Make 3d Animals With Kiowa Beading

3-D animals are created by stinging beads onto bent wire.

Kiowa Beads, also known as Indian beads or seed beads, are small craft beads and are available in multiple sizes. Both clear and solid beads are available in a wide range of colors. These beads, when strung on craft wire and the wire carefully bent, can be used to create 3D animals to decorate a child's room or form a backpack buddy. The size animal created is based on the size bead used. Creating 3D animals can be a great project to do with your child. These 3D animals also make great gifts.

Instructions

1. Insure that all the beads you have selected are the same size. The size of beads determines the scale of your pattern. Using beads of multiple sizes on a single project may make your end product disproportional.

2. Select a pattern for the animal you desire to make. Books of patterns can be purchased online or from craft stores. Patterns are also available online for free.

3. Cut lengths of craft wire according to the pattern using small craft scissors or wire cutters. It is better to give yourself a little extra wire to work with, especially if you are a beginner. You can always trim away the excess wire at the end of the project. As a general rule animals take about 65 inches of wire to complete the basic body. Large appendages, like legs should take an additional 30 inches of wire. Allow 12 inches of wire for smaller appendages like, ears.

4. String the first row of beads onto the wire and position in them in the center of the wires length. Fold both ends of the wire down at right angles to the row of beads using the tweezers or pliers. This will prevent the beads from traveling away from the center while you add beads to the pattern.

5. Thread the second row of beads onto the wire to the left of the first row of beads. Run the right end of the wire back through the beads so that both ends of the wire run through the second row of beads completely and stick out at opposite ends.

6. Pull on both ends of the wire to tighten the wire around the second row of beads until there is no room for the beads to shift.

7. Add each subsequent row of beads as shown in your pattern by first sliding the beads on the left side of the wire, and then running the right end back through. Always pull both ends to tighten the new row into position. Be careful not to catch loops in your wire.

8. Create an "X" with the two ends of the wire when all the rows of your animal's main body have been added to the wire. Fold the ends of the wire over one another to form a small knot.

9. Cut the ends of wire just long enough to feed the ends back into the ends of the beads on the last row of the animal's body. Fold the ends into the beads to give the wire a smooth finished look.

10. Bend the rows of beads out in arcs. Do not alter the position of the first row of beads. Beginning with the second row of beads, arc one out to the front, and the next out toward the back for the full length of the body. This is what rounds out the animal's body cavity and makes the animal appear 3D.

11. Attach limbs and detail features by looping smaller pieces of wire through the beads on the body. For example run wire for the animal's ears through the two beads on the far left and two beads on the far right of the animal's head. Beads can then be feed onto the right and left sides of the wire using the same technique used to create the body.

12. Bend the wire in the appendages to give them an appropriate shape. Legs can be bent to show the knee joint, ears can be bent to flop over and tails can be bent to curl or wag.

Make Words In Graffiti For Myspace

Make your own graffiti text for MySpace.

MySpace is a popular social networking site that allows its users to design their own profiles and embed images, videos and graphics on those profiles. Graffiti text has become very popular on MySpace. Many users generate messages and names in graffiti text and then post the text on their profile or in comments and bulletins. Use a few free websites to generate graffiti text that you can embed on your MySpace profile.

Instructions

EasyGraffitiText.com

1. Go to easygraffititext.com.

2. Type your text into the "Text" field.

3. Select a font from the "Font" drop-down menu.

4. Enter a font size in the "Size" field.

5. Enter an angle if you want your text to be tilted in the "Angle" field.

6. Click on "Pick Color" next to the "Text Color 1" field to choose a color for the first layer of text.

7. Click on "Pick Color" next to the "Text Color 2" field to choose a color for the second layer of text.

8. Click on "Pick Color" next to the "Background Color" field to choose a background color.

9. Enter a speed in the "Speed" field. The higher the number you enter, the faster the text will flash.

10. Click on the "Create Graffiti Text" button to generate your text. Copy the "Embed Code" and paste it into your a section of your profile to display your text on MySpace.

GeneratorSpace.com

11. Go to generatorspace.com and click on "MySpace Graffiti Generator."

12. Type your text into the "Write Graffiti" box.

13. Choose a font style and font size from the "Graffiti Font" drop-down menus.

14. Click on "Select Graffiti Color" under the "Color" section to choose the text color you want. Then click on "Select Background Color" to choose the background color you want.

15. Click the "Get Graffiti Code" button. Copy the code that appears in the box below and paste it into a section of your profile to display the text on MySpace.

GraffitiGen.com

16. Go to graffitigen.com.

17.Choose a style from the "Graffiti Creator Styles" section by clicking on one of the four style icons.

18. Click on a color from the color wheel to set the color of the text.

19. Type your text into the "Your Text" box.

20. Click on the "CREATE!" button. Copy the HTML code and paste it into a section of your profile to display the text on MySpace.

Make Fake Wounds

fake wound

Making fake wounds is a great special effect for Halloween costumes, theater work or for a gory horror movie. Fake wounds are easy and inexpensive to create using simple household supplies. The wounds can be made more professional with theater make-up and FX wax. If done correctly, the effect looks just as realistic, no matter the budget.

Instructions

1. Using alcohol, clean the area of the skin where the scar will be made. A cleaner area allows the fake scar to adhere to the skin better.

2. Place a 1/2-inch wide, 1/4-inch thick strip of FX wax or chewed bubble gum (until pliable) on to the area of the skin where the scar is to be and press down firmly, so that it adheres well to the skin. The strip can be as long as needed. Smooth the outside edges until flush with the skin. The middle should be raised.

3. Color the scar with make-up that is the color of your skin. The edge around the scar needs to be blended to match the color of the un-scarred skin outside of that. It can be darker as you near the middle of the scar.

4. Cut a thin line down the middle of the scar with a sharp razor or thin object. Sturdy cardboard, like a matchbook cover, will work as well. Tease and lift the inside edges along the scar length so it looks like a jagged cut.

5. Color the inside of the scar with make-up. Use black make-up, then go down the middle with dark red make-up. This gives the wound an appearance of depth within the skin.

6. Pat the scar with clear make-up powder to dull the shine of the wax or gum and the make-up. This clear make-up powder is optional. Apply blue make-up around the scar to simulate bruising.

7. Drip a few drops of fake blood down the center of the scar. Use a finger to stop the flow of the fake blood if it goes too fast. Allow it to dry for a few minutes.

Make Nice Gift Bags Or Baskets For Your Employees

Create personalized gift baskets to show employees your appreciation.

A creative way to show employees how much you appreciate their efforts is to create nice gift bags or gift baskets filled with items employees will find useful at home or in the office. Present them with gift baskets or gift bags after sales goals have been met, for the holiday season or during employee appreciation events.

Instructions

1. Decide on the a purpose for giving your employees gift bags or baskets. Anything from a company anniversary to hitting sales targets on time are reasons to award employees with a special gift to show thanks.

2. Determine how many gift baskets or gift bags you need. This number will vary based on the number of employees you plan to present with special gifts.

3. Create a budget that details how much money you plan to spend on baskets, bags, bows, thank-you cards and items to fill the baskets.

4. Decide a theme for the gift baskets and bags you plan to create. Common themes could include movie night, relaxation, books, gardening, coffee or sports. Depending on the number of employees, using one theme for all workers is likely the easiest. For a smaller group of employees, pick a custom theme for each employee, if possible, based on his hobbies and interests. This will make the gift bags and baskets more useful.

5. Make a list of the items you plan to include in each gift basket. For a large group of employees, break this down into either male-oriented and female-oriented items or choose all food items. For a smaller group with custom gifts, ideas for a coffee lover might include a mug with the recipient's initial, a selection of gourmet coffees and creamers and tea biscuits. A gift for a book lover might include a blanket, a selection of books and a small lamp for late night reading.

6. Select an assortment of baskets or gift bags from local discount stores, craft stores or at yard sales. Purchase similar sizes and opt for neutral colors or colors that match the company branding.

7. Select liners for the bags and baskets. Tissue paper is ideal for gift bags but can also be used for gift baskets. Fabric works best with gift baskets. Use neutral colors or select colors that match the company's branding.

8. For gift bags, arrange tissue paper inside of the bag you selected so that some of the tissue paper is revealed at the top of the bag. Include the items you purchased and place more tissue paper to cover them. For gift baskets, place tissue paper or fabric at the bottom of the basket and arrange the items on top. Place each basket inside of a cellophane bag. The cellophane bag will ensure that the contents of the basket are secure during transport.

9. Use a ribbon to decorate the bags and baskets you create. Affix a small thank you card to each basket with a personal message to each employee. If possible, list specific examples of achievement.

Make A Cartoon Character Using Clay

Create a clay model of your favorite cartoon character.

Add dimension to your favorite cartoon character by creating a clay sculpture. It doesn't matter whether the character is man, woman, child, animal or none of the above. With the magic of sculpting you can make unique, three-dimensional renderings that will have both you and your children enjoying the art of sculpture. After creating the cartoon character's figure, you can add color to the model, making it lifelike.

Instructions

1. Select several reference pictures that show the cartoon character from a variety of angles.

2. Pinch a piece of clay off the clay block. Roll it between your palms to create a sphere. Use your fingers or a clay modeling tool to mold the character's head. Pinch small pieces of clay from the block, shape them and add them to the head, if necessary, to create ears.

3. Pinch a large section of clay away from the block. Roll the clay between your palms to create an oval shape. Using the various reference pictures as a guide, mold the piece of clay into a shape resembling the cartoon character's body.

4. Attach the cartoon's head to the torso, using an oval-shaped piece of clay.

5. Create the character's arms and legs. Roll each of the four clay pieces into dowel shapes between your palms. Attach the arms and legs to the torso. Mold the arms and legs, using the reference picture as a guide.

6. Make any final adjustments to the character before firing it in the kiln.

Make A Fish Tessellation

You can make a tessellation from a cutout image of a fish.

While many mathematical objects can appear beautiful when presented visually, tessellation is one of the easiest to appreciate. A tessellation is the pattern produced from the repeated arrangements of the same shape over a plane without any gaps. You can easily make a fish tessellation by repeatedly performing the operations of translation, rotation and reflection on a basic fish shape.

Instructions

1. Draw or use the cutout image of a fish to create a template on a piece of drawing paper. Make sure that the design produces can be interlocked by making the fish template symmetrical along the diagonal axes. Leave some white spaces around the edge of the drawing paper.

2. Cut out the shape of the fish template. Trace it on a piece of construction paper and cut it out when you have finished.

3. Trace the cutout fish template on a larger piece of paper. Put the template edge flushed against the edge of the lower paper when tracing.

4. Slide the template horizontally to the next available empty space but still touching the previous shape. Trace the template again. Repeat this step until you run out of horizontal spaces.

5. Invert the template vertically. Trace it from the left to the right side of the paper again, positioning it in the gaps between the successive images previously drawn.

6. Repeat all the tracing steps until the whole paper is used up.

Find Good Vfx Artists On A Budget

Finding a good visual effects (VFX) artist who can work within your budget can be a challenging task. However, if you are careful and thorough, it is by no means impossible. There are thousands of great yet relatively new VFX artists out there who will happily cut you a deal.

Instructions

1. Check a wide variety of websites which allow VFX artists to post their resumes and employers to post potential jobs. To find sites, simply do a search on "VFX artists," "VFX jobs" or "VFX resumes."

2. Peruse the resume listings on the website. Be sure to ask the VFX artist for samples of his work. Look within the resume to see if the VFX artist has a website where you can view clips of video work he has produced. Be on the particular lookout for new artists who have just graduated from college and are relatively new to the field. Be sure to check out the website's art gallery for up and coming artists looking to break into VFX.

3. Contact the VFX artist and ask him about his working methods. For example, which software does he use, if any? You should at least be familiar with the state of the art visual effects software packages such as 3D Studio Max, Maya, DAZ, Adobe After Effects, Lightwave, Cinema 4D and Flash. The artist should also have fairly high end computer equipment and video editing equipment, or have access to such equipment. Depending on your needs, you may want to find a VFX artist with the ability to do blue screen work. Don't forget to specifically mention your budget to the VFX artist so you can come to an agreement on the price of the job.

4. Post a job on one of the many websites which cater to people looking for jobs in visual effects. Be very specific about what sort of work you're looking to have done. Also mention what your requirements are in terms of the artist's skills and abilities should be with certain software and equipment, and how much experience he should have. Again, state that you're looking for fresh, talented young person who has just completed his education and is looking to break into the business. These artists will most likely be willing to work for less in order to establish their name in the business and build a quality resume. Offer to act as a reference for future jobs to which the artist may apply.

5. Get a signed contract. It's in both your best interest, and the VFX artist's best interest, if he's working as contract labor. A signed contract protects both of you within the transaction and can save thousands in legal fees later on.

Make My Own Graffiti Poster

Cover your entire graffiti poster in color.

With bright colors, interesting shapes and one-of-a-kind designs, graffiti is an eye-catching art form visible in almost any urban setting. While graffiti writers often create their work illegally on public or private property, the style doesn't have to be a crime. You can create graffiti on paper at home to depict your name or a message. Make this art on a poster-sized paper to hang on your wall and legally display your work.

Instructions

1. Write the word you want to write in graffiti on a blank poster-sized paper. This might be your name, the name of a place or another word, like "family." Space the letters across the page to leave room for embellishments.

2. Add flair to the word by embellishing each letter. Trace around the outsides with bubble lettering to make it appear the word was blown up like a balloon. Or make the appearance of three-dimensional letters by adding a border along one side of each character. Graffiti is a personal expression, so design your word to give the feel and tone you want to share.

3. Outline the letters with a design. Create a cloud bursting around the entire word or draw some stars flying out from behind the letters. Again, think about the message or style you're celebrating and bring it out with the backdrop of the letters.

4. Add color to the poster. Use whatever medium you're comfortable with, such as colored pencils, markers or paint. An airbrush will approximate the look of graffiti spray painted onto a wall. Fully color all of the letters and embellishments. Outline the letters with a bold color so that they really pop.

5. Allow the art to dry, and hang your graffiti poster on the wall.

Make Moving Icons In Photoshop

Make Moving Icons in Photoshop

An icon is a piece of artwork. In the computer world it is often associated with those small pictures that are used to replace a word or command. It is possible to make an icon that moves by using the animation feature in Photoshop. This is based on the same principle applied to making moving pictures. Several similar images are created, with slight differences between each image. The images are then projected, one after another, which gives the illusion of movement.

Instructions

1. Decide what you want the icon to do. If the icon is a picture of a dog, perhaps you want it to appear as if it is jumping up and down. Let's assume this is the moving icon you want to create.

2. Create three digital images of your dog. The first image will be of your dog standing on the ground. You will create two more digital images, exactly the same size as the first. But, in the second image you will move the dog up to the middle of the picture. On the third image you will move the dog up to the top of the picture.

3. Open all three digital images in Photoshop, and minimize them for a moment in order to do the next step. To minimize, click on the minus sign on the upper right hand corner of each image. This will put the images into the tray at the bottom of the screen.

4. Create a brand new file, the same size as the images you created in step 2. To do this click on "File" and then "New" in the upper left hand corner. In the window that opens name the new file, and set the height and width, choose RGB as the color mode, and transparent as the background content.

5. Restore one of the images you dropped down in the tray in step 3. Begin with the image of the dog on the ground. Do this by clicking on the upper right hand corner, "Restore Up".

6. Select and then copy the image you just restored, and then minimize it again. Do this by clicking on "Select", then "All", and then "Edit" and "Copy". Paste the image onto the blank image file you created, by clicking "Edit" and "Copy". Repeat with the other two files in the tray, beginning with the dog in the middle of the picture.

7. Notice that the three images are each on a separate layer. Look at the lower right hand corner of the screen and click on the "Layers" tab to view. If the eye is unchecked, that layer will be turned off.

8. Click on "Window" in the top menu bar, and then choose "Animation". An animation menu storyboard will open. There will be one picture displayed.

9. Uncheck two of the eyes, in the layer menu. The only picture that should be checked is the picture of the dog on the ground. Notice that when you do this, the picture in the story board is the same as the picture that has the eye displayed.

10. Duplicate the frame, by clicking on one of the icons at the bottom of the menu storyboard. A second picture of the dog on the ground will appear. Go to the layer menu, and uncheck the picture of the dog on the ground, and turn the eye on by the dog in the middle. Notice that the second picture now appears in the story board.

11. Duplicate the second frame as you did in the previous step. Go to the "Layer" menu, and uncheck the picture of the dog in the middle, and turn the eye on by the dog at the top. Notice that there are now three different pictures in the story board.

12. Decide how fast you want each picture to change. Adjust the seconds by clicking on the arrow at the lower right hand corner of each image in the storyboard.

13. Go to "File" and then "Save for web". A new menu will pop up, and you can save your image (as a gif file) by clicking the "Save" link and naming the new file.

Make Moving Icons For Deviantart

Make Moving Icons for Deviantart

Deviantart is a website designed for artists to host their original artwork. The site generally has a large number of artists who contribute anime (Japanese cartoons) artwork. There are categories for other types of artwork as well, such as moving icons. Moving icons can also referred to as emoticons. They are usually added to a Deviantart profile to help identify an account so one can associate an icon with a specific artist.

Instructions

1. Find an animation program you'd like to use to make your moving icon for Deviantart.

2. Try Flash (there is a link to this program's website in the Resources section). Flash is an expensive animation program made by Adobe. This company also makes the popular image-editing program Photoshop. Adobe Flash has plenty of tools to help you make moving icons. One of its best features is the ability to import and use many picture and movie formats to make your moving icon.

3. Try Pencil (download link available in the Resources section). Pencil is a free, open-source animation program. Use pencil to develop and export your animated icon as a GIF image format and then upload it to Deviantart.

4. Try Toonboom (there is a link to this program's website in the Resources). Toonboom is a little less expensive than Adobe Flash. It is made by a studio out of Canada and has won many awards. Toonboom offers a virtual camera feature that allows you to view your moving icon from multiple angles should you want to make it a 3D moving icon for Deviantart.

Make Moulds For Sculptures

Turn your clay pot into a metal one with a sculpture mould.

Clay moulds are a common way to prepare a final, finished metal sculpture. Artists often make a sculpture from clay or wax which they then use as a model to create a sturdy bronze, iron or concrete sculpture. Create the item with clay, and then use moulds to copy and pour the metal into to form the final sculpture.

Instructions

1. Cut a 1-inch thick slab of clay and separate it into multiple 1-inch thick bands using a utility knife. Smooth Vaseline onto one side of the sculpture, such as the front or the back. Lay strips of clay onto the Vaseline-covered side to form a retaining wall that protects the covered side from the liquid plaster mould. Sit the clay retaining wall on a flat surface for a few hours to dry.

2. Spread a drop cloth onto the floor to protect it from the liquid plaster. Pour plaster of Paris or other liquid plaster into a bowl. Tap the sides of the bowl to remove bubbles from the liquid plaster. Use a brush to paint the liquid plaster onto the uncovered portion of your clay sculpture. Cover the entire surface and allow the plaster to dry, which may take up to two hours.

3. After the plaster covered-side has dried, remove the retaining wall from the sculpture. Apply Vaseline to the uncovered side of the sculpture and to the exposed plaster. Repeat Step two, brushing liquid plaster onto the remaining sculpture surface. Allow it to dry completely.

4. Split the two sides apart by setting a wooden wedge on top of your sculpture at the spot where the two halves meet. Lightly tap the wedge with a hammer, carefully remove one half of the plaster mould at a time. Once removed, your plaster moulds will be ready to use for your final sculpture.

Make Moss Green Color

Moss green appears in nature as a muted shade of yellow green.

Moss green, a dark, yellow-green color, can warm up a cool room when you cover your walls with it. Soft blue is a striking complement to moss green, when decorating your home, because these two colors exist together in nature, such as the sky and forest. When mixing colors to make moss green or any color, a color chart comes in handy, showing you exactly which colors and what amounts to use for a particular result. Mix food coloring to make moss green for realistic appearing leaves on a cake, for example, or combine oil paints to create moss green nature scenes on canvas.

Instructions

House Paint

1. Add yellow to green paint to warm it up, creating a moss green for the walls of your home. In this way, you change the hue of the green to a warmer shade.

2. Practice making the moss green in a separate, small container rather than mixing a full batch. Add a little more yellow or green to get it just right.

3. Stir the paint well to get the full color. Using pen and paper, keep track of the proportions of yellow and green, in case you need to reproduce the exact shade.

Natural Dye

4. Collect 12 ounces of mullein leaves and flowers from the wild to make a natural moss green dye for clothing. Mullein plants grow two to seven feet tall, with yellow flowers in close clusters and thick, large leaves with a velvety texture.

5. Tear the mullein plants apart and put them in a net bag.

6. Fill a large pot with water, then add the net bag containing the plants.

7. Simmer the plants for 30 minutes to one hour. Remove the net bag and use the dye to color fabric or yarn moss green.

Paints

8. Mix thalo green with colors such as raw sienna, yellow ochre, burnt sienna or burnt umber, if you want a dull yellow green such as moss green, according to the late Helen Van Wyk, artist and former host of PBS Television's "Welcome to my Studio."

9. Use thalo green as opposed to other shades, because it offers the most versatility of the greens. A little goes a long way when mixing

10. Place the paint into small jars with lids until you are ready to use them on your canvas.

Food Coloring

11. Mix two parts violet color food coloring with three parts lemon yellow. This combination produces a moss green color which you can use to make icing for cake.

12. Combine red and blue food coloring if you do not have a violet color among the food coloring choices. Red and blue makes violet or purple.

13. Add orange one drop at a time if you have a leaf green color. A little orange dulls the green, turning it into moss green.

Ink

14. Using eydroppers, combine six parts cyan ink, six parts yellow and one part black ink into a small jar to get moss green. Cyan looks like a blue-green or teal color.

15. Add more yellow ink and less cyan to experiment with the intensity of moss green.

16. Use your moss green ink for pen and ink drawings or to fill a fountain pen.

Make Avatars With Photoshop

Make Avatars With Photoshop

If you belong to any online forum or group, you've probably seen avatars in action. These small pictures, graphical representations of people, usually yourself, can be an important part of your presence while posting and chatting online. Avatars often have to be a specific size to be compatible with specific software. Knowing make avatars with Photoshop ensures you can have an avatar for any situation.

Instructions

1. Create an avatar online. This can be done at many sites all over the Web. These sites allow you to cartoonize yourself by choosing hair, eyes and other facial features on a template. These avatars can then be saved to your computer for modification.

2. Choose an image for your avatar. You can use a cartoon image made online or a real photo of yourself. This image will have to be in a digital format, such as JPG, GIF, TIF or PNG, and be able to be opened by Photoshop. If you have a hard copy of an image, you will need to scan it into your computer.

3. Open your digital image file in Photoshop. You can do this by either opening Photoshop and selecting the file from within the program or just double-clicking on the image itself.

4. Decide on the size of the avatar you will create with Photoshop. Most avatars don't exceed 100 pixels by 100 pixels. Check your forum or software's specifications for avatars.

5. Choose the entire image as your avatar or just a portion. If you to use a specific frame as your avatar, use the Crop tool to select that portion and crop it.

6. Resize your image using the Image size selector found in Photoshop under the Image menu. Choose the correct size and save your file as needed. Most avatars are JPG or GIF formatted. Upload your avatar to the site or software, or use an image hosting site to save it for later use.

Make Monster Puppet Effects

Puppets and models can be used for monster effects in films.

Before digital effects, filmmakers had to rely on practical effects, such as puppetry and stop-motion animation. While these effects have been replaced or augmented by computer-generated imagery (CGI) in mainstream filmmaking, they are still viable options for low-budget and independent filmmakers. In fact, a critical backlash against too much CGI use has prompted some filmmakers, including Guillermo del Toro ("Hellboy," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" and "Pan's Labyrinth") and Garth Jennings ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), to use more practical effects and puppetry in their films. Monsters can be created as stop-motion elements or practical puppets to increase production value on smaller films.

Instructions

1. Build stop-motion models. The development of these will take time and expertise, but there are still independent production houses that do it. The process begins with metal work, building an armature that can be manipulated but set in a specific pose. The next step is to encase the armature in a clay mold that represents the monster. After the model is sculpted and painted, it will be animated frame-by-frame using a digital still camera to take the pictures.

2. Cast models in latex. To achieve a realistic flesh appearance, a soft material, such as latex foam, is used. This involves first making a clay model of the puppet, then taking a plaster mold of this. Finally, latex is poured into the plastic mold to cast the puppet itself. This can then be painted and manipulated to look organic and realistic.

3. Hide movable elements. While remote control armatures are available for manipulating monster puppets, it is often more practical to use a simpler device. The outer skin of the puppet, such as the neck of a snake, can hide a puppeteer's hand which performs an organic movement. Similarly, larger puppets can encase an entire puppeteer to animate the movement in real-time, similar to Guillermo del Toro's use of Doug Jones in the "Hellboy" movies.

4. Use KY Jelly for slime effects. The look of latex may appear like skin, but when it is dry, it does not appear organic. Often, special effects technicians will use lubricant to give their puppets and models a natural look. In John Carpenter's classic horror film "The Thing," Rob Bottin used copious amounts of KY Jelly to produce slime in his ground-breaking effects.

5. Take advantage of post-production effects. While major motion pictures have millions of dollars to spend on digital manipulation, there are some programs that are affordable and usable by amateur filmmakers. Post-production effect programs, like Adobe After Effects, can add extra enhancements to practical effects to make them more effective.

Make Money With A Vinyl Cutter

Vinyl cutters produce images that can be applied to almost any flat surface.

Making money with a vinyl cutter can be done in many ways. Vinyl cutters, also called vinyl plotters or sign cutters, cut computer-generated shapes, designs and letters from sheet material for use in retail, commercial and industrial applications. When vinyl cutters were introduced in the early 1980s, they were initially used for signage and vehicle markings. With advances in material engineering, items produced with vinyl cutters have created new market niches for business persons with a creative streak and marketing savvy.

Instructions

1. Make a list of all the products that can be produced with your vinyl cutter. Ideas may include: sign lettering and graphics, product marking and decoration, T-shirts, sandblasting masks, airbrush and decorative paint friskets, decals, automotive pin-striping and others.

2. Make another list of individuals and businesses who would benefit from your products. Sandblast companies, painters, airbrush artists, automotive specialty shops and dealers, home decorators and sports, pet and hobby enthusiasts are prime customers for vinyl cut products.

3. Decide which vinyl cutter products you prefer to produce and the markets you feel most comfortable with. Machine size and specifications will help dictate the products you'll produce. Inexpensive machines may have a difficult time cutting small decals with intricate details. Small-format machines are limited to the size of decals they can produce. Other machines may not have sufficient cutting power to handle thick materials, such as specialty vinyls and sandblast masks.

4. Do a trial run of products, keeping track of time and materials, and develop a price list for your products based on cost plus a markup percentage. If you are selling raw vinyl cut decals, sandblast masks or paint friskets, your price will be based on material square inches or feet. If you will install your products, figure travel and installation time estimates.

5. Develop a marketing strategy and distribute business cards, fliers, brochures and product samples to prospective customers telling them about your vinyl cutting capabilities and products. Exhibit your products and capabilities at trade shows, swap meets, fairs, flea markets and other community gatherings.

Make Lightsaber Sounds For A Video

You just finished creating an amazing lightsaber effect for your video, but there's a problem. There's no lightsaber sound. Adding that sound gives your effect the final polish it needs to be perfect, and is easily done.

Instructions

1. Go to a site like MediaCollege.com and download several of the lightsaber sound files it has listed.

2. Open whichever video editor you are using, such as Movie Maker or Premiere Pro, and then open the file containing your video, assuming that you have already edited it and placed it in the timeline.

3. Go to the "Import" function in your editor, and import the lightsaber sound files into the bin.

4. Click on each lightsaber sound to find a version you want to use for your scene. Depending on how long your scene is, you may need more than one.

5. Drag the lightsaber sound (or sounds) to the timeline, and place it in one of the audio tracks above the video where you want it to be. You may need to use the timeline editing tools to trim or lengthen it. You may also decide that it plays too loud, in which case you will click on the audio track and reduce the decibel level.

Make An Animation With Paper

Make an Animation With Paper

A simple activity for budding young artists is to make an animation with paper. Using simple stop motion techniques, you can make cartoons with the illusion of motion. If you plan to be a cartoonist one day, this is excellent practice to hone your skills.

Instructions

1. Purchase a small pad of paper. Large pads are harder to flip, so small pads work better for beginners. 3 inch by 3-inch sticky note pads are ideal for this type of animation.

2. Draw a simple object such as a ball on the bottom left corner of the top page. Flip the page.

3. Recreate the identical object on the second page, but move it slightly. For example, to bounce the ball up and down, show the ball 2 centimeters lower and 1 centimeter to the right from where it started. Continue in this fashion, moving the image slowly across the pages. Move no more than 3 centimeters on every page.

4. Add lines to show motion, such as the bounce of the ball or the rush of wind next to it.

5. Move the object by grasping the lower edge of the pad of paper and flipping through them quickly from front to back. You will see the cartoon motion of the ball as it bounces through the pages. To make the ball bounce backward, flip from back to front.

Make Metal Wire Art Wall Sculptures

Inspirational wire patterns are found everywhere.

Simple or complex, exotic or familiar, sculptures are highly individualized pieces of artwork that allow their creator to make a statement about the way he sees the world. Working with metal wire is an ideal way to make one-of-a-kind masterpieces. The wire is flexible and can normally be bent repeatedly until it looks "just right." Most metal wire is inexpensive, allowing the artist the luxury of making mistakes without having to replace costly material. Wire can be screwed, glued, stapled or welded together to give different looks to each piece. It can lie flat against a wall or jut out in three-dimensional fashion.

Instructions

1. Define your metal wire medium. Material choices range from common metals such as steel, iron, copper and zinc to more exotic and valuable metals such as gold, silver and platinum. The warm, bright red of copper might be matched with the coldness of black iron and the mellowness of yellow gold.

2. Choose the gauge, or thickness, of the wire you will use. Wire comes in diameter sizes that range from finer than human hair to an inch thick or more.

3. Pick a style for the sculpture. It can be free-standing wire with no other materials except for the attachment point to the wall, or it can be placed against and around a structural anchor such as a wooden base or backing, or a stone bottom with the wire inserted into the stone.

4. Find a shape or pattern that interests you and play around with it to see what modifications you can make that creates an attractive shape. Shape the wires to repeat the pattern or perhaps to contrast against it.

5. Use the wire to encourage the passing eye to follow a flow that leads to a surprise, or an unexpected turn that then leads somewhere else.

6. Add material as you desire to create a look. Wood and stone are rustic and imply a back-to-nature look, while plastics and shaped metals create a more urban, industrial look.

Make Metal Sculptures

Braze together metal pieces to create a sculpture.

Making sculptures out of metal is possible with new and old metal. Visiting the local scrap yard will provide a wide choice of discarded metal, such as engine parts. You can find unique and cheaper pieces at these yards, and a visit to one even might give you inspiration for a design. Scrap-yard metals require more work since they will have to be cleaned to remove loose rust and grime versus buying brand new at a local hardware store.

Instructions

Preparation

1. Determine the type of metal sculpture you want to create, such as an abstract or real-life.

2. Sketch out thumbnail design ideas. Select the best one and make adjustments as needed.

3. Determine what type of metal pieces are needed to create the design such as big, little, thick, flat or round. Locate the pieces from a hardware store, scrap yard, flea market or around the house.

4. Clean up any scrap metal you plan to use to remove loose pieces and grime.

Assemble

5. Determine assemble metal pieces by experimenting with different arrangements. Do not be afraid to change the design if a better compositional arrangement is found.

6. Secure pieces with clamps. Use safety precautions such as wearing goggles, gloves and working in a well-ventilated area. Permanently attach pieces by brazing.

7. Start brazing by fluxing sides that will be joined. Heat the area between metal pieces to the same temperature and place a filler rod on the heated sides. Allow the filler rod to melt. Remove any leftover flux with hot water.

8. Let sculpture cool and remove clamps. Smooth out any rough edges by sanding or grinding. Apply sealer/finisher to add a polished finish.

Find Out How Much A Signed First Edition Is Worth

Signed first editions of books are generally more valuable than unsigned editions or later releases. Find their value online by visiting abebooks.com, amazon.com or eBay.com, or by getting a professional appraisal by a local book dealer. Handwriting experts can verify the signature.

Instructions

Finding Rare Book Values

1. Visit the Advanced Book Exchange at abebooks.com to find out how much your signed first edition sells for. The website has a high percentage of reputable, experienced sellers who describe their first editions in detail. Compare your book carefully to the descriptions of it found on the website if you are wondering if your book is authentic. Often, minor details about a book distinguish it as a true first edition. Abebooks.com can tell you what dealers are asking for the book, but not what the book has actually sold for in the past.

2. Research the book at eBay.com. Sellers there almost always post a picture of the book, or multiple pictures, unlike many other book selling sites, and these photos can tell you within a few moments if you have the same book. Most important will be a picture of the signature. Compare it carefully to the one in your book to judge whether or not it is authentic. A "completed auctions" search at eBay will tell you what the book actually sold for, not just what a dealer is asking for it. Recognize, though, that the sales price will vary depending on the condition of the book and, sometimes, competition between bidders.

3. Look at Amazon.com to see how many copies of the book are now for sale and the price. By comparing these prices to the ones at Abebooks and eBay, you will get a good sense of the price range and the market.

4. Search Bookfinder.com, a service that searches many different book databases to find comparative prices. The more comparable items you can see, the more accurate your price estimate will be.

5. Visit an antiquarian or rare book shop in your area. Call first to set up an appointment. If you want the book appraised, there will be a fee, sometimes as much as $100.00 per hour (see Resources). The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America has a vigorous ethics policy for booksellers and appraisers and will let you search for a reputable shop in your area at abaa.org/. For sellers to join they must be sponsored by reputable dealers, and make it through a tough application process (see Resources).

6. Consult a forensic handwriting expert only if the signature has the potential to be extremely valuable. Professionals are certified by the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners, and can be located through the Find an Expert link at abfde.org. Costs could run as much as $55.00.

Make Your Own Paper Embosser

The motion of a stapler makes it a natural for adapting to an embosser.

Create your own embosser and you create a world of paper possibilities. Take ordinary objects and turn them into embossers with your name, initials or your favorite design. Use your embosser in cards, scrapbooking or to mark items as your own such as books and stationery. Make several with various designs and give them as gifts to friends and family who scrapbook or make cards.

Instructions

1. Choose your embossed design. Look for elaborate coins, jewelry with your initials or charms, or interesting pieces of wood.

2. Apply a flat piece of metal the same size as your embossed design to the bottom arm of a stapler. Use construction adhesive to secure it into place.

3. Secure the design to the top arm of the stapler, where the staples would typically come out. Use construction adhesive and allow the stapler to dry overnight.

4. Insert a piece of paper into the stapler and press gently. Experiment with the pressure needed to emboss your design onto the paper without tearing through it.

Make Magic Greeting Cards

Sending greeting cards to your relatives, close friends and distant acquaintances is one way to show how you appreciate and care about them. We all love it when we find a greeting card in the mailbox on our birthday or other special occasion. Greeting cards come in all shapes and sizes. Some cards even play music when you open them. For that aspiring wizard or witch on your card list, you can create personalized greeting cards that are magical by using invisible ink that can only be read when exposed to strong light. Reach out to your loved one with a magic greeting card and put a smile on her face.

Instructions

1. Cut three or four fresh lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a clean, dry bowl. Remove any lemon seeds that go in the bowl with a fork and discard.

2. Fold one piece of white cardboard stock paper in half to create a greeting card. You can purchase white cardboard stock paper at any office supply store or large chain book store.

3. Dip a pen brush or small paint brush into the lemon juice and write your greeting in the inside of the card. Draw illustrations in the card as well if you want, making sure to re-coat your pen brush. Let the magic greeting card dry for about 30 minutes.

4. Write the directions on read the card on the back of the envelope. Your recipient has to expose the card to a strong light source in order to read it. For example: "Expose the card to strong sunlight or hold it 2 to 3 inches away from a light bulb to see the writing."

5. Repeat the above steps to make more magic greeting cards. Place the magic greeting card in the envelope and send it to your friend or loved one and wait to hear her reaction after reading your card.

Make Lion Tessellation

Tessellated images are stunning and often appear to be moving.

The word "tessellation" conjures different ideas in the mind of different people. Some people imagine geometric designs, while others envision more artistic patterns. While both of these ideas are correct, it is important to note that whether a tessellation is comprised of geometrical elements or other types of shapes, it must be a pattern that is stacked without spaces between designs, and completely repetitive. This type of art is used to create unique and visually stunning pieces. Animals have often been used as subjects for tessellation projects. Lions make regal and interesting patterns; however, this design is quite complicated to master.

Instructions

Sketching the Lion

1. Draw the first lion. This lion should be placed 1 inch from the top of the page, and 2 inches from the left side. The completed lion should measure 2 inches from the tip of the tail to the bottom of its back feet, and 2 inches from the top of its head to the bottom of its front two feet, as well as 2 inches across.

2. Draw the lion's back leg. It should measure 3/4 inches and slant slightly backwards. Add another leg a little to the right of the first one. The inside of this leg needs to curve upwards into an arch. The arch should measure 1 inch across and descend downwards to create one of the lion's front legs. Add another front leg to the right of the first one. Draw the lion's feet. These should be slightly round with a flat bottom. Note that every lion's feet will eventually be located on the top of another lion's back.

3. Extend the line of the very front leg upwards to create the lion's mane and face. The tessellated lion mane and head will fill up the cavity between the legs on the other lions, so closely examine the arch between the first lion's legs. Use it as a guide for the height and breadth of the lion's head.

4. Draw the lion's back. The back of the lion should be flat and long enough so that the surrounding lion's feet fit snugly on it. This area should measure approximately 1 inch. Extend the back so that there is a small tail. The end of the tail should be diamond-shaped. The hairy part of the lion's tail will be right up against the face of the lion beside it.

5. Sketch more lions; each individual lion should be similar in appearance to the one next to it. The exact shape and size must be replicated horizontally and vertically across the page. Use a clear ruler to make sure that the lions remain straight.

6. Add details. The lion's face should be comprised of a square jaw and a rounded edge that leads to his ear. His ear should be small and round. Don't forget that this is a side view. All facial details must be drawn in profile. Use a cross-hatching technique to color the mane. Remember that a lion's mane cascades across his shoulder area and descends to the top of his legs. Draw the lion's toes. Use small connected arches to represent his toes.

Make Lights Sound Activated

Sound activated light switches offer a safe, hands-free way to turn on a light.

There are many options available to assist with the simple task of turning lights on and off. One innovative way is to use sound activated switches. This allows users to turn the lights on or off with a simple snap of the fingers, clap of the hands or a spoken command. A typical light switch manually completes an electrical circuit to turn a light on and breaks that manual connection to turn the lights off. A sound activated switch uses sound waves instead of your finger to trigger the process.

Instructions

Plug In Switches

1. Turn off your light source and unplug it from the electrical outlet.

2. Plug the sound activated switch into the electrical outlet.

3. Plug your light source into the sound activated switch.

Hardwired Switches

4. Turn the circuit breaker off for the room you are working in. Verify that the power is off to the light source you will be working with by putting the switch in the "on" position.

5. Remove the cover plate of the wall mounted light switch if this is what you are replacing. For ceiling mounted sound activated switches, remove the cover and the mounting screws of the light fixture you are replacing.

6. Pull the switch or ceiling mount unit out of the box it was secured in.

7. Unscrew the terminal screws on the old light switch and clip the bare ends of the wire off. for ceiling mounted units unscrew the wire nuts on the old ceiling mounted light fixture.

8. Strip the cut wires back about 1/4 inch and attach them to the new sound activated wall-mount switch. For ceiling mounted sound activated switches, use new wire nuts to connect the existing wires to the pigtail wires on the switch.

9. Put the wall mounted switch or ceiling mounted switch into place and secure with the screws provided.

10. Turn the circuit breaker for that room back on and test the lights.

Make Money Drawing Caricatures

If you have a knack for drawing, you might want to consider using your artistic skills to generate revenues from customers and clients that require artistic work. Unlike the common cartoon or realistic drawing, a caricature is a type of drawing that exaggerates or distorts the physical qualities of a person or thing to emphasize an identifiable visual similarity between the drawing and the real thing. Caricature artists often use their artwork for comedic and satirical purposes. Politicians and celebrities are popular choices for caricature drawing, which are usually featured in newspapers and magazines. If you are a talented artist, you may be able to sell some of your drawings to individuals or companies looking for artwork.

Instructions

1. Gain an understanding of the framework and detail that goes into caricature drawing. Although each will be different, most are characterized by very large heads and small bodies. Purchase books on caricature drawing and keeping an eye out in newspapers and magazines for the types of drawing that these publications are looking for.

2. Set up a comfortable and well-equipped drawing area. You should have access to all drawing tools including pencils, paper, erasers and anything else you might need.

3. Consider learning use a specialized computer graphics program to draw your caricatures. Some artists take advantage of modern technology and draw their caricatures with graphic design software such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator rather than using old fashioned paper and pencil. Drawing with software will make it easier for you to display your work online and sell to website owners and online publications.

4. Build a portfolio. Work on drawing a series of caricature drawings that will help to display your unique skills to prospective clients. Try to vary your characters and their facial expressions. A good variety of caricature drawings will show prospective clients how versatile you can be in your artwork.

5. Set up a website. This is especially important if you plan to sell to online publications. Your website will act as your online portfolio and your point of contact with clients. You can also promote your website through social media or paid advertising online. You can accept payment via PayPal from online customers.

6. Work on building your clientele. A good way to start is through word of mouth. Create business cards and hand them out to your friends and family. Local business owners and local bands looking for artwork for advertising, posters or CD covers may be interested in your services. Consider cold calling local newspapers and magazines to ask them about opportunities for caricature drawing.

7. Attend local chamber meetings to network with others and continue to develop your caricature drawing skills. Study the work of other artists to continuously enhance your knowledge and skills of caricature drawing.

Make Kinetic Wind Spinners

A homemade kinetic wind spinner can be made within about a half hour and hung up outside from a tree branch, porch beam or other free-standing surface. When the wind catches it, it creates a beautiful blur of color as the spinner twirls around. Kinetic wind spinners are cheap to make because you can even use recycled materials from home. Here we are going to make a spinner out of a used plastic soda bottle.

Instructions

1. Remove the label from the soda bottle by using warm soapy water.

2. Cover the midsection of the bottle with horizontal rings of electrical tape. Alternate the colors and make sure each ring touches but does not overlap each other. Put at least 5 rings or more, if your taste desires.

3. Wrap the measuring tape around the top ring and place marks with the pen every three-fourths of an inch. Using an exacto knife, cut vertically through the tape and bottle from the top edge of the top ring to the bottom edge of the bottom ring at each ¾-inch marking.

4. Place the bottle upright on a table and push the bottle down from the top. When the middle sections flare out, pinch each ¾ inch piece in the middle to create a horizontal fold.

5. Twist and fold the bottom and top of each 3/4-inch section at a 45-degree angle ---all in the same direction---so that the sections are slightly twisted and able to catch wind.

6. Drill a small hole into the bottle cap. Unwind a wire paperclip and loop it through the bottom loop of the ball bearing swivel. Poke the paperclip into the hole in the top of the cap. Under the cap, twist the paperclip ends together and spread them out so that it provides an anchor for the ball bearing swivel on the outside of the cap.

7. Screw the cap onto the soda bottle. Tie a piece of string to the top of the ball bearing swivel and hang your spinner from a tree branch.

Make A House Of Mirrors

No funhouse is complete without a house of mirrors. Whether you are hosting a neighborhood carnival or are turning your home into a haunted house for Halloween, a house of mirrors is easy to install using inexpensive mirror substitutes. Mirror substitutes have more flexibility for creating distortion, are lightweight and easy to manage, and are safer because they are not easily broken like a mirror.

Instructions

1. Purchase a supply of mirror substitutes that is sufficient to cover all the walls and the ceiling of the space designated for the house of mirrors, plus a bit extra. Types of mirror substitutes include carnival mirror, a thin, plastic reflective material; Mylar, a chrome-like polyester film; and mirrored Plexiglass, a more rigid plastic reflective material.

2. Hang a combination of the mirror substitutes to completely cover the walls and ceiling. Place Plexiglass mirrors facing each other on opposite walls to create an effect of endless, repeated reflections in space. Hang Plexiglass by drilling holes in the corners and nailing it to the wall. Hang Mylar and carnival mirror with tape or tacks. Bend and wrinkle the Mylar and carnival mirror to create strange and surreal distortions of reflections.

3. Construct a few simple, freestanding cardboard or plywood panels. Make them freestanding by attaching cross bracing, perpendicular legs that lie flush with the floor at the bottom edge of the panels. Make the panels about the average height of a person. Cover the front of the panels with Mylar or carnival mirror and set them just in front of the walls to create a multi-dimensional effect.

4. Cut several small fragments of reflective Plexiglass using a jigsaw and glue them to a large foam sphere. Hang the sphere from the ceiling with fishing line to create a bewildering diffusion of light.

5. Cover other simple shapes, such as cardboard tubes, empty tissue boxes and foam cones in Mylar. Tack them randomly to the wall or hang them from the ceiling to add subtle mirrored accents to the house of mirrors.

6. Play creepy audio, such as murmuring voices or a horror film-type soundtrack with suspenseful crescendos and minor chords.

Make Kinetic Art

Make Kinetic Art

Kinetic art uses motion as its most significant dimension, including use of light and dark to bring constant change to the effect of the piece on the viewer. The sound of the moving parts adds an additional dimension, whether irritating and alarming or soothing and hypnotic. Each viewer experiences a different piece every passing moment. Kinetic art makes use of principles of physics such as balance, inertia and equal and opposite reactions as well.

Instructions

1. Gather a variety of found objects, particularly anything with hinges, gears, wires, flaps or slats. Sort them by material composition, size, color and shape.

2. Move and strike each object to see what sound it will make as it is in usee in your work. Note the mood that particular sound inspires.

3. Decide what type of kinetic sculpture you wish to create: mobile, stabile, balanced, gravity driven, chemical reaction powered, pivotal, Rube Goldberg, wind, solar, heat or hand powered. If planning a massive sculpture, check with local authorities to be sure your piece follows any applicable building or zoning codes.

4. Begin assembling your piece. If your piece will be a mobile, decide which objects will hang and which objects will serve as supports. Be sure that anything that is intended to strike something else makes the sound that pleases you and best fits the mood your piece is intended to convey. If it will be a stabile, which is a fixed piece in which light and dark, rather than positional change, provide the motion, decide best affix your piece to its intended site. If your piece is massive and balance driven, be sure that all heavy parts have adequate support in order to avoid injuring your viewers if something goes wrong.

5. Weld large pieces if necessary. Be sure to use a welding helmet and gloves. Solder is fine for smaller pieces where there is little or no risk of a part falling off and injuring someone. Use carriage bolts with acorn nuts rather than standard bolts with flat nuts, to minimize chances of someone being cut or scraped.

6. Use a file or a disk sander with emery paper to work away any burrs or other sharp edges when working with metal.

7. Place your piece where it can be enjoyed by the greatest number of viewers. Many communities provide grants to produce public art.

Make Kaleidoscope Pictures

Kaleidoscope image

"Kaleidoscope" is a Greek word for viewing something beautiful through an instrument. A kaleidoscope produces an image with eight points. The image may be made from paper using either a drawn or cut-out design to form the symmetrical pattern seen through the lens of a kaleidoscope. Some of the most beautiful kaleidoscope images are very complicated, with several shapes, sizes and colors of symmetrical designs.

Instructions

Procedure

1. Lightly draw a line dividing a sheet of construction paper in halves, both vertically and horizontally. Lightly draw a line dividing the paper diagonally from both sets of corners.

2. Draw or cut a symmetrical design and place it on the intersecting lines at the middle of the paper.

3. Draw or cut eight symmetrical designs. Place one on the same location on each of the eight lines radiating from the middle of the paper. Repeat this process until the lines are covered.

4. Draw or cut eight symmetrical designs to place in the same location in each of the eight pie-shaped spaces. Repeat this process until each area has the desired number of shapes in place.

Make Kaleidoscope Art

Make beautiful kaleidoscope art from simple materials.

Combine art and science with a simple, creative kaleidoscope project that not only puts on a beautiful show, but teaches you about the behavior of light. National Geographic Kids explains the phenomenon in straightforward terms. Light normally travels in a straight line but, when it reflects off an object such as the shiny plastic sheet on the inside of the kaleidoscope, the light bounces off the shiny objects and refracts straight back to give your eyes a fractalized view of the objects.

Instructions

1. Use a ruler and a thin marker to draw an 8-by-4-inch rectangle on a clear plastic projector sheet, then cut out the rectangle.

2. Draw two parallel lines lengthwise along the rectangle. Position the lines 1 1/3 inch apart from each other and from each end so that they are evenly spaced.

3. Fold the plastic along the lines, turning the two outside edges in to meet at a slanted mid-way point (don't fold them flat), to form the shape of a triangular tube. Connect the meeting point with a single strip of clear tape.

4. Cut a few inches off the end of a paper towel roll so that it equals the length of the triangular tube.

5. Cut a piece of plain white paper so that it wraps around and completely covers the paper towel roll. Decorate the paper with stickers, glitter or your own personal artwork. Tape the paper to the outside of the paper towel roll.

6. Place one of the circular ends of the paper towel tube on a piece of black construction paper and trace a circle on the paper. Cut out the circle and poke a small eye hole in the center with the scissors. Cut two more circles of the same size out of clear plastic sheets.

7. Cut a 1-inch-wide strip of thin cardboard long enough to wrap around the paper towel tube. Tape the strip together to form a circle. Glue one of the clear plastic circles to the bottom edge of the cardboard circle, to form a little cup.

8. Fill the cup with shiny, colorful and transparent items. You can use glitter, cut up pieces of colored transparent plastic and glass or plastic beads. Get creative mixing up the colors, shapes and sizes of the objects.

9. Place the colorful objects in the cup without overfilling it and glue the other clear circle on top to create a chamber. Wait for the glue to dry completely, then glue the chamber to the end of the tube.

10. Slide the plastic triangle into the tube and tape or glue the black construction paper circle over the end opposite the object-filled cup, without taping over the eye hole you punched into the circle. Aim the tube at a bright light, look through the hole and turn the tube to see your kaleidoscope art.

Make A Fred Flintstone Costume

Yaba Daba Doo! Fred Flintstone is the lovable, blustery cartoon character that has won the hearts of audiences for years. A Fred Flintstone costume is easy to make because stone age attire was simple by necessity. Make it a family affair with Wilma, Pebbles, Bam Bam, Barney and Betty. You are sure to impress everyone at your next costume party.

Instructions

Make a Fred Flintstone Costume

1. Shop thrift stores, yard sales or flea markets for a beige, brown, orange, or yellow sheet to make your Fred Flintstone costume. Check out the remnant bin at your local discount retailer or fabric shop to find an animal print material or solid earth tone materials with no pattern or design.

2. Fold the material in half and hold up next to the body to make sure there material to reach around you and cover from the neck to the knees.

3. Stitch the material together down one side and across the top using a sewing machine, or place seam tape between the material and press with a hot iron to secure the side and top seams.

4. Cut a neck and arm openings in the material, leaving the edges very jagged.

5. Try the costume on and have someone cut the bottom in a zigzag leaving the edges raw and jagged.

6. Cut another piece of material in a contrasting color with jagged edges to make a large tie that reaches almost to the bottom of Fred's costume.

7. Cut out felt triangles and stick on the costume using seam tape, or just draw big triangles on the material with a permanent black marker.

Make Fred's Car

8. Find and old wheelchair to make Fred's stone age car, which runs on the power of Fred's feet.

9. Use lightweight wood or heavy cardboard and cut out four circles for the wheels. Cover the circles with gray or brown material to resemble stone wheels. Attach one to each big wheel of the chair. Glue a dowel rod between the other two wheels to hold them apart.

10. Cut out two short and two long pieces of wood or heavy cardboard and cover with dark brown material or paint to resemble logs. Glue one short log to the dowel rod separating the two front wheels. Glue the other short "log" to the back of the wheelchair to make it look like it is holding the back wheels apart. Glue a long "log" down each side of the wheel chair between connecting the front wheels to the back wheels.

11. Use heavy cardboard to make a frame for the back and top of Fred's car. Cover the car top with an old brown towel to resemble rawhide material. Cut a "window" in the back of the material.

12. Attach a dowel rod to each arm of the chair and glue a cardboard "log" across them to keep them upright.

13. Cut out a small cardboard circle for the steering wheel and glue it to the log.

Make Fake Rocks & Tree Limbs

Build fake trees as decorative props.

When creating props for any reason, you have to choose between believability and expense. The more believable the items you create, the more expensive they'll be. This is especially true when making natural objects such as rocks and tree limbs. Making an exact replica can involve days of careful construction and painting, but making a fake rock or tree limb that looks realistic from a distance, such as on a stage, can be done more affordably.

Instructions

Fake Rock

1. Put on a pair of work gloves to protect your hands. Using wire cutters, cut a piece of chicken wire large enough to shape your fake rock. Use your hands to bend the chicken wire into a semi-circular ball that looks roughly rock-like, with the edges of the chicken wire meeting. Use a pair of pliers to twist the ends of the wire together to bind the wire into the circular rock-like shape.

2. Use a pair of scissors to cut a newspaper into 2-inch-wide strips. Spread a mix of two parts art paste and one part warm water onto the strips with a paintbrush to the point of saturation, then place the wet strips over the chicken wire rock to create a skin. Overlap the newspaper strip edges about 1/2-inch and build the rock skin using two layers of the paper, with the second layer placed so that it crosses the first at 90-degree angles. Allow the rock to dry for about an hour.

3. Use a rotary cutter to cut fiberglass cloth into 2-inch-wide, 8-inch-long strips. Mix a batch of two-part epoxy resin in a cup with a wooden stir stick, following the manufacturer's instructions for component mixing ratios. Lay a strip of the fiberglass cloth over the newspaper surface and spread a layer of resin over the fiberglass using a craft stick. The resin fills the pores of the cloth so that it sticks to the newspaper, while creating rock-like crevices due to the natural folds made while spreading the resin. Cover the rock with the fiberglass cloth, and wait 24 hours for the resin to cure.

4. Put on a face mask and safety goggles to protect yourself from fiberglass particles. Use a folded piece of fine-grit sandpaper to sand smooth the seams between fiberglass strips. Wipe the surface clear of any residue with a clean damp cloth.

5. Apply a layer of brown latex paint to the rock with a paintbrush to serve as a basecoat. Wait about two hours drying time, then wash the rock with diluted latex paint to increase the natural appearance. Use a mix of one part paint to nine parts paint thinner to create the wash. Use a reference photo of the type of rock you wish to simulate to choose a color for the wash. Pick a color that most closely resembles the color displayed in the photo, dilute, and then brush the diluted mixture over the rock's surface.

6. Wait two hours for the rock to dry. Cover the fake rock with matte clear-coat spray to protect the paint. Dry the clear-coat overnight before touching the rock.

Tree Limbs

7. Snip off twisted ends of metal coat hangers with a pair of wire cutters. Wrap the cut ends together with duct tape to keep the ends from separating or creating a cutting hazard. Use the wires to form the armature of the tree limbs by bending the wires into the limb shapes you wish.

8. Spread the art paste mix onto more newspaper strips with the paintbrush to saturate them, and then wrap the limb shapes with the newspaper strips to create the main body of the tree limbs. Use two or three layers of newspaper with each layer crossing over the one placed beneath, and then dry the limbs for an hour.

9. Tape small paper tubes to the limbs using the duct tape to simulate twigs over the limbs. Paint the limbs and twigs with the brown paint. Allow the paint to dry for two hours.

10. Cover the branches in plastic leaves, using white craft glue to glue the leaves in place. Use a reference photo of a tree to guide you in leaf placement so that you create a limb with natural appearing foliage. Allow the limb to dry overnight before touching.

Make Icons In Paint

An icon is a small graphic that Windows and many other operating systems use to represent files. You can also set custom icons to shortcuts, folders, website links and other file types. Your computer has plenty of applications that may have one or more usable icons. If you do not find any of these icons appealing, you can make your icon by drawing it in Microsoft Paint and saving it as file with the ".ico" extension.

Instructions

For Windows 7 Users

1. Click the "Start" button located on the taskbar and type "mspaint" on the search bar. Press the "Enter" key to load Microsoft Paint.

2. Click the dark blue button found left of the "Home" tab and select "Properties." Set the "Width" and "Height" values to match your desired icon size in pixels. (See the Tips section below to learn more about standard icon sizes.) Click the "OK" button to let Microsoft Paint resize the canvas.

3. Click the "Home" tab and then click on the "Magnifier" in the "Tools" group. Click anywhere on the canvas to increase the zoom level. Keep clicking until the canvas nearly fills up your window.

4. Use the other tools found in the "Tools" group to make your icon. Click on any of the available colors in the "Colors" group to set the active color of the selected tool. Draw or paint on the canvas by using the left mouse button.

5. Click the blue menu button again and choose "Save as." Set the file name to any name you wish and add ".ico" (without quotes) next to it. Set the "Save as type" box to "24-bit Bitmap" so Microsoft Paint properly saves the file as an icon. Click the "Save" button to save the icon in the current folder.

For Windows Vista and Older Windows Users

6. Click the Start button and go to "Run." Type "mspaint" and click the "OK" button. If you are using Windows Vista, type "mspaint" in the search box and press "Enter."

7. Go to the "Image" menu on the top of the Microsoft Paint window and click "Choose Attributes." Fill in the text boxes that represent the desired dimensions of your icon and click "OK" to commit the changes. See the tips section below if you need help with the proper dimensions.

8. Click the magnifying glass icon on the toolbox and place the mouse cursor over the canvas. Keep clicking the left mouse button until the view zooms in to large view, where you can still see the entire canvas.

9. Draw on the canvas using any of the drawing and paint tools found on the left toolbox. Click on any of the colors on the bottom color palette to link the color to the tool.

10. Click on the "File" menu and select "Save as" to bring up the standard Save dialog. Type any file name that you wish in the corresponding text box and add ".ico" as a suffix so Windows recognizes it as an icon. Change the "Save as type" box to "24-bit Bitmap" and click "Save" to create the icon in the present location.

Make Crayons With Crayon Bits

Make new crayons by recycling broken crayon pieces.

Making crayons with crayon bits is a practical way of recycling crayons that have been broken or worn down from use. Rather than throwing out the crayon bits, they are melted into new shapes. Older children enjoy making these new crayons as a craft project. Young children can also help make these and find them to be easier to use than their original size.

Instructions

1. Slice the outer paper of the crayons lengthwise with the craft knife. Peel off the papers from all the crayon bits.

2. Break up the crayon bits into small enough pieces to fit in the muffin pan. Pieces no longer than 1 inch in length work best.

3. Preheat the oven to 265 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Arrange the crayon bits into the muffin pan as desired, such as all green or red colors together, mixed colors or in color families. Fill the individual pans to the top for large crayons or halfway to make smaller crayons.

5. Place the muffin pan into the heated oven for approximately 6 minutes or until the crayon shapes have disappeared. Over-baking makes the colors blend too much.

6. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and allow the crayons to cool for 30 to 60 minutes or until solid.

7. Freeze the crayons in the refrigerator's freezer section for 30 minutes. This helps them to pop out of the muffin pan more easily.

8. Turn the muffin pan upside down and tap on its bottom until the crayons fall out.

Make Homemade Stencils

Used to decorate walls, floors, boxes and fabric, stencils are the best way to transfer accurately repeated designs to any surface that can be painted. Some of the first stencils made can be traced back to cave paintings in 30,000 B.C. Some of the earliest methods of stenciling included pushing vegetable dyes through cut leaves to decorate bark cloth. Craftsmen, designers and artists use stencils to beautify rooms, create heirlooms and quickly paint repeated patterns onto canvases or wood panels.

Instructions

1. Photocopy your chosen design to the size you desire if you need it to be larger.

2. Color the entire backside of your design using the side of the colored chalk.

3. Place your design face up on the card stock, or heavy paper, and trace the design with a pencil.

4. Cut the design out with the cutting blade, leaving a blank area which is now your stencil.

5. Tape or hold the stencil in place on the surface you wish to paint so it does not move as you paint in the image using a brush.

Make Homemade Crazy Hats

Instructions

1. Lay out three sheets of newspaper. Spread them out so all but 6 inches of each sheet overlap. Roll them into a cylinder or cone which will fit snugly around your head. Secure the cone by wrapping masking tape around it. This is the crown of your hat.

2. Shape your hat as desired. You can leave a cylinder straight for a tall top hat. Bend a cone into a zigzag for a spooky witch hat. To make a cowboy hat cut the crown down to 10 inches and fold the sides in. Tape the crease you made together on the inside.

3. Lay out three more sheets of newspaper on top of each other. Place the crown of your hat in the center of the paper and trace around it. Remove the crown and draw a smaller circle 1/4 inch in from this circle.

4. Cut an "X" in the center of the paper. The ends of the cut should just reach the inner circle. Make eight more cuts from the center of the paper to the inner circle to cut the center into wedges. This is the brim of your hat.

5. Push the crown of your hat through the circle and secure it by taping the wedges of the circle to the crown. Tape around the base of the crown and around the top of the cut out wedges. You now have a hat with a large, square, floppy brim.

6. Roll the brim of your hat in on all sides until you are pleased with the effect. If you want a small brim you may cut the brim before you roll it, but you must roll the brim to make it hold its shape. Hold the rolled brim together with strips of masking tape.

Make Silly Hats

Kids love goofy, silly things, and making a silly hat is a fun, rainy-day project that can be created from minimal supplies. Grab some yarn, a package of googly eyes and craft pom-poms, and you can whip up some silly hats in about an hour. Get creative, and let the kids experiment with different-colored pom-poms once they have the hang of the craft objectives. Have a contest, and see who can make the silliest hat. Making silly hats is a fun school or Sunday school project as well.

Instructions

Silly Face Baseball Cap

1. Cut 100 ten-inch pieces of red yarn with the scissors.

2. Poke the red yarn through the holes of the mesh fabric on the back and sides of the cap in a random pattern, and tie each piece in a knot inside the cap so that the yarn can't come out through the mesh. Tie the yarn in a knot on top of the hat so it can't slip out through the inside.

3. Glue two googly eyes to the outside front of the cap in the "eye" spots (not on the brim).

4. Glue the large red craft pom-pom between the googly eyes. This is a nose.

5. Draw a mouth on the brim of the hat. It can be a smile (half C) or a surprised mouth (capital O) or any type of mouth you want to draw.

Goofy Eyes Knit Hat

6. Stretch the knit hat over the ball or balloon to give it a head shape so you can work with the hat more easily.

7. Use the glue gun to glue googly eyes to 30 to 50 white craft pom-poms.

8. Glue the craft pom-poms all over the knit cap in a random pattern spaced at least 1 to 2 inches apart so that the knit hat is covered with the white pom-poms with googly eyes.

Make Silhouettes Of Children

Making silhouettes has been an art for centuries. Making a silhouette of a child's profile is a fun gift to share with family. A silhouette is an easy craft and uses few supplies. Traditional silhouettes are black on a white background. Change the paper used to fit any décor or style. The traditional silhouette hangs on the wall in a frame.

Instructions

1. Sit the child in a chair a few feet from a wall. Have the child facing sideways so his or her profile parallels the wall.

2. Tape a piece of white paper to the wall behind the child's head.

3. Place a lamp next to the child so the light will cause a profile shadow on the paper. Adjust the position of the child or the lamp until a clear shadow appears.

4. Trace the shadow onto the white piece of paper with a pencil.

5. Cut along the pencil tracing to make a pattern for the silhouette.

6. Use the pattern to trace the silhouette onto the solid-colored piece of paper. Cut the silhouette out.

7. Place the silhouette centered on the last piece of paper. This paper may be solid or patterned and will serve as the mounting paper. Use glue stick to adhere the silhouette to the paper.

8. Frame the silhouette and give as a gift or hang on the wall.

Make A Paper Orchid

Paper orchids add elegance to a gift-wrapped present.

When wrapping a gift, add decorations that make the present look more artistic and creative, such as bows and paper flowers. Although you can buy paper flowers from a card shop or department store, they often only have a few generic types of flowers. If you want to make an exotic paper flower, such as an orchid, you can do so using a few basic craft materials.

Instructions

1. Paint a sheet of card stock using pink and purple acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry completely.

2. Cut out four 3-inch circles from the card stock.

3. Cut out three 1-inch circles from the card stock.

4. Glue the three smaller circles together into a triangular formation.

5. Glue the four larger circles together into a square formation.

6. Glue the smaller formation to the middle of the larger formation. Allow the glue to dry completely.

7. Add detailing onto the orchid, such as yellow pollen or streaks on the petals, using colored pencils.

Identify A German Art Genre

The city of Vienna, Austria has many examples of Biedermeier architecture.

In the art world, the term "genre" refers to paintings that depict everyday life in a naturalistic manner. Genre paintings became popular in the 17th century and often included aspects of peasant life, domestic activities, and common scenes in taverns and markets. In Germany, genre works flourished between 1815 and 1840, the period in which the "Biedermeier" style developed. This style, like genre painting, was closely associated with the new middle-class bourgeois culture that developed in Germany as a result of the growing urbanization and industrialization, and it can be seen the works of German painters and architects of the era.

Instructions

1. Look for genre paintings of the early 19th century that exhibit a firm control of light, shadow, and detail, and portray small town activities. Biedermeier art reinforced themes of security and simplicity, and was exemplified in the paintings of Carl Spitzweg, as in his paintings "The Poor Poet" and "Landesvaterbesuch." He chose provincial subjects, depicting the "human comedy" in a frank, realistic manner. He painted ordinary people going about their daily lives and included even the most prosaic details.

2. Recognize the highly functional yet elegant style of Biedermeier architecture, exemplified by the Stadttempel in Vienna, Austria. This architectural style can also be seen in the Spittelberg quarter of Vienna, where the houses have flat facades and little ornamentation, but are quite picturesque nonetheless.

3. Research the furniture in the Biedermeier style, represented by the work of Josef Danhauser. This style of furniture was highly utilitarian and functional, made in the cheaper cherry, ash and oak woods rather than mahogany. Seen as a rebellion against the ornate furniture of the Romantic era, German furniture emphasized clean lines and a lack of decoration.

4. Study the paintings of Joseph Anton Koch, Franz von Lenbach, and Carl Spitzweg, and notice how they set the stage for the Expressionists of the 20th century by dealing with issues of identity, tradition, and rebellion. Examine Spitzweg's painting "Scholar of Natural Sciences," Lenbach's "Bavarian Peasant Girl," and Koch's "Landscape with Ruth and Boaz." Notice how the scenes, whether depicting a chore or portrait, are unvarnished and free of ideals or heroisms. These works of art satisfied a political energy of the time across Europe.