Photoshop CS6: creating jigsaw puzzle templates

[saratogacoach]

Hi,

Has anyone seen a tutorial or guide to creating your own templates for jigsaw puzzle pieces? So far, I can create these in CS6 (no longer seems to have Texturizer with a jigsaw puzzle texture like earlier PS versions) by using a single template (found with a YouTube video on this topic) for  a specific number of pieces, confined to the one template.

I would like to make jigsaw puzzles with a variety of pieces, so it would be helpful if I could create my own templates with different numbers of pieces. There are PS plugins but these have costs associated with them, especially if used commercially. If possible, I'd rather create my own templates (in PS or AI). For example, I'd like to create an "easy" puzzle template with 20 pieces.

If none exist, an option would be to re-install PS CS 4, 5 or 5.5, alongside CS6. Not sure which is the last version to have Texturizer with a jigsaw texture, but it may be CS4 (by additional download for CS5). But, not having seen or used it in earlier versions, I also wonder if it has sufficient configuration options to choose the number of pieces for a jigsaw? As mentioned, would like to create a range of templates all with different numbers of pieces.

Any leads, suggestions appreciated.

Regards,

[janelle_f]

CS5 has a optional download for the puzzle texture you are looking for:

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4688

i think this is the tutorial you are looking for:

here is the tutorial:

http://csscreme.com/tutorials/photoshop-tutorials/create_jigsaw_puzzle_effect_for_photos_photoshop_t...

-janelle

[saratogacoach]

Hi Janelle,

Thank you for these suggestions. 

I think that what I would need is a tutorial on how to create the puzzle template from scratch in CS6. Then, I could try to customize these to different numbers of pieces.

I would like to create several basic puzzle templates (each with a different number of puzzle pieces) to then use as a layer for the Magic Wand approach found in tutorials on creating jigsaw puzzles.

Again, thank you for your suggestions.

[Brett N]

If you are looking for an automated way of building puzzle templates in Photoshop, there isn't one. Either you will have to find temples that others have built, build your own by hand, or find a plug-in that will do it for you.

[saratogacoach]

Hi Brett,

Yes, I think that although I'd would like to create my own templates, maybe I should take a look at Puzzle Pro 3.1. If that can create any number of puzzle pieces as a CS6 Photoshop plugin, that may work. The Photoshop puzzle texture doesn't have border pieces (straight-edges on the border side).

Thank you for your suggestions.

[SG...]

Hi,

The Texturizer filter will let you scale a single source texture file to get more or less puzzle piece numbers, but it has limits. The source file will tile so you get repeats when increasing the puzzle piece numbers, plus there are no edge pieces.

For creating files to use in the Texturizer filter, all the provided samples are grayscale 512px x 512 px, 72 ppi, PSD files that  tile. You can create ones with larger dimensions to match the resolution and detail size you desire. To load the texture in Ps CS6, go to Filter> Filter Gallery...and select 'Texturizer'  at the bottom in the Texture section (or from the right side pull down list). Now on the far right side of the 'Texture:" selector you should see an icon with four lines that when clicked gives you a 'Load Texture...' item. This is where you navigate to load any sample texture files you've created.

As far as tutorials for generating variations on the Puzzle.psd (attached below), I don't know of any. I would try some selection methods on the sample to try and separate the lines from the background, then use transformations to change the puzzle count. You might also want to look at the custom shape layer puzzle pieces (load the Objects shapes) for building out a vector template (you just need to figure out the amount of feather when converting to raster). I quickly tried a 0% fill, 2pt stroke, with 8px feather and it does make a reasonable texture file.

regards,

steve

[keshavdas]

thanks mate

[RaNaldo]

Thank you, for keeping this strig. The puzzle helps my audience gather my meaning.

[Jeff Arola]

A couple of other perhaps useful links:

http://www.obsidiandawn.com/jigsaw-puzzle-pieces-photoshop-gimp-brushes

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/photoshop-puzzle/

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?searchfield=puzzle&search_exchange=16&search_categor...

Also in cs6 look under the Layer Styles>Image Effects>Puzzle

[saratogacoach]

Hi,

Thank you very much for these very helpful suggestions and leads. Wonderful resources!

Kind Regards,

[acresofgreen]

Since you are at least considering commercial solutions, you might take a look at the puzzle actions here: http://www.panosfx.com/commercial-free-photoshop-actions/puzzle-effects

[saratogacoach]

Hi,

I've looked at a few options including this one, which works with Photoshop, but limits pieces to 4, 6, 20, 30, 56, 100.

It appears that PuzzlePro 3.1 (http://www.avbros.com/puzzlepro/index.html) also works with Photoshop with no limit to number of pieces. It is full-featured, easy to use, many excellent options. In my opinion, the best choice.

Thank you for your suggestions.

Regards,

[tombenne]

Hi. I downloaded this one as it did look the best, but it doesn't work with CS6 - CS5 has a 32 bit version which can use the plug-in, but CS6 doesn't. Has anybody found anything else which works with CS6?

Regards

Tom

[saratogacoach]

Hi Tom,

I'm using Photoshop CS6 Extended 64 Bit (part of a CS6 Creative Suite, installed on a Windows 7 X 64 bit computer), and the PuzzlePro 3.1 plugin (http://www.avbros.com/puzzlepro/index.html) is working for me. It capably creates jigsaw puzzle pieces from an image, and has several customizations available.

Regards,

[SG...]

Hi,

The Mac OS X version for 3.1 is still only 32-bit according to their site:

• FULL compatibility with Adobe Photoshop CS3 - CS5*, including support of the Smart Filters and Video Layers (for PS CS3 - CS5 Extended) options of these hosts! The combination of our Photoshop plugin's power and Smart Filters' flexibility lets you quickly and extremely conveniently edit the obtained result, when necessary.
  

  * Mac OS X version of Photoshop CS5 is to be run in the 32-bit mode ONLY.

Tom, I don't know of any other full featured solutions to offer for your consideration, sorry.

regards,

steve

[tombenne]

Ok, thanks Steve - I understand now why it works for saratogacoach: the difference between Windows and Mac OS. I had emailed AV bros and got a very prompt reply - they're not sure when they'll be updating the plug in for Mac OS. Looks like it's the Panosfx one for me for the time being.

Regards

Tom

[janelle_f]

There is a great video that just came out in Layers magazine that I thought of when reviewing this:

http://layersmagazine.com/puzzle-piece-design-with-illustrator-and-photoshop.html#more-17157

janelle

[The Primate]

Photoshop Puzzle Effect