Paint With A Spray Gun

Paint With a Spray Gun

It takes a long time to paint a room using a paint brush. If you use a paint roller, the chore goes much faster. But if you really want to speed up the process, use a spray gun. Some spray gun styles have a tube that is inserted into a can of paint and the paint is pulled up the tube and through the paint gun nozzle onto the surface. Other spray guns have a hopper which is filled from the can.

Instructions

1. Choose a spray gun that comes with a trigger guard and safety shield.

2. Flush the unit prior to adding paint, following the manufacturer's instructions. One way to do this is to run water through the unit instead of paint.

3. Cover the surrounding area with drop cloths and use masking tape when necessary. A spray gun will generate a mist of paint that can settle on areas where you don't want paint. Be sure to cover those areas to prevent unwanted paint speckles.

4. Cover your nose and mouth with a painter's mask to avoid breathing in the fumes, and work in a well-ventilated area.

5. Add paint to the hopper or insert the tube into a can of paint after it has been sufficiently stirred and blended. If your unit has a hopper, filter the paint through nylon when adding it to the hopper. Plug the unit into an electrical outlet and turn on the machine.

6. Starting at the top of the wall, and using even horizontal strokes, spray one patch at a time--about 3 or 4 feet square. Keep the gun nozzle about a foot from the surface. Release the trigger of the gun before moving downward to the next patch. Each patch should overlap slightly.

7. Turn off the unit and disconnect it from the electrical outlet before cleaning the machine. It will need to be cleaned immediately after using, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Paint On Silk The Easy Way

White silk makes a luxurious painter's surface.

Paintings on silk have an ethereal look, like a cross between a watercolor and batik. Though it may seem like an advanced technique -- and some silk painting methods are advanced -- you can learn to paint on silk at home using materials found at most craft stores. The silk itself is called habotai, or china silk, and can be found for affordable prices at some fabric shops and online. For the best results, use white silk for painting.

Instructions

1. Hand wash your silk in hot tap water with a detergent made for washing delicates. Rinse, air dry and iron.

2. Assemble the wooden stretcher.

3. Cut a piece of silk that's a couple of inches smaller than the stretcher on all sides.

4. Tack one corner of the silk onto one corner of the stretcher. Pull the silk taut to the other corner, and tack it in place. Repeat with the other two corners, until the silk is mounted and is very flat and tight on the stretcher.

5. Apply a coat of no-flow primer on the silk, and allow it to dry completely.

6. Mix or shake the silk paint. The paint will be thin, closer to an ink or dye. Dip a natural brush into the paint, and wipe off the excess.

7. Paint the silk, allowing the colors to bleed into each other slightly -- that's part of the effect.

8. Allow the finished painting to dry, then remove it from the stretcher. Heat set the color with an iron as directed.

Make Fish Art

To get started on your fish-themed work of art, trace or copy basic fish shapes.

Because fish have distinct, instantly recognizable shapes, it is possible to create fish-themed art even if you are not particularly artistic. You really only need to be able to copy or trace the basic outlines of fish shapes, then use these as the basis for an underwater scene. With a few tricks, your one-of-a-kind fish art will be worthy of your signature in the corner and a space on your wall.

Instructions

1. Cover your work surface with sheets of newspaper. On a practice piece of paper, draw outlines of fish shapes, or copy or trace pictures from a book, poster, clip art or website. Choose fish with distinct shapes such as marlin, koi, clownfish or flying fish.

2. Draw faint pencil outlines of your chosen fish on a new sheet of paper. Add some background images by drawing basic outlines of kelp, seaweed or coral.

3. Dip a clean paintbrush in cold water and brush it all over your paper so it is dampened but not saturated. While the paper is wet--and wrinkly--create scales on your fish, one color at a time, by painting half-moon shapes facing the same direction. Where two colors touch, they will blur because the paper is wet, creating organic-looking patterns. Keep a picture of the fish you are painting alongside your work for reference.

4. Paint the background with various shades of blue and green, using long wavy lines across the paper. If the paper dries before you get to the background, re-dampen the unpainted areas before painting, which will create a flowing, watery look.

5. Embellish the seaweed, coral or other background images with torn pieces of tissue paper in an appropriate color. Stick the torn tissue pieces in place with a little white glue and overlap multiple torn pieces to fill in larger shapes. If you don't want to add tissue paper, use paint instead.

Make Fine Lines With Watercolor

Having the right brush is the key to making fine lines with watercolor.

Watercolors are an inexact medium to paint with; because you are often putting color onto the paper in large washes, you can't predict which way the paint will spread. But painting fine lines with watercolor is possible. All you need is a high-quality brush that's made for detail work, and to mix the paint in the proper proportion so that your brush picks up the pigment easily. It may take practice, but you can make fine lines with watercolor just as well as with oils or acrylics.

Instructions

1. Get the right brush for the job. Having a small brush is a start; paintbrushes are made in sizes down to #000 and smaller. Aside from the size, your paintbrush should also come to a point at its end. A round brush or a rigger brush is most useful for fine detail work.

2. Buy quality brushes. A brush's quality can be roughly estimated by its price. Many painters use sable brushes, but there are many quality synthetic brushes on the market. Good brushes are expensive, but they will last much longer and hold their shape better.

3. Mix your paint well. Even if you want to create very dark lines, you still need enough water for the paint to flow easily.

4. Paint on a dry surface. Wetting the surface beforehand is a useful technique for large washes, but fine lines are better painted on a dry surface so they won't bleed onto the rest of the paper.

5. Refill your brush often. The longer your brush's bristles are, the more pigment it will hold. You should refill the brush before the pigment starts running out, not after. This will help you make fine lines that are even and constant.

Make A Fall Leaf Wreath

Gather and preserve fall leaves, then use them to make a seasonal wreath. You can decorate the wreath with things from nature or with items from your local craft store.

Instructions

1. Preserve leaves so that they will retain their beautiful fall colors (see "Preserve Fall Leaves for Wreath Making," under Related eHows).

2. Gather supplies needed for wreath making.

3. Purchase or make the basic wreath frame from grapevines or a coat hanger; anything that will hold a shape will do.

4. Lay wreath frame on table.

5. Secure a piece of florist wire around frame by twisting ends.

6. Gather a few stems of leaves together.

7. Trim stems leaving about 3 to 5 inches of bare stem.

8. Working clockwise, lay stems with leaves facing under your elbow on frame, starting where you wrapped wire.

9. Hold stems firmly and wrap wire around stems and frame as you go, anchoring stems to frame with a wrap of wire.

10. Gather a few more stems, trim.

11. Overlap bunches by 2 to 3 inches depending on how thick you want your wreath.

12. When you get back at the original set of leaves, slide the stems under leaves to hide them. Keep doing this until the wreath is completely full.

13. To tie off wire, wrap around the frame a couple of wraps. On last wrap, slip the end of the wire under loop and twist to tighten.

14. Decorate the wreath with dried flowers, miniature pumpkins, gourds, squash or other fall decorations.

15. Use a wreath hook to hang wreath on door.

Make Eucalyptus Wreaths

The eucalyptus branches and leaves make fragrant, natural wreaths.

Eucalyptus is a fragrant bush or tree that is native to Australia. The aboriginal people were the first to use the leaves and oil for medicinal purposes. Both Eastern and Western medicine incorporate eucalyptus into cough lozenges and syrups, antibacterial creams and topical ointments. Eucalyptus leaves and branches are also used in cleaning and home d cor. The eucalyptus leaves exude a strong fragrance and add a pleasing aroma to the air, while the round, fan-shaped leaves add a decorative motif to floral arrangements and wreaths. With a few tools, you can make a eucalyptus wreath for your home.

Instructions

Preservation

1. Gather your eucalyptus branches and snip off the leaves with pruning shears about two to three weeks before you are ready to assemble your wreath. Snip the leaf away just at the point where the leaf meets the stem, drop the leaf into the bowl and discard the stem. Repeat the step with the remaining branches until you have enough leaves for your project.

2. Heat equal parts of glycerin and water in a large pot to just below the boiling point. Make sure that you mix enough solution to completely submerge all the leaves.

3. Remove the pot from the heat and pour the glycerin solution into an aluminum or steel bucket; a plastic bucket may melt after the heated liquid is added.

4. Add the leaves to the solution, ensuring that they are all coated and allow them to absorb the glycerin, about two to four weeks. Once all the leaves change color, they are ready to be removed.

5. Wipe away the excess glycerin from the leaves after they've absorbed the solution and place the preserved leaves in a bowl.

Assembly

6. Spread layers of newspaper on your work area.

7. Insert a glue stick into the appropriate slot of your glue gun and plug it in to heat.

8. Gather your wreath form and bowl of leaves.

9. Place a drop of hot glue on the underside of a eucalyptus leaf and attach it to the top of the wreath form.

10. Place a drop of hot glue on the underside of another eucalyptus leaf and attach it to the form, overlapping the first leaf by ½ inch just below the first leaf. Complete the process until you have one complete overlapped row.

11. Place a drop of hot glue on the underside of a eucalyptus leaf and attach it to the top of the wreath form, just to the right of the first row, with the left side of the new leaf overlapping the right side of the attached leaf by ½ inch. Complete the process until you have a second complete row.

12. Continue the process until all the rows are created and the last row overlaps the first row by ½ inch.

13. Cut a 24 to 30-inch length of ribbon, depending on how long you want the wreath to hang, and insert it through the open form of the wreath, bringing the ends together.

14. Tie the ends into a small, tight knot and hang the wreath.

Make Eucalyptus Oil From A Leaf

Eucalyptus Leaves

If you've ever smelled eucalyptus, you know that it's an acquired smell. Most people either love it or hate it, as it's a very natural, strong, earthy fragrance. Eucalyptus oil is used by aroma therapists and herbalists for a variety of therapeutic benefits. The Aborigines of Australia were actually the first to use it as a fever reducer and skin treatment. Though it takes about 110 lbs. of eucalyptus leaves to make 2 lbs. of oil, you can attempt the process on a much smaller scale.

Instructions

1. Crush the eucalyptus leaves ever so slightly using your fingers. This releases the leaves' essential oils.

2. Mix the oil and leaves together in a large crock pot. Use a ratio of 1/4 oz. of leaves for every 1 cup of oil.

3. Set the crock pot on low and "cook" the mixture for at least six hours. Alternatively, the leaves and oil can be mixed in a mason jar and left in the sun for two weeks.

4. Strain the oil using a cheese cloth after the time has elapsed (either six hours or two weeks).

5. Pour the oil into a clean mason jar, label it with the contents and the date it was created, and store the oil in a cool, dry spot. The shelf life for eucalyptus oil is about six months. If refrigerated, it can last longer.

Learn Ventriloquism Online

Want to Learn Ventriloquism?

Ventriloquism is a form of entertainment that involves a person giving life to another object by making it talk. Usually this object is a puppet called a "ventriloquist's dummy." A ventriloquist is a person who throws his or her voice to make it appear like it is coming from another place. Usually this involves the ventriloquist being able to speak, sing and do other vocal activities without moving his or her lips. Ventriloquism is a theatrical illusion that is similar to magic, although it also takes great talent for the ventriloquist to make his or her act believable.

Instructions

1. Subscribe to a source for ventriloquism videos. Several reputable websites, including Ventriloquism 101 and Expert Village (see the Resources section), provide videos that you can download that feature a ventriloquist breaking down his or her act step by step. Watching these videos will help you get ideas for developing your own characters and what techniques you can borrow for your own act.

2. Take notes. Many websites instruct you to replace certain letters with other letters to make them easier to say. For example, the "b" sound is a difficult one to say without moving your lips, so many ventriloquists suggest using the "v" sound.

3. Practice in front of a mirror. While you are researching online, have a mirror handy so you can try out the new steps you are learning. Watch to make sure your mouth isn't moving and that your puppet's mouth is moving in time with the words.

4. Read Google Books on ventriloquism. Google Books offers a variety of ventriloquist books, some of which are available online for free. Others can be purchased and read online for a fee. In the book "Become a Ventriloquist," by Edgar Bergen, you will learn the history of ventriloquism as well as important tips and tricks for improving your own act.

5. Visit ventriloquism forums on the Internet. Many ventriloquists gather on Internet forums to vent and talk about what elements in their act did not work. You can learn from others' mistakes. One great forum is on the Ventriloquism 101 site, featured in the Resources section.

Make Graphics Brushes

Graphic brush made from a single image.

Making graphic brushes provides you with permanent images, stored in the brushes folder of Adobe Photoshop or another graphic-editing program. These images are available for immediate recall whenever you need them. With the right photo and a few easy techniques, you’ll create a custom library of graphic brushes. Click on the images in the Steps below to enlarge.

Instructions

1. Open the image you would like to make into a graphic brush. This can be nearly any image, but choose an image without a background, unless you want the background to be a part of your graphic brush. Choose an object that is easily recognizable.

2. Remove the color from your photo by selecting “Image” and then choosing “Grayscale” from the “Mode” menu. Graphic brushes only appear in shades of black and white, but later you can choose to color your brush.

3. Select the object you want to save. The easiest way to do this is to use the Magic Brush and select the background and then invert the selection by using Ctrl+I. Now, the object you want to save as a brush is the only thing selected.

4. Name your selection by clicking on the “Edit” menu and choosing “Define Brush Preset.” A pop-up box will appear asking you to give your new graphic brush an identifiable name. Chose a short name so you can easily reference it later when looking through your brush pallet. Click “OK” and you’ve just saved the brush. Now you have to find it.

5. Open a new file to test your brush. Choose a large area for testing purposes. With a white background, select the Brush Tool from your tool bar.

6. Click with your right mouse button anywhere in your document. A Brush dialogue box will appear. Notice the brush choices in the box and scroll down to the bottom. There it is. The very last brush in the pallet will be your new brush. Select it and you’re ready to test it.

7. Enlarge or reduce the size of your brush and choose different colors. You’ve just created a permanent graphic brush.

Improve Your Speech & Diction

A mumbling speaker won't be given much credit by his listeners.

If you want to be taken seriously in the business world, you must be able to speak with clarity and confidence. Many people get through school without putting enough time in improving their public speaking skills. As a result, when they have to speak to coworkers, pitch products or make presentations, they lack the skills that make truly effective business people stand out. Fortunately, becoming a better public speaker is not hard; it just requires regular practice of a few key techniques.

Instructions

1. Slow down when speaking and practicing your diction exercises. Go too fast and you risk mumbling and muddling the parts of the words that need to be clearly defined. Take your time and concentrate on clarity, and eventually you will be able to speak clearly and quickly.

2. Work on pronouncing the hard consonants in words with clarity. You don't need to punch them; just make sure they are precise and that they don't blend into other words. Practice saying the following lines from Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" to work on consonants: "To sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock, in a pestilential prison with a lifelong lock, awaiting the sensation of a short, sharp shock, from a cheap and chippy chopper on a big, black block."

3. Practice the following exercise to help get your mouth mobile. Exaggerate the movements to try and get your mouth working extra hard in order to build the muscles. Say, "The tip of the tongue, the teeth, the teeth, the lip, the lips" and repeat the phrase over and over. Try to build up speed, but never at the expense of clarity.

4. Practice repetitive diction exercises. Take a short phrase and repeat it over and over without letting the clarity waver through each repetition. Try the classic example of "red leather, yellow leather." Other good ones include "unique New York" and "lemon liniment."

Paint A Picture On The Wall

Creating wall art is a great way to personalize a room.

If a wall in your home lacks a bit of excitement, it's time to grab a paintbrush and some paint. Painting a picture on the wall can liven up a boring wall and add interest to your home décor. Creating wall art can add color to a room, and it's the perfect way to express your artistic side. You don't even need to have great artistic skill to paint a picture on the wall.

Instructions

1. Take a look at the room. Select a picture that you feel is relevant to the room's overall theme.

2. Use a craft projector to project the image on the wall. This projector can be found in craft stores. One of the best things about a craft projector is that it projects the color on the wall, so you don't need to make a color copy or a transparency of the photo.

3. Adjust the projector to make the picture the desired size on the wall.

4. Use a soft pencil to draw the outlines of the picture. These lines will be the guidelines as you fill in the picture. Shade the darkest areas in the picture with the soft pencil.

5. Select paint colors that match the picture, and pour these in small plastic containers. Avoid making the paint too thin because it could streak on the wall. Small containers of interior latex paint work well.

6. Paint the large areas of the picture with a flat paintbrush. You have to build the background colors just like you would on a canvas. Blend the colors on the wall by applying colors on top of a previous one that hasn't dried yet. Note the colors and tones of the picture, and try to replicate them on the wall with the paint.

7. Outline the details of the photo with a round paintbrush. Use a liner paintbrush to paint in the really fine details.

Make Elf Costume Ears

Make Elf Costume Ears

The popularity of movies with elves in them has made the elf costume popular and in-demand during parties and other fun occasions. Generally, elves are perceived to be short creatures who possess magical powers and have the ability to make themselves invisible. One of the features that most representations of elves have in common is their pointed ears. Therefore, pointed ears are what make the elf costume really stand out. Without these ears, an elf costume would not be complete.

Instructions

1. Trace your print-out ear pattern on the craft foam. Make two ears shaped like an elf's, and cut them out. The ears should be shaped like triangles with widely curved bottoms and sharply pointed tips.

2. Draw a line from the tip of the ear pattern to the bottom. Then draw a horizontal line in the mid-section of the pattern. The two upper triangles near the tip of the ear are for designing lumps or bulges of the ear. The lumps will make your elf ears look real. Use a hot glue gun to create the lumps by making curvy horizontal lines near the tip of your ear pattern. Do it several times until the lumps are thick enough to create an impression on the front part of the ear pattern. The thickness of the glue should be easily seen when you fold the pattern. Make sure that you do not hot glue the base of the ear pattern, as this is where you will insert your ear.

3. Fold the ear pattern. Do not press too hard, or the hot glue lumps will flatten and become invisible. Make sure that the base is still wide enough for your ear to be inserted into it.

4. Color your elf ear pattern using a spray paint or crayons. Choose a color that resembles your own skin tone. This will give an illusion of an authentic elf ear.

5. Put the double stick tape inside the base of the ear pattern. Remove the covering of the double stick tape. Open the base of your ear pattern and stick your elf costume ears to your own ears.

Make Effects To Paint The Sea In Watercolors

If you want to paint the sea, watercolors are a great choice.

Painting a body of water can prove tricky. When the paint is applied directly to the paper, it can sometimes give off a look that isn't sheer enough, making the body of water look too solid. Watercolor paints are a terrific choice to paint bodies of water because there is an effect you can use that yields an attractive and accurate water effect. Wet on wet is a technique commonly used with watercolors. You can use it to create beautiful blending water effects if you are trying to paint the sea.

Instructions

1. Dip a large, soft-bristled paintbrush into clean water and hold it directly over your blue watercolor paint. Squeeze the bristles so the water drops into the color. Repeat with green watercolor paint. This will prepare the colors for easy use.

2. Dip the brush in the water again and coat the entire area on your watercolor paper where you'd like the sea to be. The paper should be shiny from the water but not saturated.

3. Dip the bristles into the wet blue watercolor paints and dab it over the wet paper. Do this quickly so the color can easily expand over the paper in an almost bleeding effect.

4. Repeat the method, painting on more clean water to the painting as necessary, to fill the area with the blue wet-on-wet effect. Leave the very tips of any waves edges untouched to stay white.

5. Add small touches of green amongst the wet blue. The green will blend into the blue smoothly and give the body of water more depth.

6. Allow the paint to dry completely.

7. Paint any details to the water, like ripples and wave outlines, over the dry paint using a thin paintbrush dipped in the blue.

Find Historic Architecture In New Orleans

One of the reasons to visit New Orleans is to see and appreciate its historic architectural treasures. From the lowliest New Orleans shotgun, so named because you can shoot a shotgun through the front door and it will go out the back door without hitting anything, to the elegant French Quarter mansions with elaborate wrought iron balconies, they exist cheek by jowl and are all different. See the three story masterpieces of St.Charles Avenue mansions built in the mid 1800s, many of them owned by the same families today. What kinds can you see and how do you know what you are looking at?

Instructions

Identifying New Orleans Historic Houses

1. See the creole cottage, most built from 1790 to 1850, they are found mainly in the French Quarter. The cottages are single story, set at ground level with high pitched roofs. They are symmetrical with a four opening facade wall and are set close to the property line.

2. Find American townhouses, built from 1820 to 1850. You can see them in the Lower Garden District. They are narrow three story buildings set at ground level. The facade wall is on the property line with an asymmetrical arrangement of facade openings and a balcony on the second floor.

3. Notice the Creole townhouses, built from 1788 to the mid 1800s. You will find them in the French Quarter and surrounding old neighborhoods. If you see a two- to four-story structure set at ground level with a symmetrical arrangement of arched openings and the facade wall set on property line, you have found a Creole townhouse. There will be an iron balcony on the second and sometimes third levels and steeply pitched side-gabled roof often with multiple roof dormers.

4. Look for the raised center hall cottage or villa, built from 1803 to 1870. You will find examples of these in the Garden District, Uptown and Carrollton. They have one-and-a-half stories raised two to eight feet above ground on brick piers. Note the full-width front gallery framed by six columns. The cottage will have five openings with the front door in the center, a side-gabled roof, often broken by a central dormer.

5. See the New Orleans shotgun house built from 1850-1910 and found throughout the city. They are usually one-story, but many have a second story, called a camel back, built at the rear of the house. These are narrow rectangular structures raised on brick piers. Most have a narrow front porch covered by a roof apron and are supported by columns and brackets, often with lacy Victorian gingerbread. These are the predominant New Orleans house type.

6. Don't miss the double gallery houses, built from 1820 to 1850. You will find them in the Lower Garden District, the Garden District, Uptown, and along Esplanade Ridge. They are two story structures raised on low brick piers with side-gabled or hipped roofs. The structures are set back from the property line with covered two-story galleries framed by columns. There will be a symmetrical arrangement of facade openings.

Find Theater Acting Auditions

Find Theater Acting Auditions

So you're an actor who's ready to hit the boards and perform a little Shakespeare. The problem is, unlike Hollywood, there isn't one central hub where it's performed and cast. Sure there's Broadway, but there are also equity theaters all across the country that are always casting. Here are a few tips on find acting auditions for theater!

Instructions

1. Buy Backstage. Backstage is the premiere newspaper when it comes to theater. Published every week it keeps the beat on theater. Listed in the back are a bunch of open calls. (You don't need an agent or an appointment to go to an open call.) There you can read about auditions and pound the pavement yourself. Also Backstage is a website where auditions are updated on a daily basis.

2. Access the Internet for acting audition websites. Castingaudition.com, Auditionsandcasting.com, and freeauditionnotices.org are all really great sites that update frequently as well. On some of these sites you may have to pay a small fee for the "premium service." But it is well worth it, as for the actor information is key!

3. Read the trades for acting auditions. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are two papers that are published during the week that keep people in the industry in the know. This takes a little additional work as for this to be effective; you need to read them, find projects that sound interesting, and then find out who's casting them. It sounds like a lot of leg work, but truthfully isn't. You'll be surprised how much info you can find by asking friends for additional details. Or if you have an agent or manager, pass along the information to them. It is always a good idea to read the script first to make sure you are truly right for the role.

4. Call theaters. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call box offices directly. Once on the phone ask what their season entails. Then research the plays. If you're right for a role, check back with the theater to try and find out when the auditions will be held. Then be sure to get your picture and resume to the casting director beforehand. Usually regional theaters have in-house casting, or they use the same people year after year. So a few deftly asked questions should point you in the right direction!

Make Decorative Art Tiles

Making decorative art tiles is a fun and easy craft project for the whole family. You can give your tiles as gifts, use them to commemorate achievements or special occasions, or frame them to use as wall hangings.

The best way to get started making decorative art tiles is to go to a ceramics painting studio. These studios usually charge a fee for each hour of studio time, and a flat rate for buying your ceramic item to paint. And, of course, they eliminate the need for you to own a kiln. You can go on a tile-painting outing with a group of friends or the whole family.

Instructions

1. Find a ceramics painting studio near you. There are many options to choose from: Some studio chains have multiple locations in regions of the country, while others are independent, single-location shops. See this article's reference and resource lists for possible places to go.

2. Go with your friends and family to the studio and select tiles to paint. Most studios will offer a variety of tile sizes.

3. Choose your paint colors. The tricky thing about this step is that ceramic paint colors look very different once they are "fired" in the kiln. Your studio will probably offer a chart to show you what each color will look once it has been fired.

4. Design your tile. Before you begin to paint, you may wish to draw a sketch or template on your tile with pencil. Don't worry, the pencil marks will "burn off" in the kiln and will not appear on your finished piece.

5. Paint your tile. If you want your paint to appear as a solid color, you should paint three layers on top of each other. Wait for each layer to dry somewhat before applying the next layer. For finer lines, some studios provide paints with tips; if you use these, the paint will come out in one concentrated line and you do not have to do multiple layers. Use stencils, sponges, or other materials provided by the studio for additional decorative ideas.

6. Write your name or initials and the date in paint on the back of your tile. Place the tile in the studio's holding area for pieces waiting to be fired. Ask the studio when you should return to pick up your finished piece. You will probably be able to pick up your new decorative tiles within 10 days.

Make Damar Varnish

Use damar varnish as a glazing medium for oil paints.

Damar varnish is a glazing medium used with oil paints during the painting process and on completed paintings. While the varnish is sold in most art supply stores, it usually comes in small bottles and tends to be expensive. You can make large quantities of Damar varnish inexpensively with Damar crystals and turpentine, however. Purchase clear Damar crystals online or from art supply stores and use real turpentine rather than mineral spirits or any other solvents.

Instructions

1. Sort the clear Damar crystals and remove any dark specks. Tiny dark specks are fine, but larger ones will affect the clarity of the varnish.

2. Test your turpentine. Suitable turpentine should have a sweet, natural scent and be completely clear. The label must say "pure gum spirits of turpentine."

3. Wrap 2 cups of crystals in cheesecloth and tie the cloth closed with a piece of string.

4. Dunk the cloth into a 1qt. jar of turpentine. The turpentine should completely cover the crystals.

5. Stir the jar several times a day. The turpentine will dissolve the crystals creating a thick gel-like substance in the process.

6. Remove the cheesecloth after one or two days. The crystals should be completely dissolved at this point.

7. Dilute the mixture with 1 qt. of turpentine. You can do this immediately or during the painting process.

Make Custompainted Ceramic Tiles

A variety of brushes and tools allow you to create different designs on your tiles.

Hand-painted custom ceramic tiles can be used in tiling a backsplash or counter top, or simply hung from a ribbon and displayed on a wall. Custom tiles can be decorated with intricate designs, monograms, florals, scenery or any other picture you can create. Create custom tiles for gifts or to use in your home.

Instructions

1. Mix your first overglaze color of choice with an open medium. Start with a small amount of overglaze and add drops of the open medium, mixing until you get the consistency of toothpaste. Overglazes are powders that must be mixed with a medium to be used as a paint. Overglazes can be painted onto any ceramic tile, even those that have been fired in a kiln.

2. Use freehand or stencils to create your design on your tile. Work with one color at a time.

3. Experiment with colors as you work. Some colors will not mix well with others and many colors are lighter after being fired. You can fire your tile between colors to see how the colors are working on your tile.

4. Continue mixing your overglaze colors as needed with an open medium. Use different brush strokes to get desired designs. The best way to create the product you want is to practice, practice, practice.

5. Fire your finished tile in a kiln at 1,350 degrees Fahrenheit to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the colors you used. The instructions on your brand of overglaze should tell you at what temperature to fire your tile.

Make Brown Icing With Food Coloring

If your brown icing is too dark, mix in more icing to dilute the color.

If you've ever tried decorating a cake using icing to make the trunks of trees, sand at the beach or a wooden fence, you may have found it difficult to find or make the frosting brown. You will not typically find a brown food coloring without having to combine other colors to make it. Red and green food coloring will make brown when mixed into icing. Using paste or gel food coloring makes a stronger color than the liquid kind does.

Instructions

1. Choose paste or gel food coloring. Food coloring paste offer the most vivid colors and the widest range of colors to choose from although the thick paste can be a bit tough to work with. Food coloring gel is much easier to use than paste and it blends easier and provides strong color, but not as strong as paste. Decide which paste to use based on how vivid and bright you need the colors to be for your baking project. Do not attempt to use the typical liquid form of food coloring found in the grocery store. Liquid food coloring is very weak and will not give you a strong color without having to add a lot of food coloring which will make your icing taste bitter.

2. Determine the type of icing you are wanting to turn brown. Different ingredients in icing can affect how the color will turn out. If you are using fondant, paste food coloring works the best. Any icing that contains butter or margarine will result in a darker coloring. Any acid in the icing, such as lemon juice or cream of tartar will leave the mixed brown coloring with a greenish tint to it, so it is best to not include acids.

3. Add equal amounts of red and green gel or to the icing. Mix well until the brown color starts to appear. For a darker brown continue to add an equal amount of the green and the red. The total amount of food coloring you are to use depends on the amount of icing you are using for your cake decorating project. For gel or paste colors you should start with just a couple of streaks of food coloring on your icing using a flat toothpick at a time. Add more streaks and mix until you reach the desired brown color.

Learn Street Dancing Online

Learn Street Dancing Online

"Street dancing" received its name because it was created on the streets. It may not have been created literally on the street--perhaps it was born in a nightclub or house party, or in the privacy of somebody's own living room--but the idea is that it was created in regular social settings by regular people. Street dancing has become an accepted dance form by the dance community, and can now be found in dance studios, on the stage, and is very present in music videos, television, and movies. To learn dance in the street dance style, you can start online.

Instructions

Learning to Dance

1. Decide which style of street dance you would like to learn. There is a large variety of street dance styles, so start with one that you like to watch. To give some examples, there is hip-hop, break dancing, popping, and locking. There are also many different styles that originated in different cities, such as krumping, which originated in Los Angeles but has become popular worldwide. Watch videos online of each style and decide which one appeals to you.

2. Find teaching videos in the style you have chosen. You can find the video doing a search using the title of the dance. Watch through them until you find one that appeals to you, and with a teacher whose teaching style you feel works for you. Make sure they walk you through the steps slowly and give clear explanations of the movement.

3. Clear a space on the floor near the computer where you can follow along with the instruction. Make sure you are wearing comfortable clothing that allows you to move easily and tennis shoes which are typically used in street dancing.

4. Watch the first step on the video more than once to get a good idea of what the step should look like. Listen to what the instructor tells you.

5. Follow along as the instructor walks you through the first step on the video. Rewind the video if you need to do this more than once. Stop the video once you feel like you have the step, and practice it a few times on your own. Once you feel you have a handle on the first step, restart the video and go through the same process with the second step.

Make Concrete Poems Online For Free

Make concrete poetry online.

Concrete poetry is poetry in which the words are arranged in a way that somehow conveys the subject, theme or meaning of the poem. Concrete poetry is also referred to as visual poetry. While poems of this kind can easily be created with a pen and paper, several websites exist that can make the process even easier. These websites allow you to write poems in a number of predetermined shapes. You can even draw your own.

Instructions

1. Create a concrete poem using a predetermined shape. Go to the Shape Poems website (see Resources). Enter your name. Click "Select a Theme" near the bottom of the page. Select one of the four themes displayed, then pick a shape. Type in some words that remind you of the shape you are working with. Click "Continue" at the bottom of the page. Click on the image you have selected and write your poem. When you have finished, click "Continue." Click the "Zoom" button to see a bigger picture of your poem. If you're happy with the poem, click "Print" and share the poem with your friends.

2. Visit the Concrete Poetry website (see Resources). Click the "Start" button. Click the "Draw Image" button on the right side of the screen. Draw any shape you want, but remember that it should somehow relate to what your poem is going to be about. Select "Pen" for a thin line or "Brush" for a thicker line. Make it colorful by picking different colors. Once you're finished, click "Add Words" and write the poem. Type the first word in the box on the right side of the screen and click the "Add" button just below. Click the word and drag it onto your picture. Click to place the word. Repeat this process for each word of the poem until you are finished. Click the "Print" button on the bottom right of the screen when your poem is finished. Enter your name, give your poem a title and click "Print Poem."

3. Go to the Educational Technology Training Center website (see Resources) and go to Instant Poetry Forms. Click "Interactive Poetry Form Finder" on the left side of the screen. Scroll down and click on the word "Shape." Select one of the predetermined shapes and fill out the form on the next page. When you're finished, click "Create My Poem Now."

4. While not technically shape poems, word clouds can be fun to try. A word cloud reworks an existing sequence of words, jumbling them together and placing greater emphasis on the words that are used most often. You easily can create your own online. Go to the Wordle website. Click "Create Your Own" near the top of the page. Enter text into the box at the top of the screen. You can copy and paste larger documents for more interesting clouds. When you have finished, click the "Go" button just below the box.

Make Better Typography

A well-chosen font can bring a lot of character to a design.

Typography, or the art of displaying letters in an aesthetically pleasing manner, is often a better communicator than the words it depicts. A designer conveys powerful messages in her choices regarding the style and layout of letters. Whether working digitally or on paper, a designer who strives to make better typographic choices will help words communicate more efficiently while adding to the overall aesthetic appeal of her design. Good type is both pleasing to the eye and well organized, and it can change the overall mood of the design that contains it.

Instructions

1. Choose fonts that are appropriate for your subject matter and overall design. For example, don't use a goofy, decorative font for a corporate presentation; instead, choose a modern-looking sans serif font.

2. Select a font color that contrasts with the background color in terms of lightness, if readability is important. A font that is colored too closely to the background will be difficult to see at a glance. The exception to this is if a watermark look is desired, and readability is unimportant.

3. Space lines and letters evenly throughout each body of text. Having uneven spacing will not only look unappealing, but it will also confuse the reader, as he has to keep guessing where the next line will come.

4. Add white space wherever appropriate to let your text breathe. Too much text with no space will look and feel crowded to readers, while white space gives their eyes a break.

5. Organize type on the page or screen using grids as a guide. Grids help keep typography lined up, and can be used to pre-visualize the overall layout of text even before words have been decided on.

Mix Oil Paints With Any Medium

Medium is a mixture of oil and turpentine that is combined with oil paint to promote paint spreading and distribution.

"Medium" is a term for a mixture that may be combined with oil paint to thin the paint. It helps extend the pigment of the paint over a large surface. This is useful to artists working with oil because pure oil paint is thick, slow drying and expensive. Creating an image from pure oil paint squeezed straight from the tube makes a painting highly textured and requires a lot of unnecessary paint. Because of this, most artists use a thinner or medium. Mediums may be made by hand with a mixture of oils and thinners, or mediums may be purchased at art and craft stores.

Instructions

1. Get out your palette, easel, paint, jars and paintbrushes. Read the directions on the back of the jar of medium. Open the jar of medium and pour a small amount of medium into an empty baby-food size jar. Pour enough medium into the jar to cover the bottom. As you work more with medium, you'll pour more into a jar. Place a test canvas or canvas board on an easel. This test canvas will be used to see the effects of the medium on the paint.

2. Dip your paintbrush into a glob of pure paint on the palette. Paint a shape onto the canvas.

3. Dip a clean paintbrush into the medium so the medium covers the brush. Next, dip the paintbrush into the paint on the palette. Mix the paint and the medium on the palette. There should be enough paint-to-medium that the mixture does not appear to be thin. The mixture should appear to be almost as thick as the paint itself, without medium. Paint a few streaks and shapes on the canvas beside the shapes you painted in step 2.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with different paint colors. Try blending the two paint colors on the canvas and note the results. The paint that has been mixed with medium may blend differently than the paint that has not.

5. Set the test canvas aside for a few days to dry. When not in use, put lids on your jars of medium and on your palette. In a few days, return to the canvas and examine the results. You may notice the medium-mixed paint is shiny compared to the non-medium mixed paint. If you're happy with the results, use this same method of mixing medium with oil paint the next time you create a painting.

Make Clouds With Cotton Balls

If you are doing a drawing of the sky or another type of craft project that features a sky, you can bring that sky to life by attaching three-dimensional clouds to the surface. Three-dimensional clouds can be easily made out of standard cotton balls and are easy to attach to any craft project. With just a little extra effort, you can give your simple cotton ball clouds a very realistic appearance.

Instructions

1. Study real clouds. Go outside on a clear sunny day or find a good photograph and study the appearance of the clouds. On any given day, there are several types of clouds in the sky, from the fluffy to the wispy. You can create both of these types of clouds with cotton balls.

2. Use several cotton balls to get a thick, fluffy cloud look. Large fluffy clouds have a multilayered appearance. You can get this look by placing several cotton balls in a cloud shape and then stacking more cotton balls to eliminate gaps and make the cloud look thicker.

3. Pull apart the cotton ball to get a wispy look. Most clouds have a more solid appearance though the middle and a thin or wispy look around the edges. Get this look by pulling outward on each cotton ball to spread out the cotton ball and to separate the fibers.

4. Tint the cotton balls. Not all clouds are white. Storm clouds often have a gray or blue appearance. During sunrise or sunset, clouds can take on any number of colors. You can dye cotton balls with food coloring. Use water to dilute the food coloring if you want to lighten the color.

5. Let the cotton balls dry completely before attaching to a project. Attach the cotton balls to each other and to the surface of a project with plain white glue.

Make Clouds In Photoshop

Have you ever taken a wonderful picture of a landscape setting with a bright, cloudless blue sky for a background then realized that the blue sky is actually boring? By using Photoshop, you can add clouds to spruce up a cloudless blue sky in any of your images.

Instructions

1. Choosing the right picture to add clouds to is important. It is easier if an image is chosen with a clear blue sky on a bright day that does not contain any clouds or the sun.

2. Use the eyedropper tool to select the blue of the sky. Make sure that this blue is the foreground color and that plain white is the background color so that your clouds will look natural.

3. Use the magic wand tool to select the blue sky. Remember to select the blue sky interspersed between the branches of trees or buildings. The image would look less natural if a large portion had clouds but any sky behind an object did not. Make a layer via copy of the selected area.

4. Choose "Filter" on the top toolbox, then render the clouds. This will give you the effect of clouds on the blue sky. This entire step can be redone as many times as you would like until you find a pattern that appeals to you most and looks the most natural on the image.

5. If the image of the clouds is too harsh, then use the "Opacity" button in the "Layers" toolbox to get the shade of clouds you would like to use most. Lowering the opacity will make the clouds look softer and not as crowded.

Make Clouds In Blender

The particles of the cloud define the opacity, density and shape.

Clouds seem simplistic, but require complex shading and layers in order to reproduce their whimsical appearance in Blender, an open source, cross platform suite of tools often used for creation of 3D images. Focusing on shading and particle distribution can help you generate a realistic cloud. Learn make clouds in Blender to prevent disappointment and to generate a truly impressive digital cloud.

Instructions

Particles

1. Start a new Blender scene, then delete the cube or any mesh outline. Place the cursor at the X,Y,Z location 0, then create a plain mesh in the top viewport and subdivide it.

2. Move the camera to the following coordinates: LocX = 0; LocY=-9.483; LocZ=0.605; RotX =90; RotY=0; RotZ=0; SizeX=1; SizeY=1; SizeZ = 1.

3. Define the particles with the following settings under "Static". For "Emit": Amount=5000; Sta=1; Life=50; nd=250; Disp=100. For "Display": Material=1; Mesh/Unbor/Died; Vect; Size=0. For "From": Rand/Even; R/F=0. For "Children": Generation=0; Num=4; Prob=0; Life=50; Mat=1.

4. Define the particle motion with the following settings with Bspline highlighted: Keys=8; Seed=o, and RLife=0. For "Velocity": Normal=0.104; Object=0; Random=0.084; Texture=0; Damping=0. For "Texture Emission": Tex=1. For "Force": X=0; Y=0; Z=0; Tex=8; X=0; Y=0; Z=0; Nabla=0.050.

5. Highlight Halo, HaloTex, and Shaded in the Shaders screen, then input the following: HaloSize=1; Hard=34; Add=0,080; Rings=4; Lines=12; Star=4; Seed=0. Under the "Material" tab, input the following settings: MA=Material.001; ME=plane; Halo=R1; Line=G1' Ring=B1; RGB=A 0.738. Under the "Map To" tab, highlight "Col" and "Alpha," then plug in: R=1; G=1; B=1; DVar=1; Col=1; Nor=.5; Var=1; Disp=0.20; Warp=fac 0.0.

6. Apply the following settings under the "Colors" tab: R=1; G=1; B=1; Bright=2; Contr=3.5. Apply the following settings under the "Texture" tab: TE=Tex.001; Texture Type=clouds. Apply the following settings under the "Clouds" tab, highlight "Default" and "Hard Noise," then plug in the following: NoiseSize=1.838; NoiseDepth=6; Noise Bases=Blender Original; Nabla=0.025.

7. Remove vertices in the plain mesh to sculpt the shape of the cloud. Choose any shape you want, but don't leave a lot of unconnected vertices, as this will result in a sparse cloud.

Lighting

8. Define a spotlight with the following "Transform Properties": OB=Lamp.004; LocX=5.924; LocY=8.494; LocZ=0.468; RotX=0; RotY=92.879; RotZ=62.046; SizeX=1; SizeY=1; SizeZ=1.

9. Define a lamp light with the following "Transform Properties": OB=Lamp; LocX=-4.528; LocY=3.554; LocZ=6.635; RotX=0; RotY=0; RotZ=0; SizeX=1; SizeY=1; SizeZ=1. Open the "Lamp" tab, then highlight Quad, then input the following settings: LA=Lamp.002; Dist=20; Energy=1.5; R=1; G= 0.721; B=0.419; Quad1=0; Quad2= 1.

10. Open the "Shadow and Spot" tab and highlight Buf. Shado, then plug in the following settings: SpotSi=45; SpotBi=0.593; HaloInt=1; ShadowBufferSize=512; ClipSta=0.5; lipEnd=40; Samples=3; Halo step=0; Bias=1; Soft=3.

11. Render the object to view your cloud.

Paint With Airless Paint

A paint sprayer will create a flawless finish.

Large expanses and complicated objects are most efficiently painted with an airless paint sprayer. No special paint is needed with an airless sprayer. They can apply latex or oil paint and finishes, such as stain or lacquer. One of the most beneficial reasons for using an airless sprayer is its pristine, mirror-like finish, which is completely smooth and void of all brushstrokes.

Instructions

1. Prepare the area you plan to paint by removing old paint and sanding it smooth. Use drop cloths to mask any areas in the painting vicinity that you do not want painted. Airless sprayers paint at such a high velocity, a considerable amount of over-spray occurs. Turn off any appliances in the room.

2. Prepare the paint by thinning it with water. The amount of water needed may vary depending on the type of paint you use and the brand and type of airless sprayer. Consult the sprayer instruction manual and read the label on the paint for thinning and application recommendations. Strain your paint through a paint strainer into a 5 gallon bucket.

3. Fill the other 5 gallon bucket 3/4 full with water. Set it beside the sprayer and near the 5 gallon bucket of strained paint. Put on your respirator according to the manufacturer's specifications. Prime the sprayer with the water by following the instructions accompanying your sprayer. Turn sprayer off and move the suction hose into the strained paint. Turn sprayer on and prime with paint. Place spray gun attached to hose in the remaining water in the 5 gallon bucket. Make sure gun is submerged in the water completely. Pull the trigger and hold it down for a few minutes until paint sprays from the gun.

4. Aim the gun at the area you wish to paint. Begin the side-to-side sweeping motion before you compress the trigger of the gun to avoid having a "hot spot" of paint at the starting point. Work your way side-to-side from the top down. You may need to adjust the pressure or spray valves on the gun for the best application. Overlap by 50 percent with each section as you work your way down.

5. Clean the gun and pump thoroughly when you are finished painting. Prime the sprayer with water to clean out all paint in the unit. Run water through the gun the same way you did with the paint during setup. Remove the gun from the hose and disassemble. Clean all parts of the gun thoroughly. Soaking parts overnight in mineral spirits or denatured alcohol may be recommended if any dried paint or rust is found on them.

Make City Skyline Silhouettes

Skyline silhouettes make striking murals.

Whether you are creating a backdrop for a stage production, want to add an urban vibe to your home decor, or are painting a mural or an artwork on canvas, you can easily create a city skyline silhouette. Paint it directly onto a wall or canvas, or, for a large-scale, temporary effect, paint your skyline on a large sheet of cotton fabric. Decide if you want to create a generic city skyline or recreate a skyline such as that of Manhattan, including iconic silhouettes such as the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building, or Seattle, including its famous Space Needle.

Instructions

1. Study paintings and photographs of skylines for inspiration. If you want to create a skyline of a specific city, find images of that skyline.

2. Sketch out your skyline on paper to give you an idea of composition. Decide if you want the sky or building silhouettes to be predominant in your project. When recreating a specific skyline, observe where in the skyline specific landmark structures are and how they relate to the rest of the buildings in terms of height and width.

3. Draw a horizon line across the surface to be painted, essentially dividing the space in half horizontally. Use a pencil, since ink from a pen may bleed through your paint.

4. Apply masking tape under the horizon line. Paint your sky above the tape. Use sunset orange or red or a deep night-sky blue to get maximum effect. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before removing the masking tape.

5. Apply fresh masking tape above the horizon line. Paint your building color below the tape; use charcoal or black. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before removing the masking tape.

6. Draw in the details of your skyline along your horizon line, using a pencil. Vary the height of rooftops and spires to create interest.

7. Fill in your skyline details with the same color paint that you used for the buildings.

8. Add simple details to your buildings. For example, to create lit windows, paint small squares of yellow paint. Place them randomly in your buildings, but be sure to vertically or horizontally line up windows that are supposed to be in the same building.

Make Car Paint Look Aged

Many antique car enthusiasts want their cars to have an aged look, believing a rusty patina gives the vehicle character. But antique cars that have never received new paint jobs are hard to come by. However, with a little paint and elbow grease, even the most freshly waxed car can be made to look as though it has gone untended since the day it came off the assembly line.

Instructions

Body of the Car

1. Wipe down the body of car with dust rugs so that the car's surface is entirely clean. Failure to remove dust will give the car a rough finish after painting.

2. Spray paint all sections of the car that should look aged with a car paint of any color. Allow paint to dry completely.

3. Spray paint over the recently painted areas of the car using paint that is the existing color of the car, so that it appears the car has not been painted. Allow paint to dry completely.

4. Sand recently painted areas of the car with 600- to 800-grit sandpaper, so that paint in both the new and existing colors is visible. Sand in broad strokes rather than contained areas, so that the car's wear and tear appears to have happened over time. The more intensely an area is sanded, the more aged it will seem.

Doors and Windows

5. Wipe down the tops of the doors and the sides of the roof closest to the doors with dust rags.

6. Spray sections of the tops of the doors and the sides of the roof with silver paint.

7. Sand the silver-painted sections of the doors and roof with 600- to 800-grit sandpaper. Sand in broad strokes rather than controlled sections. The sanded silver sections will make the car look as though the exterior paint has been worn down to the underlying metal.

Make Canvas Sealers

Prepare gesso for all your canvases.

A sealer, also known as a primer, is a layer of material that is applied on a canvas before painting. The sealer covers the pores of the canvas so the material will be less absorbent. It also makes the canvas soft, so that the colors adhere better to the surface. Gesso is the most commonly used sealer in painting. In the past, gesso was prepared with chalk and animal glue. However, water-based gesso is equally efficient. You can prepare gesso at home to prime your canvases.

Instructions

1. Prepare the glue. Hide glue typically comes in powdered or granulated form. Put one part hide glue to 15 parts water. Allow it to soak for 12 hours. The granules will absorb water and will become softer.

2. Mix equal amounts of color pigment and powdered chalk in a bowl or bucket, depending on the quantity you want to prepare. Measure your ingredients using a cup.

3. Measure glue to equal the amount of chalk or pigment you used. Mix the same amount of glue by volume, not by weight. Heat up the glue until you notice that the granules are melted. The solution shouldn't boil because this affects the strength of the glue.

4. Pour the glue into the bowl and mix continually until the paste is homogeneous. Check for bubbles and tap the container on the sides to eliminate these.

5. Apply the gesso on your canvas while it is still warm. Ideally, you should prime all your canvases while the solution is warm. If you have many canvases to seal, put parts of your gesso in jars and place them in hot water to prevent it from cooling down.

Make A Graduation Speech

A graduation speech is a time to share memories and reflect.

Giving a graduation speech at your school's commencement ceremony isn't an easy task, but executing the job to perfection will help you contribute to the success of the event. If you've been asked to give a speech, it's likely that you're the valedictorian or an otherwise notable member of your graduating class. Remember to put lots of time, effort and consideration into your speech to avoid being unprepared and embarrassed during your big moment.

Instructions

1. Examine the parameters you've been given in regards to the speech. Depending on the nature of your school, the ceremony and your role within it, you may be asked to speak for a few minutes or a lengthier period of time. You may also be required by the school to mention certain topics or avoid other subject matter.

2. Brainstorm an extensive list of thoughts and memories that you wish to include in the speech. Your speech should have a wide scope, so don't make your speech solely about yourself and your educational experience. Of course, you will factor that into the speech, but you should also include other subjects.

3. Group your brainstorming results into sections that work together. Your speech should be reflective, poignant and offer some humor. For example, a series of remembrances about a retiring faculty member may offer some poignant thoughts. Humor is also a useful tool when used tastefully; there are plenty of humorous anecdotes you can share about your educational experience, but remember to keep them tasteful.

4. Write your speech to have a logical introduction, body and conclusion. Many graduation speeches begin with offering a greeting to the faculty, students, parents and guests. Your introduction should also indicate that you are honored to speak to the group. Write the body of the speech to include anecdotes, both humorous and poignant, about your time at the school. If you want to pick a central theme, such as the benefit of getting involved in as many school activities as possible, make sure the body of your speech reflects that theme. Compose the conclusion, offering graduates a famous quote or thought-provoking comment they can carry with them moving forward.

5. Practice reading your speech to students in your graduating glass or even a faculty member. What works for you doesn't necessarily work for others, so it's important to give your words a trial run. Note any elements of your speech that others feel you should change and make the necessary edits.

6. Compose your speech onto letter-sized paper or cue cards, depending on the setup for the ceremony. If there's a podium, you may be comfortable to have the entire speech in front of you, but remember to only use it to find your cue, rather than read it in its entirety.

Mix Oil Paint Pigments

Mix Oil Paint Pigments

Before the invention of the paint tube in the mid-19th century, artists commonly mixed their own paints. Today, the vast majority of artists buy their paint premixed and packaged in paint tubes. Still, some artists choose to grind and mix their own pigments. In order to mix one's own oil paints, the artist must purchase the correct materials and experiment with the right proportions. This takes time and patience, but the process gives the artist an intimate understanding of the medium.

Instructions

1. Heat the linseed oil in a double-boiler and mix it with approximately 2 percent beeswax. When the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed, the oil should cool for one day in an airless container.

2. Set up your materials and put on your safety equipment. Remember to wear your mask, because pigments can easily become airborne and some are highly toxic.

3. Mix the pigment with the linseed oil mixture you prepared the day before. Do this on the grinding surface, grinding the pigment with the oil in a circular motion. Note that the final mixture will be 60 percent to 80 percent pigment. The exact proportions will depend on the type of pigment and oil you're using.

4. Continue to mash the pigment and oil, adding more pigment and oil as necessary. Grind the mixture into a smooth paste.

5. Use a spatula to gather the paint when it's finished and place it in an airtight container for storage.

Make Crimson Paint

Crimson paint is a bright red with blue undertones.

Crimson is a rich red color with purple undertones. You can create a crimson color with any paint by mixing a true red with some white and purple paint. Mixing these colors together using the correct ratio will produce a brilliant crimson that can be used for painting walls and furniture, or even for painting on canvas or as a watercolor. You can mix a small amount of paint at a time, or mix a large batch and store it for future use.

Instructions

1. Place three brushfulls of red paint onto the palette. Add a half brush full of white and purple paint.

2. Mix the three colors of paint together. The colors will probably not look right yet. Add more red color to brighten the hue.

3. Continue to add more red, white or purple to deepen the color to match the shade of crimson that you want. Keep track of the ratios of paint that you use, so you can reproduce the results on a larger scale.

4. Recreate the mixing ratio on a larger scale when you are finished creating the hue that you want. For example, if you used one part white, two parts purple and five parts red paint, then you would use the same ratio for mixing the rest of the paint, using larger parts.

5. Store the paint in an airtight container until you need to use the paint. Mark the color on the outside of the container so you know which container to use when you want crimson paint.

Make Brown Food Coloring

Blending food colorings together can produce brown food coloring.

You can achieve the color brown for food coloring in many different ways. One technique is to blend existing food colorings together. Another technique is a more natural process. Either way, the result will be similar.

Instructions

Dyes

1. Mix equal parts red and green food coloring.

2. Vary the amount of each color to achieve the desired shade.

3. Add additional color for more specific shades. For instance, adding a touch of orange and green will create a tan-like brown, while a warm, rich brown can be achieved by adding a touch of yellow. If the color looks too gray or black, add more red or yellow.

Coffee

4. Put 1 cup of instant coffee in a glass or enamel pan and add 1 cup of water.

5. Place the mixture over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

6. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.

7. Remove it from the heat. Cool and strain the mixture wiht a very fine-mesh strainer or coffee filter. Make sure no grounds fall through.

Cocoa and Tea

8. Follow the same method for making brown food coloring from coffee, but use 1/2 cup of cocoa or 10 teabags instead.

9. Omit the straining step; there are no grounds to strain out.

10. Understand that the color or shade of brown will vary.

Make Brochures For Your Ministry

Ministry brochures give church members, potential donors and those whom you want to reach a tangible source of material to help keep the most vital facts about your ministry close at hand. Make sure your brochures reflect the professionalism and passion of your ministry and accomplish your purpose for printing them. Use the right layout, colors, images, and text to create a brochure worthy of distribution everywhere you represent your ministry.

Instructions

1. Collect the design elements for your brochure. Ask your Web designer or administrative assistant for the design files for your ministry logo and original ministry photos. Original files ensure highest quality printing.

2. Determine the purpose. This purpose will guide the rest of the process. Common purposes of ministry brochures include raising awareness, soliciting donations, advertising services and gaining members.

3. Know the needs of your audience. A targeted message in your ministry brochure encourages a positive response. Understand the needs of your audience and address those needs in your ministry brochure.

4. Use one writer. If your ministry brochure covers several aspects of your ministry, it's tempting to ask several members of your organization to help write the brochure. You can do this, but be sure to ask one skilled writer to transform these smaller segments into one coherent piece with one tone of voice.

5. Choose your desktop publishing software. Desktop publishing software offers brochure templates with plenty of style options. If creating a series of brochures, use the same template for a professional look.

6. Add all elements to your brochure. Enter text, graphics, and photos into the brochure template.

7. Keep text minimal. Keep the text of your ministry brochure simple and minimal. Remember that your audience is reading a brochure, not a book. Use plenty of bullets for ease of readability.

8. Keep graphics minimal. Be sure to use your ministry logo on the cover of your brochure. Include a smaller logo on the back page to reinforce your brand identity. One or two photos of real people involved in your ministry help make your brochure more personal.

9. Keep the layout consistent. Make sure you use the same font and heading typography throughout your brochure. Inconsistent typography conveys an unprofessional image.

10. Print your ministry brochures. Save time and money when you take your brochure file to a professional printer. The print technician will notify you of errors you can fix in your file before printing and use the right equipment to ensure the highest quality print job.

Make Bonnet Vents

High powered cars often come with extra vents to improve cooling.

Car engines need cool air to work properly. This is because parts of the engine can get very hot and malfunction. In lower powered cars, the radiator and front grill were more than capable of doing this, but with more powerful cars there was a need to increase the cooling. Many manufacturers, such as Mitsubishi and Subaru, have added bonnet vents to increase the air flow to certain parts of the engine like the turbo and the intercooler. Adding these yourself is not a difficult task, but a lot of care needs to be taken so the job looks professional and improves the cars performance.

Instructions

1. Establish where the best place to put a vent would be. A lot of cars which come with bonnet vents have them in the middle to keep air running over the intercooler, while others have them in strips on each side of the hood to add extra cool air into the engine bay. If you have added a turbo, then place the vent above it, if not, down the sides of the bonnet will be best.

2. Cut out the areas of the bonnet you want to using the ankle grinder or jig saw. If you are using a hood vent, measure around it to see how much you need to cut. Cut from under the bonnet.

3. Sand the edges of the hole with some sandpaper.

4. Install the fine wire mesh over the hole and attach it using rivets and the rivet gun.

5. Attach the hood vent as instructed to by the manufacturer.

Mix Acrylic Enamel Paint For Airbrushing

Airbrush guns hold paint in an attached paint jar.

Acrylic enamel paints must be combined with a reducer in order to use them with airbrush equipment or paint guns. The mixing itself is a simple procedure, but determining the amount of reducer to add is often a matter of trial and error. If possible, always begin with the amount of reducer recommended by the paint manufacturer. Each brand of paint may vary in viscosity. You will also find that different batches of paint vary, even within the same brand. If it is not possible to determine a manufacturer's recommendation, there are some general guidelines you can follow.

Instructions

1. Determine the air pressure needed for your project. When airbrushing a large area a single color, you want to use high pressure such as between 15 psi and 20 psi. With high pressure, you can use less reducer with your paint. This will help to achieve better coverage with each pass of the paint gun. Detail requires less pressure with more reducer added to the paint. This prevents spraying paint into areas where you do not want it. For detail, you should set your air pressure to between 8 psi and 10 psi.

2. Pour the paint into a mixing container. For air pressures between 15 psi and 20 psi, start with three parts paint to one part reducer. For lower air pressures, mix even parts paint and reducer.

3. Stir well with a wooden stir stick.

4. Pour the paint from the mixing container into the airbrush paint jar.

5. Test the paint on scrap cardboard or wood. With high pressure, hold the gun 3 to 4 inches from the surface and test the spray. With lower air pressure, hold the gun between one-half and 1 inch from the surface. If the spray is not even, add a small amount of reducer and test again.

Make Big Boobs For Halloween

Some Halloween costumes, such as Dolly Parton or a man dressing up as a woman, simply call for large breasts. When your chest is not quite up to the job, you might need to create the illusion of bigger breasts. While you can often purchase fake breasts at a costume shop, making them yourself is pretty easy.

Instructions

1. Place a deflated balloon inside your flesh-colored knee high stocking. The stocking is going to cover the balloon so that it looks like your skin. Putting it in the stocking before blowing it up is much easier than pulling the stocking over the inflated balloon.

2. Blow up the balloon until it is the desired size. Tie the balloon. One balloon will be one breast.

3. Tie the end of the knee-high stocking into a knot so that the balloon stays inside it.

4. Repeat with the second balloon and knee-high stocking.

5. Put on a large bra or a tight-fitting shirt that will keep the balloons in place. Place the balloons inside the bra or shirt and adjust them so that they look the way you want them to.

Get Golf Discounts In Las Vegas

Besides gambling Las Vegas also is a great city for golfing. Follow these steps to get a great golf discount while on vacation in Sin City.

Instructions

Find Discount Golf Games in Las Vegas

1. Book your rounds during special promotions. These promotions, like the Super Savings at Stallion Mountain Promotion, can save you $30 or more per round. You can find these promotions through your travel agent, hotel or the golf course's website.

2. Reserve your golf game online and receive a discount. Check out websites like "GolfNow" for online booking discounts. Save 25 percent to 50 percent on your golf game.

3. Play during the afternoon and save money. Many Las Vegas golf courses offer a discount to golfers who want to play after one or two in the afternoon. Silverstone Golf Club, for example, knocks off between $45 and $75 per round depending on how late in the afternoon you play. Bear's Best Golf Club also knocks off about $75 per game between Monday and Thursday if you are willing to play after two. You can save up to $100 on the weekend by playing in the afternoon.

4. Plan on playing Monday through Thursday and receive a significant discount off the weekend rate. Las Vegas Golf Club, for example, will knock off between $10 and $20 per round if you play between Monday and Thursday. Painted Dessert Golf Course also offers a discount if you play between Monday and Thursday, however, they will knock off between $20 and $30 per game.