Arts and Crafts

Using metaphors and similes in your writing

Posted in Arts and Crafts on January 27th, 2011 by Jim – Comments Off

Just about all forms of creative writing can be livened up by the use of similes and metaphors. Whether you are writing a short story, a poem, song lyrics, or even an essay, using figurative language can help make your descriptions vivid and memorable.

If you have trouble writing descriptively, suffer from writer’s block, or are simply looking for inspiration, practice writing using metaphors and similes. These often-confused literary devices both function by making the reader think of one thing in terms of another.

If it uses the words “is like” or “is as,” it’s a simile. Similes tend to make you think harder about the two things being compared. Metaphors are more likely to be instantly understood and require little thought to see why the two things are being treated as if they were the same. Commonly used similes in everyday conversation include:

She’s like a breath of fresh air
Getting an answer from him is like pulling teeth

Some examples of famous similes:

“My love is like a red, red rose” (poet Robert Burns)
“Like a rolling stone” (or Bob Dylan)

Quite an impact can also be made by turning a popular simile on its head, as Shakespeare did when he wrote,

“My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun.”

A simile compares two things as similar but not identical. A metaphor is like a simile (that’s a simile), but it speaks of two things as if they were identical. It’s is a description that is powerfully evocative, though not necessarily accurate.

The pen is mightier than the sword

An extended metaphor is when the comparison is drawn out and expanded upon over several sentences. A famous example is in this passage from Shakespeare’s Hamlet:

“You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass; and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it speak. ’Sblood, do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me.”

Not all metaphors are quite so poetic. Common metaphors used in everyday language include:

My biological clock is ticking
My face is on fire
He has a heart of gold
You’re a sight for sore eyes

If you’re looking to include more imagery in your writing, spend some time reading and writing texts that use figurative language. If you do this on a consistent basis, you will probably surprise yourself with how much more creative you become in your writing.

How to Carve Bone

Posted in Arts and Crafts on January 20th, 2011 by Jim – Comments Off

Bone carving is one of the famous as well as interesting forms of art that allows artists to be able to express their feelings and this is by making works as well as masterpieces using animal bones. This act of making art works is quite easy to learn and it is enjoyable, fun as well as a profitable hobby. Several popular personalities in the world have excelled in this type of artwork most notably New Zealand’s Maori Queen. In order to know how to carve bone you will need several materials and tools that will include animal bone, engraving chisels, a coping saw, a hand drill, a leather mat, scrapers, a sand paper, safety goggles, triangular or round files as well as a etching knife.

Carving is known to be a 3 dimensional form of art which is not like drawing and painting and so it is necessary to visualize the appearance, size as well as style of the output before commencing the project. Getting the animal bone will depend on the measurements of the design that you wish to use and proceed to cut the bone using a coping saw. Scrape and clean the bone in order to remove unnecessary flesh and marrow and then soak it in hot soapy water for a full day and then wash it and put it out to dry.

Your working area should be covered with protective materials that will include a leather mat. Before carving the bone, it is necessary to get a cutting board and proceed to make an outline of the design. You can use the files and the etching knife to cut portions of the bone that are not necessary and carefully carve out the design with the use of the engraving chisels. After the carving, the bone you can use the sandpaper to remove scratches on the bone, which are mostly caused by the carving tools. After this, use a polishing tool in order to enhance the appearance as well as texture of the bone.

When selecting the best animal to be used when learning how to carve a bone you will need to learn several additional tips. Firstly, you should consider the size of the output with the most popular bones being cattle bone and camel bone. You can also use sheep or deer bines as well. Experienced artist are also capable of using horns of goats or cows for bone carvings. If you require a thick bone it is best if you looked for hind shins or other bones that are mostly found in animal legs.

Finding a Definition of Improv

Posted in Arts and Crafts on November 20th, 2010 by Jim – Comments Off

Improv theater, often referred to as improv comedy, is known for being funny. But it was originally created as a way to help actors get to understand their own emotions, as well as connect to each other and prepare the relationships that they would have to present during their performances. This mostly unknown depth leads to a very incomplete definition of improv for many people. Let’s dig into the inner workings of improv a bit, to help understand more of the artistic process behind it.

Improvisation is an excellent way to help actors get in touch with their own emotions. When they come in from their daily lives to give a show, it’s easy for them to be distracted, and they need to warm up in order to avoid giving a rote, boring reading of the play. Improv requires them to react emotionally and on their feet, so that they warm up their emotional muscles, so to speak, and get ready for the show.

One way to do this is by doing a basic scene, but doing it with very overdramatic emotional reactions to everything. So if your fellow actor were to scare you, you’d yell loudly, jumping back, eyes wide open, and maybe flailing your arms around. Acting at your full power like this, at a 10, will make it much easier for you if the script later requires you to act at a 6. It tunes your ear inward a little bit, so you’re more aware of your own body’s responses to everything. It’s a spectacular way to warm up.

Through the use of similar improv games, you can also get yourself more in touch with your fellow actors, thereby beginning the process of establishing relationships with them – relationships that will make the core experience of the play for the audience. By warming up now, you will be more in tune with everyone you are on stage with.

My favorite exercise for this process is where two actors look at each other, and one says a single word. The second actor listens and then responds with the first word that she thinks of. The first actor then listens to that and responds with what she first thinks of. This creates sort of a subconscious conversation, one that doesn’t make much rational sense, but can be easily followed along with. It’s a bonding deeper than rationality. It’s a real human connection.

So these are elements of improv that are often not considered. Improv leads to very funny scenework, but it can be much, much more.

Great 50th Birthday Invites

Posted in Arts and Crafts on October 28th, 2010 by Jim – Comments Off

There are several ways to order your 50th Birthday invitations. There are many different invitations to choose from and various places to order them. A few of the most popular ways of getting invitation ideas for a 50th birthday party are as follows:

• Print your own. When printing your own invitations, you can choose a template off of the internet or off of the MS Office suite. After you choose the template, just customize it for your party and then print the invitations from your printer.

• Order 50th Birthday Party Invitations from the Internet. Depending on what type of 60s invitations that you want, you may be able to order them from the internet. There are numerous websites that offer a wide range of invitations, from the simple to extremely fancy. However, there are many places on the web to order 50th birthday party invitations.

• Purchase them from the store. Another way to get your 50th birthday party invitations is to buy them from the store. Using this method, you can go into the store and purchase Invitations that you can write the information to add that personal touch to them.

When considering these important decisions on what types of invitations to purchase and where to purchase them from, keep in mind  what the guest of honor would want, since it is his/her special day. You want their 50th birthday party to be one they won’t soon forget, so consider what they would want when purchasing the invitations. If you gain input from the guest of honor, its best that you incorporate their suggestions as to what they would like when planning their party. If they want something simple, I would suggest hand-written invitations due to the personal touch writing each one adds to the overall feel.

Also the guest of honor may want to help in this process, if he/she knows about the party. If the birthday man/woman knows about the party, they may also have suggestions on where it should be held, the type of refreshments they would like, as well as the type of music and games to include.  This information may be extremely helpful to the person planning the party so that they know what the guest of honor prefers and can ensure that they have a great time at their 50th birthday party. Remember with a bit of planning, the birthday occasion can end up being a very special memory for the birthday person.

Airfix 1:32 Soldiers: Still The Toys To Have These Days

Posted in Arts and Crafts on September 14th, 2010 by Jim – Comments Off

Many boys are said to be interested in a lot of action figures. This includes none other than the Airfix 1:32 soldiers. These extraordinary looking toys have already been around for decades. Up until now, kids all over the world are still fascinated with these soldier figures. This can be linked to its entertainment benefits at a very affordable cost. These toys are also very relaxing to play that does not involve any kind of complicated rules or guidelines in playing.

What is great in having the Airfix 1:32 soldiers is the fact that these items come in kits. It includes not only the soldiers per se but as well as the needed war vehicles and weapons. As we all know, war is not war without these necessary equipment and items. Along with the pack are camps and other things that could be seen in a battle location. This can be designed and arranged in order to provide an authentic war setting. The Airfix Company has also been passed on to a lot of owners but it has now been currently operated by the Hornby group.

Before we further discuss about these cool toy soldiers, let us first discover what the 1:32 means. This is actually the scale measurement of the specific soldier figure. It is measured in millimeters just like in the 1:32 model, which is the standard size, is about 54 mm long. There are also some scales that show 1:35 and 1:28 which measures 50 mm and 60 mm respectively.

These toys are a sure hit to all action figure lover. It also comes in a lot of variations to choose from. Some packs even offer a set of soldiers in opposing uniforms and teams. This enables the kids to have a complete set of war characters including the enemies or the opponents. This could also be played by a lot of kids which means it does not necessarily have be a solitary play. It could be enjoyed with pals, siblings even with the adults or the parents.

Although there are some people who would look at the Airfix 1:32 soldiers as items that could lure the kids’ interest towards battle and violence, these toys could also be a way for them to learn something about the wars of the past. Playing with these toys could also be a way for kids to show their honor and salutations to the fallen war soldiers who have dedicated their lives in protecting their nation. This could be a good way to remember their bravery and boldness in facing the dangers of war.

It is also enhance the child’s imagination since assembling these combat packs really requires a lot of creativity and resourcefulness. It gives every child a chance to create their own war setting, plot and characters the way they like it and in their own preference.

Buying these items these days could be quite rare especially to places that are not well connected with the producing company however these unique toys are still available on the internet which makes it easy for anyone to get access to these wonderful soldier figures. The Airfix 1:32 soldiers are definitely something every boy would still like to have until now.