About Lino

Lino is an artist, humorist, and occasional responsible adult. He is the co-founder of a challenge-based LEGO car club called LUGNuts which boasts over 1100 members worldwide. He proposed automotive building challenges every month for ten years (120 challenges!) which he and the other members built accordingly. LUGNuts has retired its challenges on its 10th anniversary but still remains a cornerstone for LEGO automotive builders. Between his artistic work and LEGO builds, Lino has been published in several books, including Beautiful LEGO, Beautiful LEGO: Dark, and Beautiful LEGO: Wild. He lives in Washington with his girlfriend and dogs.

Posts by Lino

Like the opening chapter of a great seafaring novel

“The sea, she’s like a lady. You dance with her you dance by her lead otherwise she chew ye up and swallow ye whole.” How do you like my grizzled sea captain impersonation? Needs work? Yeah, you’re probably right. I was just channeling Ahab, Nemo, and a bit of Quint from Jaws who, as it turned out, needed a “bigga boat.” This historic LEGO harbor scene by Vaionaut has all the quaint charm of Amity without the danger. Upon further inspection, the cannons, soldiers, pirates, and other details do suggest danger and intrigue–though likely not shark related. Everything from the expertly crafted curved wall, to the granite sailing ship model, to the intricate detailing on the rooftops is a treat to behold. My favorite feature is the hanging sailor-capped albatross totem bearing a close resemblance to Donald Duck.

This is like the opening chapter of a great seafaring adventure novel with each page leaving me wanting more. As it turns out, there is a bit more as this was part of a collaborative pirate build presented at Bricking Bavaria and can be seen at Rogue Bricks. Though if you click there, be sure to brush up on your German. All the German I know, I’ve learned from Rammstein, which, like my sea captain impersonations, has proven to be unhelpful while traveling abroad.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

This jelly is totally my jam

I have two things to brighten your day. One is a recipe for jelly cookies. The other is this creation by Djokson called Umi the Jelly. Her hobbies include drifting aimlessly and tending to her coral garden which, truth be told, would reduce stress if most of us spent our days doing the same. She seems quite at peace drifting among the colorful reef. Her tendrils, translucent flowing limbs, even the choice of background color all comprise a rather tranquil composition. This jelly creature is totally my jam or um…jelly, as it were. See, I told you this would brighten your day!

Take me back to Classic Space

Adult builders of a certain age hold a special place in our hearts for what we call “Classic Space.” With the Apollo missions fresh in the history books and with Star Trek, Buck Rogers, and Star Wars capturing our imaginations, LEGO hit a sweet spot with their space theme from about 1973 to 1987. For many, they were likely among our first LEGO sets and the fond nostalgia for the theme remain with us forever. Guido Brandis captures this feeling nicely with his LL-942 Star Fire II. There are rules to the “Classic Space” look; blue and light gray are used in nearly equal measure while trans-yellow is for windscreens. Red, used very sparingly, is usually reserved only for rover rims but is utilized here as the pilot’s uniform. Modern elements not available to us in the ’70s and ’80s create a perfect synergy between the old and the new. Even its “LL” designation stands for “Legoland” and was used in the original sets. This sure takes me back!

R2-D2 vs the Buzz Droids

Remember that one annoying thing from the Star Wars prequel movies? No, I don’t mean that. And no, not that either. No, no, not that! I’m thinking about the Pistoeka sabotage droids also known as Buzz Droids. I mean, who would have thunk there could be these bots that can cling to a starship like a parasite and slice the important bits out of it? That is just scary stuff right there! Luckily R2-D2 was a smart little droid with a good solution to a pest control problem. He just zapped them into oblivion! Martin Latta illustrates this point nicely with some stunning photography. The blurred Venator-class Star Destroyers in the distance are an excellent touch.

Alone, a hawk soars above it all

Usually when we see something this epic, it has already been inundated with hundreds of “likes” from adoring friends and fans. When I clicked “like” on this piece, I was number 5. That was surprising given how amazing this creation is. This castle among the rocks raises more questions than answers, like: who lives there? What are they protecting? Is it abandoned? Aside from the plant life, the hawk appears to be the only discernible living thing guarding this fortress. Amenk Sachio seems to be a builder of few words as all he had to say was #LEGOcastle.

Though there are a few statue-like guards, it is perhaps the lack of human activity and minimal explanation is what makes this so fascinating, We featured about half of this creation a year ago but it seems Amenk wasn’t finished building yet. Intricate gold filagree, bridges, buttresses, gargoyles and other details adorn the new addition as well as the old. Well, I’m intrigued, how about you?

Breaking News: deadbeat dad ruins kid’s life, hand

A Tatooine man known as Darth Vader has ruined his son Luke’s life and chopped off his hand, sources told our reporters last Monday. This creation by Joffre Zheng depicted the scene immediately after the lightsaber duel on Bespin where Vader and Skywalker took the kerfuffle onto a dangerous overhang. After slicing off Luke’s hand, a portion of guardrail and some other mechanical doodads, the two exchanged heated words. Vader had reportedly goaded Skywalker about the power of the Dark Side before revealing that he was his father.

Unbelieving that such a deadbeat could be his dad, Luke jumped hundreds of feet then slid down what might have been a garbage shoot. He later emerged, clinging to a radio antenna beneath Bespin’s superstructure. Skywalker was later rescued on board the Millennium Falcon by his friends Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, and Lando Calrissian. “The kid was bummed”, Calrissian told our reporters. “Like, totally bummed, man.” Authorities were not called to the scene of the incident, and it was reported that alcohol was not involved. At press time Skywalker had also learned that Leia Organa was his sister, making the passionate kiss they shared earlier quite awkward indeed.

Slyme wins the internet

The internet is a fun, stress-free place to live, work, and play where everyone is civil to one another. Why just today I received a courteous email from a Canadian pharmaceutical company who would like to help me gain valuable length and girth (whatever that means) and another email from a super-polite Nigerian prince who offered to share his fortune with me. Do I want to click to see a photo of the fattest pussycat I would ever see? You bet I do! I literally can’t think of any way that could go horribly wrong. Among all of this internet surfing, I had stumbled upon this charming creation by Fedde Barendrecht.

It is most parts LEGO, some parts painted Blu-tac, and all parts slimy goodness. Andrew says this could go viral, which is The Brothers-Brick technical internet speak for-its super cool. You should click on all of Fedde’s content because he is no stranger to building a menagerie of little weirdos just like this one. Later today I might get into a dignified political debate with someone Josh says is probably a Russian troll. I’d sure like to meet a Russian troll! I bet they’re as cute as this little guy here. What a delightful day on the internet this has been!

May the force be with you, Peter Mayhew

May the 4th can be an exciting time for Star Wars fans, thanks in part to sales and promotions going on. Unfortunately, this year’s festivities have taken on a somber note because, on April 30th, the 7’3″ (2.21m) Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew died at age 74. With only barks, grunts and growls, the occasionally belligerent but always lovable Chewbacca became a pop culture icon. Kale Frost built this heartfelt tribute to Chewbacca and the towering British-born actor who donned the iconic fur costume to play him. With tools in hand, his back to the viewer and facing a bright light, this composition conveys the message nicely.

Peter Mayhew had a form of gigantism that can cause crippling joint pain and poor blood circulation. In 2011 he and his wife Angie started the Peter Mayhew Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to the alleviation of disease, pain, suffering, and the financial toll brought on by life’s traumatic events. Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo, said that Mr. Mayhew was “a kind and gentle man, possessed of great dignity and noble character.” In a statement, George Lucas said of him, “He was the closest any human being could be to a Wookiee: big heart, gentle nature.”

Be the belle of your next Beltane

Next on The Brothers Brick runway is the fabulous Ayfoal, who is a druid from Brickenshire. Her fashion designer is none other than builder Letranger Absurde. She is adorned with a sassy buckskin midriff-baring two-piece number that is all the rage in the druid community right now. The ragged green trim of her ankle-length skirt brings her closer to nature while her gloves protect her from getting a little too in-touch with the elements.

Leafy ornaments tastefully accent her armbands and choker, while her low-slung belt holds just the right secret manna potions for a night on the glen. The hip pouch is just a bit wood sprite, just a tad forest elf and oh-so-impishly dazzling! A daring little cow skull adorns her belt, which is trending among the Celtic set at the moment. Her buckskin boots were quite literally made for sashaying along the countryside. While her charmed staff lets us all know who is in charge around here, her little smile exudes confidence and says, I’m willing to play, but only if you’re nice. What a ravishing build!

All orange, all the time

If you have been even a marginal LEGO buyer these past few years, you might be familiar with the ubiquitous Brick Separator. I have dozens of them myself. They come with nearly every set nowadays, mostly in orange, however they have made some rare appearances in green and now in dark turquoise. But what can you use them for besides prying up that pesky 1×4 plate? If you answered “build Torrac’s Race Bike with them”, then you might be a builder who goes by the name Inthert.

Every angle of this futuristic hover bike is expertly crafted, proving that with a bit of imagination, you can find inspiration beyond an obvious purpose. Even with the humble Brick Separator.

Safety, practicality, and dignified luxury mean nothing when raising hell

Many prefer the safety, practicality and reliability of a Toyota while driving to work. Others find that the versatile design and all-wheel drive of a Subaru speaks to their rugged sensibilities while exploring the great outdoors. Some, with greater means, may enjoy the sense of dignified luxury that a Lexus can provide. Chris Perron’s Gyrobike, on the other hand, is none of these.

Because when your name is Buzzsaw and you’re sporting a post-apocalyptic mohawk, you ain’t got time for dignified luxury, Jack! You’re all about rippin’ the road and raisin’ hell! Based on the wild concept designs of artist Calum Alexander Watt, this beast, like the Subaru, is also all-wheel drive. Meaning…it is all wheel and not much else. Can it pick up the kiddos from school? Sorry, rugrats, get your own damn ride! Can it get groceries at the local supermarket? Heck no! This Gyrobike is designed for crushing groceries! And heads, probably.

By the power of BrickHeadz

Since 1982, He-Man and Skeletor have been entwined in an epic planetary battle for some reason. In the TV series The Toys That Made Us, the He-Man episode explains that even the designers at Mattel admitted their idea was light on plot. Also, controlled substances may have been involved. After all, these are the designers who came up with characters like Fisto, Stinkor and Snout Spout. Still, their Masters of the Universe line was a raging success and sparked the imaginations of kids in the 80s and more than a few adults now. One such adult is Eric Druon, who has captured He-Man and Skeletor’s likeness nicely as LEGO BrickHeadz. By the power of Grayskull, I have the power…to be adorable!