An interview with the creators of Puxxle

In 2004, Catarina & Luisa Lente founded the Barcelona based design company YOYO and have since created the incredible Puxxle puzzle concept.

Check out their brand new and incredible tribute collection, made up of inspirational people that they admire.

Plus, the creators of the Puxxle puzzle have kindly answered a few of my questions, which give a great insight into their design world.

Puxxle’s New Tribute Collection

Albert Einstein

Fernando Pessoa

Frida Kahlo

Sigmund Freud

Salvador Dali

Andy Warhol

Alfred Hitchcock

Q&A with Catarina & Luisa Lente

 

Jamie Davis: You’ve mentioned on the website that your inspiration came from playing computer games. How long was it before you come up with the idea for Puxxle, the pixel puzzle?

Catarina & Luisa Lente: We started with games more than 30 years ago, basically from when we start to remember on. Luisa must have had been about 6 years and Catarina 8. Professionally (but also privately for friends) we have used the pixel technique for more than 10 years now.

About 3 years ago, we started to pixelize the walls of our studio, with every-day situations. One idea led to another and we decided to create yoyo products. We wanted this to depend only on ourselves and to be compatible with our work in the studio. Slowly but surely the idea became clearer and more solid and the puxxle was born.

JD: What’s the most complex design you’ve produced so far and how long did it take you to complete?

C&L: In terms of assembling it on the wall, the most complicated design is the shark. It takes about four hours. Of course, a lot of that is laughter and a coffee and so on … but this is part of the game. In terms of designing a puxxle, the most complicated has been Alfred (Hitchcock), because of the limitations in the colors of the vinyl. But finally, at the end we made it and now he is one of our favorites.

JD: Your original collection is mostly made up of different animals, but then you have the cactus. What made you decide that you wanted to make a cactus into a pixel puzzle?

C&L: The cactus is like our little baby. The first puxxle, we actually made. We love plants, above all cactus… they resist basically everything and know how to defend themselves very well. The idea is that the collection of animals and plants keeps growing. The cactus is only the frontrunner … there will be more!

JD: Were there any pixel designs that didn’t make the cut and are not on the website?

C&L: Uufff …. many! When you draw pixels in the computer, a single pixel is not that important, put when that pixel has 2x2cm it is hyper important. We have for example a tree that we love, but the way it is now, it would be 2 meters high. We love it, but it is unsellable, at least for now. There are others, that we do not consider perfect yet. But we are working on them! We also have an extensive album of friends and family!

JD: Now, your first collection of pixel puzzles mostly consisted of animals and now you’ve gone onto to pixel inspirational people that you admire. How did that come about?

C&L: We love busts, we have loved them forever. In sculpturing, the bust is the strongest tribute possible to someone. The idea is to recreate the people that we admire, as if it were a classic bust. Historically busts were unique pieces that only rich people could afford. Here, we break this limitation, now it is busts for everyone, which is an enormous pleasure!

JD: Do you think you’ll ever create a pixel puzzle of historical buildings?

C&L: We are not so sure about this. Other people have pixel-projects and that have made historical buildings as icons but this is not really our interest. We are fascinated by people and situations that people can interact with on an every-day basis.

JD: Are there any up and coming projects in the pipeline that you can tell me about?

C&L: Yes there are! The collections will keep growing and the idea is to launch one puxxle a week.  In the nearer future we will address new concepts, but one thing is clear already: The next collection will continue along the lines of ¨characters¨. It´s the next step from the puxxle tribute. Very soon, you will get to see it!

JD: Finally, if I was to give you a photo, would you please do a Puxxle puzzle of me?

C&L: Of course and it will be a pleasure. Seems like you are pulverizing our surprise. We won´t say more, but you´ll get one! Send us the picture!

Glow in the dark Owl

The Owl, a sign of things to come perhaps?! Inspiring work – and I look forward to seeing their collection evolve.

• Purchase a pixel puzzle from the Puxxle Shop.
• Check out their original collection over on Create it pixel by Puxxle.

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