374 pieces along with a minifigure of wand shop owner Mr. Ollivander. The packaging & instructions Diagon Alley comes in a small box, tightly packed with two sets of numbered bags. The instruction booklet is folded inside, with 62 steps spanning 72 pages. A single 2×14 plate hangs out by itself loose in the box. The back of the box features a closeup of the street scene, with callouts explaining what each structure represents. The build & parts Small freebie sets like this tend to feature pretty basic building techniques and standard parts, resulting in a quick build....

Route 66 is the mother of all highways in the USA, cutting across the nation from coast to coast through small towns and scenic vistas. Though it’s since been eclipsed by the interstate highway system, it’s captured a special place in history for making the trans-American highway a reality. LEGO builder hachiroku24 brings us back to Route 66’s glory days with an awesome rendition of the highway marker sign, part mosaic and part sculpture. The excellent use of the 4×4 quarter-circle macaroni tiles lends both the numbers and shield outline just the perfect curves. The post It’s a long road ahead appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Chris