Home Posts tagged "puzzle" (Page 12)

Tag: puzzle

Puzzle: Alter Terrain by Steve A. Roberts

Steve A. Roberts - Alter Terrain, med

Size:  550 pieces
Dimensions: 61 cm x 46 cm
Artist: Steve A. Roberts
Producer: Ceaco, Glow in the Dark series, 2003, #2333-24

Puzzle: Simple puzzle to do, the pieces fit unambiguously. Some good regions to start are the wizard’s face and clothing, the horse, the border between the two terrains, the cacti, the fortress, and the spheres of light. The grass, the rocks, the mountain peak, and the orange sky can follow, leaving a few pieces to fill in.

Notes: Change Terrain is an Uncommon Instant Spell belonging to the  Nature Magic realm. It may only be cast on the overland map. For the base Casting Cost of  50, it will change a targeted tile from one terrain type to another. Most terrain tiles are shifted one “step” closer to Grassland, and Grassland may be changed back into Forest. Several types of terrain, including Oceans, may not be targeted. The effect is permanent and does not require an Upkeep Cost to maintain. [Master of Magic wiki]

Puzzle: Moon Magic by Myles Pinkney

Myles Pinkney - Moon Magic, med

Size:  500 pieces
Dimensions: 35.56 cm x 48.26 cm
Artist: Myles Pinkney
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group, Glow series, 2007, #81200-5

Puzzle: Simple and pleasant puzzle to do. The Sure-Lox pieces fit together well, and there are enough distinct regions to split the puzzle into areas that are trivial to complete. A logical place to start is the woman’s face, hair, hands, dress, and the belt. The purple, grey, and dark areas can also be easily completed. The remaining regions of the dress and the blue of the waves can follow.

Puzzle: Wizard Stonehedge by Meiklejohn

Meiklejohn - Wizard Stonehedge, med

Size:  550 pieces
Dimensions: 61 cm x 46 cm
Artist: Meiklejohn
Producer: Ceaco, Glow in the Dark, Series 5, 2004, #2333-32

Puzzle: Simple puzzle to do: large distinct colour regions, large pieces and clear boundaries. Wizard’s face and robe, blue  light bordering it,  gold embellishments on the robe, hat with the star, the dragon ball, the lightening, and the skyline are all easily assembled. The red sky region, the hands, and the landscape can follow, leaving the rest of the pieces to fall into place.

Notes: Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, about 3.2 km west of Amesbury and 13 km north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is the remains of a ring of standing stones set within earthworks. It is in the middle of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds. [Wiki]

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: Evergreen Basket by Marjolein Bastin

Christmas bird evergreen basket, med

Size:  500 pieces, 1 missing
Dimensions:  cm x  cm
Artist: Marjolein Bastin
Producer: Unknown (please let me know if you have this information).

Puzzle: A bright winter puzzle, with pieces not exactly fitting together well, but due to their varying shapes, fitting unambiguously. Red regions, birds, flower centres, and the baskets are the easiest places to start, followed by colour border regions. The rest of the puzzle fits together easily. Not the greatest make of a puzzle, but not exceptionally bad.

Notes: Nothing on the box except for the artist’s name.

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: Waterfall in a garden

Waterfall in a garden, med

Size:  750 pieces
Dimensions: 43.81 cm x 58.42 cm
Producer: MB Puzzle, Oxford series, 1999, C4848-18

Puzzle: Despite the large regions of green leaves and small flowers, this puzzle is relatively easy to do due to the waterfall separating the two parts at the top, and to the small number of pieces. Waterfall, the rock behind it, the basin, and the yellow spot are a good start. From that point on, darker regions, flowers, and trees can follow. Not a trivial puzzle, but quite enjoyable. Good lighting is a plus.

Notes: No discernable name on the puzzle box.

Puzzle: The Oceanwaves Quiltscape by Rebecca Barker

Rebecca Barker - The Oceanwaves Quiltscape, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 69 cm x 51 cm
Producer: Ceaco, 2003,3307-2

Puzzle: A bright vibrant puzzle, easily done due to multiple horizontal dividers with colour variations, and the geometrical patterns. The horizon line, the boats, the big turquoise wave, and the line separating the surf and sand create several distinct regions. From there on, filling out the rest is trivial.

Notes: “Rebecca has a deep appreciation of country living and antique quilts which clearly inspires the subjects she paints today. Her paintings feature quilts accompanied by foreground or background scenes which formally illustrate the traditional names of the quilt patterns.

Rebecca’s current series is titled “Quiltscapes”. Rebecca paints her Quiltscapes in acrylic on board (masonite). The patterns come from quilt history books and she regularly attends quilt shows. Her style is realistic with clean, clear colors and a sensitivity to composition and texture.

The Oceanwaves Quiltscape: This quilt pattern has the feel of the sea right in its folds. It is one of the first authentic all pieced quilt patterns which is comprised of many small triangles. It was created around the mid or late 1800’s. Origin unknown.

“My work is meant to honor the beauty of old time quilts and their patterns.” [Rebecca Barker]” [Puzzle box]

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: Still-life with flowers

Still-life with flowers, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 49 cm x 68 cm
Artist: possibly Abraham Hendriksz van Beyeren (unsure, since puzzle box does not list the artist)
Producer: Jumbo International, #00023

Puzzle: A very rich puzzle in terms of colours and arrangement. One of the ways to approach it is to start with the larger areas of similar colour: red flowers, yellow ones, large pink and striped ones. After that, the vase and the table, as well as larger green leaves, blue stand-alone flowers, the butterfly, and the pastel flowers can be tackled. The pillar in the left top quarter separates the top area into three distinct regions and can be used as a vertical guide. The rest of the arrangement fills out easily from there. Overall, a very enjoyable vibrant puzzle, made with good quality paper.

Notes: Floral design or floral arts is the art of creating flower arrangements in vases, bowls, baskets or other containers, or making bouquets and compositions from cut flowers, foliages, herbs, ornamental grasses and other plant materials. Often the terms “floral design” and “floristry” are considered synonymous. Florists are people who work with flowers and plants, generally at the retail level. Floristry differs from floristics, the study of distribution and relationships of plant species over geographic areas. Floristry also differs from horticulture, which more broadly relates to the cultivation of flowers and plants so they will remain fresh as long as possible, and would be desirable for purchase, which also involves knowledge of customers’ requirements and expectations. The ability to create a variety of floral designs such as wreaths, bouquets, corsages, boutonnières/’buttonholes’, permanent arrangements and other more complicated arrangements is also important. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Japanese Garden, Portland, OR, USA

Japanese Garden, Portland, OR, USA, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51.12 cm x 69.85 cm
Producer: Guild Puzzle, 1995, 4710-12

Puzzle: Not a trivial puzzle, but a very enjoyable one. Daylight is a bonus. The good starting points are red bushes with their reflections, green patch of grass, shrubs with yellow and orange flowers, the rocks, the path, and the stairs. Pink flower tree, dark red bush under it, and light green willow are good focal points as well. From there, dark green tree regions, black and white patches of the sky, and the water complete the puzzle.

Notes: Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are known as willow, but some narrow-leaved shrub species are called osier, and some broader-leaved species are referred to as sallow. Some willows (particularly arctic and alpine species) are low-growing or creeping shrubs; for example, the dwarf willow (Salix herbacea) rarely exceeds 6 cm in height, though it spreads widely across the ground. [Wiki]

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: Christmas Tree Worms

Christmas Tree Worms, medSize:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 73 cm x 48.57 cm
Producer: The Canadian Group, Sure-Lox, Jewels of the Sea series, 2009, 40675-4

Puzzle: This puzzle is not trivial to do, as even though there are distinct colours, they are scattered in many small regions. Very enjoyable nonetheless, with SureLox pieces fitting together unmistakably. Easiest place to start, I found, is the bottom green/turquoise/olive patch at the bottom with the adjacent white patches. The darker background in the top right corner is also relatively simple to complete. For the rest of the puzzle, it does not really make a difference which spirals to work on – they all slowly come together to complete the picture.

Notes: Spirobranchus giganteus, commonly known as Christmas tree worms, are tube-building polychaete worms belonging to the family Serpulidae. The worm is aptly named; both its common and Latin names refer to the two chromatically hued spiral structures, the most common feature seen by divers. Actually, the multicolored spirals are merely the worm’s highly derived respiratory structures.

The worms’ most distinct features are two “crowns” shaped like Christmas trees. These are highly modified prostomial palps, which are specialized mouth appendages. Each spiral is composed of feather-like tentacles called radioles, which are heavily ciliated and cause any prey trapped in them to be transported to the worm’s mouth. While they are primarily feeding structures, S. giganteus also uses its radioles for respiration; hence, the structures commonly are called “gills.” [Wiki]

Puzzle: Reverie, 1897 by Alphonse Marie Mucha

Vintage puzzle 1, md

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 50.65 cm x 67.94 cm
Artist: Alphonse Marie Mucha
Painting: F. Champenois Imprimeur-Éditeur
Producer: Mega Puzzles, Vintage series, 2011, No. 50620ABJ

Puzzle: Just like another puzzle from the same series by Alphonse Mucha, this puzzle is not a quick one to do, but very pleasant in lingering on the intricate details of the ornaments. Good places to start are the face, hair, décolletage, the top detail of the dress, the book outline, and the pattern going down the middle of the dress. The black and white curves, the orange and pink flowers, and the rest of the large background ornament can follow. The hand and the white of the sleeves, as well as the red and white of the book can come next. The rest of the dress is more challenging due to non-contrasting variations of colour.

Notes: The printing business here advertised, F. Champenois, was also used by Mucha for some of his prints for other clients. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Poster advertising trains to Monte Carlo, Monaco, 1897 by Alphonse Marie Mucha

Alphonse Marie Mucha - Monte Carlo, Monaco, med

Size:  1000 pieces
Dimensions: 50.65 cm x 67.94 cm
Artist: Alphonse Marie Mucha (1860-1939) – Alfons Maria Mucha, often known in English and French as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist, known best for his distinct style. He produced many paintings, illustrations, advertisements, postcards, and designs. [Wiki]
Painting: http://goodolarthistory.tumblr.com/post/47541678838/artist-alphonse-maria-mucha-title-monaco-monte
Producer: Mega Puzzles, Vintage series, 2011, No. 50620ABJ

Puzzle: A puzzle to savor: not completely trivial but quite enjoyable. The easy places to start are the letters at the bottom, the blue behind the figure, the face and hands, the hair and dress embellishments. From there on, the distinct ornaments – black veined one, the bottom left one, and the large circle with small flowers behind the figure are logical places. The dress and the red background on top are more obvious after that, followed by the rest of the background somewhat simplified by existence of the gradient. Not a quick puzzle to do, and good lighting is an asset.

Notes: Chemin de fer is the French term for railway [Wiki].

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]