puzzle Archives – Page 8 of 28

Posts tagged "puzzle" (Page 8)

Puzzle: Birds of the Season, 2 of 4, by Greg Giordano

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 40.64cm x 50.8cm
Producer: Karmin International, Birds of the Season series
Artist: Greg Giordano

Puzzle: One of the 4 puzzles in the box (first, second, third, fourth). Easy to start assembly from the wheel, the birds, and the top background. The flowers are a little more tricky, but the bottom dark part can be filled in first, followed by the yellow centres of the daisies, the washed out green at the bottom centre, yellow patch of colour at the bottom of the wheel, and the rest should fall into place after that.

Puzzle: Birds of the Season, 1 of 4, by Greg Giordano

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 40.64cm x 50.8cm
Producer: Karmin International, Birds of the Season series
Artist: Greg Giordano

Puzzle: One of the 4 puzzles in the box (first, second, third, fourth). The bright red bird is the logical start of the this puzzle. The rest of it looks relatively uniform, so assembling darker areas, the large white leaves and the flower centres is one way to approach this puzzle, filling in the leaves and the branches afterwards.

Puzzle: Trinity Church

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox

Puzzle: This puzzle is not very exciting to do due to dull grays of the building and the dark greens of the bushes and trees occupying the most of the picture, but Sure-Lox pieces fit together well and the size is small enough to not present a challenge. I just wish the photograph had more colour and contrast in it to really highlight the beauty of the old architecture. The sequence of assembly could start with the sky and its boundary with the roof and the trees, and with the grass and its boundary with the flowers. The border between the building and the bushes provides a good horizontal guide, and the tall windows can serve as vertical guides. From that point on, the picture is trivial to assemble.

Notes: I no longer have the puzzle box, so I’m unsure where this church is situated (there are plenty of Trinity churches around the world, it seems). If you have any information on the location of this building, I’d love to know.

Puzzle: Golden Hall, Edoras, 3D

Size: 742 pieces (foam-backed), 29 cardboard accessories
Dimensions: 42 cm x 49.5 cm x 22 cm
Producer: Wrebbit 3D, Lord of the Rings series, 2012, #02003, made in Canada

Instructions:

Remove and sets aside red dotted pieces (they are not a part of the actual puzzle).
Assemble puzzle sections flat as you would a 2D puzzle.
Once all sections are assembled, build the 3D puzzle using the supports provided and embellish with decorative pieces.

Puzzle: I have made this puzzle a few months ago, but did not get around to documenting it until now. It carries sentimental significance to me because I love all things Tolkien, and the designs are tugging at my heart strings, but the implementation could be better. Foam is not the greatest material to hold up a 3D puzzle, as I have previously found out with a Taj Mahal puzzle made by Wrebbit (not to be confused with the CubicFun one made of paper), and after discovering the CubicFun puzzles earlier this autumn I don’t think I would assemble another foam 3D one, unless the subject was as attractive to me as the Golden Hall of Edoras.

Below are the progress photos of the assembly – the process itself was not easy since foam does not hold together that well, so the intermediary stages of the structures being attached to each other have no photos to them: I had enough trouble keeping them holding together.

Here is the base surrounding the hall:

And here is the overview of all the rest of the assembled components, followed by close-ups:

The assembled hall looks good from far away, but pieces do not fit together very well, making for a choppy composition and crooked angles. Additionally, some of the embellishment pieces on the roof are printed only on one side which I find a disappointing approach: cutting corners on such little details makes the entire building look unfinished.

Notes: The city of Edoras was built on a hill in a valley of the White Mountains (Ered Nimrais) by Rohan’s second King, Brego son of Eorl the Young. Before this, Rohan’s capital was at Aldburg in the Folde.

As Rohan consisted of mostly small villages and farmsteads, Edoras was Rohan’s only real city, and holds the Golden Hall of Meduseld. It was here that Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Gandalf meet with King Théoden. They were admitted by Hama, the door warden who permitted Gandalf to keep his staff with him. [Lord of the Rings wiki]

Puzzle: Greenhouse

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 54.5cm x 70cm

Puzzle: Beautiful hydrangea domes make this puzzle a serene one to do. The easiest place to start are the walls and the roof of the greenhouse, the paths, the evergreen tree, and the lighter blue flowers at the bottom. The fern-like blooms, the yellow regions, and the tulips are distinct to put together as well. The rest of the puzzle can be done in any order. Good lighting is a plus.

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.

Puzzle: Autumn Lake by Darrell Bush

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 50.8 cm x 68.58 cm
Producer: Karmin International, The art of Darrell Bush series, 2004

Puzzle: Beatutiful puzzle in vibrant colours with many distinct regions – a pleasure to do. Good starting points are the sunlit sky and water, the birds, the horizon line and the water: since there are many horizontally-separated water colour regions, that part is a breeze. The house, the bright lantern with surrounding grass, the birch tree, the boat and the dock allow the rest of the pieces fall into place.

Artist: Darrell Bush – Awared-winning artist Darrell Bush brilliantly captures the unspoiled, simple beauty of the outdoors. From a North Woods campsite to a polished wooden runabout resting on a quiet lake, Bush’s acrylics suggest that these peaceful settings are only a memory away. He familiarizes the viewer with outdoor and wildlife subjects while often adding a touch of nostalgia.

In 1984,after graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in commercial art from Northern Illinois University, Bush moved to Minnesota and worked as a commercial illustrator for five years. “It was during this time I began pursuing a second career, my true love, wildlife art,” he said. In 1987, he won his first major award, the Idaho Uploand Game Stamp Competition. In 1990, he became a full-time artist and one year later signed with Hadley House.

Since then, Bush’s success has escalated dramatically. He received international recognition when he was chosen for the September, 1996 “Wonders of Nature” exhibit in Hong Kong. U.S.ART named him among America’s Most Popular Artists in 1995, 1996 and 1998.

He and his family reside in Moline. [Puzzle box, mistakes omitted]

By the same artist the other puzzles available in the series are: “Crescent Moon Bay”, “The End of a Perfect Day“, “Twilight Calm”.

Puzzle: Gateway Solitude

Size: 500 pieces, 1 missing
Dimensions: 33.9 cm x 45.4 cm
Producer: Wrebbit, Perfalock foam puzzle series, 2003, 22406

Puzzle: I felt like assembling a foam puzzle which I haven’t done lately. The fit is unique and takes getting used to, but quite pleasant. A good starting point was the walkway, since it provided a vertical guide and split the bottom of the puzzle into three distinct regions. The gate and the brick pillars came afterwards, followed by the flower bunches, the trees, and the sky. Simple and enjoyable puzzle to do.

Notes: IntroducingPerfalock, the first puzzle that goes anywhere without going to pieces! Make it, move it, mount it, and it won’t fall apart. Precisely crafted out of flexible foam, Perfalock pieces fit together so perfectly you can barely see the seams! Its unique backing material means that Perfalock puzzles stay together without messy glue. Perfalock from Wrebbit. We make great puzzles happen. [Puzzle box]

Puzzle: Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 36.0 cm x 49.3 cm
Producer: Ravensburger, Otto Maier Verlag, 1984, #14 138 8

Puzzle: Yet another puzzle of this beautiful castle, in addition to the 500-piece, the 1000-piece, and another 500-piece puzzles I’ve assembled previously. This one features clear photography, good angle, and pieces that fit together well. The easiest places to start are the sky and clouds, the orange part of the castle, the green of the grass, the boundary between the castle and the sky, and the sky and the trees, followed by the rest of the castle. The houses in the background and the trees around the castle can then follow.

Puzzle: Spectacular Interior

Size: 750 pieces
Dimensions: 59.69 cm x 39.37 cm
Photographer: Tibor Bognàr
Producer: The Canadian Group, Sure-Lox, 2006, #42510-41

Puzzle: Not an easiest puzzle to make – good lighting is a bonus. Easiest places to start are the blue of the dome, the bright gold of the centre, the figures in the alcoves, the darker parts on the edges, and the golden pillars. Pillars provide good vertical guides, and pillar tops can serve as horizontal ones. The pieces fit together well making for a fun but a bit challenging puzzle to assemble.

Notes: It is unfortunate that no information is given on the box on where this photo was taken. If you know where this is, I would love to know.

Puzzle: Citrus nature mort

Size: 550 pieces
Dimensions: 61 cm x 46 cm
Producer: Ceaco, Culinary Classics series, 1999, #2319-6

Notes: A lovely and zen puzzle to assemble. There are many ways to approach it: I have started with the tallest bottle and the tall jar with orange contents, followed by the red flowers and the blue fence in the background. The red peppers, white towel and garlic, the basket, and cut up lemons and limes followed. The fruit in the basket and under it came after, and the rest of the pieces came together easily then.

Puzzle: Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51.12 cm x 66.52 cm
Producer: Big Ben, MB Puzzles, Hasbro, 2007, 04962-N03

Puzzle: Beautiful serene puzzle to make. Despite its size, the assembly flows smoothly due to distinct separate regions of colour separated by clear borders. The lavender of the sky, the yellow, purple, and black mountains, their clearly separated reflections and the horizontal divide of the water edge are a breeze to put together. The blue of the water, the rock regions, the green grass patches, and the guide made by the log, let the rest of the pieces fall into place.

Notes: Banff National Park is located in the province of Alberta in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. In the fall of 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway construction workers stumbled across a cave containing hot springs on the eastern slopes of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. From that humble beginning was born Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park and the world’s third. Spanning 6,641 square kilometres of valleys, mountains, glaciers, forests, meadows and rivers, Banff National Park is one of the world’s premier destination spots. [Banff National Park site]

Puzzle: Wildflowers by Tim Fitzharris

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 63.5 cm x 50.8 cm
Photographer: Tim Fitzharris, designed by Lisa Reid
Producer: Pomegranate Communications, Artpiece Puzzle series, Sierra Club, Catalog No: SC0403, ISBN: 978-0-7649-4095-8

Puzzle: Not a completely trivial puzzle to do as the flower regions contain small similar details across a large part of the puzzle. The cacti are easiest to do as they provide vertical guides for the top of the puzzle, and the purple backdrop can be filled in easily. For the flowers, tackling the top area among the cacti is easiest, followed by the regions of similar colour: yellow flowers and darker patch in the bottom right corner. The rest of the flowers are a matter of patiently filling things in. The pieces are good quality and fit together well.

Notes: “Sierra Club’s Mission:

To explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth;
To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources;
To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment;
And the use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.

A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this puzzle supports Sierra Club’s efforts to preserve and protect the planet [www.sierraclub.org].

Thoughtfully conceived and engagingly intricate, Pomegranate’s 1000-piece interlocking jigsaw puzzles combine superb color reproduction, stunning and unusual images, and sturdy construction to delight generations of puzzle solvers. Among our many artists are Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Maxfield Parrish, John William Waterhouse, Romare Bearden, Jules Chéret, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Edward Gorey, Tom Thomson, and Susan Seddon Boulet.” [Puzzle box]

Puzzle: Swiss Alps

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 73 cm x 48.57 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group

Notes: Beautiful landscape, very serene to make. Not completely trivial due to large regions of similar colours, but with Sure-Lox pieces fitting well together, still a pleasure to do. Starting with the grass regions is easiest, filling in the houses, and then dealing with the boundary regions between mountains, the ice, and the sky, provides enough guides to fill in the remainder of the pieces.

Puzzle: Flower market at Jaipur

Size: 304 pieces
Dimensions: 45.72 cm x 35.56 cm
Photographer: Schmid Reinhard
Producer: Whitman, Guild, A4425, Series 169,

Puzzle: Simple puzzle which I liked for its subject matter – small number of pieces and enough distinct colour regions to make it easy. Flower bunches and people can make a good start, and the background of the wall can come afterwards.

Notes:
“Subjects in series 169:

Flower still life
Portrait of grandfather
Old town
Canister and crates
Pennsylvanian winter
Autumn village
California Carson mansion
Martha’s vineyard
Flowered fence
Arizona landscape
Bamberg, Germany
Flower market at Jaipur”[Puzzle box]

Puzzle: Love each day

Size: 1000 pieces
Dimensions: 51 cm x 69 cm
Producer: Empire, Puzzle Makers, #620205

Puzzle: Not a completely trivial puzzle to do due to variation in puzzle piece format and similarities of the coloured regions, but quite enjoyable. The easiest parts to do are the uniform white of the path, the bench, and the fence, the green of the grass, and the blue-white of the sky. The willowy tree is a good region to tackle next, as well as the groups of similarly-coloured flowers. The trees in the background can come last.

Puzzle: Trevi Fountain, Italy

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.3 cm x 35.6 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group, #42210-17

Puzzle: This puzzles was a little more challenging than a usual 500-piece puzzle, since so many parts of the building look alike and carry the same colour scheme. However, with Sure-Lox pieces fitting snugly into place, it was very pleasant to do nonetheless. The sky and water are best places to start, as are the dark areas on the edges. The windows, the balconies, the archway, the roof, and the regions close to the water are distinct enough to follow. The rest are a matter of completing the gaps between the earlier-placed pieces. I have done another 500-piece puzzle of a close-up of the Trevi Fountain.

Puzzle: Collector’s Cupboard

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5 cm x 35.5 cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group, Mother’s Cupboard series

Puzzle: Some days I like nature mort compositions. This one is not completely trivial, since there are so many white areas and most cups look similar, but it is small enough for that not to present too much challenge. The shelf is the easiest place to start, as it separates the puzzle into two areas providing a good horizontal guide. The distinct colour areas such as lavender and blue cups, as well as the round edges and patterns on the plates are easy to assemble, as well as the glasses on the bottom shelf. The wall pattern and the rest of the cups can follow.

Puzzle: Wings by Joni Johnson-Grodsy

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 48.5cm x 35.5cm
Producer: Sure-Lox, The Canadian Group
Artist: Joni Johnson-Grodsy

Puzzle: With so many bright intermingled areas it’s hard to suggest a single best way to approach this puzzle. Certainly the bird, the distinctly green leaves on a darker background in the top right corner, and the darker areas in the bottom right can be used to start. For the rest of the puzzle, it’s a matter of putting together the more uniform-coloured areas (brighter yellow, darker green, and flaming red leaves), and using branches as guides. Quite an enjoyable puzzle to do.

Puzzle: Ludwig’s Castle, Bavaria, Germany

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 45.5cm x 35.5cm
Producer: Leap Year

Puzzle: Not a bad puzzle as far as the picture goes, but the manufacturing process appears to be faulty: many pieces are bent out of shape and do not fit together well, taking away from the assembling experience. The puzzle itself is relatively easy to put together: the sky, the fields, and the castle are good places to start. The trees are a little more challenging, so good lighting is good to have for assembling the bottom part. Overall, nothing special: showing more castle and less of the tree area would make this puzzle more enjoyable. There are better puzzles depicting this castle, I’ve previously put together two: in 1000 pieces and 500 pieces.

Notes: Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner. Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and by means of extensive borrowing, not with Bavarian public funds. [Wiki]

Puzzle: Mirror Lake

Size: 500 pieces
Dimensions: 46.5cm x 36cm

Puzzle: Colourful puzzle, relaxing to assemble at the end of a tiring busy day. The sky, the water, and the house are easiest to start with, followed by the leafy bank and the red trees. The tree trunks can help assemble the rest of the trees, and the reflections are distinct enough from the trees themselves to be filled in easily as well.

Tag: puzzle