| Custom Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles-Custom Puzzles |
| www.PuzzleArtOnline.com |
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| Custom Puzzles |
I see the designing of a custom puzzle as being a collaborative process between you and me. I am
willing to go that extra mile to get you exactly what you want, and will do my best to come up with
suggestions that will make your puzzle something very special.
On my Style page, I describe most of the features and options that are available for Puzzle Art puzzles.
These are also listed on the Ordering page.
This page is mostly concerned with how we go about getting your picture choice onto a Custom Puzzle.
SIZE LIMITS
My shop equipment was selected to suit space available and to support making puzzles up to the small
end of the 'large' size range, about 500 pieces or so (at 2.25 pieces per square inch, the standard piece
size) from pictures I can print, mount, laminate and cut myself.
The limit on size of pictures I can cut is imposed by the 20" throat of my scroll saw. Here is a diagram
showing how large a picture I can cut, allowing an inch of "wiggle room":
willing to go that extra mile to get you exactly what you want, and will do my best to come up with
suggestions that will make your puzzle something very special.
On my Style page, I describe most of the features and options that are available for Puzzle Art puzzles.
These are also listed on the Ordering page.
This page is mostly concerned with how we go about getting your picture choice onto a Custom Puzzle.
SIZE LIMITS
My shop equipment was selected to suit space available and to support making puzzles up to the small
end of the 'large' size range, about 500 pieces or so (at 2.25 pieces per square inch, the standard piece
size) from pictures I can print, mount, laminate and cut myself.
The limit on size of pictures I can cut is imposed by the 20" throat of my scroll saw. Here is a diagram
showing how large a picture I can cut, allowing an inch of "wiggle room":
So, you can either measure your picture from the midpoint of the longest side, as shown, or we can apply
a little math:
That information was for rabid DIYers. If you would like to check a picture size with me, please
contact me.
Important: I am speaking about the image size now, not including any borders or margins. If a poster
has a margin, I will cut off most of it before mounting.
The widest picture I can print is 13" wide, based on the carriage of my printer. The longest picture I can
laminate is 18", based on the bed of my laminating press. So, if you choose a picture from the Image
Gallery or send in a digital photo file, the maximum puzzle size will be 13" X 18".
If my image-handling capability is not up to your needs, please check back in the future, as I plan to add
equipment for making larger puzzles. At this writing (11/1/06), I am just making the transition from
hobby to hobby/business.
PAPERS, PRINTS, AND DIGITAL FILES
Just about any traditional photograph or manufactured art print you send me will mount and cut well.
The only exceptions I can think of would be art printed on fancy papers such as canvas or watercolor
paper. The saw would not likely take kindly to these, so good old-fashioned (and inexpensive!) poster
paper would be best.
If you have an inkjet print you want made into a puzzle, like a purchased Giclée print or a print from your
own personal printer, the paper may cause some problems with separating upon cutting. It took me a
great deal of experimentation to work out my own processes and I am particular about paper. I would
prefer not to make puzzles from other people's digital prints.
I will be glad to print from your personal digital photo file, for a fee of $15 for handling your file and
materials. If you can, please enclose a printed proof (it needn't be large, 4" X 6" will do) showing me
what you're looking for in color reproduction.
Photo files must be large enough to support printing at 150 pixels per inch or higher. Picture files from
your digital camera (unless it is a very early model) will be OK. Pictures downloaded from the internet will
most likely be too small. A notable exception would be photo sites such as Flickr.
Any kind of irreplaceable original personal photo, painting, drawing, diploma, or whatever you send me
will be scanned and I will print a copy, at a cost of $35. Please indicate on the order form when an item
must be copied and returned.
OK, I KNOW WHAT PICTURE I WANT TO USE, NOW WHAT?
On this page, we have discussed possible sources of the pictures to be used and size limitations. Once
you have selected a particular picture, there are several choices to make about the shape of the puzzle,
type of border, piece size and shape, color line cutting, tricks and deceptions, figurals and word pieces,
and printed messages. These issues are discussed in more depth on my Style page.
I have created a form for listing your choices on my Ordering page, with prices. I have tried to make the
form as flexible as possible without causing sensory overload, but if you don't see what you want on the
form, please use the text box at the bottom of the form to tell me exactly what you have in mind, and I
will get back to you with questions and/or a quote.
a little math:
- If the square root of [(the longest side divided by 2) squared plus (length of the shortest side)
squared] is 19" or less, I can make your puzzle. For example, for a 16" X 20" poster the
calculation would be the square root of [10 squared plus 16 squared] = square root of (100 + 256)
= 18.9". So that would be a go, and make a 700+ piece puzzle.
That information was for rabid DIYers. If you would like to check a picture size with me, please
contact me.
Important: I am speaking about the image size now, not including any borders or margins. If a poster
has a margin, I will cut off most of it before mounting.
The widest picture I can print is 13" wide, based on the carriage of my printer. The longest picture I can
laminate is 18", based on the bed of my laminating press. So, if you choose a picture from the Image
Gallery or send in a digital photo file, the maximum puzzle size will be 13" X 18".
If my image-handling capability is not up to your needs, please check back in the future, as I plan to add
equipment for making larger puzzles. At this writing (11/1/06), I am just making the transition from
hobby to hobby/business.
PAPERS, PRINTS, AND DIGITAL FILES
Just about any traditional photograph or manufactured art print you send me will mount and cut well.
The only exceptions I can think of would be art printed on fancy papers such as canvas or watercolor
paper. The saw would not likely take kindly to these, so good old-fashioned (and inexpensive!) poster
paper would be best.
If you have an inkjet print you want made into a puzzle, like a purchased Giclée print or a print from your
own personal printer, the paper may cause some problems with separating upon cutting. It took me a
great deal of experimentation to work out my own processes and I am particular about paper. I would
prefer not to make puzzles from other people's digital prints.
I will be glad to print from your personal digital photo file, for a fee of $15 for handling your file and
materials. If you can, please enclose a printed proof (it needn't be large, 4" X 6" will do) showing me
what you're looking for in color reproduction.
Photo files must be large enough to support printing at 150 pixels per inch or higher. Picture files from
your digital camera (unless it is a very early model) will be OK. Pictures downloaded from the internet will
most likely be too small. A notable exception would be photo sites such as Flickr.
Any kind of irreplaceable original personal photo, painting, drawing, diploma, or whatever you send me
will be scanned and I will print a copy, at a cost of $35. Please indicate on the order form when an item
must be copied and returned.
OK, I KNOW WHAT PICTURE I WANT TO USE, NOW WHAT?
On this page, we have discussed possible sources of the pictures to be used and size limitations. Once
you have selected a particular picture, there are several choices to make about the shape of the puzzle,
type of border, piece size and shape, color line cutting, tricks and deceptions, figurals and word pieces,
and printed messages. These issues are discussed in more depth on my Style page.
I have created a form for listing your choices on my Ordering page, with prices. I have tried to make the
form as flexible as possible without causing sensory overload, but if you don't see what you want on the
form, please use the text box at the bottom of the form to tell me exactly what you have in mind, and I
will get back to you with questions and/or a quote.
| © 2006 Puzzle Art |
| Questions? Call 1-877-9PUZZLE. I'll be very glad to discuss your project with you. |
| Puzzles from favorite pictures can add much enjoyment to life. Following are pictures of a puzzle made from a customer's personal photo, used here with permission (click to enlarge): |
The puzzle, titled "White on
White" is 8" X 12" and has 148
pieces in my round cut style.
Note the letter pieces (the pup's
name) and the snowflake used as
a signature piece that ease what
would be some pretty tough
sections without them.
White" is 8" X 12" and has 148
pieces in my round cut style.
Note the letter pieces (the pup's
name) and the snowflake used as
a signature piece that ease what
would be some pretty tough
sections without them.
Here is the picture used for the
puzzle. Despite appearances in
the photo below, the actual puzzle
is true in fidelity to this image.
puzzle. Despite appearances in
the photo below, the actual puzzle
is true in fidelity to this image.
| Below: Here are some action photos of a tiny fraction of the hours and hours of amiable pleasure that this puzzle is going to provide for years to come. |
Even the subject approves!