CHAPTER 4 | DESIGNING A PUZZLE

The image is a painted copy of a detail from a fabulous decoration in a church in Italy. Of course I had taken a photo of it first because it was much too complicated to draw on the spot. The original decoration is made of colored pieces of ceramic. The pattern is much more complex than the block pattern. It is a form of isometric perspective: all lines that go into the depth run parallel. (see Perspective part 2, chapter 7, level 3). As you may have noticed I made a six piece puzzle of the chosen detail. The cutting lines of the six puzzle pieces are clearly visible.

EXTRA: Draw a rectangular frame of 18 x 12 cm on thick sturdy paper or white cardboard. Divide the frame with a pencil and ruler into six square puzzle pieces of 6 x 6 cm.
Design a puzzle with depth. Let your lines/shapes/colored areas overlap the intersections of the six squares. It does not have to bd a pattern! Afterward, carefully cut or trim the puzzle pieces apart.

Here you see three very clever and completely different elaborations with colored pencil by 11-12 year old (!) students:

In this first puzzle, long winding strips, each consisting of three colored lines, pass in front and behind each other, making them appear to float in space. You can still vaguely see the cutting lines of the six puzzle pieces.

In the second, beautifully colored puzzle you see objects with a clear side and all kinds of shapes overlapping each other.

In the third puzzle it’s a wonderful chaos of all kinds of 3D objects. Here also the the cutting lines of the puzzle are still vaguely visible.