Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Yugioh Birthday Ideas

Host a Yu-Gi-Oh birthday party this year and impress your friends.


Celebrate an upcoming birthday party with an exciting Yu-Gi-Oh theme. The Japanese manga has inspired an anime series, video games and a trading card game, so there is certainly not a shortage of sources from which to draw ideas for the party. Once you've chosen Yu-Gi-Oh elements you'd like to replicate at your party, think about creative, resourceful ways to execute your ideas to keep your budget low.


Invitations


Use eye-catching Yu-Gi-Oh-themed invitations to let your guests know about your party several weeks in advance; this will help to ensure everyone marks their calendars to remember the big day. Much of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise revolves around the Duel Monsters card game, so decorate your invitations to look like Monster cards or Egyptian God cards. Use a sturdy piece of paper such as card stock to make your invitations, and then hand-draw the details to replicate a Yu-Gi-Oh trading card. If you aren't very artistic, trace images onto the invitations, or simply use stickers or other ready-made images. Use the space below the main image to fill in the important details about your party, including date, time and location.


Decorations


Decorate your party space to look like a scene out of Yu-Gi-Oh. Start out by focusing your color scheme on the blues, reds, yellows and purples seen in the franchise; use balloons and streamers to make these colors pop. Place special emphasis on the characters from the show by creating banners or murals with life-size anime replications. You could purchase these items, but if you are at all artistically inclined, use banner paper to free-draw the characters. Another option is to trace a willing person's outline and then decorate the resulting form to look like a Yu-Gi-Oh character. Have each party guest take a photograph with his favorite character on the way in.


Games and Activities


One no-brainer party activity is to set up a space or several stations for guests to play the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game. Provide the materials to play the game, and then have a special tournament during the party. Another idea is to make up a Yu-Gi-Oh trivia game for the ultimate fan quiz challenge; split the guests up into teams to battle it out for the title of Trivia Master. Or, place a sticky note with the name of a Yu-Gi-Oh character on each guest's forehead, and then have each guest try to guess his character without looking at the sticky note.


Food


Serve Yu-Gi-Oh-inspired snacks, such as hard boiled or deviled "monster" eggs or trading card-shaped finger sandwiches decorated with condiments. To satisfy a sweet tooth, continue with the card game inspiration and use rectangular cookie cutters to make Yu-Gi-Oh trading card-themed sugar cookies; decorate these with frosting and candies to look like a real trading card. If you don't have time to roll out dough and bake cookies, go with a simple option like decorated graham crackers. And if you don't want to overdo it with the Yu-Gi-Oh replications, simply take your inspiration from Japanese cooking; serve foods such as sushi, soba noodles or teriyaki chicken skewers.


Be A Carrying out Poet

Poets frequently work in solitary spaces, writing alone. However, as part of the process of becoming a successful writer, many poets do public readings of their work or participate in performance poetry, spoken word performances or poetry slams. One of these is distinctive from the others -- and that is the poetry slam. The slam is the only performance that is actually competitive. Poets perform, are judged and compete against one another. Often, a winner is chosen by the audience. Whichever way a poet shares work publicly will increase a poet's readership and an opportunity to get poetry into the world.


Instructions


1. Develop your own work of poetry. This involves reading a wide swath of other poets' work, studying forms and styles to understand poetry better.


2. Develop an ear for poetry specifically written for performance. This type of poetry relies heavily on sound and musical elements. A poem written for reading aloud and performance should have a noticeable rhythm, subtle rhyme schemes, alliteration and assonance, in which the vowels in words echo, and consonance, in which the consonants in words echo. Alliteration occurs when the initial sounds of words are repeated.


3. Attend poetry slams, poetry readings and spoken word performances often. This will help you develop an ear for what makes a successful performance poem, as well as learning what type of style and presence connects best with audiences.


4. Become part of a poetry group that sponsors or attends readings and performances. Often, these groups have critique times as part of the group. This can be invaluable to writers at any stage of a career. Getting effective and constructive criticism can hone your art.


5. Get your feet wet with readings and slams. Once you have a piece you think is ready to share -- take the stage and jump in. You will refine your stage gestures, your use of voice, your eye contact, facial expressions and pauses when you connect with listeners. Your poems will likely change through the process.

Place A E-newsletter Together

Create a newsletter that everyone wants to read.


A newsletter is an excellent communication and marketing tool. It can promote products and services, provide information about upcoming events and answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) about an organization. Commercial and non-profit organizations may also use newsletters to improve employee morale and create a stronger sense of community. If you are creating a newsletter for your organization, devote time and effort to the planning stage. Members will look forward to reading a well-designed and well-written newsletter.


Instructions


1. Know your audience. If you are creating a newsletter for your workplace, find out more about the interests of your colleagues and clients. Meet informally with employees from different departments and ask for their input. Alternatively, you could send out a short questionnaire asking colleagues and clients to indicate which topics they would like to see addressed in the newsletter.


2. Determine the purpose of the newsletter. In a large workplace, you may decide to create a newsletter that keeps employees up-to-date with the latest research and technological advances in the industry. Alternatively, you could create a newsletter that focuses on the social aspects of your workplace. For example, you could keep track of any births, weddings, anniversaries and social get-togethers. If you are creating a newsletter for a community organization, you may decide to focus on fund-raising.


3. Borrow a few ideas from your favorite newspapers and magazines. Place the most important article at the top of the newsletter. Use the input from your surveys to determine the different sections of the newsletter. Create attention-grabbing headings for each of these sections. For example, you could organize the newsletter by question-and-answer, FAQs, employee-of-the-month, software reviews, new products or social notes.


4. Use the concise writing style of newspaper journalism. Whenever possible, use the active voice and keep verbs in the present tense. Do not try to impress the audience with flowery descriptions, jargon and multi-syllable words. Keep a dictionary and style guide on hand as you prepare the newsletter.


5. Add more voices to the newsletter. Invite community members to contribute articles and interview experts in your industry. Showcase any positive testimonials from clients. Include an acknowledgment box that lists everyone who contributed to the newsletter. This may encourage more employees and clients to contribute. Refer to books and publications that may interest your readers.


6. Use the newsletter template from your word processing package to prepare the newsletter. Alternatively, you can create your own style or ask an artistically-inclined colleague to help with the design of the newsletter. In either case, decide upon a consistent format that will properly showcase the content of the newsletter.


7. Lay out all the articles, pictures and artwork. Decide on an appropriate and manageable length for the newsletter. Select the number of columns; most newsletters use two columns. Use three or fewer typefaces for your copy and no more than two pieces of clip art and/or photographs per page.


8. Provide contrast with headlines, alignment, color and shape. Use boldface on all headlines and make them double the point size of the body text. To create more contrast, use bold sans serif type, such as Arial, for headlines and a a serif font, such as Times New Roman, for body text. Use color frames and boxes to highlight special events or announcements.


Writing Scholarship grants For Students

A wide variety of scholarships exists for high school students who want to study creative writing in college. The majority of writing scholarships are provided by individual colleges, but large businesses and private foundations also offer funding for young writers interested in the literary arts. The Internet provides many resources to guide high school students and their parents towards the scholarship that best fits their needs.


Opportunities for Young Writers


Students in grades seven through 12 are encouraged to apply for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Thousands of young writers receive recognition for their work each year, but five of the top writers, known as winners of the Portfolio Gold Award, will actually earn $10,000 in scholarship money to use for college. Gaining recognition through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards also makes recipients eligible for more financial aid at colleges that provide funding for creative study.


The Scholastic Awards are provided through the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, a private source of arts funding. The Alliance has put together a comprehensive listing of colleges around the country that offer scholarships for young talents (see Resources for PDF link). Among the many colleges on the list are the University of Maine Farmington, Bard College and Kenyon College. Most institutions on the list require that the applicant has received recognition through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Scholarships might pay as little as $250 per year, or as much as full tuition coverage.


For students who have not been recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, several other colleges provide scholarships for writers. CollegeScholarship.org lists a handful of institutions, including the University of Louisville, Arkansas Tech University and Austin Peay State University. Amounts range between $1,000 to $5,000 a year. Admissions standards generally dictate that the student have a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher. All scholarships require that applicants submit a writing sample, but students do not have to declare an English major in order to receive the money. Another prominent scholarship for young writers is the Ursinus College Creative Writing Award, better known to some as the J.D. Salinger Award, which awards a unique talent with $30,000 a year.


For students who live in New York City, the Random House, Inc. Creative Writing Competition strives to inspire, encourage and reward bright high school seniors who have a passion for writing. Each year the publishing company awards more than $100,000 in scholarship money to students working in multiple genres. High school seniors should also check out the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA), an organization that selects youngARTS Winners and Presidential Scholars to receive cash, prestige and further scholarship opportunities in the fine arts disciplines of creative writing, dance, theater, music and visual art.


Dealing With Modeling Clay

Polymer modeling clay offers crafters an easier way to achieve professional results without dealing with toxic materials or expensive kilns. Working with modeling clay is relatively easy when the basic working methods of the clay are understood. For optimum results, it's best to understand condition, sculpt and properly bake your clay.


Conditioning


By conditioning clay, the clay is made more pliable and workable. When polymer clay sits dormant, it tends to become harder and sometimes brittle. This can be alleviated with conditioning.


The most common way to condition clay is through hand kneading. The kneading helps the clay to warm gradually, causing it to become softer and suppler. Clay that has been stored for awhile will be more difficult to condition at first. With continued hand conditioning, however, the clay will begin to become more pliable and will soon be easier to knead.


Another method for conditioning clay is through the use of a polymer clay dedicated pasta machine. This method takes some of the stress off the hands by using the pasta machine to roll thin sheets of clay. Placing the clay into the pasta machine, it is rolled through the machine numerous times until it is soft and workable. Depending on how cold or hard the clay is, this can take anywhere from a few rolls through the machine to more than 20. You'll know when the clay has been thoroughly conditioned by the machine when it rolls out of the machine in a smooth sheet with no jagged edges.


Sculpting


Sculpting with clay is more or less a trial-and-error endeavor. There are some tricks, however, to make more common tasks easier.


The easiest way to prepare a cylinder of clay is by rolling the clay into a ball and then placing it on a hard surface such as a work table or large ceramic tile. Begin by rolling the clay between the table and hand until it begins to take on a log shape. Continue to roll the clay, alternating positions on the log so as to avoid an hourglass effect, until the clay log is the needed size.


For spheres, the easiest way to create a uniform, perfectly round sphere is by rolling it between the hands, keeping one hand still while rolling with the other. This prevents the sphere from becoming distorted.


Baking


It is imperative to follow the directions provided by the manufacturer when baking clay. Most clays require a baking temperature of around 275°F. The exception to this is Fimo brand polymer clay, which has a new, lower baking temperature of 230°F.


Generally, clay should be baked 30 minutes for each ¼ inch thickness. It's important to carefully watch your clay as it's baking so it doesn't scorch or burn. If the clay should begin to burn and release a smoke, clear the room of all people and pets, as the fumes can be harmful.


Clay should be baked on a dedicated sheet or ceramic tile. To prevent the clay from becoming too shiny on the surface where it meets the tile or baking platform, parchment paper or a brown paper bag can be placed between the clay and the baking sheet.


Sanding and Polishing


When sanding clay, begin with a lower grit sandpaper (200) and gradually work up to a fine grit (800). Use wet/dry sandpaper and sand under running tap water or in a bowl of water to prevent polymer particle dust from releasing into the air.


Once the clay is sanded, it can be buffed to a sheen using a denim cloth or a mechanical buffing wheel. If a high gloss is needed, water-based sealers such as Varathane can be used as a varnish.


Wood Burning Tools

For years, wood crafters have made beautiful pieces of art by burning designs into different types of wood. Here is a rundown of some of the more common wood burning tools.


Woodburning Pen


Woodburning pens are the most common tools used for burning designs into the wood. The pens come with removable and replaceable burning tips; laser wood burning pens employ a laser fitted with a high power fiber coupled laser diode.


Pliers


Pliers are used to hold the smaller pieces of wood as they are worked on to prevent fingers from being burned during the process.


White Transfer Paper


Transfer paper is used for transferring patterns onto dark wood in preparation for burning.


Graphite Paper


Graphite paper is used to transfer wood burning patterns onto lighter colored wood before the actual burning.


Sandpaper


Sandpaper smooths out the wood, eliminating rough surfaces and knotty bumps prior to transferring the selected design.


Convert From Dpi To Pixel Dimensions

Digital pictures measure resolution in dots per inch.


When you take a digital picture, the picture is composed of many little dots, or pixels, of color that, when put together, make up the final image. The density of these pixels on a picture is known as dots per inch (DPI). When you have a picture, to know the dimensions in pixels, you can convert from inches if you know the DPI and the dimensions. The higher the DPI, the higher the resolution, but the smaller the image.


Instructions


1. Measure the dimensions of the picture in inches.


2. Multiply the length in inches by the DPI to find the length in pixels. For example, if the photo's length equals six inches and the resolution is 100 DPI, multiply 6 by 100 to find the length is 600 pixels.


3. Multiply the width in inches by the DPI to find the width in pixels. For example, if the photo's width equals four inches and the resolution is 100 DPI, multiply 4 by 100 to find the width is 400 pixels.


Winter Wedding Table Decoration Ideas

Silver, blue and white mirror the winter landscape.


Winter weddings give you the opportunity to use colors and themes on your tables that aren't available to springtime brides. Blue, silver and white is a striking combination that is reminiscent of snowflakes against the nighttime sky. Deep green pine bows, pine cones and other embellishments of the season tie together your winter theme in eye-catching colors.


Centerpieces


Hire an ice sculptor to make small--less than 1 foot tall--ice sculptures for each table. Set on a small pedestal and surround with evergreen bows or silver tinsel garland. Swans are traditional, or use other themes of the season. If a sculptor is out of your budget, make your own ice centerpiece. Fill a bundt pan 1/3 full of water. Tint with food coloring and freeze. Remove from the freezer and top the ice with small ornaments, foil confetti and plastic snowflakes. Fill with water until the pan is 2/3 full. Freeze solid. Right before the reception place clear glass bowls filled with water on each table. Float the ice wreath in the bowl.


Crisp white lilies make elegant centerpieces. Coat an inexpensive vase in plain white glue. Coat thoroughly in silver and light blue glitter. Let dry then shake off the excess glitter. Tie a blue ribbon around one end of a small pine cone then tie the ribbon around the neck of the vase. Display the lilies in the vase.


Table linens


Choose white tablecloths to mirror the snowy landscape outside. Place a midnight blue table runner down the center of each table. Stamp snowflakes on the runner with silver fabric paint, or use deep blue tablecloths with silver dishes for a striking contrast.


Napkins should contrast with the tablecloth. If using a runner, match the napkins to its color. Use delicate silver napkin rings with silver snowflakes attached. Or, lay a single evergreen spring on top the folded napkin and tie a wide silver ribbon around both the napkin and the sprig. Tie in a small bow.


Details


The little details pull together your table décor and complete it. Sprinkle silver foil snowflake confetti on the tables. Clear or blue flat glass marbles are striking when scattered around your centerpiece. For long tables fill decorative glass jars with battery operated strings of fairy lights. Space them out between the centerpieces.


Use miniature snow globes as both a place card and a favor. Write each guest's name encircling the base with a silver paint pen. Each guest can keep the snow globe when the reception is over. Use pine cones or holiday ornaments as placecards instead. Tie a small holiday tag around the pine cone or ornament with a pretty ribbon and write the guest's name on the tag.


Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Wild West Fundraiser Ideas

Wild West booths make profitable fund raisers.


Your group or organization is sure to enjoy using a "Wild West" theme to raise money. Your group simply needs to organize a day that offers a number of Wild West activities and booths that will generate income and provide fun for participants. Approximately one month before the Wild West fundraiser, advertise the event to the community. A great way to spread the word is to have some group members dress in costume and pass out fliers announcing the event.


Wild West Costume Contest


Advertise this event by having volunteers in your group put up "Wanted" posters with a picture of one of the group members and information about the Wild West costume contest. Offer a nominal prize for first, second and third places for the contest. Be certain all members of your group also participate by dressing up in their Wild West costumes. You can set up a ballot box for participants to vote or have several members of the group be the official judges for the costume contest. Set up a refreshment stand to serve non-alcoholic drinks during the contest. Decorate the contest area in the Wild West theme. Charge a small fee for each person to enter the contest.


Warrior Face Painting


Both kids and adults enjoy face painting. Set up a warrior face-painting booth. Have several members of your group oversee the booth. Purchase paints or powders made specifically for face painting. Group members can be dressed up as warrior Indians. Provide child-sized Indian headbands for the kids to wear after they get their war paint put on. Once the war painting is done, have kids stand with a member dressed in an Indian chief costume for an instant picture. Charge a small fee for the face painting and another small fee for the picture.


Western Horseshoe Toss


Set up an area where participants can play a few rounds of horseshoes. You can have two areas for this Western booth. One area should have plastic, lightweight horseshoes for younger kids to play with. The other can be the traditional horseshoe sets that are made for adults. In the section for the kids, you can hand out plastic sheriff badges, cowboy kerchiefs or inexpensive cowboy party hats to each child who plays a round of horseshoes. Charge a small fee per game for adults and per time period for the kids.


So Why Do Black Lights Make Things Glow Like Posters

Posters coated with phosphors glow under black lights.


A black light is a fluorescent light bulb that, when lit, looks purple. Black lights make certain objects in an otherwise dark space seem to glow.


Construction


A regular fluorescent bulb is coated with a thin phosphorous coating that absorbs ultraviolet (UV) light and emits visible light. Black lights use a different phosphor coating that works in much the same way; however, the coating allows a small amount of UVA (long-range ultraviolet) light, as well as a small amount of violet and blue visible light, through.


Glowing


Any item that glows under a black light contains phosphors. A phosphor is a natural or synthetic substance that puts off a visible light when exposed to radiation, such as UVA light. When the UVA light from a black light hits the phosphor, the phosphor glows.


Phosphor Items


Most fluorescent or glow-in-the-dark items contain phosphors, as do many laundry detergents and household cleaners. White paper, white clothing, petroleum jelly, tonic water, teeth, some energy drinks and certain plants glow under black lights, as do body fluids such as urine or saliva.


How Come My Laptop Screen Go Black

Laptop computers are designed to automatically shut down their displays under certain circumstances. If a few keystrokes or a restart can't bring the screen back to life, however, it may be evidence of a more serious hardware issue.


Laptop computer


Inactivity


Most laptops are set to go into sleep or time-out mode and shut off their displays after a few minutes of inactivity in order to conserve power. If this is the case, pressing the space bar, power button or "ESC" key should bring the screen back to life.


Accidental Sleep or Time-Out Mode


You may have inadvertently hit a certain combination of keyboard strokes programmed to send the laptop into sleep or time-out mode. Hitting the space bar, power button, "ESC" or other random key should restore the display.


Low or Dead Battery


Some brands of notebook computer will automatically turn off the screen when their batteries are nearly drained, so they won't completely shut down and lose unsaved data. Plugging in the laptop's power supply should solve the problem; a restart may be required.


Lid-Close Switch Malfunction


The lid-close switch shuts the laptop's display off when the computer is closed and turns it back on when the computer is opened. The switch may be broken or stuck in the closed position.


Inverter Board or Backlight Malfunction


The inverter board in a laptop optimizes the power the computer supplies to the backlight, which illuminates its screen. Also known as a DC inverter or LCD inverter, the inverter board can fail and need replacement, or the backlight may be faulty.


Graphics Card Problems


Your laptop's graphics card translates the computer's actions into the visual representation seen on the screen. Although graphics cards rarely wear or burn out during regular use, dropping or jarring the computer may cause their connections to fail.


Shoot Pinup Photos

Taking vintage-looking pin-up photos can be a fun and rewarding endeavor for a photographer. Pin-up-style photos can test the photographer's shooting skills and technique, and finding just the right pose and lighting is always a fun challenge. Here are a few tips to get started shooting pin-up photos.


Instructions


1. Locate a good area or room to set up the shot. Open, clutter-free rooms are ideal as they afford enough space for complex poses.


2. Make certain the studio has at least three lighting angles. One key light that acts as an overfill light for the entire subject. Two other lights serve as overhead and fill lights for shadow effects.


3. Position the model at least 3 feet away from the background. This eliminates odd background shadows and flash reflection problems.


4. Pose and shoot the model in a way she is comfortable. Keep an eye out for candid, non-posed shots that convey a look of startle or surprise.


5. Move around the model and look for the best shooting angle that provides a full and complete composition. Most pin-up poses incorporate the entire body and focus less on any one particular area of the body.


6. Instruct the model to illicit a pout or wide-eyed expression to better capture that pin up quality. Models are oftentimes shot at very low angles or even top-down from a ladder for a more dramatic effect.


Why Children Need Art Education In Class

Children benefit from the inclusion of art classes in school.


Some schools, especially those lacking in funds, may choose to exclude art education from their curriculum. However, the students at these schools may be missing out on some important benefits of an education in the arts. Whether its painting, sculpture, band or theater, the arts provide students with an excellent opportunity to increase their academic success and develop important skills.


Cognitive Stimulation


Art education has been linked to advanced cognitive development in children. In a 1998 report, "Young Children and the Arts: Making Creative Connections," researchers found that art education can contribute significantly to a child's cognitive, language and motor skills. Another report from 2000 entitled "Learning and the Arts: Crossing Boundaries" stated that brain scans proved that all parts of the cerebral cortex are active while musicians are playing.


Academic Achievement


Many students involved in art classes perform better in school. According to Howard Gardener's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, students who take art classes develop an increased capacity to learn because they expand their learning styles beyond linguistic and mathematical reasoning in their traditional classes. Dr. James Catterall from UCLA found that students who took arts classes performed better on standardized tests and had higher grades than students who did not participate in art education.


Job Opportunities


Art education can lead to a fruitful career. In 2002, the The National Governors Association reported that art education can directly contribute to the acquisition of job skills such as problem solving, creative thinking and communication. Furthermore, USA Today reported in 2006 that, over the next 10 years, jobs in the arts would increase twice as fast as those in the engineering field.


Personal Development


Students pick up important life skills from their education in the arts. Also reported in "Young Children and the Arts: Making Creative Connections" was the fact that students pick up excellent skills from a education in the arts, such as better memory, enhanced understanding and an ability to communicate symbolically. Education Week also reported in 2005 that art education can have a positive impact on a student's drive to succeed and their ability to take on new challenges.


Public Opinion


In general, the public supports the inclusion of art programs in schools. A 2008 Imagination Poll found that 88 percent of voters believe that art education is essential for helping students set high standards for themselves and work toward achieving their goals. Furthermore, a 2006 Harris Poll reported that 96 percent of school principals found a correlation between involvement in the arts and attendance and graduation rates.


Dance The Stylish Hop Easy Slip And Slide Move

Dance the Hip Hop Easy Slip and Slide Move


Once you know a few basic hip hop dance moves, you can incorporate them into your freestyle dancing and be ready to show off your skills whenever the music moves you. One of the more basic hip hop moves that can give a lot of rhythm to your freestyle is the slip and slide move. Though you can dress it up, the basic move is easy to learn.


Instructions


1. Stand with your weight equally distributed between your feet to start the dance move. Your feet should be under your body, so don't take a wide stance.


2. Slide your right foot out and back at a 45-degree angle to your body as you lean your torso to the left for balance. Keep a little bit of weight on your sliding foot to help you maintain your balance and to make your footwork look smoother.


3. Pull your right foot back in and stand up straight. Pick your right knee straight up in a high step, then put it down.


4. Repeat the slide with your left foot, pulling it back in for a high step, just as you did with your right.


5. Add your arms to the slip and slide hip hop move. When you slide out to the side, bring your arms up in whatever way feels comfortable. As you return to standing, lower your arms to your sides. Raise them when you do your high step with each leg.


6. Develop your own slip and slide dance style by putting on some music and playing with the rhythm. Feel the music and make your movements express exactly what you hear.


Who's Lorraine Hansberry

Lorraine Hansberry (1930 to 1965) was an African-American playwright, essayist, poet and activist. Her best-known work, "A Raisin in the Sun," was brought to Broadway in 1959, making her the first black woman to have a play produced there.


Early Life


Born the youngest of four children, Lorraine grew up in Chicago with her wealthy family. Her father, Carl Hansberry, was a real estate broker, while her mother hosted parties attended by such notables as Langston Hughes and Joe Lewis.


Activism


Hansberry's first brush with activism came when her father purchased a home in an all-white Chicago neighborhood when she was 8. A law stated blacks couldn't own homes in that area, but her father took it to court and successfully fought the law.


A Raisin in the Sun


With its title taken from the line of a poem by Langston Hughes, "A Raisin in the Sun" tells the story of a poor black family who receives a check for $10,000. The play follows them as they attempt to come to terms with decisions made because of the money.


Awards


"A Raisin in the Sun" won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award in 1959. In 1961, the play became a film starring Sidney Poitier and won a special award at the Cannes Film Festival.


Life Cut Short


On January 12, 1965, at the age of 34, Hansberry lost her two year battle with pancreatic cancer.


Terrazzo Art & Architecture

Terrazzo art can trace its origins to Venice in the 15th century and became an architectural art form in the late 19th century. Terrazzo art originated as a flooring finish of decorative marble chips and stones set in cement.


History


Venetian artisans made use of marble waste from quarries by embedding chips into flooring and then polishing the floor to a smooth finish, according to the Public Art Squad website.


Features


Early terrazzo art featured elaborate patterns or mosaics using different size marble chips and certain rocks to add texture and color.


Architectural Marriage


Decorative terrazzo in buildings emerged in the 1870s with the advent of reinforced concrete. It was used frequently in the decades leading to the 1900s as modern skyscrapers began to emerge.


Interior Design


Much of the terrazzo art was initially limited to interior flooring, such as lobbies and entryways of large buildings, but it gained widespread use as decorative elements in exterior and interior walls.


Use of Artisans


By the early post-World War II war era, architects, particularly in Australia, employed terrazzo artisans to work on public building projects. Many artists stayed on with the architectural firms, which incorporated elements of terrazzo art in many public projects.


Monday, December 28, 2015

Read Romance Books Online

In this information age where more and more entertainment is being viewed via the Internet, many readers of popular fiction are bypassing print novels in favor of reading their favorite books online. Whether you are seeking free material to peruse or if you are willing to pay a nominal fee to read the latest books and stories, reading romance novels online can be done several different ways.


Instructions


1. Check out the site Herstorybooks.com. Specializing in stories that center around English and Irish settings and characters, Herstorybooks.com offers .pdf file downloads of romance novels for a per-item fee that is about the equivalent of half the price you would pay for a print novel. The downloadable books range from 60 to 135,000 words (or up to 200 pages) and fall into several of the most popular romantic fiction categories, including contemporary, historical, paranormal and suspense. They usually offer one or two free novels to read at a time, as well, for those who want to check out the quality of the available items before spending money on them. Reviews and previews of titles are also offered.


2. Check out the site Allromancebooks.com. Another pay-per-novel site, this one is inclusive of all categories that romance novels can fall under. If you are looking for fantasy, gothic, erotic, gay/lesbian, contemporary, humorous, thrilling, historical or something even more (or less) specialized, you will find something here to suit your needs. The listing of available titles is updated frequently and the stories cost about half as much as a print novel. Short excerpts from each book are posted so that you can get an idea about them before paying for them, as well as a "heat index" rating that tells you just how steamy the story might get. The titles here range from very short (around 10,000 words) to average novel length and are offered in several formats, including Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, HTML and Mobipocket.


3. Check out the site Roadtoromance.com. If you are looking for free novels and stories, they can be found on sites like Roadtoromance.com, in the Free Story/Book Offers section of the site (you will have to look around a bit for it as they want you to see all of the stuff they have for sale first.) Here, the romance ranges from only a couple of pages to average novel length and are mostly available as Adobe Reader files that can be downloaded from the site. You may also find links to other websites where the novels are available to be read directly. The title listings are updated every few months, and many different genres are offered to suit most reading tastes and needs.


4. Check out the site Romanceatheart.com. This is another website that offers free stories under its "Free Reads" section. They have their own continuing serial novel that is updated regularly, along with listings of novels, promotional chapters and short stories. Genres vary depending on what is available when the site is updated, and older stories are taken down as new ones are put up (instead of including all free options at the same time.) Here, the novels and stories can be read directly through the site with no downloading or file-reading software necessary.


5. Check out the site Ebooknook.com. Here, all of the available books offered are free, and many genres are included aside from romance. The romance section includes stories that range from 10 to 100 pages and can be read directly from the site. It is updated frequently with new content, many of it written by regular contributors to the website. Categories for romance stories vary depending on which authors are contributing new books at any given time.


Who Will get Mongolian Spots

Mongolian spots are a skin condition that is caused by dense collections of melanocytes. These skin cells filled with melanin appear like birthmarks when clustered close to the surface of the skin. While many parents might be concerned when they see Mongolian specks on their infants, these marks have nothing to do with cancer or any harmful skin growths.


What Are They?


Mongolian spots, also referred to as Mongolian flecks or Mongolian blue spots, is a flat birthmark that appears on many infants. These marks appear on over 70 percent of Native American, Asian, Pacific Island, or Hispanic infants while appearing on only about 10 percent of European infants.


Symptoms


Symptoms are most common blue or gray splotches that appear as birthmarks, although some can even be yellow or brown which make some look like bruises. No pain or health problems are associated with Mongolian spots.


Infant Groups Most Affected


Mongolian spots are found on over 90 percent of Native Americans, 80 percent of Oriental Asians, 70 percent of Hispanics and 70 percent of infant groups from mixed race groups of African and any of the other mentioned groups. Europeans see this condition the least, at less than 10 percent. Nearly 95 percent of all cases are on children who have not hit puberty.


Treatment


The only treatment is time. There is no reason to worry since there are no health risks; the majority of Mongolian spots are gone before age 5, with only very rare cases remaining past puberty.


Common Misdiagnosis


Mongolian flecks can sometimes be misdiagnosed as bruises if they are a brown or yellow color, especially since they often occur on the back thighs or buttocks.


Adult Mongolian Spots


The far majority of people lose all Mongolian spots by either 5 years of age or puberty. In extremely rare cases Mongolian spots remain after puberty, in which case they are most likely permanent.


Which Cameras Perform Best For Portrait Photography

The best portraits catch their subjects at just the right time to reveal their essence.


With the increasing amount of photographers in the world, more and more people are looking to create the best photographic portraiture they can. Finding a perfect portrait camera can be difficult, given the vast number of choices that are readily available for camera-seeking consumers. Selecting the right camera is much simpler with the help of a few guidelines.


Digital SLRs


Digital SLRs are the best types of cameras for shooting portraits. The ability to change lenses, review photos, and quickly respond to sudden photographic moments sets digital SLRs apart from any other type of camera. Countless models of D-SLRs are readily available on the market with varying features and prices.


Portrait Scene Mode


Portrait mode is a useful feature to have on your camera when you are in a hurry. Exposure settings are automatically chosen for you when you press the shutter button down halfway in portrait mode. The mode aims to give you a proper exposure on subjects along with a pleasing background blur. While it is good to know these settings on your own, it is also smart to have a fallback. Most digital SLRs have portrait mode, such as the Nikon D40 or the Canon Rebel XSI. Portrait mode is not included with top-of-the line D-SLRs like the Canon 1D or the Nikon D700.


Full-Frame Sensors


Cameras with full-frame sensors are helpful in creating the best portraiture possible. The larger sensors capture more detail and create softer background blur. Only the high end D-SLRs have full-frame sensors like the Canon 5D and the Nikon D3X. Nikon refers to their full-frame sensors as "FX," in their product description, while Canon refers to theirs as simply "Full-Frame."


Shooting in Raw


Seek out a digital SLR that shoots in the RAW file format. This file formant holds twice as much color information as the traditional JPEG image file. RAW files make for more effective post-processing because manipulating exposure, contrast, saturation, and other slider options is far more effective. The RAW files can be converted to smaller JPEG files after they are optimized.


Where Was The Hireling Shepherd Colored

Giorgio Vasari, an art historian contemporary with the Italian Renaissance, suggests that the Mona Lisa is a portrait of Mona Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a Florentine businessman.


Florence, Italy


Florence


Many scholars, like Vasari, believe that Leonardo da Vinci painted much of the Mona Lisa in Florence.


Milan


However, the background portions of the Mona Lisa may have been painted in Milan, while da Vinci was vacationing in the area.


Cultural Hotbed


Florence and the areas surrounding it made the most significant contributions to Italian culture during the Italian Renaissance. Like many other artists of the period, da Vinci made Florence home. This makes Florence an obvious choice for the birthplace of the Mona Lisa.


Uncertain Date


It is accepted that da Vinci began his work on the Mona Lisa either at the end of February or the beginning of March in the year 1503 while he was living in Florence.


Time Span


The Mona Lisa is often regarded as one of da Vinci's crowning achievements. It is believed that it took da Vinci three years and four months to complete.


Modern Ballroom Dance Steps

Modern Ballroom Dance Steps


According to Dance Sport UK, "Ballroom" is a formal partner dance with a variety of styles, including the waltz, tango, slow foxtrot, quickstep and Viennese waltz. Latin American dances, including the cha cha, samba, rumba, paso doble and jive, are spin-offs of this style. The phrase "Modern Ballroom" began in Great Britain and means that the dance is not an old time, sequence or Latin-American dance, but includes the tango, slow foxtrot, quickstep and Viennese waltz. This article will describe the basics of Modern Ballroom dancing.


Posture and Orientation


Learn the proper posture and orientation for ballroom dancing. Partners begin each ballroom dance facing each other. The male partner should place his left hand into the female partner's right hand. The female partner's left hand should be placed on the top of the male partner's upper right arm (behind the male partner's arm in the tango). The male partner's right hand should be placed on the female partner's left shoulder blade, and the female's left hand should be placed just below the male partner's right armpit. Both the male and female's posture should be erect. The dancer's chins should be slightly upturned, and their heads, necks, shoulders and torsos should stay in a perfect vertical alignment. Depending on the dance, the female partner may dance with her chest lifted and spine alignment slightly convex.


Flow


Understand the flow of the dance movements. According to BallroomDancers.com, the term "line of dance" is an imaginary line that is used by ballroom dancers to denote the flow of the dance. Most ballroom dances will move or "travel" counterclockwise in order to reduce accidents between dancers on the ballroom floor. Find out which direction you and your partner should travel.


Meter, Tempo and Rhythm


Learn the meter, rhythm and style of each ballroom dance. The modern ballroom dance styles all have varying meters, tempos and rhythms. The meter refers to the rhythmic element of the dance, which is most commonly 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time. The tempo is the speed of the dance and generally ranges between 60 and 120 beats per minute. The rhythm refers to how the steps are timed. An example to follow the progression is "1-2-3" or "slow-quick-quick."


Steps


Steps of the modern ballroom dance vary from style to style. Visit BallroomDancers.com to find out specific movements from each of the dances or plan a ballroom lesson at a local dance company.


Where Buy Hydrated Bentonite Clay

Bentonite clay is purported to have many positive effects when used both internally and externally. It is most commonly found in health supplements and body products. Bentonite has a negative charge and thus draws particles with a positive charge to it like metal to a magnet. Most toxins have a positive charge and are naturally drawn to bentonite clay; this is what gives it its cleansing properties. You can buy bentonite clay in a powder or hydrated form. The powder comes loose or in the form of tablets and capsules.


Buy Hydrated Bentonite Clay on the Internet


A convenient way to buy hydrated bentonite clay is on the Internet, where you'll find the largest selection. There are actually more than a hundred websites to choose from. Which site you choose depends on your needs.


Decide What Size You Need


Hydrated bentonite clay comes in different sizes. The most popular size is 32 oz., however you can also find 16 oz., 8 oz. and 4 oz. sizes. When deciding on what size to purchase, multiply the amount you will use by the amount of times you will need to use it. You should also keep in mind that hydrated bentonite clay has a shelf life of as long as five years or more.


Glass or Plastic


The next thing to decide is if you have a preference regarding the material of the container. Hydrated bentonite clay comes in both glass and plastic. Because glass is less porous and more stable than plastic, many people consider it to be better. However, glass is heavier than plastic and may result in higher shipping costs.


Shipping Hydrated Bentonite Clay


Exposure to heat and cold will not affect the potency of hydrated bentonite clay. Therefore, if you don't need it immediately, you can save some money and opt for standard ground shipping. It is not unusual to find websites that offer free shipping to their customers. To qualify for free shipping, you will need to purchase a minimum dollar amount at the particular website. If you need your hydrated bentonite clay fast, then choose expedited shipping methods.


Money-Back Guarantee


The best places to buy hydrated bentonite clay offer a money-back guarantee. If you have never tried hydrated bentonite clay, you may be unsure about whether it will work for you. When you purchase from a website that offers a money-back guarantee you won't have to worry about that. If you feel the hydrated bentonite clay did not perform as advertised or you are simply averse to the slightly gritty texture, you can return it.


Tell A Print From The Lithograph

Lithographs may look like drawings, like this portrait of composer Robert Schumann.


It can be hard to discern differences between lithographs and other kinds of drawings since lithography developed to replicate closely other artworks (such as drawings or paintings). Prints require a plate that is prepared to take ink; the printmaker lays a sheet of paper on top of the plate and runs both through a printing press. Multiple prints can be made from a single plate. Multiple types of prints and ways to prepare them exist. Telling lithographs from other types of prints is difficult unless you know what to look for.


Instructions


1. Look for the signs of an artist's print. For example, most prints feature the artist's signature written in pencil, as well as two numbers separated by a slash (the bottom number tells the number of prints made off the plate in total; the upper number signals the print's individual number within the series).


2. Learn how lithographs are made; this will help you distinguish lithographs from other type of prints (such as etchings or woodcuts). Artists make lithographs by using a special type of waxy crayon to draw on a flat stone; after a series of chemical processes, ink sticks to the areas covered by waxy crayon and not the rest of the stone. Because of this, lithographs can look like drawings. For an example, see the famous lithographs of Käthe Kollwitz.


3. Do your research. Artists often play considerably with media, so the best indication of whether a work is a lithograph or another type of print is the artwork's provenance (where it came from). Reputable galleries will include the artwork's material, so if you look at wall text or a gallery list, you should see what kind of print you're looking at.


When You Should Plant Joan J Raspberry Plants

Raspberries require bright sun and plenty of space to produce their fruit.


Raspberries are large caning plants and grow and produce fruit in spring, summer and fall. Joan J raspberries produce plump, dark-red berries in late summer and grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 4 through 8. Plant these successful raspberries at the right time of year, with the right site, soil and space, for a juicy, delicious harvest.


Planting Season


Spring raspberry plantings are more successful than fall plantings, as fall plantings lead to winter failure in cold zones. Plant Joan J raspberries when the soil warms and thaws in spring. Plantings may take place one to two weeks before the last light frost.


Site and Space


Joan J raspberries do best with full sunshine all day, quick drainage and good air circulation. Plant them only if you can offer four to five feet of space between plants, with good year-round drainage. Separate Joan J raspberries at least 300 feet from any wild cultivars to avoid cross-pollination.


Soil


Plant raspberries with relatively fertile, moist and quick-draining soil. Mix organic compost into the top 10 inches of soil to provide a mixture of half natural soil and half compost. Turn 10-10-10 granular fertilizer into the soil before planting for more nutrition.


Maintenance


Give Joan J raspberries 10-10-10 fertilizer 10 days after planting and then again 40 days later. Feed raspberries in March and May of every year thereafter to maintain growth and fruiting. Keep raspberries moist with 1 to 2 inches of water every week, and put a trellis system behind each row of plants to support them during growth.


Create A Silk Screen Print Frame

Make a silk screen frame using plywood.


Silkscreen printing, sometimes called silk screening or serigraphy, can be used to make printed T-shirts, posters, artwork, clothing and other apparel. You can make custom or personalized gifts for family members and friends using silkscreens. Before starting a silkscreen project, you need to first build an exposing frame using silkscreen-making supplies. You can purchase silkscreen materials at printing shops, hardware stores and some local arts and craft shops.


Instructions


Instructions


1. Cut the 2 by 3 lumber into two 11-inch long and two 8 ½-inch pieces. The two 11-inch pieces are the sides and the 8 ½-inch pieces are the inserts.


2. Place the two inserts, one at the top and the other one at the bottom, and screw them to the two sides (11 inches) with wood screws and the electric drill. Use the proper drill bit according to the head of the wood screws. You should have an incomplete frame that is 8 1/2 by 11 inches.


3. Cut a 3-inch thick foam rubber into a piece that is long enough to fit into the well or inside of the frame. Place the rubber foam inside the well of the frame, leaving 1/2 inch of space between the foam and frame.


4. Cut another piece of plywood into two 13-inch and 10 ½-inch pieces. The two 13-inch pieces are the sides and two 10 ½-inch pieces are the top and bottom.


5. Place the frame in the center of the 10 ½-inch by 13-inch plywood. Connect the frame and plywood together by attaching clamp hinges to one end of the frame and the other to the plywood using screws and the drill. After the two are connected, the frame should lift up from the base of the plywood. The foam should be underneath the base.


6. Use the drill and screws to attach the door latch to the plywood and the eye hook to the frame. They should be opposite to the clamp hinges. The hook keeps the frame closed while using it.


7. Place the clear ¼-inch plate glass over the frame and secure the four edges with duct tape to the frame. This also protects you and other handlers from cuts or injuries.


Sunday, December 27, 2015

What You Ought To Know Brittle bones Medicines

Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens bones, reduces bone mass and makes them more porous. This condition is linked to a lack of calcium and is most often found in postmenopausal women. People who have osteoporosis are more likely to have bone fractures, most notably in the hip, forearm and vertebrae. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, drug therapy reduces vertebral fracture by 30 to 65 percent and fractures elsewhere in the body by 16 to 70 percent.


Bisphosphonates


Dr Kurt Kennel, MD, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, states that bisphosphonates like Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva are the most commonly prescribed medications used to treat osteoporosis. Fosamax, for example, having been on the market for more than 10 years, offers a proven safety record. Plus, bisphosphonates only affect bones, have few side effects and have few, if any, drug interactions. Patients who take these medications have also been shown to tolerate them well.


How They Work


Bisphosphonates work by reducing the degeneration of bones. After menopause, when estrogen levels in the body decrease, bone mass breaks down even more quickly, and bones become weak and porous. Bisphosphonates interfere with this process by maintaining the structure and density of bones.


Oral Bisphosphonates


Bisphosphonate medications differ only slightly. Some have different levels of potency, while others offer more protection against bone degeneration. All of them, claims Dr. Kennel, are effective in sustaining bone density and preventing fractures. How doctors determine which medication and dosing procedure is best for each individual is based on the specific patient. If you're not likely to remember to take a once-monthly pill, your doctor will prescribe a weekly medication. Taking these medications more than once a week seems to make no difference. Dr. Susan Ott, associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington, reports that taking bisphosphonates once weekly is as effective as taking the medication once a day. It is an approach, she finds, that many patients prefer.


Injection Benefits


Studies have shown that after one year, many patients who take their medication orally either stop treatment or reduce the amount of medication they take---both of which increases the risk for fractures and advance bone degeneration. When an injection is administered at a doctor's appointment on a regular basis, those who suffer from osteoporosis maintain full protection.


Long-Term Effects


One study conducted by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research shows that women who were taking medications in the bisphosphonate class of drugs for more than five years had no measurable benefits compared to women who had stopped after five years. In fact, patients who stayed on Fosamax for 10 years had the same number of fractures than patients who stayed on the drug for eight years. So how long should you stay on bisphosphonates? Can it hurt to continue using the drug? An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that women who discontinued drug therapy, or took a drug holiday, after five years were still protected from bone degeneration.


Friday, December 25, 2015

Make Tempera Fresh paint

Paint


Painting is a craft the whole family can enjoy. If you want to take your painting to the next level, you can begin to make your own tempera paint. It can save you money in the long run, and your pictures will look more vibrant. You can mix colors until you get the shade you desire. Your children will learn a lot about art, painting and colors as well.


Instructions


1. Purchase pigment powder. You can do this at an online store called The Art Store (see resources). Each color costs about $3.75.


2. Separate your egg white from the yolk and discard egg white. Pinch the egg yolk and allow the egg to drain into a small container. Place a teaspoon of water in with the yolk and mix.


3. Pour out a small pile of pigment on to your flat surface. Make sure the surface is not a kind that stains easily.


4. Poke a crater into the top of the powder with the back end of your paintbrush. Then use your eyedropper to add a few drips of water. Start mixing it with a palate knife. Add a little more water if you need to. You want it to become a hard paste.


5. Place some of the pigment paste into a small container such as a baby food jar. Place the same amount of egg yolk into the container. Add some water and mix with your paintbrush. Add more water until the mixture becomes the consistency of paint you like to work with. Add your water a little at a time so you don't end up adding too much.


6. Repeat step 5 so that each color gets its own baby food jar. You may want to label them if you have a few colors that are similar.


7. Test your colors first to make sure they are exactly how you want them. Just brush the paint on a spare canvas and wait to see if it dries within minutes and if the color remained the same when it dried.


Which Kind Of Oil Can Be Used In Fresh paint

Oil paint comes in a variety of grades, from student oils, which contain less pigment and more oil, also known as binders or vehicles, to artist's oil colors, which usually contain higher grade materials, more pigment and finer grades of oil.


Depending upon the brand and if the paint has dryers mixed in, the type of oil added to paint will vary. Linseed oil is found in most common brands, however it is not unusual to find walnut or poppy seed oil as part of the mixture.


Hundreds of years ago, it was common for artists or chemists to grind pigments and binders between stones in order to create paint. Now, commercial paint manufacturers will mill the mixture together on large steel rollers, which is then tested prior to filling paint tubes and labeling for sale. It is not uncommon for mixtures of paint to remain in a plant for months while testing continues to make sure the paint has not changed color before going to the consumer market.


Linseed Oil


Derived from ripe dried seeds of the Flax plant (Linum usutatissimum, Linaceae), Linseed oil is a drying oil with a yellowish tint. It is high in acidity, which helps the color of the oil remain stable. This means that the yellowish color of the oil will not affect paint color over time. Linseed oil is also known to create a durable and flexible film when the paint dries. Cold-pressed linseed oil is suitable in a raw state for human consumption.


There are two methods of creating linseed oil for painting, cold pressed on stone mills in a windmill and industrial cold-pressed linseed oil. The windmill produced oil, is most similar to what the old masters used. It is a long process and results in costly oil. Old Holland, with a line of professional quality artist paints, claims to use this process to produce their line of artist's colors. Industrial pressed oil is a bit lighter in color, but similar in use as a vehicle for pigment and is used in most other brands that can be found in art stores.


Poppy Oil


A popular alternative to linseed oil, poppy oil is non-yellowing. It is especially popular for uses in manufacturing whites and other light colors. It immediately makes paint look brighter directly from the tube. It also produces a buttery paint consistency which is revered by artists who like to paint straight from the tube. The drawback to poppy oil is its tendency to crack. It is also slower to dry than linseed oil and its durability over time is not as good as linseed oil's.


Walnut Oil


Leonardo da Vinci's favorite oil paint was created using walnut oil. It is not as commonly used today as poppy oil. There isn't a tremendous amount known about walnut oil, more than likely because it is costly to produce. It is considered inferior to linseed oil when tested for durability. It is about the equivalent of poppy oil, however, for longevity and drying time.


Stand Oil


When heated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit in an oxygen-free environment, linseed oil is referred to as stand oil. The heat causes the molecular structure to change, while the composition remains the same. Stand oils dry slowly and yellow less than the cold-pressed oils and form a strong film that is not water-soluble. Stand oils are used as a painting medium, to be mixed in with paint from the tube to dilute thick paint and make it easier to work with or to help dry paint faster. Stand oil is not recommended for the manufacturing of paints, although it is highly recommended for use in glazing techniques in which the artist mixes a small amount of pigment into the oil and creates thin layers, exposing under painting through transparent color.


Mediums


Linseed, poppy, walnut and stand oils all function as mediums as well. This means that they can be mixed into paint in order for paint to flow easier. There is a rule in oil painting "fat over lean," meaning that thinner, faster drying layers of paint should be used first and then worked up to fatter layers or layers with more oils.


What Kinds Of Fresh paint To Make Use Of On Glass

Create stained glass art or decorate glassware by painting on glass.


Glass painting is a versatile craft that can be applied to stained glass works of art, vases, even wine glasses and stemware. Most paints can be adapted for use in painting glass, but some types of paint are more suited for the purpose. The following types of paint can all be used on glass, but some paints will require additional steps or materials to make the glass permanent and scratch-resistant.


Acrylics


Acrylic paints are very versatile and can be used on canvas and paper as well as glass. Glass painting techniques using acrylic paint differ depending on the thickness of the paint. Acrylic paint from the tube may be thick enough to require only one or two coats but craft paint is often much thinner and requires the application of three or four thin layers to reach the desired level of opacity when painting on glass. Once it dries, acrylic paint may scratch or flake easily so it is best to cover it with a protective layer of clear finish.


Enamel


Glass enamel provides the artist with a wide range of color choices as well as the ability to mix colors in any combination imaginable. Glass enamels actually consist of fine glass particles which are typically mixed with a medium to create a liquid, paint-like substance. The enamel is then applied to the glass and fired in a kiln to achieve permanence. In addition to painting enamel onto glass, the particles can be airbrushed or dry brushed onto the surface. Whenever working with glass enamel, wear safety goggles and a mask to avoid inhalation of the glass particles.


Paint Markers


Paint markers are available with a variety of tips including fine tips, thick tips, and brush tips which make them ideal for drawing and writing on glass. Some paint markers are designed especially for glass painting, filled with non-toxic, thermo-hardening, water-based paints in many different colors. Once the design has been drawn or brushed onto the glass, paint from paint markers can be heat set by following the instructions included with the paint markers.


Oil-Based


Oil-based paints are frequently used for painting on stained glass and are one of the easiest paints to use on glass. Like regular oil paints, oil-based stained glass paints can be mixed on a palette to achieve a wide range of colors but mixed paints may fire unevenly. Because they use an oil-turpentine base, these paints must be fired at low temperatures because they will flake or burn up in the higher temperatures used for water-based paints.


Glass Paints


Many craft stores now sell squeezable tubes of paint specifically designed for painting on glass. These paints work best on non-porous surfaces and a layer of surface conditioner should be used first so the paint will stick. Glass paint is typically transparent and microwave and dishwasher safe. These types of paints are very easy to use when painting on glass and they are more convenient than other methods because it is not necessary to set the paint using the heat of a kiln or oven.


What Kinds Of Holograms Exist

Art and security applications share a common technique known as the hologram. For artists, holograms offer a double or triple side to one piece of work, allowing for multidimensional art. In the security world, holograms play an important role to decipher between real and fake properties. For instance, the U.S. $20 bill possesses a hologram, which separates it from counterfeits.


Reflection


A reflection hologram shows a true three-dimensional image near its surface. Most galleries use reflection holograms. You also see reflection holograms in movie posters. The hologram is illuminated on a certain spot by incandescent lighting that, when held at a specific angle and distance, changes the look of the picture. Mass-produced holograms such as movie posters and credit cards usually reflect light; they also have a layer of aluminum on the back that causes a mirror effect.


Transmission


A transmission hologram is created when light from a point meets the reference beam, then enters the recording material from the same side as the starting point. Transmission holograms use laser light. The light comes from behind the hologram, and then the image transfers to the observer's side. The transmitted image often projects through a small hologram so that a group of people looking through a window can see the entire hologram.


Embossed


Multicolored embossed holograms have shallow depths of a few millimeters. Security applications often use embossed holograms to protect against manipulation, since they are extremely difficult to copy. Credit cards and passwords use an embossed hologram. The eagle on a Visa card is an embossed hologram. Advertisements, security labels, plastic cards and promotion materials often use embossed holograms to identify and mark the work.


Other Hybrid Holograms


There are many holograms that go between reflection and transmission holograms. Each are a little different. An integral hologram is either a transmission or reflection hologram that is made from photographs of an object or person, outdoor scene or computer graphic. A camera first scans the object, then each view is shown through a LCD screen. Other types of holograms are rainbow, computer generated, multiplex, stereogram, volume and plane.


What Must I Fresh paint Card board With When You Are Performing Crafts

Cardboard tubes are popular craft items.


Cardboard is one of the most versatile products ever used in crafting. It's easily cut, bent and shaped to create whatever piece is needed. Recycling cardboard also helps make the world a little greener. Cardboard is plentiful and many stores allow you to take cardboard boxes rather than destroying them or sending them to the baler. Some business establishments do recycle their own cardboard.


Liquid Acrylics and Latex


Liquid acrylic craft paints are the most popular paints used on cardboard. Several brands are available at most craft supply shops. They are sold in 1- and 2-ounce bottles and are a water-based paint. It can be cleaned off easily or painted over when is used on cardboard. Acrylic craft paints become permanent when they're allowed to dry on fabric. Gloss, semi-gloss and flat paints are available. Leftover latex interior wall paints can be used on cardboard. Place the leftover paint in glass jars with tight-fitting lids to use in painting cardboard and other craft projects.


Poster Paint and Watercolors


Poster paints cover cardboard well but they are flat paints. If a gloss is needed, cardboard painted with poster paints can be sprayed or brushed with varnish after the paint dries. Poster paint colors are deep and true so only one coat is usually needed. Watercolors used on cardboard may seem translucent but can be used in small areas that only need a little color. Tube watercolors can be mixed with water to make a darker color that is similar to liquid acrylics.


Color Markers, Crayons and Ink


Color markers work well on cardboard. Apply ink in perfectly straight lines or in small circular motions to avoid the lines usually seen in some artwork. Permanent or nonpermanent ink markers can be used. Use a spray fixative, light varnish or clear coat to preserve the colors. Crayons are another option. Use straight, even strokes or circular motions to avoid lines. Apply inks with a brush or calligraphy pens.


Chalk, Pastels, Color Pencils and Other Items


Using chalks, pastels and color pencils usually gives a much lighter color than paints or markers. The hue of pastels may be darker than chalk. Color pencil marks are lighter but can be darkened by wetting the tip of the pencil as it is being used. Nail polish colors can be used for small areas, quick touchups or highlights. Use aerosol spray paints mostly for backgrounds, especially in the case of painting signs on cardboard. You can also use lettering stencils with spray paint.


Play A Kettle Drum

With drum circles so in vogue these days, the kettle drum, or timpani, is making appearances in parks and music stores all over the world. This type of drum looks like a big kettle with a copper colored bottom. Kettle drums resonate with a deep sound and often back up the strings and horns of orchestras. Learn play a kettle drum and realize your musical dreams.


Instructions


1. Tune the drum by tightening or loosening the skin that is stretched over the big bowl. Use the foot pedal to tune it during a piece for higher or lower notes. Push up on the pedal to tighten the head and make the tone higher pitched. Push down on the pedal for more bass in the pitch.


2. Hold two drum sticks, or mallets, in your hands with your thumbs on the tops. Unlike snare or other drums that are played with sticks, you make more of a pounding beat on a kettle drum. The sticks have rounded tips covered in felt to soften the tone of the bass and make it more full-bodied.


3. Let the sticks lie loosely in your hands to allow them to bounce on top of the skin for a rolling sound. Let the sticks bounce on top of the skin. This kind of rolling sound fits in well at a drum circle.


4. Add a big roll to your orchestra or the drum circle by holding the mallets in each hand. Strike the kettle drum with one stick at a time. Alternate the hits rapidly and build to a crescendo. Hit the drum faster and harder for a dramatic effect.


5. Use the mutes if your sound is too overpowering. Some kettle drums have these small leather ties on the top of the drum. They can be used to control the vibrations after you hit the drum.


What Removes Sharpie Ink

The Sharpie name has become synonymous with colorful, permanent decorations for everything from shoes to window treatments to personalized clothing. That permanent setting ability becomes a nightmare when you make a mistake or your Sharpie leaks, and there are very few products that can remove the ink stain for sure, and you must use careful methods or else you can make it worse.


Do's


The trick to removing Sharpie ink is to make sure you apply whatever product you decide to use in the proper way. Act as quickly as possible before the stain sets in. For clothes and other porous surfaces, apply your cleaning solution from the bottom of the stain up. For example, if you are removing Sharpie ink from a shirt, turn the shirt inside out and apply the material from the inside. This will prevent the stain from spreading further into the garment. No matter what product you use or what type of surface you are working with, always spot test the cleaner in an inconspicuous area to ensure that it will not damage or discolor the surface.


Don'ts


There are also some methods you should never use, or else you can actually set the stain deeper into the surface. Never ignore manufacturer's instructions on the label or in the user's manual of your surface. If your flashlight should not be exposed to any liquid or your shirt is dry-clean only, do not use contrary methods to try to remove the Sharpie. Never expose a Sharpie-stained surface to high heat, such as a dryer or near a heater. The high heat will set the ink stain more firmly into the surface. Don't assume all ink stains are the same; there is a difference between permanent marker ink and regular pen ink. Make sure if you use a professional product or employ a professional cleaner, the products and professionals know what they are dealing with.


At-Home Products


A number of at-home products will help to reduce or remove Sharpie stains. Use rubbing alcohol or non-acetone nail polish remover on the surface. Be careful, because these products are flammable and will quickly dry out skin. Set white paper towels or cloths under the stain or saturate the stain and use these white products to absorb the stain and the cleaning product. Always use white, because the chemicals can make the colors of the cleaner bleed, and you could end up with a bigger stain on the surface. For non-porous surfaces like walls and floors, use hair spray or toothpaste.


Professional Products


Professional stain removers and ink removers are sometimes effective when applied as soon as the stain occurs, but the effectiveness of these products varies by the surface, as well as the color of the Sharpie. Try strong soaps or degreasers on the surface. If possible for fabrics, bleach the area in a washing machine or by hand washing in a sink or tub. Remember not to throw the garment in the dryer until you are sure the stain is completely gone.


Thursday, December 24, 2015

What Props Are Essential For Any Cinderella Play

Poor Cinderella had to work hard for her wicked stepmother and stepsisters.


The story of Cinderella features a beautiful young woman who is a servant to her mean stepmother and stepsisters. When the prince is looking for a wife, he hosts a ball and invites all the young women in the land. Cinderella is excited about going, but her wicked stepmother and stepsisters sabotage her chances of attending. That's when a friendly fairy godmother appears and transforms Cinderella's tattered clothes into a beautiful gown. Cinderella attends the ball, but leaves in a hurry at midnight as the fairy had directed. In the process she loses a glass slipper and the prince sends his men door to door until they find Cinderella and prince makes her his wife.


Glass Slipper


The glass slipper is more than a piece of wardrobe in a Cinderella play. The glass slipper is a prop that is central to the storyline. Glass slippers can be made in a number of different ways. Perhaps the simplest method is to buy a pair of high heeled pumps for the woman playing the part of Cinderella. Then, spread glue on the shoe and cover it completely with silver sparkle.


If you want to get more elaborate, use white glitter and discuss with the lighting director about shining a black light on the slipper during pivotal moments in the play. This will make the slipper appear to be glowing in the dark.


Pumpkin


With the phrase "Bippity, Boppity, Boo" the fairy godmother transformed an ordinary pumpkin into a beautiful carriage to take Cinderella to the ball. Although a real pumpkin can be used for a Cinderella play, it can also be enhanced to become something magical.


Choose a large pumpkin so it can easily be seen on stage; spray paint it white and add sparkle. Large lighted pumpkins that go on sale at Halloween would also make interesting props.


Horse and Carriage


The horse and carriage that brings Cinderella to the ball must be beautiful and ideally, in a pumpkin round shape since it was made from a pumpkin. Carriages may be rented from horse and buggy rental outfits, but finding a pumpkin shaped carriage will prove to be difficult. Make a large cardboard or wood cutout carriage and paint it with white and silver paint. Decorate the carriage with Christmas lights.


Broom and Cleaning Equipment


Cinderella is a slave to her stepmother and stepsisters, thus for much of the story, she is busy cleaning the fireplace and sweeping or mopping the floors. Brooms, rags and mops should all be available for the actress playing Cinderella. Other activities Cinderella could perform include washing clothes on a wash board, hanging clothes on a clothesline or washing dishes.


What Physical Qualities Do Ice Deposits Share

Water is in clouds.


Because the area where clouds are in the sky is cold, water in the clouds freezes when the temperature is right. The water molecules freeze into ice crystals, forming a hexagonal lattice. When vertical air currents toss the crystals up and down in the atmosphere, the crystals join, making them larger.


Ice to Snow


Ice hugs windowpanes.


Ice crystals are also called snow crystals, and some of them fall to the Earth. When enough crystals join by adhering to one another, they create a snowflake. If even more join together, the result may be large and heavy enough to be hail. That depends on the path traveled from the clouds to Earth.


Characteristics


Ice crystals form many shapes.


Even though each ice crystal is one-of-a-kind, ice crystals have shared characteristics. For example, they form when the temperature is below freezing. Each ice crystal is porous. All ice crystals are hexagonal, meaning they have six sides. Ice crystals are in different forms, however, including plates, stars (dendrites), hollow columns, solid prisms and needles. Scientists measure the effect of temperature and the level of water vapor on the various shapes of ice crystals.


Morphology


A crystal's shape depends on temperature and water vapor.


At just below freezing, ice crystals form dendrites and thin plates, according to research done at California Institute of Technology. As the temperature becomes colder and the level of water vapor in the cloud rises, the crystals formed tend toward the shape of long needles and hollow columns. As the temperature drops and the level of water vapor rises, a wide variety of plates -- sectored, thin and solid -- as well as dendrites form. As the temperature drops well below 0 F and water vapor also drops, the crystals form columns and simple plates.


The reasons behind the formations are a mystery. Because ice crystals generally formed in cirrus clouds have an observable effect on Earth's atmosphere, scientists using Pennsylvania State University's cloud chamber investigate the growth processes of ice crystals. All the crystals start out sharing characteristics. As a crystal combines with other crystals, becoming a snowflake, it travels through different temperatures, concentrations of water vapor and grows at varying rates. According to Hans Verlinde, associate professor of meteorology at Pennsylvania State University, "the probability of finding two identical ice crystals...is vanishingly small. The bigger the crystals get, the greater the freedom for different growth paths, and the lower the probability of finding identical crystals even at the macroscopic visual level."


Ongoing Research


Scientists throughout the world study ice crystals.


In 1951, the International Commission on Snow and Ice formed a system to categorize types of ice crystals and described seven forms: plate, stellar, column, needle, spatial dendrite, capped column and irregular. Each generation of scientists builds upon the knowledge shared by its predecessors, and the study of ice crystals similarities and differences continues.


The Other Things Do Museums Offer Besides Art Exhibits

Museums have a variety of programs beyond exhibitions of classical sculpture and art.


Museums offer regular gallery tours in conjunction with their exhibitions as well as educational programs created for children, teens or adults. Events in museums can also be more specialized and sometimes include poetry readings, concerts or performances. Some even screen films related to their shows or host panel discussions around cultural themes designed to give visitors a deeper understanding of the art around them. All museums post event calendars online featuring a range of activities and entertainment.


Educational Programs


The Brooklyn Museum organizes Free Teen Night, which combines a series of activities created by and for teenagers, based around the theme of one art exhibition. It is not a regularly scheduled event but the museum's website has all their upcoming listings. In Washington D.C, the National Gallery of Art hosts Teen Studio Saturdays five times a year and each includes open studio time and gallery tours and lectures. The Family Sunday program at the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco offers a tour and other activities for families with children aged 4 to 11. On specified Sundays, museum docents create an interactive program for families to make art together, see the galleries and attend a special presentation about the works.


Brooklyn Museum


200 Eastern Parkway


Brooklyn, NY 11238-6099


718-638-5000


brooklynmuseum.org


San Francisco Museum of Modern Art


151 3rd Street


San Francisco, CA 94103


415-357-4000


sfmoma.org


Performances


Many exhibitions of current art involve performances at regular intervals, created by artists. In addition to these works inside galleries, museums may also invite theater or dances groups to perform on site. In Chicago, the Art Institute invited a street dance group to perform in the modern wing of the museum during June 2010. The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. arranges a series of free jazz concerts each Friday in the summer called Jazz in the Garden. The music ranges from swing to Latino jazz and picnic baskets are on sale for the evenings. The Brooklyn Museum has an evening of music, food, and art from 5 to 11 p.m. on the first Saturday on the month, called the Target First Saturdays program.


National Gallery of Art


401 Constitution Avenue Northwest


Washington, DC 20565


202-737-4215


nga.gov


Tours and Lectures


Gallery tour schedules vary, but are free at most museums. The Brooklyn Museum in New York offers free daily tours on weekdays and two to three afternoon tours on the weekends. Taking a tour is a way to get an inside view on a show from a member of the museum's faculty and see the art at a slower pace. The Art Institute of Chicago also offers daily gallery talks focused on a specific part of their collection such as the modern wing of the museum or Ancient Mediterranean art. Lectures at the Art Institute show details about works in the museum through slide presentations or panel discussions with museum staff and guest scholars.


The Art Institute of Chicago


111 South Michigan Avenue


Chicago, IL 60603


312-443-3600


artic.edu


Choose A Pageant Talent

Choose a pageant talent that's unforgettable.


Although it's absolutely necessary in many pageants, beauty alone does not win the title. The talent competition is one of the most crucial portions of the event since it gives competitors a chance to stand out from the crowd. Choosing a talent is not a matter of picking what you're good at. It's also about putting on a memorable show so that you can connect with the audience and panel of judges.


Instructions


1. Write down on a sheet of paper all the things that you're good at. Make the list as exhaustive as you can, including things as simple as "cooking" or "taking care of my pets." Although you might have a talent in mind, it helps to start with an idea of all your skills and gifts.


2. Select from that list any talents you would enjoy watching on a stage. This will help you eliminate some things from the list and get closer to crafting an entertaining and impressive performance.


3. Decide which talent allows you to display your personality the most. Judges don't just want to see the most difficult or shocking talents. They want to connect with you on stage and get a better idea of who you are. So, for example, even if you absolutely love playing the cello, your karate skills might show a side of you that the judges will not otherwise get a chance to see.


4. Select props, music, and costuming that will contribute to an unforgettable show. Whether you'll be singing, acting, dancing, or spinning plates, don't just settle on your skills. Incorporate other aspects that will allow you to enjoy yourself and appear engaged. No matter how skilled you are, the judges don't want to see someone that's robotic and bored on stage. A flawless performance can easily be forgotten if it's not remarkable in some way.


Why Is Glow At Nighttime Fresh paint Glow

Glow in the dark paint uses substances that absorb light and radiate it back later.


Glow-in-the-dark paint is used in several different industries. Glow-in-the-dark body paint can be applied safely to the skin, while artwork paint is meant to be used on canvas to give paintings glow in the dark accents, and other paints are meant to be used on metallic objects like cars. Usually, glow-in-the-dark paint works by a different, more permanent chemical process than glow sticks or glow bracelets, although the two are related.


Phosphorescence


The key to glow-in-the-dark paint is a family of substances known as phosphors or phosphorescent materials. These substances have special qualities that allow them to produce light of their own under certain circumstances. Many of these substances are heavy metals or toxic compounds, so they cannot be used in all paint, but particles of phosphorescent materials are mixed in with paints designed to hold the particles in a substrate. Zinc sulfide, strontium aluminate, and alkaline earth silicate are some of the most common substances. Zinc sulfide is approved for use in body paint.


Process


When phosphorescent materials come in contact with light energy, they absorb some of the energy and hold it in what is known as a "meta-stable" state. This means that light is not immediately reflected (as is the case with most substances) nor completely absorbed, but instead it stay in the atoms of the substance, making them more energetic. Eventually, the atoms release this pent-up energy in the form of photons, a delayed release that causes the substance to glow after the light is gone.


Activating and Emitting


Depending on the glow-in-the-dark paint, some types of light are activating, and some types are emitting. Activating wavelengths are those that the paint will absorb and hold, while emitting wavelengths are the type of light that the paint will produce, usually a different color than the light absorbed. Red, orange and green emitting light are the most common, while some aluminate versions also emit blue.


Chemiluminescence


Chemiluminescence is a term used for short-term glow-in-the-dark products that use solutions which interact with each other to form chemical light. Instead of absorbing light from other sources, these solutions exchange energy and produce lightwaves from other sources. While these substances are not highly toxic, they are rarely used as glow-in-the dark paint, since they only last several hours before fading away. Sometimes chemiluminescent paint is used at entertainment events.


Types of Paint


Glow-in-the-dark paint comes in two different varieties, a kind marked "daytime" and a kind without the daytime label. Daytime paints are most clear and show the paint colors beneath the coating for daytime displays while glowing with their own colors in the dark. Paints without daytime features are opaque, and their colors will only be seen in low light.


What Type Of Fresh paint Will I Experience Wood Furniture

A beautifully painted desk and chair.


Painting wood furniture is a sure way to either dress up or renew older or pressed wood varieties. A few guidelines and applications are available for different types of paint on wooden furniture, but the underlying factor for using any kind of paint, be it oil- or latex-based, all comes down to surface preparation.


Prepping the Surface


Surface preparation is the key to achieving an attractive finished product, and the first step is sanding the piece smooth.


Three steps are involved: sanding with a rough 100-grit sandpaper, moving next to a 200-grit sandpaper, and then making the wood glass smooth with 400-grit sandpaper. Always follow the direction of the grain, whether you hand sand or use an electric sander.


Wipe dust away with a damp cloth, and go over any rough spots afterwards. If there are any nicks or dings, fill those in with a paintable wood filler. Allow this to dry, and sand it smooth.


The next step is painting with primer. Ideally, use a synthetic brush for this application. For the best results, apply two coats. The primer will smooth out any imperfections left and will neutralize any color variation in the wood that might seep through a regular paint. Just allow the first coat to dry per the manufacturer's directions, which will usually be about 4 hours duration, then apply the second coat.


Painting


Recommended for easy cleaning and eye catching looks, water based gloss and semi-gloss latex are the paint of choice when painting furniture. Truly, any paint like eggshell or flat can be used, but they smudge easier and are more difficult to clean. A glossy paint brings out the shine and the detail of your furniture, making the beauty of the piece stand out.


Brush this paint on with a thin coat to prevent any runs or drips, and for best results, plan on adding a second coat. Any latex paint will work, but a higher quality paint will give higher quality results.


The Finishing Touch


You can leave your masterpiece painted the way it is, but for the utmost in shine and protection, consider putting on a finishing coat of clear polyurethane. Once dried, polyurethane will resist spills, scuffs, nicks and dings, which will keep your painted furniture looking like brand new for years to come.


Polyurethane is easy to apply; merely brush it on as if your were painting, and allow it to dry per the manufacturer's directions. For an even more durable finish, put on two or three coats, allowing each coat to dry completely before brushing on the next one.


What Type Of Cars Have Been In "The Short & The Furious"

What Kind of Cars Are in "The Fast & the Furious"?


"The Fast and the Furious" is a popular car-themed movie that debuted on June 22, 2001. Starring actors Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Michelle Rodriguez, "The Fast and the Furious" sports many expensive and customized cars.


Mitsubishi


"The Fast and the Furious" features a 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by a character named Brian O'Connor, who is a policeman. The Eclipse is yellow with streaks running down the sides and undergoes alterations to gain speed.


Honda


A 1995 Honda Civic makes an appearance in "The Fast and the Furious" during a hijacking scene. While the Civic is not expensive, it is easily altered to gain speed and look more dynamic.


Chevrolet


One of the oldest cars featured in "The Fast and the Furious" is a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, which is a classically designed car that appears following the movie's ending credits.


Mazda


A bright red 1993 Mazda RX-7 with silver flecks on the hood is driven by Vin Diesel's character, Dominic. The car features a loud stereo and nitrous to increase speed in the movie.


Toyota


"The Fast and the Furious" also depicts a 1995 Toyota Supra Turbo as a very good racing car after a number of modifications are made to it. The Supra in the movie is bright orange with decals on the sides.


What's The Silkscreen Technique

Silk is used in screenprinting because of its fine weave and porous surface.


Silkscreen printing is a technique that gained popularity in the United States in the 20th century. Fine artists, sign makers, T-shirt printers and the textile industry use this technique to produce clean, vibrant prints. Silkscreen printing is done with a variety of techniques and provides a way to produce multiple prints.


History


Silkscreen printing, a technique that was derived from the use of stencils, began in the early 1900s in the United States. It was a popular technique with sign makers. The technique allowed signs to be printed faster than if they were done by hand and to also reproduce multiple copies of the same design without much variation. The technique began to catch on in the textile industry in the early 1920s. According to a book by Mathilda and James Schwalbach, in the 1930s different fine artists began to experiment with the technique and screenprinting became popular among contemporary artists including Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.


Functions


Silkscreen printing is most commonly used for T-shirt printing. Silkscreened T-shirts were made popular by musical bands that printed their logos on shirts to advertise themselves. The technique is used to make art prints in a series, and although industrial screenprinting machines are now in use, many artists still make silkscreen prints by hand. Silkscreening is also still used by some textile companies that find they can produce brighter and bolder colors in fabrics with the technique, according to "The Grove Encyclopedia of Materials and Techniques in Art."


Screen


The screen used for silkscreen printing is a simple frame made from rigid, knot-free wood that is covered with silk that has been stretched and secured down. The tacks or staples holding the silk must be flush with the frame so as not to allow any ink to bleed through the sides. Silk is porous and has a very fine weave. Some people prefer to use a polyester mesh rather than silk because of its strength and durability.


Image Burning


The most effective silkscreen technique uses a film positive of the design to be printed. The screen is covered with screen filler and dried before placing the film positive on the screen. The screen, along with the positive, is placed on an ultraviolet light table that burns the image into the screen. After the screen is rinsed, only the design remains with open mesh. Paper or other materials are placed under the screen and, using a squeegee, ink is pushed across the screen and pushes through the design.


Hand Painted


Designs can also be painted onto a screen with artist's drawing fluid. After the ink dries, screen filler is placed over the entire drawing with a squeegee and rinsed off after it dries. The painted design is what will be left behind when using paints or silkscreen inks to print. Both image-burned and hand-painted screens can only be used for a single color. To add more dimensions to a silkscreen print, other screens are made to add more detail and color over top of the original print, according to the "Start," the Smithsonian studio arts blog.