Experiencing Spanish Culture

Experiencing Spanish Culture

Throughout the first semester of learning a new language, I have learned a lot about how to appreciate a new culture. In my Spanish class, we have watched Hispanic movies, tried cultural foods, and listened to Spanish music. By doing so, I  have learned how vibrant, energetic and fun, the culture of Latin American countries are. "Hispanic culture is bright, cheery, and full of life!" (Boyles 2).  I have loved learning about Hispanic culture and I am eager to learn. In class, we watched a movie called Selena, about a girl and her Spanish singing career. In this movie,  we experienced food culture, dance culture, clothing culture, and most importantly, music culture of Hispanics.  "Music is one of the best ways to look into a culture. By listening to the local music of Mexico, Spain and Puerto Rico, you can learn much about what each country has to offer" (Boyles 2).

Lately, I have been listening to Hispanic music during class. Everyday I have understood more and more of the Spanish language, which is something I'm very proud of. And you can do it too!

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011. 

Mother Popcorn

Mother Popcorn

Popcorn, Mother Popcorn, this song was an example of James,"Brown, seeking to capitalize on the popularity of The Popcorn,1969's hottest dance, combined it with his favorite term for a woman's posterior ("mother")."(Dr. Licks). This song didn't escape billboard charts, within weeks "Mother Popcorn" knocked out Jr. Walker's "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)", gaining the #1 spot. 

Music

Clyde Stubblefield, the drummer in this song followed through Melvin Parker's completing his trilogy,"The final chapter of am experiment started with "Cold Sweat" and refined in "I Got The Feelin"' is now fully consummated in "Mother Popcorn".(Dr. Licks 67). Through playing this in the top video I was able to practice ghost notes which helped me stick harder patterns. 

When perfecting anything when have you felt most accomplished?

Dr. Licks. The Great James Brown Rhythm Section. Manhattan Music.

Spanish Oral Presentations

Oral Presentations and Speaking

Oral presentations are very important when learning Spanish. The whole point of learning a language is being able to communicate with others. "Speaking Spanish and being able to comprehend and vocalize new words, is key to learning any language. If you aren't speaking the language, then there would never be any communication" (Boyles 3).

For oral presentations and speaking in general, it is important to not rush when presenting. This leads to errors in simple things such as grammar and any need for conjugating. It is also important to practice all of your slides and give a mini presentation, beforehand, to someone close to you. Also, if you are one who gets nervous when speaking in front of a class, try not to look down, move a lot or stare off. Make sure when presenting, you are confident and focused throughout. 

When speaking to other Spanish speakers, remember to think of accent marks, pronunciation and not speaking to fast. Little differences in pronunciation  or accent marks can lead to completely different words and topics.  For example, "Make sure to check for accent marks!" (Boyles 58). In class when we studied family names, we learned that 'Papá' means Dad, whereas 'papa' means potato. As you can see here, a simple mistake in punctuation can lead to a whole new subject.

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011. 

Correct Mindset For Lifting

A struggle for many people when they are working out for an extended amount of time, is keeping your motivation and your mindset of "I can do this". A major point that Matthews mentions is that you need to keep the saying "I will or I want" in you head, rather than "I won't". By saying I won't you eliminate all of your self motivation. The people who say "I won't" often give up on their goals of a perfect body. By saying "I will or I want" you are telling your brain that you want to achieve this goal. Matthews explains this as, "'I want' is the ability to remember the why when temptation strikes-the long-term goal and the thing you really want" (50).

Me saying "I will" because no one likes leg day.

I have had to really take these phrases seriously because there are many times when I want to eat some McDonald's or have some junk food, I really have a hard time resisting that. But these phrases have helped me tremendously. Do you have a hard time sticking to a diet or workout routine?
Matthews, Michael. Bigger Leaner Stronger: the Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body. Oculus Media Group Llc, 2015.

Accessing Online Resources

Accessing Online Resources

Another crucial way of studying Spanish, is remembering all the access to information you have. The internet! Although flashcards and even taking notes are very effective, there are many more ways to study Spanish online. 

One way I have found studying online to be very helpful, is using Quizlet. Many teachers even suggest it or have made their own study sets for their students to use. Quizlet gives you the opportunity to first learn the vocabulary, study using flashcards and learn how to spell, write and match the vocabulary. Later on, there are tests and other games that you can do to finalize your knowledge. I find this site very helpful, but it is very important to know your learning style first. For example, "You must learn that everyone doesn't study the same. It is important to find the way studying for Spanish is the most effective and easy for you" (Boyles XXX). 

Another way to study for Spanish is by using Conjuegamos. This website is used to time yourself when rewriting the word in Spanish. I find this website very useful when trying to comprehend your learning as fast as you can. When using a timed mode you get to choose how much time you would like to study for and then you get your percentage right once the timer runs out.  As an example, "Working in a timed environment can teach you skills in working efficient" (Boyles XXX). 

Studying Spanish is something you can do in many ways and all you have to do is make sure you know how to study for yourself, not for others.

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011. 

Blueberry Cake

                                                          Blueberry Cake

Now this is an al-time favorite of mine. You can make this at any point whether it be for pleasure, family event/gathering, or even a party.

I would have made the mixture into cupcakes but since that would have taken longer, I decided to make it into a cake. The recipe came from a website that I found as I was looking for a recipe for dinner. I saved the page and remembered it a few days ago. Since I had also made the brownies for my mom and brother, I had decided to make a something for my dad when he goes to work. I decided on doing the blueberry mixture recipe.

Recipe:

- blueberries (frozen)
- 1 cup of water
- 1/3 cup of butter
- 3 eggs
- cake mix

First of all you preheat the oven to 325 degrees if you have a dark pan. if you have a light pan then you preheat it to 350 degrees. You grease the pan so it wont stick to it. You put the cake mix, water , butter, and eggs into a mixing bowl and mix all of it together. You put the blueberries in a bowl and heat them for around 25-30 seconds. After you heat the blueberries and the mix is done you add the blueberries to the mixture. Be very careful because you don't want your cake mix to turn blue/purple.

After you're done, then you put it in the oven for about 30 minutes. Now be careful because you don't want your cake to stick to the pan. Wait for around 10 minutes so it cools. After its finished cooling off, put it on a pretty table center and let your family or guests start to enjoy it.

Now here are some questions I hope you van answer:
What would have been better to use, frozen blueberries or fresh blueberries? Would the cake have turned out differently?


Sources: 
"Betty Crocker Supermoist Cake Mix, Butter Recipe Yellow, 15.25 oz." Walmart,
     www.walmart.com/ip/
     Betty-Crocker-Supermoist-Cake-Mix-Butter-Recipe-Yellow-15-25-oz/20511486.
     Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
"Cake Mix Blueberry Muffins Recipe." Six Sisters' Stuff, 14 Mar. 2012,
     www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/2012/03/cake-mix-blueberry-muffins-recipe/.
     Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.

Brownies

                                                                     Brownies

Everyone knows that making brownies is an easy thing to do. Whether it be for a party or just to enjoy them at home. We all pretty much know how to make brownies. I'm here to gonna give the recipe for the brownies, and how to make them.

Recipe:
- 3 eggs (And/or egg whites or egg substitution)
-1/3 cup of oil
-1/4 cup of water
-brownie mix

Now see first of all we preheat the oven to 325 degree. While we let the oven start to heat up, we start to put all the ingredients into a bowl mixer. After the ingredients are all mixed together and leave a smooth texture to the mixture.

You put it in the oven for around 30 minutes. Now be careful and don't let the brownies stick to the bottom of your pan.

Now I know this blog may seem less interesting but it's to help anyone incase they want to do something like this. Maybe for the fun of it, you can even add some type of color to the brownies. Add sprinkles of frosting to it to make it sweeter.

Now a good question I have is whether or not I should have used the egg white. what type of texture would it have given me? Would it have turned out differently?

Leave a response below in the comments:
Would have using the egg whites been better? What would it have done?

Sources: 
"Betty Crocker® Brownie Mix Fudge Family Size 18.3 oz Box." Walmart,
     www.walmart.com/ip/Betty-Crocker-Brownie-Mix-Fudge-Family-Size-18-3-oz-Box/
     10311382. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.

The Funk Masters pt 3

Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, PT 1

Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, PT 1, what a hit this song was for James Brown. Even with all the clout this song got, it wasn't always noticed as a hit,"'This is a hit!!' No it wasn't -at least not in the eyes of King Records' Syd Nathan."(Dr. Licks 26). Even James the creator of the song saw it as too slow for his taste and liking,"The original version should have been called 'Papa's Got A Brand New Drag'...The Track was deemed to slow for King's purpose and had to be sped up..."(Dr. Licks 26). But this song wasn't just a failure it was a comeback story of the century, made short and soon enough it took over."After two solid days of editing, re-EQing, and adding additional reverb and echo to the original master, Brown's indomitable vision was still wrong. It wasn't a hit. It was a monster hit."(Dr. Licks 26).

The Music

In the drum part of  Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, PT 1, which I play in the video above, Melvin Parker, the artist adapts to his same basic drum pattern as on "Out of Sight" while adding the hi-hat with more emphasis on the up beats,"This opens the door for one of Melvin's most important innovations."(Dr. Licks 18). From experience in playing his drum pattern from his song it added a new taste in style, which helped find a new way to add some sizzle to the sound as Melvin did,"The tension between Melvin's upbeat approach and everyone else's straight feel is what makes this groove sizzle."(Dr. Licks 28). 

And so on I want to leave you with a question, has there ever been a time where changing one little thing about yourself, or what you do, further your learning or style in anything?

Dr. Licks. The Great James Brown Rhythm Section. Manhattan Music.

Proper Lifting

Currently using 50 lbs. dumbbells now.

There are many people that I have seen at the gym who either lift correctly and efficiently, or very terribly and insufficient. Michael Matthews points out two major mistakes that people make when lifting. The two mistakes are, constantly changing up your routine, and lifting like an "idiot". To start off, I will talk about changing up your routine. Matthews explains that people who believe in changing up your routine regularly often believe in the phrase "keep your body guessing". This is just complete non sense. If you want to get bigger and stronger you need to establish a strong base of muscle. You do this by repeating the same exercises every week and working your way up in weights. Matthews also mentions that, "Squats, deadlifts, bench press, dumbbell presses, and military presses. If you do these exercises correctly every week, your strength will skyrocket, and you'll gain muscle faster than you ever imagined." (23). Next, talking about lifting like an idiot. The major points Matthews mentions are lifting super heavy weights with terrible form, and going through the motions of lifting. Lifting like an idiot includes, outcomes like, "bad form can ultimately result in, wear and tear on tendons, ligaments, joints, and muscles" (Matthews 24). This is a common mistake that many people make when they first start to lift. They either think that they need to start out with lifting really heavy weights but usually ends up in them hurting themselves. Also, many people think that if they spend an hour at the gym but just go through the motions with lifting are going to accomplish their goal.

Started off using 25 lbs. dumbbells.

   I have had personal experience with all of these myths and mistakes that Matthews mentions. But as of now, I lift using correct form and have seen very positive results. What is your favorite lifting routine? Have you seen positive results?

Matthews, Michael. Bigger Leaner Stronger: the Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body. Oculus Media Group Llc, 2015.

The Basic Rules of 8-Ball Pool

Hello. Today, I will be talking about the basic rules of 8-Ball Pool. It is the easiest and most widely played type of billiards.

In 8-Ball, all 15 balls are used in the game. "...the only requirements are that the 8-ball must be in the center, one corner ball must be a solid, and the other corner ball must be a stripe. The remaining balls should be distributed randomly, although this is not a requirement" (Alciatore 6).

As you can see, this is the correct setup for 8-Ball pool, according to the book.

I have duplicated the setup seen in the picture. The 8-ball is in the center, and there is a striped ball in one corner, and a solid ball in the other. The rest of the balls are randomly placed.

In 8-Ball, the main objective should be to pocket all of one of the groups (solids or stripes), then the 8-ball (Alciatore 6). This means that if the first ball you strike is a striped ball, you need to pocket the other striped balls before the opponent pockets the solid balls.

Overall, I feel that I've learned a lot about billiards from reading the book. Now that I can properly set up for a game, I feel confident that I can execute games smoothly with my friends.

My question to you is: Would you put the other balls in numerical order, or random? This also means you can arrange them according to their patterns, which may alter the outcome of the game.

Alciatore, David G. The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards. New York, Sterling Pub., 2004.

Different Types of Billiards Balls

Hello. Today, I will be talking about the different types of balls used in billiards.
In Billiards, two types of balls are used, striped balls and solid balls. There is also the cue ball, which is struck by the cue stick to hit other balls. "In 8-Ball, all 15 balls are used, and in 9-ball only the balls numbered 1-9 are used" (Alciatore 6).

This is a striped ball.

 This is a solid ball.

In 8-Ball pool, the main objective is to hit these balls with the cue ball into the pockets. Once you have "pocketed" all of the striped or solid balls, you are ultimately required to pocket the 8-ball in order to win (Alciatore 6). I plan on explaining the rules of 8-Ball in the future.

Overall, this information has helped me in playing pool, because now that I can properly distinguish between striped and solid balls, I now can have a proper objective when playing billiards.
My question to you is: Which ball type would you go for, striped or solid?

Alciatore, David G. The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards. New York, Sterling Pub., 2004.

Different Bridge Types In Billiards

Hello. Today, I will be talking about the different bridge types used in billiards. "The bridge refers to the hand or device used to support the shaft end of the cue close to the tip" (Alciatore 21).

In pool, two main types of bridges are used, the open (V-bridge) and closed bridge.

This is an open bridge. "...the shaft slides in a V-shape created by the thumb and the base of the index finger... [It] is the easiest to learn and is recommended for basic shots" (Alciatore 21).

This is the closed bridge. As you can see, my index finger is wrapped around the shaft. This constrains the stick from lifting up, and is better suited for shots that require more power (Alciatore 21).

By using these two different bridge types, you should be able to make shots of different power at appropriate times. I personally prefer the closed bridge, for it is more secure, and reduces the chance of a miscue. Using this information, I believe that I can make better and more accurate shots when playing pool.

My question for you is: Which type of bridge would you use? Would you use only one type, or use both according to the situation?

Alciatore, David G. The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards. New York, Sterling Pub., 2004.

Walk Cycle

Throughout my blog posts I've talked a  great deal about walk cycles, but I've given little information about them. Walk cycles are crucial in animation, as they make up the majority of actions in any given shot, and according to Richard Williams, are "about the toughest things to do right" (102). There is a general formula that most walk cycles follow, but as Williams writes time and time again, "All walks are different...no two people in the world walk the same" (103).

This is the general formula for walk cycles. If you look closely you will see a set of curved lines around the head of the walk cycle, and that line is the golden rule. Almost every cycle follows those lines. According to Williams, the above image is a "normal" walk cycle, where the weight goes down just after the step and the weight goes up just after the passing position (108).
When I tried this method, I followed the example above. The positions are labeled, and I found William's method a very easy and simple one to use. What are some things I could add to make varying walk cycles?

Straight ahead VS pose to pose

In The Animator's Survival Kit, author Richard Williams describes two types of animation: Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose.
Straight Ahead animation, as described by Richard Williams, is "[to] just start drawing and see what happens - like a kid drawing in the page corners of a schoolbook - stick the numbers on afterwards" (61). Frame by frame, an artist can work to complete the piece without worrying about the technicalities, and can include as many spontaneous twists as they would like. This method allows for a lot of artistic liberty, and can be very fun to do. On the other hand, however, this method can be wandering, messy, and inconsistent (Williams 61).
In order to try this method, I animated a simple walk cycle. Instead of planning out what I was going to do, I just began making frames and adding whatever I liked. It was very fun, but as just as Williams warned, was messy and unstructured.

The second method of animating is called Pose to Pose. In this method, the key frames are placed first, exactly where you need them. Then, the blank frames in between the key are filled with tweens. This method is far more structured than straight ahead, but it can be less fun and more predictable. Williams lists "Where's the magic?" (62) as a con, and when I tried this method I found myself agreeing.

This method, although easier to space out, felt much more mechanical and less stylized. My question is: is there a noticeable difference between the two animations?

Building the HG 1/144 Star Burning Gundam

In this post, I will be building a gunpla kit for the Star Burning Gundam. Gunpla (which means Gundam Plastic) is a series of models based off of Mobile Suits from a science fiction anime. There's also different "grades" of kits. In order going from release date is HG, HGUC, RG, MG, RE/100, and PG. Other kits are also non-plastic, like special edition versions which include gloss-finish, pearl-finish, and titanium-finish. Some kits are also made out of unpainted resin.

The tools I'll be using in this will be a pair of wire cutters (I lost my original nippers), a black Gundam marker, and a x-acto knife. 

Each of the pieces come on a plastic tray called a runner, which I'll have to cut them off of. I usually also detail the pieces as I'm putting them together since I find that easier than doing it after the model is finished.

I'll start with the body/torso first. Some kits like the IBO Full Mechanics have you build the frame first but with most of them you'll put the armor on as you build it.

Now I'll be doing the head. There's pretty much always stickers for the eyes, but I know people also paint them on.

Next is the right and left arms. These also have some small stickers on it, and clear pieces. In each kit there's also different hands to put on, like fists, ones to hold guns/beam sabers, etc.

All that's left now is the waist, feet, and legs, then the backpack and weapons.

Finished! Overall I liked this kit, but I wish they had it in a 1/100 scale instead of just 1/144. The clear parts on it also look pretty cool. The legs were also kinda finicky when posing but were stable.

A Guide to Getting a Glamorous Makeup Look: Finishing Touches

Now that you have read my past blogs, you are probably wondering why I haven't talked about the finishing touches: highlight, contour and blush! In my opinion, I think these products are the most fun to apply. They really pull the whole look together and makes the makeup look very put together. However, these might be fun to apply, but you have to take a couple things into consideration. With highlight, you can use almost any color and it will make the face glow. The highlight really complements the face and adds a nice shine to it. Next comes contour. This adds definition to the face and slims down the structure. Cockerill says, "It can be used to sculpt cheekbones, chisel jaws, hide double chins, slim down wide noses, and lower foreheads"(Cockerill 56). When you know how to contour well, it makes the face look sharp. With Blush, this adds the light pink tone to the face. Cockerill also exclaims, "A flush of color on the cheeks exudes youth and vitality, and blush-whether powder, cream, gel, or liquid-adds warmth and brightness to the face"(Cockerill 73). When you add these three products, it makes the whole makeup look, look more clean and complete. Here are a few brands that I sometimes use:

I hope these tips helped in completing your makeup look. If you would like, go back to read all my other blogs to see how you can get the satisfied look you were hoping for with your makeup. What will your next makeup look be? Thanks for reading!

Cockerill, Gary, et al. Simply Glamorous: Make-up Transformations to Make You Look & Feel Fabolous. Jacqui Small, 2015.

A Guide to Getting a Glamorous Makeup Look:Lips

For today's blog, I am going to be talking about the next step in your makeup look, lips. Lips can really pull the whole look together. However, if you choose the wrong color,it can make all your makeup look wrong and messy. Gary Cockerill says, "Don't underestimate the power of color on the lips. It can work with very minimal make-up on the rest of the face and look amazing"(Cockerill 170). This is true, lips can make your makeup look very full and put together even if you're only wearing foundation and mascara. Skin color can have a really big impact on what color you choose. Different colors work for different skin colors. Cockerill also says, "what works on fair skin may not suit dark skin, and vice versa"(Cockerill 170). Choosing the right lip color can be difficult, but if you know what you want your makeup look to look like, it might make things easier. For example, if you have a more simple, neutral look, then you should consider pairing it with a soft nude color for the lips. However, if you have a dark, smokey look, then a dark maroon, or red would be good. Also considering the brand you choose from can also play a big factor. Some brands are really good with hydrating the lips as well as making them look fuller. While some brands can make your lips feel dry and chapped. MAC and Tarte brands can help with hydrating while making your lips look beautiful with the color. I hope this blog helps with finding the perfect lip color to make your makeup look beautiful!

Cockerill, Gary, et al. Simply Glamorous: Make-up Transformations to Make You Look & Feel Fabolous. Jacqui Small, 2015.

Data Structures Python

Data structures are basically in the name. They structure data! Throughout the book we have covered different types of programs and statements now we shall finally go into lists!
With so many list functions i cant explain them all however here is a definition list of all the list functions.

With all these functions and their definitions lets see the example given by the book.

These functions are more simple as all the function is asking, is to find how many repeating words and then moves into rearranging the sequence itself. 

Here is my take on this function:

As shown the cars is a list containing some brand names. Afterwards I count how many BMW occurrences are in the list and came up with only one BMW. Then I ask how many Renaults are in the list ( There are none in the list) and the number it came up with was 0 as there are no Renaults associated with that list. When I ask for the index of Nissan I get 0, the reason behind this is that in computer languages 0 is the real 1 in counting indexes. And in the end i reverse the list!

My final question I want you guys to ponder is, Is this language easy to understand?

A relaxed attitude about drawing

So far, we've examined lines, and the emotions they convey, as well as how they affect the outcome of the drawing. We've examined different ways to warm up before we draw to prepare our mind for artistic expression, as well as the job of the onlooker in a piece of art. Finally, I will leave you with a lasting outlook on drawing, and the art you create.

Art and artistic expression has been around since the dawn of humans. We have always tried to express ourselves through less and less logical or conventional methods. One of the more simpler expressions is drawing. Today, I want to impress upon you the importance of having a relaxed attitude about your drawings and creations. 

This outlook is very important for every artist for several reasons. First: It allows your body to not be tense, to feel flexible and even spontaneous. Second: Ultimately, an artist must express themselves, and, as Clayton states, "The process [is] more important than the product" (5). Third: It allows drawing to be a lot less of chore, and more of a fun release of creative energy. I struggle a lot with trying to draw precisely or not relaxed, and it makes my drawings stiff, and frankly, terrible.

Here are some quick drawings I did, for no other purpose than to relax and have fun.

Do you find that drawing to relax produces better results than drawing to produce results?

Clayton, Elaine. Making Marks: Discover the Art of Intuitive Drawing. Atria Paperback, 2014.

Control Flow Tools Part 2 Python

Control flow tools in Python are a basic necessity for anyone going into the database and business intelligence fields. When creating these statements they may help you out to complete certain tasks efficiently. We shall look into the Range functions as well as the else clauses.

Range Functions

Guido states that "If you do need to iterate over a sequence of numbers, the built-in function range() comes in handy. It generates arithmetic progressions." (Guido Van Rossum 4.3)

 

Here is an example of the Range function:

With the range function it stated that for I in range between 0-5 print I and when the sequence is entered, the range between 0-5 is "printed".

Here is my take on the function:

As stated previously I is in range between 0-15 and when the sequence is executed the function entered 15 numbers!

Else Clauses

Loop statements may have an else clause. which is executed when the loop terminates through exhaustion of the list (with for) or when the condition becomes false (with while), but not when the loop is terminated by a break statement. Here is an example to better understand the statement.

And now is my take on this sequence:

That is all for now, a question left to ponder for all of you is. When did you guys get your first computers?

Tweens and Keys

No matter what it is you're animating, one of the most important concepts to understand is the difference between key and in between frames.

Key frames, as defined by Richard William in the Animator's Survival Kit, are "The drawing or drawings that show what's happening in the shot" (57). These frames are the ones that tell the actual story, and they are crucial to understanding what's happening. These should be your most powerful and dynamic drawings, as they need to clearly illustrate what's happening in the animation.



In contrast to keys, there are in-between frames, or tweens. These drawings fill the space between each key, and they are crucial in a way that is far different than the key frames. Without these drawings your piece would appear choppy and discontinuous. Tweens keep the continuity of the piece fluid and smooth.

In order to practice these methods, I drew a series of key frames in a walk cycle. Through these few drawings you can easily make out what is happening in the picture, and I found Richard William's advice to be very helpful while completing this. What do you guys think about this?

Coincido

I didn't touch your card but I still found it.

This time, I'm doing  trick called Coincido. A lot of tricks that have the magician not touch the card involve counting. This trick isn't different, but this time, the Spectator sets up the cards for me.

The trick with this performance was how the deck was before the trick started. A 7, 9, 6, and  a 10 are placed on the top of the deck. This makes the 4 lucky cards before the reveal always add up to 32 (fulves 40).  "Numbers are destiny" (fulves 40) is what the author says you should explain in this trick. I used an example of using numbers to illustrate that sentence. This trick was easy to learn, Only took me about 30 minutes to  figure it out. Shooting it was a whole other story.

For my second to last trick, this was another No-Clue discovery trick.

What is my last magic trick you ask?

Boom, Now all my shirts and jackets in my magic blogs are black. 

Now that my blogs are over, will you miss the magic in your life? I do recommend Karl Fulves to you guys, it has a wide range of tricks in it although sometimes a little hard to understand. Thank you guys for watching, reading, and commenting on my blogs!

Do you thing working as a magician would be hard? Should I definitely not give up on my education to do magic tricks around the world?

Citation: Fulves, Karl. Self-Working Close-up Card Magic: 56 Foolproof Tricks. Dover Publications, 1995.

Perception of lines: A creative approach

In my past posts, I have talked extensively about how different lines affect the mood of a piece of art, and this week, I will further this concept. Previously we have explored how lines feel, and now we will look into the role of the viewer of a piece of art.

I have repeatedly spoken to the importance of using lines in art, and the effect it has on a viewer, and now we will put ourselves in the role of the viewer. Elaine Clayton states, "We use our five senses to give context , or meaning to everything we encounter. Art forms such as lines and shapes represent elements from our experiences in the world, either symbolically or literally" (26). In other words, the artwork that an artist produces is only the beginning of the artwork, and the viewer's interpretations complete it.

This picture is an example that Elaine uses to demonstrate how to use your interpretation of drawings. The lines and shapes alone seem to more sad than energetic. The downward slope of the line, and the gentle wave creates this emotion. Although it has no recognizable shape, we can still see the emotion behind it.

Here we have the same picture, but rotated. The rotation brings to light what the shape actually is: an eye with a tear drop. We saw the saw the shapes as themselves, unattached to a finished product. Art is what we make of it. Do you find this to be true?

Clayton, Elaine. Making Marks: Discover the Art of Intuitive Drawing. Atria Paperback, 2014.

Research

Getting to understand an artist- what time period they lived in, what they went through, and their own personal beliefs- can have a effect on the meaning behind certain pieces. Doing research allows you to connect better, almost as if on a personal level. We know all about Picasso, we know about his taste in abstract art and unique pieces without even having to know much else about him. He was also alive until the 1970's, which is not well known information, and also show why his art style has had an effect on modern art. By just doing a bit of research, our perception of the art can change immensity.

Johan Idema talked about how museums often give very minimal information about the artist, only really talking about them if it effects the piece, (when it was made, the general background), and not much more (27). Getting a better understanding about what the artist was going through also has an effect, and is something that you often have to research on your own. Van Gogh had depression, and learning that small, tiny detail, can actually have a big impact on his art. Before he committed suicide, his art wast perceived or as glorified as it is today, because not understanding his struggle, not adding a tragedy to his story, made his art less then what it actually is. "Getting familiar with [they're] ideas, hesitations, presumptions, private philosophies and life story is essential to comprehending the work" (Idema 27). 

Gathering additional information is very interesting as well, since you get to understand the person more and connect to them better, as well as understanding their piece more. In fact, just learning about a piece can allow you to understand the artist more, as the meaning of it reflects off of their character. Zhi Lin made an entire exhibit dedicated to Chinese migrants to help build railroad systems across America, who were taken out of history. They wrote the names of the know migrants on rocks, (both in Chinese and English), and stacked them all in front of a video recreating a picture taken to celebrate the final product that was the railroad system, and how all of the Chinese workers had been taken out. 

I was able to learn more information about the artist and the exhibit itself simply by reading a blurb that plastered against the wall. Zhi Lin thinks that its important to tell the stories of the forgotten, and the stories of those who's lives were purposely removed from out history books to give America a better name. They made a memorial of sorts, dedicated to all of the underappreciated and forgotten workers who helped set up a railroad system that connected the majority of the country together. 

It allowed me to connect to the artist and the art more, as understanding what it was about, and the historical importance of the piece had a strong impact on my view of it.

Do you like to research about certain topics to understand them better?

Idema, Johan. How to Visit an Art Museum: Tips for a Truly Rewarding Visit. BIS Publishers, 2014

Landscapes

Art comes in many different forms, often accompanied by people, but there are some art forms that are not. Landscapes and still lifes are more complex, as when there are people in painting, its easier to see the story that the art trying to tell. Landscapes are made to be interpretative by the viewer, but understanding the artists point of view when the piece was created can also be helpful. It may allow for more emotions to be provoked, as well as just add another level of understanding.

"Panoramas are almost always idealized... or even entirely imaginary. It's all about what the author wants you to see" (Idema 3). Landscape painting are not simply that- they are expressions of creativity and imagination. The point of art has always been about how an artist can express themselves, and about how the people looking at them interpret the art. Being able to see how someone could come up with an entire piece of scenery is very important to understanding the purpose and meaning behind it.

The time period also has an effect on what a landscape can stand for. Johan Idema wrote about how landscapes developed, starting with precision, but moved closer to impressionism as time went on (3). Art is something that is constantly developing and changing, so the art style used can easily have an effect on your interpretation of the piece.

Trying to put myself in the artists place, and playing closer attention to details helped me understand the landscapes better. Learning about the time period that it was made, while also noticing those small, little additions made me also appreciate it more. I often felt nostalgic while looking at the art, which was surprising, as I never found myself to be drawn towards nature, but also felt natural. Using different point of views helped me understand it more as well.

What is your favorite landscape painting?

Idema, Johan. How to Visit an Art Museum: Tips for a Truly Rewarding Visit. BIS Publishers, 2014.

A Guide To Getting a Glamorous Makeup Look: Eyes

Hey Guys! For this blog I'm going to be talking about the eyes in this makeup look. The eyes are usually the center focus for the makeup look. When starting your eye look, there are many this you need to take into consideration. According do Gary Cockerill, a professional makeup artist, "Skin tone, hair, and eye color should all be taken into account when you're choosing a color for your eyes"(Cockerill 119). Not only do you have to know your skin type for foundation, but its important to know it for the eye makeup. For different eye colors, come different shades to correspond with that color. For example, if you have blue eyes, the best shades to go with that would peaches, purples, golds, and pink tones. If you have really fair skin, the best shades to go with that are taupe's, browns, golds, and soft tones. However, that's not all. For hair color, blondes usually go with golds, pinks, and grays. While brunettes work well with browns, greens, and purples. Getting the look you want with eye shadow takes time and practice. Eye looks can vary from very neutral to a intense smokey eye. Cockerill says, "From a sheer colorwash or a natural and nude eye for daytime or to compliment a strong lip, to a glamorous contoured eye or a statement flick, there are almost endless ways to make up the eyes"(Cockerill 162). For a neutral look, you want to use soft tones and matte shades. However, for a smokey eye, you want to use dark, sometimes shimmery shades. There are many different palettes that are good for different eye looks. Here are a few that I like to use.

Now that you have read this blog and all the tips I have left for you, what will be your next eye look? A calm neutral look, or an intense smokey eye?

Cockerill, Gary, et al. Simply Glamorous: Make-up Transformations to Make You Look & Feel Fabolous. Jacqui Small, 2015.

A Card is Found

I Must Really Like Finding Cards

Guys, I found your card again. I'm sorry, I don't try to, I just can't stop myself.

This is the Trick called A Card is Found. It's another trick that uses counting to figure out a card. Much like my last trick, knowing the numbers helps the trick go smoothly. But it's not that hard. 

Since this is such a baffling trick, the book says, "Do it once and don't repeat it, because it is a beautifully concealed swindle" (Fulves 46). The counting is secret. while making sure the cards are shuffled, note the top nd bottom cards (fulves 46). Then you add both those cards together. that's most of the counting.

Once again, the magician finds your card. Thanks For watching!

would you rather do card tricks or other kinds of magic tricks?

Citation: Fulves, Karl. Self-Working Close-up Card Magic: 56 Foolproof Tricks. Dover Publications, 1995.

How to be Better at Basketball : Passing

How to be Better at Basketball 

Passing

"When passing you have to be fast,accurate and consistent"( James Wilson 34). It is important for players to analyze the situation and know what type of pass you should make to your teammate. The type of passes James Wilson covers in his book are :

Bounce Pass , Lob Pass , Chest Pass , Overhead Pass .

Seen here is myself passing the ball to Cerina , with a Overhead/Lob Pass. We use this type of pass during a play called "Line". Best used if the defender is shorter than Cerina. 

Questions ;
Are there any tips you for me on my passing
Are there any passes I missed you think I should Include ?

How to be Better at Basketball : Defense

How to be better at Basketball 

Defense
In the book James Wilson states that different people have different theories on defense so giving advice is limited. 

🏀Defensive Stance 🏀

The few tips he includes on defense is starting out in the defensive stance . 
" Your feet must be spread out wider than shoulder length ... will provide a firm base"
"Back should be straight as possible " 
" Knees should be bent slightly inwards and in half squat position "
" Torso should be leaning forward and arms wide "

The photo below shows me applying these steps to my defensive stance

🏀Boxing Out 🏀

In the book , James Wilson goes over Boxing out. He states that when someone shoots the ball you should not run and go get the ball but to Box Out . You do this by , " pivot around and jam your butt into their leg. This will stop them from getting the ball" (James Wilson 38)

As you can see here I am boxing out JD after Naya had shot the ball(not in the picture). Placing my back on her and having my arms wide so she can not get to the ball .


Questions;
Do you have any tips for my defense ?
What position do you play for your team or sport ?