The Jigsaw Journal

The Jigsaw Journal

What's your name?
Tomek

Where are you from?
London, England, but I'm originally from Poland

When did you start puzzling?
I’m sure it is surprising, but I started puzzling... during the pandemic. Back in 2020, when I was experiencing a lot of anxiety over work and health I randomly came across an Instagram Live of someone putting a jigsaw puzzle together. I immediately thought it would be a fun and relaxing thing to do, I ordered a puzzle online and when I finally got it and started working on it I… hated it! The puzzle I got was very dark in colour and involved a lot of looking for specific shapes of the puzzle pieces and tabs… it was the opposite of fun. But somehow I didn’t give up, I got a different puzzle, which was bright and colourful, that relied more on finding different colours and textures and I really got into the puzzling. This time it was relaxing and calming, and I felt like I accomplished something after finishing it. I was hooked! I’m glad I wasn’t discouraged and I now know what kind of puzzles bring me joy.

What is your favorite piece count and why?
I think it depends on my free time. I work on 1000 piece puzzles more often, but I do enjoy a 500 for a quick relaxing evening, or a bigger count whenever I have a spare weekend or when I’m on holiday. It’s hard for me to rip myself away from a puzzle once I start, so I try to manage my time well and not jeopardise my other commitments.

What is your favorite type of art?
The art I enjoy the most on puzzles is modern illustration, especially hand drawn, that can be digital, but has that imperfect aspect to it, colourful and textured, so I can focus on the picture itself, and not look for the clues in the puzzle shapes.

What makes you keep puzzling and how often do you puzzle?
I like returning to jigsaw puzzles, as I love the feeling of being in a bubble, forgetting about the world and worries and focusing on the only one task at hand - finishing the puzzle. And when I do, it makes me happy and accomplished.

What is your go to drink/snack when you puzzle?
Interestingly putting together a jigsaw puzzle grabs my entire attention and often I forget about eating or drinking. When I realize about my thirst or hunger I step away from the puzzle and have a glass of water or a proper meal. I try not to snack during the puzzling itself, as I try not to accidentally damage the pieces.

Tell us a little bit about your other joys.
I love listening to music, and I do it whenever I can, especially during puzzling. An entertaining podcast is always a good option too. Besides puzzling I love going to a cinema and I try to do it at least once a week. At home I enjoy catching up on all the franchises of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I like being creative and have art projects - illustrations or photography. I created The Jigsaw Journal as it encompasses all the things I love and helps me express myself creatively.

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