This cool cat began as a design I pitched for a puzzle license that didn’t work out. But since I liked the idea, I decided to paint it anyway. It was challenging, and I spent a lot of time on the detail. I’m pleased with the finished piece.
While I could start shopping around a couple of designs to puzzle companies for their consideration, it can take up to a year for a licensing design to go from an initial agreement to a product on the shelf. So, if I want new puzzles for the upcoming holiday season, I must produce them myself.
In February, I applied to be a vendor at the upcoming Banff Christmas Market and was accepted for two of the three weekends. It’s a competitive show for admissions, and difficult to get a spot, so I’m happy I made the cut. Both are three-day events, and I’ll be there November 17-19 and December 1-3.
With a 10’x10’ booth inside the stable, I’ve got to start preparing my prints and products well in advance. If I go ahead with puzzles, I’ll have to order them in the next couple of weeks.
Since the pre-order for my first puzzles earlier this year went so well, I plan to do that again if there’s enough interest. I only have a few of each of those initial puzzles left, and though I might produce those designs again later, I want to try some new ones.
Although that puzzle license didn’t work out, I got some great advice about puzzle design, and I’m grateful for the experience.
This new Winter Tiger will make a nice addition to my available prints and other products, but I’ll need to change the design to make it a better fit for a puzzle. A closer crop on the face, contrasting shades of blue in the snow and much less background overall will make for a better puzzle experience. For most puzzlers, a design is better when there aren’t large areas of the same colour/texture.
This tiger has a lot of different contrasts and patterns in the fur and face, which is why I chose it for a puzzle in the first place. Shonna proposed adding some shaped snowflakes in the sky and snow to create landmarks and break up any monotony in those areas. While I’m still messing with it, here’s the idea of what a puzzle would look like featuring this painting. This is NOT a final version.
These next puzzles will also be 1000 pieces since many have asked for those. My recent Long Neck Buds painting was created with a puzzle in mind, so that’s another one I’m considering for this next launch.
I had thought about painting some lighter green foliage in the darker areas of my T-Rex painting, but I’ve learned that people prefer horizontal puzzles to vertical ones, which removes that fierce-looking dinosaur from consideration. It also means I’m less likely to consider other vertical options.
I’m still mulling all this over, so I’d like to ask you to answer these questions…
Would you like to see the Winter Tiger and Long Neck Buds as 1000-piece puzzles?
Would you buy them in a pre-order?
Are there other paintings I’ve done that you’d like me to consider for puzzles?
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments and feel free to offer any other thoughts you have on the matter.
Cheers,
Patrick
Yes I would purchase the Winter Tiger and Long Neck Buds in a pre-order. As far as other paintings to consider, the bald eagle is a classic of yours. I’d even dip into your archive of popular removed prints, I love my smiling coyote (just add some interest like long grasses or leaves in the background to help with puzzling.)
Thanks, Crystal. I plan to paint another Bald Eagle very soon, too. 🙂
The winter tiger with the snow flakes would certainly be one I would order.
By the way Shonna, that was a great suggestion, of course.
Sue D.
Thanks, Sue. Likely in the new year.
I would love to order a white tiger puzzle or two.
Wolves are my Dad’s favorite at 89yo and I love my Shark totem as always. It sits on my dresser.
Thanks, Dawna. Stay tuned and I’ll see when I can make these happen.
Would love to see the tiger and buds as jigsaws
Would pre order for sure
Will give some thought to your other prints and let you know
Thanks, Chris. I’ll keep you posted.
I would definitely purchase the Winter Tiger and Long Neck Buds 1000 pieces in a pre order, along with any others. Loved all 4 of your 500 piece puzzles, as did the recipients of the ones I gifted.
Thanks, Sally!
Just seeing this now and would definitely be a pre-order enthusiast!
Thanks, Suzanne!
The tiger is not my favorite (sorry), but I love the giraffes. However a 1000 piece puzzle would take more time to complete than I can invest. I did pre order 4 of the 500 piece puzzles and love them all.
No need to be sorry for the ones that don’t connect. That’s art for ya, everybody has their favorites. At the risk of alienating a lot of people, the otter is one of my most popular paintings, but not one of MY personal favorites. Clearly I am wrong, though, and I’m good with that. 🙂
Glad you liked the 500s you ordered, and thanks again.
I’m definitely interested in 1000 piece puzzles and actually like all three of the new designs, as well as most of the pictures in the current calendar. So yes, I’d pre-order. I live near Victoria so if you continue to deal with that company, I could even pick them up!
Thanks, Ingrid. Likely in the new year for puzzles, now. While the puzzle company I buy from is based out of Victoria, they aren’t manufactured there, so they’re shipped to me directly, so nowhere in Victoria to pick them up. At least not yet. One day I might have retailers there selling them, though, but that’s a ways off. I will keep you posted when I do the pre-order. Cheers!