Nail art today has become such a powerful aspect of the beauty regimen, that it has almost become impossible to ignore its existence. Ladies now days are not putting in all that effort just after their hairstyle, dressing or make up but has turned their nail game strong too! Moreover, they not only do it for any occasion or to impress a special someone but most of them now consider it the most exquisite way to pamper oneself. And hell yes, why not? After all, girls never settle for less. Also it’s true that the universe have gone gaga over various kinds of nail art so yes, there’s no turning back now.

From piercing their nails to crystal and 3D decorations, there is absolutely nothing left to make it look hotter, tempting and happening. Moreover something as great as chrome nail polish gives you a reason to like them dearly. Not only that, there are certain cool benefits of nail art, read below to find out.

• Stay young

As a matter of fact, Nail designing is all about creativity and how much one can enhance and experiment with their imagination. So when one does that they are focused on thinking which helps you stay active, so start painting your pretty nails for happy and youth filled living and get in tune with the latest trend.

• Personal hurdle

When one fails at perfecting a specific nail art, the determination to get it right the next time is more. This is no less than a personal achievement.

• Gets that conversation going

When at a party, and you fear the awkward socializing, that is when your designing comes handy. It is undoubtedly the most attractive aspect and one cannot help but notice and talk about it. So there goes the small talk and start the real talk about your most favorite thing.

• The necessary relaxation

Once you are done after freshly painting your nails, the obligatory chilling time is so cool. After all, everyone appreciates some soothing time in a stressful day.

• The social media buzz

Once you achieve the look you’ve been waiting for, nothing can stop you from putting it out there, because let’s face it, these beautiful and magical nail art is worth sharing as much as they are worth exploring. Moreover, you never know, you might just end up becoming an inspiration for many out there. So don’t stop yourself from getting all that appreciation and affirmation, since the nail art is as powerful digitally as much it is in reality.

• You feel beautiful

Nail art is not only the source to gain confidence in yourself but you also feel beautiful and delighted for some reason. Also, since you become a pro at practicing different patterns and designs you also see things around you in a profound and amazingly colorful manner.

• They portray a story

Somehow, the patterns and designs we sport oh so lovingly captures the moment forever. Especially when you look back at the photographs, you realise it’s intriguing in so many ways, as that specific nail art states much more than what meets the eye, for instance, what you felt, how you spoke and what conversations took place around it.

Nail art is probably the most incredible thing that happened to a girl. So don’t be shy and nail your nail look just the way you want.

The field of dentistry has many spheres, including general dentistry, cosmetic and restorative dentistry, with approaches both minimally invasive to full maxillofacial surgery. There is one sub-field that requires quite of a bit of training and is truly unique in its ability to help prevent some of dentistry’s biggest challenges. We are referring to dentofacial orthopedics.

Dentofacial Orthopedics Defined

While this is not a term often heard out and about–it is very important work. Dentists working in this sphere focus on helping to guide the growth of properly sized and shaped jaws and correctly spaced teeth as they emerge into the gumline. Parents who wish to have their children assessed for future orthodontic problems must bring them along to a consultation, while the doctor evaluates whether the shape and size of the skull/jawline and current teeth eruption pattern indicates the need for special appliances.

Headgear and TADs

These are usually headgear or expanders. The headgear is perhaps the most dreaded of the orthodontic appliances, but also one of the most useful for healthy dental formation in the future.

The reason for headgear is that sometimes extra anchorage is needed to really pull the teeth into the position they need to go than can be gathered from the force of other teeth in the mouth. Then, the entire head or jaw may be used to anchor the appliance. This makes it very effective, when the shape of the facial structure is being moulded into the proper shape for good tooth emergence.

These appliances need not disrupt a patient’s life either, as the external devices only require to be worn for twelve hours per day. Now, there are also temporary anchorage devices (TADs) available, which are basically very small screws installed into the jaw to produce the anchorage effect with minimal visual impact.

Palatal Expanders

Palatal expanders are devices worn inside the top jaw, most usually, to expand a too-narrow skeletal structure that often leads to teeth overcrowding or an incorrect bite between the maxilla and mandible.

There are various types of expansion schedules. The rapid expansion has the dentofacial orthopedic specialist put in the device, which has a key or screw at the center that kicks up the expansion/stretching process when necessary. Then, the patient is told to turn the screw every day resulting in a 1/2mm to 1mm expansion each time until the desired expansion is achieved. The expander is kept in for several months after the initial stretching period, to allow this change to become permanent. A less accelerated plan allows the patient to achieve a change of 1mm expansion every week for a period of 8-11 weeks. This allows the expansion to be more cemented into the skeletal structure of the jaw and not to just be a change strictly in the teeth. There are also implant-assisted and surgical expansion plans available, but those are rarely necessary unless the case is severe or the patient is outside their growth spurt window.

One of the most perplexing cases to come across the desk of a PI is the theft of valuable art. After all, why would anyone steal fine art, since it’s so difficult to sell? Not only is it off-limits to legitimate art dealers, but the vast majority of private collectors would never buy it, either.

Art is very easy to damage. The theft itself, the transportation, and improper storage seriously erode the value and therefore the presumed payoff for the theft. Contrary to what you’ll see in the movies, art theft is not done by people who love art and want to hide it in the basement. In fact, the thieves often leave evidence of careless handling, which adds terrifically to the level of pain experienced by the museum staff or the private collector. What’s more, if there is any sentimental value attached to the artwork, the thieves don’t care about that, either.

The tools for investigating art theft are basically the same as what we use for any other investigation: surveillance, photos, interviews, and public records. Private Investigators have no police power to detain suspects for questioning, enter buildings or private property to conduct searches, or use a technique known as pretexting, where an investigator might put on a lab coat and pretend to be a medical professional in order to access information.

With the motives of the theft being so unclear and the powers of the PI being so narrow, what advantage do we have over police?

Unquestionably, the most important advantage is one of focus. While the police attention is scattered among a multitude of cases, the PI can focus a laser-sharp beam on the objectives of the client. (That’s not a license to overstep boundaries, but does help in following details that might seem insignificant to police.) Most of the stereotypes about PI’s are laughable, but one might have a kernel of truth: PI’s tend to be dogged in their ability to track down evidence and unravel the truth.

Why would a criminal want to hold on to fine art? One theory is that it is easier for a criminal to hide and store art than suitcases of cash. There doesn’t have to be any paper trail, bank statements, marked bills, or other traceable evidence. If arrested on another charge, such as a drug bust, the criminal can use his knowledge of the art’s whereabouts as a bargaining chip. And, even though he might not have taken good care of the art, the museums, owners, and the public still want it back.

Another theory is that thieves use art as collateral for big purchases like massive drug deliveries. After all, if you’re buying a $1.5 million load of contraband, is it easier to hand over that much cash, or deliver collateral that can easily be held and transferred? Having valuable collateral that the criminal doesn’t care about personally is a big advantage. It greases the wheels of criminal commerce, allowing the drug buyer to start making sales and paying off his or her debt to the seller.

PI’s are the ultimate undercover agents. They do not have badges and can arrange their cars, looks, and even the contents of their pockets so as to be unsuspicious. They can insert themselves into conversations in any bar or public place. They can travel to wherever the leads take them. In fact, Bob Wittman of the FBI’s Art Crime Team states that the ability to travel and speak knowledgeably about art is essential to recovering it.

While we do recover stolen belongings, including art, all the time, there are some famous heists that have never been solved. In March of 1990, 13 pieces of priceless art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. And to this date, 25 years later, not a single piece was ever recovered. Suspects have died off, given the police the run-around, and even gone to prison and served long sentences. But the art itself has never been found.

If you have fine art, it is a very good idea to keep pictures of it in a safe deposit box in a different location than the artwork itself. Try to take photos of the back or any distinguishing characteristics. It’s good to use professional help because fingerprints, strong lighting, humidity, and many other factors can damage the art, even if you can’t tell by looking at it. It’s also important to carry insurance on any very expensive possession.

Have you ever had any valuable objects stolen from you, and if so, what did you do to recover it?

Buy art because you like it and because it moves you, and because it enhances your life

Owning an art collection or even a single painting is a life long journey. We are merely the temporary custodians of the art for the next generation to enjoy.

But sometime the simple act of protecting our artwork is overlooked, particularly for novice collectors. Making sure you have insurance and arranging the right type of cover is extremely important.

How to Arrange Insurance For Your Individual Paining or Collection:

The fine art insurance market is a specialist and fairly limited market so it’s important to use an insurance expert who understands the policy cover and most importantly can explain any exclusions or warranties that may apply to your policy.

An “off the shelf” home insurance policy will not provide the cover your art deserves – these types of policies are designed for a standard home and contents and rarely extend to a high single article limit.

There are a number of specialist insurance companies who insure artwork and provide tailored cover for your paintings. Artwork can include paintings, sculptures, antique furniture, ceramics, engravings and glassware. Some of the bespoke fine art insurance benefits include:

• Automatic increase in value following death of artist
• Partial loss cover which pays the cost of restoration and any residual depreciation in value.
• Defective Title
• Art loss register

However contrary to what many believe, arranging art insurance need not come with an expensive price tag.

Insurance can be arranged in conjunction with your existing home insurance by taking out a separate specialist art insurance cover, or you can combine your fine art insurance with a home insurance policy.

Both options should be considered dependent upon the value of your collection and your current home insurance arrangements.

Additional Measures to Protect your Fine Art:

Once your fine art insurance has been arranged, you should consider your own precautions to minimise the potential for making the dreaded fine art insurance claim.

Some simple steps can be put in place to protect your fine art:

• Keep the piece out of direct sunlight
• Never hang your art over an open fireplace
• Keep valuable pieces away from visible windows
• Hire a professional to hang your art
• Make sure you have smoke detectors
• Consider a revaluation of your art every 3 – 5 years
• If the artist dies the value of your art will increase – at this stage consider a revaluation

If you would like some impartial and confidential advice on arranging fine art insurance from a specialist fine arts insurance broker (established 1989) speak to our Fine art insurance team at Greenfield Insurance Services on 01489 579808

An artist is not paid for his labour but for his vision. James McNeill Whistler – Artist

With flourishing gamut of varieties, ideas of design and flawless styles, nail art has emerged to provoke more prisms of colors and looks that are awe-inspiring. Making it look miraculous while it rests on your smooth fingertips. However, in order to enjoy such nail art, it's not essential to take help from a professional or a manicurist for that matter. Either does it require loads of preparation, tools or equipments. Just an ounce of patience and a table spoon of creativity would do the deal just right. So turn your already gorgeous nails into more charismatic and enigmatic look.

So have a look at some amazing ideas for nail art that will make you skip your heartbeat for a second

1. Nailstorming nail art
This art is all about vibrancy and joy that is disguised in splashes of colors. When I say nail storming I mean bringing out the essence of multi colors on your hands that will leave everyone spell bounded.
• All you have to do is first paint the base with white to give a clear illustration
• Then you paint dots on your nails with ample of different colors in a triangular form. And boom, the festival on your finger tips is ready.

2. Holiday present pretty manicure
Here you require cute little bows which are quiet inexpensive, some nail glue and nude or very subtle nail color. Although the overall look is quiet modest, those amazing bows are what makes it absolutely striking.
• You just have to paint your nails with really soft and light color
• Then expertly stick tiny bows on top of it with the help of glue
• Finish the glamorous look with top coat.

3. Heart to heart nail art
This creation is admirably easy and fabulous. If you have red nail paint, a base and top coat, then be ready to be the center of attraction over the crowd. This design is said to be perfect for a date and does not require any kind of exceptional skills.
• Apply the base coat
• Paint your finger tips with heart design steadily.
• Complete it with top coat. It's simple but acquaintances almost anyone who sees it.

4. Summer nail art
Get bundle of design clubbed in one and own the look. The summer nails that are supposedly to be vivid compose three unique designs that involve sparkly sea water, beach starfish and seashells of oceans. It gives out a marvellous exit. It's not even a trouble for beginners let alone the experts.
• Do a turquoise and white gradient for shiny water with few tiny strips of waves
• Draw attractive starfishes on one nail
• And carve ocean shells on another
• Give it proper coating and you are summer ready

5. Dotted French
There are certainly times where you want to stay low key and go with the flow of "less is more". This design is perfectly apt for you. Just get a nude color and doting brushes.
• Paint nails with nude shade
• Make two lines of dots on the edges with white paint.
• Seal the look with top coat and live the life of elegance.

These nail art is as good as glitter nails. One needs to be passionate about life to sport such beautiful and eccentric looks. So now you know that doing nail art at home is fun too.

Creating Japanese Scrolls is one of my favorite ways to use art in the classroom and it works regardless of the size of the class. In feudal Japan, when a message had to be taken from one Samurai lord to another, e.g., it was done by an elaborate scroll that was tied with a ribbon and hand delivered.

As for age appropriateness, this activity works well from about mid-primary and up. The older the students, the more intricate the drawings and language are apt to be.

What you need per student:

1. a set of 6 sheets of blank paper * (letter size or A4 depending on where your school is);
2. some scotch tape,
3. a piece of red ribbon about 12″ (25 cm) long. Buy a roll and cut it as needed.
4. Pencil (student should have already)
5. Eraser (student should have already)
6. Pencil sharpener (should be one in the classroom)
7. Colored pencils are optional. Colored markers are okay, too, but keep it simple. You set the rules.

*For older students, you may wish to splurge and buy thicker but not too thick, cardstock or parchment-type paper for greater authenticity. The object of the activity is to have each student write and illustrate a 6-panel story that, from start to finish, is no longer than the 6 sheets they have. They will have to do some planning with a beginning panel, an ending panel, and 4 in-between ‘body of the story’ panels.

Students should first try to think of a topic. You, as their teacher, can perhaps put a list of story ideas on the board to give them a place to start. You might even choose to create and illustrate a story on the board to show them what they have to do. This would need to be done ahead of time. You can demonstrate how a story must flow smoothly from beginning to end. Many students will get right into it while others will tell you they cannot think of anything to write. This is where your ideas on the board will help.

On the board (or in class large computer screen), you might have different columns

1. Hero/Heroine, Villain or good guy/bad guy, father, mother, friend, brother, sister
2. Fight/war/save the planet/jungle, desert, city, airport, game
3. Airplane, ship, spaceship, submarine, bicycle, motorcycle, car, house, building, school
4. Alien, army, navy, air force, police, robber, football, hockey, baseball, cricket
5. Dog, cat, monkey, lion, tiger, elephant, snake, spider, horse
6. Flood, tornado, tsunami, snowstorm, hailstorm, dust storm, sunshine
7. Witch, elves, pixies, dwarves, giants, trolls, dragon
8. Christmas, Easter, holiday, vacation, weekend, visitor

(Add to or subtract from any of these lists as you see fit)

Students may choose from what you have written on the board or anything else from their own imagination. This may be given as a homework assignment as long as you can be assured that it will be their own work when it comes back. If they are into video games, a straight copy is not allowed. It must be their personal idea and written /graphic interpretation. This might also be a good time to introduce the idea of plagiarism.

Depending on the age of your students, perhaps an approximate limit of 5-6 sentences per page/panel for the younger ones and a paragraph or two for older students. You don’t need epistles here. It is just a fun exercise to teach students how to think about developing a story outline, a beginning and an ending, as well as simple hand drawings to help give readers/viewers a visual interpretation of the story. This process will help every student in later grades.

The idea is that each student writes and illustrates their 6-panel story, (like 6 pages from a children’s storybook) then tapes the panels together, rolls it up and ties it with the red ribbon. (You can change the colours as you wish). They should put their name in the rolled up story so they can find theirs if all of them get put in a basket, for instance.

The ‘reveal’ follows where each student gets to come up to the front of the class and tell his or her story. I like to bring students up to the front in small groups of up to 6 students depending on the size of your class (Dale Carnegie idea). This reduces student stress level and gives them support instead of leaving them all alone at the front. The group each takes their turn to read their story and stays up until everyone in the group has read their story. Then they sit down and the next group comes up. Encourage (you can lead) the rest of the class to applaud. Applause is great before and after each story and each group as they go up to the front and again as they return to their seats. This is another stress-reducer and at the same time shows students that their effort is appreciated… a good life lesson. Watch the applause level though; be respectful of other classes around you.

There is something magical about untying the ribbon and holding out the story, then reading it panel by panel. A good idea is then to post the stories around the room for everyone to see – especially if you have apparent-teacher day coming up! Be sure to take pictures of each student with their rolled up scrolls and then reading their story to the class. These make excellent send home pictures for the parents! It also shows the school director/principal how creative you are!

As an artist of almost 50 years’ experience drawing comes quite natural to me. This played out in the advertising jobs given me from several companies and then my own business. Newspapers and postal drops were my specialty and designing was especially important to getting as much information to the reader’s eye as possibly. This meant clever drawings had to take the place of words.

In more recent years as a writer this skill has paid off when choosing as few words as possible to describe something. Generally, authors waft on trying to paint a picture that their audience will pick up on. The same goes for the Internet.

Web pages and articles have about six seconds of viewing time to catch their audience before the page is clicked over. Unless there is a catchy title or a word that grabs their interest they are gone, and they rarely return.

While the viewing audience of this latest media format amounts to many millions or more there is no guarantee that a web page will be seen. Instead of word many will be drawn in by a great image. Over time a logo or comedy picture will instantly connect if they know that there is a benefit to be had by sticking around.

Logo’s are great draw cards and teaching people to respond to them is best done through the graphics rather than words. That is because many are not fast readers and some can barely read at all. But everyone responds to a picture.

If, on the other hand, one is appealing to a more intellectually aware audience it is the words rather than the image they respond to. It’s important to know, therefore, who your audience will be and how to best present your material so the balance is right. That is where graphic art, writing, and drawing skills all come into play.

One feature of the Christmas story has to do with the wise men. I’m not sure if there were three or not, but if there were I should like to be number four.

Wisdom is such a rare commodity today I think it would be a wise thing to resurrect these wise men. After all, you never can have too much wisdom.

I was thinking about this the other day as I was going over my weekly “to-do-list.” I make one of these every week so I know what I’m supposed to do. As I finish one task, I check it off in red ink.

It’s not that I don’t do a lot of things during the week, it’s simply that I sometimes don’t do the things that I plan to do for the week.

I certainly am not like the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage who has a PhD in planning. I know that if I don’t make my own plans and write them down, she will be glad to assist me. Looking at her “to-do-list,” makes me dizzy. How she can do so much in one week is beyond my understanding, and frankly, I don’t want to understand.

My “to-do-list” contains things that I want to do. That is not too hard to figure out. My wife’s “to-do-list” contains things that she wants done, whether she does them or I do them.

For example. Next month my wife will begin making plans for next year’s Christmas. We are not over this year’s Christmas and she has ideas for next year’s Christmas.

That brings me to the point of wisdom. I do not have enough wisdom, or at least not enough that I would like to have. I am not smart enough to figure out how much I really need, but I am smart enough to know that I sure do need more wisdom than I’ve got.

Wisdom tells us what we can do and cannot do. That sounds like my wife.

One of the great advantages of getting old (and the definition of old is up to the person using it) is that I can always say, “I’m too old to do that anymore.”

The real problem with this excuse is, it does not work well with my wife. She is, and I say this most cautiously, just a wee bit older than I am. When I offer this excuse, she always says, “I’m older than you and I can do it, so go ahead and do it, and no more excuses.”

That is why I need to have my own planner where I can outline my own plans.

This created somewhat of a problem not too long ago. I am not making any accusations, mind you. But I do have my suspicions.

The beginning of the week I opened my weekly planner and noticed I had jotted down “to-do” things I really did not quite remember. I just thought that was old age and I had forgotten I had jotted down these things.

The whole page was filled with all kinds of things for me to do during the week. I did not recognize one of them. Being the kind of person I am, I began doing those things and checking them off with my red pen as I finish them.

When I got to the fifth thing to do, I was a little surprised and not sure what it meant. It simply said, “Get groceries for the week.”

I did not quite understand this. I went back through my weekly planner to see when the last time I got groceries for the week was. I could not find one time that I did.

Right after that one was, “Fill my wife’s car up with gas.”

The next one was, “Do the laundry for the week.”

Now I was getting a little bit frustrated. I do not ever remember writing any of these things down. I know I am getting old and lack a lot of wisdom, but this is ridiculous.

I examined my weekly “to-do-list” and noticed nothing on that list that in any way pertained to me. None of the chores I do every week was even hinted on that page.

Sitting in my chair slowly going over the list my wife walked in and looked at me. She said, “What are you so much in thought about?”

Without even looking up I replied, “I’m trying to figure out my weekly to do list here. I must’ve been crazy when I planned this week out.”

Then, the person on the other side of the room began laughing hysterically. When she quieted down a little she said, “Have you finished all your chores for the week?”

I looked up at her and saw her laughing and all of a sudden, I had a stroke of wisdom like never before. Looking at her I asked, “Did you write this in my book?”

She did not have to answer with words, her dancing eyes and hilarious laugher, told me everything I needed to know.

I thought of what Solomon said, “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold” (Proverbs 3:13-14).

One good thing about having wisdom is that you do not have to be too serious about everything in life.

In the late sixties something happened to an american generation that would mark them forever. It is a story of war, the struggle for racial equality and the explosion of counter culture, it was a time when a generation rebelled, and lost its innocence in the fight against injustice. Vietnam was the first ever televised war, and the images were inescapable.

A decade that ended with disillusionment and rage began on a moral high note. Thanks to Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King jr, it seemed the time for racial equality in the US had finally arrived.

There is so much to write about in this era, that it is very difficult to select just one thing to focus on. Even though there is an absurd amount of art and design that stems from this time period. When we talk about the “sixties” all we seem to recognise is the music, psychedelic rock and artists like Janis Joplin and Jimmy Hendrix in particular.

Album art and festival posters however is a good place to start. As music was a force to be reckoned with, so came the album art work and poster designs, hand in hand. One thing that seems to be re-occurring with most of the visual artists at the time is a relation with “Underground Comix”. These were small press or self published comic books, usually socially relevant and satirical in their nature. These depicted content deemed unfit and forbidden to the more strict mainstream media.

Rick Griffin:

When we look up band posters it is hard to avoid finding a Grateful Dead poster somewhere, anywhere. The artist behind these were Rick Griffin. He was an American artist and one of the leading designers of psychedelic posters in the 1960s. His work within the surfing subculture included both film posters and his comic strip, Murphy.

Victor Moscoso:

A Spanish-American artist, Moscoso was the first of the rock poster artists of the 1960s era with formal academic training and experience. After studying art at the Cooper Union in New York and later attending Yale University, he moved to San Francisco in 1959 to study at the San Francisco Art Institute. Here he later became an instructor. He was one of the first of the rock poster artists to use photographic collages in his art work.His art and poster work has continued up to the present and he is a big inspiration to rock poster and album illustrators to this day.

Bonnie MacLean:

Another American artist making a name for her self at the time was Bonnie MacLean. She was born in Philadelphia and graduated from the Penn State University in 1960. She then moved to New York where she worked at the Pratt Institute while attending drawing classes in the evenings. She later moved to San Francisco where she met and worked with a man named Bill Graham, who became famous as the promoter of rock concerts at the Fillmore Auditorium. There she worked alongside another artist by the name of Wes Wilson.

Wes Wilson:

The aforementioned artist Wes Wilson was also one of the leading illustrators of psychedelic posters in the 1960`s. Working with Bill Graham and Bonnie MacLean, he was a big part of promoting venues at the time with posters and illustrative work for musicians and bands. The font and lettering of the posters from this era were created by him. He popularised this “psychedelic” font around 1966 that made the letters look like they were moving or melting. This lettering is still used on newer albums and art works for artists like Foo Fighters, Kyuss Lives and The Queens of the Stone Age. This in turn proves that the psychedelic movement is still influencing artists, especially in the world of metal, desert rock and stoner rock. The style is very much still alive as its own staple.

Modern poster styles:

Posters still influenced by the styles of art work can be traced through homages and inspirations in rock and metal posters from the present all the way back to this era. Several modern posters can be viewed on the web pages of Malleus Rock Art Lab if you should be interested. I personally find a lot of inspiration through their imagery.

Thank you for reading.