Animation Cels – A cel (short for celluloid) is a blank clear plastic sheet used by the studio artist to paint an animated character or object based on the animator’s original pencil drawing. The cels are then positioned over a background and photographed in sequence to produce an illusion of life in the completed film or cartoon short. Every cel is different but this does not mean that every cel is unique. Often multiple copies of a cel were created by the Inkers as color models in order to advance their technique and skills in Animation Art.

Limited Edition Animation Cels  –  Are a none  production hand painted cel created for sale to the collectors market. It is  produced in fixed limited quantities and are easily identified by a fraction (150/500) in the lower right hand corner. They are not used in films or cartoon shorts, and the original intent was to recreate the original production cels. More recently many studios release new images not based on production Animation Art.

Sericels – A non production cel not used in films or shorts  created using  a printing process similar to silk screening. No work is done by hand , therefore no painting or inking is involved. They are often produced in limited quantities of 5000 or less and occasionally more , and they are marketed as a low cost alternative to production and limited edition animation cels .

Animation Drawings –  These are the original drawings created by animators from which the production cels are traced or Xeroxed

Giclee – The French term “Giclée”, literally meaning “spray of ink,” is used to describe these prints. Four precision nozzles spray up to a million microscopic droplets per second on to fine art paper. Then, each piece of paper is one by one hand-mounted. Displaying a full color spectrum, the prints are lush and velvety, capturing the subtle nuances of the original artwork.

Tags: animation, animation art, animation art forms, Art, art forms, collecting different art forms

Kids love to do craft projects, there is certainly no doubt about it. But I imagine youngsters, particularly younger kids like to possess their projects much less structured. I completely imagine this is true mainly because they could be much more creative and have additional entertaining that way.

Do not get me incorrect, I come up with craft concepts for my daughter and we possess a ton of enjoyable with them, but she appears to possess additional entertaining creating her very own craft thoughts.

Several years back I went to our local very good will store and purchased a ton of craft supplies for quite little dollars. I purchased beads, pipe cleaners, glitter, stickers, feathers, yarn, lace, buttons, and just a ton of crafty sort stuff. I put it all in a massive box with some glue and glue sticks and hence my daughters crafting box came into existence.

We have since added stickers, markers, cotton balls, sequins, and other stuff we discover.

I acquired a large tablet of thick paper and therefore her “scrapbook” came into existence. She loves to obtain it out and generate various pages of tips and creations. She cuts pictures out of magazines and adds them to it at the same time.

At times she just makes her very own craft projects out from the materials rather than performing her “scrapbooking pages” and she has an excellent time. The only drawback to her scrapbooking is occasionally she uses a good deal of glue and we need to wait for it to dry prior to she can turn the page and move on to her next crafting creation.

So do not generally consider structured when it comes to craft tips for younger kids. You and they will almost certainly possess a great deal additional enjoyment in the event you let their imagination rule the project. Following all it can be their creation so there is certainly no incorrect or perfect to it. They may be much less likely to turn out to be frustrated mainly because they can’t make their creations appear just like they’re suppose to too.

Tags: crafting, crafting ideas, crafting ideas for kids, crafts, kids crafting, kids crafts, things to do with your kids

Learning toys are beneficial for developing the senses, skills, likings and disliking of children. Parents can guess fairly about the interests of their child by bringing them different kinds of learning toys and observing them.

We will discuss the role of learning toys at various growing stages of child’s life.

A child of 1 to 6 month is startled by loud sounds. At this stage his auditory senses develop more as he responds to different voices. Babies also try to follow the moving things with their eyes thus enhancing the kinesthetic senses. As infants cannot speak or give words to their feelings, they interact by developing such senses. Different kinds of sound making learning toys help to enhance their auditory abilities. Colorful toys will develop their sense of sight. Toys, making sounds will help them to distinguish between different kinds of sound. And different textured toys will help them to learn the difference between soft and hard objects.

Also different shapes of learning toys develop child’s reflexes of discriminating various toys from each other. Children try to catch moving toys by moving his body parts like hands, head and abdomen. As the development and learning process will continue, he will eventually learn to maintain his hand and eye coordination. His sense of proprioception will also develop likewise.

When a child is of 6 to 12 month, he tries to copy the sound he hears. Child of this age is just like a monkey who tries to copy things and acts. They like to see colorful pictures. This is the age of interactive play. At this stage, child will learn to start talking as well by uttering small easy words. That’s why when people around talk to them they respond by making different sounds. Push and pull help baby to develop sense of movement. Musical learning toys help him to develop the sense of rhymes.

Thought process of a child can be developed by bringing him learning toys that make sounds when pressed at particular place. This will help child to learn about “cause and its effect” pattern.12 to 18 months age is a goal oriented age. Child starts walking with his keen desire to go every possible place he can. They begin to imitate what they see and hear.

Toys developing their riding abilities will eventually teach them to maintain balance and coordinate different senses together. As child grows, blocks and puzzle games help child to develop his sense of problem solving, shapes, fine motor, pre-literacy activities.

Games with specified rules encourages child to develop social understanding and physical education. There are toys which will help child to learn and recognizes different shapes, alphabets and poems which will be very helpful when child will start his educational life. Play is essential for your baby’s development and learning toys play an important part in stimulating your baby’s various senses. Introduce your baby to the wonderful world of colorful toys or objects which help them to learn things in an efficient way.

Tags: how children learn with toys, how kids learn with toys, kids, kids learning through play, kids learning with toys, learning with toys, teaching with toys, toys that teach, toys the first step in learning

The truth is that everyone can develop the ability to paint. Learning to paint is as hard as anything else. All activities require a certain level of talent, including writing, cooking and even talking. So, if you would like to develop the fundamentals necessary to paint, what makes that different from the other activities where the skill to do it is considered a “God given” talent?

Absolutely anyone can be learning to paint and there is no need for god given talent to do so. As is the case with acquiring most skills, the secret to success, lies in the passion and determination of the individual.

After all, all these manuals and art books have not been written for the “god given” painters, explaining all the techniques for the usage of adequate papers, colors, brushes and stuff. In other words, the authors who are creating those materials believe that anyone can learn how to paint.

The painting method that you select, is a highly individualized choice. You can choose with oils, acrylics, water colors and pastels.  These are the basics, and you can always move into other ones at a later time.

Of course people painted with everything they had, being it chalk, charcoal, coffee or anything else. It is also recommended that you try out several different techniques so that you can choose the one you are the most comfortable with when it comes to learning to paint. Stop using something if it does not work for you, it will only make you feel bad – there will certainly be the technique you will find your satisfaction.

Do not be scared to improvise with colors, mix them because it will make your learning more interesting. There are no guidelines or hard and fast rules that must be followed in order to experiment with color.

When you have finished a painting project, be satisfied and pleased with your accomplishment, because whether it is an abstract or true naïve, it should not be compared to anyone else’s work. You should never try to conform your painting to specific guideline, as art is a creative process without limitations. How art can remain art if we label it?

Tags: Art, kids, learn how to paint, learn to paint, learning how to paint, paint, painting, school tips, teaching, teaching art, teaching painting to kids

How useful is the location where you tend to do your study program? Would it be possible to make it better? Complete this quiz to rate your study environment. Add up the score for each answer that applies to your study environment (there may be more than one answer for each question!)

1. Is your study environment distraction free?

     I leave my study to take telephone calls (5 points)
     I study next to a TV and have it switched on (5 points)
     I have music (not classical music) playing (4 points)
     I am with others when I study (3 points)
     I live in a very noisy neighbourhood (3 points)
     I study in complete quiet (1 point)
     I have classical music playing in the background (0 points)

2. Is my study environment restful?

     I often feel cozy and sleepy when I study (5 points)
     I often feel cold when I study (5 points)
     I study in bed (5 points)
     I study on an arm chair or sofa (4 points)
     My study area is stuffy with no ventilation (4 points)
     My seat is too hard or uncomfortable (3 points)
     My study area is well ventilated with fresh air (0 points)
     I study at a table. My chair supports my back (0 points)

3. Is my study location well set up?

     I often waste time searching for the things I need for study (5 points)
     My study environment is filled with clutter and untidy (5 points)
     I do not have a filing system or shelves (4 points)
     I do not have a pin-up board (2 points)
     I have to pack away the projects I am working on at the conclusion of each
          study session (2 points)
     I can leave a project out to continue working on it during my next study session (0 points)
     I have a filing system and tidy shelves (0 points)
     I can find whatever I need instantly (0 points)
     I have all books and equipment at hand (0 points)
     I have timetables, deadlines, goals, and motivational
          quotes displayed on a pin-up board (0 points)

0 – 10 points: Your study place is set up to maximize your
                       results! Can you improve it even more in
                        any of the areas listed above?

11 – 20 points: There are some definite things you can do
                           to improve your studylocation. Look
                           overTake a look at the zero point answers to get some
                           ideas.

> 20 points:  Your study place is in urgent need
                       of improvement! You are unable to study efficiently
                       in an area that is uncomfortable (or
                       too comfortable!), disorganised or filled with
                       distraction. What changes can you make to
                       make your study space better?

The place where you choose to study is an important element of a successful study plan. Get it right, and you could be on the way to significantly improving your grades.

Tags: better ways to study, get better grades, how to get better grades in school, how to make a good study space, making a good study space, score better grades

History is one of those subjects like math that intimidate moms. Some moms spend countless hours scouring the homeschool reviews looking for that one history program that is not going to be dry, boring, too easy, intense and loaded with workbooks and what not.

You can stop the insanity! Stop frustrating yourself. The first thing is to realize that you homeschool and you have the advantage, and the opportunity to teach not only what will be needed, but you get to choose what, when. You see, being home schooled means we get to be independent learners. We are privileged to choose what curriculum our children use, even if it has no workbooks at all.

You see, curriculum does not always have to be limited to what’s in a box. Curriculum can be inventive, fun, hands on and is in-depth as your children will go. The fun part of homeschooling is you get to choose how much or how little to teach, depending on how well your child is learning, interacting and enjoying history.

Make sure that history is fun and exciting and you will find a kid who has a thirst for more. Here are a few tips to help make history fun and interactive, even if you are working from a boxed curriculum.

If you are using a boxed curriculum, go over the different things the program will be teaching. Let the child choose what they want to study first out of the choices. That is right, you do not have to start in chronological order or in the order of the pages. Learn history and you hit the mark, plain and simple.

If you plan to use the free style approach, then you will want to
start the process by getting your child involved. Have a bit of a discussion about history and ask your child what kind of history they would like to study.

Music
War
Art
Cowboys
Knights
Queens
What sparks their interest?

After you decide what you are going to study, you decide if you need to break things down a bit. Say your child chose war. Now together, you get to decide what war. Revolution, Civil War, WWI what ever.

Now comes the fun part.
Start Googling things. Google stuff that you would like to learn about within your subject and you will be amazed at what you will find. Many moms, like myself, have been there before and we have oodles of information to share. Many moms, like myself, have links to their favorite resources on their websites just waiting to share.

Some sites are easily overlooked by the new homeschool family. The history channel always has something of interest for your wee ones. I enjoy the PBS for documentary and what not. The point is, if you are struggling to find a curriculum, stop the struggle. The fact that you do homeschool allows you to do things a little differently and not as rigid as institutionalized formats of learning.

Nothing teaches a hands on learner better than hands on. Museums and cultural centers offer an awesome way to learn history. Join a reenactment group and you will really be teaching your children something. Look for events like reenactments in your local area. Many State Parks or museums offer living history classes or special events. Those are great ways for a child to learn hands on.

Don’t be mislead by the whole you need a work book lie. Yep, that is a lie. Here is how you can reinforce what your child has learned. For younger children, it is easy for them to draw a picture of what they have learned. Tell them to think of the favorite part of the lesson and draw that. Not only are you covering history, but now you just did some art. Again, there are many resources that have activity pages you can download and print for free.

Depending on the Childs grade and skill level, you can implement the following: write a sentence, write a short summary or write a research paper of what they learned. For some of your older students you could have them make up test questions and then have them answer. That is a fun exercise for them to really use their reasoning skills. Let them know that they need to think of good and challenging questions as part of the assignment. And have them write sentence answers. Challenge them to see if they can stump you with a question. That will get them digging deep into what they have learned. Have them make up flash cards with key points or make a bulletin board showing what they have learned in art and labeling with key points. There are all sorts of great memory exercise you can do besides paperwork and tests.

If you really feel like you need a curriculum to teach that is fine too. Take the best choice of the bunch and add to it. If the curriculum is studying the civil war, you could supplement it with some of the suggestions I just offered. Then, they are getting textbook familiarity along with the hands on fun.

To sum things up. Whether you like curriculum or free style learning, there are options. Don’t feel like you need to fit into a box. If you are uncomfortable and don’t like it yourself, chances are your children will not like it either or they will play off or your frustrations.

Tags: encouragement, family fun, home school, homeschool, homeshcool, kids, parents looking for help, school help, school tips, teaching, teaching methods, training

When getting ready for your SAT, you will have plenty of inquiries, but do not worry, you aren’t alone.    I’ve put together a list on the most typical questions about  the SAT Test and SAT Prep Courses with the answers that you are searching for.

1 with the ideal techniques to get a train test is to take an SAT Prep Course.  The Whitefish  Examine Center provides SAT Prep Classes in Whitefish Montana for large  school  students in Northwest Montana.  Searching with your region for SAT Prep or for tutoring will  lead you to a center inside your region.  Whitefish Analyze center  also features  College Counseling and Tutoring in Whitefish Montana.

Question:  Do I have to review?

Answer:  Completely, you really should.  That said, not everyone needs to  examine for your SAT as you would for a midterm or a high school final exam.  The standard SAT  test  quizzes your knowledge with the English language and of mathematics.  Most students already know this really well, in case you had fine teachers.  Should you paid attention in high school math and English classes, a review of your notes and a few training SAT tests may be all that you may need.

Question:  When should I start out studying?

Solution:  Your must begin studying for your SAT test the moment you register for that SAT test.  Why wait until the last minute to study and prepare for your SAT?   This just results in late night cram sessions the night before.  Be smart, and avoid this at all costs.  You may retain information far better by reviewing your notes  and taking practice tests at a slow and steady pace.   Simply start out earlier.  In addition, you should know that a late night cram session  will do much more harm than great.   What you may need the  night before is sleep, not much more studying.

Query:  How do I uncover training SAT Tests?

Solution:  Exercise tests are effortless to locate  on-line.  The Official SAT internet site, managed by the College Board, makes 1 free of charge exercise test readily available.  With  this test,  merely print the instructions  and enter your answers online, and you  may get your score.  Also, by registering through the College Board with the  Official SAT  Course, you can access extra tests.  An internet search will discover additional.  Training SAT tests are also found in several printed research guides.

Tags: how to prep for the SAT, SAT, SAT prep, SAT prep courses, SAT preparation courses

“The Homeschool Coffee Club”
Feeling frustrated and overwhelmed? Is this your first year and your not sure what to do? Perhaps your child is entering high school and your not sure how to go about that? Are you looking for real advice from real moms who have really been there but you don’t have the time for Chat Rooms, Forums or Moms Nights? Look no further.

Get Tips, encouragement and resources right from your phone. Join A.V Homeschoolers for “The Homeschool Coffee Club” On the first Thursday of every month beginning in June at 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

Listen to real moms handle real issues and give you new ideas and advice to make your home school a success. Get the support and encouragement you need to help make your home school year a breeze.

Are you needing personal attention? An open Q and A session will be handled at the end of every teleconference. Cant make it to the phone? All calls will be recorded for you so you can listen at any time. {The call is free but, check your phone company for long distance rates} This is an hour call.

Here is Conference Dial-in Number: (641) 715-3300

This month:
June
Homeschool, is it for me? Charter schools, filing an affidavit, PSP! What should you choose and what’s the difference? This month we will speak to a couple of different moms and their experience with ISP, PSP, Charter schools and filing your affidavit. We will also find out what they like best about homeschooling and why they chose to do it. Through this call we hope to help you choose what will work best for you and your situation. Remember there is a Q and A at the end of each recorded call!

Check out The Coffee Club Schedule to get all the latest recordings and to find out what is coming up next!

Please feel free to forward this to any homeschooler you know!

Tags: coffee, coffee club, coffee club call, encouragement, first day of school, home school, homeschool, parents looking for help, resources, school help, school tips, starting school, teaching, teaching methods, training

Some fun art and a little learning for your Thanksgiving holiday

One thing that goes well with kids and school is arts and crafts. Kids love arts and crafts no matter how creative they are. As long as the craft is simple, kids want to do it.

I have always liked combining my arts and crafts with school and giving purpose to what we are doing. One way of doing this is with a bulletin board. Bulletin boards have always been a friend of mine. I love how they not only can brighten up your schoolroom walls, but they constantly reinforce what it is you are teaching. Until your students have the skill pretty mastered, a bulletin board should be around.

Thanksgiving bulletin boards are a great way to teach several things. First, they could actually teach students about geography. Plan out a course that the pilgrims took and have the students make a map charting the course. The younger students could have a very basic map and the older the children are the more details they could add. If you wanted to study mapping skills this would be optimum.

Perhaps the students could make a giant cardboard ship with the different levels of the ship. They could add supplies made from construction paper or raw materials that could depict what would be needed to make the journey. Different mediums could add a 3D effect to the project. This could be adapted to each grade level by offering pre made things to add to the ship and help from the teacher to the students making the project all themselves.

Another thing you could do is study the pilgrims themselves. What did they do that first year and how were they helped, making a big collage to depict that. Again, this could be very rudimentary or detailed depending on the grade and ability of your student.

You could teach art by going on line and looking at various artists and how they portrayed thanksgiving. Study about how Thanksgiving was portrayed in the 1600’s as compared to now. Look at greeting cards and see if students can notice how art has changed from then to now. Then, the students could design their own art pieces depicting what thanksgiving is to them.

It would be fun to study clothing of the period and find out when the black and white came in and when it went out or did they really wear black and white at all.

The possibilities are endless! So, while you are teaching your kids about this important holiday why not add in some fun by offering an art and craft to go with all that learning. It is like getting fries with your hamburger.

Tags: Art, Art and Crafts, home school, homeschool, kids, parents looking for help, resources, school help, school projects, school tips, teaching, teaching art, teaching methods, Teaching tip, Thanksgiving