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Ready to break away from ordinary puzzles?
Nirvana Puzzles is a brand new shop I recently came across on Etsy, using artificial intelligence to create images for jigsaw puzzles.
Unleash your inner Zen with Nirvana’s AI-powered jigsaw puzzles! Explore how artificial intelligence is creating next-level puzzling experiences, with unique designs, challenging complexity, and the satisfaction of a perfect fit. Discover if AI is the future of puzzling fun.
Let’s get into it!
In this article I’ll review the features and benefits of the Nirvana Puzzles.
Just The Details for Nirvana Puzzles:
Inside The Box:
- Piece Cut: Grid
- Piece Fit: Snug
- False Fit: No
- Piece Gauge: 2.0 mm
- Puzzle Finish: Glossy
- Dust Level: None
- Reference Poster: No
Outside The Box:
- Box Quality: Pillow Storage Box Included
- Box Size 7″ x 7″
- Finished Puzzle Size: 8″ x 10″
- Made in: USA
Piece Count
Nirvana Puzzles offers puzzles in piece counts of 110, 252, 520, and 1014.
Cut Style
Nirvana puzzles are grid cut which means the pieces are cut in a more systematic grid pattern. The pieces typically have straight edges and pieces will meet at all four corners.
Material
Nirvana puzzles are made with 2.0 mm thick glossy grey backed puzzle board.
Images & Themes
Image Quality and Resolution
Image quality is super important when selecting a puzzle. Who wants to do a blurry puzzle picture? The Nirvana parrot puzzle had a beautifully vibrant and crisp image.
Theme Variety and Originality
Nirvana Puzzles has eye-catching designs made with Artificial Intelligence or, AI.
There has been some controversy among the art community about the use of AI for the creation of images and whether to even call those images “art”. I think it’s important to make the distinction between human and AI created images, though I find both types appealing for jigsaw puzzles.
Here are just a few of Nirvana’s puzzles.
Benefits of Doing Jigsaw Puzzles
There are so many benefits to doing jigsaw puzzles. Doing puzzles is similar to meditation; it helps you focus your mind. When concentrating solely on the puzzle, every day stresses and anxieties have no room to run rampant.
Memory improvement is another major benefit of puzzling; one must recognize patterns and shapes and remember where they belong in the wider picture. Studies show they are especially helpful for Alzheimer and dementia patients; the mental stimulation has been shown to delay a worsening of symptoms.
In addition to those skills, they help teach pattern recognition, shape sorting, color recognition, problem solving, and even patience.
The Nitty Gritty of AI Design
Let’s talk a bit about the process of using AI to create images. There are definite differences but that doesn’t mean those differences are negative.
Some might argue that AI-made puzzles lack the soul and creativity of a human artist’s work. AI can create stunning images, but does it have the same emotional connection or unique style that a human artist brings?
There could be concern that AI will eventually replace human artists altogether leading to a homogenization of puzzle design. The above images might lay those concerns to rest.
I asked Andrew at Nirvana how the designs are made using AI. There is more human input that you might imagine. The process goes like this:
First the individual collaborates with a custom-developed tool within ChatGPT, specifically designed to generate prompts for MidJourney, a tool for creating images. These prompts are then refined and input into MidJourney. The efficiency and accuracy of the prompts are key, enabling precise translations of ideas into the visual artwork created by AI.
Another AI tool is used for image scaling, tone enhancing, and color enhancing. This step ensures each image is of the highest quality and resolution. Coupled with the printing provider’s latest techniques, the puzzles feature exceptionally detailed and vibrant designs.
The AI tool used also significantly enhances the light in each image. This crucial step ensures that the lighting in every puzzle image is optimally balanced, highlighting the vividness and depth of the scenes. It brings a lifelike quality to the puzzles, making each piece pop with clarity and color.
Does Jen Recommend?
Overall I enjoyed the feel of the pieces. They were on the thick end at 2.0mm and sturdy. They finish is glossy, which I normally don’t like,. in this instance it enhanced the colors and vibrancy of the image and it was just beautiful.
The Scarlet Macaw puzzle was just 110 pieces, so moving it or doing in sub-sections wasn’t necessary. Some of the pieces were very good about staying interlocked and could be moved easily. Other pieces were just a tad bit looser and separated when moved.
A really cool feature of the 110 piece puzzle was that it shipped flat. It arrived in a sturdy cardboard mailer along with a pillow box for later storage. The 252 and 520-piece puzzles come in premium Two-Piece Boxes, and the 1014-piece puzzles are presented in a Straight Tuck Box.
Nirvana puzzles are made in the United States, which is a huge bonus for me when buying puzzles.
If you like purchasing puzzles made in the US, check out my list of companies manufacturing jigsaw puzzles here in the US!
I think both AI and humans have something to offer the world of jigsaw puzzles and I was in no way disappointed with my choice.
I’d love to try a 1014 piece puzzle from Nirvana in the future. They’ve added so many designs since I first found their shop.
Jen recommends.
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