Following the introduction of new LEGO (r) colors in recent years, it appears that 2020 will continue the trend. In 2018, 107 Bright Bluish Green/Dark Turquoise reappeared, followed by 353 Vibrant Coral in 2019, and now 362 Transparent Blue Opal in 2020. This leaves us to assume that we can expect another new color in 2021.
There have been several theories as to why these colors were removed from production in the first place. Some believe they were done so that designers could have more freedom in creating new models, while others think it has something to do with copyright laws. No matter the reason, it seems these colors are making a comeback.
It is known that all new sets must be at least partially made of plastic bricks, but some may include other materials too. However, it is possible that some of these sets may also include non-plastic pieces such as wood or metal.
The new colors were first shown at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. At that time, a representative for the company stated that more details would be released at a later date. So keep an eye out for more information about these colors in the coming months!
The most popular LEGO colours
In 2021, there are 43 LEGO themes that are presently in production. There have been an additional 107 LEGO themes in the past, all of which have been discontinued. The most recent theme to be released is the Star Wars theme in 2017.
All told, there are 228 different minifigures that have been made available through the various LEGO themes. Some characters have been made available in more than one theme and some themes have included several minifigures that are not based on existing licenses or franchises (such as Miniland figures).
The first LEGO theme was called "Blocks", which consisted of just two sets: a house and a truck. It was released in 1978 and had red, blue, and yellow bricks as its main color scheme. In 1979, a second theme called "The Simpsons" was released with seven sets that were inspired by the TV show at the time. This was followed by other popular themes such as "Star Wars", "Indiana Jones", and "Batman".
In 2001, a new type of set was introduced into the lineup called "LEGO Movie Sets".
Sand Blue is a somewhat uncommon LEGO color that is largely seen in Part 2412. The Dinosaurs theme and the Alpha Team Mission Deep Freeze subtheme make extensive use of it. It is also used by itself on a few items such as the Space Shuttle.
Like most colors made from red and white, Sand Blue looks better when it's applied sparingly. Here are some examples of how it is used:
The Space Shuttle is painted Sand Blue with red stripes and white textured trim.
The exterior of the X-Wing fighter is painted Red with White details and an undercarriage section is painted Black.
The interior of the TIE Fighter is white with black panels and seats.
The Falcon has a light grey body with white panels and orange accents.
Dinosaurs have dark grey skin and pinkish-red muscle tissue.
Miners are brown with black accents.
And here are some examples of how not to use Sand Blue:
Firefighters are red with white accents and yellow fire engines.
Police officers are white with blue accents and police cars.
The 8 Color Trends Palette
The day has also established a tradition at LEGO as a release day for new standard sets, unique sets, and special promotions. So, in 2021, LEGO will return to the May 4th celebration and will introduce various promos as well as a unique new product. However, the date was delayed from its original April 24th announcement due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to the regular May releases, there have been several other occasions when new products were released on or around May 4th:
May 4th, 2010 - The first of two scheduled releases that year was the 9,108-piece set "Indiana Jones."
May 4th, 2011 - The second release of 2011 was the 7,817-piece set "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2." This was followed by a third release on July 10th with the 815-piece Hogwarts Castle set.
May 4th, 2012 - A fourth set of the year was released to celebrate LEGO's 70th anniversary: the 1703-piece set "Miniland".
May 4th, 2013 - A fifth set of the year was released to celebrate LEGO's 75th anniversary: the 1332-piece set "Eiffel Tower".