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The Soul of Painting -- Themes

Are you an art buff? Well, if you are, you and millions of other individuals
surely don't prefer the same style of painting. Each individual has his or her
own yaste in art. A person who likes abstract painting may not like gothic
painting. Water color and oil painting are very much different and so, you may
not like them both. People are like this because of the soul of the painting --

Each painting has a distinct theme. In fact, theme is considered of primary
importance in each art piece including paintings. It is the painting's life and
therefore an essential element. If you can tell the theme of a particular
painting, you can easily pinpoint how and why it was created. But of course,
this will take time and expertise.

If you want to paint, make sure that you establish first the theme of your
painting. Otherwise, your painting will be lifeless. You can choose among these
various themes -- animal figures, gods, goddesses, mythology, romance, nature,
court scenes, folk lore, literature, and many others. It's really up to you to
choose. You see, painting themes are based from imagination and real life. Make
sure that you choose one that you're really interested in and can put it into

If you like nature paintings, your theme may be landscapes, skyscapes,
seascapes, riverscapes, and many others. Suppose you choose landscapes. You can
do abstract paintings of the landscapes, acrylic painting, American painting,
oil paintings, Chinese paintings, watercolor, urban paintings, romantic
landscapes, renaissance, and so on. If you made an oil painting of the
landscapes, you can still create sub-themes.

Some painters base their themes according to the medium they use. You can use
watercolor, oil, ink, pastel colors, and other naturally obtained colors. Based
on the medium you're using, you can do elephant, cats, or camel paintings or
whatever it is that you desire.

It is believed that humans have souls and without the souls, man will cease to
exist. This too can used to explain the themes of paintings. Without a theme,
your painting will be lifeless. It will be in disarray and no one can
appreciate it. Paintings come into life if you use the right medium and the
right theme. This should be your first task as a painter.

Art admirers are always on the hunt for beautiful and meaningful paintings. As
mentioned earlier, each individual has his or her own art preference. But
despite this fact, the theme is still of great value for art admirers. Without
a theme, art admirers will not be able to choose a particular work of art.

There are many resources online that you can use to help you in establishing a
painting theme. New painters should also do some research about painting -- how
painting started, its evolution, the famous paintings, and many other helpful
information. This wills serve as your guide as you start your painting
sessions. Some individuals even enroll in painting schools to learn the basics
of painting.

You too can enroll in painting classes to enhance your talent. Painting as a
career is not a very easy task. You have to learn many things so that other
people can appreciate your work. But there are also those who find painting a
great hobby. It helps them to ease tension after a hard day's work. Whatever
your reasons are, just continue what you're doing. Who knows, you may be the
next Da Vinci or Michelangelo.

Important Information on Paintings for Would Be Painters

prehistoric people look lively and fresh.

colorfulness of the entire surroundings served as man's inspiration to recreate

outstanding artists were considered phenomenal. Great painters included
different styles as shown on their paintings.

Here are the recognized painting styles -- Fauvism, Constructivism, Abstract
Impressionism, Marbling, Mannerism, Modernism, Minimalism, Neoclassicism,
Wood Graining, and Theorem.

travel to India, try to visit Bihar and Mithila's Madhubani paintings,
Maharashtra's Warli paintings, Orissa's Pata Chitra, and Rajasthan's Phad
many painting art works that you can check out.

Whether you're a painter or simply an art lover, you will surely find peace and
paintings if you know a true work of art. Sometimes, it's quite hard to
understand the meaning of paintings. For instance, not all individuals
appreciate an abstract painting. It will depend on the individual's taste and

Some people love to collect paintings. It can add to your home's beauty and
you're really into painting, perhaps you might want to try it on your own. Find
a suitable medium and work on your own painting.

Paintings are already part of human existence. People should learn to
developed and evolved for thousands of years.

Oil Painting -- To Collect or to Invest?

There are many styles and techniques used in painting. Painters also use a
variety of media like pastel colors, water colors, natural colors, oil, and
many others. You can paint in any surface such as rocks, walls, cardboard,
canvas, paper, and lots more. However, there are only a few valuable paintings
that exist and among them are oil paintings. At present, you can still find
original classic paintings done by famous painters.

Precious oil paintings can be found in private collections and museums and
these original classics are worth millions. Museums are the perfect place to
see these art works and you can always visit them during their business hours.
Private collectors on the other hand are sometimes hard to find. But with the
use of the internet, you can get in touch with them online. There are different
reasons why some people collect art works. It can be for investment purposes or
for personal enjoyment. Whatever the reason, you too can start collecting or
investing on oil paintings.

Original paintings are very expensive but now you can purchase oil paintings
that are a replica of the original ones. Now, this is a more affordable way to
collect some of your favorite paintings. At present, there are many big
companies that sell reproductions of the original paintings. The company simply
asks the customers of the painting that they want to purchase. The company then
commissions a skilled oil painter to do the work for them. The customer can
choose the material and size of the painting. Aside from the famous original
classics, you can also have your favorite photograph or cherished painting
translated into an oil painting. There are some companies that commission
portraits and other art works. If you don't know what to purchase, you can
visit the galleries of the companies online. There you can browse the different
pages by genres or themes. After that, you can now choose the painting that you
like. Some companies allow price negotiations while others have already set
their prizes. Find a suitable company who can cater to your oil painting needs
and most especially, one that will suit your budget.

If you want to learn more about oil paintings, you can visit art museums and
join the educational tours. You will learn many things like how to take good
care of your oil paintings and how to give value to them. You see, oil
paintings are easily damaged if you don't provide enough care for them. Things
like excessive humidity, extreme temperatures, and harsh sunlight can destroy
your paintings.

if this is your first time to collect oil paintings, you must read books about
oil painting. Visit galleries and museums to learn more. If you want to invest
and make money out of your collections, you can consult investment firms
because you may be able to find an investment portfolio. The portfolio includes
precious oil paintings, and you can either keep them or sell them.

Oil paintings are still in demand at present. With the increasing demand year
after year, one can't really tell the value of oil paintings in the future. So
if you want to invest and at the same collect your favorite oil paintings, you
should start browsing the net now and learn more about oil paintings. With more
knowledge about oil painting, it will be a lot easier to invest or even collect
the paintings.

Watercolor Paintings -- Why You Should Try It

Paintings add up to the beauty of homes, offices, and business establishments.
If you have the skill to paint, you should try to develop it. Learn more about
painting by enrolling in painting classes or you can research about it online.
Whether you're an adult, teenager, or a kid, learning how to paint is not that
difficult especially if you put your heart into it. While you're trying to find
a media to use, perhaps you might want to try watercolor paintings.

You can express your chosen subject matter through the use of watercolors. In
fact, there are many advantages in using this media over other types of media.

Here are some of the best reasons why you should try watercolor painting.

1. It is easy -- as compared to other types of painting, watercolor painting is

2. Fast -- there are certain techniques that you should learn in watercolor
spontaneous strokes. This is the beauty of watercolor painting and you can
finish your piece in less than an hour and the greatest thing is that you will
get satisfying results.

3. Great for people who are always on the go -- if you travel often, carrying
watercolor kits is not a problem. The kits are lightweight and come with
compact boxes that you can carry around with ease. The paper used in watercolor
painting can be purchased in blocks so you don't need a lot of space. Preparing
the papers needed is also not required.

4. Does not smudge -- as compared to charcoal and pastel, watercolor painting
doesn't smudge.

5. Dries quickly -- in several minutes, your art piece is already dry. But if
you use oil paints for your painting, it would take days or even weeks before
the piece dries up completely.

6. Watercolor is also a fluid -- because of its nature, with only a few
strokes, you can already fill large areas.

7. 'Accidents' can contribute to your creativity -- you don't have to worry
about accidents during watercolor painting because it can magically develop
start your painting and see what designs it can create.

8. Watercolor painting is versatile in look and style -- you can do
illustrational works as well as abstract arts. You can experiment in some
designs that you haven't done before and it will all depend on your skill and

Experts say that using watercolor is hard because the artist or painter can't
control it easily. For beginners, here's a good advice -- let the watercolor's
magic work. Don't interfere at first and see the designs it can create and
start painting from there. Allow endless explorations and you can surely enjoy
your creativity for the rest of your life.

As an art lover, you already know that sometimes beautiful paintings come as
accidents. But this should not be the reason to stop practicing. If you
create more artistic and unique watercolor paintings. Never stop learning
you can use in your paintings.

Famous Paintings -- An Inspiration to Other Painters

Ever since any man can remember, painting is both a vocation and a hobby. Since
the inception of painting, it has evolved to an immense level. Various styles
and techniques were incorporated into painting and so it became very lovable to
the masses. Do you know some famous paintings? These are the works of world
renowned artists.

Painters have experimented with a wide range of styles, techniques, themes,
textures, and media. However, only a few of these experiments were recognized
by art lovers. After some time, the experiments resulted to the establishment
of different cults. The process was able to produce talented painters from
different parts of the world.

In such a short time, some of the talented painters became painting masters.
All the works of these famous and talented painters were exceptional in terms
of technique, accuracy, and look however, not all their works were loved by the
masses. Very few of their paintings made an indelible impact to the hearts of
people especially the lovers of art. The works of these famous painters were
loved and became immensely famous in different periods.

You can find thousands of great works but there are only very few considered as
the greatest. Both the experts and masses revered these greatest works. A very
good example is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. It is considered immortal in the
world of art and millions of people were intrigued by Mona Lisa's captivating
smile. Salvador Dali became famous of his painting Melting Watches. If you try
to put the greatest paintings in history on a list, it is rather long.

Famous paintings differ in styles and techniques, as well as the media being
used. Judgment though depends on the viewers and they will be the ones who'll
decide which art painting is among the greatest.

Here are a few of the famous paintings and their artists -- Ajanta Murals by
the Vakaka Kings of India; Starry Night by Van Gogh; Mona Lisa and Last Supper
by Leonardo da Vinci; Last Judgment by Michelangelo; Sunrise Impression by
Monet; Old Guitarist by Pablo Picasso; Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali;
and Madonna and Child.

These are some of the few famous paintings known all over the world. These
painters had other works but somehow, the people didn't like them much as much
as their more famous works. Despite this fact, the names of these greatest
children in art classes know their famous works.

The beauty of these famous paintings have withstood the test of time and even
after many years of existence, the works of art were not forgotten. If you try
to conduct a research on the net, you will find out more about the other famous
paintings and how priceless they are. It is really an honor to be considered as
a great painter. Aspiring painters should therefore work hard and who knows,
one day their works will also become famous.

Paintings that become famous come rarely in a lifetime for an artist and yet,
their names will be recognized long after they are gone. Let this be an
inspiration to would-be painters. The greatest painters didn't give up in
perfecting their skills until they were able to impress the people and experts.
If you have this attitude, perhaps you may become a famous great painter as
well. Paint, paint, paint: master your art and you should continue doing this
as long as the people around you loves your work.

Take the Country to your Home with Landscape Paintings

Not many of us are fortunate enough to be able to have a magnificent view of
Mother Nature's work, the hills, mountains, forests, and other exotic natural
wonders that are awe-inspiring and simply breathtaking.

If you live in the city, especially a big one, then it's highly likely that
when you look around you all you see is concrete, steel and glass. A tree may
be visible here and there but it's incomparable to the unspoiled and pure
beauty of nature.

To experience this, some people spend thousands of dollars to go to an exotic
place and have a solemn vacation just relaxing and absorbing the beauty of
nature around them. Unfortunately though, not many of us have the money or the
time to do this. One consolation or alternative would be having landscape
paintings in your home.

Generally, having a landscape painting inside your home is a great way to add
up to your interiors aesthetics. Depending on the kind of atmosphere you want
to bring inside your home, there are numerous types of landscape paintings that
you can choose from. If you are concerned about the money you are going to
spend, there are reproduction paintings that you can purchase that are every
affordable, but they don't really exude the same class and quality of an

Not all original landscaping paintings have high prices. There are landscape
paintings from new yet very talented artists from all over the world that you
can purchase and who knows, in the future that artist may become big and famous
and your painting can be a classic.

Once again though, the choice you make when purchasing a landscape painting
depends on you. Are you an avid fan of a certain exotic landscape? You may have
gone to Japan and saw Mt. Fuji, then you were greatly impressed by its cone
shape, you may have a Japanese landscape painting done and put it in a Japanese
themed room.

Maybe you want to have the Grand Canyons adorning your living room; this can
also be a great idea for a room enhancer. Whichever landscape you want, even
your own backyard, you can have an artist do it for you.

But it doesn't end there. Even if you don't have an idea of which landscape
painting you want, you can easily find many different landscape paintings in
art galleries in your area, or if you don't have the time,. You can just go
online and find the numerous websites that offer this type of paintings.

Many artists and art galleries have already put up their websites and are
showcasing their work in their sites. Here you will be able to browse their
uploaded works of art and be able to choose the size, theme and medium of the
landscape painting that will perfectly fit the mood that you are aiming for.

It doesn't really matter if the landscape painting you got is priced low or is
a work of a famous painter, what you need is the depth of the painting that can
give life to your room. Remember, what you design in your home reflects your
taste and your character. A landscape painting may indeed become the focal
point of a room, but it is you who will decide how this is presented.

Nature Paintings: A Great Addition to Your Living Room

Do you live in a condo or in a city where a single tree is a very rare sight?
Do you want to get out of your concrete world and visit a place where nature is
unspoiled and that the view is fantastic and awe inspiring? If you are, then the
next best thing to do than pack your bags, leave the city and your work is by
getting a nature painting hanged in your living room or in your office.

You have to face the fact that in today's world, going on trips to a secluded
and unspoiled spot in the world is very expensive. Also, with today's hectic
lifestyle, you will find it hard to go on vacation and leaving your work.
Surely you wouldn't want to go on vacation with your laptop with you just to
work, would you?

If you want to experience the sight of nature every single day, the best thing
that you can do is by purchasing a painting that depicts the wonder of nature.
If you have a knack for painting, you can try painting nature yourself.

The great thing about painting nature by yourself is that you will be able to
paint nature that way you want it to be. This means that you will be able to
have your very own special place in your living room or in your office.

The great thing about most nature paintings is that it is very relaxing. The
sheer beauty of the view of a waterfall and lush rain forest is something that
cannot be compared to a smog-filled air in the city or a view of skyscrapers
and cars bustling around the highways.

Whether it is winter nature paintings you want or the view of the ocean and
even the Grand Canyon, you can be sure that there are quite a lot of depictions
of nature in paintings.

Just keep in mind that great nature paintings don't last really long with the
artist. With the popularity of this type of painting continuing to rise, it
will be quite hard for you to get your hands on one. You will see that many
people like you will also be looking for the similar nature paintings that you
are looking for. So, you might want to visit the art galleries where shows are
being held regularly in order for you to choose the painting you want before
someone else purchases it.

You might want to take a look at some of the works of artists who paints nature
through the internet. You will see that in order to sell their paintings, most
artists will use the internet to advertise their paintings that is available
for sale. You have to remember that most professional artists will only make
the painting once. So, before it is too late, you might want to purchase the
painting you want right away.

So, if you want a great addition to your home that will truly relax you and
give you a piece of nature, you might want to purchase a nature painting. With
this type of painting, you will be able to enhance the appearance of your home
and you will also have something that will be able to take your imagination
away from the busy city and into the heart of nature.

Contemporary Painting -- What is it?

There are certain terms in painting that are not easily understood by the
ordinary people. For instance, do you know what contemporary painting is? Well,
these are the paintings produced after the Second World War up to the present

Contemporary painting is also called modern paintings. It is of exquisite style
and represents modern art. The modern artists of today have been creating
different types of paintings and you can find them in galleries. Oil paintings
are one of the most expensive contemporary paintings because of its high
quality. However, most of contemporary art is abstract painting. Aside from
those two types of painting, paintings of still life are also greatly
appreciated up to the present.

You can find a lot of museums around the globe that house modern paintings.
Oftentimes, exhibits are held to feature the paintings of modern artists.
Through the exhibits, contemporary paintings flourish. You can find museums in
New York, Houston, Paris, and Fort. These are the most popular museums that
feature contemporary paintings. If you want to see actual modern arts, you just
have to visit these different museums.

There are many modern artists of contemporary paintings and most of them have
created abstract paintings with various themes. The colors used in contemporary
paintings are mixed in a very artistic way. You definitely have to see the
twentieth and nineteenth century paintings because it's worth every penny. If
you can't afford original paintings, you can purchase replicas of it online. At
present, there are now companies that sell replicas of the popular original
contemporary paintings. These replicas are more affordable and looks just like
the original.

There are also centers exclusively for contemporary arts such as paintings and
you can find them in Cincinnati and Virginia.

Art galleries sell modern paintings. They both have the original and replicas.
You can visit the art galleries or you can simply log on to the internet and
visit the websites of the galleries. Busy people who don't have the time to
visit the galleries can shop for their favorite paintings online. This is much
easier and faster. Not only that, you have a variety of choices and you can
browse on the entire collection of the galleries without leaving your homes or
your office. Contemporary oil paintings are truly expensive especially the
originals and so you can opt to purchase the replicas instead. As mentioned
earlier, you can get them at a much cheaper price. If you love to collect
paintings, try to visit the different art galleries and see what's in store for

If you have a long-time favorite painting, you can send its photo to one of the
galleries and make a purchase request. You can easily find their sites by doing
a search on the internet. Find a link that will connect you to your desired art
gallery or a certain company that can cater to your needs.

All it takes is diligence in doing your search and you can find a good
contemporary painting that you can display in your home or even in your office.
You can either purchase the paintings for investment purposes or for your
personal pleasure. Contemporary paintings are part of history and if you own
one, it's something that you can be proud of. So what are you waiting for?
Visit the modern art galleries today.

Getting Your Image Immortalized Through Portrait Paintings

digital cameras, computers and digital printers, you will be able to create a
great portrait of the photos you take. However, if you want elegance in the way
is the way to go.

This method of preserving images has existed for centuries. In fact, it is the
only way to preserve the image for posterity. A good example of a portrait
da Vinci. He created this portrait of a woman with a mysterious smile in the
early 1500s and is still in very good condition.

Rembrandt is another famous artist that creates portraits. Some other famous
Hermitage, and the Louvre.

If you want to have your portrait painted, you will see that there are quite a
lot of portrait artists today that can copy your picture and immortalize it on
canvas. They will be able to accurately paint you or your loved ones picture
with utmost realism.

However, because you wouldn't want to sit on a stool for many hours just to get
your portrait painted, you might as well get on your best pose, get your picture
taken, print it and present the picture to the artist. They will be able to copy

You can choose what you want to be painted on canvass. It can be your image, or
it can be the whole family. In fact, it can even be your pet dog or cat.
artists today will be able to copy it.

Portrait painting is usually done through oil painting. Oil painting can let
you create realistic images and is usually the number one method of creating

You can also get it done through water color painting. It will have the same
realistic effect but most artists prefer oil painting as water color portraits
are often very hard to produce.

Whenever you are looking for an artist to get your picture on canvass, you
might want to shop for one first by taking a look at their work. You have to
portrait painting. Some can paint realistic fruits or flowers, but cannot
really quite do faces as well.

Before you commit and get the work started, try to ask them for examples of
their work. By doing so, you will be able to know what to expect once the
painting is finished.

plan on hiring, you can be sure of the quality and accuracy of the portrait you
are planning to get made.

Pablo Picasso Paintings And Releasing Your Inner Picasso

painter or you simply want something to hang in your living room that looks
great which will surely catch the attention of your visitors, then you will see
that learning how to paint like the famous artists can surely be good.

One artist that stood out from the others is Pablo Picasso. His paintings are
among some of the most expensive. Living a very controversial life, Pablo
Picasso is one talented painter who is known to have invented abstract
painting. Some people even say that he paved the way for modern art.

His style of painting is distinct and you can really tell by just taking one
look at his paintings. Pablo Picasso's style of painting is known as cubism.
This type of painting uses geometric figures to simplify or to exaggerate
complex structures, such as the human form. By using geometric figures, you
will see that you will be able to create a stunning or eye-catching painting.

Pablo Picasso established a trend of what became known to be the abstract art.
Today, a lot of artists are now making this kind of art. You will see that in
creating an abstract painting depicting complex structures, you will be able to
paint like Picasso and decorate your home beautifully.

With many combinations of shapes, light and color, you can be sure that you
will be able to create a great painting. All it takes is a bit of imagination
and you can be sure that you will be able to make a great work of art.

First of all, you have to remember that this art is centralized on creating an
image out of geometric figures. Also, it will need to use different colors to
depict your subject. All in all, you will be creating a painting that depicts
an image that cannot be seen in real life.

If you want to have an idea of what Pablo Picasso's work is all about, try
searching for Guernica and The Guitar Player.

Here, you will have an idea on how to become an abstract painter or a cubist

When painting, you will want to use a lot of shades of colors in your geometric
figures in order for you to make it look flat and three dimensional at the same
time. This effect is what you are really after.

As you can see, painting is not just about copying the exact form of your
subject, but it is about your impression of the subject. With this kind of art,
you will see that it will truly create an impact among the viewers.

Just remember that the point of cubism or abstract painting is that you should
not reproduce realistic forms. Instead, try producing images that cannot be
seen in real life.

So, instead of just painting a fruit bowl as your subject, try to create
something out of the fruit bowl using geometric figures and vibrant colors in
different shades.

As you can see, Picasso paintings can be quite attractive. If you have a
contemporary looking home, you can be sure that you will be able to enhance the
appeal by hanging a Pablo Picasso painting or making one yourself that looks
like a Picasso.

Leonardo da Vinci's Most Famous Paintings -- The Mona Lisa

There are many great painters in history and one of the greatest is Leonardo da
Vinci. He created many paintings which art lovers and experts loved. One of his
greatest creations which millions of people all over the world from different
periods loved is the Mona Lisa. This particular painting of Da Vinci captured
the hearts of people because of Mona Lisa's captivating smile.

What's so great about the painting? Well, it took Leonardo over four years to
finally finish the painting. After he finished working on the Mona Lisa, he
carried the painting anywhere he went and he did this until he finally died.
The painting never left his side when he was still alive and because of this,
more and more people became truly interested on the Mona Lisa painting. They
all wondered why Da Vinci painted it and what it was depicting.

Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa in Italy in 1503. The model was Lisa Ghirardi,
the wife of Francesco del Giacondo. According to a biographer named Vasari, the
painting was merely a commission. During the time the painting was being made,
Ghirardi was pregnant with her second baby. Some other scholars said that the
father of Leonardo was a friend of Francesco and that the painting was a gift
commissioned by Leonardo's father. Despite the revealed facts, people still
didn't know why Leonardo da Vinci valued the Mona Lisa painting very much when
he was still alive. Numerous theories still surfaced but no clear answer was

Not all people believed that the model in the painting was Lisa Ghirardi. Other
theories have shown the model might be Aragon's Isabella or Constanza d'Avalos
or even Milan's Duchess. However, the importance of the painting to Leonardo
was still left unanswered. The attachment of Leonardo to the painting was still

Further theories were still formulated. According to another theory, the Mona
Lisa was a self portrait of Leonardo because it was similar to the self
portraits of the painter. The similarity of the facial features also postulated
that the Mona Lisa was Leonardo's mother, Caterina and not Lisa Ghirardi.

All throughout Da Vinci's life, he was intrigued by anything found in the
surroundings. He infused his interests to his various art works including that
of Mona Lisa. He was very interested in topography and weather. In fact, the
background of Mona Lisa shows the culmination of humanity with nature. All of
Leonardo's works were important to him because it was his way of expressing his
own life. The Mona Lisa painting was small and yet it took him over four years
to complete. It may also be a representation of all his interests in life, and
nothing more; only Leonardo knows the real reason of his attachment to the

Four years work is no joke. He put a lot of his energy and time in painting the
Mona Lisa. It became his masterpiece and it's not easy to part with something of
great value. For over 500 years, people are still wondering what had happened.
All sorts of questions are still being asked -- why the painting was never
bought, did Leonardo lose his commission, and many others. The real reason was
buried with the painter and because of the public's great interest the painting
is still very popular up to present.

The Cave Paintings of Trois Freres

Helpless romantics dream of traveling to France for a number of reasons. The
country is quite well-known for its romantic places and atmosphere. But did you
know that there's more to see in France aside from the lovely romantic places?
Yes, that's true and one is the cave paintings of Trois Freres.

Not all individuals appreciate paintings. Oftentimes, it depends on the
person's taste and interests. If you're interested in cave paintings, you can
also find some of them in France. Trois Freres shows fascinating images about
the people of prehistoric times. Visiting the cave is like exploring the world
many years ago. You can learn a lot from the paintings, but only if you
appreciate them.

Though people lived primitively thousands of years ago, they seem to know quite
a lot. They knew about the different patterns and seasons of life. The seasonal
variations and their food supplies are the determining factors between living
or dying. The cave paintings in France show this great knowledge about the
ancestors of the French people.

Translated in English, Trois Freres means Three Brothers. The paintings on the
cave show indistinct images of animals and certain figures which experts
believe to be a shaman. Trois Freres attracted international attention because
of the depictions in the cave. The paintings are found in the far corners of
the cave and so you have to go deeper to be able to get a good glimpse of such
a work of art.

The paintings have a graphical nature and was skillfully drawn. You can easily
make out the figures to be beasts and cattle surrounding a high figure that
reaches the cave roof. This central figure is about 70 cm or 2 1/2 ft tall and
appears to be half human and half animal. The figure has deer antlers and wears
a mask with an eye of an owl. Below the mask is a beard and the hands are hidden
within bear paws or lion paws. The back of the figure can be compared to that of
a certain animal and somehow it appears that the figure is wearing an animal
skin of some sort. The figure has an erect penis covered by a fox tail.

Experts called the figure 'Animal Master' and if you want to see the picture of
the cave painting, you can go to France or you can search the net and simply
type the words 'Trois Freres'. Find a link that will show you the painting
itself. You can use any of the popular search engines in order to get a glimpse
of the cave painting.

If you try to conduct a research on the net, you can read many speculations and
comments about the cave painting. The painting is like the sketchpad of the
prehistoric people. Animals or beasts were drawn on top of one another. Experts
believed that the paintings are more than 14,000 years old or even longer.

Today, painters and other artists treat art as a process. It is the expression,
recording, and reflection of the divine or inner nature of the artist. But did
the primitive artists view art in the same way? Perhaps there's more to their
drawings that what modern experts and artists can understand.

You can find other cave paintings in Asia and in Europe. To better understand
the paintings, just allow your imagination to take over.

All About Tole Painting, Learning the Basics

There are different kinds or types of painting and for the ordinary indivudal,
it can be rather confusing. You probably have come across oil paintings,
watercolor paintings, body painting, face painting, and many others; but did
you know about tole painting?

Tole painting is considered as folk art. It is the painting of wooden and tin
utensils, furniture, and other objects in a decorative way. Objects may refer
to metallic objects like coffee pots, kitchen utensils, and other household
items. The wooden objects can be chairs, tables, chests, jewelry boxes, and
even toy boxes.

When did tole painting started? It all started in New England way back in the
eighteenth century particularly in Pennsylvania. It was done by the German
immigrants at that time. The same thing happened in Scandinavian countries and
its Swedes, Danes, and Norwegian immigrants. The Germans concentrated more in
tin and metal tole painting. On the other hand, Scandinavians worked on
furniture and wooden objects. There is a slight difference in the patterns of
these two traditions.

Tole painting in today's modern times makes use of long-lasting, sturdy, and
inexpensive acrylic paints. How is tole painting done? First, the wooden
objects are sealed and then primed. After that, the object is sanded and the
paint is decoratively applied.

What makes tole painting valuable? Oftentimes, the skill in tole painting runs
in the family. Therefore, the story and favorite patterns of the family are
shown in the various tole paintings. The paintings are painted in freehand and
it can be of humorous themes, various colors, family jokes, and illustrations
of family stories.

There are expensive as well as cheap tole paintings. It all depends on the
quality of the utensil, the personalization, the art, the work, and the story.
There is a great advantage in tole painting especially if it is your craft. For
instance, if you come up with a not-so-good painting, you can easily sand it off
and then repaint the utensil. Experts though can tell if a certain tole painting
is repainted -- there is an indistinct background of a certain object.
Repainting often occurs if the painter is still inexperienced. Some pieces of
furniture, utensils, and similar objects are repainted because it is too
valuable to the owner and they don't want to get rid of it and so instead, they
have it repainted.

Now, you can find tole paintings in various surfaces unlike before where you
only see them in metal-ware and tin surfaces. If you want to learn more about
tole painting, try to search the internet for important information regarding
this type of art.

If you do your research, you can find tole painting resources like project
instructions, tips on how to do tole painting, and your needed supplies. There
are online tole painting shops that you can visit that sell handmade and tole
painted items. You choose a utensil, furniture, chest, chair, table, or other
objects that are tole painted. You can easily purchase them online as long as
you have a credit card. Be careful though when making online purchases; just
make sure that the page is encrypted so that you can protect yourself from
online scammers.

Tole painting is becoming more popular nowadays. With the demand for tole
painted items increasing, the price of such items can increase in the future.
If you want, you can invest in tole painting and have a business of your own.
You can even do the work yourself especially if you're artistic and creative.

Japanese Paintings: Adding Elegance in Your Home

Japan is known for its extraordinary customs and traditions. In everything the
Japanese people do, there are rituals that look so elegant. Even the art of
painting in Japan has its very own distinctive style. Influenced by the
Chinese, you will see that Japanese paintings will give elegance and grace to
any room. Even if the paintings aren't really that realistic, the colors used
and the details look so exquisite.

In the past, Japanese houses, especially houses of noblemen were adorned with
paintings. You will see that the masterpieces of Japanese paintings are very
popular nowadays that some can even reach millions of dollars in its price tag.

The great thing about Japanese paintings is that it creates a certain grace to
any room you put it in. It is very elegant to look at and the colors are
fantastically well balanced that it provides harmony to the room that it is
hanged on.

Although some paintings in Japan are now influenced by Western style painting,
it is still very distinctive and majority of the style comes from Japan and
other eastern influences.

If you want to add a certain elegance in your living room or in your office,
Japanese paintings are the way to go. With it, you will be able to entertain
your guests and also introduce the eastern culture.

Because Japanese paintings are very rich in color and uses a distinct style,
you will be able to see that the natural colors are so well-blended that it
will have great effect on any lighting situations.

Japanese paintings use warm colors and mix it with vibrant ones.

Also, the great thing about Japanese paintings is that the lines are also very
balanced accordingly that it will provide a great effect to the environment.
Whether it is a nature painting or portrait that you want, you can be sure that
Japanese paintings will be able to awe and capture its audience.

Japanese paintings are so well made that it has captured the hearts of many
people. By taking one look at a Japanese painting, you will see that it will
create a sense of space and aesthetic beauty to any room you place it in.

Popular types of Japanese paintings have subjects, such as landscapes, famous
Japanese places, spectacular scenery, and everyday activities of Japanese
people in the past as well as beautiful geishas or women.

Japanese paintings will provide you with a sense of harmony and space. Just the
sheer beauty of Japanese paintings is enough to capture your heart and will
definitely make you want to own one.

These are the things that you have to remember about Japanese paintings. If you
really want an authentic Japanese painting, you will want to try visiting Japan.
Here, you will see that there are a lot of paintings to choose from made by real
professional Japanese artists. However, there are also some Japanese artists who
make their work in the United States. Some can even make it in Japan and is
available for sale online.

Whichever you choose and whatever your taste is, you can be sure that Japanese
paintings will have the right painting for you. With a Japanese painting
hanging in your living room, you can be sure that it will not only awe your
guests in astonishment of the sheer beauty of the painting, but also provide
harmony and elegance to the room you place it in.

What Abstract Painting is all About

Instead, you should try to understand why it was painted.

Abstract painting started hundreds of years ago. There are famous abstract
paintings housed in museums. Private collectors who love abstract painting also
and with the great awareness and appreciation of people nowadays for abstract
beautiful works, abstract painting became even more famous.

various ways. Unlike traditional paintings, abstract painting doesn't portray
the other hand, don't need explanations because if they love abstract
paintings, they will understand clearly the significance of the painting.

artists. The artists and painters supported abstract painting and they wanted
that joined the movement declared their independence from the artworks of
European style. After this, abstract painting was pushed forward.

abstract paintings made by the famous painters by purchasing them in certain
companies that commission this kind of painting style.

exactly what abstract painting is all about.

Andy Warhol Paintings: The Pinnacle of Pop

lines. Andy Warhol paintings today are considered as priceless collectors
item's and even replica's of his art work are considered as great additions to
any home.

What fueled Warhol's success was his paintings of pop culture and icons and
this series began in the 1960's. His first series of paintings were silkscreen
how obsessed they were with consumerism and gave those everyday objects an

to stardom in the pop art world.

painting consumer images to concentrating on subjects which depicted the images
Andy Warhol's paintings skyrocketed to popularity and he was producing
paintings at a fast pace.

that he portrayed in his works became instant icons and he's paintings was very
between commercialism and fine art, for which some people would wholeheartedly

Warhol's innovation in his works of art was by no means stagnant. Although he
subjects that would shock yet delight the Art world.

Warhol's paintings though were not entirely focused on the life of the rich and
disaster used heavily edited photographs and painted racism, electric chair

Andy Warhol's love for his pets also inspired a series of paintings dubbed as

amounting to millions of dollars. His birthplace in Pennsylvania houses the
prized Andy Warhol paintings on their walls.

Discover the Pleasure Derived from Flower Paintings

any other medium.

depends on what the artist wants to convey.

Aside from just an appreciative audience for flower paintings, all aspiring
there are.

you could already smell the flower.

fun world of flower painting.

of them.

satisfaction knowing that you have created your own personal masterpiece.

Steps to Follow for Pumpkin Painting

Little children are looking forward to Halloween. It is the time when they can
play tricks on other kids and older people. Aside from that, they also get a
chance to ask for candies and other treats from the different houses they
visit. During Halloween, you will often see lawns decorated with pumpkins. If
you would like to put pumpkins on your lawns, you will need designs for pumpkin

Decorating pumpkins is not that hard. When the Halloween season is already
near, you can start looking for excellent decorating ideas.

Make this year an extra memorable one. You can decorate the pumpkins together
with your family and closest friends. There are fast ways to do this task, just
read on and you will find out.

First and foremost, you have to shop for a pumpkin that has a flat bottom
surface. It doesn't have to be really flat; a bit flat surface will do even on
one side. You will need this if you have kids joining the painting session. But
if you're all older adults, any pumpkin will do.

Once you've purchased the pumpkins, drop by a local paint or craft store. Buy
acrylic paints because this is suitable for pumpkin painting. You can get the
paints in bigger bottles, enough for the whole family. You can get different
colors especially if you have kids helping out so that they can create their
own crazy designs.

Before you start the painting session, you must determine first the design.
Teach the kids the steps in painting. You can create scary designs or even
funny designs. You can find a lot of designs on the net even if you log on for
just several minutes. You just have to type the words 'pumpkin painting' and
the results will be displayed on the screen.

You can even create faces of celebrities. This is rather difficult because you
have to concentrate on the details of the face. You can put wigs and ties on
that the pumpkins to accentuate the face of the pumpkin. To make a good face
design on the pumpkins, you simply have to put the distinguishing feature of
the celebrity and exagerate it a bit.

You can also make other designs aside from the faces. You can make monster
designs, animal designs and many others. Pick something that you're interested
in so that it will be a lot easier to paint on the pumpkin.

Aside from the acrylic paints, you need to buy paint brushes and small
containers where you can mix and match the paints. Once you know the particular
design, you can start painting. Sit in a circle and put some newspapers on the
center. Put the paints, brushes, and other materials over the newspaper. Give
each family member a pumpkin and then you can start painting.

This is a very exciting activity for the whole family and among friends for the
upcoming Halloween. You can put lights inside the pumpkin heads to make the
design more visible at night. Do your pumpkin painting a day before Halloween.
This way, you can prepare for your costumes, treats, candies, and other things
that you will use for the special occasion. Enjoy pumpkin painting with your
family and friends. This year's Halloween will surely be extra memorable.

Useful Ideas for Face Painting for Beginners

There are many styles and techniques used in painting. Some painters paint over
canvas, stones, walls, paper, and many others. But did you know that face
painting is gaining popularity over the years?

Face painting started many years ago. In fact, ancient people already practiced
face paintings like the Egyptians and many other tribes. Today, people love face
painting. It gives them pleasure and at the same time, they are also having fun.
If you want to learn face painting, you should make use of these ideas for face

If this is your first time to do face painting, you have to gather much
information about the topic. You can read a face painting book or you can also
watch videos that teach beginners how to do face painting. If you want, you can
also search the net for useful information regarding this particular work of
art. Study the information you've gathered.

After that, go to an art shop and purchase paints, paint brushes, sponges, and
other materials that you will use. If you want to improve your skills in face
painting, you will have to practice. As the saying goes -- practice makes
perfect. If you simply leave the paints, brushes, and all your other art
materials lying around, you will not learn anything. During your vacant time or
when you're just relaxing and doing nothing, pick up your brush and start

You have to have someone who you can practice with but just make sure that you
practice with an older child or an adult. Having small children around is not a
good idea as they have shorter attention span. They will only be fidgety and you
can't do a good job. By having an adult or a much older child, you can practice
without any complaints. The person should also be interested in face painting
so that you will not encounter any problems and difficulty.

When you're already face painting, apply only thin coats of paint. Don't apply
a think coating or layer otherwise, the design will tend to crack and cake.

If you need to apply two or more layers of paint, let the first layer dry
first. Once the first layer is completely dry, you can now apply the second
layer. To outline the shapes you're making, you can make use of makeup pencils.
You can also purchase this in art shops.

Don't try difficult designs like symmetrical ones. You can do this if you're
already experienced. For starters, you can do animals because it is not very
detailed when it comes to the designs on both sides of the face. Painting a
butterfly is difficult because it is a symmetrical design. You have to wait
until you're ready for that.

Try to use your imagination. You can create small tattoos or stamps like
spiders, snakes, lizards, and many others. You can use temporary tattoos as
reference but make sure that you choose one that is appropriate for face

The internet offers many possibilities. If you're really artistic and you came
up with unique ideas for face painting, you can make your own collections and
build your own site. This way, you can create your hobby into a business.

Face painting can remove stress and tension. Practice this excellent work of
art. Once you've developed the skill, you can try the more difficult techniques
or styles.

Children's Face Painting Designs

Face painting designs are becoming more and more popular these days. It is not
only an activity for adults but also for young children. You can have a great
time with your friends and other family members by doing face painting. If you
want to learn face painting, you should practice often and while you're at it,
you should practice on designs that everyone else likes, especially you and
your child.

Quarreling and teasing is ordinary among children. If you teach your child to
do face painting designs which are not that popular, other children may tease
him or her. So to avoid this circumstance, you have to research on the most
requested and most popular designs for children face painting.

It would take experience and extensive research to know the different designs
that you can use for face painting among children. But that was years ago. Now,
you will simply type the keywords that you want to research and you'll get
instant results. For instance, you type 'children's face painting designs'.
After several seconds, the results will be displayed and you will simply choose
a link that will lead you to a certain website that dabbles with the designs you
need. By researching online, you will be able to find out the popular designs
amongst children and not only that; you can also find designs that suit adults
and teens.

You're quite lucky because you don't have to go through extensive research just
to find out about the different designs that are available. For little girls,
you can do designs like butterfly, princess, fantasy, fairy, bunny rabbit, lady
bug, flowers, rainbow, witch, and cat. For little boys, you can do a spider
design, monster, tribal, robot, skull, pirate, reptile, tiger, bat, and puppy

Those are just some of the designs that you can use. It may be hard at first
because children can't paint accurately. It would greatly help if you can get a
copy of the design online. You see, trying to imagine what the design would look
like is hard for children. But if they have a reference or basis, they will
surely be able to get the detailed features of the design.

There are some websites that allow free downloads of the pictures of the
designs and there are also those that charge a small fee. Oftentimes, you can
get the best pictures and designs on paid websites rather than the free sites.
But if you try to scour the free sites, you might be able to find a design that
your child will like. It would also be best if you conduct your research
together with your child so that he or she can join in the selection of the
design. This will serve as your bonding time and who knows, you can create
happy memories together that your child will remember for a lifetime.

The interests of children can change easily so be ready with other beautiful
and eye catching designs. But if you're just starting out, you can concentrate
first in the first ten most requested designs. If your child can't paint the
design alone, you can help him or her. As parents, you should also practice
face painting because you can't possibly teach your child something that you
don't know yet.

The key to making great face painting designs is practice. So keep practicing
and one day, you and your child will be an expert in face painting.

Need Face Painting Examples for Your Kid's Party?

It's amazing how our creativity seems to have no boundaries. Artistry has gone
a long way and different mediums have cropped up. But when it comes to art,
most people would think about big pictures by talented artists who someday
would have a name as big as the price tag attached to their work. But artistry
is not just for the highly talented, mostly, artistry begins with children and
this is where its purity lies unchanged.

Face painting is an art where people, with or without exceptional talent can
have lots of fun. Parents and their children can have a fantastic bonding time
together while their faces are being painted. For parties, both children and
adults can go wacky over the many different designs that they can make use of.

It is not just at children's birthday parties can you find face painting. Adult
parties have them too and this happens most especially in Halloween. But that
doesn't have to stop there. There are still many events and venues that you can
have face painting as an activity or a contest, aside from the usual costume
competitions, or maybe just plainly wanting to go and look your best or you're

Forget about monsters, fairies and underworld creatures, there are so much more
to face painting than scary ghouls. Your creativity would only be limited by
your imagination. But if you're stuck in a rut and can't seem to get any ideas
on which design you want, then you will need some face painting examples.

The great thing about face painting examples today is that you don't have to go
to the library or to a bookstore to borrow or purchase face painting books to
get your creative juices flowing. All you simply have to do is to log on to the
internet and do a search for the numerous face painting examples that are
offered in the websites that do offer them.

Many of these face painting examples are given for free. You will be able to
browse through their pages and see the designs they have. Usually the examples
of these designs are already categorized by their themes. So if you're looking
for an animal or say nature or clown designs, you will be able to find their
examples in a jiffy.

It's always advisable to know first the design that you are looking for. This
way, you can directly go to the category that you are looking for and start
choosing which one you think you will be able to copy or reproduce. If you just
go in without any idea of what you want or need, you will be swamped by the
thousands of face painting examples that are available and will have so much
difficulty in choosing one.

Also, try to choose that you think you will be able to do. If you pick a design
that is too elaborate for your artistic skills, you may just end up frustrated
and botch the job. Also remember to get the opinion of your child and let him
or her help you choose, this should be fun for both you and your child.
Remember, face painting should be fun as they are done for fun filled
activities, don't be stressed out even when you are just beginning to look for
a design or example. Go online and get your work over with in no time at all.

Ideas for Halloween Face Painting

Halloween is fun both for adults and young kids. If you've enjoyed painting
pumpkins with your family and friends, you will surely enjoy face painting
during this special occasion. You can scare the wits out of young kids and even
adults if you paint scary faces once they knock on your door and ask the same
old line -- 'trick or treat'.

Here are some excellent ideas for Halloween face painting.

Pumpkin -- you can paint a pumpkin on both sides of your cheeks. The pumpkin
should be bright orange in color. The nose, mouth, and eyes can be painted in
black. The outline and ridges of pumpkin design should be light grey.

If you want, you can make your whole face look like a pumpkin. The base should
be orange and for the cheekbones, you have to apply a darker shade of orange.
Make a triangle shape over your eyes and paint it black. For your lips and
nose, you must paint it black as well.

Skull -- the skull design should occupy the whole face. The base should be
white and after you've painted the white paint, you can paint a bright red
color for the lips. Make an outline of fangs on both sides of your mouth in
light grey. The fill should be white and the tip should be painted in red so
that it will look like blood. Use smoky grey for the eye lids and exaggerate
your eye brows with sweeping strokes in black color.

Bat -- make a bat design over your whole face. Just like the skull design, use
white color as base. Above your nose and your forehead, paint the face of the
bat in black and light grey for the eyeballs. The body of the bat should be
painted over your nose ending at the nostril's base. Use different shades of
black for the body. The wings cover your eyes and your mid-cheek. You can paint
some definitions by using light grey on the wings. Over your lips, paint
exaggerated curls upward to the corners. Use your imagination and you can
create a realistic bat design.

These are just four great ideas that you can use. if you want, you can obtain
other painting ideas online. There are many helpful websites you can visit to
get some great ideas for Halloween face painting. Visit the different sites and
if you're diligent with your search, you can find pictures of the designs. With
a picture to refer to, it will be a lot easier to paint because you already
have a clear idea of what the design will look like. Find a design that you
like so that it will be easier to paint.

You can even paint your own face if you like, but this will a bit difficult.
Get the whole family involved and paint each other's face. But before anything
else, you have to buy face paints, paint brushes, and other painting materials
that you will need. You can purchase them in paint stores or in craft stores.

Celebrate Halloween with your family and friends. Give life to this special
occasion by doing some face painting. Just remember to wash the paint off your
face before you go to sleep to avoid any irritations. Have fun this Halloween
season by painting your face in different designs.

Body Painting with Women Subjects

Artists find the body of women as an intriguing and unique subject matter,
well, this genereally gets the approval of a lot of men, artist or not. Because
of this, body painting with women subjects has become popular especially in
today's times. There is even a festival for body painting and painters from all
over the world are looking forward to join these events.

Body painting is considered a delicate art form. In fact, this kind of painting
was developed many years ago. Tribes of our yesteryears performed body painting
during special ceremonies. Some tribes do body painting merely for aesthetic
purposes. However, our ancestors did not use paints like the ones sold in
markets today. They used natural pigments and clay to do body painting.

Today, body painting is still being practiced, particularly with Mehndi. This
body painting form makes use of henna dyes and this is very popular in the
western countries. An example is a semi-permanent henna tattoo.

During the 1960's, body painting was very popular as an art form. Back then,
the social acceptability of this art form was always in question and in fact,
experts conduct endless discussions about it. More often, body painting
involves nudity and because of this, the art form is questioned by the norms of
the society.

In body painting, you don't just
use any kind of paint. The use of body paints is restricted to some guidelines
-- the paint should be non-allergenic and non-toxic. Artists should only use
paints that can be easily washed with water and ordinary soaps.

As mentioned earlier, there are semi-permanent body paints like those used in
Mehndi. It uses natural and synthetic henna. The natural shade is available in
brown color while the synthetic is black. For safe body painting, one should
use the natural henna or the brown dye. If you use the black synthetic dye,
allergic reactions can occur. However, if you want to use the black dye, a
patch test should first be conducted to make sure that it is safe to be used by
the subject.

So now you know a bit of body painting's background. If you want to practice
body painting, you can enroll in certain classes. Presently, nudity in works of
art is but natural. It is more acceptable now unlike many years ago. Women are
no longer ashamed to be used as subjects in body painting. Besides, most women
are paid with huge sums of money with a single session.

For starters, you should practice body painting with someone that you're
comfortable with. A friend or even a loved one can do but it will be a lot
easier if you practice in a class so that you don't have to worry about the
woman subject you need.

Body painting is a special kind of art that requires years of practice before
you can become an expert in the field. While you're still in the learning
process, you have to continue your research. The internet can provide you with
all the resources you need. You simply have to spend enough time to research
and study so that you will know all the valuable information you need.

You should be open to the possibility of nude body painting with women
subjects. Your mind should be free from inhibitions so that you too can create
a beautiful work of art. In time, you will be ready to join the festival for
body painting where your skills can be recognized all over the world.


Creating a More Meaningful Torah Service

When the words of the chapters assigned to a particular week enter our consciousness and our "soul stream," we can learn something new and interesting about ourselves as individuals, families, humans and peoples. This new awareness is what may be meant by the term "revelation." This is Judaism at its best -- exciting, meaningful, growthful. Torah reading can be a high point of a services. Here is how to give everyone present a greater opportunity to be included in the Torah reading.  I first saw Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi lead a service using this method at Philadelphia's P'nai Or community, and he is indeed, credited with having developed it. During my travels I'm seeing this approach beginning to appear across the full spectrum of Jewish life.

As you may know, the Torah is read in portions sequentially through the year. Each of these portions (called a "parsha") is given a name based on a key phrase from the text. For the purpose of our discussion let's look at Exodus 18, the parsha known as "Yitro." Here we find Moses having trouble being an effective C.E.O. Fortunately, his father-in-law, Yitro (mistranslitered often as Jethro), has occasion to bring Moses' wife and sons out to join the community in the wilderness. Moses has a heart-to-heart conversation with his father-in-law, who happens to also be an experienced Midianite priest, about how difficult he is finding leadership and the people's need for him to personally settle all their disputes. Yitro commences to give Moses one of civilization's earliest recorded management consultations, including instructions on how to set up a seventy-member governance team.

So, there you are at a Torah service where the above portion is to be read. A good example of this method would be for the person leading the Torah service to ask everyone who is wrestling with leadership issues to come up to the Torah to be part of a group aliyah. Perhaps it happens that you are struggling with such issues in your life, so you join the surprisingly large stream of people heading up to the Torah. This is a moment to honor the place that leadership issues occupy in your life, to realize how human this is. Perhaps you also reflect upon how you are a leader for those in your life or what you might ask an elder like Yitro. What advice might Yitro offer to you? Notice who has chosen to come up for this aliyah. These might be important dialogue partners later, perhaps during refreshments after services. (Engage with these individuals gently, matters of the soul can be very tender. Be understanding should someone prefer privacy.)

The service leaders traditionally gives a blessing to those who came up for the aliyah. This tradition is known as a "mi-sheh-beirakh." In the case of our example above, we might be blessed to receive the insight, kindness, strength and courage we need to be good leaders, to be able to recognize the great, hidden consultants in our midst. What blessing would you want to receive?

Each aliyah can be themed - by the rabbi or by members of congregation in consultation with the clergy or baal korei (reader). My b'nei mitzvah students work with me to develop themes for their Torah services and they also develop and give the blessing for the theme, when they are developmentally able.

How to Create Group Aliyot:

l. The person leading the Torah service must study the parsha (Torah portion) carefully. Take note of verses that jump out with meaning for you, the leader. Is there a way of reading those verses that will speak in a healing or particularly meaningful way to a common aspect of the human experience? If so, then you have arrived at a possible theme for one of your aliyot.

2. Most communities utilizing this approach have three such theme aliyot, inviting everyone to come up to the Torah to whom the theme of that aliyah holds personal meaning. It is helpful to briefly summarize what the three themes will be before the first group is called up. This lets people prepare themselves emotionally. Most leaders emphasize that people can come up for one or two or all three, whatever speaks to their spiritual condition.

3. The first group is then called up. The reader indicates the place where the aliyah begins in the scroll, so that those who want can touch that place with a fringe from a tallit (prayer shawl).

4. Next everyone who came up for an aliyah chants an opening blessing together. There are several forms of this blessing now in use, from the very traditional to those that are more inclusive and gender-balanced. (Readers can e-mail me if you have trouble finding these.)

5. In communities where few people understand Hebrew, instead of a lengthy chanting or "leyning" of all the words of each portion, the service leader will first give a summary of the portion. The reader will then chant the verses that most apply to the theme of the aliyah.

6. The closing blessing is chanted and then, the Torah service leader or a designated helper will give a blessing, or mishabeirakh, specifically formulated to empower the healing, awareness, or action implied by the theme of the aliyah.

7. Everyone who came up for an aliyah then returns to their seats. The theme of the next aliyah is described and those who choose it come up to the Torah. Even if someone came up for the first aliyah, it is important for that person to return to their seat with what they learned and then decide whether to go up for another, as well as to recite the blessings again.

8. It is also an important tradition to include aliyot for such specific ritual moments as prayers for healing of oneself or others, blessings for a couple entering a committed relationship ("ufruf"), taking of a Jewish name, or a prayer of gratitude for having narrowly escaped death (such as a car accident, major surgery, lifting of life-threatening depressing, which is known as "bentsching gomel"). One aliyah is usually focused on healing and sometimes the number of aliyot is expanded to allow for other special needs such as recognizing community leaders or the naming of a baby.

9. What if it's a bat/bar mitzvah? It is wonderful to use group aliyot at such events. Bar/bat mitzvah students can be encouraged and assisted in developing their own themes from the weekly portion. Alternatively, sometimes it works well to invite family members and friends to come up to the Torah in affinity groups. For example, "Would all my aunts and uncles please come up for this aliyah," or "I invite my grandparents up for the first aliyah," or "Would everyone who goes to school with me who has already had their bar/bat mitzvah please come up for the last aliyah" or "Would my parents' friends please come up for this aliyah, I would like to honor your important place in the life of our family," etc.

10. A caution: For many Jews the act of coming up to the Torah is seen as a covenantal statement, not to be made by non-Jews or those under bar/bat mitzvah age. If this is the case for your community, then it is a good idea to either say this aloud at the time of the Torah service, or to have this noted near where the Torah service appears in your prayer book.

The "themed group aliyah" is a method of spiritual empowerment appropriate to the times in which we live. Increasingly Jews seek out spiritual leaders who will help a person to connect to the tradition in meaningful ways and grow personally through the process. However, even with desired change there is loss. Losses to consider in adopting this approach which come to mind include:

a) that special feeling involved in having one's own solo aliyah - pride in our skills and presence as we chant out the blessings for all to hear and

b) letting go of the order of calling up Jews by the ancient Temple categories of Cohen (priests), Levi (Temple workers), Israel (regular people). Some religious communities have been inadvertently preserving these categories out of habit, others hope to reinstate the sacrificial system someday and so are thus deliberately preserving a record of the men whose family origins may bear such a history so they or their descendents will be available to serve in a rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem.


Everything Amazon Products

If you’ve never heard of the West Memphis Three, do some research before you begin—you’ll want to be prepared. Within only a minute of the film’s opening, as Metallica’s “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” noodles forebodingly over pixelated camcorder videos, intolerable images taken straight from police evidence glance across frame, so quickly and frankly you’ll immediately question if they are, in fact, real. Of course, they are—they are images no person should ever have to see, and yet Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky use them only to expose the unbelievable horror at the heart of the appropriately named Paradise Lost. What unfolds over the following two and a half hours is just as heartbreaking: a trio of teenage boys (one with an IQ of 72) is put on trial for the brutal murders of three prepubescent boys, the only evidence against them a seemingly forced confession by the young kid with the below-average IQ, and laughably circumstantial physical proof. The film explores the context of West Memphis, its blindly devoted Christian population and how the fact that these teenagers dressed in black and listened to Metallica somehow led to their predictable fates at the hands of a comprehensively broken justice system. With surprising access to everyone involved in the trial, as well as a deft eye for the subtle exigencies of any criminal case such as this, Paradise Lost is a thorough, infuriating glimpse of the kind of mundane evil that mounts in some of America’s quietest corners. Welcome home. —Dom Sinacola

Amazon Prime membership in Germany, the United Kingdom, India, and the United States also provides Amazon Video,[14] the instant streaming of selected movies and TV shows at no additional cost.[15] In November 2011, it was announced that Prime members have access to the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, which allows users to borrow certain popular Kindle e-books for free reading on Kindle hardware, up to one book a month, with no due date.[16]


Methods are reuseable sections of code that perform specific tasks in our program. It makes our code much easier to fix if there are bugs and it helps seperate our concerns. In Ruby, methods look like this:

def methodname
    # method code here

The def keyword is the header of the method. This will include the name of the method along with any parameters the method will take (If we want them to have any!). The body of the method will contain the code that we want the method to carry out. The method ends with the end keyword.

Now that we have a defined method, in order for it to perform its task we must call it. To call it we simply type the method's name in our program. For example, typing methodname will call our method.

Using the provided code, create a method called say_hi that puts "Hi!" to the console. (Remember to call it!)


The recording Studio of Lubbock TX
recording studio homeRecoridng Facility

Back Control Live Dead Drum Multi Equip.

This room, which sits in front of the control, is set up with a riser that places a drummer eye level with the engineer and musicians in other rooms.

Windows into the control room, multipurpose room and acoustically deadened space offer line of sight communication for musicians.

A limited view into the "live" room is availible.

As with other rooms in the studio, wiring for headphone cues and a snake to the control room is availible. Addditionally, the room is flanked by a very large bass trap, reducing the reflections and making the room's acoustics seem much larger.


In-Water Recompression

In the absence of a recompression chamber, does DAN recommend treating a "bent" diver with in-water recompression?
DAN does not recommend that symptomatic divers be recompressed while breathing standard air in the water. In some areas of the world, divers are treated with in-water recompression because of a lack of chamber facilities.
At one time, divers were treated in recompression chambers using the U.S. Navy treatment tables and breathing air instead of oxygen. The failure rate was high. It is unlikely that in-water recompression using air is more effective than those old treatment tables. In-water recompression with the diver breathing oxygen instead of standard air has been used successfully in some areas.
However, in-water recompression has its own dangers and should not be attempted without the necessary training and equipment, or in the absence of someone who can assess the diver medically. The resources required for in-water recompression usually exceed the ability of those at the scene to properly assist the injured diver.
In-water recompression of any type is not currently recommended by DAN.


Fado, The soul of Portugal

Fado Schedule

February 2018

Noite de Fado - Fado Night

February 2017

Noite de Fado - Fado Night

 Saturday, Feb 25, 2017 @ 7:30 pmGisela JoaoNY Fado FestivalSchimmel Center3 Spruce St, New York, NYPortuguese fado singer Gisela João has been generating white-hot press for her uncompromising approach to this most traditional music. Her voice evokes fado as a music of the streets, where it began, infused with all the ardor, passion and honesty of an artist rewriting tradition in her own name. Gisela João will make her New York City debut at the Schimmel Center at Pace University on Saturday, February 25 at 7:30pm as part of the first NY Fado Festival. Singer Gisela João’s second CD, Nua extends her trailblazing approach to fado—Portugal’s most emblematic music—with a fresh and spirited rejoinder to knee-jerk traditionalism combined with a bold vision of fado’s future. Gisela João’s first, self-titled CD (released in 2013), brought rapturous praise from the Portuguese and European press and within two weeks of release went straight to the top of the Portuguese charts. Her subsequent live appearances—one part ingénue, one part rebel—rattled contemporary sensibilities but also firmly established her as a unique and uncompromising voice. Where other singers communicate the fado's strong sentiments solely through their voices, Gisela João's fado is a full-body experience: onstage, she jumps, she gestures, she emotes. Offstage, her interviews are similarly wide-ranging and expansive. She moves swiftly from discussing fado to house music to Nick Cave and Nina Simone, asserting boldly that "all genres of music end up influencing all others because music thrives upon life itself." The arc of her meteoric rise has been anything but conventional. She was born in 1983, in the northern Portuguese city of Barcelos, rather than in Lisbon, the cradle of fado. Her career began when she secured her first contract by sending a portfolio of videos to Portugal’s major labels, signing soon after with the Valentim de Carvalho label (the Blue Note Records of fado). Both Gisela João and Nua were recorded not in sterile studios, but in Old World palaces located in and around Lisbon, the equipment trucked in and the interiors left untouched. Her video catalog—its existence a genuine rarity for a fado artist—embraces a bold, even iconoclastic visual style, expressed perhaps most powerfully in the video for “Labirinto ou não foi nada,” featuring not Gisela João but a transvestite artist in scenes of backstage and subterranean intrigue. With the release of Nua (Naked) she has plunged deeply into the most sacred territory of the fado canon—the repertory of the late Amália Rodrigues, undoubtedly the music’s foremost exponent. In so doing, she stands an excellent chance of helping to redefine contemporary notions of the fado. A fado singer’s identity is patent in the lyrics and instrumentation they select and perform. And while Gisela João embraces some of the best-known works in fado’s history, including not only those associated with Amália but also with Maria Teresa de Noronha and others, her most potent alchemy is the future. One song on Nua, “Noite de São João” (Night of Saint John), shares its name and music with an old fado, but the lyrics—written for the album by the female rapper Capicua—recount a tale of late-night romance with a very bad boy. João dismisses any criticism that this lyric is somehow beneath the fado. She asserts, quite rightly, that fado was once a music of people living at the margins of society: rogues, ne’er-do-wells, seafarers. As she says, "I like traditional fado, pure and raw." Nua steadfastly refuses to resolve the paradox of tradition and innovation, offering strikingly pure yet emotionally supercharged music. With few exceptions, the selections sit firmly within the fado repertory. Some are refined, even inspired, such as “Um fado para este noite” (A Fado for Tonight) and “Naquela noite em Janeiro” (On That Night in January), associated respectively with the towering figures of Beatriz da Conceição and Argentina Santos. Others, such as the landmark “Labirinto ou não foi nada” (Labyrinth, or It Was Nothing), burst with wild musical invention, tightly controlled and masterfully directed. Perhaps the most controversial tracks are interpretations of two classics by the Brazilian singer Cartola, “O mundo é um moínho” (The World is a Windmill) and “As rosas não falam” (The Roses Don’t Speak). Together with her version of the Mexican folk standard “Llorona” (The Wailing Woman), what sets these tracks apart from mere covers is the complete dedication of the singer and her musicians to moving them within the fado’s sphere. The result brings Gisela João’s music full circle, expanding the scope of our conception of fado, without sacrificing or betraying its more than 200-year tradition. Gisela João will be accompanied by Ricardo Parreira on the 12-string Portuguese guitar, Nelson Aleixo on the classical guitar, and Francisco Gaspar on the acoustic bass guitar. A pre-show talk on fado and a special exhibit from the Museu do Fado in Lisbon are included in the February 25th program.

 Portuguese Fado, an old form of urban folk music in Portugal, was born in the streets and back alleys of Lisbon, Portugal in the early 1800's. Today, fado has gained its position in the World Music circuit.  Fado is very much alive not only in Lisbon, Portugal but also in the US and Canada where many fado performances and fado night events take place. Fado music and lyrics can convey feelings of love, joy, sadness, pain passion and loss. This traditional Portuguese music is enjoying a major resurgence, spurred on by UNESCO's designation of fado as "World Immaterial and Cultural Patrimony" The word fado comes from Latin "fatum" meaning “fate” or “destiny”.  A common theme in fado songs is "saudade". The word "saudade" is difficult to translate in any language. It refers to a longing for a happier moment in a person's life and a yearning and hopefulness towards re-living that moment. Fado is usually associated with the cities of Lisboa and Coimbra in Portugal where it flourished.  Fado music is the national song of Portugal. It is very intertwined with Portuguese culture. To truly understand Portuguese culture one needs to experience a Noite de Fados (Fado Night). Lisbon bairros (districts) where fado music flourished include: Mouraria, Alfama, Bairro Alto, Madragoa and  Alcantara. Fado singers (male or female) are usually accompanied by a portuguese  guitar (12 string guitar) and a viola (6 string acoustic guitar)


Cyproterone acetateAndrogen deprivation therapy: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), also called androgen suppression therapy, is an antihormone therapy whose main use is in treating prostate cancer. Prostate cancer cells usually require androgen hormones, such as testosterone, to grow.MoxestrolHirsuties coronae glandis: Hirsuties coronae glandis (also known as "hirsutoid papillomas" and "pearly penile papules") are small protuberances that may form on the ridge of the glans of the human penis. They are a harmless anatomical variation.Chlormadinone: Chlormadinone (INN, BAN) is a steroidal progestin which was never marketed. An acylated derivative, chlormadinone acetate, is used clinically used as a pharmaceutical drug.Prenatal testosterone transfer: Prenatal Testosterone Transfer (also known as prenatal androgen transfer or prenatal hormone transfer) refers to the phenomenon in which testosterone synthesized by a developing male fetus transfers to one or more developing fetuses within the womb and influences development. This typically results in the partial masculinization of specific aspects of female behavior, cognition, and morphology, though some studies have found that testosterone transfer can cause an exaggerated masculinization in males.Dysphoria: Dysphoria (from (dysphoros), δυσ-, difficult, and φέρειν, to bear) is a profound state of unease or dissatisfaction. In a psychiatric context, dysphoria may accompany depression, anxiety, or agitation.Skin flora: The skin flora, more properly referred to as the skin microbiota, are the microorganisms which reside on the skin. Most research has been upon those that reside upon the 2 square metres of human skin, cf.Ocimum gratissimum: Ocimum gratissimum, also known as clove basil, African basil,PLANTS Profile for Ocimum gratissimum | USDA Plants, Retrieved Jan. 7, 2009.Excess ovarian androgen release syndrome: Excess ovarian androgen release syndrome (also known as "Ovarian SAHA syndrome")is a cutaneous condition usually seen in young women between the ages of 16 and 20.Butyl acetate (disambiguation): Butyl acetate most often refers to n-butyl acetate. However, there are other isomers that may be considered to be butyl acetates:Puberty blocker: Puberty blockers, also called puberty inhibitors, puberty suppressors, or hormone suppressors, are a group of medications used to inhibit puberty. They were originally used to treat children with precocious puberty or other such early onset of puberty.Pregnatriene: A pregnatriene is a triene derivative of a pregnane.Infertility in polycystic ovary syndrome: Polycystic ovary disease (PCOS) is a hormonal imbalance in women that is thought to be one of the leading causes of female infertility.Palacio JR et,al.Prostate saturation biopsy: Prostate saturation biopsy typically entails 40-80 core samples taken from the prostate under general anesthesia.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services]: Summary of Fee Schedule Policies, 2009]MetriboloneAndrogen receptor: The androgen receptor (AR), also known as NR3C4 (nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 4), is a type of nuclear receptor that is activated by binding either of the androgenic hormones, testosterone, or dihydrotestosterone in the cytoplasm and then translocating into the nucleus. The androgen receptor is most closely related to the progesterone receptor, and progestins in higher dosages can block the androgen receptor.SorbinilBuserelinTosyl azide


How Do I Create My Life?

It is good to know about the existence of energy, but how do I use it to create my own realities is the question.  Unless we can make it practical, it is simply just more information being collected and stored in our awesome computer, but our results do not change.

Can I use Energy To Create My Life?                Daydreamer

Since everything is energy, the answer to that question is a resounding YES! See Energy Part 1. There is great energy and power inside of each one of us. Yes, I said EACH ONE of us. Many are unaware of this but it is still true. This power is released with less effort when we are focused on our true heart’s desires, our real passions, the thing/s that keeps us awake at nights and wakes us up early in the mornings. The thing that we will do however difficult it gets.

This power some call Creative Magnetic Energy. This power allows us to create. It has a magnetic pull, drawing the elements that knit the various parts of our desires together. We will not necessarily know what is going on behind the scene, (under the radar), but once we have some basic idea about how we actually create our realities, we can continue to take inspired action even when it seems like nothing is going on in the physical realm where we are.

Farming Principles:

Let me use something physical and well known to illustrate my point. No, I am not a farmer and I am not teaching you about farming 🙂

Think of a farmer, he gets his land ready, he purchases whatever seeds he desires to plant. He knows when it’s planting season and when it’s time to reap. As a farmer, he has all the information needed to get started. He will gain more information, skills and experience the longer he does farming. He does not need to know everything before he starts, just enough to get going.

His passion is not so much knowing all that can be know about farming, but just enough to start. So he plants his crop, his seeds are in the ground. He is now dependent on nature to do her part and provide the conditions for his seeds to grow. He is living his dream of farming.

Faith Is Based On Knowledge                                      mindset

He has the faith that since this is the way nature works – seedtimeharvest, he does not need to loose sleep at nights wondering if he has done the right thing by putting his seeds in the ground.

He knows his father and grandfather and several generations before them all did it this way. So he is confident that the same thing will work for him because farming is governed by Physical Laws for example, sowing and reaping, seed, time, harvest and the various seasons.

Creating our own desire has its own principles and is also governed by Spiritual Laws. Some call them Laws of Nature or Universal Laws.

Creative Magnetic Energy (CME)

Due to its magnetic pull, CME will draw people, conditions, events, resources and circumstances together into our lives to fulfill our heart’s desires. We may not know the entire process on a scientific level, any -more than a farmer knows how a seed produces so much more than itself as a result of being under the soil.

‘You must have a burning desire for the achievement of your dream’ – Napoleon Hill

Creation Principle Number 1

You have to know what you desire in your heart. Until that is done, this CME remains dormant in us. Remember the farmer had to do something with his seeds. He had to know and do the right thing if he was going to get the right results. When we do not know this we do not aim for much in life and we drift.

This desire must be a passion that inspires us from within.

Everything that you and I will ever be, do or have is a direct result of using this energy. We use it whether we are aware of its existence or not. The benefits of knowing about it is that we can use it consciously. When we do so, we can expect a result. Even if the result obtained is not as specific as plantswe desired, it will be as good or even better than anticipated.

As for the farmer, his type of crop will be specific, but the yield could me infinitely greater than he had expected, (all things being equal).

How And When Have We Used CME?

A few of our achievements in life from birth until now: being able to talk, walk, read, ride a bike, drive a car, use a phone/computer, build a business, fly an air plane, you name it, are evidences that we have consciously or unconsciously tuned into our heart’s desire and at that moment release the CME within us to create.

This is what powers our natural success mindset as a child in early life. We have all observed a baby learning to walk-it’s effort. What tenacity, determination and strong faith they exhibit, (all unconsciously) that she will walk. They normally havegirls walking together some helpers around to encourage and cheer them on in the process. Normally the end result, (unless there is a physio- logical problem), that baby does walk.

Our CME is one of our greatest gifts but we are, on the whole, unaware of its awesome power. As a result of this we do not use it to its capacity. When you tap into your CME you can achieve your heart’s desire in any area of your life. At present it may be dormant and undeveloped energy in you that needs to be put to use. It does not leave you as long as you are alive.

Like electricity in our homes, it is always available, so we can tap into it as and when we chose to. Our supply is unlimited, it is always there and at any time we can convert it to energy in motion, (e-motion) to create our desired outcome.

There’s no premium on our ignorance! We will go deeper into this in anotherlight bulb post.

Do you not agree that since we have it, we should at least hear about it?

If you would like more information on how we create our lives please click here.

Here’s a 2:25 minutes video Watch – What Winners Are  Thanks Chris Cade.

Please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for visiting, reading and sharing.

EJ  **


A Survival Guide for the Difficult Days, From a Chronic Pain Warrior

I was diagnosed with central sensitization this year, after two years of searching for a diagnosis, and I have my fair share of bad/difficult days due to my chronic pain and many sensitivities. So, I feel I am experienced enough in tough situations to provide you with some tips that I use on my difficult days.

1. Bad day box. For my “bad day box’ I put some Pinch Me Therapy Dough, which is like a therapeutic Play Doh scented which essential oils. Some stickers, a fidget, candy, cards and handwritten letters from friends and family, basically anything that will make me smile!

2. Exercise. Daily exercise is good for everybody, but especially important for people with chronic conditions. Exercise helps manage pain and symptoms, also it releases endorphins that will make you feel better overall.

3. Snack and hydrate. For those out there who have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), salty snacks and extra hydration will help you feel far better. For everyone else, snacks and hydration are good for keeping your metabolism in check and will keep your energy and momentum going all day.

4. Good sleep pattern. Try to implement a strict sleep schedule in your life. As someone with a chronic condition, I can tell you how much better you’re likely to feel when you’re getting the proper amount of sleep. For me, eight to nine hours of sleep is ideal.

5. Listen to music. I usually choose something soothing, such as nature sounds or light instrumental music. Pandora has a few good relaxing playlist options.

6. Deep Breathe. Diaphragmatic breathing is key to getting through a difficult day. It increases your lung capacity, decreases stress, helps you relax, and it makes you feel good.

7. Take a bath. Add some epsom salt to help with muscle tension, or add some essential oils for an added relaxing scent.

8. Journal. I journal regularly in my daily life. I love to write and reflect on my days and experiences, so this one is a no-brainer for me. I even have a journal specifically for difficult days. It’s actually a sketchbook, but I either choose to draw or write in it, or both, on my difficult days.

9. Call a friend or a family member. Socializing on difficult days is very good for your mental health. I think the worst thing you can do on a difficult day is isolate yourself. In my experience, when I isolate myself on difficult days, I find my depression slinking in and before I know it it’s suffocating me, and it’s time for me to ask for help.

9. Look up inspirational quotes. Pinterest is full of positive and inspirational quotes. I have even printed some of my favorite inspirational quotes and hung them in my room, put them in my planner, written them down in my notebooks, just to have extra positivity wherever I may need it.

10. Perspective. Remember the big picture. Many times I get get myself and others through difficult moments by reminding myself or them of the bigger picture. Asking what we want to do with our lives, determining if the issues that are challenging us at the time are really worth the stress.

11. Moderate and modify. Take it easy on yourself. You’re only human just like the rest of us, and you can only do the best that you can. If that means lessening your workload that day to something more manageable, then do that. If it means taking more frequent breaks and modifying the work you do so that it is less challenging, then do that too. Don’t push yourself too hard, just take care of yourself and everything else will fall into place.

Remember that everyone has bad days. Each second that you make it through a difficult day is a day that you’re not letting your condition take over you. You are the face of strength, courage, and power!

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