41365 Emma's Art Studio LEGO Set

Review

LEGO Friends 41365 Emma’s Art Studio provides a masterclass in simple LEGO techniques combined with a well thought out and clever design Price: £19.99/ $24.99/ €24.99  Pieces: 235  Available: Now 41365 Emma’s Art Studio contains a modular style art shop and studio with a rooftop cafe. There are tons of art accessories, including scissors, paint brushes, artwork for sale (in the form of stickers) and a water reactive canvas. Also included are two mini-dolls, Andrea and the titular Emma, as well as Chico the cat, who fans have seen before but is no less adorable.   LEGO Friends is a theme that is predominantly aimed at younger girls and while this review does not come from that perspective, I have to admit that I really love this.   Right from the start it’s clear the designers have opted for simple techniques utilised in an incredibly effective way. For example, the little sandwich board poster could not be a more elementary build, a 1x3 tile connected to a dual wheel holder, but it just works and looks great. Every assembly is straightforward yet enjoyable to construct. The set might not offer a challenge but it’s certainly not a disappointing LEGO experience. [gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="52375,52384,52383,52377,52371,52381,52374,52368"] From the various curved and sloped pieces around the windows and doors to the round 1x1 bricks that help add texture to the upper level everything feels like it has a purpose. There’s even a small brick built fire hydrant that completes the outside details. All throughout there are nice touches that really didn't need to be included but make such a difference to the overall design. The detailing extends to the insides of the two buildings through the clever use of brick built elements, printed pieces and stickers. Both interiors offer up a fun build and contain just enough elements for a good play experience. The pottery studio is the more involved build of the two and the use of a white minifigure trophy works perfectly as a ‘work in progress’ sculpture. The pottery wheel can be turned by rotating a 2x2 round brick on the outside of the building. [gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="52379,52370,52362,52366"] The second play feature is a water reactive canvas, which reveals Chico the cat’s paw prints when it gets wet. It’s an exclusive play feature, which young fans will love but doesn’t really offer much replay value for anyone above a certain age. Once you’ve seen it, that’s pretty much it. The two mini-dolls included are both exclusive to 41365 Emma’s Art Studio. Emma is dressed in a bright pink top with blue jeans and comes with a paint brush and paint pallet. Andrea doesn’t come with any designated accessories but does have access to the various art paraphernalia included within the set. Her outfit is so sartorial with a dark blue skirt, gold top, turquoise vest and gold boots that mean she would not look out of place on the catwalks of Paris or Milan. [gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="52373,52376,52363,52378"] Overall the finished set looks great (the huge stickers on each wall help) and because the two main buildings are modular they can either be placed on top of one another or side by side offering up so many play and display options. It all makes for a set that is great value, considering the relatively low price point. LEGO Friends is not for everyone, but both seasoned fans and those wanting to experience the theme for the first time will be incredibly satisfied by this set. This product was provided for review by the LEGO Group. 41365 Emma’s Art Studio is available now at shop.lego.com. You can help support Brick Fanatics’ work by using our affiliate links.

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