Asia Travel Book

Going to a strange continent, especially for the first time, can be a daunting prospect. Asia is a beautiful and exciting place to go and a good Asia travel book is recommended. There is a wide variety to choose from, and several from well established publishers in the travel field.

Asia is a continent of vibrant cities, historic buildings, hill villages, temples, mountains and waterfalls. It can be a great culture shock for many people and it’s a good idea to have a companion guide for company. Most people embrace the sights, sounds and food and want to go back for more.

The Lonely Planet Shoestring Guide series includes Southeast Asia on a Shoestring. Countries covered include Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. The latest book is a revised edition from March 2008. This part of the world is a very popular destination with young backpackers from the US, UK and Australia and this is the perfect budget travel companion.

The Rough Guide to First-Time Asia claims that “everything you need to know before you go is here”. Twenty-one different countries are discussed and there is lots of advice on going there on a budget, health issues and careful planning if traveling alone. This travel guide to Asia has tips on accommodation, eating places, what to take, and transport. The culture of the area is also explored and insurance and visa requirements are explained.

The Asia Book is in the Lonely Planet Pictorial series and is a coffee table hardback. The beauty of the area is captured in color photographs and there is detailed information on every country. Articles feature the terrain, culture, religion and the hippie trail from the 1960s. The Asia travel guide also contains useful maps and journey suggestions.

The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia includes nine countries with Hong Kong and Macau. Advice is given on moving around the region and on borders, ferry crossings and local flight details. There are also lists on the best places to stay and restaurants and bars. There are detailed maps and plans to cover every region with hotels and restaurants highlighted.

Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos and the Greater Mekong is a Lonely Planet Multi Country Guide, which takes the reader on an exciting journey down the Mekong River. This Asia travel book also covers Thailand. Maps show border crossings and ancient landmarks. There is also a section on which borders are open.

Southeast Asia (Globetrotter Travel Map) is designed to help first time tourists to the region. There are color photographs, information on where to stay and charts for climate and distance between towns. In addition to the general map of Southeast Asia, there are detailed town plans of major centers, such as Mandalay, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore City, and Ho Chi Minh City. Other plans cover Bali, Penang and Phuket Town, all with places of interest and key attractions shown on the maps.

Arts and crafts activities are an inexpensive and creative way to spend a rainy afternoon!

While any time of year is a good time to indulge in a relaxing afternoon with arts and crafts activities, during the holiday season you can have fun with a variety of arts and crafts that you can give as gifts. Hand made items are always welcome, because they are a more personal and thoughtful way to spread the cheer than a store bought gift. All of the arts and crafts ideas you’ll find here are suited to all age groups.

With young children, it can be a family activity with Mom and Dad supervising the use of some materials, for safety’s sake. Once kids learn the techniques, they can do future projects on their own. Introducing new arts and crafts activities gives kids an opportunity to latch on to their favorite styles of creativity.

Too many adults think that arts and crafts activities are strictly for kids. If you are one of these people, try your hand and see how much fun it really is. These projects tend to bring out the artist and child you’ve perhaps forgotten.

Potpourri is easy to make and especially appropriate for the holiday season. All you need are some inexpensive jars with vented lids in pretty designs, easily available at almost any drug store, along with some dried flowers and a couple of vials of essential oils to spike the scent of your mixture. Rose petals, lavender, clover blossoms, fragrant spices and essential oils can be found at any herb shop that sells in bulk. Experiment with fragrances you find appealing, or look online for potpourri ‘recipes’. This arts and crafts activity makes a great gift for anyone and lasts for months.

Use old magazines and garden catalogs to find pictures with which you can make a collage. All you need is a stiff piece of cardboard as backing and school glue!

Small sewing projects, such as woven potholders, a tea cozy, covers for small kitchen appliances, doll clothes and sachets make beautiful arts and crafts projects that are especially economical when you have a stash of fabric scraps. You can also pick up ‘fat quarters’ and bits of trim from the end of the bolts at the fabric shop.

Another easy, quick and useful arts and craft activity is making decorative herb and spice jars, or jam pots for goodies from your kitchen. Use plain jars made for seasonings from dollar type stores or, for jam pots, a box of preserving jars. All you need to complete your project are some decorative labels from the stationery store.

Pick up a book on origami and try your hand at paper folding. A grouping of birds or other whimsical shapes can be strung together for a lovely mobile, suitable for hanging in a nursery or kid’s rooms. You can enhance the appearance with fancy foil papers, glitter or acrylic paints.

Small terracotta flower pots look great when painted with acrylic paints and planted with a variety of herbs. This makes a great gift for Mom, or any cook you know. Before you begin painting, spray the outside of the pot with a clear acrylic sealer. When the pot is painted, follow up with another clear coat of sealer. These look cute and colorful lined up on the kitchen windowsill.

Each one of these arts and crafts activities are well suited to gift giving. You may be tempted to keep some of them for yourself!

Art Prints For Sale

There is a painting for every taste and mood. Whatever artist or genre you prefer, there is a wealth of art prints for sale. They will look good in the home or office and can be framed. A print is an ideal gift for someone, particularly if you have taken the trouble to find out what his or her favorite work is. From Old Masters to abstracts, there is a dizzying variety to choose from.

One of the most popular images is The Great Wave at Kanagawa by the Japanese artist, Hokusai. It has been reproduced on greeting cards and as an art print for sale many times. The painting captures the moment when a huge tsunami is in full flight. Other paintings by this artist are available, including pictures of a snow-capped Mt. Fuji and of cherry blossom, a symbol of the resurgence of life in Japan.

Vincent Van Gogh was a troubled man and a wonderful artist, who was not appreciated until after his death. His bold use of color was revolutionary. Van Gogh’s paintings reflect the state of mind he was in at the time. Some are therefore restful whilst others are full of tumult. Sunflowers is probably his most famous work, followed by Starry Night, Almond Branches in Bloom and Starry Night over the Rhone.

The Art Noveau movement had a gifted ambassador in Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt. The Kiss is one of the most reproduced images in the world. Other prints include The Tree of Life, Mother and Child and The Three Ages of Women. Impressionism is another movement that still resonates today and Claude Monet art prints are particularly popular. Water Lilies and Poppies are familiar works. Monet was well traveled and his Sunset in Venice is a fine example of his foreign excursions. When he was home in Giverny in France, he often painted his garden as in Le Pont Japonaise a Giverny.

Some buyers of paintings prefer to go further back in time. Rembrandt has stood the test of time and remains a favorite artist in the sale of art prints. His Self Portrait at the Age of 63 is well known. Other art pints for sale include Members of the Drapers Club, Woman Bathing in a Stream, and the magnificent seascape, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee. There was a resurgence of interest in Rembrandt’s fellow Dutch artist, Vermeer following the release of the film, Girl with a Pearl Earring. The painting on which the film’s story is based is a best selling print. Other Vermeer works for sale are The Milkmaid, Woman Weighing Gold and View of Delft, which was the town where the artist lived.

For lovers of Surrealism, Salvador Dali reigns supreme. His bizarre dream like pictures puzzle as much as they delight. Works for sale include Swans Reflecting Elephants, The Persistence of Memory, and Soft Watch at the Moment of First Explosion. The king of pop art, Andy Warhol also has his fans. He liked to paint the famous and his art prints for sale include pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and Elvis Presley. His Campbell Soup Can series is also available.

Art School

I was only about 12 years old when I decided that I would eventually go to art school. An art degree seemed like the way for me to follow my sole passion in life: drawing and painting. At the time, I did not know that there were many different kinds of art universities. I figured that all art programs were the same. I pictured the classical art schools of the past where young, talented students would study techniques of painting, composition, and theories of proportion in order to refine their craft. At that point, I didn’t realize how much art school had changed in the last hundred years.

Nowadays, There is no such thing as a typical art school. Some of them focus on technique almost exclusively, while others seem to neglect it in favor of conceptual art and theory. The one that I picked was somewhere in the middle. We did study painting techniques, but we also talked about the meaning and significance of art and how it has changed over the years. It is kind of fascinating to see a university discussing its own role in the production and manipulation of tastes in the art world. Up until that point, it had always been about self-expression for me. It was strange for me to find out that there are so many other ways of looking at it.

To be honest, I had wanted to go to art school to learn a trade. I wanted to learn art and graphic design principles so that I would be able to make sound, elegant compositions. What I ended up learning at art school, however, was so much more. I really came out with a deep understanding of art history, its cultural significance, and it’s evolving meaning in the modern age. Although I didn’t get quite as much training in art techniques as I would have wanted, I did get enough to get started. After that, I was able to continue to explore on my own, using my enhanced understanding of the meaning of art as a guideline.

If you have been thinking about a degree in art, or looking at art schools, I think you should visit before you make any decision. It may or may not be what you are looking for, and it is possible that you will be disappointed by what you find. Then again, you might be pleasantly surprised by the best and breadth of opportunity that awaits you in an art program. The only way for you to really find out is to talk to people and see what they say. Art students are usually pretty open about stuff like that, so you should be able to get some good tips on your visit.

Looking for a recession proof business venture? Consider starting an arts and crafts business!

Next time you go to the mall, take a look at the shops which are busy with customers and notice which one are not. When times get tough, people stop paying $5 for a fancy cup of coffee. The expensive department stores are certainly not crowded. Even the grocery stores are feeling the pinch, with shoppers spending less. So where’s business good? Shoppers are looking for bargains and are willing to search out stores that save them money. For example, the bakery thrift shops are enjoying a spike in sales. The (gently) used clothing shops are doing well. The factory outlet malls are doing much better than their department store competitors.

With people being laid off in record numbers, many are discovering that they might be better off and more secure if they go into business for themselves. The trick is to come up with a profitable business idea that allows you to make a living in a niche business that saves your customers money. An arts and crafts business may be the way to go.

More and more, the consumer is opting to make gifts or goods that they were accustomed to buying ready made in better times. Another advantage to the arts and crafts business is that your customers get entertainment value and personal satisfaction, as well as saving money. You needn’t even be proficient in arts and crafts to make this arts and crafts business model work! If you are a skilled artisan or crafter, so much the better.

Let’s say you’re not the artistic type. Your arts and crafts business could be online, as a distributor for supplies. You locate a wholesaler who will drop ship your orders. It may take a bit of searching, but they’re out there. When your customer places an order, the distributor ships and you receive a hefty commission. This type of arts and crafts business is as close to passive income as you might get. This model requires very little investment on your part, although you’ll be kept busy with marketing your site.

Even if you have the means to open a small brick and mortar shop to attract local customers, a website is essential. In fact, it may be a good idea to begin with a website business before you quit your day job. Once you’re earning some money, you can set aside some of your profits to open your brick and mortar arts and crafts business. This allows you to gain online credibility and publicity, so that when you open your shop at a strip mall, customers will feel confident and privileged to have your thriving business open in their town. As part of your web marketing efforts, this also means by the time you open your shop, you’ll be able to offer added value to your customers, with a free monthly newsletter, coupon offers, marketing pieces and informational sheets from your content articles or blog entries, all of which you developed for the website. All of these are signatures of established businesses.

If you’re the crafty type, in addition to selling kits and supplies on your website, you can also sell your ready made craft items, such as holiday wreaths, decorated baskets or whatever your specialty might be. You’ll also find a good market at the arts and crafts fairs, as well as local specialty shops. You can give classes locally and develop email courses for your website.

An arts and crafts business is a highly scalable business model. You can start on a shoestring, if necessary and build from there. By the time the economy starts looking better, you’ll have a devoted customer base, who will not be willing to give up their satisfying and pleasurable hobbies they discovered at your shop!

Visiting local art galleries is a fun and educational outing for kids!

Arts and humanities classes are fast disappearing from our kid’s school curriculum, leaving our children with virtually no exposure to these important components of education. As parents, we can provide this experience outside the classroom. One way for kids to gain some knowledge in the arts is through an outing to some of your local art galleries. Young children find it difficult to relate to art museums, which can be intimidating and difficult to appreciate. Kids like to express themselves, sometimes loudly, which produces frowns from older, more staid museum visitors and docents.

On the other hand, local art galleries are much smaller and far more kid friendly. In addition, the staff at art galleries are well prepared to point out the strengths of the artwork on display. They’ll get into brush stroke techniques, effects with color and the general dynamics of the paintings, sculpture, carvings, textile arts and etchings they may have to show. In fact, many art galleries are pleased to give kids a tour – who knows that this showing might not result in a sale to a parent or teacher?

The gallery often relies on word of mouth referrals. A pre-arranged field trip with a small group of students will have that gallery’s name being discussed around several dinner tables that evening.

Such an informal viewing of the work of local artists allows kids to ask questions and get answers, which is stimulating to eager kids. Any kid who visits an art museum is not going to be looking at a Rembrandt and thinking they’ll go home and try to duplicate it! Most of your local art galleries have contemporary works, which are much easier for kids to understand and appreciate. The large abstract painting is open to interpretation. One child may see it as a huge field of flowers, while another may see a spectacular sunset. This type of viewing prompts ideas and interest in a child’s mind. Vivid color and imagery tend to serve as inspiration. Even a young child may be thus inspired to go home and recreate their interpretation of such works.

Primitive sculpture pieces are also open to interpretation, but also contain universally understood elements. Children will pick up on these elements. With the information dispensed by a well informed staff member, ideas begin to take shape in children’s minds. The child who loves to play with clay will certainly have a step up to take on innovative and imaginative projects at home. This child also sees that what they used to think of as play, may develop into a vocation.

Check your phone book and the Sunday paper to scope out the different art galleries, their specialties and current and upcoming shows. This is a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon, as you introduce your kids to the arts. Touring a number of art galleries during the year may provide the perfect introduction for a budding artist in your family. In any case, the kids will have good memories of these fun excursions.

Art Contests

My daughter has always been very competitive, so when she started showing talent in the artistic realm, I decided to find some art contests for her to enter. My son used to put his poems in writing contests, so I figured that there should be some equivalent for young artists. What I found, however, was very different than what I expected. Writing contests usually have a somewhat academic bent. Some of them have to do with writing a philosophical paper, or fine poetry. Your typical art contests, however, are much more mainstream and corporate. Usually, they involve designing a T-shirt or a graphic for some particular cause.

The upside of this all is that there are quite a few of them. There are literally thousands of art contests for young students, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one for your child to enter. I basically gave my daughter a list of the different art contests that I could find, and let her get to work. I knew that she wouldn’t enter all of them, but I figured she could pick and choose. I was surprised by how much work she did on them, however. She entered over a dozen contests in the first month, and that was before she got her stride. At first, none of the art contest results were favorable. She just got polite rejection letters. Soon, however, I knew that things had to change. Eventually, results would pour in.

I think things turned around for her in some sort of save the world art contests. I can’t remember what it was, but it was for a noble cause. I remember that her picture involved rainforest trees and lots of different pretty animals. The prize was substantial for a little kid. The first place was 250 dollars – not bad in a no fee art contest. I didn’t know she was bound to win, but I knew that she had a chance. I guess I just had a special feeling about this particular contest.

When she got the winning envelope, she was absolutely overjoyed. I knew that she would be excited, but I had no idea how excited. I think that was the first moment when she really started thinking about going to art school. Just getting a little bit of recognition pushed her over the edge, making her realize that she was talented and could make something of herself as an artist. To this day, she hasn’t given up. She’s been in school for three years and is about to graduate in another couple semesters. I’m glad that I got her to enter the contest. It seems to have really made a difference In the way her life turned out.

Art classes as therapy for the winter blues – and beyond!

Some of us get cabin fever during the winter months. If you’re normally an active person, when it’s cold, rainy or snowing outside, you’re automatically deprived of most outdoor activities. No working in the garden. You’ve got to be a pretty tough customer if you like to walk. If you go to the mall, you’ll probably do some impulse shopping, not a good move for the average consumer. You can only watch so much TV. You can cozy up with a good book. How many times can you clean the house? Sooner or later, you’re looking for something that gets you out of the house, but doesn’t cost too much. Art classes can be a delightful solution.

I can hear plenty of you saying, “But, I don’t have an artistic bone in my body!” How do you know? More likely than not, it’s just force of habit that makes you say so, or a grade school teacher who made you feel discouraged. Art classes can provide you with more than therapy for the winter blues. Art classes can stimulate your creative juices tremendously and boost your confidence as well. If you take an art class at your local community college, it costs little for a lot of enjoyment. You get to meet a classroom full of new people. What’s not to like?

Remember, you don’t need to become a famous artist. You’re doing it for the fun and creative stimulation. If you feel shy about taking a beginning painting class because you believe everyone else will be a better painter, start with art classes that are less ‘threatening’.

For example, take a class in composition and design. This course will teach you about using space, color and design elements to produce projects that don’t require that you be able to understand human anatomy. In fact, most of these projects are purely abstract. You’ll be amazed at how involved you can become working on each project, designed to teach you how to create a balanced, attractive picture that successfully uses the elements which the instructor delivers during class time. Instructors often use slide shows to demonstrate certain effects and how these effects impact the final composition. Most of your work will be done at home.

Other art classes which are good for beginners include stained glass workshops, perspective drawing and graphic design.

If you chose the class in composition and design as your first, what you learned will fit in perfectly with a stained glass class. You’ll know what makes a good design and will be better able to make a lovely stained glass picture or box. Now you’ll really have some bragging rights.

Art classes such as perspective drawing provide a good background for that beginning painting class we talked about earlier.

If you enjoy working with graphics software, sign up for a class in graphics design. You’ll then be able to design your own business cards or stationery.

While taking art classes may not turn into a new career, you’ll enjoy yourself, make some new friends, gain some skills for a new hobby and show off those artistic bones of yours!

Five adult adult art and craft projects for a therapeutic rainy day

When we think of arts and crafts, too often we believe these projects are just for kids. While these are great activities for kids, where’s the rule that says adults can’t have adult art and craft projects that give us a little time out to discover fun activities and act like kids ourselves? Adults lose some of their innocence along the way, as they hurry through life, fulfilling all of their responsibilities and obligations to the extent that they no longer are able to enjoy the wonders of creating something new. Here we offer five adult art and craft projects that infuse you with a bit of child like fun, reorienting yourself with a bit of therapeutic, good old plain fun.

1.Acrylic paints are a very forgiving medium. They dry quickly and can be worked and reworked until you’re pleased with what you see. All you need is a piece of hardboard, a selection of acrylic paints and a few brushes of different shapes and sizes. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll learn about mixing colors and creating effects. This is a highly therapeutic adult art and craft project, getting your creativity flowing and your imagination absorbed. Try starting with an abstract design if you don’t feel like you have much talent. You’ll find that you do!

2.Try your hand at watercolors. Some people find watercolors to be a difficult medium, while others take to it like a duck to water. What have you got to lose? Invest in a decent quality of watercolor paints and a pad of watercolor paper. Go to the library and check out a book on the subject, as well as a book of famous watercolors to learn what types of strokes and techniques create these fascinating effects.

3.Have you ever admired portrait paintings, but never felt this was something you could do? This is a great adult art and craft project that may get you hooked once you see the results you created. Again, get a basic book of portrait painting techniques and give it a shot. Work from a photo of a family member. Consider collage techniques for a more abstract, but easily recognizable portrait.

4.On a more crafty note, wall hangings make delightful art work for your home. Start with an old pillowcase as your backing. An 18 x 24 inch size is a good dimension to begin this adult art and craft project that everyone can admire on a daily basis. Get fat quarters from the fabric shop and make a picture. You don’t need to be an accomplished artist to make a magnificent wall hanging. Lay out little swatches of fabric across your pillowcase backing, moving them around until you find a combination and balance of patterns and colors that pleases your eye. Cut your shapes and use iron-on backing to adhere the shapes to the backing. With the sewing machine, use some decorative stitches to fix the raw edges in place.

5.Surely you’ve admired some of the seasonal wreaths hanging on the front door or in the kitchen of your neighbor’s house. Wreaths are not just for the holidays. Visit a craft shop for wreath forms in a variety of materials and decorative figures, dried flowers and items appropriate to the season. Beyond this, all you need is a glue gun and glue sticks. Beautiful! Charming!

If you feel too self-conscious to be doing any of these adult art and craft projects with an audience of family members, do it ‘on the sly’ when everyone’s out and about. When you’ve got something to share, just wait for the applause. These projects are great confidence builders and get some of the kid back in the present!

Acrylic frames can be the perfect framing solution for many types of artwork

As a teen, you may remember using thumbtacks to hang an ever-changing series of posters in your room. This was practical, because permanency wasn’t the concern. One band or teen heartthrob’s likeness might be replaced by another next week or next month, so investing in frames didn’t make sense. However, when you get older and begin collecting artwork to decorate your home, you want to start framing your pictures. Framing and matting with the simplest of wooden frames can run into some money and is quite often, not the best choice in terms of showing your piece off to its best advantage. Let’s take a look at some of the best applications for acrylic frames.

Photographs and travel posters usually contain a great deal of detail and range of color. Acrylic frames are a natural for showcasing this type of artwork. The clear, borderless acrylic frame emphasizes the detailed scene, whereas even the simplest of wooden or metal frames tends to confine the image.

Prints of famous masterpieces, produced on poster quality paper and color show to best advantage with an acrylic frame. You need to assess the quality of the print and decide for yourself. An inexpensive print may look ostentatious when framed in wood suited to the original. Unless you have a museum quality reproduction, consider a mat with an acrylic frame.

If the piece you want to hang is destined for a small room or area, acrylic can help avoid a cluttered look, particularly if you’re hanging several small pictures.

Expensive frames may not fare well in kid’s rooms. Framing with acrylic offers a more kid-proof and washable surface which keeps on looking good.

The kitchen is another place where grease from cooking accumulates on frames just as it does the rest of the kitchen., Save yourself some cleaning chores with the durable, washable acrylic.

If your home’s decor is of a modern, futuristic flavor, acrylic frames may offer the clean look reflected in your furnishings and accent pieces. It depends on the particular artwork as well. Consult a framing specialist for their advice if you’re not comfortable with the decision.

Many websites which offer framing services allow you to virtually frame a piece with any style of frame, so you can see the different effects you might achieve, before you buy. As you ‘try on’ different frames, you get a visual of how each frame affects the overall appearance of your framed art.

Besides the other advantages of acrylic frames, you have one of the most inexpensive ways to frame your art. When working with standard framing sizes, framing is also an easy DIY project. Happy decorating!