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When I was growing up in Los Angeles I was a bookworm because I was kind of a lonely little girl, and I was able to lose myself in the fantasy world of books. My parents encouraged me to read, and I read everything I could get my hands on. As an adult, I’m still a voracious reader – and a speed reader, to boot. There’s nothing like the tactile sensation of a book’s weight in your hand and the action of turning the pages. To me, it’s a loving tribute to the written words and beautiful images that are contained within the pages of a book.

That’s why I have a hefty book collection at home – most of them design books, of course. Not only are they treasured sources of knowledge and inspiration that I turn to repeatedly, they provide an ease of use that simply is not available on the Internet or an e-reader. Unlike a novel, which you read from the first page to the last, design books are made to be flipped through. And you simply cannot flip through a hand-held device the way you can a book.

So, with that, here are my six favorite design books:

1. Judith Miller, “Furniture: World Styles from Classical to Contemporary.” Hands down, the best book on identifying styles. Filled with details, details, details. Information on materials, why something looks the way it does, juicy tidbits, the people and events influencing furniture design. This is the book I wish I had written! It’s my bible.

2. Christopher Payne (general editor), “Sotheby’s Concise Encyclopedia of Furniture.” Christopher Payne is a Brit and has the crisp and charming manner of writing that the Brits are known for. This is one of my go-to-books for quick and concise information on a particular style.

3. Metropolitan Museum of Art, “Period Rooms in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” Luscious images of the fabulous period rooms at the Met from Jacobean to Frank Lloyd Wright.

4. Frederick Litchfield, “Illustrated History of Furniture: From the Earliest to the Present Time.” I have the 1893 edition that I printed out from Project Gutenberg, and it is fabulous! Incredibly detailed illustrations of furniture and period rooms. There are no photos, only detailed illustrations. Lots of juicy details about various designers and historical figures.

5. Mario Praz, “An Illustrated History of Interior Decoration: from Pompeii to Art Nouveau.” Mostly illustrated through paintings of the period, but a great resource of entire room schemes seen through artists’ eyes.

6. Virginia McAlester and Lee McAlester, “Great American Houses and Their Architectural Styles.” Beautiful photos and floor plans of some of the top examples of American architectural styles.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Eleanor Schrader

Andrew Chase is a sculptor in his free time, and is a commercial photographer as well as furniture maker career in Salt Lake City where he also lives with his family and cats. Andrew is an assemblage artist who creates metal sculptures created from recycled auto and plumbing pieces, and takes anywhere from 80 to 120 hours from beginning to completion.

Cheetah is a piece of metal sculpture that Chase has created, weighing in at almost 50 pounds. Construction is made up of many different transmission pieces, steel and electrical conduits that he reclaimed. This piece is completely moveable and offers each joint the possibility of creating a new position. With green eyes staring into the abyss, Cheetah is a magnificent creature brought to life by the skilled hands of on Andrew Chase.

Elephant is yet another piece of fantastic metal sculpture created by Chase. With moveable ears, this African elephant weighs in at 110 pounds and took almost 100 hours to create. Made from cold rolled steel, plumbing pipes as well as transmission parts and electrical conduit, the elephant’s joints will all move and lock into place. A gear on the side winds a small cable that allows the trunk to be raised and lowered for your enjoyment. Sitting, standing or raring up on hind quarters, Elephant is a tribute to the beauty of what can be created when articulation meets reclaimed materials.

Andrew Chase created Giraffe from sheet steel, transmission parts, plumbing pipes and conduit to allow for realistic movement. A removable crank allows the neck to rise, while lifting the tail will lower the neck. Each joint is moveable and will lock into place for positioning, as his blue eyes look at you with wonderment. Recycled gears and cogs work together to create yet another metal sculpture masterpiece.

Andrew Chase offers his works for sale across the internet, and accepts commissioned pieces as well. One gallery in particular holds these three pieces, and can be contacted about their purchase. With so many wonderful pieces of exquisite art created from an array of metal sculpture media, choosing one may be a hard task. Andrew has many years of welding and furniture construction to aid him in the highly talented and breathtaking collections he has created over the years. Throughout his career as a photographer, Chase has come into contact with many creatures that exhibited a feature or expression which he still carries to this day. The inspiration for his carefully crafted metal sculptures comes not only from the pictures he has taken, but from the depths of his heart where the creatures still frolic.

The next time you come across a sheet of metal, an old transmission or see a plumbing job being completed, Andrew Chase will come to mind. His media is chosen by taking some of the least recycled materials and putting new life into them through his art. These pieces would make any collector proud to own, and will add new life to any collection.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Helen Saatchi

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE THROUGH ART

I have taught hundreds of students over the past fifty years in community college, private school and private studio settings. One thing I’ve realized is that many of us believe that people that are creative are gifted. They’ve been born with certain creative talents and those that aren’t imbued with those special proclivities are doomed to a non-creative life. Example: “I can draw a straight line!” OR “I can’t even draw a stick figure!”

But they are wrong. What I have discovered is that we are ALL creatively gifted. As human beings we are hard wired to be creative and this propensity served us well in ancient times. Think about it. We invented spears to hunt animals for food, we invented the wheel to get us going to where we needed to go, and we discovered agriculture by collecting seeds, planting them to provide food for our families. All of these and many more advances that led to civilization as we know it today were born of our combined informational knowledge and our creative endeavors: observation, visualization, problem-solving, imagination and invention. All of these creative skills enhanced our survival into the present.

RICH LEARNING

The parts of our brains that have developed towards inventing, imagining and solving problems are very much alive and well in our brains today. If we recognize our innate creative abilities and adapt them to our future creative goals we see that we can contribute much to the enrichment of the human race. Unfortunately, many cultures, including ours, often debunk the power of creativity as an important global unifying developmental factor, preferring more primitive and aggressive tactics like war, repression and political domination.

In the United States today, we like to think that support for math and science in education guarantees our dominance on the educational front. And, in the global community, indeed, these skills are very important for our progress. But, if only memorizing and reiterating data propels the education of math, science, and all other fields of learning, we are selling our students short, depriving them of the resource of creativity that will integrate them with global needs.

Were academic studies to dive deeper into the creative instructional applications like problem solving, design, invention, research and development, a richer learning experience would propel students more successfully into the global future. A full spectrum of learning, combining the basic knowledge skills required by the subject combined with creative skills that require students to apply, those skills to investigate, invent, visualize-this is the expansion of knowledge we need to address a deeper, richer and more compelling motivation to improve our real and future world.

MY CREATIVE EXPERIENCE

In my own life I’ve experienced this creative transition, having applied my creative skills to re-invent or solve problems in various jobs. In teaching art. I have worked to instruct and develop this same transition in my students who come from many backgrounds including: psychotherapy, engineering, medical technicians, writers, authors, retailing associates and financial consultants.

When I was a child, I did drawings and my parents and grandparents complimented me on the little drawings and paintings I did. They said that I was gifted with an artistic talent. And, of course, their praise made me keep drawing and painting.

My experience in teaching put me in touch with people who had early on the same drive to imagine, visualize and create, but they were discouraged to go further. Rejection by an instructor, a family member, a peer, or no encouragement at all, easily destroyed their fragile and burgeoning creative impulse. As I stated earlier, we are all hard wired to create-it is the part if our brain that gives us the ability to progress our selves in our lives past our daily tasks, past schedules, routines and commitments into imagining, visualizing and yes, dreaming.

WHAT I TELL MY STUDENTS

When my students tell me that they would like to learn how to draw or paint but haven’t done anything for years because someone said they did a dumb drawing or that real learning involved memorizing facts and figures and that anything creative was just fluff-they are apologetic; as if their need to paint or draw was a silly waste of time even if they were so compelled to do so. I tell them that their quest is a great and noble one because their total enrichment involves not only knowledge, but inspiration. I say they already have the ability to create and it is time for them to start learning how to garner the rich rewards of their creative efforts.

This dialogue touches a broad demographic-the young, middle-aged and aging people that need to make their lives better somehow. My younger students often feel disenfranchised by a society that emphasizes learning by rote. My middle-aged students feel they have missed something vital in their lives-that they want to create, to learn how to draw or paint because their job and even their recreation has not satisfied them. Older aging students often feel life has passed them by, even if they might have been successful and have retired comfortably. These are the common profiles of the students I instruct and this is their primary basic theme for needing instruction. What they all share in common is the need to use a part of their brain that needs to be activated and has not been activated through their daily lives and endeavors.

CREATIVITY IS A LOCATION

Creativity is a place we go to. It has no boundaries or definitions. I know this location from my own working as an artist and can see that location connect in students. There is a palpable shift in thinking when this location is accessed. This place is a safe haven for inspiration, for getting to know your innate creative self-the one that connects you with your dreams, imagination and visions. It is often a scary but powerful resource that feels curiously, good and self-enhancing.

Much research and development in many fields including medicine, science, literature, computer science, is done through the combination of knowledge and inspiration. Knowledge alone will not build a better product, idea or world. Knowledge has limits, fences and barriers that often prevent inspiration to enter to progress to a higher goal or need.

A student of mine once remarked after I’d given my “Inspiration vs. Knowledge” lecture:

“OK, so I guess that means that when I’m writing, if I correct my errors by word check, that doesn’t necessarily make my writing better. So, I can use a protractor or a compass in my drawings, but that won’t guarantee that the drawing will be improved.”

That comment has stuck in my memory through the years. Yes, knowledge is a template but it also requires an infusion of free-range thinking, the swimmy stuff, the primal pond that grows new ideas that can evolve into exciting applications to improve the world.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Lois Dewitt

The importance of Titles in Art is immense, as it gives a meaning and a purpose to the artwork. In fact, the Title of an artwork is one of its most artistic and important things. The meaning of the Title usually is interwoven throughout a piece of art and is often times hard to understand. If the Title of an artwork is not mentioned, it becomes the observer’s challenge to interpret it. All this goes on to emphasize the importance of Titles in art.

Framing an Art Title depends on the type of artistic image you are working on. Make sure that your Art Title is in harmony with the theme of your artwork. The connoisseurs will be able to appreciate an artwork better if they have clarity about what they are looking at. The following are some key importance of Titles in art:

o Art Titles are very convenient handles for analyzing, reviewing, and addressing art.

o Most Art Titles are axiomatic, yet perceptive, inducing one to look a bit deeper.

o Most Art Titles have an intentional play of words that make them interesting.

o Sometimes the Art Titles are needed to convey what a viewer thinks of an image.

o The Art Titles are important as they help people remember the particular piece of art they are attached to.

To arrive at an appropriate Title for an artwork, one should primarily consider its purpose. Artists should seek answers to the following questions in order to frame an apt Title for their artwork:

o Is it a piece of a project with a name?

o Is it just a single shot, or an art form that has caught your attention?

Usually, an artwork should have one or two sets of Titles. The first Title should be a ‘Working Title’ in combination with a File Number. The second Title is derived from the fragments of what you were thinking while making or processing the piece.

Framing a relevant Art Title is as responsible a job as it is important. A wrongly Titled Art can be quite damaging to the perception of artwork. It can lessen the impact of an image, especially when excessively cute Titles are used to depict the image art. In addition, some abstract Art Titles hamper the imagination of a viewer, when it tends to delineate too much or tries to lead in a direction that the art is not supportive of.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Annette Labedzki

So you have been living the city life and need a real escape then the answer is Fiji. Fiji is not a party hard place, it is known for soul rejuvenation and relaxation. The whole place has a sense of peace and harmony that money cannot buy. The Fijian people are well known throughout the world to be the happiest people and most easiest going.

The resorts in Fiji are great and at the same time known to be pricey. However if you are comfortable to get yourself away from the resorts and into the village areas or smaller towns then you will find the depth of the culture.

The culture of Fiji brings you this sense of peacefulness, happiness with nature and life that most places in the world cannot deliver.

The whole island is tourist friendly and is also well known to be a safe place.

Now the reason most people go to Fiji is to experience the beautiful exotic beaches, coral life, fishing, culture and coastal lifestyle. The quality of most beaches in Fiji is truly the best. Visit the link at the bottom for a review guide for some well known Islands.

Your return trip back home, you should find yourself feeling more centred and rejuvenated with energy, happiness and a sense of peace.

Fiji is located in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. It is just on top of New Zealand and north-east of Sydney Australia. From Sydney the flight averages 3-4 hours one way.

There are a couple well known cities that fly to Fiji, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Auckland and much more.

There are over 332 islands and most are inhabited with people. The main cities or towns in Fiji are Nadi, Lautoka, Suva, Nasinu and Labasa. Don’t imagine these as big cities like L.A or Sydney rather there are much smaller in size and density.

The islands are known to be volcanic and the native vegetation is primary made up of tropical forests. There are periods of heavy rains between December and March. Since the group of Islands are located near the equator, you will find most of the times tropical weather, which means sunny on most occasions and at times suddenly change to rainy weather.

As beautiful as Fiji is, you want to go prepared. Read reviews from trip adviser and other travel blogs on Fiji. There have been cases of luggage going missing or opened so have insurance and locks that leave a message when your bags been opened.

Also once you get away from the mainland, prices suddenly jump as well. To best prepare yourself, buy alcohol, sun cream, summer clothes, water, snacks and food and basic needs before you enter Fiji.

Making it the most loved experience is a skill to do. It does not only require a “to do list” but a special mindset to enjoy anything. It’s like watching the preview of a movie, the consequences of it is you already know the best and worst part of the movie before you even watch it. So what you want to do is assume it’s going to be a great time but you don’t know how, what or why.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Raj Lal

The writer of the ever popular Bleach Manga is none other than the legendary Tite Kubo. Bleach Manga has been continuously serialized in Weekly ShMnen Jump since August 2001. It has been sold over 50 million copies in Japan and hit the top of Manga sales charts in the United States. Why has Bleach Manga become such a success and what is the key that leads so many people of all ages to be so attracted to this amazing Manga? This article shall move into this area and define the success of Bleach Manga.

The interesting part about Bleach Manga is its huge cast of characters. From the Captains of Soul Society, the current foes of Espada to the oncoming ranks of Vizard. On top of its massive casts, every character also possesses a weapon uniquely to its owner. The current Bleach Manga story travels back into the past where the story revolves around the Vizards. The Vizards, previously known to be a group of unknown characters who possess both the ability of a Shinigami as well as a hollow, are now introduced briefly to who they actually are and how they turn from leaders of Soul Society into Vizards wandering in Karakura Town. The fact is that the Vizards were actually respective Captains and Lieutanants of Soul Society, however, an evil experiment by Aizen has caused them to be hollowfied.

Apart from the Vizards, the story also reveals the past of Urahara Kisuke, the former 12th Division Captain of Soul Soceity. This character was introduced at the start of the Manga and was one of the key character of Bleach. He was not only a mentor of the main lead, Ichigo, but also a benefactor of the Vizards. This satisfy many readers curiosity as to who exactly is Urahara Kisuke, the mysterious store owner in Bleach.

Readers have seen Ichigo and his team battling all the various Captains in Soul Society in the past, however, now readers get to witness how the Captains battle the current foes of Hueco Mundo, the ranks of Espada. The story gets immensely exciting with both warriors battling against one another on different ends. With so much action and excitement going on, there is simply no reason to miss this great Manga!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Gallen Ho

As more and more artists are using computers to create animations, 3D animations are becoming quite popular. Earlier only the artists of a few big companies had access to the software required to create a 3D animation movie. However, today more people are getting access to these software and more companies are using these for various reasons. These days even mobile phones with 3D display screens are being developed.

To understand how 3D animation is created, you will have to understand how 2D animation works. Before the age of computers, artists drew slides with the slightly altered images and then displayed the series of slides one after another. For example, if the artist wanted to show a ball falling; then they would draw the ball a little lower in the second slide, and even lower in the third slide and so one. When the slides were presented at a certain speed, the illusion of the moving ball was created.

The problem with this method was that was time consuming and tedious. Soon the time required for the creation of the frames was reduced because the computers could be programmed to create the frames between the initial and final positions of objects. The artist would have to only make correction if required or add other elements to the frames. The option of the copy paste function also ensured that much of the work could be done quickly.

However, the motion pictures created using the 2D techniques were not really up to the mark because they these did not look realistic enough. 3D animation made it possible for the movies to look more natural and thus this technology has been adopted in spite of the fact that it is more difficult to make such a movie.

The first step in 3D animation is character sketching. The artist sketches images of the characters from as many angles as possible so that the character modeler can create the 3D model. Then the character modeler chooses from a variety of methods to sculpt the model pretty much in the same way a sculptor uses clay or stone to make a real sculpture. The only difference is that this done on a virtual platform.

After this, the scene is built and the characters are set into motion by the animator who uses software to create the illusion of movement by giving the initial and final positions of the desired movements.

Since this creates a more lifelike movie, people like to watch it. Naturally, it is becoming one of the most popular modes of movie making.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Ryan Macker

Gifting definitely is an indivisible part of any festivity or occasion. No matter whether it’s any one’s birthday or wedding or anniversary, present is important to be given. This is because gifts as paintings are not simple things but symbol of love for the other person. This is the paramount means to convey your loving & caring emotions simply at any point of time. That is why for year present has been being shared or exchanged among people to strengthen their eternal bonds of earth. We have all, at some time or another, been stuck for gift ideas for our friends and family. Sometimes finding the right gift for a loved one can be a real challenge. It can be still harder to find impressive really unique that suits the person who you want to buy for, but we think that we have found the solution. It is painting.

Translation of picture from photo and drawings finished by passionate and skilled artists are an enormous way to pamper you and your loved ones, with means custom oil painting pictures from your own photos. The little gift scenery come unframed, but off course you can frame it yourself if you like. Each art creation is unique, and so is every sheet of this handmade paper. You can even order a personal small gift paintings yourself, made as a unique piece of art especially for you or for someone who is dear to you. A delightfully painted portrait on canvas conveys a message to your loved one that you truly care about their happiness. They’ll be delighted that you made a special effort to reconstruct their most valued memory on canvas.

Have you seriously considered making a gift of a portrait painting? Not anymore! With the new photo to portrait technology it is now possible to make a painstakingly hand painted portrait painting from digital photographs. Oil paintings are always well-liked and appreciated by painting lovers and every art geek. World’s finest painting and portraits are crafted with oil paints. These painted pictures come in impressionism, contemporary, abstract and in many other stunning designs and styles. Painted pictures are painters own imaginations which is created by the implementation of various colors, brushes and other tools to craft a masterpiece. Oil portrait painting is indeed ideal for gift-giving purposes.

Choosing a painting gives you never-ending choices; select one of your beloved wedding pictures, group of friends’ photo, holiday memories, graduation, children’s portraits or a cherished family photo. Turn it into works of art that will previous forever. Imagine magnificent artwork from your photographs. Have professional artists turn them into beautiful handmade paintings and drawings. It is perfect gift idea. These masterpieces serve as the best and excellent gifts for loved ones. These items are essentially influenced by the surroundings; these heart touching gifts have their own unique styles. Although with the modern era gifts options has got more varieties but still there is no comparison of these miniature art. Paint pictures like sun set, sun rise, meadow, mountains, river, sea, natural greenery and many more are also in trend to present them to loved ones. These paintings will represent your real love and respect to the receiver.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Jitendra Kumar Bari

Linda Webb is one of the world’s most eminent doll artists. Her original pieces are extremely valuable and the waiting list for her works of doll art stretches for years. Now, this renowned doll artist has sculpted the fabulous collection of lifelike baby dolls to measure just 10″ long! They have soft bodies that can be posed in all kinds of adorable ways.

A website with hand-built collection of half a million pages built by the public, squidoo.com/LindaWebb says this of her: “Among Doll Collectors, Linda Webb is one of the most popular doll artists today. Original Linda Webb baby dolls and lifelike dolls sell for thousands of dollars regularly.”

As for the reason why Linda Webb decided to create infant dolls, it can be traced back to the birth of her son. She admits that she knows that memories and photographs will not be sufficient to hold her son’s image in her heart so she started embarking on a journey to make a life-like infant dolls.

A renowned collection of baby dolls made by Linda Webb is the ‘Loving Emily Collection’, where she works with Aston Drake, a distinguished doll making company. It consists of a collection of 4 collectable dolls and the unique thing is that it displays the first few months of the baby’s life, from being a newborn to her first birthday party. For doll lovers, it is definitely a must buy! Baby Emily has won the Dolls Award of Excellence sponsored by Doll Magazine, the DOTY award, sponsored by Doll Reader Magazine, and she has also won the NALED Doll of the Year.

From head to toe, no efforts are spared, and no materials are too costly. Meticulously made, she is so amazingly real that she seems alive! Wait till the moment you pick her up and hold her. Once you do it, you will know why she is so coveted by collectors worldwide.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Rod Low

The UNESCO Treaty of 1972, of which Mexico and all Central American countries are signatories, prohibits the exportation of “cultural patrimony”, any culturally significant pottery or art object. Anything that can be proven to have been acquired before 1972 is a legally acquired object, however the possession of any item exported from its native country after that time is illegal to buy, own or possess and offenders can be dealt with severely. In some countries, Honduras for example, it is illegal for even native citizens to own or possess original Mayan artifacts.

Before even considering buying Mayan art there are a few terms with which you must be very familiar:

ORIGINAL: These are items hand-made by Mayans in pre-historical times, almost always Pre-Columbian and usually excavated from a known archaeological site. Any legitimate original item will have legal provenance showing its pre-1972 acquisition.

REPLICA: These are made in the same way as originals, using original materials and pigments and many times made in the same location by Mayan descendants. These are made to be as near in appearance to originals as possible, sometimes an exact copy, but are NOT sold as original. Many of these are museum quality and stunningly beautiful, but there is no claim from the seller of their authenticity.

REPRODUCTION: Reproductions are modern and little attempt is made to ensure the use of original materials, though many are very well made and quite beautiful. They are made in larger quantities than replicas and are marketed mostly to foreign tourists.

RENINISCENTS: These are low-end tourist “junk”. No attempt is made as to authenticity, merely something to bring home to remember a trip and may have the name of town or tourist attraction. These may be made in and imported from China or Taiwan.

FAKES: Herein lies the problem. Fakes are a deliberate attempt to cheat or swindle a buyer. The antiquities market, and especially the internet, is swimming in fakes. It has been estimated by knowledgeable collectors and museum curators that over ninety percent of online sales of “Pre-Columbian” Mayan art are fakes, sometimes involving the loss of thousands of dollars to the buyer. Determining if a piece is a fake is very difficult without the use of sophisticated and expensive atomic absorption or colorimetric equipment, and some have wound up in museums for years only to find out at a later date that they are not genuine.

A quick look at eBay, Amazon or other online auction sites will reveal dozens of offers of Pre-Columbian Mayan art. Asking prices range from hundreds to over ten thousand dollars. Few make any attempt to offer proof of authenticity other than their own online auction reputation. Anyone contemplating buying Mayan art that is represented as genuine should insist on serious legal provenance including sales receipts and bills of lading showing the items were imported prior to 1972. Not all auction sales are frauds or scam attempts by any means. Most are probably listed as genuine through ignorance by the seller of his item and of the law. There are a good many sellers, however, who make big money through deliberate swindles.

There are many replicas and reproductions of Mayan art that make fine displays and conversation pieces for the home of most anyone interested in the genre. Most any viewer would be hard pressed to know they were not a thousand years old. If, however, you insist on having only an authentic classic piece, insist also on proper legal provenance to avoid loss of a lot of money and the possibility of a legal challenge. With proper vigilance it is still possible to have a magnificent original piece of Classic Mayan art.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Lew Marcrum