TOP 10 new arrivals - June 2021

It is hot outside and the days are getting longer. It should therefore not be surprising that June is the time when we usually observe slightly less activity of PuzzleManiacs and less new products appearing in stores. Less does not mean PuzzleMania is lazy. There are some new arrivals on stock that may interest lovers of paintings, The Witcher or funny pictures. In a sentence - something good for everyone ...

The most interesting news - June 2021

I started my May summary with statistics and I think it should become a fixed point of these series. Here are some numbers for the new jigsaw puzzles that have appeared in the store. Puzzle-Mania.eu offer has increased by 122 new designs. Among them: 38 from Bluebird, 33 from Sunsout, 15 from Clementoni and Grafik, 10 from Heye, 4 from Jumbo, 4 from Schmidt and 1 each from Educa, Otter House and Ravensburger. Element number from 24 to 2000 elements. These are the numbers. Time for a subjective review of the most interesting puzzles from new arrivals!

A colorful African village. Bluebird. 1500 elements

This picture was the biggest surprise of the month. One day I was looking at what's new in the news section of the website, I saw a thumbnail with very bright colors. I already thought it was a graphic in the style of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, or another artist who prefers simple, colorful forms. Meanwhile, after zooming in, I noticed it was a photo! Amazing colors and decorations on the front of the house. The space is arranged in a completely different way than our European style. Something amazing, full of colors and joy. Even the sky (as it is a small area of the picture) encourages stacking. One of those designs from the "Must have" list.

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Courtyyard of miracles. Bluebird. 2000 elements

You don't outgrow certain things. And in my case, these are humorous puzzles. I am always curious to look for designs created by Mordillo, Degano or master Jan van Haasteren. This time, however, a picture painted by Francois Ruyer showing the Courtyard of Miracles. This courtyard is a district of medieval Paris, inhabited mainly by thieves and beggars. So something for those who want to take a look at the then social lowlands with a grain of salt. There is a lot going on in the picture, so I am more happy that there are 2000 elements.

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Missing item. Jumbo. 1000 elements

Did I mention Master Haasteren? As new patterns from his studio have appeared, they cannot be omitted from the list. At least one, although if you like humorous puzzles, it is worth checking the others as well. His pictures are hard to summarize. It is a mixture of madness, absurdity and humor. And in between all of this you'll find lost hands and a shark fin ... If you don't know what's going on yet, just start arranging them. You will probably notice them in the process. And if you don’t like this pattern it is not a problem. Check for others, for example, Pool-pile up or Vegetable garden.

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Susan Brabeau - Mannequin. Sunsout. 1000 elements

The next pattern in the list is slightly more serious. Susan Brabeau's paintings are judged differently. Some people appreciate her specific sense of humor, others reject the way she presents her work, which is often .... let me say diplomatically: specific. In this case, two kids who admire the mannequin. You probably admit that after all, you smiled a little under your nose when you saw this picture? If so, maybe this is a good excuse to compose something from a less known producer?

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Batman panorama. Clementoni. 1000 elements

What if you could tear a site from a comic book and make a puzzle out of it? This association came to my mind when I saw a new pattern from a 1000-piece puzzle by Clementoni. The panoramic format and comic book frames fit perfectly, transforming a typical collage into a story full of dynamics, which is not a typical story, because it is ... a typical collage. I think that this Batman puzzle can be the interest of both young children and slightly older ones too. After all, I mentioned that you don't grow out of certain things, right?

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Tibetan school - Mandala Amitabha. Grafika. 1500 elements

The next pattern is quite surprising, not only because it goes back to the Asian tradition of creating a mandala. I am not an expert on Buddhism, but I even had an analogy between creating a mandala and composing a puzzle. Mandala, creation of something to be destroyed later as a kind of meditation. Don't get me wrong - I'm not going to make from puzzle a religious fun activity. At most I can see their potentially therapeutic importance. But admit it, the analogy is interesting.

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Leonardo da Vinci - La Scapigliata. Bluebird. 1000 elements

June brought many new arrivals that will please the lovers of themes related to painting. Among them, I would like to draw your attention to the unfinished work of Leonardo da Vinci. La Scapigaliata, a sketch known as "Woman's Head" or "Disheveled". The delicacy of facial features combined with the sketch of the hair makes this work something that catches your eye. I certainly do not recommend this one to those looking for an easy and fun puzzle. Due to the colors, this pattern will surely not be easy. But the effect after they are finished is definitely impressive. I would also like to add that this image has already appeared in the PuzzleMania store offer, released by the Grafika company, also as a 1000-piece puzzle.

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Rudolf Vogl: Frida. Heye. 1000 elements

I think that Frida Kahlo recently becomes one of the most popular puzzle themes. Frida or Magdalena Carmen Frieda Kahlo y Calderón, unknowingly became an icon of the feminist movement. Interestingly, some researchers of her life and work claim that ascribing feminism and other features to her work is often very controversial and is considered an abuse by them. The Heye puzzle do not represent Frida's work, but a portrait of her made by Rudolf Vogel. It is very colorful, even has rainbowish character which can be an expression of the perception of Frida not only as a symbol of emancipation but also of sexual liberation why she is positively perceived by many LGBT circles. Or is it just a reference to the style of Latin American and Indian painting? Well, the time spent putting together a "thousand" can be a good time to reflect on how to interpret this image.

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Wassily Kandinsky: Powerful Red. Bluebird. 1000 elements

A few paintings by Kandinsky, one of the co-creators of abstract art, were added to the offer of Puzzle-Mania.eu in June. His paintings had various forms, often quite complex. Powerful Red is an example of a simple abstract form, which is probably noticeable thanks to its simplicity. If you like his work, it is worth taking a look at the puzzle page with reproductions of the Russian painter's paintings. You will find dozens of different paintings there. However it is quite possible, while browsing the offer as I did, you will notice the power of this red one ...

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Witcher II. Clementoni. 1000 elements

Due to the fact that in my subjective list of June new arrivals I entered the area of art with a capital "A", at the end something light. Italian puzzle producer Clementoni has released a puzzle with motifs from the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher books. This pattern may ease the wait for the show's second season a bit. The series itself, I think, has been received much warmer than the Polish production was created almost 20 years ago (!), So it's worth the wait. Yes, maybe the pattern itself is not as successful as in the case of Peaky Blinders, but it is not too bad for a puzzle with a movie theme. I think that you will be able to see them soon as part of the "Puzzle Travels" series.

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Summer slowdown

Fewer premieres than in the previous month, but the TOP 10 puzzles were still found. Among the June new arrivals you will also find other gems. Especially if you are a fan of painting, the paintings of Van Gogh, Monet and other artists will surely appeal to you. They are not included in my list, but maybe they will be in your puzzle collections? For many puzzleManiacs, holidays are a time of rest from arranging and there is nothing wrong with that, on the contrary, sometimes we need a change. But nothing prevents us from looking for what we will arrange when the days are getting shorter and shorter. In the meantime, I invite you to check the PuzzleMania blog, where another article will appear in few days.