Lego Ideas 21333 Vincent van Gogh – The Starry Night review: I built all 2,316 pieces

When Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience opened its doors to the public at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore, on 1 March, social media feeds were flooded with the gorgeous 360-degree wall-to-floor, larger-than-life projections of Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh’s artwork. For those as fascinated as me with his works, the Lego Ideas 21333 Vincent van Gogh – The Starry Night can only complete the Van Gogh experience.

The Lego Ideas 21333 Vincent van Gogh – The Starry Night is a 3-dimensional, 2,316-piece set fixed on a picture frame that may be hung on the wall. It comes with a Minifigure of the artist Van Gogh himself, complete with a paintbrush, a painting palette, and a painting set on an easel. So cute!

Honestly, I thought the 2,316-piece set was a little intimidating. To date, the biggest Lego set I built was a mere hundred Lego pieces. I have wonderful memories of building Lego sets with my nephew during his Ninjago phase years ago. True enough, I was encouraged by my successful builds during my trip to Lego House in Billund, Denmark, two years ago, but 2,000 pieces of Lego is no small feat.

That was when I decided to rope in true Lego enthusiasts and fans – namely my niece, who just came of age, and two of my preteen nieces, who have much more experience with Lego than all my years combined. And so, we fixed a full day on a public holiday to build the Starry Night set.

Getting help

Thinking that more hands make light work, I romanticised the building process where we would play Don McLean's Vincent on a loop while each of us worked on a portion and then constructed them together. However, I should have remembered that the instruction manual is crucial to the build, and most of the different parts were add-ons to previous builds. Hence, there was no choice but to build together step-by-step, portion by portion. Unexpectedly, the Gen Z and Alpha generation did not enjoy the song Vincent as much as I did. We eventually settled on Blackpink, which is all the rage now. We got into the mood quickly, humming Blackpink hits as we went along.

Pro-tip: Pick an artist/band and play your favourite music as you build the Lego set.

The build

There were a total of nine bags. We attacked the first bag with enthusiasm and started a division of labour. Two of us collated the pieces according to the instruction manual while the other two girls pieced them together. The building process went swimmingly well until the parts became increasingly difficult. Once we got to the base, the youngest, barely 7, started getting distracted.

Pro-tip: All bags come with extra pieces, so keep them safely in a secure box or bag so you can use them if needed.

The loss of concentration in the youngest one proved inevitable because she was not actively involved in the build. Not having the instruction manual handy before the other three also added to the challenge of completing the portions quickly. As such full cooperation and a division of labour is crucial.

Pro-tip: Employ division of labour, and take turns collating and constructing the pieces so no one will get bored.

Challenge 1: 4 shades of blue

One of the greatest challenges in building Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night is working with four shades of blue. What makes it even more difficult is that the four shades of blue appear somewhat different from the book's printed version. As such more care needs to be taken when assembling them.

Pro-tip: Start building in the day in an undisturbed part of the room or house where daylight streams in.

Challenge 2: Repetition

Love it or hate it. Some people, like my eldest niece, find repetition therapeutic. Repetitions are a part of building Lego sets. It nurtures one's patience and the ability to work towards something bigger. Not just that, it also helps one become more meticulous and hone visualisation skills.

Pro-tip: Rope in someone with great patience who loves putting small things together to create a bigger whole.

Challenge 3: Time allocation

Only attempt the Lego set when you have time on hand. Take the time to enjoy the building process. As mentioned earlier, we set aside an entire day to complete the set.

Pro-tip: Take your time with the build. Ensure you study the picture and instruction manual before diving into it. On the same note, after each section, look at the completed portion and ensure that they are put together correctly before proceeding to the next.

Challenge 4: Errors are inevitable

With 2,316 Lego pieces and too many similar colours, one or two components may inevitably be fixed wrongly. In such cases, study the mistake and decide if it is worth dismantling the past hour’s hard work. We can live with minor errors and carry on with the build. No one, I repeat, no one will be able to pinpoint the mistake in the finished product.

Pro-tip: Learn the art of letting go when the time calls for it. Minor, negligible errors during the build process often do not affect the overall aesthetics of the finished Lego set. This is especially true for a scene like the Starry Night, with repeated blues, yellows and browns.

Challenge 5: Putting it all together

If you think constructing the parts – the village, sky, waves, tree, and frame is tough, wait till you try to fix them together. This is the time when more hands are required on deck. One person will probably need to hold the base, and another two to hold onto another part to attach them together.

Pro-tip: The team needs to communicate to complete the build and to ensure the parts do not fall off.

The finished artwork

The completed Lego set is nothing short of an artwork in itself. Kudos to fan designer Truman Cheng, a PhD student studying medical robotics who hails from Hong Kong. It took the three of us around 8 hours plus, excluding meal breaks to finally (almost) complete the artwork. I admit we didn’t get to the swivel part where Van Gogh’s Minifigurine is attached, as it seemed too complicated. Another day perhaps?

Achievement unlocked

Would I have finished it if I were to attempt it alone? I may or may not. But it would definitely take much longer than the 8 hour plus we took. But why try this alone and take away the fun when you can work with your loved ones on something as gorgeous as The Lego Ideas 21333 Vincent van Gogh – The Starry Night?

Get the LEGO Ideas 21333 Vincent van Gogh – The Starry Night at Amazon, Shopee and Lazada.

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