Lego Art meets Van Gogh: Inside the revolutionary ‘Sunflowers’ design

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers is such an iconic piece of art. What unique challenges did you face in translating the distinctive textured brushwork and vibrant colours of the original painting into the constraints of Lego bricks? 

The biggest challenge here was replicating the texture and vibrancy of Van Gogh’s work using the Lego pieces available. Van Gogh’s bold, expressive brushwork and the layering of vibrant hues had to be reimagined within the rigid structure of Lego builds. Using Lego pieces with varying heights helped simulate the texture of the brushstrokes, and the challenge was balancing this with maintaining the clarity and recognisability of the artwork.

Additionally, Van Gogh’s original colour palette had subtle gradients, which was difficult to replicate since Lego bricks tend to be more solid in colour, but using existing Lego colours and introducing recolours of certain elements (like roller skates and cow horns) allowed us to create those nuanced contrasts and details.

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Could you walk us through your creative process in selecting which elements of the original painting to emphasise in the Lego interpretation? Were there specific details you knew absolutely had to be captured? 

The process began with a focus on key visual elements that define the piece, especially the sunflowers themselves, which had to be instantly recognisable. We knew the composition, the darker tones in the sunflowers, and the vivid yellows were essential to bring to life.

The frame was another significant part of the design—we decided to give it a simple white frame, which was a deliberate decision to keep the look contemporary and fitting for modern homes. The extrusions and layering techniques from the x-ray references were used to capture the texture and depth of the original brushwork, ensuring that the translation was not only about colours but also about tactile experience.

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This set recreates a masterpiece that took Van Gogh many sessions to paint. How did you choreograph the building sequence to create a satisfying and engaging experience? What guided your decisions about the order of construction and the flow between building stages?

The building process was designed to mirror the delicate layering of the painting itself. We started with the larger background elements to give a strong foundation, ensuring the builder could feel the piece’s progression.

As the build moved forward, we focused on the sunflowers, ensuring that the layering of petals and texture would emerge gradually, just like Van Gogh’s gradual build-up of paint. We made sure the flow between building stages was intuitive so that each step felt like it was contributing to a greater whole—like unfolding the vibrancy of the piece, bit by bit.

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The original painting has such rich yellows and complex colour gradients—how did you approach colour selection within Lego’s available palette? Were there any innovative techniques you developed to capture Van Gogh’s colour work? 

With Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, we were fortunate that many of the yellow tones we needed were already in Lego’s brick palette. However, there were still challenges in capturing the exact gradients and depth of yellow. To address this, we relied heavily on the existing colours of our Lego bricks, but in some cases, we introduced new colours (like gold roller skates and cow horns in unique hues) to emphasise certain subtle contrasts. We also embraced the ability of Lego bricks to layer and stack bricks in creative ways, which helped simulate the textural depth and shading of the painting.

Was there a particular moment during the design process where you felt you’d really captured the essence of Van Gogh’s artistry in Lego form? What made that breakthrough special? 

A key moment of realisation came when we were able to recreate the texture and the layering effect of Van Gogh’s brushstrokes using Lego elements. The combination of the extrusions, the way we handled the vivid yellows, and the delicate framing allowed us to capture the essence of Van Gogh’s emotional expression through colour and texture. This breakthrough was special because it felt like we were not just recreating a painting but reinterpreting its soul through Lego’s unique format.

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Given that this set represents a painting that hangs in museums, how did you approach making it displayable in people’s homes? What guided your decisions about size, framing, and presentation? 

We were very mindful that this was a piece that would be displayed in people’s homes, not just a toy. The decision to use a simple white frame was deliberate, keeping it modern and versatile for various interior styles. The size was chosen to allow it to be an impressive centerpiece without being too overwhelming for standard home environments. We also considered the modular nature of the set, where people could display it in their own way or even use it as a conversation starter about the intersection of art and creativity.

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers series holds deep cultural significance—how did that legacy influence your approach to ensuring this Lego interpretation would honour the original while bringing something new to the conversation? 

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers are more than just art; they have become a symbol of beauty, transformation, and human expression. Working closely with the Van Gogh Museum and its Senior Curator, Nienke Bakker, we were able to ensure that this Lego interpretation was not only accurate in terms of the visual elements but also respectful of the legacy. We carefully balanced authenticity with Lego’s unique approach, making sure we preserved the spirit of the original work while adding an interactive, playful twist that invites new audiences to engage with Van Gogh’s vision in a fresh way.

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Could you share an unexpected design challenge you encountered and how you ultimately resolved it? What did that teach you about translating 2D art into 3D Lego form? 

One challenge we encountered was capturing Van Gogh’s emotional intensity through the static nature of Lego bricks. It’s easy to focus on the physical appearance, but conveying emotion and energy was trickier. To resolve this, we turned to texture and layering to give the build a sense of movement and depth, just like Van Gogh’s brushstrokes. This taught us that translating 2D art into 3D requires more than just mimicking the appearance—it requires interpreting the energy behind the art and re-expressing it through the medium of Lego. 

How do you envision this set fitting into the broader landscape of Lego’s art-inspired collections? What makes this interpretation of Sunflowers distinctive? 

This set, alongside others in Lego’s art-inspired collections, serves as a bridge between fine art and Lego’s playful creativity. What makes this interpretation of Sunflowers distinctive is the combination of attention to detail, innovative use of Lego bricks, and the way it invites both collectors and casual builders to appreciate Van Gogh’s work in a tactile and interactive way. It’s a great way for art lovers to engage with a masterpiece while offering a unique building experience that brings Van Gogh’s vivid colours and textures into the real world.

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