Tips on Proper Light for Completing Jigsaw Puzzles

At Dowdle Folk Art, we’re proud to provide a wide variety of jigsaw and numerous other puzzle types at all times, and particularly during recent events that have led to increased distancing and home quarantines. Puzzles are a fantastic way for individuals and families alike to flex their creative muscles while passing the hours at home, and we offer puzzle types ranging from cities to sports, holidays, military and various child themes. Particularly for those who do puzzles regularly and may have even upped their frequency due to recent events, light is an important factor to keep in mind. Puzzles are a wonderful use of time for many, but they aren’t quite as beneficial if you’re working in poor light and constantly straining your eyes – this might even lead to minor vision issues over a long enough period. With that in mind, here are some basic tips we can offer on puzzle lighting and how to ensure your puzzle area in the home is properly lit.

Defining the Puzzle Station

Firstly, before we even get into specific light elements, those who do puzzles often should already have a dedicated puzzle station – and if you don’t, it’s time to consider one. This is a basic area of the home where you can freely keep puzzles as they’re being constructed without risk of damage from pets, foot traffic or other concerns. And as you may have guessed, the location of the puzzle station will dictate many of your lighting themes. That’s what we’ll dig into in our subsequent sections.

Windows and Natural Light

For starters, note the presence or lack of windows in the room where you set up your puzzle station. Windows mean the potential presence of natural light, which is ideal for puzzles and many other activities when you can achieve it. If it’s possible to place a puzzle station closer to windows in a given room to let natural light in, we recommend this.

Overhead Lights and Lamps

Now, natural light won’t always be realistic. Not all rooms have a great window setup, for one, and there are plenty of periods in a given day or week where the sun isn’t out and natural light isn’t as high-quality an option. In these situations, you want to ensure your puzzle station has the proper support from indoor lights. The first are overhead lights – check to confirm all bulbs in the room in question are working, to begin with. Many common puzzle-builders also utilize lamps, which are ideal for focusing specific light on a given area; many table lamps that can be easily moved around are popular items.

Puzzle Shine

Finally, be sure to consider the qualities of the puzzle itself when thinking about light. Many jigsaw puzzle pieces come with a natural shine or gloss, while others might be specifically designed to be anti-glare for those with sensitive eyes. For more on ensuring you have the proper light when completing any of our puzzles, or to learn about any of our custom puzzles or other fine art pieces, speak to the staff at Dowdle Folk Art today.