April 29, 2018

National Mall Project

April 29, 2018/ El Barto

I would say that most of us in the LEGO community, at one time or another, have experienced the overwhelming compulsion to build something; from spaceships, to castles, to superhero figures, and of course, spaceships. Or, if you're like WTyler, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Since his retirement from the video game industry several years ago, he's occupied his new-found free time with LEGO. Crossword puzzles and golf just weren't doing it for him.

September 30, 2017

BrickNerd Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes at LEGO House!

September 30, 2017/ El Barto

You've probably seen pictures. You may have even read a lengthy step by step tour.... But we here at Bricknerd bring you behind-the-scenes coverage of what's really going on in Billund at the LEGO House... Actually, I saw Takamichi Irie's pics on Flickr and shot him an email.

April 12, 2017

Builder Showcase - Marco den Besten

April 12, 2017/ Tommy

Marco den Besten, AKA 'Ecclesiastes, has been building prolifically for years. You've seen his work right here on BrickNerd several times and his fantasy and castle creations always stand out. He always strikes a great balance between structure, scenery and story, making his builds a treat for the eyes and the imagination.

March 19, 2017

BRICKstorians!

March 19, 2017/ El Barto

We all know LEGO as an artistic, architectural and even a therapeutic medium. But these guys are using it to explore history, and make it more accessible to the general public. Kevin J. Walter and Oliver Isensee are in a history Masters degree program at the University of Freiburg. They've taken it upon themselves to create an exhibition of ancient Roman life at the Museum 'Villa Urbana' in Heitersheim, Germania, er, Germany. Of course everybody is familiar with LEGO, young and old alike, and that makes it the perfect vehicle not only for display, but for interactive features as well. That means history is no longer a static 'please do not touch' concept, it's a recreation of ancient Roman life from the scaled-down perspective of a minifigure. Everybody can relate to that!

January 11, 2017

Builder Showcase - Cesar Soares

January 11, 2017/ Tommy

Every once in a while I'll scroll back through a builders photostream on Flickr and realize just how many of their builds have been featured on BrickNerd. Naturally, at that point I realize I'm a big fan of their work, and it's about time they were featured in Builder Showcase. This time around it's LEGO designer Cesar "Cesbrick" Soares. While Cesar gets to design the sets we love for a living, that hasn't stopped his passion for building in his free time, and his creations are always jaw-dropping.

August 30, 2016

Builder Showcase - Eero Okkonen

August 30, 2016/ Tommy

Most of you should be familiar with Eero "Pate Keetongu" Okkonen. His MOCs have been gracing the pages of BrickNerd since we started over three years ago. His style is quirky, in both building and life, and he has a fun and optimistic outlook that I think you'll find endearing.

May 15, 2016

Builder Showcase - Kosmas Santosa

May 15, 2016/ Tommy

The name Kosmas "Kos" Santosa should be very familiar to readers of BrickNerd. His build style, imagination and photography skills are so good that just about everything he posts gets blogged here. I realize that sort of makes me a bit of a fanboy, but I defy you to argue against it. He is also very active in the Indonesian as well as online AFOL community, furthering the hobby with generosity and a singular wit.

March 11, 2016

Builder Showcase - Tyler "Legohaulic" Clites

March 11, 2016/ Tommy

There are a handful of builders out there that are synonymous with quality in my mind. Builders that are so good that I don't even need to see what they've posted to know that I'm blogging something soon. Tyler "Legohaulic" Clites is one of these builders. I've been enjoying and blogging his MOCs for years, and it's time we all got to know him a little better

December 19, 2015

Builder Showcase - Fedde "Karf Oohlu" Barendrecht

December 19, 2015/ Tommy

I've come to expect several things in my daily browsing of Flickr: To be amazed that Yahoo has changed yet something else, someone will have a picture of a LEGO Stormtrooper doing something, and a new MOC from Karf. I can think of no more prolific builder than this unassuming man from down under, and he continuities to amaze and delight me with daily offerings of whimsy and humor.

October 24, 2015

Builder Showcase - Jimmy Fortel

October 24, 2015/ Tommy

The list of AFOLs that have actually visited my little studio here in Lompoc "middle of nowhere" California is pretty small. Not many are willing to make the long trip out of the way. So when Jimmy Forte (AKA 6kyubi6) and his lovely wife were visiting from France and willing to make the 3 hour trip from Los Angeles to visit, I was delighted. We ended up spending most of the day together, toured my dinky studio, had lunch at my favorite local burger joint Tom's, shared wine and mexican food at my house later and had a great time.

June 04, 2015

Builder Showcase - Mike Dung

June 04, 2015/ Tommy

One of the things I most love about the AFOL community is it knows no borders and speaks a common language. I have contact with builders from all over the world, and very much enjoy sharing their work on this blog. Through it I have made friends in so many countries I've lost count. It also exposes me to different pop culture, that while I may not completely understand, I can totally appreciate. One of these builders is Mike Dung. He's one of the reigning kings of manga builders, and his lovely characters are responsible for a great many Google searches on my part, but all worth it.

January 05, 2015

Builder Showcase - David Hensel

January 05, 2015/ Tommy

There are few in the castle genre that haven't heard of David Hensel, AKA Legonardo Davidy, and there are a great many outside the theme (and AFOL community) that have marveled at his creations. His unorthodox, fluid and organic style is eye catching and splendid, and he is a pioneer of building techniques.

His work continually leaves me in awe, and his down-to-earth attitude and humble personality make his MOCs even more appealing. I'm very happy to let you all get to know him a little better.

September 23, 2014

Builder Showcase - Mel Finelli

September 23, 2014/ Tommy

I was recently scrolling through all the previously featured builders and thought it was really about time I featured a female. I know the hobby is hugely gender-skewed to the dumber of the sexes (myself included guys) but there are some amazing lady builders out there and I'm past due featuring one. Coincidently about that same time I stumbled across E pisode 108 of Beyond The Brick featuring Mel Finelli and I thought her story, her MOCs and her outlook on life were great.

August 05, 2014

Builder Showcase - Ed Diment

August 05, 2014/ Tommy

When I met Ed Diment back in 2010 it was immediately evident I was speaking to an AFOL of particular dedication. Of course I met him in the shadow of his phenomenal USS Intrepid, which at 22 feet long just stopped you in your tracks while you picked up your jaw. I soon after discovered he's also a very likable, funny guy with a love for life just as powerful as his passion for the bricks.

March 07, 2014

Builder Showcase - Chris McVeigh

March 07, 2014/ Tommy

Chris McVeigh is one of those builders who has something for everyone. I'm not saying that his portfolio is so vast that he's bound to have done something to please you, I'm saying that his work is so clean, so appealing and so invested with heartfelt nostalgia, that it's irresistible.

February 08, 2014

Builder Showcase - Jon Hall

February 08, 2014/ Tommy

For a great many admirers, myself included, Jon Hall rules the skies. His whimsical, detailed and imaginative aircraft have been delighting LEGO fans for years. Not only are they expertly designed and built, but Jon takes so much care in the photography and photo editing that his work simply stands alone. And it's not just brick, Jon takes meticulous care to design a pilot for every craft, and beautiful stickers that rival official LEGO stickers. Each piece is a work of art, from the spinner to the rudder, and everything in between.

December 03, 2013

Builder Showcase - Andrew Lee

December 03, 2013/ Tommy

Someone once described Andrew as "too cool to be one of us, yet he is" and I thought that summed up Andrew pretty well. He's definitely cooler than me. Yet he's not afraid to let his geeky side show, with an open love of most things nerdy. He also happens to be one of the most talented builders in the AFOL scene, even winning the latest round of Iron Builder. With his shades on, a beer in one hand and a mind-blowing MOC in the other, Andrew brings the party to wherever he is.

October 25, 2013

Builder Showcase - Brandon Griffith

October 25, 2013/ Tommy

Ever since I discovered the AFOL community (you mean I'm not the only one?) I've been a fan of Brandon's work. His building style is clean and whimsical, and rooted in art and pop culture. His diverse portfolio spans multiple genres and building styles, and bridges the LEGO fan world and the general public. All of his work has a touch of humor (and sometimes more than a touch) and a broad appeal.

August 31, 2013

Builder Showcase - Peter Reid

August 31, 2013/ Tommy

If any of you read my article in issue 16 of BrickJournal you know I spent nearly a year in London in 2010-2011. You'll also know that one of the things that kept me sane was spending time with the guy that became my best mate across the pond, Pete Reid. We drank a lot of tea, built a lot of MOCs and did a lot of photography.

August 15, 2013

Builder Showcase - Nathan Sawaya

August 15, 2013/ Tommy

The highlight for me of San Diego Comic-Con was speaking on the BrickJournal: LEGO as an Art Form panel with Nathan Sawaya, Brandon Griffith and Joe Meno. Nathan was especially entertaining and informative on the panel, and let's face it, the real star. He was well-spoken, charming and everything I'm not. He's also one of, if not the, greatest brick artists in the world.