How to Make a Classic Ghostbusters LEGO Mosaic Pixel Art

Family movie night is a great idea – in theory only. Once you actually sit down with all the kids, it becomes a management and logistical nightmare trying to please every age group and interest represented. Which is exactly the situation we were in last weekend.

I was in the kitchen making the popcorn. I was smart enough to remove myself from the negotiation battlefield. My husband was stuck in the line of fire, holding the remotes and trying with his best micro-management skills to calm the masses.

The smell of freshly popped white fluffy kernels hung thick in the air when I entered the living room with two big bowls of (slightly) buttered pop corn. Something seemed off.

The situation I walked into was not the same chaos I had left just a few minutes ago. I looked at my husband, who was lounging comfortably between two kids sprawled out on the couch. The other two boys were snuggled together under a blanket, although it’s summer in South Florida.

This is NOT what I was expecting.

All of a sudden everyone erupted in song – and I sent my husband a “THAT’s why you are the best dad” look. He had talked them into watching the original Ghostbusters movie, and as it turns out, with the new Ghostbusters movie being released, the kids had watched trailers and knew the old theme song.

Our family movie night was (for once) a huge success… especially because I had a chance to sit down quietly and plan my next LEGO project, which was inspired by our family-bonding experience.

[bctt tweet=”Learn how to make this awesome #GhostBusters #LEGO mosaic #pixelart. @LEGO_Group” username=”MamaintheNow”]

Ghostbusters LEGO Mosaic Pixel Art: 

Step by step instructions:

• Pick an pattern that inspires you.
  • Perler beads and cross stitch patterns are easily adaptable to LEGO mosaic pixel art.
  • I found the Ghostbusters pattern HERE.
  • I have used this site before for our perler beads Minecraft and Pokemon creations.
• Get LEGO base plates and bricks for the project.
  • My pattern was for a 26×26 pixel image and our [easyazon_link identifier=”B00NHQF626″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]base plate was 32×32 studs[/easyazon_link], so I had to make some modifications to fill in as much space as possible.
  • I bought the base plate on [easyazon_link identifier=”B00NHQF626″ locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]Amazon[/easyazon_link].
  • I raided my kids’ stash of 1×1 studs and 1×2 bricks in bright red, dark gray, black and white.
  • The rest of the bricks were purchased on Bricklink, which is like eBay for LEGO: a direct market place where people sell new and used LEGO bricks. (Ordering from Bricklink for the first time can be a bit intimidating. Before you place your order, check out this comprehensive step by step tutorial.)
• START…
  • The one and only thing that ever holds me back from creating with LEGO is ME. I get in my own way. Don’t be like me! Just start and have fun with it.
• I completed the main color first, which for this design was the white outline. It was then much easier to fill in the blanks with the other colors, completing one at a time.
• Display it!
  • A wood or [easyazon_link identifier=”B011M6PRYE” locale=”US” tag=”maminthenow0e-20″]plastic plate holder[/easyazon_link] is great for showing off your creation on a shelf.
  • Glue a thick board on the back of the baseplate and attach a small wire loop to hang it by a nail.

Building Tips and Tricks: 

• I didn’t glue these pieces for a number of reasons:
  • It’s not necessary to glue LEGO in order for them to stay together. “Other” brands don’t stick as well, which is one of the million reasons why I only work with LEGO brand bricks.
  • I went back and changed/ fixed/ modified the design a few times, especially because my pattern wasn’t for the exact size of my base plate. Making these modifications would have been impossible if I had used glue.
  • The LEGO Master Builder we met during our son’s Make a Wish trip mentioned that “real” LEGO builders don’t use glue. I certainly do NOT want to be considered less than because of my use of the Krackle.
• IF you wish to move one brick in the middle of the art piece, stick the tip of a steak knife gently between two bricks to pop out the brick you are moving. Do this carefully, so you don’t leave marks on the brick.
• As you are making your mosaic pixel art, remember to:
  • take several breaks
  • look at your creation from several feet away to get a better overview.
  • take pictures (I took quite a few, as you can see). They will help you identify the areas that need work.

Now that our first LEGO mosaic pixel art piece is done, we have started to organize all of our bricks and we are planning future pieces.

Stay tuned for more LEGO mosaic pixel art inspiration. Follow my “Perler Bead Patterns” board on Pinterest – it’s full of awesome ideas for your next LEGO mosaic pixel art piece!