Who Made The Very First Ballpoint Pen

When Hungarian journalist Laszlo Biro grew frustrated with the messiness and inconvenience of using fountain pens, he decided to develop a new style of pen that could be continuously flowing with faster drying ink. With the help of his brother George, they set to work to create such a pen. In 1938, they patented their work, the ballpoint pen. After more experimentation, a second patent was applied for on June 14, 1943 for an improved version.

History

In 1888, John Loud applied for a patent for his version of a ballpoint pen that would mark leather. The concept was never finalized or marketed.

Concept

Laszlo Biro followed the same premise for his ballpoint pen as was used in printing with a rotary cylinder. A tiny ball bearing at the pen tip would get ink from a cartridge as the ball rotated and leave a continuous mark on the paper.

Challenges

George Biro, a chemist, helped Laszlo create a viscous ink to flow easily to the tip.

Celebrations

Out of respect for Laszlo Biro, the Argentine Inventors Day is celebrated on his birthday, September 29.

Trivia

In the Philippines, the ballpoint pen is called a ballpen (or ball pen).

Pastel Art Training

Pastels are a permanent and colorful medium for the artist.

Pastels are the most permanent of all artist's media. Brilliant pastel paintings have survived since the seventeenth century. They do not yellow, fade or crack, as paints do. Pastels consist of a mixture of pigment, talc and gum arabic that is then formed into sticks or pencils. The less binder material used, the more vibrant the color will be when it is applied to the paper. Unlike acrylic paints or oil paints, the blending is done on the paper, not on a palette. Pastels are applied to paper in layers, which builds up the colors, and it takes very little time to cover a large area of paper. If you have covered most of the paper surface with color, it is called a pastel painting. If less of the surface is covered, it is referred to as a pastel drawing.

Pastel Sticks and Pencils

In pastels, there are many choices to be made when choosing your materials. You need to choose which colors you want in hard pastels, soft pastels and pastel pencils, all of which will be used to complete one painting. The hard pastels are used to lay the basic foundation of colors. The hard pastels do not leave as much pigment on the paper as the soft pastels and you can apply several layers of colors without lifting the previous layer. The sticks of soft pastels are used to apply the final layers of colors. You can achieve a brilliant layer of pigments with the soft pastels while blending the layers of color you have already painted with the hard pastels. The pastel pencils are designed for detailed line work and will be the last pastels that you use to complete your painting.

Choosing Your Surface

There are many choices of papers and painting surfaces that are suitable for pastels. The characteristic these surfaces have in common is that they all have "tooth." Tooth is the texture on the paper's surface that will hold onto the pigment from the dusty pastels. Any textured paper will work for pastels, whether it is colored paper that is especially manufactured for pastels, or cold-pressed watercolor paper. Some pastels artists enjoy working on fine sandpaper or covering a Masonite board with a mixture of gesso and pumice.

Begin a Painting

Tape your paper onto a stiff board, such as a Masonite or foam core, that is slightly larger than your paper. This allows you to turn your paper as you work without having to touch the paper. Using charcoal, sketch your subject and add your darkest shadows. Next, add layers of colors with your hard pastels on top of one another, lightly blending with your finger or blending with the pastels as you work. You can use the pastel pencils to add small details. Apply your brightest highlights and most vibrant colors with your soft pastels. Experiment using your pastel sticks on their sides with sweeping strokes and making sharp quick strokes that aren't blended. You will soon develop a style of your own.

Framing a Pastel

Some pastel artists use an acrylic spray fixative on their art when it is completed. Fixatives, however, will make the colors less vibrant. Framing the painting under glass protects it and does not require a fixative, so the colors remain bright. A double mat should be used so that the surface of the paper will not touch and rub against the glass. A spacer between the paper and the mat should be used so that any dust falling from the surface on the paper will fall behind the mat, where it will not be visible.

Kinds Of Works of art In India

India has a vast and colorful art tradition.

Indian painting reflects influences from the art of other cultures. Throughout history, the lively trade of central Asia introduced many styles of painting to Indian artists. But the development of painting in India always remained sophisticated and strongly focused on indigenous tradition and mythological themes. Some now-collectible painting was done on mud walls. Some is still made from dung and pigments ground from nature. And fine examples of Indian art are found in collections and museums all over the world.

Tanjore Painting

Tanjore painting is native to Tamil Nadu in southern India. The compositions are very elaborate and colorful and are often encrusted with pearls, semi-precious stones, bits of glass, lace or silk threads. The style dates from the 16th century but is still practiced. Paintings are made on planks of wood that are covered with a layer of cloth on which the design is sketched. The painting is always made in relief with layers of zinc oxide, precious stone embellishments, areas of pressed gold leaf and bright paint applied to the design. The subjects of Tanjore paintings are usually Hindu gods and goddesses and the most important figure always occupies the center of the composition.

Miniatures

Indian miniature painting traditions feature intricate and detailed brushwork and colors made of real gold and silver, ground minerals, precious stones, sacred conch shells and vegetable dyes. Prominent schools of miniature painting include Mughal, Rajput and Deccan. Subjects are murals---scenes depicting an elaborate royal marriage, for instance---and the objects, their placement and colors in the painting have symbolic value.

Mughal Painting

During the long reign of the Mughal emperors in India, a period that saw a great flowering of the arts, a style of painting that depicted hunting scenes, battles, court events, traditional legends, wild animals and royal portraits was popular. Scenes from the Mahabharata, Ramayana and other epic tales were often painted under the patronage of the emperor and wealthy nobility. Mughal painting, from the 16th to 19th centuries, can be found in prominent museum collections today. The style shows strong Persian and Islamic influences and became more and more refined over time. The form declined with the gradual withdrawal of royal support.

Madhubani Painting

Madhubani painting evolved over centuries from a village tradition to a widely collected art form. The original paintings were made on the mud-plastered walls of huts by the women of the village as dreamscapes depicting their hopes. Eventually the art was used in festivals and for special celebrations and today it is still made---but on handmade paper, canvas or cloth, not on walls. The subjects are themes from nature, like the sun and the moon, and from mythology---images of Krishna, Lakshmi and Shiva. The paints are created from cow dung laced with soot, turmeric mixed with banyan leaf milk, rice powder, flower juices and sandalwood. Any empty spaces on the canvas are filled in with a riot of flowers, birds or geometric designs.

Paper Sculpture Instructions

Use paper mache to create a paper sculpture. Paper mache uses newspapers, flour and water. Make any type of sculpture you like. Paper mache can last a few years if cared for properly. If the paper mache sculpture gets wet, squished or bumped, it can tear or fall apart. Paper mache is messy, so have a decent sized work space available. When working with paper mache, it's important to work slowly. Each layer of newspaper must be smooth for the final project to look polished.

Instructions

1. Lay newspapers on a flat surface.

2. Blow up the balloon. Tie the end into a knot.

3. Tear up newspapers into strips, about 2 inches wide by 4 inches long. You'll need a lot of newspaper. Tear up five or six to start with.

4. Put 2 1/2 cups of flour into the bowl. Add three cups of water and stir. Clean off the spoon.

5. Dip the newspaper strips into the water and flour mixture. Use your fingers to remove excess glue. Cover the balloon with the newspaper. The balloon is the core of the sculpture.

6. Fold and crunch sheets of newspaper to make any necessary 3-D parts of the sculpture. Wrap the crunched and folded newspaper with masking tape to hold its shape. For example, if you are making legs, fold a sheet of newspaper in half repeatedly till it reaches the necessary height. Wrap newspapers around the leg and wrap in masking tape.

7. Hold the appendage with one hand and apply wet newspaper strips to the appendage and main part of the sculpture to attach it. Repeat with all parts.

8. Cover the entire sculpture with two to three layers of newspaper strips. Let each layer dry for at least 12 hours before adding another layer.

9. Paint the dry sculpture. Acrylic and poster paints work well. After the paint dries, apply any decorations, like feathers, with glue.

Paper Pyramid Crafts

Pyramids in Egypt and elsewhere provide inspiration for craft projects.

One intriguing aspect of history involves the ways in which the ancient Egyptians managed to build such a fantastic example of architecture as the pyramid. In school or at home, you can have children create their own pyramids made out of paper, using a couple of different variations for multiple effects.

Simple Pyramid

Create four equilateral triangles with small tabs along the sides for gluing purposes. Fold the triangles so that they have these tabs. Glue the tab of one triangle to the side without a tab on one of the other triangles. Once you have glued them all together, the pyramid is complete. Before you start folding the triangles, you might want to color them with a sand colored pencil, marker or crayon for a realistic effect.

Pyramid Name Card

Nursery-school students might not have the motor skills necessary to build their own pyramid, so build the paper pyramids for them. Give each of them a label to decorate with their name and some pictures. They can then place the label on the pyramid and use them as name cards. You could also distribute the flat triangles, have the students decorate them with their name and designs and then assemble the triangles for the students.

Bible Pyramid

In a religious school, you might want to incorporate an activity that talks about Moses and the pyramids in Egypt, where the Jewish people were kept in captivity for so many years. Distribute the triangles to the class first. Have them write a Bible passage that relates to Moses and how he freed the Jewish people from Pharaoh. They could also illustrate the pyramid with scenes from the Bible before they put the pyramid together.

Food Pyramid Craft

Not all pyramid crafts require the construction of a three-dimensional piece. Have students cut out a triangle or distribute a triangle to them. Provide a model of the food pyramid on the blackboard. Ask the students to divide their pyramids just as you have divided yours. They can either draw in pictures of appropriate foods for each section or glue on pictures that they find in magazines or newspapers.

Painting Tutorial Color Mixing

Almost any color imaginable can be created by mixing the three primary colors of red, blue and yellow. If you are just starting off in the painting world you need to spend a little time mastering the technique of mixing paint and finding out what colors they make. This not only allows you to become more confident in your mixing skills, but you are going to save money in the long run by not constantly mixing colors to see what comes out.

Primary Colors

Set aside the three primary colors of blue, red and yellow. Mix some of the red and yellow together and you have orange. Mix yellow and blue together and you have green. Blue and red make purple. From these three colors you now have six colors. These new colors are your secondary colors. Even though you can purchase premade colors it is good to know create your own. This allows you to adjust the color of your paint to more adequately fit the color you are looking for.

Black

When you buy a new paint set it probably comes with a tube or slate of black ink. If you are looking for realistic painting techniques do not use the black paint at all. This is because the color black rarely occurs in nature. Unless there is a black fabric you are re-creating, most objects, including shadows, are not black. Look closely at shadows in your room. What may appear to be black may actually be more of a deep purple, blue, brown or green. Using deep purples and blues in your shadows gives your painting an added level of sophistication, not to mention the shadow area won't stick out like a sore thumb amongst the rest of the color.

Clean Brush

When you are changing to a different color to paint make sure you clean off your brush thoroughly. A dirty brush results in dirty paint. If you want a vibrant red in your red, but already have green on the brush, your red paint is going to end up with a brownish tone to it. Keep plenty of fresh, clean water nearby, as well as a paper towel to dry off the brush. When the water becomes too dirty to see the bottom of the cup it is time to fetch new water.

Details Picasso'S Art

Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist who introduced bold, new styles of work that changed how Western culture perceives and defines art and beauty in art. Picasso was prolific, working in many artistic mediums. Besides drawing and painting, Picasso sculpted, engraved, illustrated, designed sets and costumes, and wrote plays. Picasso began studying and producing art in childhood, and, by the time he reached adulthood, was ready to leave behind the path of artistic convention in favor of his own artistic vision.

Personal Life

Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga, Spain, on October 25, 1881, to Maria Picasso López and José Ruiz Blasco. He was the oldest of three children; the two younger children were girls. Picasso's father was an art instructor, so Picasso was exposed to art as a way of life from the beginning. The artist settled permanently in Paris in his twenties, and had a tempestuous love life, having four children by three different wives plus several relationships with other women. Picasso's art reflects these relationships, for the women were much-used subjects in his work. Picasso died on April 8, 1973 in Paris.

Significance

Picasso invented several styles of painting, among them Cubism, Analytic Cubism and Synthetic Cubism. These, in turn, inspired similar movements in music and literature. Picasso's explorations into form and the abstract served to liberate artistic conception and understanding, influencing the development of art throughout the 20th century and beyond. Though Picasso's abstract works inspired and emboldened other artists, Picasso had scorn for those who painted pure abstracts.

Periods to 1921

Formative Years--As a student, besides learning art from his father, Picasso studied at the Guarda School of Fine Arts starting in 1892, the Llotja School of Fine Arts for two years and, briefly, at the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. Besides drawings, Picasso painted in oil and created realistic classical casts.

Blue Period--During Picasso's Blue Period from 1901 to 1905, the artist went from tending toward literal artistic observations such as nightlife and cityscapes to more symbolic and introverted subjects. Picasso had become influenced by literary ideas linking suffering to sincerity and art. He frequently used society's cast-offs as subjects during the period; his colors became monochrome and blue figured prominently.

Rose Period--Picasso's Rose Period lasted from 1905 to 1906, and saw warm color, especially pink and ochre, returning to his art. Subjects were commonly circus performers and acrobats.

Cubist Period--With the creation of Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907 marked the beginning of Cubism, which Georges Braque and Picasso developed through 1914. Some call the beginning of this period Picasso's African Period, because the artist had been fascinated by the angularity of African sculptures and incorporated this angularity into some of his work. Mask-like faces can be seen in Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.

Periods From 1921

Neo-Classicist Period--At about 1921, Picasso began incorporating some of the traditional into his paintings--thus, this period is thought of as his Classicist or Neo-Classicist Period.

Surrealist Period--After 1927, Picasso's work showed the influence of the surrealist movement.

Wartime Period--With the 1937 bombing of Guernica (Basque country, Spain), Picasso created propogandist works, starting with the mural Guernica, depicting the destruction of the city and attendant suffering. Picasso refused to allow the mural to make its home in Spain until the end of fascism in that country, which occurred in 1981.

Post-War Period--After World War II and for the rest of his life, Picasso continued to work across mediums, exploring and re-exploring. Picasso created variations of themes he'd previously worked and also variations on the work of other artists. These variations were not studies, but reinterpretations--even re-imaginings.

Artistic Time Line, Up to 1921

1889--"The Picador," Picasso's first oil, painted when he was 8 years old.

1887--"Science and Charity," oil on canvas. The work was displayed at the Fine Arts General Exhibition in Madrid while Picasso was still a teen, winning two awards.

1900--First individual exhibition. The exhibition was held in Barcelona, Spain.

1901--First exhibition in Paris.

1903--"La Vie," oil on canvas: Masterpiece from the Blue Period.

1907--"Les Demoiselles d'Avignon," oil on canvas: A groundbreaking work that changed the direction of art and began the Cubist Movement.

1912--First collages.

1916--Began association with the Ballets Russes. In 1917, "Parade" premiered with wardrobe and decoration by Picasso. It was the first of several collaborations with the company.

Artistic Time Line, From 1923

1923--"The Pipes of Pan," oil on canvas: Masterwork from Picasso's Neo-classicist period.

1931--The artist set up a sculpting studio in Normandy.

1935--"Minotauromachy," etching and engraving. Picasso identified with the minotaur, a half-man, half-bull creature of myth, and used it in his work.

1937--"Guernica," oil on canvas. A depiction of the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The black-and-white giant mural has become an iconic symbol of the suffering caused by war.

1940--First play: "Desire Caught by the Tail."

1945--Began exploring lithography.

1947--Began pottery work.

1955--"Don Quixote," ink drawing: Iconic drawing created for the French journal "Les Lettres Françaises" in celebration of the anniversary of the publication of the literary masterpiece "Don Quixote. "

1967--"Head of a Woman," welded steel sculpture. The 50-foot-tall work stands in Chicago.

Influences

Picasso's first teacher and influence was his father, a painter and drawing master, who recognized Picasso's genius at an early age. Picasso often frequented museums and studied the Spanish painters Goya and Velázquez as adulthood approached. The works of 19th-century French painter Paul Cézanne, who saw three-dimensional geometric objects in nature, influenced Georges Braque and especially Picasso to develop Cubism, with Juan Gris becoming a later influence on the style. Cubism shows different views and angles of a subject simultaneously.

Painting Suggestions For Flat Kitchen Cabinet Doorways

Painting flat kitchen cabinet doors refreshes the look of your kitchen.

Flat kitchen cabinet doors can be plain and boring, but they provide an ideal canvas for paint techniques. There are many choices to consider when deciding paint your cabinet doors, from freshening them up with a new solid paint color to using them as the canvas for various designs, textures or patterns.

Lighten Up

If your flat kitchen cabinet doors are currently a dark stain or paint, consider repainting them a solid, lighter color. Choose bright white, cream or perhaps a soft pastel. This will lighten the feel of the kitchen and make it a more airy space. You could also consider choosing a bolder color. Bright red, orange, or yellow will give your kitchen a warm, spicy feel, while bright blues or greens will provide an exciting pop of color. If you would like the advantages of these bright, bold colors for your kitchen cabinet doors, but feel that these colors would overwhelm your kitchen, consider using these same colors, but in a wash instead. Create a wash by adding glaze to the paint. This will thin the paint, and allow you to incorporate the vibrant colors you love.

Add Design

Consider painting a border around the cabinet door in a contrasting or complementary color, one or two inches from the edge of the door. This will create the illusion of depth for your flat doors. You could also paint tone-on-tone or contrasting stripes to add visual interest to the cabinets. Vertical stripes will make your cabinets appear taller, a good choice for a kitchen with low ceilings. Horizontal stripes will make the cabinets seem shorter and wider, creating a cozy feel. You might consider using a stencil to create a border design for simple style, or an all-over pattern for a bolder statement. Commonly used stencils in kitchens include ivy, grape, or chili pepper designs.

Trompe L'Oeil

Trompe l'oeil, pronounced "tromp loy," is a painting technique that is ideal for flat kitchen cabinet doors. Trompe l'oeil means "to trick or fool the eye," and uses paint to create murals or vignettes on flat surfaces that appear to have depth and dimension. You can choose a trompe l'oeil design that mimics the look of glass-front cabinet doors, or choose designs that appear to be tile mosaics or landscapes.

Outside Activities In Westchester New You are able to

Westchester County, New York, is the neighboring county of New York City and home to cities such as White Plains, Yonkers and Elmsford. This county is on the eastern banks of the Hudson River, which offers fishing and boating opportunities in the summer and fall. The county's 40-mile bicycling-path network connects some of Westchester's recreation areas, including Graham Hills County Park and Tibbets Brook Park.

Bicycling

Westchester County has more than 40 miles of bicycling paths belonging to the North County and South County Trailways. Segments of the North County Trailway, which runs from Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx to the Metro North Train Station in Brewster, run along Saw Mill River Road in Westchester County; the segments of Saw Mill River Road with bicycle paths are less than five minutes north of White Plains and Elmsford. Other bicycle paths in Westchester County are the Old Croton Trailway and along the Bronx River Parkway.

Golf

The Metropolis Country Club (metropoliscc.org) is in the county seat, White Plains. This country club, open since 1922, has a 71-par golf course with 18 holes. The Scarsdale Golf Club (scarsdalegolfclub.org) has a 72-par course with 18 holes. Founded in 1898, Scarsdale is one of the oldest continually operating golf clubs in the greater New York City area. The Fairview Golf Center (fairviewgolfcenter.com) in Elmsford offers outdoor driving ranges for golfers who need to practice hitting the tees. The Golf Center also has an 18-hole miniature golf course for adults and children.

Water

Westchester County provides chances for fishing and cruising on the Hudson River, which runs along the county's western border. Marinas include the Tarrytown Boat and Yacht Club (tarrytownboatclub.com) and Washington Irving Boat Club (wiboatclub.com) in Tarrytown; Ossining is home to the Westerly Marina (westerlymarina.com) and Shattemuc Yacht Club (shattemucyc.org). Inland boating and fishing are also available at some of Westchester County's recreation areas. New Croton Reservoir and Kinesco Lake allow boats on their waters all year-round. The fishing season in the Hudson River runs from June to November, while Croton Falls, Amawalk and Muscoot Reservoirs are open for fishing from April to October.

Sports

The county's youths have access to outdoor athletic activities through sports leagues. The Westchester Youth Soccer League (wyslsoccer.org) has approximately 650 traveling soccer clubs, including Scarsdale, FC Westchester, Mount Vernon, White Plains and Yonkers. The Westchester Youth Football League's (wyfbl.com) age brackets are third and fourth grades, fifth and sixth grades -- Senior Division -- and seventh and eight grades -- Varsity Division. Some varsity teams are in Yonkers, White Plains and Ossining.

Orlando Dining Points of interest

In Orlando, dinner may come involve a show with jousting knights.

Orlando is a central Florida tourist destination known for big theme parks, but visitors can enjoy smaller attractions. Dining attractions, for example, are a unique way to enjoy dinner and a show. They usually last about two hours and you do not have to wait in line. From murder mysteries to marauding pirates to jousting knights and Arabian nights, Orlando dining attractions offer fun, adventure and sometimes a part in the show.

Pirates Dinner Adventure

Pirates Dinner Adventure takes place on a replica of an 18th century Spanish galleon, which sits on 300,000 gallons of water in the restaurant's indoor lagoon. "Sebastian the Black" is the villainous captain who leads a renegade crew in the pirate adventure show. Diners sit in six similar ships positioned outside the lagoon. Each dining ship has a pirate mascot in the show, which also includes performers, singers, cannons blasting and pyrotechnics. Before the show, diners can enjoy appetizers and take pictures with the pirates. The meal includes pillager's pork, treasure's chicken and Princess Anita's royal desserts.

Arabian Nights Dinner Attraction

Located in the Palace of Horses, Arabian Nights Dinner Attraction offers entertainment for all ages. Guests enjoy a pre-show in the Great Hall where a belly dancer performs and invites the audience to dance on stage. The main show includes 22 acts performed by more than 20 equestrians and 60 horses. Guests will see acrobats leap, flip and dance on horseback. Diners will feast on steak, chicken, pork, vegetables and desserts.

Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows

Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows has three theaters for its performances, which are part scripted, part improv, and part audience participation. Diners can see one of 13 shows such as "Welcome Back Chuck" about a disgraced TV personality, "Holidaze" about a reality show, and "the Family Tree" about family secrets. In addition to using detective skills to try and solve the show's mystery, diners may be pulled into the show for a cameo appearance. Dinner items include prime rib, lasagna, Cornish game hen and mystery dessert.

Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament

Diners can enjoy spare ribs, chicken, potatoes and soup while watching a medieval show. The royal court includes King Philippe and Princess Leonore, who are seated above guests and preside over the activities, and Prince Tristan, who is in pursuit of a peace treaty. Diners will also see the royal falconer, who performs with birds, the herald of Leone and master of horse, who both present horse shows, and the lord chancellor, who announces the festivities. The show also features six knights who take part in the battle of champions.

Musical Theater Auditions In Chicago

Chicago, Illinois is one of the country's greatest theater cities.

The city of Chicago is one of the U.S.'s great theater meccas, trailing only New York and Los Angeles, perhaps, when it comes to musical theater acting opportunities. The Windy City is home to some of the country's most culturally significant theater companies, including Second City and Steppenwolf. If you're a musical theatre actor based out of Chicago, there are several ways you can search out auditions.

Theatre Companies

One of the oldest but tried and true ways of finding musical theater auditions is to do your research on the theater companies that interest you, check The League of Chicago Theatres where you'll find audition notices and specific information for each theatre company in the Chicago area. If you go out of your way to identify the companies creating theatre that inspires you, you'll be more likely to get in the door at an audition since you'll be able to articulate your passion to them. There are hundreds of theater companies in the Chicago area, a great many of which produce musicals and frequently hold auditions. You'll find a company for any artistic taste; if you're into racially diverse theater, look into the Pegasus Players, while if avant garde musical theatre is more your style, consider The Lookingglass Theatre Company.

Print

The biggest resource for actors in Chicago is Performink. While audition notices do get posted on the newspaper's website, there's far more detailed information to be found in the hard copy. Performink is a biweekly trade newspaper for actors and theatre artists in Chicago that prints auditions, interviews, actor resources, classes and news articles. You can get Performink delivered to you twice a week by getting an annual subscription. Purchasing a copy of An Actor's Guide to Chicago, another resource put out by Performink, will also help you find musical theatre auditions.

Websites

If you're someone who prefers to do research online, look no farther than theater websites to search out musical theater auditions in Chicago. Theatre In Chicago (theatreinchicago.com) is a website that prints theater news and information, but also countless auditions happening around the city on any given day. Searching audition listings is free and you're able to search by Equity or non-Equity auditions. Playbill (playbill.com) is another website that's very popular with theater artists. You can search the site by city, so type in Chicago and the website, which is updated several times daily, will sort auditions for you in the area.

Summer Stock

Summer stock theater happens all over the country, all summer long. Summer stock companies produce several shows a season in one location with a resident acting company that's employed for the whole summer. Illinois Theatre Association (iltheassoc.org) is one company that holds yearly auditions in March for summer stock opportunities in the Chicago area. Perhaps the largest summer stock audition is Straw Hat (strawhat-auditions.com). Auditions are held in several cities across the country to recruit actors to come to Chicago and participate in summer stock theaters.

Orchestra Instruments & Their Variations

Traditional classification of musical instruments is based on the instruments of the orchestra.

Classifying musical instruments based on the instruments of the orchestra is the traditional method of instrument classification. The different groups of orchestra instruments are distinguished from each other by the way they produce sound.

Strings

String instruments produce sound with their vibrating strings. Musician cause the strings to vibrate by plucking them, as with the harp, or stroking them with a bow, as with the violin. The main orchestral stringed instruments are the violin, viola, cello, double bass and harp. The violin, viola, cello and double bass are all made of wood and have four strings. From smallest to largest and highest to lowest sound, the order of the instruments is violin, viola, cello and bass. Players hold the violin and viola under the chin to play them, but the cello and the bass must rest on the floor to be played. The bass is so large that the player has to sit on a high stool or stand to play it.

Woodwinds

Woodwinds and brass are both wind instruments. With wind instruments it is a column of air that vibrates to produce sound. The flute, oboe, bassoon and clarinet are the woodwind instruments of the orchestra. Despite the woodwind name, the orchestral flute is made of metal. The player produces a clear, high sound by blowing into the side of the flute. The piccolo is a very small flute with an even higher sound. The oboe produces sound when the player blows in between two reeds, while the clarinet uses one reed. The bassoon, a long hollow tube of wood, is a double-reed instrument like the oboe. It is the largest standard orchestral woodwind, with the lowest sound.

Brass

The orchestral brass instruments, which can also be made of a silvery alloy, are the trumpet, French horn, trombone and tuba. The player "buzzes" his or her lips against the mouthpiece to produce the sound, which the rest of the instrument amplifies and refines. Brass instruments are classified as cylindrical bore instruments, like the trumpet, or conical bore instruments, like the French horn. The metal tube of a conical bore instrument increases in width from the mouthpiece to the other end, producing a sound that is warmer and less bright.

Percussion

The percussion section has the largest range of instruments, which typically produce sound by being struck (hence the name of the group). However, anything not classified as strings, woodwind or brass often goes into the percussion section of a Western orchestra, such as whistles. Common percussion instruments of the orchestra include the timpani, bass and snare drums, as well as cymbals and gongs. Timpani drums are large kettledrums, or drums with a rounded bottom, that can be tuned to different pitches. Orchestras usually have several timpani of different sizes. All orchestral drums are played using hard sticks or softer beaters. Xylophones, marimbas, glockenspiels and tubular bells have bars, blocks or tubes arranged in rows like the keys on a keyboard and can be used to play a melody.

Opening Tunes To "Detective Conan"

Detective Conan first aired in Japan in 1996.

"Detective Conan" is a Japanese anime based on a manga of the same name. The English dub by FUNimation was renamed "Case Closed" due to legality issues. The plot follows the heroic exploits of a talented detective, Jimmy Kudo (also known by his alias, Conan Edogawa), who transforms into a small boy after ingesting a special poison.

Japanese Theme Songs

The Japanese version of "Detective Conan" has gone through 29 different opening theme songs. The first song was "Mune ga Dokidoki" by the High-Lows; it played for episodes one through 30. Episodes 31 to 582 featured various songs by Japanese artists. The current song (as of October 2010), for episodes 583 and onward, is "Summer Time Gone" by Mai Kuraki.

English Theme Songs

The American version, "Case Closed," has three opening songs. In order of seasons, the songs are "First New Century" by Carl Finch, "Mystery" by Stephanie Naldony and "Spinning the Roulette of Destiny" by ZARD.

Fun Fact

Stories about Sherlock Holmes and the films of Akira Kurosawa inspired Gosho Aoyama, creator of the "Detective Conan" manga.

Online Makeup Artistry Schools

You can train to become a makeup artist at home.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, employment opportunities for makeup artists is expected to grow faster than average, when compared to all other occupations. Unfortunately, taking the time to attend an actual makeup school isn't always possible. That's where online makeup artistry schools come into play. Online schools can give you many of the same skills, without the travel time.

The Makeup Space

The Makeup Space is the brainchild of longtime Hollywood makeup artist Joe Blasco. The classes are taught by several accomplished makeup artists like Landy Dean, whose work has appeared on the covers of Harper's Bazaar and Cosmopolitan, and Ve Neill, who has won three Academy Awards for her makeup work. The classes range from thirty minutes to three or more hours, and include: natural beauty, character makeup, retro modern glamour, and editorial fashion makeup. As of May 2010, the cost of taking a class ranges from $50 for 24 hour access, to $900 for 30 days access to a single class.

The Makeup Space

themakeupspace.com

Epro

Epro is an online makeup school created by Asun Parra, a makeup artist based out of Spain. There are eight modules that will lead you through an introduction to makeup, daytime and nighttime looks, fantasy, bridal, television, and more. You'll learn specific strategies for generating customers, including market your services online. The entire system combines online training with DVDs and manuals, giving you a multimedia learning experience. Should you run into any problems, there are Epro tutors to help you along the way. Depending on your schedule, you should be able to complete this course within three, six, or nine months. As of May 2010, the Epro course costs around $2,000.

Epro

eproimagecourses.com/distance_learning_course/free_guided_tour.htm

National Online Makeup Academy

The National Online Makeup Academy maintains the Makeup Artistry 101 course. The 10 chapters within the course cover topics like the history of makeup, eye makeup and powder application, makeup removal, and portfolio building advice. As part of the course you'll receive the Mattese Classic Palette Kit. In it you'll get various eye shadows, blush, lip gloss, applicators, and other supplies. The instructional materials for the course are emailed to you as PowerPoint presentations. You'll also need a digital camera to photograph your work. You'll email your photographs to the school. Makeup Artistry 101 costs $349 as of May 2010.

National Online Makeup Academy

nomausa.com/NOMAcademy.html

Fresh paint A Sumie Landscape

Paintbrush similar to the style of ink brush used in Sumi-e

Sumi-e is the Asian art of ink and brush landscape painting. Sumi-e is a style of art that is said to express the essence of objects through the use of pure black Sumi-e ink against white rice paper. It's an art form that can take a lifetime to master. With practice and patience, you can paint in the Sumi-e style and slowly start to craft a complex black and white landscape.

Instructions

1. Make the ink for your painting. Sprinkle several drops of water on the ink stone. Press the tip of your stick against the wet stone and move it in gentle circles across the surface of the stone. Moving the stick over the stone is considered a meditative process where you been to contemplate the composition of your landscape. As you move the stick, it releases some of the soot from the stone into the water and creates your ink. You will need about a quarter-size amount of ink for your small landscape. Dip the tip of the brush into the ink.

2. Draw bamboo onto the right corner of your rice paper. Bamboo is considered the first of the four strokes called the Four Gentlemen that you must master to learn Sumi-e. Set the tip of the brush at the bottom of your piece of rice paper and pull the brush up and lift to the midpoint of your paper. Repeat this movement next to the line you just painted until you have a clump of bamboo. Dip your brush into the ink and use the tip to dot small leaves at intermittent intervals along your stalks of bamboo.

3. Draw wild orchids in scattered locations on the lower half of your rice paper. The wild orchid is considered the second stroke of the Four Gentleman. Dip your brush into the ink and set it on the paper where you'd like your first orchid drawn. Use the same movement you used to draw the bamboo, pull the brush up and lift, but turn the brush as you move to create a petal. Repeat this movement to create all three petals of your orchid. Repeat this step to create several orchids across your paper.

4. Go several inches above your top orchid and draw your horizon. Dip your brush into the ink and pull it horizontally along your paper, adding a few bumps to create a natural-looking line. You now have a basic Sumi-e landscape painting with bamboo in the foreground of a hill of wild orchids.

Latin Nightclubs In Manhattan

Rumba

Manhattan is home to many nightclubs, and when it comes to Latin music, dancing, drinks and food, the city is all but lacking. Take a walk around East Harlem, where there is a heavy Puerto Rican influence and almost always live music. If you want to salsa or merengue, these clubs are a must.

SOB's Home of Universal Music

Hot! Hot! Hot!

SOB's, or Sounds of Brazil, brings in many live Latin bands and musicians and on Friday night, hosts salsa lessons. This is one of Manhattan's best spots for dancing and live music. The Latin fusion menu is original and features dishes, such as the grilled ginger-lime snapper in a banana leaf and xim xim de galinha, a delectable braised chicken dish. Dinner and drinks will cost about $50 per person; the Brazilian caipirinha, a cocktail of Cachaca, limes and sugar, is delicious (2010 pricing). On Sundays, SOB's features a Bossanova Brunch with an open sangria bar for $26.99 per person (2010 pricing). You can book your own party at SOB's, complete with live entertainment and catered food.

SOB's

204 Varick Street

New York, NY 10014-4809

(212) 243-4940

sobs.com

Copacabana

Great live music

The Copacabana, currently undergoing a move, is hosting club nights and private parties at the Columbus 72 nightclub. Every Tuesday night at Columbus 72 is "Copa Night" and there is live Latin music on Fridays (2010 Calendar). The famous Barry Manilow song, "Copacabana" was written about this club; it is famous for hosting well-known entertainers and appearing in films like "Tootsie" and "Goodfellas." The Copacabana hosts a summer boat ride party featuring Latin dance music.

Columbus 72

246 Columbus Ave

New York, NY 10023-3331

(212) 787-0845

columbus72.com

La Fonda Boricua

Latin Jazz

The FB Lounge, a part of La Fonda Boricua, a Latin American restaurant, offers wonderful live Latin Jazz. Sunday through Wednesdays, Latin Jazz performers entertain at the club; Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights feature Salsa and Descarga. La Fonda Boricua also hosts private parties. The club is located in East Harlem and is a local favorite, and the Ayalas brothers, the owners/chefs, are renowned for their Puerto Rican cuisine and their catering service. This is a great place to sway your hips after a hearty Puerto Rican meal.

La Fonda Boricua

169 E 106th Street

New York, NY 10029

(212) 410-7292

fondaboricua.com

Old Master Oil Painting Techniques & Techniques

Leonardo da Vinci, a painter and scientist, is one of the most well known of the Old Masters.

The term Old Master often describes artists from around the Renaissance period of art, such as Leonardo da Vinci or Raphael, but it can also describe any artist from between the years 1500 and 1800. Many Old Master oil paintings are the gold standard of what art should be, and their techniques are valuable learning tools for any aspiring artist. Using three techniques -- underpainting, glazing and scumbling -- the Old Masters perfected both the Flemish and Venetian methods of oil painting.

Underpainting

A widely used Old Master painting technique is underpainting, a preliminary process in which the artist lays down the form and tonal composition of the painting. This rough draft acts as base for the layers of paint that make up the final work. Using tempera or oils, the underpainting is either monochromatic or in color, and dries completely before the application of subsequent layers. A monochromatic underpainting is generally a grayscale rendering that allows the artist to define light and shadow, while a color underpainting defines the painting's overall use of color.

Glazing

Another Old Master technique is glazing, which is the application of transparent or semi-transparent layers over a light color underpainting. Due to the limited number of colors available to the Old Masters, glazing was a way to expand the palette by layering transparent tones of color, one over the other. Made by mixing paint and a oil medium until transparent, a tinted glaze applied to a light opaque surface functions much like a stage light in a theater. The light shines through transparent colored sheets, and the combination of different color sheets produces any number of new colors.

Scumbling

A common technique used by the Old Masters is scumbling, in which lighter paint overlays darker colors. Scumbling, the opposite of glazing, uses opaque or semi-opaque paint layered over dried paint with a brush or with a paint knife and scraped to create texture. Leonardo da Vinci often employed scumbling, utilizing the technique for highlighting and softness. Scumbling is also beneficial when used for transitioning or grading of color.

Flemish Method

The Flemish method of painting, used by old masters such as Van Eyck and Hans Holbein the Younger, was the common technique in the north of Europe. Painted on a hard surface, like wood, was a flat transparent underpainting known as an imprimatura. Using the glazing technique, Flemish Old Masters applied the dark tones first, and then applied the middle tones, which were either opaque or transparent glaze. Finally, the artist applied the lighter tones and highlights that were always opaque.

Venetian Method

In the south of Europe, particularly Italy, the Old Masters utilized the Venetian method of oil painting. Like the Flemish method, the Venetian method used transparent dark tones and opaque highlights, but differed with the use of canvas rather than wood. Painters such as Titian and Giorgione, along with Leonardo da Vinci, perfected the Venetian method and pioneered the use of scumbling. Italian painters also used large hog-bristle paintbrushes to create texture.

Create A Creative Photography Composition

Adding a foreground tree to a mundane church image gives this photo an edge over church snapshots.

Millions of photos are taken everyday yet so many seem to look alike. Creative photography compositions are created when photographers take a few extra steps in making their images. If you find yourself simply pointing and shooting from an upright position and are dissatisfied with your photos, it's time to start experimenting with those settings and make your images stand out.

Instructions

1. Create a silhouette shot by placing an unlit subject in front of a bright background. The subject should have strong body language like jumping, holding up both arms or running because the viewer will only be able to see the person's shape. Silhouette shots are best completed during sunrise or sunset when the sky and clouds look the most visually appealing. Slightly underexpose the shot by one or two stops to saturate the background colors. A great way to stage one of these shots is to place your subject in the shadow of a large object such as a building while the sun is rising. Or juxtapose the subject with the sky or an interesting cityscape. Have the subject try different poses.

2. Take a shot that includes a background, a middle ground and a foreground. Doing so adds the illusion of depth to the picture. The subject can pose in the foreground or middle ground. If the subject is in the middle ground, the foreground element could be some sort of clue as to what environment the subject occupies. For example, if you are shooting on a beach, the foreground element could be part of a palm leaf. Ensure that all elements of this type of photograph are relevant to the type of story your wish to tell. Do not simply fill the three parts of the image with random and distracting objects.

3. Move in close to your subjects, sometimes to the point that it is uncomfortable. Intimacy is a very important part of photography that all too many pictures lack. Getting close to your subjects invites viewers to see them in an up-close-and-personal way. Do your best to develop a rapport with your subjects so they can be comfortable while you are shooting so close to them.

4. Pay attention to the details of your pictures because one tiny detail can make a picture stand out over others. A picture of a runner with both feet off the ground is far more interesting than a picture of a runner with one foot on the ground. Take the time to thoroughly examine your pictures and think about ways they could be better. Arming yourself with this type of critical eye will help you for future shoots.

5. Play with the focus ring of your camera and try breaking a few rules. Try intentionally leaving everything out of focus. Set the aperture to its widest setting so that whatever is out of focus is exceptionally blurry. Keep the focus mode out of auto and try different shots.

Oil Pastel Tips

Besides being easy to use, oil pastels are versatile, transportable and can produce some great results. But there are some things to think about before diving into your first oil pastel drawing.

Purchasing Oil Pastels

When purchasing oil pastels, it's always a good idea to understand the differences in brands and grades of available products, and more importantly, what factors go into some brands being more expensive than others. Like most painting and drawing tools, oils pastels are made of two components, a pigment (the color), and a salve (what the color is suspended in)--in this case oil and stearic acid. The less expensive, or student grade, pastels have much less pigment in them in relation to the amount of oils and acid. An oil pastel with more pigment in it will produce more vibrant colors, and a longer lasting final drawing.

Choosing a Surface

Unlike chalk pastels, the texture of the paper rarely shows through the layers of thick oil pastel once it is applied. For this reason, how much texture your paper has will be inconsequential. It is important to make sure that the paper you choose is sturdy enough (80 lb. or heavier) for the layers of heavy pastel, and that it is uncoated, to allow for the oil pastel to adhere.

Application

It becomes harder to apply layers of oil pastel over thicker applications, so its always a good idea to start with a thin application for your underpainting, applying thicker layers as you come closer to completing your drawing.

It's also a good idea to use the right size pastel for the job. Use larger pieces of pastel to cover larger areas, and smaller or "sharper" pieces for more detailed work.

Preserving Your Work

Since oil pastels never truly dry, the pastels will move around if handled too aggressively. Gravity will also eventually cause your painting to look like it is "drooping" once is hung. You can counteract this by using a spray fixative with holds the pigments in place indefinitely. Oil pastels with high amounts of stearic acid in them will eventually eat away at the paper. Using higher quality pastels will prevent this.

Special Techniques

One great technique exclusive to oil pastels is the fat that the drawings you create with them are still malleable after application. You can use a brush dipped in a small amount of oil or painting medium to change the shapes in our work. You can also use this technique to blend oil pastels, creating seamless gradations in value.

Oil Painting Tips About The Methods To Sign Works of art

Sign your painting legibly to keep its identity from becoming a mystery.

An authentic signature is a painting's "Social Security number." It is a guarantee of the painting's identity as a Monet, an Inness or a Homer, for example. Many artists, however, approach the signing of their paintings as an afterthought. Doing so, they risk sending their paintings into the world unidentified and perhaps unappreciated. Sign all your paintings with care to be certain they don't someday become lost and friendless orphans.

Legibility

Always sign your painting legibly enough that a person who does not know you will still be able to read your name. Though your friends and family might recognize the monogram, initials or scrawl you use for a signature, a stranger 50 years from now probably will not. Only use initials for your first or middle name, if you wish; do not use an initial for your last name. For example, "G. Inness."

Date

Use a date, for example "A. H. Wyant '89." If you prefer not to place a date on the front of your work, place the date on the back on a stretcher bar or on the panel itself if the painting is on board. This date is another form of identification. It may also someday be important to future collectors interested in the period of your artistic life during which a specific painting was created.

Placement

It is not necessary to sign the front of your painting. Sign your painting anywhere you wish, provided your signature is physically attached to the painting and cannot be easily removed. If you do sign the front of your painting, keep the signature inconspicuous but clear. Don't sign your painting so brightly and emphatically that the signature competes with your painting for the viewer's attention. Remember to place your signature at least three-quarters of an inch from the edge of the canvas or support to prevent the signature from being covered when the painting is framed.

Technique

Use the same style and medium to sign your painting as the style and medium with which the painting was created. Sign an oil painting with oils, an acrylic painting with acrylics, for example. Also, try to sign while the painting is still wet. When it dries, the painting then will carry your signature as a permanent part of its paint film. This is an effective way of asserting the authenticity of your work. If you would rather sign your painting when it is dry, use a small sable liner and thin your paint with spirits so that it flows easily.

Consistency

Always be consistent because inconsistency can introduce uncertainty. Try to use the same size and style of signature and date. Place your signature in the same location on every painting -- in the bottom left- or right-hand corner, for example. If your viewer knows where to find your signature and then finds it there, he will be reassured that the painting is yours indeed and not a copy, forgery or error.

Children'S Museums In Orlando Florida

Museums are learning incentives that stir up the curiosity in the minds of everyone, including children. They explain the backbone to many of life's entities that we use every day, and give opportunities to discover the many amazing sciences and technologies that we depend on. The museums in Orlando, Florida, bring the world of discovery alive to children.

Orlando Science Center

The Orlando Science Center opened in Haven Park in 1960 as the Central Florida Museum, and has now become four floors of exhibit space as well as a cafe and store. Special features include a 300-seat CineDome for giant screen films and planetarium shows, a 250-seat adventure theater for live performances and science demonstrations and the state's largest public refractor telescope. Special events are presented year-round and include Pirate Week, where children can learn about pirates through games, crafts and songs; the Get the Message Exhibit, where children will interplay and send a message in Morse code while learning its impact on today's technology and where it will be in the future; and Our Planet Our Universe, where children will discover the mysteries of the cosmos.

Orlando Science Center

777 East Princeton Street

Orlando, FL 32803

407-514-2000

osc.org

Ripley's Believe it or Not

Ripley's Believe it or Not is a family museum that has a 10,000-square-foot Odditorium and includes hundreds of unique interactive exhibits. These include artifacts and displays in 16 distinctive galleries as well as a collection of weird and odd vestiges and unusual treasures. Families can experience the museum at their own pace as they interact with the various attractions. Some of the exhibits include a dinosaur exhibit with an authentic skull and dinosaur eggs, an Egyptian mummy, a 10-foot section of the Berlin Wall, an interactive illusion gallery and a 1907 Rolls Royce car made from matchbook sticks.

Ripley's Believe it or Not

8201 International Drive

Orlando, FL 32819

407 345-0501

orlando.ripleys.com

The Mennello Museum of American Art

The Mennello Museum is a family museum that specializes in American art and displays a diverse collection of paintings, three-dimensional assemblies and sculptures as well as special exhibitions, publications and programs to celebrate outstanding traditional and contemporary artists. Special features for children include family days where a tour will take them on a fun-filled adventure through the museum, storytelling in the gallery and a children's workshop where they'll learn about specific artists and have the opportunity to create their own masterpiece.

The Mennello Museum of American Art

900 East Princeton Street

Orlando, FL 32803

407-246-4278

mennellomuseum.com

Rembrandt'S Painting Technique

With his genius for painting, etching and drawing, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) brought fame and honor to his native Holland, where he spent his entire life. He is the best-known 17th-century Dutch painter, renowned for creating beautiful works of art using certain innovative techniques that artists of his and later generations have continued to admire, study and emulate.

Chiaroscuro

The Italian word "chiaroscuro" is used to describe strong contrasts between light and dark in works of art. Caravaggio (1573-1610) is strongly associated with this technique, but Rembrandt used it as well. Bathing a painting's central subject in light, set against a dark background, created a sense of drama and drew the viewer's eye to the subject. Rembrandt also found ways to bring illumination into his etchings. His interest in contrasting lights and darks traced back to his days as a student under the artist Pieter Lastman, who introduced Rembrandt to Caravaggio's work.

Layering and Color

Modern-day artists continue to study how Rembrandt built up colors and textures in his paintings through the use of layering. Rembrandt sometimes used multiple layers of color. Some paint was thickly applied--a technique known as "impasto." Other layers were just thin glazes. Many of Rembrandt's best-known portraits are built from a somber palette of browns, whites, grays and blacks. At other times, as in biblical portraits, Rembrandt used brighter colors.

Observation from Life

Rembrandt was committed to painting from direct observation--from life. He was an intense, detail-oriented observer of people, objects and places in his milieu. Rembrandt frequently painted his wife and other female companions, and he often painted himself. He was also gifted at painting historical and biblical subjects. Throughout his career, Rembrandt displayed a remarkable knack for capturing a subject's facial expression, be it joy or sorrow, contemplation or consternation.

Oilbased Fresh paint Cleanup Tips

Lengthen the lifetime of your brushes by following these easy cleaning tips.

Oil painting is a fun, rewarding activity, but it can be a hassle to clean up afterward. In order to ensure a long lifetime for your oil brushes, you must clean them thoroughly after each use. Even the slightest traces of oil paint in your brush's bristles can ruin the brush, a costly mistake.

Think Cleanup Before You Paint

Before painting, make sure that you have all of the necessary cleaning materials on hand. Use paint thinner, turpentine or mineral spirits as cleaning agents. All three chemicals are effective, but they vary according to price. Make sure you also have liquid hand soap, paper towels and a small cup or bowl to pour the chemicals into. Having all of these materials ready will make your cleanup quicker and easier.

Wipe Thoroughly

To make cleanup quicker and more effective, use a paper towel to wipe away excess oil paint before using any chemicals. Wrap the paper towel around the base of the brush bristles and pull the paint toward the end of the bristles, squeezing tightly. Repeat several times until the bristles are free of excess paint. You are ready to move on to using a chemical cleaning agent when there are no more clumps of paint on your brush.

Chemical Cleaning

Dip the bristles of the paintbrush into a container of the cleaning agent (turpentine, paint thinner or mineral spirits). The best way to loosen up paint from the paintbrush is to gently run the bristles back and forth along the bottom of the container, as if you are painting it. Repeat the towel-wiping technique to remove paint from the brush.

Hand Soap Stage

Even after using chemicals to clean the bristles of your paintbrush, plain hand soap is the best material to use for the final cleaning stage. Squeeze out a dime-sized amount of hand soap into the palm of your hand and paint the brush back and forth through the soap. You may need to rinse the paintbrush and add more soap several times until the soap no longer changes color.

Of The Items Are Harp Strings Made

Harps may be strung with a wide variety of different materials.

Harps are string instruments where the sound is produced through plucking or strumming strings of various lengths that are held under tension. Learning more about the different types of materials that go into making harp springs can make it easier to understand how the harp produces different sounds.

Nylon

Nylon strings are stretchy, and they tend to be more durable than natural gut strings. They are less expensive, but they also do not produce the same sweet, rich sound that natural gut strings do. Nylon harp strings may be monofilament, meaning that they are all of one piece, or they might be strings with a nylon core that is then wrapped in nylon. Nylon strings are gentler on the fingers than metal strings.

Metal

Harp strings for the instrument's bass range are made out of steel that has been wrapped around with copper or steel wire. Harp strings with steel cores wrapped in wire have been used on lever harps since the 19th century, and they are often used in conjunction with natural gut strings. More volume can be achieved through the use of metal strings, but some subtlety of tone might be sacrificed. When metal strings are used in conjunction with natural gut strings, there may be a displeasing difference in tone between the two different harp strings.

Natural Gut

Natural gut harp strings are typically made from cow intestine. They are the most fragile harp strings available, and they are more expensive than nylon, but they also have a sweeter, more melodic sound than nylon strings. Natural gut strings are gentler on the fingers than metal strings.

Fluorocarbon Strings

Fluorocarbon harp strings are synthetic strings that imitate natural gut. Though they are not replacements for natural gut strings, they do produce a sound that is between that of nylon strings and natural gut strings. The sound produced by fluorocarbon strings is bright and clear, and the strings themselves are more durable than natural gut strings or nylon strings.

Indoor Temporary Parking Close To The Philadelphia Airport terminal

Short-term parking at the Philadelphia airport is located near baggage claim.

Picking up a passenger at the airport doesn't have to mean endless circles around the terminal. Short-term garage parking options at Philadelphia International Airport provide a cost- and time-effective solution to circling.

Function

Short-term indoor parking at Philadelphia International Airport can be found on the ground level of the garages across from terminals A, B, C, D and E. With 800 of these spaces available, the Philadelphia Parking Authority offers easy access to entrances, exits and toll plazas. An additional 10,800 spaces in which vehicles can remain overnight are available on levels 2 and higher in the garages.

Cost

Parking rates start at $3 for the first 30 minutes and increase every half hour until a maximum daily rate of $38 is reached. Vehicles cannot remain parked overnight in the short-term parking areas. However, levels 2 and higher of the parking garages do allow overnight parking with a daily rate of $20. The easy-to-access pay plazas accept all major credit cards.

Benefits

In addition to its proximity to the baggage claim area, short-term garage parking at the Philadelphia Airport is monitored by the Philadelphia Police Department. Services including flat tire repair, lock-out and jump-starting are offered complimentary.

Novel Marketing Ideas

Finding a novel marketing approach isn't always about making a quick sale.

When it comes to finding new approaches to reaching people, it seems like there are more ways than you can imagine. When you market your business, you need to remember that marketing isn't really about making the sale initially. Good marketing is about getting the potential customer to know who you are. A novel marketing idea can get you attention, which might lead to sales later on.

Unexpected

A Decatur, Illinois, theatrical company putting on a version of "Macbeth" came up with an unexpected twist to getting attention for its performances. The members had trading cards made up of the characters from the play and left them in various locations they felt potential customers might be found. They printed up eight different cards, and anyone who collected all eight would get free admission to the performance. The people behind the cards didn't want to focus on just getting people to see the one showing of "Macbeth." Instead, they wanted to raise awareness of the idea of community theater. If you can come up with an unexpected twist on an ordinary concept, you will probably generate the buzz you're looking for.

Intriguing

The marketing campaign behind the original "Blair Witch Project" created industry buzz when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Posters of the three "missing" actors were posted all over the festival, and people weren't sure whether or not the movie was real or whether it was a documentary. When a website devoted to the entire "back story" of the Blair Witch went online, the movie took off. In the end, the movie made more than $250 million, which wasn't bad on a film that cost $50,000 to produce. If you can make a campaign that is intriguing enough to blur the lines between fantasy and reality, you can be fairly certain you'll have people taking notice of your business.

Trading

If you contact local media outlets and sponsor a contest they can promote on the air, you'll have a novel marketing opportunity. If you want to make it more unique, pick a media outlet that normally wouldn't do something strange and approach the management. For example, if you have a restaurant you want to promote, go to your classical music station and tell them you're going to sponsor a contest to have people come up with the greatest name for a new kind of "classic" meal. You get advertising on the radio station and the radio station gets the chance to be a part of something that might actually increase awareness of classical music.

Social Media

Make sure you use social media to spark your novel marketing plans. Post cryptic tweets on Twitter, linking them to the your business website. Interact with your customers in unexpected ways, making them look at your business in a different light. For example, if you find a product or service from a competitor that is better than yours, mention it to your followers and Facebook fans.

Northern California Art Grants or loans

Artist grants enrich both the artist and the community with an increased appreciation for the arts.

As an artist working in northern California, you may be eligible for a grant to hone your craft. California sponsors a wide range of artists, including painters, photographers, dancers, performers, choreographers, filmmakers and cinematographers. Individuals and organizations may be eligible. Grant award amounts can range between $500 to $25,000. Grants for artists in California are designed to inspire and promote enthusiasm for the arts, and to foster the development of working artists.

Black Rock Arts Foundation

Art is enrichment.

The Black Rock Arts Foundation is looking for artists whose art promotes civic engagement through interactive art. Grant awards range from $500 to $10,000, with a priority for art projects that interact with people and environments that benefit the community. Projects featuring high or low tech media will be considered. Applicants' projects must be accessible to the public and civic in scope. The Black Rock Arts Foundation prefers to support art that can be touched and experienced as well as viewed. Each fall, applications are accepted for the following year.

Theatre Bay Area Ca$H Grants

The Bay Area offers many grant programs for working artists.

Theatre Bay Area Ca$H grants were created by artists to serve professional artists in the mediums of dance and theatre as well as small companies with budgets under $100,000. The goal of Ca$H grants is to fuel interest and appreciation for dance and theatre in the northern Californian community. Independent artists may be eligible for a $1,500 grant and small organizations may receive up to $2,500. A total of $20,000 in grants are awarded annually.

The Pioneer Fund

The Pioneer Fund supports artists in film.

The Pioneer Fund is open to emerging filmmakers and videographers who live and work in California, Oregon and Washington. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the craft of making documentaries with at least two but not more than ten years as a working professional in the field. Artists may receive a grant award between $1,000 to $10,000 annually. The Pioneer Fund allocates $100,000 in grant money annually. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and grants are awarded three times per year. Rejected applicants must wait 12 months to reapply.

San Francisco Arts Community Cultural Equity Grants

San Francisco Arts Community Cultural Equity grants were designed to support typically under-served art communities in the Bay Area. This grant is not open to individual artists. Organizations must complete a profile through the California Cultural Data Project. Organizations must include a printed Funder Report with the grant application.

Norman Rockwell Painting Technique

Norman Rockwell is a beloved American illustrator who painted covers for the "Saturday Evening Post" for 47 years. Rockwell's illustrations are still widely circulated today in greeting cards, calendars and postcards. His paintings were idealized and sentimental, but they had mass appeal because they depicted people in everyday situations, doing everyday things.

Subjects

Rockwell chose to paint subjects that put a spotlight on human behavior. Rockwell was famous for painting subjects that were sweet, humorous, idealistic and well-intentioned. His subjects were nearly always people in domestic settings, like homes, restaurants, doctors' offices and the workplace. Some of his paintings carried messages about current and world events, like World War II and civil rights.

To choose a subject as Norman Rockwell would, begin with subjects that are close to you personally, who you will be able to portray with reverence, love and humor. The subjects should be people in domestic settings, doing commonplace tasks or enjoying themselves in ordinary ways.

Structure

Paintings that copy Rockwell's structural style will have a relatively flat background. Rockwell was an illustrator who painted primarily for magazine covers. It was important that his paintings were easily identifiable and that his subjects popped from the background. He typically painted either empty backgrounds of blank white, or flat backgrounds (such as a wall) behind his subjects. This is partially because when his subjects appeared in a believable and realistic space (as opposed to a flat white background of no real space at all), they were often indoors. Rockwell's subjects were always in domestic situations, depicted in homes and businesses, doing the things that people do indoors.

Center your subjects in the middle or near middle of the picture plane, as he did. Rockwell did this because illustration itself is a medium meant to catch the eye and interest of a viewer spontaneously and quickly. By placing the subject in the center of the painting, Rockwell created a visually basic structure that appealed to the masses and was easily incorporated into the covers of the magazines for which he painted. When duplicating his style, the linear structure should be basic, not complex.

Technique

Rockwell's painting technique was overall realistic and highly detailed. He used colors that were often muted or mostly earth tones. Some of the characters in his paintings displayed exaggerated features and were similar to caricatures, adding an element of humor. Sometimes this humor stood in contrast to the more serious commentary underlying his paintings. This commentary was often about family, love and society. In his more serious paintings, the exaggeration of the subjects was lessened, or not present at all.

Choose paints that are themselves natural and not wild or bright. You can use bold colors, but they should be earth tones. Use oil paint on canvas. Build up the paint in very thin layers to maintain tight control of the image. Photographic accuracy is essential, and you can use photographs for reference. Apply paint in a manner that does not allow the viewer to identify individual brush strokes. Brush strokes should be smooth and the paint should be applied in even layers.

Sometimes, to add an element of caricature to his subjects, Norman Rockwell widened smiles, exaggerated poses or enlarged features like ears, noses and wrinkles. This is appropriate on a case-by-case basis, and this is something that you will develop with practice.

Nikon Coolpix History

Nikon Coolpix History

Nikon COOLPIX is a series of point-and-shoot, non-SLR (single-lens reflex) digital cameras manufactured by multinational electronics Nikon Corporation. The Nikon COOLPIX series made its debut in the late 1990s.

1997

The first Nikon COOLPIX cameras were produced in 1998---with cameras such as the 1xx series. These were 0.3-megapixel cameras with fixed zoom.

1998

Manufacturing continued the following year with line-ups like the 6xx and 9xx series. The 6xx is a 0.8-megapixel camera with fixed zoom and a 2-inch LCD screen, while the 9xx was the high end of the COOLPIX series at the time, with a rotating body design, 3x optical zoom and integrated true macro focus.

1999 and 2000

The two following years saw refinement of the 9xx series, as well as the debut of the 8xx series, in which models possess more megapixels, optical and digital zoom, and LCD screens.

2001 and 2002

These years were marked by the first entry of the COOLPIX's four-digit series: the 2xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx and 5xxx. These all had more megapixels and more refined optical and digital zoom features than previous models.

2003 and 2004

The COOLPIX 7xxx and 8xxx series joined their four-digit siblings during this time. With this entry, Nikon had cameras with up to 8 megapixels, 10x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom.

2005 to Present

The P, S and L series are currently in production. They replaced the previously mentioned cameras, which have since been discontinued.

Nikon Coolpix Camera Features

Coolpix is a complete line of small, digital cameras produced by Nikon. The cameras are divided into three series: performance, style and life. Performance is the higher end of the line, aimed at more serious amateur photographers. The Style series is directed at users who want visual controls and effects to create unique images easily. The Life series is the lower end of the line, for casual consumers who still want quality images.

Smart Portrait System

Coolpix cameras feature a variety of technologies that make up, what Nikon calls, the Smart Portrait System. The cameras automatically make corrections to help the user take the best portraits possible. The technologies include eliminating red eye, recognizing and focusing on faces, warning the user if the subject blinked and adjusting color to soften skin tones.

Image Stabilization System

All three Coolpix series also feature image stabilization systems. Recent models such as the Coolpix P7000, released in the fall of 2010, combine five separate technologies to ensure a sharper image. The camera compensates for any vibrations of the camera during the shot by automatically adjusting the lens and electronically altering the picture to compensate. Also, the P700 knows tell when the subject of a photo is moving and will adjust the shutter speed and ISO, sensitivity to light, for the best image. Additionally, a technology Nokia calls, Best Shot Selector, takes up to 10 shots in rapid succession, and automatically selects and saves the sharpest image.

Photography

Each Coolpix camera is equipped with a wide angle lens. The zoom varies among models, varying between 5x and 26x. The images are captured with the aid of a CCD sensor. Image sizes vary among the Coolpix series. While most models range from 10 to 12 megapixels, the S100pj, released in mid-2010, features an image size of 14.1 megapixels.

HD Video

Performance and style models of the Coolpix line have the ability to capture high definition video. Most models feature a resolution of 720p, that is, 720 lines of pixels. However, the P100 captures video in full 1080p. The P100 also has the capacity to record video in slow or accelerated motion. All Coolpix cameras with a video function can transmit the video to a computer, through the use of additional software, or simply played on a computer of HD TV through an HDMI cable.

LCD Display

Coolpix cameras have LCD displays for viewing media, measuring around 3 inches diagonally. Some models, such as the S80, a member of the style series, have touchscreen technology.

Evening Clubs In New Rochelle New You are able to

Night Clubs in New Rochelle, New York

New Rochelle, New York, is located in Westchester County, just east of Yonkers and south of White Plains. While New Rochelle does not quite offer the variety and pizazz of the Big Apple, it does enjoy a reputation for good food and an entertaining nightlife including several clubs with regular live music.

Marina's Night Club

Marina's Night Club is known in New Rochelle as one of the best clubs for DJs and live music, and attracts a young fun crowd that likes to party until closing time, 4 a.m.

Marina's Night Club

348 Huguenot St.

New Rochelle, NY 10801

914-576-3000

Don Coqui

Don Coqui's provides authentic Puerto Rican cuisine and a lively atmosphere including Latin music. Owned and run by renowned New York restauranteur Jimmy Rodriguez, Don Coqui's is inspired by four generations of "family secret recipes" that it serves to guests regularly.

Don Coqui

115 Cedar St.

New Rochelle, NY 10801

914-637-3737

doncoqui.com

La Tropicana Night Club

La Tropicana is a full-service night club with a huge dance floor that offers live music nightly Friday through Sunday, usually local salsa or rock bands. Friday night is Ladies Night at La Tropicana, which means no cover charge and free dancing all night.

La Tropicana

444 North Ave.

New Rochelle, NY 10801

914-632-7511

Junior's Bar & Grill

Junior's Bar and Grill in downtown New Rochelle is known by locals as one of the best spots for music, dancing, drinks, and good food. Junior's is open six days a week and stays open until 4 a.m. for late-night partiers.

Junior's Bar & Grill

234 North Ave.

New Rochelle, NY 10801

914-636-9758

Draw Anime Women Clothing

Anime girls have a lot more variety in fashion than their anime counterparts. This can include dresses, skirts and gaudy "magical girl" costumes to go with shirts and pants. The secret to drawing realistic clothes is in drawing the folds in the garments so they fit the shape of the body and scene conditions. Never use the exact same shape and folds twice. The shape and fold of clothing is always changing from movement, gravity and what it touches

Instructions

1. Shape the body before you draw the clothing. The body shape helps determine the shape that the cloth will take. Make the clothing adapt to the body, not vice versa.

2. Draw a tunic--the torso portion of a dress or shirt--using a "diaper fold" style. The top points of the garment, where the shoulders are located, are the points of tension that all folds branch out from. Draw the folds so they all point toward the chest or the center of the torso.

3. Create long sleeves using a "spiral fold" style. The cloth will have folds that appear to twist around the arm. If you are drawing any girls wearing pants, this type of fold also works well with the pant legs.

4. Make skirts with "pipe folds," drawing the folds in straight, clean lines. Because skirts are free-flowing, adjust their shape to how the wind blows in a particular scene. Large, frilled collars can also use this type of fold--many "magical girl" costumes use these types of skirts and collars.

5. Add scarves, sashes and any other long trails of cloth with "zigzag folds." These folds twist back and forth in Z or S-like patterns.

6. Draw inert folds and drop folds when making dresses with large-volume tunics and skirts; the garments will have a look of little tension. The tunic has inert folds that are often small and can curve in any direction. The drop folds for the skirt are drawn similarly to pipe folds but in curves that can turn anywhere instead of straight lines

Nigerian Art Activities

Nigerian art is characterized by its realism, proportionate figures and natural themes.

For nearly 2,000 years, Nigerians have been creating pieces of art unique in style and subject matter to their region of west Africa. Wooden, ivory and bronze sculptures make up the bulk of ancient Nigerian art, but painting, textile weaving, pottery and participatory arts, such as playing music or reciting stories, are also practiced. Try your hand at one of these activities to gain a better understanding of the kind of traditional art Nigerians have made for generations.

Benin Sculpture Replicas

Benin free-standing and relief sculptures were crafted out of brass, bronze and ivory by Nigerian artists who developed a specialized style of sculpting. Examine examples of human and animal figurines, plaques, masks, heads and even large metal pictures made in the Benin style of Nigerian art, which were typically reserved to decorate the homes of the wealthy, then try your hand at creating a replica sculpture. Carve modeling clay or florist foam to create either a Benin free-standing or relief sculpture and then paint it a metallic bronze or brass color to gain a better understanding of this Nigerian artistic style.

Dundun Drum

Crayola offers free online instructions for kids on make an authentic replica of a two-headed, "talking" Nigerian dundun drum out of plastic flower pots, polyester or poplin fabric and twine. These Nigerian drums are made in a wide variety of sizes in a distinctive hourglass shape, and they are played while cradled under one arm with curved drumsticks. Making a dundun drum will not only give you something to play during your spare time, but also give you a better understanding of how masters of this Nigerian instrument can make it speak to people by producing different tones.

Life-Sized Ife Head

Make replicas of the famous bronze and terra cotta Nigerian Ife royal heads by modifying plastic heads from dolls or mannequins with modeling clay, then spray painting them with bronze metallic paint. The life-sized or larger terra cotta, brass, copper and bronze heads crafted by artists of the Ife kingdom, which is now Nigeria, featured natural, realistic expressions and facial proportions much like those made in ancient Greece. Many of these Nigerian pieces of art have holes at the base of the neck which allowed the heads to attach to wooden poles to be carried, and you can do the same with your replica.

Nok Terra Cotta Figure Replicas

Create replicas of the famous Nok terra cotta figures of Nigeria out of real terra cotta clay or brown-colored oven-bake clay. These striking and imaginative clay figures are thought to be the oldest surviving African sculptures found south of the Sahara Desert, and most are made hollow like a coil pot. You can etch realistic details and expressions, just like the authentic Nok terra cotta figures and heads of Nigeria, with simple modeling clay tools, metal spoons or wooden skewers.

Treatments For Lung Health

Natural Cures for Lung Health

Lung problems are some of the most debilitating and intractable health issues that a person can be saddled with. In most cases, chronic lung problems are caused by smoking, second hand smoke or environmental pollutants like mold or emissions. Natural remedies for lung ailments include vitamins, increased exercise, improved nutrition and alternative respiratory treatments.

Warning

Beware of marketed cures of herbal supplements and vitamins that are not backed by scientific studies. Although it is illegal to market cures without having some sort of proof for the claims, many supplements marketers ignore such advice and produce vast amounts of promising marketing material designed to rope in the unwary consumer. Alternative medicine is often a better choice than turning to the medical establishment, but that doesn't mean accepting any marketing claim as the plain truth without any proof backing up claims.

Function

Breath exercise machines are good natural alternatives to drug treatments and surgeries that cost very little. These simple plastic devices add resistance to breathing and push their user to become more mindful of their breath. They apply air pressure to make it more difficult to breathe, exercising the lungs. Using such a device multiple times daily can have a marked effect on lung health.

Features

Improving cardiovascular health is the best way to improve lung strength and effectiveness without expensive and dangerous medical treatments. Regular strenuous exercise at least three times a week trains the heart and lungs to become stronger, making them oxygenate the blood more efficiently. This helps the body get the most out of lungs that may have been weakened over time.

Time Frame

Repairing the lungs is a process that can take months and years. Don't expect instantaneous results with any alternative treatments. Herbal supplement marketing that suggests that it can solve intractable lung problems rapidly are almost certainly using deceptive marketing. Be wary of words like "cleansing" and "detoxification" when used in regards to supplements. No treatment can destroy accumulated tar or repair lung scarring. Successful lung healing requires committed effort applied over a period of years.

Nutrition

Increasing vitamin A and D intake can improve lung function, whether it's taken in through supplements or improved nutrition. When beginning a vitamin program, be sure to stick with it over the long run. Only taking vitamins for a short time may result in an improved feeling of well-being, but the effects on lung health will not take hold without repeated intake of a healthy, vitamin-rich diet. Regular exposure to sunlight is necessary for the body to synthesize vitamin D. Work some regular time outdoors into your schedule to make sure that your body produces the vitamins that it needs to strengthen its lungs.

Music Publicist Job Description

A music publicist arranges promotional events and interviews for clients to increase their fan base.

A music publicist helps rock groups, country singers and other musicians get media attention for their tour, performance, CD or video. They navigate the maze of publications, blogs, websites and radio stations to determine the best venues for the artist's image. A publicist escorts artists to scheduled interviews and follows up on publication or air dates with the media.

Strategy

A publicist devises strategies to sell an artist’s music to consumers. The strategy may involve marketing the band or singer to a certain audience. A young male singer may be interviewed by journalists for teen magazines and perform concerts at shopping malls or amusement parks where teenagers congregate. A publicist, along with the band’s manager, is responsible for perfecting the artist’s image via print, TV and Internet ads. A PR rep assists the record label or management marketing team in choice of photos, videos, websites and other media designed to enhance the artist’s public visibility and sales.

Publicizing New Releases

Staff publicists are responsible for writing press releases about new CD, DVD or digital download releases and sending them to the appropriate media. They then coordinate interviews to publicize the new music in a number of ways, like booking the musicians on a broadcast or college radio show and having them play a live set. A publicist arranges bios, news, press releases, photos and videos in an online EPK (electronic press kit) on the band’s or label’s website. They are responsible for sending hard copy press kits containing photos, CDs and press releases to outlets that request one. They may write a blog with band news or assist a band member with doing so.

Tour Publicity

Publicists write press releases to announce an artist’s tour. They set up radio, TV and print interviews with media in the cities where the act performs. A tour publicist coordinates contests and prize giveaways for fans, including meet and greets. He may oversee the guest list for the band, which determines who gets backstage or can watch the performance for free. He contributes tour updates to the band’s website or social media pages.

Coordinating Photo Shoots, In-Store Appearances and Parties

A publicist sets up photo shoots, CD and tour announcement parties and other special publicity events. PR reps need to be patient yet firm with all types of artists, record industry reps, journalists and fans to keep promotional parties running smoothly. They must work within budget and time constraints and still create optimum exposure for the artist.

Considerations

A music publicist must be outgoing and have a good knowledge of the entertainment industry. She must be organized to handle requests for artist interviews from bloggers, journalists, TV reporters and radio stations. A publicist must think on her feet, answering emails and phone calls in a timely fashion. She needs a smartphone or other mobile device to stay in touch with clients and media at all times. The ability to use email newsletter programs is a plus. A publicist should have stamina and a diplomatic personality, since she will deal with artists, music industry executives and the media on a daily basis.

Music Publicist Salary

According to SalaryExpert.com, the salary for music publicists varies from city to city. PR mavens in Los Angeles earn an average of $62,837 a year as of July 2010, while publicists in medium-sized cities earn less. In Phoenix, Arizona, for example, a music publicist earns an average of $47,357. Beginning publicists may intern for little or no money, or simply for college credit. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that publicists can earn from $31,140 at the low end of the pay scale to more than $97,910 in top positions.

Walking Versus Bicycle Riding Calorie Count

Walking burns calories and helps with weight loss.

You can lose weight by walking or riding a bike. Even if you think you have no time for either, lifestyle changes can open the door to walking or biking. Both activities can function as utilitarian tasks. Consider walking or biking to work, to run errands or to visit friends. Even a small amount of walking or cycling burns calories, which translates into weight loss over the near-to-long term.

Weight Loss

Several factors impact weight loss. In simple terms, the Mayo Clinic notes you must burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. To lose one pound, you must shed 3,500 calories through exercise, diet or a combination of both. Mayo Clinic experts contend that exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight. Generally, as your weight and intensity of activity increases, you burn a greater number of calories.

Calories Burned Walking

Walking for a half-hour at a pace of 3.5 mph burns 120 calories for the average 125-pound person, according to the Harvard Medical School. The same activity burns 149 and 178 calories, respectively, for a 155- and 185-pound person. Up the intensity to 4.5 mph and the 155-pounder drops 186 calories. Turn your walk into a jog, averaging less than a 10-minute mile, and a 155-pound person burns 223 calories. For comparison's sake, running at 5 mph translates into 298 calories burned for a 155-pound person over a half-hour.

Calories Burned Biking

BMX biking can burns a substantial number of calories, depending on the pace.

Biking usually provides greater calorie expenditure than walking. Over the course of a half-hour, a leisurely 12- to 13.9-mph bike ride burns 298 calories for a 155-pound individual. At 14 to 15.9 mph, that number climbs to 372 calories. Biking at a serious pace of 16 to 19 mph facilitates the loss of 446 calories. At a race-worthy pace of greater than 20 mph, a 155-pound person stands to lose 614 calories each half-hour. Harvard notes that BMX or mountain-style biking results in 316 calories burned for the average 155-pounder.

Ideas

If you have time, walking and biking are effective forms of exercise. As Jennifer Dill, a professor of urban planning at Portland State University, points out, 60 percent of all personal trips are 5 miles or less, while almost 40 percent are shorter than 2 miles. Consider commuting by bicycle to work. If that is not feasible, assess appointments you have on a frequent basis. You might be able to leave the car at home and walk or bike to some of them. For instance, leave a few minutes earlier in the morning, so you can walk the kids to school. Small grocery store runs might qualify as well.

The Goal

To maintain a healthy weight, lead an active lifestyle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week. This includes walking and cycling. The CDC also suggests two or more days a week of muscle-strengthening activities. Walking and biking neglect some muscle groups, but they also work muscles in your legs, back and other areas.