As it happened (from my Journal archives)

January 29, 2007

Monday 10:15 pm - Today I improved the color balance of the K. Chin Koala Bear with Flowers image I'm using for the 62nd puzzle of the 100 Puzzles Project. I printed the image, prepared the board and mounted it. Tomorrow, I plan to spend most of the day cutting the puzzle after I decided on the figural set. I expect to complete the puzzle Wednesday and launch the auction in the afternoon.

January 30, 2007

Tuesday 5:01 pm - Started cutting #702, Koala Bear with Flowers today. About half done, cutting going well. Will have around 350 pieces, increased from 300. Really have to hustle tomorrow, get up very early and go to the shop. Beside getting the puzzle done and launching the auction, I have to get the 2006 California sales tax done and post marked for Custom Puzzle Craft by 5pm tomorrow, in addition to a dance class. Will work on the taxes late tonight. Thursday will be much easier!

January 31, 2007

Wednesday 5:19 pm - The puzzle is done and the auction launched. I will update the rest of this website much later tonight.

From the auction description:

This puzzle features a print I made using archival inks from a scan of an oil painting by the late K. Chin, an artist I frequently feature in the Project. The name "Koala Bear with Flowers" is my name, the oil painting did not have a name. I purchased the oil painting in November, 2006. The oil painting is about 9" by 12". I increased the size slightly and cropped a very little bit from the somewhat ragged edges. The painting was done on the "nubby" side of a piece of Masonite, given a canvas look to the image.

I scan the painting at a fairly high resolution enabled the viewing of much detail of how K. Chin painted the scene. K. Chin produced several Koala Bear prints for mass production. The Koala Bear in the painting has a similar pose as some of the mass produced prints, but is clearly a different image. I'm guessing the painting was done in the early 1970's. There is far more detail than is shown in the photo, below.

This puzzle was cut in my Swirl Curl cutting style and includes my standard signature piece (signed, dated and numbered on the back) and a second piece (the Unicorn figural) marked on the back indicating the puzzle belongs to the 100 Puzzles Project. There is more color line cutting than usual for me in this puzzle, plus a couple trick edges. The Unicorn figural was derived from a Unicorn logo K. Chin used on at least one of his limited edition prints, and is the first time I've included it in a puzzle.