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American Abstract expressionist painter Franz Kline was born on May 23rd 1910 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Kline was educated at Boston University and in 1936 he enrolled at Heatherley’s Art School in London. On his return to America in 1939 he married Elizabeth Vincent Parsons – a British ballet dancer – whom he had met in London.

Kline’s early art consisted of paintings of cityscapes and landscapes of New York, murals and portraits were also part of his early efforts and there was a tinge of Expressionism evident in his works. It was during this time in the late 1930s that he acquired two patrons from whom he received tremendous encouragement and support – Dr. Theodore J. Edlich, Jr. and David Orr. During this period Kline received awards in the National Academy of Design annuals, but his more mature and representative style developed in the late 1940s after his meeting with other abstract expressionists; Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock. Kline’s style basically consists of bold strokes of black and white enamel. This black and white style would be revealed to the world in his first solo exhibition at New York’s Egan Gallery in 1950. Indeed, it was his black and white paintings he is known famously for, although he also worked on colour paintings since the mid 1950s and colour began appearing more consistently in his paintings after 1959. His first solo exhibition followed soon after and would associate Franz Kline with Abstract Expressionism forever.

Willem de Kooning was enormously influential in the development of Kline’s mature style, and the guiding force behind his transformation from a painter of landscapes and realistic themes to abstraction. The event that led to the transition is an interesting one, Kline took a drawing and gave it to de Kooning who projected it using a Bell Opticon projector, the projector enlarged the drawing so much that the image began to overlap at the edges. The impact of this projection almost instantly transformed Kline from figurative art to abstract representation. This incident had occurred at a time when Kline was intellectually exhausted, and provided impulse he needed to progress as an artist. The transformation was represented through the Nijinsky paintings, which possess elements of self-portraiture and depicting a series of heads based on the dancer Nijinsky in the role of Petroushka.

One can’t fail to experience a dynamic, spontaneous and dramatic impact on viewing Kline’s paintings. The general inspiration of Kline’s works range from symbols of the modern industrial civilization such as railroads, engines, tunnels, bridges, etc. Though spontaneity is the most recognized characteristic, Kline’s many complex renditions are a result of extensive studies. His paintings were created after referring to his own compositional drawings. He would draw sketches first on any paper he could find before he began his masterpieces. His paintings mask the conscious effort behind them, but the visible spontaneity and intensity of his paintings classified him along with Jackson Pollock and other Abstract Expressionists under the title ‘action painter’.

Some of Klein’s famous paintings after 1950 include New York, N.Y. (1953), Painting Number 2 (1954) and Untitled (1957). Kline died in New York in 1962 of a heart condition, after adding yet another dimension to the rich Abstract Expressionism Movement.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by George Baxter

Fine Arts is defined in the Encarta Dictionary as being, “any art form, for example, painting, sculpture, architecture, drawing, or engraving, that is considered to have purely aesthetic value” (Encarta, 2004). Though this definition is used in relationship with the arts in the regular world, in regards to teaching, fine arts is defined as a subject beneficial, not essential, to the learning process and is often phased out because of lack of time, little learning potential, and no money. Fine arts is simply seen as painting and drawing, not a subject studied by an academic scholar. Writer Victoria Jacobs explains, “Arts in elementary schools have often been separated from the core curriculum and instead, offered as enrichment activities that are considered beneficial but not essential” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 2).

What is missing in classrooms is the lack of teacher knowledge of the benefits of maintaining an art- based curriculum. Teachers “have very little understanding of the arts as disciplines of study. They think of the arts instruction as teacher-oriented projects used to entertain or teach other disciplines” (Berghoff, 2003, p. 12). Fine arts expand the boundaries of learning for the students and encourage creative thinking and a deeper understanding of the core subjects, which are language arts, math, science, and social studies. Teachers need to incorporate all genres of fine arts, which include, theater, visual art, dance, and music, into their lesson plans because the arts gives the students motivational tools to unlock a deeper understanding of their education. Teaching the arts is the most powerful tool that teachers can present in their classrooms because this enables the students to achieve their highest level of learning.

From 1977 to 1988 there were only three notable reports demonstrating the benefits of art education. These three reports are Coming to Our Senses, by the Arts, Education and Americans Panal (1977), Can we Rescue the Arts for American Children, sponsored by the American Council for the Arts (1988), and the most respected study, Toward Civilization, by the National Endowment for the Arts (1988). These three studies conjured that art education was very important in achieving a higher education for our students. While these studies proved the arts to be beneficial to the learning process, it was not until 2002 when the research analysis of Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development “provided evidence for enhancing learning and achievement as well as positive social outcomes when the arts were integral to students’ learning experiences” was taken seriously by lawmakers (Burns, 2003, p. 5). One study, in this analysis, was focused on the teaching of keyboard training to a classroom in order to see if student’s scores on spatial reasoning could be improved. It was then compared to those students who received computer training which involved no fine art components. This concluded that learning through the arts did improve the scores on other core curriculum subjects such as math and science where spatial reasoning is most used (Swan-Hudkins, 2003).

This study shows how one little change in the way students are taught through the arts can have a powerful impact on their learning achievements and understandings. Another study showed at-risk students who, for one year, participated in an art- based curriculum raised their standardized language arts test by an average of eight percentile points, 16 percentile points if enrolled for two years. Students not engaging in this form of activity did not show a change of percentile (Swan-Hudkins, 2003). Though this may not seem like a big increase, at- risk students were able to use this style of learning to better understand their learning style thus bettering their learning patterns. The most interesting case study in this analysis involved the schools of Sampson, North Carolina, where for two years in a row their standardized test scores rose only in the schools that implemented the arts education in their school district (Swan-Hudkins, 2003). Teaching the arts needs to be incorporated in every teachers daily lesson plans because, based on these studies, students who are taught through the arts raise their test and learning levels.

Due to the high volume of attention President Bush’s, No Child Left Behind Act, has required in schools, teaching the arts is left behind. Another reason for the lack of arts in the classroom author Victoria Jacobs explains, “Given the shrinking budgets of school districts around the country, art specialists and art programs have disappeared from many elementary schools” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 4). Fine arts are being seen as non-educational or an extra-curricular activity. Therefore, when there is a lack of money in school districts, this subject is easily being cut. Teachers need to find a way to incorporate the arts into the classroom rather than rely on outside activities and Jacobs suggests teaching “through the arts… with a means of using the arts successfully and in a way that it is not just “one more thing” they must include in the curriculum” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 4).

The arts can open the minds of students in ways mere reading and writing will never be able to accomplish. Yet, the point of teaching this subject is not to teach about the arts, but to teach through the arts. Jacobs explains,

Teaching though the arts requires students to engage in the act of creative art. For example they might draw a picture, write a poem, act in a drama, or compose music to further their understanding of concepts in content areas other than the arts. Teaching through the arts helps students experience concepts rather than simply discussing or reading them. This approach is consistent with educational theories that highlight the importance of reaching multiple learning styles or intelligences. (Jacobs, 1999, p. 2)

Teaching through the arts can be done in many different ways depending on the teacher’s interests, but truly is the only way to reinforce the students learning experience. In a time where budget cuts and new learning laws are being established, teachers need to be more informed and educated on the negative impacts of the loss of the fine arts programs.

Three, veteran teachers at a public elementary school did a case study which involved teaching through the arts. They believed “our students had to experience cycles of inquiry wherein they learned about the arts and through the arts, and that they needed to see teachers of different disciplines collaborate” (Berghoff, 2003, p. 2).

The study was based on teaching a history lesson unit on Freedom and Slavery through the arts. Ms. Bixler-Borgmann had her students listen to the song “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” in many different styles of music, such as an African-American Quartet, Reggae, and Show Tunes. She then incorporated this lesson into the importance singing played to the slaves at that time. Ms. Berghoff had her students read samples of African-American folk literature and write down sentences that made an impact on them while they were reading. She then incorporated those sentences into group poems. Ms. Parr explored two art pieces entitled, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and had the students talk about artwork by asking three questions: “What is going on in this picture? What do you see that makes you say that? What else can you find?” (Berghoff, 2003). She also had the students focus on the images, concepts, and meanings which the artists wanted to depict. Ms. Parr felt this would teach the students how to uncover the hidden meanings in other core curriculum subjects (Berghoff, 2003). After the study, the students were asked what and how they had learned from this style of teaching.

Many students wrote in their journals that working in multiple sign systems in parallel ways heightened their emotional involvement. They found themselves thinking about what they were learning in class when they were at home or at work. They noted that even though they had studied slavery at other times, they had never really imagined how it felt to be a slave or thought about the slaves’ perspectives and struggles. (Berghoff, 2003)

The students had learned more from this lesson because they were able to use all styles of learning and were taught from an angle which is rarely used, through the arts. “Studies indicate that a successful arts integrated program will use these components to guide student learning and assess growth and development (Swan-Hudkins, 2003). The students were able to learn based on abstract thinking and find the deeper meaning of the lessons prepared by the teachers.

“The study of the arts has the potential for providing other benefits traditionally associated with arts….arts has been linked to students’ increased critical and creative thinking skills, self-esteem, willingness to take risks, and ability to work with others” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 4). With these benefits, teachers can not afford to limit their teaching of the arts in the classroom. Teaching through the arts are the key elements of learning and the traits teachers strive to establish and reinforce in their students. By working through the arts, instead of about the arts, the students’ educational experience will be achieved in a different way than just teaching the standard style of learning. Former Governor of California, Gray Davis, noted, “Art education helps students develop creativity, self-expression, analytical skills, discipline, cross-cultural understandings, and a heightened appreciation for the arts” and that “students who develop artistic expression and creative problem solving skills are more like to succeed in school and will be better prepared for the jobs and careers of the future” (California Art Study, 2003, p. 1).

Exposing students to abstract learning will teach the students about logic and reasoning and help them grasp what might not be represented on the surface. Recent Reports from the National Art Education Association (NAEA) confirmed with Governor Davis when they reported “Students in art study score higher on both their Verbal and Math SAT tests than those who are not enrolled in arts courses (California Art Study, 2003, p. 5). Attached is a copy of the test scores of students in the arts and students with no arts coursework.

What is a better way to enhance a lesson plan than to add another dimension of learning than by incorporating different levels of teaching? A company that has the basis of focusing on different learning styles is Links for Learning, [http://www.links-for-learning.com]. This company understands the importance of incorporating arts into the classroom. Former Secretary of Education, William Bennet wrote, “The arts are essential elements of education just like reading, writing, and arithmetic…Music, dance, painting, and theater are keys to unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment” (Swann-Hudkins, 2002).

An example of the benefits of teaching the arts would be the study of a teacher who taught the water cycle lesson through movement and music. The students were introduced to the water cycle in the traditional style of teaching, reading and lecturing. Yet, in order for the students to fully understand the “experience” of being a snowflake, the students listened to Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite (The Waltz of the Snowflakes) and closed their eyes visualizing the adventure snowflakes encounter on there way to the ground. A great side effect of dance is that “exposure to dances foreign to them (the students) helps them to understand and appreciate differences in societies. Their minds become open to new ideas and a different perspective. This understanding helps to eliminate possible prejudice, enriching the student and our society” (Swan-Hudkins, 2003, p.17). While the music was playing the teacher asked them questions, such as, “How are they going to land” and “What do you see as you are falling”. The second time listening to the music the students were asked to act out the water cycle through movement and dance. Teachers should know “a class that includes dance can make students feel empowered and actively involved in their education. In creating their own dance, students develop conceptional thinking, which is not always expressed verbally” (Swan-Hudkins, 2003, p. 17).

With these activities, the students were able to become part of the water cycle instead of just using their listening skills and trying to mentally figure out this lesson. The teacher also had the students write a poem using words they felt while they, the snowflakes, were falling to the ground (Jacobs, 1999, p.2). “The motivational powers of the arts are significant as this teacher explained, “Hooking a kid is half, if not more than half, the battle of learning. If you can hook them, then you can get them to learn” (Jacobs, 1999, p. 6). Teachers need to gain access to all styles of learning which can only spark their motivational powers.

Harvard Project Researchers Winner and Hetland remarks, “The best hope for the arts in our school is to justify them by what they can do that other subjects can’t do as well” (Swan-Hudkins, 2003, p. 18). Teachers need to gain a better education of teaching their students through the arts. Without the arts, teachers are limiting their students’ ability to use their entire thinking process, providing less opportunity for complete comprehension. Teaching through the arts is the most powerful tool that teachers can give in their classrooms because it enables the students to achieve their highest level of learning.

With the lack of attention art is getting outside of the classroom, teachers cannot afford not to incorporate dance, theater, visual arts, or music in their lesson plans. Fine arts is the core curriculums constant and most important companion. No child should be left behind, and teaching through the arts will reinforce this idea.

Resources

Berghoff, B., Bixler-Borgmann, C., and Parr, C. (2003). Cycles of Inquiry with the Arts. Urbana, 17, 1-17.

Burns, M. (2003). Connecting Arts Education Policy and Research to Classroom Teaching. Presented at The Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Chicago, IL.

California Art Study. (2003). Retrieved on April 18 from [http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:IM_j8A3_whsJ:www.smc.edu/madison/about/draft_eir/appendix_f_purpose.pdf+benefits+California+art+study&hl=en&ie=UTF-8]

Encarta Online Dictionary. (2004). Retrieved on April 17 from http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/fine%20arts.html

Jacobs, V. and Goldberg, M. (1999). Teaching Core Curriculum Content through the Arts. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Ontario, Canada.

Swan-Hudkins, B. (2002). The Effect of an Elementary Fine Arts Program on Students’. M.A.Thesis. Salem International University. Salem, West Virginia.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Debbie Cluff

Canvas prints can be simply defined as a variation of art that prints a digital photo, still photo, turn slide, negative or even someone’s actual drawings onto a canvas. There are printers that can perform this job effectively. This is a comparatively new phenomenon, one of the prime reasons why canvas is opted for than other means is because of its economical cost, its unique characteristic to last for many hundred years to come and the visually artistic value that it carries.

For canvas prints, it should be made sure that one orders it from a renowned and established print house. One should also consider the feedback of existing customers. Print houses are a common sight these days and can one easily gain access to the addresses from yellow pages etc. Canvas printings has other benefits as well, such as that there is no long wait required as usually with paintings one has to wait for a long duration before an artist can commit to a customer.

Canvas prints are the ideal alternatives to paintings and serve as decorative pieces for homes and offices. Paintings on the other hand are pricey as the artist invests a lot of time and effort into making one. However one can get a beautiful canvas print for less than a fraction of the cost that one is paying to the artist. Moreover canvas prints add to the congeniality of the environment.

Canvas prints have become a hot commodity and are bringing in handsome returns in art centers especially in cosmopolitan cities like New York. A piece bought today could bring in double the money in the near future so it is a good investment as well. Paintings and sculptures on the other hand are long-term investments and requires heavy amount of money to buy in the first place.

Also canvas art can provide for very good presents on varying festive occasions. It can be made to be a customized gift that not only raises the emotive factor in the present but rather serves practical purpose as well when it is used for decorative purposes. On the other hand, sculptures and paintings are very expensive and cannot be afforded by all and sundry for handing out as presents.

Another benefit is that one has the liberty to experiment with the creation as one can mould it according to ones individual tastes ad liking. If one has opted to contact a print house rather than doing it oneself, then it is mandatory that the print house give out previews so that the final product is according to the customers liking. However if one chooses to do it oneself, then the element of personalization is even more overwhelming as one has put in all the effort and time. But on the downside, it requires a lot of effort. As a comparison, paintings and sculptures do not bring in the “personalization” element unless one has the natural talent and expertise to make them.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Katrina Sui

Painting is a form of expression which involves the use of paint brushes to create an image on a canvass. An artist has the option of choosing which paints to use; the most popular though are watercolors and oil paints.

It is impossible for an artist to produce a masterpiece without feeling passionate about his work. It is important that the painter is able to clearly visualize what he wishes to express through his painting, and then be able to bring forth his imaginations with accuracy and vivacity. The ability to express oneself in such a way does not involve skill, but talent. One may argue that art can be learned through practice. However, the truth is that individuals, who do not possess an innate talent of drawing and painting, cannot become exceptional artists no matter how hard they try to learn this medium of expression.

The primary talent of a born artist is the ability to imagine. If one evaluates a number of young children on their imagination skills, it will be quite obvious that while some of them have very vivid and creative imaginations, others lack the originality and the panache that a naturally creative individual has. If one were to reevaluate the children after training the less creative kids to be more imaginative; even after a complete and rigorous training the results will prove that training cannot enable less imaginative kids to compete with those who are gifted.

Being able to visualize creative scenarios is just half the job of an artist. The crucial task is to be able to express what one sees with their mind’s eye on paper. This requires the ability to make the right strokes and use the right colors to create a visually appealing painting. Mixing colors with precision so as to get the right shades is also part of an artist’s skill set. Additionally, an artist needs to be able to keep in mind the aspect of perspective. Perspective is the skill of being able to give the right impression of a three-dimensional object on a two-dimensional surface, such that the height, width, depth, and position are proportionate in relation to each other. These are some of the basic skills of a talented artist, which one may attempt to learn, but will never master unless he has a natural flair and aptitude for painting.

It may seem rather unfair to say that all artists are born, not made. It is not that a person cannot become an artist if he doesn’t have a natural tendency towards art and painting; but the fact is that one cannot produce masterpieces and become a famous painter just by enrolling themselves at an art school. There has to be significant innate talent in order to make a name from painting.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Shelly Morrison

“The Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter (Quattro Stagioni)” is the series created by CY Twombly, an American, calligraphic style Graffiti painter (born 1928) from Lexington, Virginia, in the year 1993-94. Twombly studied art in Boston, New York, and at Black Mountain College in North Carolina. As the name suggests, the painting is comprised of four parts, representing “Quattro Stagioni (Four Seasons).” Twombly used synthetic polymer paint, oil, house paint, pencil, and crayon to create the four canvases. Of the four, the canvas of “Spring” measures 10′ 3 1/8″ x 6′ 2 7/8″ (312.5 cm x 190 cm), “Summer” 10′ 3 3/4″ x 6′ 7 1/8″ (314.5 cm x 201 cm), “Autumn” 10′ 3 1/2″ x 6′ 2 3/4″ (313.7 x 189.9 cm), and “Winter” is 10′ 3 1/4″ x 6′ 2 7/8″ (313 x 190.1 cm) in size.

In “The Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter (Quattro Stagioni),” CY Twombly portrays the changing color of the countryside scenery of four seasons. The four series painting also seems to build a resemblance to the human life cycle. “The Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter (Quattro Stagioni)” conveys the philosophy of ‘life goes on.’ It seems to emphasize that every ending thing starts again. That is, rebirth follows death, just like spring (rebirth) follows winter (death).

With different phases, the feel is different. Where winter is cold and deceasing, spring evokes the happy expression of life with new fruits and flowers blooming all over again, as is excellently reflected in the forest of Botticelli’s Primavera (Italian word for Spring). In “The Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter (Quattro Stagioni),” CY Twombly too has perfected the feel with the use of his brilliant color scheme that goes on to strike the right connotations, associated with each of the four canvasses. In fact, the classic color palette has added entirety to “The Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter (Quattro Stagioni).”

For “Spring,” Twombly used vibrant red curves, with bright yellow splashes on them. The red curves look similar to ancient Egyptian boats, which is a common sight in several of Twombly’s creations. “Estate (summer)” goes warm in yellow, with predominant colors expressing the state of youth and pleasure. The use of white denotes love melting in mad heat. “Autunno (autumn)” relates to the season of harvesting and the famous wine festival of Bassano. A few coats of red and the phrase such as “Your Blood” imply the rise of Bacchus, the mythological god of wine. Finally, “Inverno (winter),” is the most thinly scattered amongst all of Twombly’s 4 seasons canvasses. In this artwork, the words are mysteriously disappearing beneath the transparent white mist. A competent blend of yellow and green create the much-required hued depth, to reflect its deadly cold property.

One of brilliant sparks of CY Twombly, “The Four Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter (Quattro Stagioni)” is currently displayed at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Annette Labedzki

New York City is at the top of the list of popular destinations. This is a great city to catch a Broadway play or a game at Madison Square Garden or visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There are wonderful choices for shopping and sightseeing. Plus, delicious dining options at the end of a busy day.

There is no shortage of tourist spots in New York City. Your options include Times Square, a legendary landmark; or a visit to Ellis Island, where millions of immigrants arrived when they came to the United States. You could also take a walk or carriage ride through Central Park or go to the Statue of Liberty, one of the most famous landmarks in the world.

Next on the list is Cancun, Mexico, one of my favorite destinations because there is so many outdoor activities to do. Its got great white sandy beaches and beautiful crystal-clear turquoise water. This is a great place for a romantic getaway. It’s also a perfect spot for those who live in cold weather and want to soak up some sun on the beach while listening to ocean waves lap against the shore.

During Spring break this is a popular spot for college students, so if you fit into this group, this could be the perfect choice. If you have a sense of adventure try sport fishing, rent a boat or an ATV for an off-road ride. Scuba divers don’t miss the chance to visit the Underwater Modern Art exhibit by Jason deCaires Taylor. Incredible, just incredible.

Paris, France, the city of love, is another popular destination. It’s artistic and cultural treasures include 180 museums and monuments. The Eiffel Tower is a recognized worldwide landmark and the Louvre is one of the most respected art institutions in the world. Paris is a great place for a honeymoon or to take a vacation with the one you love. Stop in one of the many open cafés for coffee or try french food at dinner for a unique culinary experience.

Orlando, Florida is home to some of the country’s most popular theme parks. Between Disney World, Universal Studios, and Wet ‘N Wild, this city offers entertainment for people of all ages. Orlando is also a great place to play golf, shop till you drop and catch a great concert or festival. It’s a popular pick with families with children. But, it’s also a fun place to have a good time and party with friends. The weather is usually picture perfect.

For trendy nightlife and well-known beaches consider Miami, Florida. During the day you can work on your tan at the beach and after the sun goes down work on your dance moves at a latin dance club or hotel bar. For lunch or dinner try one of the waterfront restaurants or one of the many great dining spots in South Beach.

San Francisco, California is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. The Golden Gate Bridge is the city’s icon, but it also has exquisite art galleries, renown museums, great shopping and excellent restaurants. San Francisco’s number one visitor destination is Fisherman’s Wharf. There you can enjoy the catch of the day and the fabulous view.

Another great location for adults to visit is Tokyo, Japan. This city has seemingly unlimited choices for dining, culture and entertainment. Visit its historic temples, museums and wonderful gardens. Here, you will find lively neighborhood festivals held daily and a wide variety of interesting nightlife. Visit the Tokyo tower for an a great view of this neon bright city. Or catch a concert or a game at the Dome city complex.

Want to meet a celebrity? You’ll have a great chance in the city of Los Angeles, California. Do your celebrity watching at one of the many chic restaurants. Or better yet, visit your favorite celebrity at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. In LA, you can catch the King Kong exhibit at Universal Studios, stroll down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and catch IRIS, the new live Cirque de Soleil show at the Kodak Theater. Also, explore the newly renovated Japanese garden at the Huntington. Plus, it’s just a short drive to get a wonderful tan on a beautiful beach.

Cosmopolitan chic Toronto, Canada is a vibrant city full of cultural diversity. You would be hard-pressed to find a city in North America with the many languages, culture, and people found in Toronto. Explore the world at your feet at the, Bata Shoe Museum. Toronto has great festivals all year-long including Jazz Festivals, Concert Series, Film Festivals, “Everything To Do With Sex Show” and more. Consider taking a day trip to the breathtaking Niagara Falls.

In conclusion, deciding where to go can be a fun part of vacation planning. Remember, the first step is to determine what you want out of your vacation. Then use the advice in this article to help choose your ideal destination. Just remember to explore something new, try some special and have some fun.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Donna Beasley

Kyoto offers travelers of Japan an interesting alternative to Tokyo. This beautiful city is a blend of the modern and the ancient, with many reminders of this city’s past, and its place as the cultural heart of the country. The main residence of the Japanese Emperor was in Kyoto from the eighth century until the nineteenth, when it moved to the current capital, Tokyo. There is plenty to see here since, unlike other cities, Kyoto sustained no damage during the Second World War.

Kyoto is a true experience of unique history and culture. In order to see everything, you will need to allow plenty of time to visit as many of its’ attractions as you can. If you are only able to visit for a short period of time, decide which places you want to visit most, rather than trying to rush around them all.

There are many temples in Kyoto that offer a glimpse of the varied nature of Japanese culture. They are also historically and architecturally interesting. You will find that many of the attractions recommended to Kyoto tourists will be temples of some sort.

The two prominent religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shinto; each having their own temples. The most impressive Buddhist temple in Kyoto is the Golden Pavilion Kinkakuji, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city. The two highest floors are encased in gold leaf, which is reflected in the pond below, connecting the heavens above with the earth below. The importance of this temple to Buddhists comes from the shrine within it, containing relics from the life of the Buddha.

The nearby Silver Pavilion, or Ginkakuji, was intended to be a complement to the Golden Temple, with a contrasting covering of silver leaf, but this plan was never carried through. The Silver Temple is therefore much plainer than its neighbor, although it does have its own simpler charm. There are two peaceful gardens here; one with a pond surrounded by a rockery, where you are supposed to move around and experience the changes in perspective that ensue; and another where sand has been sculpted into meditative patterns, creating a very calm atmosphere. Both are perfect antidotes to the stresses of travel and jet lag.

Another Buddhist temple, definitely worth a visit, is the Pure Water (Kiyomizudera) Temple. This world-famous temple is recognized by UNESCO for its unique value, and has been named as a site of world heritage. It has stood since the eighth century when it was founded by one of the oldest Buddhist sects in Japan. It looks over the city of Kyoto from a nearby hill, surrounded by woodland. The view of Kyoto from the temple’s terrace is breath taking! There is also a beautiful fresh spring here from which the waters are believed to have healing powers.

There are two Zen temples that make an interesting addition to the main Buddhist ones. The Heavenly Dragon (Tenryuji) Temple was once the residence of an Emperor. When Go Daigo died, his home was made into this temple in remembrance of him. The name was chosen when a priest who was dozing nearby dreamed that a dragon appeared from out of the river. When he woke, he concluded this was a sign that the Emperor’s spirit had not found peace in death, and that the temple should be placed there in order to appease the uneasy spirit. The current building was only built about a century ago, after the eighth in a series of unfortunate fires, had damaged the various incarnations of the temple. However, the gardens date from the fourteenth century, and offer a peaceful space for a quiet walk.

The second temple, and a world heritage site, is called the Peaceful Dragon Temple (Ryoanji). The Zen garden here is best example of its kind that you will see. There are carefully placed rocks and furrows of sand that have been raked into precise patterns, creating a haven of calm within the simple walls of clay.

The Shinto religion is more unique to Japan’s culture than Buddhist, although the temples here do give an impression of a Buddhism molded to Japanese minds. Two of the local Shinto temples provide interesting excursions in Kyoto. The first is the Fushimi Inari, dedicated to the rice god. If you do visit, keep a look out for the many ornaments in the form of foxes. These were traditionally the animal messengers of Inari. The shrine is beautiful and peaceful; particularly in the evening light. The most stunning feature of this temple are the various spectacular gates or tori around it.

Even more examples of these gates are found at the second local Shinto temple. Heian Jungu is a nineteenth century temple that is dedicated to two Japanese Emperors, Kammu and Komei. It was built to commemorate eleven hundred years since the founding of the city. At the end of each October, the Jidai Matsuri festival is held here. Thousands of people parade and celebrate the day when Kyoto was made the capital of Japan, despite the fact that it no longer holds this honor.

There are also some interesting places to visit if you are less keen on temples. The Imperial Palace is a spectacular complex of buildings with many beautiful gardens and interesting architectural features. The current palace was constructed in the eighteenth century, as similar to Tenryuji, it too has suffered from a number of fires. Numerous Emperors have also chosen to be crowned here at the Palace.

The district of Gion is one of the most famous features of Kyoto. An exciting day can be spent wandering its charming streets, trying to spot a geisha or maiko in traditional dress. Geisha are trained entertainers, and not as is often believed, prostitutes. The area has been well preserved so many of the buildings date from the Middle Ages and there is a unique atmosphere appealing to most tourists.

Kyoto is also a busy modern city, and offers excellent shopping among other things. This gives those of you less interested in historical sights an opportunity to spend time seeking out the latest fashion and technology.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Suzanne Bender

Shamo is a Japanese action Manga with a really dark theme. It is no longer around because the company called Weekly Manga Action went out of business. The story behind this is a boy who killed his parents and somehow turned himself into a killer martial artist. The story line was then used in 2007 for a film produced in Hong Kong. The basic story behind the shamo manga is after he kills off his parents he commits all types of horrible crimes including murder and rape.

The theme throughout this story is how once someone gets into the crime system there is really no reform ever given. The criminal just kind of skates through existence without any help with reform. It also points out how society is immune to the criminals need for help and as many societies do, they shun him instead. This story was actually based on a true event that happened in 1997. In 1997 a slew of serial killings of children took place and the person committing these crimes was a fourteen year old boy. It is said he not only killed the children but in many cases decapitated them.

The shamo Manga has not been sold since 2007 and this is partially because the artist and creator are in a battle of sorts. The two creators are battling in court over copy write issues and they are fighting over who created what and who came up with the concepts.

You can still find lots of great information for Shamo Manga. Manga drawing is especially popular if you want to learn how to draw in this creative way.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Daniel Woodrich

Anime is a Japanese name referring to animation. It started during 1917 and has started being popular since then not just in Japan and parts of Asia but around the world as well. Today, children and adults alike of every gender favor anime. Their liking for it is especially manifested through their various collections of anime merchandise including posters, action figures and most importantly anime t-shirts.

Anime t-shirts are not just any ordinary shirts. They have different anime characters drawn or imprinted on them and they are done in a rather special way. People can choose their favorite or many of their favorite characters in these t-shirts and they can add them in their collection. What’s more, they can have these shirts in every size possible. Therefore whether they are young or old, big or small, some anime t-shirts are ought to fit them.

Boys and girls have different preferences when it comes to colors. Naturally, girls will prefer brighter and girly colors while boys generally choose darker and masculine ones. But aside from these, all t-shirts are mostly alike so people, whether they are old or young, can pick shirts with similarity in styles or sizes. This is a good thing so that there is no gap between kid collectors and adult anime fans.

Anime t-shirts are hard to come by especially if there are no specialty stores in the area. What people often do then to have these as a collection is travel to different places in order to find these items. Sometimes, it is a matter of luck and chance that they come across these shirts in a limited supply at the local mall or shop. But without luck and the knowledge as to where to get these shirts, people usually end up waiting for weeks or months before having these shirts in hand. Others, sadly, have to do without these fantastic items.

However, one way of getting these anime shirts without having to travel afar are online specialty shops. There are shops which specialize in anime thus it is likely that they sell different anime merchandise as well. Anime t-shirts are definitely one of these and so people can order and have it shipped to their address within two or more days.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Michael J. Parker

Different people from different financial backgrounds and age groups are interested in watching anime or Japanese cartoons. Some people go further in this arena and they become hardcore fans of this type of show. But, this type of behavior is quite uncommon, particularly in the Western Culture. When this is the case, some of you might be interested in understanding why people are more enticing towards this type of show:

Many people interested in this kind of show are not hesitant in explaining the difference between animated movies and other cartoons. Even, some of them argue that the term ‘cartoons’ denote to western cartoons exclusive of animated alternatives under this category. Fundamentally, animations are a genre of cartoons that is known to have its origin in Japan. The characters and drawing styles under this style are generally compared with those characters from Western nations.

This genre of cartoons gained popularity in the country of Japan in 1930s as a means of storytelling. However, it has gained recent popularity in the other nations as well thereby drawing the interest and attention of people from non-Japanese cultures too. It was also believed that the characters created in this nation can help people from other nations to understand and speak Japanese language.

One of the important qualities of anime films and shows is that it has a close association with the Japanese culture. The movies created under this category have unique plots that tickle the fancy of the audience. Generally, the characters created in this category will have blonde and light-colored hair and they generally have expressive and large eyes. These kinds of characters is mostly liked by people and the shows and movies under this category often leave some things to the imagination of the viewers. One of the important reasons behind its popularity is that it has a new thing to offer every time it is watched.

In addition to being watched for entertainment purpose, this type of films are being viewed as a separate genre these days. As long as professionals in these fields keep on developing their skills and ideas, people can continue to find different types of characters under the animated movies.

Generally, it is believed that this type of film is meant for kids, but the fact is that nowadays, even elders are showing interest towards the content of these films. Also, those created under this category are turning out to be films that can be watched along with the whole family.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Source by Ansol L John