LEGO interview – Blocks – the monthly LEGO magazine for fans

Phoning home with LEGO 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Ryan — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Go behind the scenes of the design process for LEGO Ideas 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and hear from LEGO designers about how the model came together, from choosing the right elements to figuring out how to best adapt the original fan design.

Creating kingly details in LEGO 11377 The Lord of the Rings: Minas Tirith

Ryan — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

LEGO Icons 11377 The Lord of the Rings: Minas Tirith is more than just a pretty facade. The model has intricate interior details that were intentionally chosen to bring the White City's most iconic spaces and moments to life in the brick.

Building an alien icon for LEGO Ideas 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Ryan — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:45:00 +0000

E.T. is as lovable as he is strange-looking, which posed a challenge for LEGO Ideas designers when creating 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Learn how they developed the fan design into the final model.

Blending scales to build LEGO Icons 11377 The Lord of the Rings: Minas Tirith

Ryan — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 07:02:00 +0000

LEGO Icons 11377 The Lord of the Rings: Minas Tirith is the largest-ever LEGO Lord of the Rings set. Learn how the designer behind the model fused micro and minifigure scales to create the ultimate Middle-Earth icon, in time for The Fellowship of the Ring's 25th anniversary.

Creating LEGO Rocky and Ryland for Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary

Ryan — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Project Hail Mary might be a sci-fi film set far away in the stars, but its true focus lies on its two main characters: Rocky and Ryland. Hear from LEGO Model Designer Nathan Heigert about the importance of capturing their relationship for 11389 Project Hail Mary.

Blending LEGO System and Technic in LEGO 11389 Project Hail Mary

Ryan — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 10:38:00 +0000

Usually, LEGO designers work primarily with LEGO bricks or LEGO Technic elements. But for 11389 Project Hail Mary, Model Designer Nathan Heigert had to figure out how to blend the two systems together to create the Hail Mary's moving parts, all while keeping the aesthetics of the ship intact.

LEGO 11389 Project Hail Mary – designing for an unreleased movie

Ryan — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:30:00 +0000

LEGO Icons sets are typically based on well-established films and franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers, giving designers ample source material to draw from. But when Model Designer Nathan Heigert got to work on 11389 Project Hail Mary, the film was still months away, making for a trickier design process. He explains the challenges that presents and how he overcomes them to deliver an excellent LEGO model to fans.

Building a sphere in LEGO bricks for LEGO Editions 43019 Football

Ryan — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 09:05:00 +0000

Take a peek behind the scenes of the design process for LEGO Editions 43019 Football and learn how Model Designer Zio Chao captured the world's most famous piece of sporting equipment in a LEGO model, from shaping the exterior to hiding details inside.

Design secrets of LEGO Editions 43020 FIFA World Cup Official Trophy

Ryan — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

LEGO Model Designer Christophe Vietti shares his design process for creating 43020 FIFA World Cup Official Trophy, including the difficulties of building a 1:1 replica and setting the record for most gold elements in a LEGO set.

Creating cuteness for LEGO Ideas 21366 Floating Sea Otters

Ryan — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:33:32 +0000

LEGO Ideas 21366 Floating Sea Otters had an adorable foundation to work from thanks to Maximilian Lambrecht's original design. But Model Designer Chris McVeigh wanted to elevate the cuteness even further, adding in an otter pup and the ability for two otters to hold hands, just like in the wild.