Home Posts tagged "architecture" (Page 5)

Tag: architecture

Puzzle: Dinotopia: Festival of Children and Hatchlings by James Gurney

James Gurney - Dinotopia - Festival of Children and Hatchlings, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 76.2 cm x 60.96 cm
Painting: Dinosaur Parade
Artist: Steve A. Roberts
Producer: Springbok, Hallmark, 1992, PZL6183

Puzzle: The puzzle is quite appealing visually, but not made well: the pieces are large, thick, and do not fit together without a significant effort. There are many distinct colour regions and guides to make this puzzle trivial to assemble: the steps,  the building, the border between the sky and the trees, the distinct hides of the different dinosaurs, the flags, the crowd, and the saddles. The rest of the pieces can be filled in based on those.

Notes: “Dinotopia – A Land Apart From Time

Professor Arthur Denison and his son, Will, set out in 1860 on an ocean voyage to explore uncharted territories. What they found was more incredible than anything they might have imagined. When a typhoon ripped them from their schooner and into a raging sea, dolphins swam to the rescue and carried the pair to the tropical shore of the lost island of Dinotopia.

The father and son soon found, much to their astonishment, that Dinotopia was a land where all manner of dinosaurs lived peacefully and quite happily with human beings.

Accompanied by their faithful guide, Bix, a Protoceratops and one of the few dinosaurs who could “speak” human languages, Professor Denison and Will began to explore the wonders of Dinotopia.

They visited Waterfall City, which seemed to float on a sea of mist while gigantic waterfalls cascaded all around its walls. In Treetown they lived in rustic tree houses and slide down the neck of a Brachiosaurus whenever they wanted to visit the lowlands. They explored the dreamland of air and stone called Canyon City. And in Sauropolis, capital of Dinotopia, they witnessed the wonderfully lavish Festival in Honor of Children and Hatchlings. Gradually the enchantment of this lost world captivated both Professor Denison and Will, and they knew in their hearts that Dinotopia had become their true home, the place where they could “breathe deep, seek peace” and live in harmony with all.

The artist and author of Dinotopia, James Gurney, has created fantasy art for the covers of more than 70 books and has painted scenes of ancient worlds for several National Geographic articles. A few years ago he began a series of oil paintings of a fantasyland where dinosaurs and humans lived in harmony, and these paintings eventually led to the creation of the uniquely beautiful book Dinotopia. Gurney lives with his wife, Jeanette, also an artist, and their two sons in the Hudson Valley of New York State.” [Puzzle box]

Puzzle: Summer’s Light by John O’Brien

John OBrien - Summer's Light, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51 cm x 69 cm
Artist: John O’Brien
Producer: Empire, Puzzle Makers, Rooms with a View collection, #64020-001

Puzzle: Beautiful puzzle, gentle colours, the pieces fit together well. The repetition of the window parts makes for a bit of a challenge to assemble the  largely-similar window grids, but there is enough variation in the room furnishings bordering the backdrop to make the assembly enjoyable. I have started with the window tops and continued with windows themselves, although it might be easier to first focus on the armchairs and sofa, corner tables, plants, the rug and the floor. Either way the large sections separating the windows provide good vertical guides whereas the rug pattern and the rug/floor border make for horizontal guides that can direct the assembly.

Puzzle: Venetian Interior by John O’Brien

John OBrien - Venetian Interior, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51 cm x 69 cm
Artist: John O’Brien
Producer: Empire, Puzzle Makers, Rooms with a View collection, #64020-001

Puzzle: This puzzle is a pleasure for the eye. Lots of vibrant colours and small details. The pieces fit together well. The easiest regions to start are the vertical guides of the balcony doors and the white tall window, the street with the sky and buildings, the paintings and their frames, the dark red border decoration at the top of the walls, and the green of the walls themselves. The cupboard, the chairs and love seat, and the fireplace can come next, with the rug pattern to follow. The rest of the small details can then be filled in.

Puzzle: In the Concert Room by John O’Brien

John OBrien - In the Concert Room, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51 cm x 69 cm
Artist: John O’Brien
Producer: Empire, Puzzle Makers, Rooms with a View collection, #64020-001

Puzzle: Leisurely puzzle to make, with pieces fitting together reasonably well. Many possible places to start: vertical guidelines of the gold embellishments on the white walls, the opening into the street with buildings and draperies, the border of the floor and the rug, the red regions of the furniture and the darker regions of the paintings, the fireplace, and the side tables with flower vases. The harp and the piano, the furniture pieces, and the rug can then follow, and the rest is relatively simple. Lots of little details, visually a very rich puzzle for the eyes.

Notes: A concert hall is a place where concerts of classical music take place. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Stein Am Rhein, Switzerland

Stein Am Rhein, Switzerland, med

Size:  1250 pieces
Dimensions: 72.4 cm x 61.8 cm
Producer: Waddington Sanders, 1987, #116-3

Puzzle: This puzzle is best done leisurely, as it is large and there are quite a few distinct regions. I have started with the windows and the ridges between floors and parts of the building to define the vertical and horizontal guides. The flowers and the street as well as the roof/sky line can be made easily as well. The rest of the walls with frescoes take a bit more time, and good lighting is a plus. The pieces fit together reasonably well.

Notes: Stein am Rhein is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. The town has a well-preserved medieval centre, retaining the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserved, though the former city wall now consists of houses. The medieval part of the town has been pedestrianised and many of the medieval buildings are painted with beautiful frescoes. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Historical Farmhouse, Bavaria, Germany

Historical Farmhouse, Bavaria, Germany, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 58.5 cm x 46.5 cm
Producer: LPF Puzzle, Shutterbug series, 2009, #1101

Puzzle: A pleasant and a quick puzzle to do. Pieces fit together well and the contrasting colours help as well. The colonnade, the door, the window shutters and the door opening on the second floor are easy regions to assemble first. The log, white regions of the walls, the blue of the top windows and the above-window ornaments are distinct as well. The flowers and the rest of the picture can follow.

Notes: The Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast. It is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany. Bavaria is Germany’s second most populous state (after North Rhine-Westphalia), with 12.5 million inhabitants, more than any of the three sovereign nations on its borders. Bavaria’s capital and largest city is Munich, the third largest city in Germany.

One of the oldest states of Europe, it was established as a duchy in the mid first millennium. Modern Bavaria also includes parts of the historical regions of Franconia, Upper Palatinate and Swabia. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Long Fellow House

Dominic Davison - Long Fellow House, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 73 cm x 48.57 cm
Artist: Dominic Davison
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group, Country Manor series, 2011, #44612-1

Puzzle: A wonderful puzzle to do: Sure-Lox pieces fit together very well, as usual, and there is enough challenge while guide regions are available to provide a logical succession of assembly. One can start with the path to the front door of the building, separating the bottom half into two regions. The house and the well provide good anchoring regions. The grass and the patch of sky can be assembled easily. The tree trunks provide additional vertical guides. The rest of the regions take a bit more time to assemble. Good lighting is a bonus for the tree leaves.

Puzzle: Bridge to Unity by Dave Barnhouse

Dave Barnhouse - Bridge to Unity, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 50.8 cm x 68.58 cm
Artist: Dave Barnhouse
Painting: original
Producer: Karmin International, The Art of the Dave Barnhouse series, 2006

Puzzle: Colourful puzzle, not very trivial due to large leafy and grassy parts. It’s easy to start with the buildings, street lights, the bridge and the path leading to it. Lighter grass areas, purple flowers, the cars, people’s figures, the sky, and wet light reflections on the pavement can follow. The rest of the regions are distinct enough to be filled after that. Good lighting is a bonus for doing this puzzle. Overall quite enjoyable.

Puzzle: Overlook Cafe II by Sung Kim

Sung Kim - Overlook Cafe II, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 67.3 cm x 45.4 cm
Artist: Sung Kim – Born in 1940 in Seoul, South Korea, Sung began to exhibit his artistic talents early in childhood. Beginning in grade school, Sung entered and won various art contests by displaying his creativity and artistic imagination. He decided to pursue his passion for art and graduated with honors from Seorabol Art College in Seoul. Later he opened his own studio and worked as an illustrator for various magazines and children’s books. Sung’s artistic abilities were acknowledged when he was awarded the Grand Prize in an art competition by the Minister of Culture in South Korea and the Gold Medal prize in the art competition given by the Mayor of Seoul. He traveled throughout Europe before immigrating to the United States in 1980. For the last 20 years, Sung has worked with various fine art galleries and has produced over 400 original landscape paintings. [Tutt Art site]
Painting: original
Producer: Wrebbit, Perfalock foam puzzle series, 2005, 20068

Puzzle: A very enjoyable puzzle. I have not done foam puzzles for a while now, and this one was a reminder of a different squishy feel I liked about the foam pieces. They fit together quite well. The logical parts with which to start are the turquoise shutters and striped canopy, the white tablecloths and the chairs and railing next to them, the flower arrangements, the cafe sign and the light above it, the balcony, and the palm tree. The large tree with dark branches and houses in the distance with boats and water reflections, the patio, the pavement, and the black doorways can come next. Once all that remains are the mountains and the sky, tracing the border between them is easiest, and the rest of the pieces fall into place.

Puzzle: Victorian Home by Dominic Davison

Dominic Davison - Victorian Home, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 73 cm x 48.57 cm
Producer: The Canadian Group, Sure-Lox, Country Manors series, 2011, 44612-4

Puzzle: A serene puzzle, with all its trees and flowers in bloom, and invitingly lit manor windows. Good places to start are the manor itself, the roads, fence and bench, grass, and the tree trunk on the right. Flower patch, pieces of sky, and tree leaves and branches can come next – since the tree leaves on the four trees are of different colours, this part is not difficult.

Notes: Victorian architecture is architectural style during the middle and late 19th century. The name “Victorian” refers to the reign of Queen Victoria, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, during which period the styles known as Victorian were used in construction. However, many elements of what is typically termed “Victorian” architecture did not become popular until later in Victoria’s reign. The styles often included interpretations and eclectic revivals of historic styles mixed with the introduction of middle east and Asian influences. The name represents the British and French custom of naming architectural styles for a reigning monarch. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Breman, Germany

Breman, Germany, med

Size:  500 pieces
Dimensions: 27.3 cm x 45.7 cm
Producer: RoseArt, Encore series, 1999, 06052

Puzzle: Small and very pleasant puzzle to do – the windmill, the brick building, and the gradient in the sky makes those parts not difficult to complete, and the snowy tree limbs pieces fall into place following that.

Notes: The puzzle box actually says “Breman, Germany” – I assume they meant “Bremen, Germany”.

Puzzle: St. John’s, Newfoundland

St. John's, Newfoundland, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 48 cm x 73 cm
Producer: Canada Games, 1993, #40605-10

Notes: This puzzle takes a bit of time, since there are almost no large solid regions, the boats, and the mountain-sky area being the exceptions. From that point on, the large beige-red building is probably the next logical step. Dark red and blue areas stand out the most, as well as orange diamonds, the cathedral, and dark tree areas. Good lighting is a bonus with this one.

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador: St. John’s is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. Its name has been attributed to the feast day of John the Baptist, when John Cabot was believed to have sailed into the harbour in 1497, and also to a Basque fishing town with the same name. The architecture of St. John’s has a distinct style from that of the rest of Canada, and its major buildings are remnants of its history as one of the first British colonial capitals. Buildings took a variety of styles according to the means available to build the structures.

St. John’s was the starting point for the first non-stop transatlantic aircraft flight, by Alcock and Brown in a modified Vickers Vimy IV bomber, in June 1919, departing from Lester’s Field in St. John’s and ending in a bog near Clifden, Connemara, Ireland. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Wine Cellar Château Cantenac-Brown, France

Wine Cellar Chateau Cantenac-Brown, France, med

Size:  500 pieces
Dimensions: 46 cm x 61 cm
Producer: The Lafayette Puzzle Factory, Colorluxe, 2012, #3091

Notes: This puzzle is a pleasure to do – the most complicated area is the flowers, but having placed everything else, that only leaves about 2-3 rows of pieces. I have started with the sky and the building top, followed by the pillars, the trees, grass, gate and the ground in front of it, the building, and finished with the flowers. Sat down to puzzle for half an hour, got up about 2 hours later with the puzzle completed. This is a relaxing one.

Château Cantenac-Brown: Château Cantenac-Brown is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fourteen Troisièmes Crus (Third Growths) in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The Chateau has 104 acres (0.42 km2) planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Chateau produces a second wine labeled as Brio de Cantenac-Brown. [Wiki]

Puzzle: White Dove by Kim Wiggins

Kim Wiggins - White Dove, med

Size:  500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.26 cm x 35.56 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group, 2009, #44888PAL
Artist: Kim Wiggins – Growing up in Southern New Mexico, Kim Wiggins began his art career sculpting miniatures of the wildlife around him. In 1989, Wiggins deliberately leapt from an impressionist style to the dynamic, dramatic expressionist style for which he is known today, populating his canvases with ribbons of color, bulbous clouds, anthropomorphic mountains, sinewy trees and distorted houses. [Puzzle box]

Painting: http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/details/default.asp?p=2455&a=264&t=4&page=1&detailtype=artist

Notes: The Mission San Xavier del Bac, built circa 1783 south of Tucson, Arizona, is affectionately called “The White Dove of the Desert.” This most famous of the missions founded by Father Eusebio Francisco Kino still ministers to the Papago Indians. Wiggins says, “I tried to capture the spirit of the mission by representing Father Kino passing a dove to a Papago Indian boy. The dove represents the peaceful nature of this tribe. Storm clouds swirl above as a reminder of the struggles these gentle people faced. Not only did they battle nature, but the mission became their only refuge against the constant attacks by the fierce Apache Indians. The mission, home to statues draped in real clothing and brightly painted carvings, is open to the public every day as well as those on pilgrimage.” [Greenwich Workshop site]

Puzzle: Molly Malone, Dublin

Molly Malone, Dublin, med

Size:  550 pieces
Dimensions: 60.5 cm x 46 cm

Notes: I brought this puzzle with me from Ireland in 2008. I do not have a record of the producer of this puzzle as I do not have the box anymore. A clarification is welcome – if you have any clue as to the details regarding this puzzle, I would much appreciate that information.

Molly Malone: “Molly Malone” (also known as “Cockles and Mussels” or “In Dublin’s Fair City”) is a popular song, set in Dublin, Ireland, which has become the unofficial anthem of Dublin City. The Molly Malone statue in Grafton Street was unveiled by then Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alderman Ben Briscoe during the 1988 Dublin Millennium celebrations, declaring 13 June as Molly Malone Day.

In Dublin’s fair city,
Where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!”
“Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh”,
Crying “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh”.

She was a fishmonger,
But sure ’twas no wonder,
For so were her father and mother before,
And they each wheeled their barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!”
(chorus)

She died of a fever,
And no one could save her,
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
Now her ghost wheels her barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!”
(chorus)

[Wiki]

Puzzle: House of Parliament, Ottawa, Canada

House of Parliament, Ottawa, Canada, med

Size:  500 pieces
Dimensions: 43.5cm x 27cm

Notes: I do not have a record of the producer of this puzzle as I do not have the box anymore. A clarification is welcome – if you have any clue as to the details regarding this puzzle, I would much appreciate that information.

Canadian Parliament: The Parliament of Canada (French: Parlement du Canada) is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and organization. The governor general summons and appoints each of the 105 members of the upper house on the advice of the Prime Minister of Canada, while the 308 members of the lower house are directly elected by eligible voters in the Canadian populace, with each Member of Parliament representing a single electoral district, commonly referred to as a riding.

By constitutional convention, the House of Commons is the dominant branch of parliament, the Senate and Crown rarely opposing its will. The Senate thus reviews legislation from a less partisan standpoint, and the monarch and viceroy provide the necessary Royal Assent to make bills into law and summon, prorogue, and dissolve parliament in order to call an election, as well as reading the Throne Speech. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Top of the Rock – Lunchtime on a crossbeam


Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.3cm x 35.5cm
Producer: Top of the Rock, design by SBH Marketing, Inc., 2006, #1310302
Puzzle: Despite being black-and-white, this puzzle is easy to do: grey hazy sky is of a shade sufficiently different from the buildings below, people on the crossbeam are darker than the background, and their shoes provide enough of a contrast with the skyscrapers to guide the completion of the bottom part.

Photo: An historic picture now in a great puzzle! The Top of the Rock Observation Deck opened to the public in the summer of 1933 with its unparalleled views of New York City. The amazing craftsmanship of the Observation Deck is owed to these brave construction workers who routinely ate their lunches 800 heart-stopping feet above the city below. [Puzzle box]

Puzzle: Chateau Chenonceaux, France


Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 69.85cm x 54.61cm
Producer: Golden, Guild Puzzle, Tony Craddock / Tony Stone, ISBN: 0-307-04710-5
Notes: The Chateau de Chenonceau is a manor house near the small village of Chenonceaux, in the Indre-et-Loire departement of the Loire Valley in France. It was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before its first mention in writing in the 11th century. The current manor was designed by the French Renaissance architect Philibert Delorme.

An architectural mixture of late Gothic and early Renaissance, Chateau de Chenonceau and its gardens are open to the public. Other than the Royal Palace of Versailles, Chenonceau is the most visited chateau in France. [Wiki]

Puzzle: La Roche Courbon Castle, France


Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51.12cm x 66.52cm
Producer: Big Ben, MB Puzzles, Hasbro, 2007

Notes: Chateau de la Roche Courbon is a large chateau, developed from an earlier castle, in the Charente-Maritime departement of France. It is in the commune of Saint-Porchaire between Saintes and Rochefort.

A castle was built around 1475 by Jehan de Latour, on site which had been inhabited since prehistoric times. In the 17th century, the Courbon family, which had occupied the castle for two centuries, transformed it into a more comfortable residence. More alterations were made in the 18th century, but it was eventually sold in 1817 and then abandoned. It was purchased in 1920 by Paul Chenereau, who restored the chateau and its gardens. The chateau is still owned and inhabited by his descendants.

The gardens include orchard, flower garden, geometrical flower beds and lawns surrounding a small lake (‘mirror pool’). The River Bruant flows through the gardens, feeding the water features. Beyond that, an ornamental staircase leads to higher ground, on the far side of the river. [Wiki]

Puzzle: European Montage by Jim Zuckerman

European Montage, med
Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 73cm x 48.5cm
Producer: Sure-Lox
Artist: Jim Zuckerman
Notes: Photomontage is the process and result of making a composite photograph by cutting and joining a number of other photographs. The composite picture was sometimes photographed so that the final image is converted back into a seamless photographic print. A similar method, although one that does not use film, is realized today through image-editing software. [Wiki]

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