Starting to paint watercolor may be odd and hard at first, more so if one is accustomed to more opaque mediums. Since watercolor is transparent you must decide from the very beginning where the areas of white will be in your painting. I’ve gotten a lot of information from reading on the Arts and Music In Depth Blog. If anyone is new at this like me, a good (maybe the best) overview I’ve seen is at http://www.johnlovett.com/beginer.htm.

For me, one of the best tips given is:

“Your drawing will look better if the most interesting part ( called the centre of interest ) is not placed along either of the pages centre lines. The strongest tonal ( light / dark ) contrast should be placed at the centre of interest. Have some areas of the drawing less detailed than others. Try and keep most of the detail in the area of the centre of interest.

“To gain confidence, practice drawing on large sheets of cheap paper with a soft (5B or 6B) pencil, charcoal, or pastel pencil. Stand up, work on a vertical surface (or surface at right angles to your line of vision) and move your arm from the shoulder. Work from large and bold to fine and detailed. Only the final finishing off needs to be done with small, tight hand movements.”

I’m afraid my talent is quite lacking, but I’m going to give it my best! They say that practice makes perfect, and I believe that is true. But free time for practice is an essential element that I have very little of. Perhaps I need to enroll in a course in ‘time management’. If only I had time to take the course! Of course I’ll keep watching the Arts and Music In Depth Blog for any other info I can use.

There is one question that I can’t seem to find the answer to – can I use oil and/or acrylic brushes to do watercolors? I know that brushes are packaged for different uses. However, it seems to me that for all practical purposes one could use those other brushes for watercolors. But perhaps I am missing something something, so I’ll keep searching for a definitive answer. Wish me luck!

Today’s auto market is becoming more and more varied, with Hummers lining up next to Smart Cars and Geo Metros in dealer lots.  One of the first things many people do when they buy a new vehicle is to make it their own by adding custom touches.  Bored spouses and kids make in car DVD systems one of the hottest new upgrades on the auto market.

Imagine, you’re headed across the country with your family to visit the in-laws in Omaha, and your kids are driving you crazy.  A car DVD system allows you to pop in one of their favorite movies and have them entertained for hours while on the road, now that is pure gold. 

There are two main types of in car DVD systems: portable and in-dash.  Portable systems, though not as sleek or worry-free as the in-dash systems, are considerably cheaper and more versatile.  They are usually powered by your car’s 12-volt power adapter but can be converted to run from your home’s power supply, allowing you to take the DVD player and monitor into your in-laws house when your happy family arrives. 

In-dash car DVD systems are hardwired into your vehicle’s entertainment system.  They display movies either on a screen in the centre-console, on a screen that descends from the roof of the vehicle, or on a screen which flips up from the dashboard.  Though these systems aren’t portable outside the vehicle, once installed they don’t require any extra cords or setup: you can load in your movies and drive away.  Screens located either on the centre-console or which flip up from the dashboard can double as displays for in-car GPS or navigation software, but they can be distracting to drivers.  The flip-down screens avoid driver distraction, but they are usually only convenient for back-seat viewing, leaving a front seat passenger to count license plates or play I-Spy with the driver.

In car DVD systems are perhaps the biggest boon to the long family road trip since Car Bingo, and as the technology improves you can expect the systems to get smaller, lighter, and cheaper.  Though portable systems are still the choice for families on the go since they require no expensive installation or conversion, more and more auto manufacturers have plans to include built-in systems in their vehicles, especially upscale and family autos.  It may be tough to find a driver for your next road trip, as the entire family will be stretched out in the back seat, munching on popcorn and watching a film.

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