Free Arts Articles

Sterling silver jewelry has long been considered one of the most popular with designs that mimic the finest of gold and diamonds. Everything from the byzantine to the vite, also known as nails head, design is made available at a fraction of the cost when compared to their gold competitors. Also popular among silver jewelry designs is the eternity circle necklace and designer inspired heart necklace. While there is no shortage of retailers eager to sell silver jewelry to th...

The Tower of the Winds (Horologion) built in Athens by the astronomer Andronicus around the first half of the first century BC is apparently the oldest surviving weathervane if not the very first in human history. The weathervane itself was destroyed long ago, a beautiful bronze merman warrior known as a Triton. The compass rose however, the very tower itself has survived, and many artists throughout the later half of the last millennium had the chance to draw the tower in it...

Throughout history warriors have depended on medieval swords smiths and blacksmiths to provide them with functional medieval armor and a variety of medieval weapons and swords. So, how does the modern warrior or medieval knight arm themselves? Well, luckily for them the ancient art of metal crafting has been passed down through time and even improved from its ancient roots. Making a functional medieval sword has been perfected through the years making them readily availabl...

As you glance at the photos neatly aligned in their picture frames along the wall, they bring back a flood of memories of past special occasions, filling you with joy as you reminisce all those wonderful moments. What better way to enhance these beautiful pictures than in pretty picture frames. Picture frames come in assorted shapes, colors and designs. These are perfect for exhibiting your most beloved photos and artworks. Likewise, they make wonderful gift items for any ...

Antiques are widely collected and, as such, are very valuable. Everything from glassware to paintings and even furniture, antiquities are the hobby of choice for many collectors. If you collect antiques of any kind, you will want them to be protected just as you would any other item in your household. This is one of the reasons why you may need an antique appraisal. When it comes to protecting your investment against theft, fire or other misfortune, you may need your antiq...

Whether you just have a simple point-and-shoot camera or the more expensive digital SLRs, you can definitely take quality pictures like the pros do. It?s not the type of camera that takes great shots, it?s the photographer. If you don't know how to correctly take a shot, you can take a really bad picture from an SLR camera. As long as you know how to correctly take pictures and are willing to make some adjustments, taking great photos will be easy for you. Here are some ti...

Who says beauty is absent in the absence of hues and colors? In black-and-white photography, this is rarely the case. Despite the boom of color photography in advertising and in almost all forms of media, many photographers and photo enthusiasts remain loyal to the beauty of subjects in grayscale. THE BEAUTY OF GRAYSCALE In reality, black-and-white (b&w) photography didn?t lose its glory despite the dominance of color photography. Why? because its foundation leads...

Unfortunately, many people suffer from chronic pain. If you are one of these people, there is help in managing it successfully. Chronic pain, defined as pain that doesn't go away, is unlike acute pain, pain that dissipates as the injury, or other medical condition heals. After years of dealing with chronic pain, the body and mind may be in discomfort that is very painful for the individual.

Why is President Bush unconcerned about his approval rating, which has now sunk to 33%? He?s certain it?s at an all-time high. How does he know? He asked his ever-faithful wife. For instance, here is the transcript of a discussion with the reliable spouse that was leaked to the press by their ever-attentive dog. ?Laura, I?m feeling a little down today.? ?Why, George?? ?I guess the mood just goes with how I?m feeling about my approval rating.? ?What approval ...

With Adobe Photoshop you can apply all kinds of cool special effects and transform the appearance of photographs, The following are just a few of the special effects you can do in Photoshop. Black and White Everyone loves black and white photography. In the past you had to use separate film if you wanted black and white images. In digital photography all images are typically photographed in color and the converted to black and white on the computer. This means that y...

People of all ages with all budget ranges (even free!) can make their own memory books. And here's how. -Gather paper for the size book you'd like to create. For regular 3-ring notebook sizing, 8 ½ X 11-inch paper is the best choice. If you have no budget, gather whatever sized paper you can find, then trim to size with scissors and a straight edge (a ruler or book edge will do fine.) Those with a budget can purchase a decorative stationery sheets or printer paper, even wi...

Unlike some school programs that are offered in all state universities and colleges, photography, as a full-pledged course, is not as common. In fact, only a handful of art schools have such a comprehensive program. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage for students who are interested in taking up photography as a course and not just as an elective in college. Finding the right school can be crucial and with only a few to choose from, it will either be easy or h...

An unexpected manuscript showed up in our inbox. We were immediately convinced of its authenticity and decided we had to share it with you. It was accompanied by the following note: ?Hi, there. How?s life working out? Who am I? That?s for me to know and for you to guess. Let me just say that I witnessed the invention of everything. And I kept good meeting notes. "I wanted every planet to come with an instruction manual, but my suggestion was a nonstarter. I decided the ...

In a startling announcement, President Vicente Fox of Mexico revealed that his nation has solved its immigration problem with the U. S. by requesting annexation as a province of China. As a result of its new status, a plentitude of domestic jobs will be available. He made the surprise announcement, not during his recent visit to America, but immediately upon returning to Mexico. Mexicans by the millions cheered the decision, throwing fiestas nationwide, with shouts of ?...

Art in Latin means "skill" or "craft" and it is generally accepted to be "the product or process of the effective application of a body of knowledge, most often using a set of skills, which from concept to creation adheres to the "creative impulse" of the maker." As centuries of art study reveal, art has taken many forms and has touched upon many disciplines. From the creation of a painting to the design of a video game, art is now a much more generic term used to describe ma...

(Extended spoof, presented In 10 installments of 4 pages each. This is the eighth installment; previous ones are presented on this site or below each new installment at NewsLaugh.com, in case you miss one or more.) He looked at Dan critically. ?Now, I realize that you know more than most of my students about the snares of evening ? evening, when the human race seems to be most susceptible to lust, generally disguised as moonlight and romance, love, as the euphemism goes.? ...

Ever since I was little I have loved going to different cities and countries to learn from people and places that were different than what I was familiar with. My love for travel and for learning about different cultures only grew as I got older and eventually I went to university to study Urban and International Development. I chose this major simply because it would teach me about two of my favorite things: cities and other countries. I will never forget entering my first u...

As the FBI, operating on a tip from a prisoner who reported witnessing suspicious activity on the night of Jimmy Hoffa?s disappearance, continued to search for the former teamster leader, he was somehow still able to evade capture. Although Mr. Hoffa disappeared over fifty years ago, no sign of him or his remains have been detected, despite numerous tips of either?s possible whereabouts. Given the run-ins the teamster boss had with the FBI during the period when he was ...

Are you a part of the latest antiques craze? Compared to ten years ago, we are constantly bombarded with antique radio shows, antique television show that have become increasingly popular have pitched the idea of dealing with antiques to large international crowds, and the simple fact remains, the antique world is giving love to those who love the antiques? not to the bargain hunters. Do you feel excited when you see an old toy, dating back 200 years ago and in mint condit...

Saddam Hussein, in his latest bid to escape execution for crimes against his own people, has applied to McDonald?s for a franchise. The application is widely regarded as a move by his defense team to convince the court that, if his life is spared, he will be a model citizen in the Iraq of the future. In his application, Hussein states that he has a great deal of fast-food experience from his months on the run. He also states that, if granted the franchise, he will cease an...

Little Souls dolls are valuable and unique treasures created by children who are in need. Sales benefit those very children and part of the sales go to the Children's Hope Foundation. The concept behind the toys is as sweet and endearing as the faces themselves. Each doll is created by hand, just as you would suspect. The beauty lies in who makes the Little Souls Dolls and who benefits from the sales. They reminded me of something my great-great grandmother would make b...

A custom photo bag is absolutely one of the most artistic things that you can own. There is no limit regarding the things that you want to be printed on your bags. It can be a picture of your favorite pet, things which you considered special, classic image of your grandmother or aunt from the past or original artworks which you have created. Custom photo bags are also considered unique gifts. The images are reproduced in colored or black and white. You can also print the p...

Kids like to play with puppets, because they can use their fantasy during this period (and they have rich imagination). They can imagine peoples, animals, different situations and life attitudes. These puppets will be prepared from wooden spoon. This is a simple and cheap kid crafts idea, which is in every household. The preparing of the puppets is also so interesting for the young and the elder children as well. It will entertain your kids for a while. O.K. let's see the nec...

Pity the neglected insurgents in Iraq. Since the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict has taken center stage in the ongoing tragedy called The Triumph Over Terrorism, the war in Iraq has been relegated, even if briefly, to the wings. Obviously, the insurgents in what was once, perhaps, a nation, though subjugated by murderous tyranny, had grown used to their starring role on the world?s overly troubled stage, as the leading villains in the unfortunate tale. Malcontent with their ...

So you love making candles and your candles have received rave comments from friends and family and all those who have seen them. Probably you are thinking of starting a business of making candles. But before you venture out, these five tips could be of help in your candle-making business : 1) Cost calculation Before you fix the selling cost of each candle, try and figure out how much it cost you to make that candle. To make many candles at once, you have purchased the ...

Todd, out of town on business and looking for a bit of comfort, knew he was in trouble when the topless dancer he just couldn?t say no to slipped his next twenty into her silver garter, and, with a twinkle in her green eyes, asked, ?Would you like to go to the champagne room? It?s more private in there.? Although this was Todd?s first visit to this particular club, he had been trapped into that expensive intimacy once before at another topless spot in New York and knew, le...

Have you ever been in this situation? You?ve found the perfect paper for your layout, and assembled a great collection of stickers but the lettering just isn?t working. Or maybe you?ve decided you really need three holly stickers to balance out your design, instead of just the two that you have in your sticker file. This normally means another trip to the scrapbook store and postponing the finishing of a page. However, it doesn?t have to mean that anymore, thanks to the us...

I love meeting new people. There is nothing I enjoy more than entering into a totally new situation and sitting down for a conversation with a stranger. I find that strangers quickly become friends after a little time spent together and a few good questions asked. So I love it when my job requires me to travel with the sole purpose of meeting someone in an attempt to write a story about them. Recently my job granted me the wonderful privilege of traveling to Italy with the pu...

What happens when you combine the old hobby of stitching designs to a cloth or fabric with computer technology? You get an embroidery machine! Before embroidery is being done by hand that meticulously and painstakingly takes for several hours to finish. With the development of the embroidery machine, the process narrows down to a mere few minutes and even seconds. What is good about embroidery machine is that accuracy and perfection is always assured every time the needle sta...

Designing your own greeting cards is a lot of fun. Here are some tips for making your own greeting cards. 1. There are many different types of greeting cards you can design including: wedding, anniversary, cards for kids, sympathy, holiday and get well cards. Choose one you need and get started. 2. The first thing you will need is good paper. You can purchase pre-folded paper or simply buy some card stock and fold it yourself. Using a bone folder will ensure a nice clea...