Does it make sense to use water color pencils instead of normal color pencils for dry coloring?

Student vs professional is usually a difference in pigment and pigment amounts, the binders are typically the same. So, from that respect, I wouldn't expect a lot of difference in the important aspect of their behavior.

So, watercolor pencils are designed to be used dry on dry or as a wet medium, so there's no inherent reason not to use them for dry coloring, they just have different characteristics versus more traditional colored pencil medium and you can learn to take advantage of those just as easily. This is true in "normal" options as well, the behavior of wax-based is different that oil-based, and you can use that to your advantage.

In terms of getting brighter, this is also true of wax/oil pencils when blended with a blender. You're dissolving the binder, leaving behind the pigment, and that usually results in a brighter look. Binder differences can result in a difference of brightness dry, but that doesn't necessarily mean the pigments are richer.

The biggest difference, in my still limited observation working with Polychromos and Albrecht Dürer pencils, is that the watercolors blend together much, much, easier and I need far less layering to achieve coverage once I activate with water. In fact, for a single color, one is generally enough. It's a different look though, as it's not opaque, but that's the fun part of watercolors.

So, sure, you can use the watercolor pencils for dry coloring. Just remember that if you want to use them wet, the paper matters. Normal dry paper is probably not going to hold up that well to applying water.


Can we cut and score on colored card stock paper?

As many have described in the comments, there are a variety of computer-guided cutting machines, ranging from the cricket and silhouette level machines which are designed for home use, to more serious home-manufacturing devices like the silver bullet.
These devices differ from each other in terms of price, the size of media they can work with and the variety of bits which are available for them.  They all share a very significant failing in the way that they secure the media to the cutting bed for the cutting/scoring process.  Each of them without exception (in my experience) use a sticky plastic mat to hold the media which is to be cut or scored.
That mat insures that the machine can maintain a firm grip on the media so that accurate registration can be maintained during the process.  But when dealing with certain media, for example card stock paper, that sticky plastic mat often does more harm than good.  The problem is that the adhesive on the mat is often stronger than whatever is holding the paper layers together.  Small cut pieces often tear and shred into wafers when after cutting, you attempt to remove them from the mat.
It is very frustrating to have a cut performed perfectly by one of these brilliant machines and then to unavoidably destroy the result while trying to release it from the adhesive mat.
There are low-adhesion mats available for some of these machines, but I have yet to find one which provides both enough holding power to prevent slippage during cutting/scoring and enough ease of release afterwards.


You would want a flexible adhesive, as the rubber soles will have some movement throughout its thickness.

A good quality contact cement will bond well with both the rubber and with the wood, as long as you have a clean smooth surface on the wood. The rubber should also be cleaned with a solvent such as denatured alcohol or acetone, to ensure there is no oil or grease.

Unfortunately, a good quality contact cement will make it difficult to later replace the rubber.

That leaves a rather obvious option known as rubber adhesive. This is not to be confused with rubber cement, often used in offices and print shops to bond paper layers. The appearance of both products are similar, but the rubber adhesive products will be thicker.

Some of the adhesives work in a manner similar to contact cement, in that the layers are applied to both surfaces and allowed to become tacky, sometimes even requiring that the adhesive become dry. When placed into contact, the bond is quite strong.

When removal becomes necessary, it is likely that you will have to sand away the residual adhesive from the wood, or use a solvent that will not damage the finish of the wood. Goo Gone or similar citrus based removal agents may prove useful.


What are good ways to spray paint a QR code on a footpath?

Here's a QR Code Stencil Generator which automatically generates thin bridges between islands.

As mentioned by @Aloisdg : It is a Processing project and it is hosted on GitHub.

I tested it successfully on the pavement last year. The pavement should be as slick as possible, though.


What are possible sources of wood pieces from for making musical instruments?

The properties of the wood, especially its density will have a significant effect on the  tone of the instrument but there is quite a wide variety used as well as various laminates.

Of critical importance is the stability of the wood as even small amounts of warping can seriously affect play-ability, this is especially the case with the neck which needs to be able to resist the tension of the strings without bowing or twisting. Indeed the necks of most steel strung guitars are fitted with internal 'truss rods' which can be adjusted to balance the tension of the strings.

Similarly wood used for musical instruments needs to be very well seasoned this takes time and carefully controlled conditions.

One good option for a first project is that there are several companies selling guitar kits in various degrees of completion with a wide variety of body and necks styles and hardware available. If you want to design your own body shape you could either modify an existing style (the kits are usually clones of popular models/brands) of get one with a through neck so you at lest have the crucial mechanical parts done and the material for the rest of the body becomes less critical. Indeed there have been a few 'fantasy' guitars built around a through neck using foam and fibreglass to sculpt the body.

Another option is to look for salvaged wood. Brian May famously built his own guitar, with his dad, using wood from a fireplace mantle shelf and other sources. Hardwood tables and bar tops may also be good sources. These also have the advantage that you know that the wood is well seasoned. Chunky shelves and table tops are often made from mahogany which well suited to making a guitar.


Yarns with the same dye lot number were all dyed at the same time. Because dying is a chemical reaction, many different factors can make items dyed at different times turn out differently, even if the dye "recipe" was identical from one dyeing session to the next. The temperature could be different, there could be slightly more or less pigment in a teaspoon of the dye powder, the water used for the dyes could have more or less chlorine from the water treatment plant, the fiber being dyed could have been scoured with a different type of soap, and any residual elements could interact with the dye.  There is tons of information about this on the interwebs-here is one article from Wikipedia.

All that is to say that it is almost impossible to get an exact match between yarns dyed in different dyeing sessions. It doesn't really matter what the base fiber is, or whether the dyer is an independent dyer working in their own home or a major yarn manufacturer--there will almost always be a slight variation of color between yarns dyed in different dye lots.

So, if you are going to be making something where you have alot of a single color in a block, you usually want to purchase yarn from the same dye lot, otherwise you will probably see a slight (and sometimes not so slight) color demarcation where you have changed yarn. In this picture, someone had to use yarn from a different dyelot to finish the sleeve:

BTW--if you ever find yourself in a situation where you do have yarns from different dye lots, the best way to minimize the issues with color mismatch are to use the yarns from both dyelots at the same time--knit/crochet two rows with one yarn, and then switch to the other yarn. Carry the unused yarn loosely up the side of the piece until you are ready to use it again.  By limiting the area of one color to a small section, your eyes will make the colors blend together and you are much less likely to notice a distinct color change.


Disclaimer: I've never actually made a needle for naalbinding, but I have done some other wood carving and the principles are the same.

The site from which you (presumably) got your picture lists a few materials that naalbinding needles can and have been made from, including the following:

juniper
rowan tree
honeysuckle
lilac
olive tree
fruit trees (like apple tree)
ice cream sticks

From the above, you can probably conclude that any reasonable wood (I.E. not balsa) will do.

I found a tutorial that suggests making the basic shape first, but given that making the eye is probably the trickiest bit I would make it first before carving the shape.

As always, the main thing to be aware of is safety. If using a knife, always cut away from you, and take appropriate steps with whatever other equipment you may use.

Apart from that, the only thing that's required is a small amount of (what looks to be very cheap) material and some practice.


what is best used to "contour" a flat artists canvas

One option you have, considering that one of your tags is papier-mache, would be to cut cardboard of suitable thickness into shapes which could be stacked to form the contour you require.

A resource directly related to this concept is software known as Flat Fab. Even though the software is directed to laser cutting of cardboard and other flat material, one can use it to create prints that can be managed in a manual manner (craft knife, scissors, etc.) if access to a laser cutter is not possible.

Even though this particular image may not fit your requirements, it shows segments of the results of using the software.

Your question is tagged with adhesives, yet has no question related to that tag. That would be best addressed in a separate post, if you require adhesive related information.

Another option would be to use molding clay to form your shapes. It would require to create a scaffold or armature within the clay that extends to the back of the formed clay, allowing for a surface on which to apply adhesive to bond to the canvas.

It is probably easier to form clay than to cut cardboard, unless you have a laser cutter and you may have greater flexibility with clay.


Name of collage or embroidery mixing pearls, sequins and beads

Consider beading, being the decoration of fabric with beads.

Or, more specifically to embroidery, bead embroidery.


Unlike natural fibers which can be blocked by simply shaping the item while wet, blocking acrylic requires heat. Many people try to wet-block acrylic the same way they would do wool, and they aren't happy with the results so they conclude (incorrectly) that there's no point in blocking acrylic. That's not true. There's simply very little point in wet blocking acrylic. The simplest heat-blocking method is to run the item through a washer and dryer. That's the easiest way, so I recommend trying that first. It should even out any slightly wonky stitches. If you're happy with the appearance at this stage, no further effort is required.
A more intense way is steam blocking. If done correctly, blocking improves the appearance of a knitted item. It smooths out minor irregularities in stitch size and overall makes the item look more polished and professionally produced. It can also prevent edges from curling. Here's how:

Lay the knitted item out flat. Stretch, smooth and smoosh it until it's the shape you want and the stitches are nice and even. If it won't hold its shape on its own, use pins and/or blocking wires to hold it in place.

Use a steam iron to steam it. Hover over the fabric with the iron, not touching it. As you go, pat the fabric gently to smooth it out (in areas where it wasn't already sitting smoothly).

Once you're done, the blocking is permanent. Don't be scared off by the word "permanent;" it's actually a good thing because it means the gift is low-maintenance. Your gift recipients can toss it in the washer and dryer without needing to block it again.

Tips:

Wash your item before steam-blocking it. A knitted item usually needs to be washed after knitting, because your hands aren't always completely clean when you knit (and even when they are they still have natural oils on them). If you steam block a dirty item, you can end up setting oils and stains into the fabric.

Knit a swatch from the same yarn (if you made a gauge swatch, just use that). Practice steam blocking the swatch until you get the hang of what distance to hold the iron from the swatch, and for how long to steam it. Actually try to over-block part of your swatch to the point of "killing" it - that way you know what it actually takes to kill acrylic, and you can avoid doing that. You'll find that it takes a lot more heat than you would expect to kill acrylic.

Irons often have some build-up of calcium salts in their steam holes, especially if you left water in it the last time you used it. The build-up will leave annoying little white crumbly bits on your beautiful knitted item. Run the hot iron over a towel to remove some of the crumbly bits before using the iron for blocking.

"Killing" acrylic is actually an intentional technique that is done on purpose sometimes. Usually for lace. It apparently gives the fabric a lovely drape, but removes all the elasticity. It's probably not appropriate for your cabled scarf, but keep it in mind if you decide to make lace someday.

Ravelry has some very helpful discussion groups about working with acrylic yarns, eg I don't care who knows...I love acrylic!.

If you love working with acrylic, consider investing in a steamer. They work better than a steam iron.


For just about any shape of cut-out, one could use a router bit in a router, but they are typically quite heavy and more powerful than you need for cardboard. More appropriate would be a tool commonly called a Dremel tool. These are rotary multi-feature tools for which one can purchase different attachments and cutting bits.

A router head for such a tool is going to be smaller than a full size router. Cutting bits are typically around the 1/8"/3 mm size. There are larger diameters but not as much variety as with a full size router.

The tools are often variable speed and some are cordless, offering even more flexibility for use.

For cutting straight lines, one would want to have a guiding device such as a flat board clamped or taped to the cutting surface. For curves and holes, it's going to be mostly eyeball guidance.

If you are cutting only straight lines, there is available what amounts to a small scale hand-held circular saw, but that loses the ability to change kerf sizes.

The one shown is again by Dremel, but other manufacturers have similar products.

Last on the list would be an oscillating cutter.

Many manufacturers, corded and cordless, with multiple tool selections. No kerf adjustment, generally speaking, more easily controlled than a circular cutter but slower.

I did not suggest a hobby level CNC cutter as they are expensive and limited to the bed size, which limits your work piece size as well.


How would I cut out lettering from a stamped piece of thick-sheet metal

A jewelers saw (also known as a piecing saw) should do the job these have very thin, fine toothed blades, almost a like a flattened wire which can handle very intricate cutting jobs.

Image from micromark.com

You may also want some needle files to tidy up the cut edges afterwards.

You will need to drill a small hole where you want to start the cut. Then you can disconnect one end of the saw blade from the frame, thread it through the hole and reattach it.

These saws to take a bit of skill to use effectively but if you get the basic technique right you can achieve good results with care and patience even if you don't have much experience. The big advantage over power tools for something like this is that you have a lot more control over the rate at which you cut so there is less chance of making mistakes. It is also important to use the correct blades for the job, which is largely determined by the thickness of the material. If you use too coarse a blade for the thickness of the material it will tend to snag and jam. For metal around 1.5mm thick you are looking at around 50 teeth per inch.

Similarly you need to set the correct blade tension (do this by flexing the frame of the saw against the bench as you attach the blade), it should give a clear 'ping' when you pluck it like a guitar string.

Also bear in mind that the teeth are directional and conventionally you should be cutting on the pull stroke (downwards if you are using a bench peg) this means that the work is pulled into the peg, keeping it stable and the blade is only loaded in tension.


How do I keep from breaking charcoal pencil leads when I sharpen them with a knife?

Sandpaper.

Really, imho the best way to sharpen charcoal pencils is by using sandpaper (100 grit). Works really, really well and the result is perfect.


I'm not aware of painters tape being sold in super-wide rolls.  But you could replicate that by overlapping as many strips as needed to contain the shape inside a wide border.  Do that on an easy-release surface like wax paper or used backer paper from label sheets (use as much as you need to protect the adhesive).  Trace or draw the desired shape onto the tape and cut it out.  Then peel the tape from the backing and position it on the surface you want to paint.

Another approach would be to create a template.  There are lots of suitable materials you could use.  Chipboard is available in large sheets.  You might even be able to get a sufficiently large piece by opening up something like a large cereal box.  Some materials will hold up better than others if you want to reuse it many times.

Along the lines of your vinyl idea, the vinyl used for laser-cutting lettering and shapes for signage is typically thin, and backed with an aggressive adhesive, although you could leave the liner attached.  You might be able to find heavier-weight, stiffer vinyl sheets at an art supply store.

For small shapes, there are vinyl folders that are long lasting versions of manila folders; you could cut off the fold to make two flat pieces that would be good, long-lasting template material. If you don't have access to a laser cutter, you could cut it by hand with a hobby knife or hot knife. You might be able to use a French curve as a knife guide (though not with a hot knife).

For larger sizes, you could use something like vinyl shelf liner, which is heavy enough to not stretch, or vinyl wall paper.  Tyvek, which is available in rolls, might be suitable for single use; it is likely to wrinkle, though, with the first use (but it's cheap and you could make more, cutting the shape out with scissors).

The problem is in sealing the template against the medium so paint doesn't wick under it.  You need a temporary adhesive that doesn't leave a residue and isn't so aggressive that it can pull off what may already be on the medium.  If the medium is a textured surface, you also need something thick enough to fill the gaps.

Rolling a thin bead of tacky putty (the kind used to stick things to a wall that doesn't leave any residue), would be a good material for that.  Line the back of the template right at the cutout edge.  If it is a large template made of heavyish material and the medium won't be horizontal when you paint, or material that wants to roll up, use clips of some kind to secure the template in position (or painters tape around the edge).  Then press the cutout area into position to adhere the putty.

Let me add a totally different approach.  There are temporary coatings that can be sprayed or applied with a roller.  They dry to a protective, clingy plastic film that can be peeled off without removing paint or other surface materials.  Typical use is to protect finishes or materials during storage or construction.  There are lots of similar products (Google "spray-on temporary coating").  Here's one from an Australian company, but similar products are available all over: https://www.shieldnpeel.com.au/.

To use it as a template, cut out a positive of the shape and position it on the medium.  Spray or roll a coating of the material over at least the edges of the shape, and wide enough to protect the area around the shape.  Extend it to an edge for easy access for peeling.  While it is still wet, remove the positive, so the coating is the template.  Peel the film off when you're done.


Regardless of what you intend to decorate the inside of your tubes with, I think the solution is to apply the adhesive on the inside first and then decorate.

I was looking at a way to get paint brush bristles angled at 90 degrees either via a kludge, like an elastic, or a commercial product but I had issues searching for "90 degree brush head". What little I did find was either too large or unrealistic for this application. That's when it hit me! There is a simpler solution likely already in your possession or at least cheap to acquire for this.

A toothbrush already has the 90 degree angle that would make for easy adhesive application on the inside of a tube. You basic white glue would be fine here for this. Even though it is non toxic I am sure you would prefer to get a dedicated toothbrush as supposed to dual purposing your daily one.

Once you get a decent amount of glue inside I would roll up the paper, that you plan on placing inside, smaller than that of the toilet paper roll itself. Gently put it in the tube and once it is inside all the way you should be able to release it. It will open most of the way and a little massaging will help get it in place the rest of the way. This should help keep glue from getting on the paper where it will be seen.

Using paper that is longer than your tube would be useful as you can adjust it from both ends without having to put your hand in too far. Excess paper can easily be removed with scissors or knives after.

If you were to use something other than paper, like glitter for instance, it would just be a matter of sprinkling it inside the tube and letting it stick.


How can I make my flowers glow in the dark?

I lack both the chemistry and botany knowledge to address you question directly.  @ChrisH's comment suggests that your phosphorus pigments won't wick up through the stems like the compounds in the referenced article do.

Have you considered applying the pigment directly to the flower petals using either a paintbrush or airbrush?

Since you are planning to encapsulate the flower in clear resin, you don't have to worry about the paint rubbing off of the petals.  How it gets to where you want it is less important that how it looks once it is in place.  To that end, I would recommend a very light (high-air) spray of a very dilute pigment using an airbrush with a high-number needle and nozzle (3 or above).  Mist the flower with the glowing paint and test the results in darkness after each coat.

Skipping that idea, there is an immersion technique at the end of the referenced article which might work even if the stem-based approach fails with the pigment you choose.


You can paint (spray paint if you want to be quick) all cards before gluing the paper. Black spray paint will make everything even and often only needs one coat, white spray paint often needs 2-3 coats.


Are GSM and teeth related to each other when the paper is cold-pressed?

The GSM level does not necessarily dictate the tooth of paper.  GSM stands for Grams per Square Metre and refers to the quality of the paper in terms of thickness.  A 1m x 1m sheet of paper at 300 GSM will weigh 300 grams as opposed to 200 grams with 200 GSM.

The tooth is down to the compression method used to produce the paper. Cold Press paper is rougher than Hot Press and you would need to try different brands to find your desired tooth.

If you have paper which has a higher tooth than desired you can follow the advice given in the second link.

  Using the finest sandpaper at your local art store, gently sand the paper until it arrives at your desired smoothness. Be careful to pause in between vigorous sanding sessions, and check that you are not sanding a hole into your paper.

As you probably guessed, for the opposite (to get more tooth), use sandpaper which is more coarse.  Be very careful with this thought as the tooth in patches can become uneven and you won't need to rub much for this.


How can I completely clean an old candle container?

I've done similar things after using food containers for candles.  You may not actually need all these steps, but this is how to be very thorough.
What I'd do is put them in a cool oven, just hot enough to thoroughly melt the wax (100°C should be enough).
First, put them face down supported on wires over a drip tray.  The vast majority of the wax will run out.
Then, still hot, and holding using oven gloves, wipe the insides thoroughly with a dry rag.
In terms of food safety, while I doubt you could ever reuse the containers commercially within the rules, I'd probably be happy at that point to use containers from  unscented candles.  After all, paraffin wax and beeswax are both used in food.
I'd still go a step further though, and definitely if anything scented had been in there: Finally, put them through a dishwasher on a hot wash (70°C or above).  Paraffin wax and beeswax both melt a little below this, and once melted the dishwasher will remove the residue and any scent.  Shifting the scent may actually be the tricky bit.
Apparently container candles are best made with lower melting point waxes anyway, so they should easily melt in the dishwasher.  The earlier steps were more to protect your filters. If any scent lingers after dishwashing, either give up on that container, or wipe round with cooking oil, then fill to the brim with hot soapy water.  Dishwash again after soaking.
Of course, there's no guarantee that the containers can withstand a dishwasher.  Paint (or glitter etc.) on the outside would be particularly likely to be damaged.


This pattern is done in moss stitch/seed stitch, which are two names for the same stitch.  There are plenty of resources on line for learning it, but it is really very simple:

Cast on an odd number of stitches (the odd number is really
important)
Each row will be worked the same--start knit 1, purl 1, and repeat to the end of the row

Because you cast on an odd number of stitches, each row ends with a knit 1.  When you turn it around to work in the other direction, you work a knit right on top of the last knit stitch, and a purl on top of a purl stitch.  This creates this bumpy texture.

Knit stitches make a sort of V-shape on the front of the fabric.  Purl stitches make a horizontal line on the front of the fabric.  If you look at the picture closely, you can see that this fabric is made up of horizontal lines with Vs sitting directly on top of the lines. It is actually much easier to see the line of knit "V"s, if you look at a ribbed pattern*:

Ribbing is made the same way as moss stitch, but you start out by casting on an even number of stitches. In this case, when you finish a row, you end with a purl stitch, and when you go back in the other direction, you work a knit stitch on top of that purl stitch, and then a purl on top of a knit stitch, all the way across.

A ribbed piece has a lot of stretch to it, so it is often used for sweater cuffs, or the bottom of hats, etc. Moss/seed stitch does not stretch much, and will also make the fabric lay flat, rather than the curling you often get with stockinette stitch (all knit stitches in one direction, all purl in the other).

A quick hint I will add for newbies working moss/seed stitch.  When you get to the end of the row, and turn your work, your yarn will be in front of the work, in position for a purl stitch.  In order to work a knit stitch, you have to get the yarn to the back of the work, which you do by carrying the yarn underneath the needle to the back of the piece.  A problem that many new knitters run into is that they actually wrap the yarn over the top of the knitting needles to get it to the back of the work, and then when they work back to that end, they accidentally work this additional loop as if it was a stitch. This is also an issue when working the knit stitch in both directions (called garter stitch), and is the most common reason so many new knitters find that their pieces get wider as they work (and have holes at the edges).

*Please note that the second picture actually shows a piece knit using brioche stitch, but it does such a good job of illustrating the ribbing pattern that I used it anyway.

ETA:  As @jkadlubowska pointed out, the picture labeled Moss Stitch actually shows double moss stitch, meaning that you can actually see are two knit "Vs" and two purl bumps.  But just like the brioche stitch sample, I think it easier to see the knit Vs and purl bumps in this picture, so I am leaving it as is.


The clay-sand mixture used in casting is known as green sand, foundry sand, or molding sand.

  Green sand is an aggregate of sand, bentonite clay, pulverized coal and water. Its principal use is in making molds for metal casting.
  via Wikipedia

Different proportions of sand, clay, and other compounds result in slightly different properties, but green sand can be packed tightly to hold its shape and therefore not move when molten metal is poured into a mold.

A walkthrough of the sand casting process can be found at Foundry 101: Step-by-Step Sand Casting Instructions.


From the absence of visible leaf structure, I would guess that this is just artfully laid out gold colored tissue on canvas.  There is an inherent pun in the work because that gold tissue is usually referred to as "gold leaf".

As for making similar work from actual plant life, you might it easier to build a one-sided, open silicone mold around a plant leaf, then cast them in a mixture of clear resin and gold-colored pigment.


Varnish with flash point over 40 °C — safe on painted mugs when heated?

Honestly, you should be using glaze and not varnish.

I get that you're just trying to protect a painting outside the mug, but even if you just wash it by hand, a varnish is likely going to break down much, much faster (especially with heating it) than a food safe glaze which can be applied to the whole mug creating a seal to protect everything and can often be washed in the dishwasher and heated even in an oven if you so desire and it won't damage it.

The caveat is that it probably would need to be kiln fired, but considering the prevalence of paint-and-take ceramic shops nowadays, you can probably find one that'll let you pay a fee to glaze and fire it for you so you don't even have to buy the glaze for one project.


What's a flexible, strong string or yarn I can use in this toy?

Instead of yarn or thread, would fishing line work for you?

Different strengths available.
Is flexible.
Is made to be in water.
Can be knotted.
Variety of diameters available.


How to make pistachio shells stick together for decorations?

In a nutshell, the answer is your old friend the hot glue gun.

Pretty much any time you need to glue things that are of odd shapes to get them to stick onto other things that are odd shapes you need a glue that takes up space and bonds well (well, I guess "bonds well" is up for debate but... I don't know you'd be expecting these things to be something you can pass down through the generations)... that pretty much means hot glue.

This is supported in a tutorial here and here, which walk you through the entire process. Also, a YouTube video here.


Materials for an easy to make knife handle?

Paracord

As Chris H points out, this knife has a skeleton handle rather than a normal tang, and it's really intended to be used either as is, or with a paracord wrap rather than anything more solid - for more on that, here is an article showing a couple of ways you can do that.

Considering your other options, if you really need to cover it:

Wood

You can  make a wood handle for this knife, in much the same way as you make handles for knives with full (rather than stick or enclosed) tangs. You'll probably want to fill the void in the centre of the knife, and match the chamfer of the edge, so it will be more involved than making a handle for a full tang knife, but still very much doable (depending on your skills). I'd note that you can varnish wood to maintain it, so oiling isn't strictly necessary, it's merely one way of finishing the wood.

Leather

A stacked leather handle (as you've mentioned in your question) isn't really possible here as the technique relies on having a fairly large area of leather around the tang, which you don't have. You could make a wrapped leather handle, in which you cut a piece of leather to fit around the handle and sew it on over the solid foundation (this article shows the technique, albeit on an axe haft rather than a knife handle), or you could even use leather thonging in the same manner as the paracord wrap.

Comparing the three

The paracord wrap is by far the easiest of the three methods; the other two methods require tools, more expensive materials and a fair bit of specialist knowledge; while the paracord only needs a length of easily (and cheaply) available paracord and a bit of time to follow instructions.


You are using a typical tool by having an Xacto knife in hand. If your results are poor, please consider that the blade may be dull. New blades are sharp enough to result in very clean cuts, while an even slightly dull blade will pull the material being cut.

If you don't wish to exhaust your finances by purchasing new blades at every turn, consider to purchase also a sharpening stone and stone oil (often water based) to hone the blades you have. A newly honed blade will slice through paper like a hot knife through butter, but with far less mess.

There are some references online suggesting to use sandpaper, but for best results, a fine grain honing stone and oil provides best results.

You can improve your results by making use of a cutting mat specifically designed for this purpose. Look for the terms "self-healing" in the ad copy or on the label. The material and construction allow the knife blade to penetrate slightly into the surface, but close up in short order.

Because your reference to art implies freehand shapes, a typical guillotine cutter would not be practical, nor would other shear type cutters or rotary blades.

On the more extreme level, one could make use of a laser cutter. Low power hobby-grade lasers tend to leave burned edges, while the higher power CO2 hobby lasers will provide a much cleaner cut. There is no "freehand" involved in such devices and would require computer generated images, removing much of the art from the craft.

I nearly forgot one option if non-freehand images are acceptable. Less expensive, by far, than any laser cutter and very clean cuts can be had by using a hobby cutter. Known by a couple brand names such as Cricut and Cameo, they may provide an option for your project.

See also this most recent post:

Laser Cut Wedding Invitations


Why are parallel lines in the real world not drawn parallel as they head to the vanishing point?

I will preface my response with a cautionary warning that I am an engineer by profession, so I am somewhat naturally inclined to use optics/physics and math to illustrate my point. Hopefully I'm enough of an artist to actually be able to illustrate this sufficiently well. Now, onwards!
A person's field of vision can be described as the "cone" radiating out away from your face that describes the area you see as you look straight away from you, with the tip at your face and the cone expanding wider as you look farther away - that is, the farther away you look, the wider your horizontal field of view. (So you are correct here - the person's field of view is much wider than it appears in the book's diagram. Those lines extending from their head should continue beyond the tracks.)

(Source: Rohit Grover's answer on Quora)
For the calculations, I'll use 120 degrees as the angle of the field of view, which includes peripheral vision. I'll also assume your field of vision of the ground is approximately the same as your field of vision at a horizontal distance straight ahead of your face (instead of looking slightly downward toward the tracks on the ground) - however, if I did include the vertical component, your field of vision would be slightly wider.
For reference, I read up on some of the answers to a similar question that was asked on the Physics StackExchange.
Basically, as the railroad tracks lead away from you, the width of the tracks take up a smaller portion of your field of view, which creates the impression that the space between the tracks becomes smaller as it moves away from you. At the farthest point that you can see, the tracks take up such a small portion of your field of view that they appear to converge into a single point.
To illustrate this a little more, I have provided a simple diagram and some calculations below.

(Source: My own skills in MS Paint.)
The black parallel tracks are the railroad tracks. On the left is the viewer (you), represented by a squashed oval, who is looking down the tracks. Your field of vision is illustrated by the red lines, which create an approximately 120-degree angle, beginning at the viewer and extending outward. 120 degrees was wider than I had anticipated, so you'll have to imagine the lines extending beyond the image.
Using some basic geometry, we can calculate the width of your field of vision at different distances away from you. The standard gauge (width between the rails) of a US railroad track is 4 ft 8.5 in (source)- I'll round this to 5 ft to simplify the calculations.
Let's say Point 1 (light blue) is 7 ft away from you. Using some trigonometry, we can approximate the width of your field of view at 7ft away. One half of the triangle forming your field of view is, quite conveniently, a 30-60-90 right triangle, as shown below.

Since this triangle is half the field of vision, the full width across the horizontal field of vision at 7 ft away from you is roughly 24.24 ft. That means the percent of this horizontal field of vision that is occupied by the 5-ft distance between the railroad tracks is just over 20%.
Let's say Point 2 (green) is 20 ft away from you. At this distance, your horizontal field of vision is 2 x 20 x sqrt(3) = 69.28 ft. The 5-ft distance between the tracks is now 7% of your horizontal field of vision.

Point 3 (yellow green) is roughly 40 ft away from you. Here, your horizontal field of vision spans 2 x 40 x sqrt(3) = 139 ft. The 5-ft space between the tracks is now a mere 4% of your field of vision.

Due to the Earth's curvature, the railroad tracks will eventually disappear over the horizon. Assuming you're an average-sized human, you can see about 3 miles (15,840 ft) away until something vanishes over the edge of the horizon (source). At this distance, your horizontal field of vision is now a whopping 2 x 15840 x sqrt(3) = 54,871 ft. At the horizon, the 5-ft space between the rails has now shrunk to only 0.0097% of your horizontal field of vision.
If your eyes were sharp enough, you could hypothetically still see that gap between the rails. If they're not, from your perspective the 5-ft space between the rails will have essentially shrunk to nothing, and the rails will appear to converge to a single point.
So... are your eyes sharp enough to still see that gap?
For the average person, the angular resolution of the eye is approximately 1 arcminute, which means humans can distinguish things that are 30 cm apart at 1 km away. If we scale this to the width of the railroad tracks (4 ft 8.5 in, or 56.5 inches), you won't be able to see the space between them after about 5400 yards, or 3.07 miles. Which, quite coincidentally, is almost exactly the distance to the visible horizon.
In summary:

Parallel lines appear to converge toward each other because as they retreat into the distance, they take up a smaller portion of your field of view.
Parallel lines appear to meet in the horizon because our eyes can no longer distinguish the space between them at that distance.

I hope this helps! =)


Is there a formal name for an artwork such as this?

If you're referring to the technique, that's Stippling or Pointillism if made in color. Images created in this style are composed of numerous dots that form a picture if viewed from afar.

  Stippling is the creation of a pattern simulating varying degrees of solidity or shading by using small dots

rebusB helpfully pointed out that it seems to be a picture created in Photoshop or similar software. That makes is digital art, no matter what other technique it resembles. The reason is that creating artwork on a computer is fundamentally different from creating the same artwork with paint or pencils.

If you're referring to the content of your image, unfortunately I cannot help you. It might be Expressionism, but I'm not sure it can be categorized clearly as any art form or style because it doesn't have much to categorize. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad or anything, it's just not enough there to call it "realism" or "neo-classicism" or anything like that.


You can use water to dilute it.

Here someone suggest adding a little soap with the water, as this will not only let it mix better, but also increase the drying time, although I think this might be detrimental for the structure.

Note however, that some users complain about the manipulation of this mix (e.g. here: "I tried [to] dilute Milliput and although it worked (sort of) it was messy and time consuming").
The ratio really depends on what you want to achieve - what works best for your application. I suggest experimenting with the amount, slowly adding more, until it behaves the way you want it to.

Alternatively, you can opt for using ProCreate Putty, which I saw mentioned here, and sounds like something that acts a bit more like you would expect of a watered down putty.

Additional sources:
http://www.40konline.com/index.php?topic=32579.0
https://privateerpressforums.com/showthread.php?76994-Milliput-knowledge-please
https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/thinnin-milliput.24159/
https://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/topic/79094-liquid-greenstuff/


How to choose a synthetic brush for water colors?

I think it goes without saying that softer paints need softer bristles. In my personal experience, the best brush for water colors looks a lot like a calligraphy brush (just a bit smaller). You should look for thick brush heads, long bristles and a pointy tip.
Thick brush heads means that there are a lot of bristles in it. More bristles means more tiny spaces between them where water can be stored.
Long bristles can also store slightly more water than short ones. They also tend to move more fluidly and have a softer stroke. It's hard to explain, but I had better experiences with long bristled brushed for soft paints like water color.
A pointy tip means that the bristles in the center are even longer than at the perimeter. Those longer center bristles are the ones you want to actually paint with. The ones around the perimeter are mainly there to store water or ink and to keep the center bristles in shape.

Here you see that only a small number of bristles actually touch the paper and write. Yet traditional calligraphy brushes have these thick brush heads to retain ink and their shape.
The same can be applied to synthetic watercolor brushes. On the largest brush you can clearly see the shorter bristles surrounding the longer ones at the center.

As for labels, most manufacturers I know simply label them as "watercolor" or "aquarelle" brushes. I would buy one medium size and one big size and don't bother with small sizes too much. Since they should all end in a fine point, a medium brush should be just as precise as a small one and the small one is just worse at retaining water.
In the picture above, I'd chose number 8 for medium size and 14 or 16 for big size. Number 6 has visibly shorter bristles than 8 and even number 0 and 2 don't have a finer tip than 8.


How can I avoid chipped edges on glass etching with a Dremel?

It's hard to diagnose without seeing the bit you used, but here are my ideas:
Orientation
The line in the center of your image has only one chipped edge on one side. That implies that the problem either arises at the side where the tool starts touching the glass or leaves the glass.
If you turn the glass (or the tool) so that the rotation of the bit is parallel to the line you're etching, the chipping might still occur, but it won't be visible because it'll be part of the line.
Grain
The bit you're using might be too coarse for glass. Of course the bit needs some grain to be able to etch glass at all, which would be visible as bumps under the microscope. When one such bump touches the glass, it breaks tiny parts of it away. High grain bits have a lot of tiny bumps, which break the glass away evenly like a chain saw would cut a block of ice evenly. With lower grain these bumps get bigger and fewer, chipping away chunks of glass like an ice pick would chip a block of ice.
Uneven rotation
I've made the unfortunate experience that bits sometimes won't be centered properly in the collet. You can have the same effect if the shaft of the bit is slightly bent or if the stone of the tool (if it has one) isn't centered. As a result, instead of a constant grinding you get a tool that jumps over the surface like a miniature jackhammer.


Which kind of paper should be selected for graphite, charcoal, and pencil colors?

There are many types of paper finishes and each have their own unique characteristics you, the artist, can decide which you want to use. With that in mind, there are some guidelines you can use to select the best paper for your project:

Paper for Graphite

Smooth Bristol (Strathmore) papers are ideal for graphite drawings. They provide a smooth surface ideal for pencil drawings. some others include Stonehenge, Pastel Paper (Strathmore), and Strathmore 400 and 500 series drawing paper.

Stonehenge Paper:

Paper for Colored Pencils

Colored pencils require a little texture to the paper to effectively draw and blend colored pencils. There is a much wider variety of viable papers in this category, but some include: Stonehenge, Illustration Board, Suede and Artagian paper (Strathmore).

Paper for Charcoal

Charcoal is a chalky and generally messy medium. It requires a porous or textured paper to effectively hold the charcoal particles on the paper. Simple quick charcoal sketches are often done on Newsprint paper due to its lightly porous nature, and its low cost (sketching can burn through paper).

For finished works using Charcoal there is Laid Paper which has an old "hand made" style and feel to it. This finish contains horizontal and vertical lines on the paper which create small grooves that are good at catching bits of charcoal and keeping charcoal on the page where it was placed.


If you require a circular opening and have access to a laser cutter AND the plastic is acrylic and not polycarbonate, the baubles can be cut with the laser cutter. The edges would be polished by the laser to a smooth edge.

Makerspaces are the best option for finding a laser cutter. It has to be a CO2 laser rather than the lower cost, lower power diode lasers as the latter operate at the wrong frequency.

I would be able to accomplish your objective, but I find no method of contact in the SE system.


Does a flex shaft need to be on a stand?

No, a stand is not required but it does give you some more options. A stand that you can clamp the flex shaft tool into can give you hands free access to it, like a mini buffer/grinder. Even without that possibility, it gives the tool a secure place to rest when between uses.

Keep in mind that it is a relatively heavy tool with a spinning chuck on the end of it and connected a long thick and somewhat springy wire/tube anchored somewhere else. Without the stand it could (will) flop around from momentum and is going to want to find its own resting position that may not be the one you want. With the stand you know where it is when you need it and its a lot less likely to go off in its own direction.


The jacket appears to have at least two different types of woven fabric.
The lower lighter khaki color looks like a twill fabric that has a dot overprint.

The upper dark brown fabric over the shoulders looks like a rib.
There may be a hoody underneath, either separate or as part of the jacket. In that case, the hoody fabric will likely be a Jersey knit construction.

There is no way to tell from the photo what the fiber contents of the separate fabrics are, i.e., are the fabrics cotton, wool, polyester, a blend?  That would require testing.

If you are interested either in patching the torn sleeve or replicating the jacket, you will have the best chance of getting close to a match (I doubt very much you'll be able to get an exact match), by taking the jacket to a fabric store and looking for something similar.

If you are trying to describe the jacket for a print ad (for example), this assessment of the fabric construction will be as close as I can get without actually seeing the jacket, but you will also need to tell readers what the fiber content is.  Big differences between the fiber content possibilities as far as look, feel, and care.


I am trying to identify / describe this wool thread / yarn

Weaving yarns are described by two numbers separated by a slash, eg 2/5, 3/10, etc.

The smaller number is the number of plies
The larger number represents the size of each ply.

So, a 2/5 yarn has 2 strands of size 5 thread. A 3/10 yarn has 3 strands of size 10 thread. Different sources are inconsistent about which number comes first. Usually the smaller number is the number of plies and the larger number is the size number, but for very fat yarns the size number can be larger than the number of plies.
Each fiber type has a different scale for the size numbers, so you have to look at a table of wool yarn sizes. This table from woolery.com has the smallest wool weaving yarn sizes I could find listed:
Material | Weight | yds./lb. | m/kg   | SETT
Wool     | 20/2   | 5,600    | 11,289 | 20-30
Wool     | 18/2   | 5,040    | 10,160 | 20-30
Wool     | 8/2    | 2,240    | 4,516  | 12-16
Wool     | 8/3    | 1,490    | 3,004  | 10-15
Wool     | 6/2    | 1,600    | 3,225  | 8-16

As you can see, your desired sett of 44 EPI is tighter than the smallest yarn on this chart. I couldn't find a chart that goes any smaller than this, but I know that wool yarns smaller than that do exist. So you know you want a 2-ply wool yarn smaller than 20/2 or 2/20.
When you purchase weaving yarn, sometimes they don't tell you the yarn size. Instead, all they tell you is yards per pound. So it would be useful to know how many yards per pound your desired yarn will have. It will have about twice as many yards per pound as a wool yarn with a sett of 22 EPI. So, probably around 10,000 yards per pound.
The yarn you want is much smaller than what is usually sold for home weavers. Yarns this small are more common in commercial weaving. So, you may want to shop for mill ends, which are yarns leftover from commercial weaving. Suppliers that sell mill ends may also have regular product lines that meet your needs.
Typically with mill ends, once a yarn is sold out it's gone for good. So be sure to buy enough for your project. Here are a few sources of mill end weaving yarns. Some of these I already knew about, but I found others by googling "weaving yarn mill ends." You might also have success with terms like "remnants" and "production excess."

Colourmart.com - At the moment they have a 2/42 wool yarn with 10,320 yards per pound. (They don't provide yard per pound measurements, but they do tell you how many ounces and yards each cone of yarn is, so you can calculate yards per pound yourself.)
Oldmillyarn.com has a more limited selection, but they do show the yards per pound right on the search page. At the moment they have some in the 12,000+ YPP range, and some in the 7,000-8000 range.
WEBS is usually a good source of mill end yarns, but they don't have any at the moment. Probably something to do with COVID and supply chains. In their regular weaving yarn section they have a 40/2 linen, but no wool yarn even close to as small as you want.

Note: If you are making a garment or something you want to be soft enough to touch skin, be sure the wool you purchase is garment-quality wool, not rug-quality. If the product description doesn't specify, contact the seller before buying. Rug-quality wool (often just called rug wool or carpet wool) is very scratchy.
If you have a hard time finding wool yarn for your purpose, consider looking at other fiber types. The narrower sizes of yarn are more commonly available in silk, linen, tencel, cotton and rayon than in wool.


How do I remove adhesive spray from my self healing cutting mat?

There's also a manual solution to this problem: Sticky tape.
It may seem counter-intuitive, but putting sticky tape on the mat and pulling it back off has a chance to pull the adhesive residue off as well. The glue on tape bonds with the adhesive residue on the mat. When you pull the tape off, the adhesive has only 2 choices:
either stick on the mat or stick on the tape. If the glue on the tape is strong enough (like duct tape or wire insulation tape) it will pull the adhesive away from the mat.
To do this, cut a strip of tape roughly as long as your hand is wide. Hold both ends of the tape together, sticky side out. Now dab the tape onto the mat and pull it away again repeatedly. If this methods works, you'll notice the adhesive residue on the tape. Once the surface of the tape is covered with residue so much that it doesn't stick well anymore, discard the strip of tape and cut a fresh one.


Why are the top layers of my oil painting cracking when it starts to dry?

So the golden rule when layering oil paint is to work lean to fat (or fat over lean).

What does this actually mean? Lean paint is paint that is diluted with white-spirit or turpentine. It is 'watery', and dries quickly. Typically underpaintings are done in this way, as it's quick and easy to correct mistakes. As you then build up subsequent layers, use less spirits and more medium (typically linseed oil) - the oil being the 'fat'. These layers dry more slowly as a result.

Doing this ensures that the lower layers dry more quickly than the upper layers. Cracking happens when the top layers dry first, then the lower layers.

Some other considerations: cheaper paint will have more varied drying time between different colours. If you notice some particular colours cracking this may be the cause. Information about drying times is usually available on the manufacturer's website.


Alternative to self-adhesive corner 'bumpers' for the back of paintings & framed works?

I cut 'dots' [or squares, or bits of scrap of any shape] from 100% wool felt and glue it down with whatever "crazy glue" kind of epoxy I have at hand. None have come off in 30+ years of hanging art & moving house four times.

On very pointed/raggedy corners or ill-fitted frames, I will cut a shape that covers the entire corner, not just a dot. I like that flexibility with the felt. (The ribbon or sponge methods suggested by virolino would take care of these too)

I like the wool felt over plastic bumps as I feel it prevents wall markings better than the bumps. I have no scientific proof for this, though! Just that I noticed when moving house that my own felted frames left no marks, and the art that came with pre-attached rubber dots lifted dots of stuck paint when removed, where years of trapped humidity & dust had made a tiny seal.

Though I find myself stumped by canvases that wrap around the frame completely, and some are even painted all the way around and meant to be left exposed. No ideas there...

Not sure how the craft store plastic felt would do, I always have 100% wool felt on hand from crafting projects so I use that. Felt dots with sticky backs are sold commercially for framing use and seem to be plastic felt, so using your own plastic felt should be ok.


What can I do to stop my colored pencils from falling apart?

Prismacolor pencils are notorious for lead breakage, but the creamy lay down keeps folks coming back. However, there are some things you can do to moderate the problem, in general (I'm going to answer a bit beyond the question).

Pencil Selection

The pencils that tend to break more easily have off-center cores. If you're buying open stock, take a look at the bottom of the pencil and ensure that the core of it is in the center of the pencil body and not askew. None of mine are in this state, or I'd post a picture, but it's really obvious when you see it.

Sharpening Technique

A little counter-intuitive, but I've found that instead of rotating the pencil in the sharpener, going the other way works better. In this scenario, hold your pencil in your "off" hand and then using your normal hand, rotate a very sharp sharpener around. This should be very sharp, the wood should shave off in a long, continuous strip. If it doesn't then it's time to replace.

In addition, don't create a long point. Smaller amounts of exposed core tend to be less fragile and so don't break as often. Find a sharpener that lends itself to that or allows you to control the point.

Fix It Up

Prismas are wax based and can sometimes be fixed by heating the core to fuse it together again. Prismacolor doesn't recommend the microwave, rather a sunny window spot, but many use the microwave. Just keep it short, seconds at a time. After all, you're not looking to make it runny, just softened enough to fuse again.

Handle With Care

Since the lead is fragile, avoiding drops and bangs is a must. The problem, of course, is that transportation to your supplier probably banged and bashed them around, causing the odd one to break even before you got it. To that end, I really recommend going with open stock since you can check the pencils there and, as I noted above, you can confirm that it's not askew.

Change 'em Up

At the end of the day, the price of Prisma feel is the weakness of the lead. If you're reaching the point that it's too much, then there are alternatives. Faber-Castell and Caran d'Ache make great pencils and they don't have the breakage issue. That's partly because they're vegetable oil based rather than wax, but also the lead is bonded to the wood, so even if there is a break inside, all is not lost.

In any event, I have no familiarity with Caran d'Ache pencils to use, but the Faber-Castell Polychromos are really very good and also available in open stock. For me, open stock is a must. So, I have the full Polychromos set and a select bunch of Prismacolors (I generally prefer the white Prisma). They work together just fine.


Line cutting technique for wood blocks: japanese vs. western

The knife is more common in Japanese printmaking. I unfortunately can't find any sources comparing the two, but I hypothesize that one reason gauges are more common in Western printmaking is due to the influence of wood engraving. Another reason might be the style differences - Japanese prints are much more likely to have strong clear lines and large blocks of color. Note that gauges are still used in Japanese techniques, but usually to remove areas of the block instead of defining the linework.

The engraving process was used to create very realistic images and used a tool called a burin, which is essentially a gauge that's been filled in. Engraving involved much harder woods than typical wood blocks, which necessitated the tool. The gauge is more effective at removing large areas of wood and so may have become more predominant that way also.

Japanese art started having more influence on European art during Impressionism. You can see how Western prints evolved away from complex shadow gradients and into a world of higher-contrast and flattened picture plane.  Their tools may have changed at this time too.


I'm stuck on Step 70 of HOJYO Takashi's Buddha... what does the diagram mean?

As you found yourself Google Translate was not particularly helpful in this matter:

  By overlaying the more because What is the other side

  ` Ru to one representing the thumb of muscle

  To SenWataru and ho stick base of Ne亢layers of trout

  Although a state of twisted without breaking the non- g was Li

  Only to cowpea in the following figure around the hand of Saki珊

  Become good long as )

And using the camera-based Google Translate, we get:

  To represent the muscles of the thumb by overlaying more flipping and to the opposite side (but better at the root of this layer is to state that twisted without breaking the perfect interfere with the base looks like the following figure only the peripheral of the hands of the tip it is sufficient)

I approached the users in Japanese.SE chat for help with this. This is a wiki since the work was done by broccoli forest who is a user over there. It was translated as:

  roll up a layer and cover up opposite side with it so that visualize thumb's muscle

Note though, by that users admission, he is not familiar with origami.


How can I prevent my drawings and paper from yellowing over time?

I posted an answer to a similar question on this Exchange.

"The reason [paper turns] yellow is because the paper is made from wood pulp and not cotton. Wood is made up of lignin and cellulos. The yellowing in the result of lignin, still present in the fibres of your paper, oxidizing when exposed to sunlight and air."

"To save [the] paper I would recommend two things, 1) Neutralize the residual acids and 2) Seal the paper from contact with the air."

Details here:

How to remove the yellowish color from my old drawings?


How to sew a knit fabric with a straight stitch machine?

Yes, you can sew knit fabrics with straight stitch. Notice t-shirts, they are made of knit jersey. When you sew woven fabric on the bias, that creates stretch on an otherwise non stretchy material. Here are tips, when I get somewhere with a better signal, I will upload pics to demonstrate.

You want to be sure to use a ball point needle for knit fabric.
Where you sew, will have less stretch the shorter the stitch-see pics not stretched and stretched.

Fray. The part that worries people about sewing knit fabric without a zig zag or overlock, is that it may fray. A few options - French seam, double stitch, use fray check
If you’re concerned about jamming your machine, do not pull the fabric or it will become wavy. You can use stabilizer to strengthen the seam.

Hope this helps. Here’s a pic of a jersey knit skit I made as well.

It’s an elastic waist and the ruffle at the bottom is woven eyelet fringe.
It’s great.
Good luck!


A stronger material than paper for Kirigami or papercraft-inspired designs?

One strong contender is tyvek.

It can be cut like paper, but is much tougher, water resistant, and has a class A flammability rating, according to Wikipedia. The problem is keeping it folded.

The kirigami-made-of-tyvek links I'm finding are scientific papers that mention bonding the tyvek to a heat-shrink plastic (presumably on the valley fold side of each fold), and then baking.

See:

http://scientific-kirigami.blogspot.com/p/movies.html
Making the Cut: Lattice Kirigami Rules (PDF link)


1). The decorative bow could be on an elastic band that is closing the bag.

2). The bow is attached to a pin that is holding the bag closed.

3). There is a drawstring inside the bag at the close. The bow is only attached to the top layer, not sewn through.

4). The maker attached little magnets inside the bag that keep it closed.

However, it is entirely possible that the particular image you shared is not meant to be opened. It could be a bag of potpourri, meant to look pretty and go in a sock drawer, but never to be opened.


What's the best way to preserve white areas in watercolour?

7 tips for working with masking fluid, from Artists & Illustrators

I use a great deal of water, sometimes pouring colour onto the paper from a small jar and then responding to its progress with further washes as it begins to dry.

I normally apply masking fluid to protect small, relatively complex shapes.

Masking fluid is often a difficult medium. sometimes to the extent that artists give up on it. However by following these tips  the ‘difficulties’ can quite easily be overcome.

Plan thoroughly. To get the most out of masking fluid, it should be considered very carefully at the planning stage of a painting. In most cases it is applied before any paint comes into contact with the paper.
The marks made and therefore consequently left by the masking fluid on its removal have to be carefully appraised. It might help to think of it not as masking fluid but as ‘white paint’. I considered the placement of paint but has taken a less than considered approach to the application of the masking fluid. A badly planned and poorly applied area of masking fluid can have as damaging effect to a painting as a poorly painted passage and can leave the painting in ruins.
Dilute to taste. Through experience, I have learnt that sometimes masking fluid can be too thick if used straight from the bottle. I often water it down to aid the flow of the masking fluid onto the paper, which is useful for creating finer lines or more finely spattered .
Test the masking fluid on some sample scraps of your intended watercolour paper. If the paper used is a soft paper, the masking fluid might pull at the paper when it is removed. It might be advantageous to dilute the masking fluid with water, as this would exert less of a pull on the paper.
Handle with care. Never shake the bottle up.
Don't work wet. Make certain that the paper is thoroughly dry before applying the masking fluid, otherwise you run the risk of the masking fluid penetrating the top layer of the paper. This could result in the paper being torn when the masking fluid is removed.
Always leave the masking fluid to dry fully before over-painting too. To check this, carefully touch the masking fluid with your finger tip.
Remove it carefully. Some artists use a soft rubber to remove the masking fluid from the paper. I remove it by gently rubbing with my fingertips.


What kind of paint marker will work for flexible vinyl?

I would try with a sharpie or other alcohol based marker. Look for the industrial version.

As I wasn’t aware you needed colors, I didn’t recommend posca paint markers, which are acrylic-based and permanent.

What it sounds like you’re going to need to do is to clean the surface to be painted with rubbing alcohol. The apply a fine mist of plastic primer from a spray can in several light coats. You can usually find them in most automotive shops. Then apply your marker and let dry. Cover with a gloss coat of spray varnish.

One last alternative might be colored nail polish.


What is the best technology to 3D print sextoys?

I work for a company that doesn't make sex toys, but we do make silicone products with electronics inside, so I've seen lots of the same issues you're facing here.

The way we do it is to 3D print a mould for the object using an SLA printer (in our case a Form 2) - as you note, this material is rather brittle so doesn't work as the internal structure, but it's OK for a mould as it can be made as thick as required for strength.

We then 3D print the internals using an FDM printer in PLA or ABS (we use an Atom 2) and then cast the silicone around this using the SLA-printed mould. This is much stronger and you really have to work to destroy even the fairly delicate electronics once they're encased in silicone. As for contact with the skin, I've not checked the properties of any of these materials for safety in the body, but I would suggest that there's a reason people make sex toys in silicone.

To address your concerns about time, yes this is time consuming for the first one you make, but if you're making more than a couple the time saved by not having to print the entire object each time will more than outweigh the time spend moulding.


How to stop or reduce graphite from reflecting light?

Spray fixative should make the drawing more matte as well as protecting it.

You could also try a layer of acrylic matte medium, sprayed or brushed, but that would be a little more involved and riskier to the original work if it cannot handle the wet medium.

Either way do some test pieces before trying on the finished work.

I also would recommend drawing with a softer lead for dark areas, it will require less working and less material to get the tone you want, which means less buildup and less gloss.


Breathable painting for acoustic panels?

I think your best choice would be to have the image painted first (on primed canvas, or whatever it takes), scan it/take a high quiality photograph of it, and have it printed onto the panel.

Notes:

I have personally never worked with acoustic panels.
Yes, there are breathable materials you can paint/draw with (like ink, watercolours).
I couldn't find what material is used for acoustic panels.
There is a possibility of the painting materials affecting the quality of the sound absorption of the panel regardless of them being breathable.
Apparently professionals print onto the panels, so it is know that this won't affect the quality of the panel.
Having the image painted first by all the necessary means will also, most likely, give you a better result imagewise.


Short answer: you are using the wrong technique.

Long answer: The light travels from the LED strip in straight lines through the acryllic and emerges at the top of the acryllic plate. In order to illuminate the pattern, the light beams have to be deflected into your eyes. Engraving the surface does just that: it puts tiny scratches into the surface that deflect the light beams hitting it.

To get a very uniform deflection, all the scratches have to have the same orientation. You can see that the bottom edge of the engraving is illuminated very well, while the left and right borders are almost invisible. You probably turned the acryllic sheet around while engraving the border and now the places that the tool cut horizontally deflect the light outward to you, but the places where the tool cut vertically or diagonally deflect the light into different directions, thus making it less visible to you. You can see that very well in the D of "Legends".

The solution: You need to engrave the whole motif with a fixed orientation of the acryllic sheet and your tool. It seems to produce the best result if the tool cuts parrallel to the bottom edge, so the handle must be perpendicular to the bottom edge. You must not turn the sheet around or hold the tool in a different angle, regardless of the orientation of the line you're currently engraving.

An alternative solution is to order a laser engraving of your motif. Acryllic sheets are known to engrave well and create the desired effect. There are lots of companies online that offer laser engraving, but it's worth comparing prices.


Casting foam inlays isn't all that different from creating a silicone mold, except the mold is mostly pressure-sealed; the foam creates a lot of pressure, so the mold needs to be strong enough to handle it.

The foam is related to Gorilla Glue, so it takes meticulous prep and plenty of mold release everywhere if you want to be able to take the mold apart and remove your insert.  It has short working time, so everything must be ready to go once you start, and you don't have much time for cleanup.  If you've never done a large, complex casting, this would not be a good starting project.

Creating the foam inlay is similar to making a mold of what will be the cavities.  If you want complex cavities, you'll need to make complex forms.

Vacuum-forming a positive cavity shell will create an oversized (loose-fitting) form, unless you vacuum-form an undersized pattern.  Vacuum-forming the actual items may work if the cavities are deep enough, especially if you cover everything with a foam top sheet inside the briefcase.  The foam builds enough pressure to potentially break the mold shell, so a positive vacuum-formed cavity mold will need to be backfilled with something solid, like plaster, to avoid it being crushed.

Alternately, you could use the vacuum-formed shell as a negative to cast a solid replica of the items, then use the replica for the cavities in the inlay.

Here's a good tutorial video showing details of a similar project (making a foam inlay for a drawer for camera equipment): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYP-l4VwKF0.

This kind of application is typically done with foam sheets, though.  It's a lot cleaner and easier.  Rather than starting with a thick sheet of foam, it's usually done with layers.  Here's a video of a guy making a tool drawer insert from foam sheets from a craft store: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbKtUvpUCyc.  In this case, he did it with a cutout in a single layer of the desired depth.

There's a product called Kaisen Foam that's designed for this application.  It's a number of layers of polyethylene foam tacked together.  You cut out the outline and peel away the waste one layer at a time.  For irregular parts, the next layer can be removed only where additional depth is needed.  It's stiff enough that you can cut it on a bevel.  Here are a couple of videos for similar projects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwe0QEvG1ew, and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4sjbtSw5m8


Proper glue to adhere laser printed paper to glass beads

There is a pretty big ‘cabochon’ crafts movement that sounds a lot like what you are talking about: Flattened glass bead + acrylic emulsion glue + laser print + backing.

The first video I Found on YouTube advised Modge-Podge Dimensional Glue, but I have no experience with the product, and would recommend an acrylic gloss medium, which will dry clear. DO NOT ADD WATER, you will only create wrinkles.

Here is the process:

Trace out the exact size of your paper backing and cut it out. Do not touch the surface of the print with your fingers.
Wash the glass with rubbing alcohol, let air dry. Do not touch the back where you will apply the glue.
Apply a drop of the gloss medium to the back of the glass.
Spread it out and make sure that there are no bubbles.
Place the paper on the glass with the printed side to the glue.
Press it down firmly and let dry. (30 minutes - 60 minutes)
When dry apply a second coat to the back of the paper to seal it (and especially the edges) and let dry.
Now apply third coat and attach magnet. Let dry. If you are feeling adventurous you can add the magnet without waiting for the medium to dry the second time.

A bit of extra advice: try not to use too much red in your design, because red dyes and pigment inks fade over time due to sunlight / UV exposure. I have experienced this in laser, some offset and most ink jets - even the 10-color art print versions. The only options you have are museum glass (that will reflect UV) or UV blocking acrylic emulsion. I use Sennelier Gloss lacquer with UV protection.


I suggest to remove the stain with water, e.g. rinsing the part of the cloth or using a steam cleaner which has the advantage to be able to clean smaller parts of the cloth. Afterwards the gelatin will have (at least partially) resolved at the respective part of the painting (along with most of the watercolor).

To retain the structure that is needed to paint on the cloth, gelatin has to be added back on to the parts where the stain has been removed. For this the entire cloth has to be damp (not wet) before the gelatin is added to ensure flexibility of the material and to allow it to stretch evenly along the frame once dry.

remove stain by rinsing with water or with a steam cleaner
cautiously dampen the cloth from the side of the cloth you have not drawn on (this will minimize bleed of the colors). This is the most delicate part. The cloth only needs to be so damp that it will have some slack on the frame.
'paint' the part of the cloth where the stain was removed with gelatin
let dry

At this point you can repaint the cloth.


There are really two aspects to gluing the stones.  One is the glue.  The materials (canvas and stone) are different in almost every way and the canvas is not really a rigid surface, so you will get the most reliable, long-term attachment with a glue that remains flexible and adheres to both kinds of surfaces.  E6000, as suggested by Lyssagal, was the first glue that came to my mind, also.  Regular superglue is brittle and not good for attaching to fabric.  There is a variant that contains rubber particles and is also much more viscous that remains more flexible and might work.  Silicone adhesive is another that might work.  Gorilla glue will also work, but as Buzz notes in a comment, use the type that doesn't expand.

Note though, that if you are gluing to dried paint rather than canvas, some glues may not adhere to it well (the surface texture provides more bonding area, but the glue may not bond well with the paint).

A second problem is that no matter how well the glue bonds with the paint, the stones will be only as secure as the attachment of the paint to the canvas.  Even if the glue bonds with the paint, the stones may eventually fall off with the paint firmly attached to them.  If you want a reliable bond, you need to glue the stones to the canvas, itself.

The best solution would be to sketch the design on the bare canvas to identify the stone locations, then glue the stones to the canvas before you paint.  If painting is already completed, I would suggest creating glue areas for the stones.

Position a stone where it will be glued, then draw an outline on the painted canvas smaller than the stone so it will be completely hidden.  Within that outline, remove as much paint as you can.  How you do that will depend on the type of paint, how thick it is, and how recently it was applied.  After removing as much paint as you can, it might help to scuff the surface within the outline to expose some bare canvas (use a cutout template to protect the paint outside the outline).

But if you are gluing a lot of heavy stones, that kind of weight might cause the canvas to stretch more over time and start to sag.  I would be tempted to glue something rigid to the back of the canvas (like Masonite, thin plywood, or even thick corrugated cardboard), the full size of the stretcher frame opening.


Which kind of pencils should be used by a beginner for drawing?

I am not an expert but here is what I gathered from my experience.

Pencil have different hardness rated as follow:

Harder (very light strokes) 7H -> ... -> 2H -> HB -> 2B -> ... -> 7B Softer (dark strokes)

Start with a 2B or HB to "draw" (contour, shape, ...)
Then add a 4B or 6B for your first shadings (I would go with 6B to widen the range of shade you can achieve). Do the lighter tones with your "first" pencil and the darker with this new one.
If you want "real black" instead of the grey provided by graphite pencil you can add a charcoal pencil.
completed with 3B, 4B, 5B etc. depending where you think there is a value (grey level) you can't achieve with what you have.


How do I identify good quality paper for charcoal drawing?

I have done a lot of charcoal drawings, and I mostly used paper by Canson (XL, Academy) and Fabriano (large sheets or rolls of the Accademia variety). They create several ranges of papers, and both include very affordable ones.
I have not had problems with yellowing of paper, despite some of these works being almost twenty years old, but admittedly most are stored dry and dark.
A few basic remarks on the characteristics of the paper you're looking for:

Make sure it is acid-free (which also means it is lignin- and sulfur-free1), as the lignin will yellow, and the acids will react to light and heat and deteriorate.
Alternatively, make sure it's made of cotton instead of wood (see this answer).
When it comes to using charcoal, you'll need quite sturdy paper (≥ ± 95 gr/m2), with at least a little bit of tooth/grain to allow for the charcoal to erode (see also this answer).
You can check for cold-pressed paper, which usually has a rougher surface.
Be sure to try different weights, grains, sizes, and colours, to see where your preferences lie.

Additional notes:

Keep the drawings out of sunlight.
Store properly (dry, dark, cool) or display properly (behind UV resistant glass, in dim places, &c.).
You might even want to go as far as to prevent rubbing in residual acids from your hands by washing your hands before drawing, or wearing light gloves. I don't think this will have a huge impact, but it is good to take into consideration.
Don't use hairspray! :)

1: https://web.archive.org/web/20000914045052/http://www.history.pcusa.org/cong/acidpaper.html


Plastic will melt and flow away from the iron leaving a hole.  Cardboard is really just paper with air gaps between the glued layers so there's just a little bit of material to burn.

A wooden stick is going to be solid wood.  It doesn't melt and move out of the way - if anything the burned area of wood actually gets harder (and more brittle) as it turns to charcoal.  You're not going to just burn a hole through it.

The right tool is, of course, a drill.  You may be able to use a sharply pointed knife for a smaller stick, but a drill really is going to be your best bet.  It will also work for the plastic and cardboard, and in my opinion, will be safer than using a burning hot iron.


Corn starch paste will dry transparently, with a slightly warm tint.
You can use it for about a week.
As with all starch pastes, make sure to let it dry completely so it won't attract mold.
You can also look into using rice starch/wheat as a basis, for a more neutral dried colour and increased adhesive strength.
See here for an introduction to the differences between the types of paste.


How can I draw realistic hair with pencil?

There is a natural temptation when drawing hair to think in terms of individual hairs and equate these to pencil lines. However this tends to get in the way as there is no reasonable way to draw every individual hair even in hyper-realistic styles.

Instead forget that hair is lots of individual strands and concentrate on what it looks like as a surface/form/texture and in terms of light and shade. It is often easier to draw smooth, glossy hair as this tends to have more defined highlights.

In this example image you can see distinct bands of light and shade which are far more prominent than individual strands.

It may also be useful to look at ways in which hair is represented in sculpture and more abstract graphic styles such as comic strips and art nouvea. This may help you to think in terms of the form and texture rather than the material.

also bear in mind that photographic realism is not always the goal in portraiture and often you are trying to capture an impression of a subject rather than just mechanically reproduce an image.


Name for technique of scribbling, then drawing of bits of scribble

I think what you mean is called ‘automatic drawing’ - it was something done by the surrealists, among others André Masson (the pioneer) and André Breton (probably most famous).

Edit. Then you are probably thinking of the so-called ‘rest-of-the-owl’ technique. Look it up on reddit. Here’s an example:


How to draw mandala when I intend to color it with pencil colors?

I can only think of a few options.

Don't worry about masking or hiding the sketch. Make bold, dark outlines on purpose. Sketch the pattern you want in graphite, then draw the lines very dark (in graphite, or even ink). This does give the final result something of a "coloring book" feel, which may not be what you're wanting.
Sketch outlines in the color of their section, or in some very light color (e.g. yellow, pale blue), instead of with graphite. This requires more planning of what colors will go in what part of the pattern.
Draw the outlines dark and bold, and put a second sheet of paper over top to trace those dark lines in the lighter colors of the final drawing. This is easier if you have a light board, but still possible even on a tabletop with sufficiently thin paper.


How do I cut a perfect square out of paper for origami folding?

This works better if at least two of the sides are parallel. It is required that one corner is at a right angle.

When I am trying to get perfect squares in paper I fold the paper in half diagonally. Not across the center exactly but more so that the two sides that make up one corner are brought together. Any paper that sticks out after that is removed.

In the above image the paper is fold from the bottom left into the upper right so that the top edge has no overlap. The grey is what would be waste.

Getting rid of that excess paper can be challenging as there is usually only a sliver at times. What I do is put a metal ruler down along the edge and use a craft knife. Start where the paper is thicker. Avoid moving the ruler even after the first cut is done. If you have to get rid of left over slivers or tufts you can usually take a few short passes without ruining the new edges.


Types of paint safe for children to make handprints out of, on canvas

If they wear clothes you don't mind ruining (good quality acrylic paint will not wash out of cloth completely, ever) and you supervise and help them wash off the paint afterward and put down a large drop cloth to protect carpet/wooden floors (tile is cleanable), or do it outside, student grade acrylics should be fine.
At those ages they are unlikely to try eating the paint.
I did something similar with my daughter and nephews as a gift for their grandparents when the youngest was only three (granted a reasonably intelligent 3) only with many different prints in various colours.
Make sure the canvas is primed for acrylic. You can just buy a pre-stretched primed student canvas at an art/craft store or order online in the size you want. That way you don't have to have it framed.


Will lack of a zig-zag stitch be a problem for me?

Based on your planned usage of the machine, it likely won't be an issue for you. The common usages of a zigzag stitch are to allow give in a seam for stretchy fabrics (which you can handle with the stretch stitch setting), to create buttonholes (not a case you described doing), and to secure edges against fraying (which you may encounter, but can compensate for with additional straight stitch lines).

However, I would also like to propose that your zigzag stitch may not be broken, if the blind stitch is working. If you do not have a manual for your machine due to it being secondhand, search using your manufacturer and model name to find a PDF version of it to consult. You may have a stitch width setting which, if turned all the way down, would give the appearance of the zigzag stitch setting not working as the width would be "0."


There are a number of "baths" one can use to clean the rust pretty thoroughly from a part you described. WD-40 makes a product which performs well in the YouTube videos I've seen. Pour a sufficient amount to cover the item in a plastic bin and let it soak. I understand from the videos that the smell of the used liquid is objectionable, so stand upwind.

Some agitation would improve the action, as well as higher temperatures. Perhaps leave it in the sun to assist the thermal aspect.

A quick search for rust removal liquid returns many options.

Once the rust is removed and the part is washed of the chemical, you can coat it with a polyurethane clear product or similar.


By Mylar I assume you mean drafting film (usually a (semi) transparent type of BoPET (biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate)), rather than drafting paper (or vellum).
Drafting film generally is coated, although the uncoated version is preferred for archival purposes.

Drafting film, especially the more common coated version, does not absorb the oil in oil paints. Along with the high flexibility of the sheets, this presents a great risk to both the drying process and adhesive support of oil paints.
This means that, apart from the protection it offers the paint film itself, varnishing or fixating alone will do very little to preserve the painting on mylar.
Moreover, covering the work with a coating can effectually enclose the complete painting, making it airtight, and, unless the paint is truly cured, this might cause increased deterioration.

There are a few things you can do to increase their integrity:

Using very fine sandpaper, slightly rough up the front surface (both surfaces, in case you want to mount the sheet);
Ground it with a little (diluted) gesso;
Use only thin layers of (diluted) oil paint;
Let it dry sufficiently in a stable environment;
Mount it to a rigid surface;
Frame it behind (or between) glass.

When mounting, you have to make sure no blistering occurs. You can use acrylic gel to cover the entire surface, smooth it out by hand, and let it rest for a few hours, while applying equal pressure.
You can also try double-sided adhesive sheets, working very carefully from one side of the sheet to the opposite.
More info on mounting in the comments here.

A really nice overview of working with paints on Mylar can be found here.


Print on regular white paper.  Adhere the print to the black paper with rubber cement or temporary adhesive.  Do the cutting, and scoring if needed (light scoring can also be used to mark glue edges and similar feature lines).  When you're ready to assemble, peel off the white paper.


It's been my experience that items made with synthetic yarn and synthetic fiber fill can be washed by hand. If the item has become extremely soiled, it may be worth trying it in the washing machine on a gentle or hand wash cycle. You may want to remove sewed-on items if you feel they are vulnerable. I like drying in a dryer because the item is less likely to get musty, but if you judge your item to be too fragile, drying in the sun should also work. The important thing is not to let it stay damp for any longer than absolutely necessary.

If you have a handheld steam cleaner, you could try that too, especially if you have stubborn stains. I've used mine with vinegar mixed into the water to successfully clean cushions soiled with urine, but I've never used it on a hand-knitted stuffed character. Still, it's another option you could consider experimenting with.


Can I use the potholder quilting technique to make a quilt out of t-shirts?

A traditional potholder quilt would use pre-assembled blocks, with the block edges finished (won't fray) and then sewn together to assemble the quilt.

  The blocks can be finished in one of several ways:

  either with strips of fabric, or woven tape;
  bringing the front fabric to the back and over-casting it to the backing;
  by using a knife edge finish

One quilter who has made a potholder quilt suggests first whipstitching on the back, and then finishing with a more decorative stitch.

  This is whipstitched on the back connecting all four blocks.  Now it’s
  time to do the decorative stitch.  I decided to do a feather stitch
  with the machine, using a pale yellow thread to tie in with the
  background color of the squares.

There's a simpler, probably more modern version of a potholder quilt known as a rag quilt.

Individual same-size blocks are constructed as "sandwiches" (fabric on top and bottom, with batting in between), and then sewn together. The raw edges are left facing out on one side of the quilt, and snipped to encourage fraying.

This works particularly well with flannel fabric, leaving a soft, fuzzy border around each block. I could picture it working with knit fabric like T-shirts, as well.


Importance of fabric grain in embroidery

I know the weave of the cloth makes a very big difference.

I am a weaver and have seen professional looms in action. Grain, as I understand, is the Warp + Weft in threads per square mm, or inch.

The grain is a living part of a fabric.  I would take that into accord, but I've not done a lot of "fine embrodery". It is just logical.


Wood used for Christmas Colored Flame Yule Logs?

You want a wood with high porosity to take up as much of the mineral laden water as possible. Perhaps balsa if you can find a block of it, poplar or willow would be good too. Cedar might work.

Hardwoods will definitely not work well .. nor will any pine variety as their natural pitch will resist water uptake.


It would be referred to as "1 in 4" satin and refers to the weave pattern.  4/1 satins would be warp faced twills and 1/4 satins would be weft faced twills.

For more information on this you can read all about it at  https://www.textileschool.com/articles/125/twill-weaves


Layers of liquid with glittered glue and shredded hot glue stick in a test tube

Yes, it's likely that an off-the-shelf glitter glue will give out, if it hardens at all in the wet environment. Glitter glue is a PVA glue, which tends to soften and dissolve when exposed to water; it's the same base as "washable school glue," and while different PVA glues have different solubilities, the base used in glitter glues is a highly soluble base for easy clean-up when used by children. "Shredded hot glue" is not going to provide a sufficient moisture barrier to prevent the glue from eventually being dissolved away by the water, and it's unlikely that the PVA glue will sufficiently bond to the glass to stop liquid from seeping between layers, especially as it begins to dissolve.

You may wish to use a different type of glue, but as an alternate approach, evaluate what appearance you want from this at the end. Is it just layers of translucent colors? If so, consider tinted crafting resins (please follow all safety instructions!); these will be solid when they cure, and will have no risk of spilling or mingling with each other. If the liquid appearance is important, use a waterproof glue that will also adhere to glass, such as aquarium glue, but be aware that this may not dry when in direct or near-direct contact with the liquid. You'll want to test it before committing to your full project.


I made a facial prosthetic out of air-dry clay, how would I attatch it?

That material is not likely to survive very long. Normally you would make the piece out of latex or silicone, because those materials are resilient. However, I can recommend that you use rubber cement. It is generally (unless you are allergic, which you can test by putting a small dab on your skin, if it itches or get red, wash it off immediately with warm soapy water). Assuming you are not allergic, now try to attach another sample as a test to your face. Figure out how much glue and how strong the clay is. Do this by applying the cement to the back of the clay and immediately attach it to your face.

If it works, then do it with the final piece. Good luck


How to determine the "correct" scale for your art project?

Deciding on the scale is part of the design process
When you decide to make a piece of art its size is part of the design process.
There is a huge difference between a miniature and a way more than lifesize piece of art in the materials and tools needed and in the structure which may not be seen but is needed to build the item, but not in how you design the piece of art.

Often the size is decided by how much money the artist has to spend on the project or whether someone is sponsoring, has given a commission or guaranties the cost of the project.

Even huge artworks mostly have a smaller sample made, either as sketch or as miniature to show and get financing or as a way to work out technical difficulties. And most of those models can handle two or more out of those in one small version.

For the more modest items, where the 'smaller' scale will be about 50% of the 'larger' scale, it is still a case of money, preference and availability.
Many people get lessons as part of their art education, teachers usually set the size as well as the subject and medium.
Or at least talk it through with the student to get the best result for the project.

If you are self taught, you will have to experiment as much as your purse allows you.
I find in almost all crafts and arts, I go for smaller once I know how to do the technical side.
Others I have met or know about do go for bigger and huge.

Each person has to find his/her own way.

About scale influencing the design
Basically the design should be independent of the scale. The smaller you work, the smaller the details should be. The bigger the scale, the more likely you will not put in small details but you will still be able to.

If you look at huge canvasses of old masters, Rembrandt van Rijn for example, you will see that most of the work is wide strokes of the brush or whatever tool they used. There might be some details, but most of those will not stand out when you are at a distance to appreciate the whole of the canvas.

That goes even more when you go for more than lifesize sculpture.
Take as an example the Angel of the North.
The huge statue does not have more details than the man sized marquettes.

Of course you can decide to make a 4 by 3 meter painting with as much detail per cm as miniature paintings, but that is a design decision, not something that comes from the scale used.


The chopin chain is a type of rope chain in which every slightly twisted link embraces two others:

(source. click to enlarge)

Depending on the thickness of the links, the character of the chain can seem a lot fuller:

(source. click to enlarge)

If google images is any indication, the most common type of rope chain, for comparison is the one that, not surprisingly, has the spiralling character of a regular rope:

(source. click to enlarge)

In the rope chain, every straight link embraces four others.
Here is a video demonstrating the making of such a chain.