How can I stabilize flowering tube onyx?

You may have some luck with stabilizing it as though it was a slab. Using an epoxy in acetone method:

Dissolve epoxy in acetone
Submerge rough stone in the epoxy acetone mixture
Seal up container so acetone does not evaporate
Leave in mixture for at least a week
Remove from acetone and let dry for at least another week

Mindat has some good instructions along with other methods

The important detail is this method relies on diffusion. When you have a slab your path length is relatively short, so the epoxy can diffuse in fairly quickly (days). As you make the material thicker the time increases. If you have a piece of rough that is fairly narrow in one dimension, you're in luck, treat it as a slab, diffusion won't be slowed down by rough edges, indeed it will be slightly faster. Where you're going to run into problems is with a thick piece of rough material that resembles a sphere. In this situation you may want to go at it in multiple passes as follows:

Let's say that your rough material is sphere with a diameter of six inches. Additionally you've determined that you can "completely" stabilize a slab that is one inch thick.

If you follow the same procedure with the rough material, you can "completely" stabilize the outer 1/2 inch of it. At which point you could cut off slabs as circles of a sphere:

of 1/2 inch thickness.
The process could be repeated to allow for a second, larger, slab to be produced.

I would probably sacrifice the first layer, as it is typically irregular to begin with, making a poor slab. Or, because I am impatient, I would slab the rough and accept what breaks as broken and stabilize the usable parts as slabs.

Note: It has been years since I've made a cab and my knowledge of stabilization techniques is from research only, I have not tried these techniques myself.


If you also have some thread and a long needle, you could jump into exploring geometrical shapes:

To build them, thread three straws (or parts of them) and tie them together to build a triangle. Then add further triangles at the edges.


How do I do different shades with a gray pencil?

Try doing crosshatching:

Make sure your pencil is always sharp. [The point of a wooden pencil becomes dull after several strokes, so I suggest using a mechanical pencil instead (HB 0.7 works great).]
Don’t smudge your strokes. (If you do it unwillingly with the palm of your hand, then put a piece of paper underneath it.)
Strokes should follow the shape of the object.
Make the stroke in the same direction instead of forwards and backwards.
Apply more or less pressure when you make the strokes to achieve
different shades and if you need an even darker shade, then make a
crosshatch.
Do the crosshatching at a slight angle (about 20o) and not at 90o
If you want some very fine and gradual transition, then make sure your strokes are not too far apart from one a another, and that you rely more on overlapping several layers of strokes rather than relying on pressure.

Here are some good examples to illustrate my points.


What is the most effective stitch for fabric gloves?

If you are  making leather or cloth gloves:

Glove making is a traditional art and its artisans are highly skilled.  It sounds like you are fairly experienced in glove making, but here are some tips on stitching and making gloves.

The link below shows the classic traditional method of leather glove making, using several stitching styles:
http://www.couturestuff.com/vintage-sewing-books/how-to-make-gloves-by-eunice-close/how-to-make-gloves-section-1/

A more "home crafter" glove-making tutorial is:
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Leather-Gloves

Both tutorials show several stitch options, e.g, seams out or seams in, running stitches, overcast stitches, etc.  To a great degree, stitch selection appears to depend as much on desired aesthetics as anything else.

I would imagine that durability of your stitching is highly dependent on the selection of the size and fiber content of your thread; the closeness of your stitching, and the correct sizing of the pattern, especially the length and width of the fingers and thumbs.


For sketching newsprint is the art school standard because it's cheap and it has a bit of tooth. Printer paper is very smooth, which makes it less suitable for drawing with graphite or charcoal. The tooth is what holds the graphite and charcoal in place.

A number 2 pencil is very hard, so you have to press firmly to make a darker mark. You should treat yourself to a range of graphite pencils; they are not very expensive. I use a 3B, a 5B, and an 8B most of the time.

I'm guessing that the eraser you're using is not a grey gum eraser. Get one. They are cheap, and they are worth it. You should knead it a bit before use to soften it. These can be shaped, so they are great for erasing weird tiny bits.

Because this is very common, I'm going to venture that, if not you, at least a few people who read this are artists who try to save time by turning a sketch into a finished drawing. No doubt a sketch can be very beautiful, but it's better to use your sketches as visual references for a finished drawing. If you buy semi-expensive paper, you may become worried about wasting it, and that can prevent you from sketching regularly. On the other hand, sketch pad paper doesn't look very good and is not archival.

Many people, myself included, don't even bother erasing everything in a sketch. I only erase something if it's visually confusing enough to keep me from finishing the sketch.

I often hear people bring up Caravaggio at this point. They will point out that he did not do drawings first, and preferred to work everything out on the canvas. For those reading who had this thought, I ask that you consider the difference in the mediums -- it is easy to paint over a mistake in oils, but graphite drawings are more delicate.

The best drawing paper for using an eraser would be something high quality, archival, and fairly thick. As I mentioned above, a graphite drawing is a fragile work of art. You don't want to be going nuts with your eraser directly on the expensive paper because too much will start to show up. But little bits here and there you can erase with a soft gum eraser, then gently sand with fine grit sandpaper.

Part of the beauty of a gallery-ready graphite drawing on paper is the illusion of there only being perfect marks on otherwise pristine paper. (Depending on your style, of course. Since you use #2 and mechanical pencils, and you want to use an eraser, it seems like a fair bet you're going for work with a clean and precise look.) And there you have the reason why artists will work it out on newsprint before hand -- unless you're some kind of a savant it's impossible to get this look in the first drawing.

Depending on the type of drawing you're doing, you might even want to experiment with cartooning a sketch onto archival paper. (Tape tracing paper to the drawing, trace it. Flip the tracing paper over to the other side, place it on a light-colored surface, and trace it again in a soft charcoal. Gently place the tracing paper in place on the archival paper, charcoal side down, and trace it again. The pressure will transfer the charcoal drawing onto the new surface.)

I hope this helped! Have fun drawing. :)


How do I prepare plaster casts for casting tin figurines?

You need to minimise bubbles in the plaster of Paris mould. I do this by mixing the plaster of Paris in a rather runny state and after pouring into the former for the plaster tapping it to release any bubbles that have formed.
Plaster sets relatively quickly but even after setting is still wet and in thick sections takes a long time to dry adequately, which is why baking might be a good idea if you can't leave the mould to dry thoroughly.
The mould will need a riser channel, in addition to the channel you are going to pour the metal into, to let the metal flow properly through the mould (and so you can see that it is properly filled). It will also need breather channels to let the air out of awkward corners and re-entrants.
Finally after the metal is poured into the mould, if it can be done safely, the mould should be tapped to help air escape.

Something else to consider is keying the parts of the mould together so that they properly align. Normally I do this by making circular/conical depressions in the first part of the mould to be formed, so the second poured onto it forms keys with these features.


It has to be a particular shade of blue.

From Wikipedia, it is apparent that non-photo blue refers to a particular colour rather than a particular kind of pencil:

  Non-photo blue is a particular shade of blue that cannot be detected by graphic arts camera film. This allows layout editors to write notes to the printer on the print flat (the image that is to be photographed and sent to print) which will not show in the final form. It also allows artists to lay down sketch lines without the need to erase after inking.

Here's the code for this colour under various systems (also taken from Wikipedia):

Hex triplet:    #A4DDED
sRGB:   (164, 221, 237)
HSV:    (193°, 67%, 79%)

And here's the colour itself:


I'm assuming from your question that you're looking to have the cape flared out around and behind you while you are standing still, as the cape will naturally take that shape when you're in motion. My best recommendations to accomplish that appearance would be to use plastic ("boning" for corsets) or wire (strong but flexible, ie. aluminum armature wire) that can be used to shape the cape. These would be run down the sides where the black trim is located, starting at waist height or higher, as well as across the bottom hem.

I will not offer these suggestions without the following warnings, however:

The cape will likely look unnatural both at rest and in motion. You may be able to skillfully shape it to look more natural at rest, but it will still look stiff when you're moving
You will likely become annoyed very quickly while wearing it. If you're planning to wear it to a convention, they are generally crowded, with a lot of narrow passages, and a stiff cape like this may interfere with your moving around. You'll also become annoyed trying to pack or store it because of the stiffness. And on top of those issues, you also won't be able to sit down while wearing it (and likely would become unwelcome in panel spaces due to the size anyway).
If you are wearing it at a convention, you will quickly become other attendee's least favorite person. You will likely have a reduced awareness of where the back of your cape is, and you will hit people's legs, belongings, and props, as well as potentially knocking over displays in vendor areas, and taking up a lot of space in crowded areas.
If you are wearing it at a convention, you may be in violation of costume policies for that convention. Many will have rules such as the "Six Inch Rule," where no part of your costume may protrude more than 6" from your body, and the shaped cape would easily fall outside that limit. You may be asked to remove the piece from your costume or leave certain areas if convention staff determines you to be in violation of rules or a hazard to other attendees.

In light of those problems, I would recommend you do not focus on making a stiff cape. Rather, you should evaluate fabrics that will move and drape in the proper manner, to get the right look in motion, and to make the entire costume much simpler to wear.

I will also take a brief moment to address the solutions offered by abbie, which won't work as well as expected. Fabric stiffeners are meant for very lightweight fabrics; unless you're making the cape out of chiffon or cheesecloth, you aren't going to get any noticeable stiffening. I have used various stiffeners on thicker fabrics; they do not harden as you would expect, and form "break points" that fold severely and look quite bad. Starch definitely won't work, as it's meant to keep wrinkles out but keep fabric still wearable. In these cases, you're going to end up with a rigid cape that hangs straight down and doesn't move at all when you move.

Interfacing may work, but only if you use the heaviest form (often sold as "craft interfacing") and line the entire back of the cape with it. I frequently use heavy interfacing in my own costumes, and it is still quite flexible and would not be able to support the weight of the costume at that size. At best, you will likely get a stiff cape hanging rigidly around your legs; at worst, it will partially flare before giving in to your own weight, leaving you looking like you are wearing a bustle, which I assume is not the look you are after. Lighter interfacing will not stiffen the fabric at all.

Crinoline may work, but at the size it would need to be, it will be highly visible, and no more effective than directly wiring or boning the cape itself. Tinfoil will obviously not work, as it's designed to be very pliant, and chicken wire is likely to damage the costume pieces and your body.


Can I use Upholstery Vinyl as the fabric for a hardcover book opposed to using Leather?

Yes, using upholstery vinyl for bookbinding is certainly a possibility. I got a large reem of it from my grandfathers and was curious if it would work.

I found my result to be satisfactory (see pictures below). The part that concerned me was the stiffness difference between my leather books and my new upholstered book. It still opens and closes fine but it does not sit open on a flat surface well (This book in question was bound several years ago so this could be an age thing). So, if this option is available, ensure you get a thinner fabric.

Pictures of my upholstered book

This book has been sitting around for a while so you will see some dust in the pictures.

Still holding itself well.

While the picture might make it appear like it, the book does not have any issues closing and opening.

Normally with leather I can wrap the fabric around the corners just right so that the mill board is no longer visible. I found this very difficult with the upholstery.

Side note

  I am just looking for a more accessible alternative since finding and buying reasonably priced leather is a bit hard for me.

Just in case this has not occurred to you, I wanted to mentioned my preferred method of acquiring leather for my binding and miscellaneous crafts. I get near all my leather from second hand stores. More specifically from women's skirts. Once deconstructed they will have large enough pieces that I can bind at least 2 books made of 8 1/2 x 11in. paper. I found this to be very wallet friendly.


Is there an easy way to remove pet hair from knitting projects?

Jo-Ann's lists "Yarn Containers", essentially closed jars with a hole for the yarn to come out, that look like they might work to keep your yarn dog hair free while you work on a project.

You could also make a similar container out of something like an oatmeal box.


Beeswax applied as varnish is still tacky

The only beeswax product by Michael Harding I was able to find is Beeswax paste, which has a "high oil content" as it is mixed with linseed stand oil, explaining the long drying time.
This product is used to mix oil paints with, to increase the volume of the paint (e.g. for impasto's) and give it a matte sheen (similar to encaustic).

For varnishes, you'd need pure (bleached) beeswax, and mix it with about 3 parts turpentine after heating it. You can use a little (damar) resin to strengthen the mix (for more information and insights on the process, see here).
And, as a reminder, be sure to clean and let your painting dry sufficiently before applying varnish, as otherwise you'll risk sealing in foreign matter, long drying times, unequal curing, and the painting gathering more dust.

As for your current situation: assuming the underlying painting has sufficiently dried, and is relatively flat (little to no impastos), you can gently wipe off the beeswax paste with a piece of cloth (preferably microfiber, as it generally leaves no lint). You could even use a little solvent to more easily get rid of the oily traces. Do not go about this for too long, as you might damage the underlying paint.
Regarding the drying: as I hinted at already, the currently applied beeswax mixture will eventually dry, but the drying time is almost equal to that of pure linseed oil - it can take up to months for it to get touch dry (depending on temperature and humidity, mostly). If you want to take this route, be sure to store your painting in a dust-free environment.


Repeatedly cutting 44mm circles from paper

If you can provide links and/or images, my answer can be adjusted, but at first thought, consider the following.
For compass style cutters:
The pivot of the cutter could be attached to a metal disk or to a magnet. The size and shape of the disk or magnet would be dependent on the structure of the pivot.
If the pivot is a magnet, the underlying surface should be metal, but you'd want a cutting mat between the paper and the metal sheet.
If the pivot is a metal disk, the magnet should be embedded in a wood surface or if the magnet is thin enough, cut a matching recess in the cutting mat or equivalent.


How do I remove modelling clay from my parts and silicone mold?

Sculpey is not good for this, it is also expensive.
first you want a clay that stays soft, a simple bulk oil-based non-hardening clay tends to work. I prefer softness #4 but there is a lot of different preferences depending on the material being molded, I was working with fossils where cleanup came second to preserving an extremely delicate original. If your original is tough or disposable go with a harder clay "medium" by most sellers, it makes clean up easier. You can heat it to soften it if it is too hard to work with or compromise and go with a "soft" clay. Some people mix their own clay with clay dust and grease but store bought non-hardening clay works fine, I tried it and never noticed much difference.  You want something that is oil-based and non-hardening. if you heat it (and I recommend it) microwaves work OK as long as you get your timing down, don't melt it just get it warm, a toaster oven works better but tends to be kinda of small. I have an old bread oven but I do a LOT of molding.
Don't make your clay solid make ropes and build up to your surface leaving plenty of gaps, only the top half inch or so needs to be sealed, the rest of the clay should have gaps to allow it to be pealed away easily. I have also used lego or wood to build up to where the clay surface will be so only the top inch is clay. If using clay all the way through often I line the original with saranwrap or tin foil, so clay is only contacting the inch or so where the seam will be, makes clean up a lot easier. Just make sure it is not exposed or the silicone will wick down that material and waste a lot of silicon. (note if you use foil you don't want to use a microwave to heat your clay, I burned up a lot of microwaves before I got an old bakers oven to heat my clay.
using a release agent before putting the original in the clay will help, as will a simple dull dental pick for scraping away any left over clay. The cooler and harder the clay is the easier it tends to come off.


Drawing human or animal bodies which aren't too realistic

If you want to draw objects (humans, animals, or whatever) that are stylised (i.e. aren't too realistic) you need to learn how to draw them realistically first.

The idea is the same as “learn the rules first in order to know how to break them properly” (sorry for the cliché). You need to understand your subject (what it actually is) in order to reveal it in the way you desire (stylise it). Take a look at what the artists did for the development of the Bambi character.

You can do it the other way round, as people often go for as it brings quick and somewhat satisfactory results, i.e. chose a style and learn to draw this way (like 'how to draw chibi manga girls'). However, understanding the style and not understanding the subject won’t get you far with your art.


Evenly spaced stitches means that the number of stitches between increases is approximately the same. Since you are increase 50 sts over 94 current stitches, and 94/50=1.88 you should put (on average) 1.88 sts between increases. That means your increases will be done in some combination of (m1,k1) and (m1,k2) repeats.
There are helpful calculators available online that will tell you how to space your increases based on the current number of stitches and the number of stitches to increase. I found many such calculators by googling "knitting evenly spaced increase calculator." This calculator says to work your increases (50 increases over 94 current stitches) as follows:

K1, (M1, k1) 3 times, (M1, k2) 43 times, (M1, k1) 3 times, M1, k1

If you prefer a kfb increase, you could work your increases this way:

K1, (kfb) 3 times, (kfb, k1) 43 times, (kfb) 4 times

If the pattern doesn't specify what increase stitch to use, it's up to you. Generally with evenly spaced increase you want to use whichever method will be most inconspicuous. M1 is the usual choice. Kfb creates a bar on the front of the work that looks like a purl, so it looks fine on garter stitch but it looks a bit strange on stockinette.


What eraser can I use with wax core coloured pencils

Lifting something like the Prismacolor line with a hand-held eraser is going to require a lot of elbow grease. So, when the need arises, either for a misplaced line or trying to get an effect, then the best answer is an electric eraser. There are a few options out there, Sakura makes one that is quite popular and I have the Derwent model.

Are they perfect? No. Lighter colors lift easier, but the electric is going to do far better regardless. The only thing to bear in mind is that you're going to take some paper surface with you when you do this. For a small area, once, not a problem, but multiple times in the same place is probably unwise.

Your other option is to not erase at all. This means layers, layers, and more layers. Basically, the goal is to get enough color down that the mistake is, effectively, covered. How easy that is depends on the paper. Mine tends to be heavier and some colored pencil artists even go for watercolor paper. However, if your layers have gotten to the point when color no longer takes, a shot of workable fixative can give you back some tooth for adding more.


You could, if running out of yarn and the small amount would save you.
But after unraveling you should steam (or wash if the yarn does not change by that) to relax the yarn, otherwise you may get a different look as the yarn is no longer straight. (Thanks fixer 1234, your remark is now included.)
Swatches store easily and will provide repair yarn later.


Heat resistant paints for metal smoking pipe

After looking into a few options that you might have already seen I think this will be a safety concern for yourself that you should best avoid.

I am not insinuating what you do with the pipe but this discussion has come up before on a few forums about pipe smoking.

Grasscity - Opinion on spray painting metal pipe
Drug Forum - Paint/Color a Metal One-Hitter2
Marijuana.com - Metal Pipe Paint -- Overly Paranoid?2

The consensus is don't risk doing it. From a general standpoint you cannot guarantee that the paint, once sealed/cured/dried etc, wont react in some way once heated regardless of the temperature limit. I know this does not meet your threshold but consider the MSDS for Rustoleum High Heat Spray which is designed for resistance extreme temperatures (1200ºF). It list several chemicals that are known carcinogens1. It is also worth noting these types of paints were not meant for direct flame contact.

Sure you might not paint near the bowl.. but why risk it anyway? If you are trying to personalize it it might just be better to buy one that already has what you are looking for. I don't know what the motivation for painting it though. Personalization was just a guess

1. I understand those chemicals are listed as present in the can before sprayed but surely enough of them are still present in the paint and have the potential to be released later.

2. This forum post goes a little off topic but the sentiment of not painting a metal pipe is shared.


How to reuse a sewing pattern without damaging it

I regularly reuse my own patterns, as I myself have a few favorites that have been incredibly helpful to me. I use the technique I was taught in a theatrical costuming class:

When cutting the pattern out, cut closely around the outermost size lines (there is no need to be exact at this stage, but try not to leave huge chunks of tissue behind)
Pin or weight the pattern to the fabric as normal
When cutting the piece out, cut the fabric layers only. You'll do this by slipping your shears under the tissue, and cutting while following along with the appropriate sizing line above. If there are areas where there is a single line for all sizes, feel free to cut all layers at that point, but anywhere that's graded should be cut from underneath.

This takes a little getting used to, especially in tighter curves, but with a little practice it becomes second nature. And occasionally (especially in the beginning) you'll nick the pattern tissue, but a little clear tape can easily patch it up, and make it a bit more resilient in that area as well. Similarly, if you pin the pattern (as I do), eventually some of the pinhole areas will start to wear out, but again, they are easily patched with clear tape. I suggest clear over any other options as it makes it much easier to see your scissors as you're cutting underneath the tissue.

When you're done cutting, use a fabric marker or tailor's chalk to transfer your markings from the pattern as normal, patch the paper with tape where necessary, then carefully refold it (along existing lines if possible, or neatly if it's older and the lines are no longer easy to find). You can tuck it back into the paper envelope if the pattern will still fit, or use a gallon size plastic zipper bag to collect the pieces and envelope together for storage.

I have been using this technique, and some of the same pattern pieces, for years. One particularly useful pattern has been reused more times than I can count since 2003, and continues to be both usable and useful.

Sources: Instruction from a costume construction class, nearly two decades of experience.


Can I use thinset instead of grout for mosaics?

Thinset Mortar should be sufficient as a mortar grout in your project.

  Thinset (also called thinset mortar, thinset cement, dryset mortar, or drybond mortar) is an adhesive mortar made of cement, fine sand and a water retaining agent such as an alkyl derivative of cellulose. (1) It is usually used to attach tile or stone to surfaces such as cement or concrete. It is particularly popular among mosaicists for outdoor applications (2) - Thinset (Wikipedia)

Make sure you "use a wet toothbrush to scrub your grout joints clean as you are installing your floor (Thinset Mortar Selection).


Is there a word for a thing that is drawn?

"subject" .. as in, "I will be drawing three subjects, a rock, a tree .."

OR (reviewing this caused me to think further about other possible answeres)

"i will be drawing three objects, an x, a y, and a z"
OR
"I will do a drawing of three objects, an x, a y, and a z"

I still cannot think of any single word for a drawn thing


Are there alternatives to starch for stiffening finished yarn hat?

My experience with starching is neither extensive nor with crochet items, but in the hopes that it will be helpful:

I would try dilute white glue (school glue/Elmer's/PVA glue). I stiffened acrylic felt with it, and the felt remained flexible, but was definitely better able to keep its shape.

Unfortunately, I don't have a specific dilution to recommend. I found a blog post about crochet snowflakes which says a 50-50 glue-water mixture will make crochet rock hard, so stay well below that. When I did the felt, I used just enough glue to make the water opaque - it was not a true white, just couldn't be seen through. That wasn't enough! I was able to do a second round of stiffening, though, so it's a forgiving method.

If I were doing this I would use enough glue to make the water true white, soak the hat in it (folded like in the last instructional photo of the pattern), and press out the excess. You could use towels if you immediately rinse them out afterward.

I'd want it dry enough to shape and stand it immediately like it is in the finished photo, with plastic wrap under it. A couple of times while it's drying I'd rub my fingers on the parts that are in contact with the plastic wrap - my felt showed some shiny spots on the side that was touching the plastic. Not having a drenched piece will help with that, but I'd want to remove or work in any potential glue on the surface as well.

Some side notes to close: If you're finding a lot of interesting patterns that need starching, buying a commercial stiffening product might be worthwhile - they're designed to be easier! People also use Epsom salts (supposed to make the pieces a little sparkly), sugar (similar to Epsom salts, but I wouldn't use this because it seems like a bug magnet), and hairspray (easy for a gentle hold, if you don't mind the risk of a lingering smell).

And just to say again - this is untested, but it's how I would approach it!


What Do You Call Textured Envelope Seals?

It sounds like you are describing an embossed sticker.
There are a lot of services that can custom emboss stickers for you so you can get your own personal 'seals' as you referred to them, to close envelopes or put on certificates and things.

These are common for companies and individuals to use when they want to make something look fancy. Papyrus includes an embossed sticker with every card they sell to give them a more expensive feel.


What classical painting depicts a trial or a slavery bidding, where a naked female is standing before a crowd?

Google search: Classical Painting Slave Market

The Slave Market

Otto Pilny. 1866-1936

Slave Market in Ancient Rome

Gérôme, Jean-Léon. 1824-1904

www.hermitagemuseum.org

The Slave Market

Victor-Julien Giraud. 1867


A quick Google search revealed that

  Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages."

  A leaf is a single sheet bound in a book, and a leaf has two pages. (Source: Biblio)

A folded grouping of leaves is a "gathering", so the left image under "leaf with 4 pages" in your question is actually a gathering of 4 leaves (8 pages).  The right hand image is a gathering of 2 leaves (4 pages)

Note that if you tear one leaf out of a bound book, as books are more commonly bound in gatherings, often one other leaf will also become loose, and maybe fall out — especially if the leaf torn out is in the centre of a gathering. But that is a separate leaf, not the other half of the same.


Do you mean paint won’t stick to aluminum foil? Because any two-component epoxy based paint will stick to aluminum and aluminum foil. But I think your approach is flawed from the get go. You should look into the way cosplayers build swords. They have a skeleton-like frame (sometimes a solid wood dowel) underneath the sheathing which is very often a type of foam matt like you would find at a camping store for underneath a sleeping bag or a type like that which is used for yoga. They cut shapes and glue them together, perhaps even screwing them to the dowel, paint them, apply decals from model kits etc. The videos can be quite entertaining.


What are the different type of paint brush bristles?

Natural vs synthetic

I did a bit of research into this and found that there are two main kinds of paintbrush bristles: natural (usually made from animal hair) and synthetic (usually made from some combination of nylon and polyester). Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages according to what kind of paint you're using. The TL;DR is that natural bristles are better for oil-based paint while synthetic bristles are better for water-based or latex paint. For more details, see this page. As a bonus, it also gives some information on the shape as well as the material of paintbrush bristles:

  Bristle Shape: Most paintbrushes available today are square-cut brushes. They're perfect for holding and laying paint onto virtually any surface. However, square-cut brushes don't provide as much control when painting into corners, up to adjacent surfaces, or along narrow edges or surfaces. For more precise control, use a sash brush, which has its bristles cut at a slight angle. Sash brushes are particularly well-suited for cutting in around the perimeter of a room.

  Bristle Tips: Better quality brushes have bristles with flagged, or split, ends. Flagged bristles hold more paint and spread paint more smoothly. Some brushes, especially sash brushes, have tipped ends, which should not be confused with flagged ends. Tipped brushes come to a point; they're not cut flat and straight, as is a standard brush.

  Professional painters favor tipped brushes because they provide greater control and allow you to apply paint more precisely.

More details on different types

This list goes into more detail on the usages of synthetic and various types of natural bristles, although it doesn't distinguish between different types of synthetic material:

  Badger

  For blending oil paint on canvas, Badger Hair is an age-old tradtion. It comes from various parts of the world and is more readily available than most animal hair, although the quality varies greatly. Badger hair is thickest at the point, and relatively thin at the root, so it has a distinctive "bushy" appearance.

  MEDIA: oil
  Camel Hair

  Camel Hair does not come from camels at all. It is found in watercolor and lettering brushes and usually is made of squirrel, goat, ox, pony or a blend of several hairs, depending on the desired softness and intended cost of the brush.

  MEDIA: lettering, tempera, watercolor
  Hog Bristle

  Hog Bristle is obtained from hogs in several parts of the world, the most sought after coming from China. Bristle is unlike any other natural filler in that it forms a V-shaped split or "flag" at the tip and tends to have a natural curve. A brush with "interlocked" bristles, with the curves formed inward to the ferrule, has a natural resistance to fraying and spreads medium to thick paints smoothly and evenly. A selection of pure hog bristle brushes is recommended for oil and acrylic painting, and is a far less expensive alternative to good-quality softer hairs.

  MEDIA: acrylic, oil
  Kevrin/Mongoose Hair

  Kevrin/Mongoose Hair is strong, resilient, and makes a good long-wearing, medium to professional quality brush for oil and acrylic painting.

  MEDIA: acrylic, oil
  Kolinsky Sable

  Kolinsky Sable is not really from a sable at all, but comes from the tail of a species of mink that is a member of the weasel family found in Siberia and northeastern China. It is generally conceded to be the best material for oil and watercolor brushes due to its strength, spring and ability to retain its shape ("snap"). It holds a very fine point or edge. This is considered a professional grade of hair, and if properly cared for, Kolinsky will last for many years.

  MEDIA, oil, watercolor
  Ox Hair

  The best quality comes from the ears of cattle or oxen. The Ox Hair has a very strong body with silken texture, is very resilient, has good "snap", but lacks a fine tip. Therefore, it is most useful in medium gradewash brushes, or flat shaped brushes. Frequently, ox hair is blended with other natural hair to increase the resiliency of a brush.

  MEDIA: lettering, watercolor
  Pony Hair

  Pony Hair is soft but strong, from mature animals at least 2 years of age. It is primarily used for scholastic grade brushes, but often blended with other hairs for inexpensive watercolor and touch-up brushes.

  MEDIA: acrylic, scholastic, tempera, watercolor
  Red Sable

  Red Sable is obtained from any member of the weasel family with "red" hair, not at all from the animal known as the sable. It is found in a variety of brush styles for many varied mediums, with quality and characteristics varying greatly. A good quality pure Red Sable is a good alternative to the more expensive Kolinsky, with similar performance and durability. Often, weasel hair is blended with ox hair to make a more economical brush, but the fine point is sacrificed.

  MEDIA: oil, watercolor
  Sabeline

  Sabeline is actually select, light-colored ox hair dyed to resembled red sable. Lettering and watercolor brushes often use Sabeline mixed with Sable to lower the cost of a brush.

  MEDIA: lettering, watercolor
  Squirrel

  Gray Squirrel (Talayoutky), most highly in demand for lettering brushes and quills, is native to Russia and nearly always fell in short supply. Brown squirrel (Kazan) is more readily available, and is used mainly for medium quality and scholastic watercolor brushes. A very fine, thin hair, taken from squirrel tails, it points as well as Kolinsky, but has very little "snap" because the hair is not very resilient. It works best with liquid paints and inks.

  MEDIA: lettering, watercolor
  Synthetic

  Synthetics are man-made of either nylon or polyester filaments. They can be tapered, tipped, flagged, abraded or etched to increase color carrying ability. Often, synthetic filaments are dyed and baked to make them softer and more absorbent. The common name for this filament is "Taklon". Advantages of synthetic brushes are: 1) They are less prone to damage from solvents, insects or paints. 2) They are easier to keep clean than animal hair brushes because the filaments don't have animal scale structures to trap paint. 3) They are less prone to breakage and are durable on many different surfaces. 4) They are better suited for painting with acrylics because a synthetic filament will withstand the caustic nature of acrylic paints with less damage.

  MEDIA: all

Finally, this list goes into even greater detail on a huge variety of types of bristle, falling into four main families: animal hair, vegetable fibre, synthetic, and wire brush. Within each of these families, several different materials are described and compared. It's too long to copy it all here, but should be useful as further reading if the above isn't detailed enough.


What wire would be suitable for a papier-mache armature?

I suggest aluminum : moderately corrosion resistant, inexpensive, easy to bend and cut, easily available. Look for it at farm supply store as electric fence wire. It does come in a fairly long spool but I find other uses for it like holding chicken and roasts on a rotisserie and in the garden holding branches etc. Aluminum is not very strong but you would have a lot of it so double and triple it for strength. And corrosion products are white so would not show unlike any copper corrosion near a surface which could cause blue/green stains. For limited size and number of items , insulated solid (not stranded) copper ( electric wire) should not be too expensive. Size near 12 gage should bend and cut without difficulty. Also coated steel wire is sold for bonsai plants but I expect it is expensive.


I’m a complete beginner. What’s the shortest way to learn drawing manga?

Quite simply, you can't effectively simplify subjects and backgrounds for a comic until you have learned how to draw them properly in the first place. There is no "magic manga shortcut," with or without using technology. The reason the tutorials you've seen expect that you already know how to draw is because that is a prerequisite for drawing a comic. Just like you can't do calculus unless you understand basic math, you can't do stylized art without understanding the structure of the subject you're stylizing.

Creating a proper comic goes beyond simply being able to draw a face or a hand. A comic includes props, clothing designs, and backgrounds, so you'll need to learn to draw everything, not just a character. You'll need to learn multi-point perspective, lighting and shading, fabric draping, and more to be able to convey your setting effectively.

Beyond that, creating a proper comic goes far beyond just drawing. Where most people fail, besides thinking there's a "magic manga shortcut" and not learning their basics, is thinking that because they have read a comic or two, they now know everything there is on how to create their own. Very few people actually put the pieces together properly, resulting in a lot of very poorly constructed web comics, fan comics, and even professionally created comics! There are multiple books on how to construct a comic, for good reason. It's less intuitive than you think it is. If nothing else, you should pick up a copy of Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, so you can start to understand how and why comics work. From there, I recommend Making Comics by the same author, and Drawing Words and Writing Pictures by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden. The former contains some basic guidelines and tutorials; the latter is constructed as a full comics-making class.

Lastly, once you've learned the fundamentals, found your style, and learned how to put together a comic, don't think you're going to create your master work on the very first try. You can't. You need to put everything together and practice. The number I've generally heard quoted is "You need to draw 200 pages before you start drawing good ones." You need to work hard to create a good comic. There are no shortcuts.


What would be a good way to bind a A8 notebook?

I ended up using the coptic binding and it went surprisingly well. The only thing about it is that (unlike the Japanese binding) it needs something to hold the notebook close (but it has 8 x A4 sections, after all). It seems that, being similar to the coptic binding in a way, the section sewn hardcover binding would have also been a good choice. Contrary to what I previously thought, not having special tools does not seem to matter for the final result.


Are there specific types of plastic that are more "Clear" than others?

You're probably looking for acrylic.

Computer case manufacturers often use acrylic. For a recent example, the Thermaltake core P5 atx case uses acrylic. Also, according to this datasheet acrylic has higher optical clarity than polycarbonate and can be restored to full clarity by polishing.

Also, acrylic sheets can be sourced easily, can be cut with a scorer, and are light and strong.


Which technique was used to paint the picture?

I believe the background was created by the use of randomly layering acrylic paints from darkest to lightest on the background canvas using something like sea sponges, waiting for each paint layer to dry, then adding the next lighter color. Turn the sponge frequently & use different sponges as well so that you get more random patterns all over. Given that this is acrylics, you may not have to wait for the paint to dry; it won't mess up the layer below like watercolor would.

The "lines" definitely look like slightly thinned paint dropped on and the canvas tilted to allow the paint to run in a line.  A spatula knife may have been used to pull the paint into lines as well - use it to put a small dot of slightly thinned paint on the canvas, tilt the canvas if not already tilted, and pull the spatula knife towards you and/or in a downwards direction in a relatively straight line.


Attaching a piece of wood to a necklace without drilling

You may have luck with hitches or whippings. The former tends to involve attaching a rope to something, such as a piece of wood. The latter finishes the end of a rope to keep it from fraying, or finishes a piece of wood...to keep it from splintering? Both tend to have styles that can be repeated down a bit of wood making them both more secure and more attractive.

You might have particular luck with a West Country Whipping or a French Whipping


Bind a back with its pages without stains

Most likely, the stains appear because the glue diffuses into the paper - the paper being porous, or the glue too strong / dissolving. Try a different paper / glue combination.
About the wrinkles: I guess that you make the binding manually - as in using the bare hands, without any kind of presses, clamps, etc. Use the proper tools, practice using those tools until you understand all their secrets, and then go ahead doing the beautiful work.


How to fill gaps in spherical resin molding

Use a clear two part epoxy resin to fill the gouges.

You can get one with a short drying time (5 minute epoxy) at most hardware stores or even the dollar store.

Ensure if its a two part mold, not to put the parts together while its drying or they will stick together.

Apply the glue in a ventilated area.


There can be so many factors, that are not described here, that can lead to your problem. Simple things like, where do you live, is it moist most of the time? There are so many things that could affect lacquer drying. Lacquer takes a long time to dry, how does it smell right now? If it still smells the solvent of the lacquer, then it's not dry. Try putting it on a closed small room with a decent powered dehumidifier, for a couple of days, and see what happens. And until then, don't touch it (finger prints, scratches), no smell it's the best indication that it's dry. Good luck.


I believe the closest analog you'll find for human sized PVC pipe that wouldn't be PVC pipe is called concrete form tubes, sometimes under the brand name Sonotube. The Home Depot version is called Sakrete form tube. It's going to be lighter than PVC of human size, but that doesn't mean it will be light. As it is constructed of cardboard, it would be easily painted white with matching lettering. If you wanted to hide the joints, fabric could be glued at the knees, elbows, etc, but you're going to have a challenge finding a skinny enough human torso to fit inside the typically-available Sonotube diameters.

You could use some sort of cording that runs from the knee joint through the thigh bone up through the torso to a shoulder support to help manage the weight. If you're using a healthy firefighter for the inner-human, it would not be too heavy, I believe.

The torso could be a suitably sized plastic rubbish bin, also painted white. If you plan to encase the human's head as well, a portion of a smaller cylindrical rubbish bin would also work. It's starting to look a bit like a lego character in my alleged mind.

This photo is the 8" size, although other smaller sizes are also available. Some larger construction businesses may have discards if you have contacts in the area.


PVC and vinyl are both abreviations for PolyVinylChloride. Inflatable float toys and furniture were normally made of plasticised PVC film. In the past the plasticiser tended to leach out giving an intense odour when the item was new and resulting in toys losing their "bounce" after 1 season of use. Modern toys seem to be made of better quality materials.

PVC can be joined using heat but it is difficult and most commercial production is done using HF (radio frequency electric) welding. For hobby purposes solvent welding (glue) may be considered. It is slow though and requires constant pressure while it sets.

It is possible that other polymers may replace PVC, there has been a push to reduce chlorine use in plastics.

The large inflatables like "bouncy castles" are almost certainly made from polyurethane reinforced with a cloth typically nylon. Since these are usually supplied with air constantly they need not be airtight, and may be joined by stitching. Polyurethane can also be joined by HF welding where airtight joins are needed.


Im supposing you'll leave it there...
You'll need a strong

glue that is resistant to the most dramatic climates in the world (i know it from experience).
This glue does not affect the banner at all. One thing though,  do not put too much glue! "dot, dot, not a lot", this glue expands 3 times what you put! so be careful! This glue can be used for everything.


How to restore a dried lipstick to make it usable again?

Here's an article on how it's made and the ingredients commonly used: https://luisafanzani.com/how-to-make-a-liquid-lipstick/.  Getting all of the proportions right is part art, part science when starting from scratch.  If it's dried out, it may not be just the solvent that's evaporated, in which case adding solvent wouldn't get it back to the same thing.  Also, some of the ingredients may need to be incorporated in a certain sequence, so just adding solvent to the dried-out material may not yield a usable result.  I suspect, though, it is a bit like house paint in the sense that once it dries it changes, and you can't just redissolve it and use it.

But if you could, you need a way to blend everything, which is hard enough when you start with the liquid ingredients.  The solidified material would probably need to be finely ground as a first step.  It's made with a high-shear mixer, and you may not be able to replicate the uniform consistency without it.  Trying to hand-stir one bottle's worth isn't likely to do it, especially if you just add some solvent to the bottle of solidified contents.

The usual solvent is isododecane, which probably isn't a local, off-the-shelf item.  There are a few alternatives, but they aren't any more readily available.  You can get it online (the linked article mentions makingcosmetics.com in the comments), but the ingredients are typically sold in quantities used for manufacturing.

Liquid lipstick is designed to be long-lasting.  There are products sold for removing it.  It may seem like one of those should dissolve it, so you could just mix a small amount into the dried bottle to liquefy it again.  However, the removers that do dissolve it (as opposed to just breaking the bond with your lips), also do other things that destroy its properties.  So it probably wouldn't be usable, or at least very long-lasting.

So the bottom line, you will probably need to call the bottle a loss.


Is there any way to salvage a broken needle (discrete form-factor, hard to replace)?

Most sewing needles are steel of some sort (possibly stainless), which doesn't solder with ordinary electronics or plumbing methods. If you have the kit and experience, it might be possible to braze the steel, but only if the break is in the right place. You need somewhere to build up material, so you can't treat it like superglue. You could of course file away material before and after.

If it's a fairly big needle and I was desperate, I'd make a jig to hold it (clamping a cork to the machine should do) and use a very little bit of slow epoxy between the broken faces. Look for one that tells you not to handle the part for several hours, and pay attention to the "full strength is reached in" instruction. You may be able to build up the join on the outside afterwards.  This might be enough to finish the job, but it's unlikely to be a long term fix.


It appears from your question development that you are considering something other than the typical "children's" kite in your project.
Your additional information indicates that the aforementioned Spectra line would be a good choice. Light weight, low volume.
My use of the line was for a tow system to launch paraglider and pilot to about two thousand feet AGL. 700 pound test was sufficient to do so and about five thousand feet of line was needed, as the winch pulled in line as the paraglider and pilot climbed.
The winch was constructed from a Yamaha motor scooter, one with an automatic transmission, which adjusted for the load by reducing the internal gear ratio. The rear wheel was removed and flanges were added to convert it to a winch drum. This is not too far off from your thought of using an automobile, although it was easier to move a trailer with the scooter mounted.
Critical to the design was a fairlead to ensure that the line was pulled straight from the drum and returned in a straight line during retrieval.
You will want to consider the winch drum as your start point and build from there. Bearings, axle, support members all will attend to the one-sided aspect of power. If the magnitude of your project is as great as it seems, you will not have sufficient power to retract a kite by using an electric screw driver.
There are many electric bike kits on the market and you may be able to use a higher powered motor from one of those. A number of benefits also apply in that you'd have a controller plus the bearings and axle incorporated in the design. A sturdy frame, perhaps more sturdy than a conventional bicycle would provide the support members.
The rim could be supplemented by flanges turning it into a winch drum of substantial diameter. It may be necessary to use a gearing system from a motor in order to get sufficient torque to retrieve a kite under some high wind conditions.
Note also that wind gradient is a factor for high flying kites. You may have light to moderate wind at ground level, but as altitude is gained, the kite will experience much higher levels of wind. This is caused by the reduction of friction with the ground as one gains altitude.


Based on the appearance of the tool (the thick shaft and the guard around it), the person in the video is drawing on the leather using heat, rather than 'cold' etching, carving, or engraving the leather. This is known as pyrography.
The tool used here is called a 'solid-point burner'.
This tool is attached to a power source, often (and preferably) has temperature controls, and produces heat leading to a tip that can often be changed for improved surface control (see upper tool in image below).
A common alternative, which is quicker to work with and allows for more control over temperatures and surface contact, is the 'wire-nib burner' (see lower tool in image below).

source | source


What are the types of charcoal pencils and how do they differ from each other?

These charcoal pencils are just a demonstration of the styles of pencil you might encounter.

Wooden Coated Charcoal

The first pencil, labeled "soft" is a softer charcoal pencil, coated in wood. Wooden charcoal pencils are generally cheaper and require a sharp blade (ex exacto knife) to sharpen them. They would not easily sharpen in a traditional pencil sharpener as the charcoal is so soft that a regular sharpener would grind and break the charcoal during the sharpening process.

Paper Coated Charcoal

The second pencil is coated in paper. Paper coated pencils are generally more expensive, but provide the ease of being able to reveal more of the charcoal by simply pulling the string and unraveling the paper rather than sharpening the pencil with a blade. The 600-H identification on the pencil is just Prang's model number for that pencil and means nothing with respect to the charcoal grade.

White Charcoal

The 558 is General's line of white charcoal pencil and, like the 600-H is proprietary to the company and has no real meaning with respect to the charcoal.

White charcoal is obviously different from black charcoal but is used in much the same way, but in reverse. White charcoal is a great way to come back after the work is finished to really bring out highlights and shines to be a "whiter than white" which brings contrast and boldness to an image.

White charcoal really isn't charcoal at all, but a type of pastel or Conté, often chalky and meant to be used with charcoal. It can be made from mixing white pigment with some type of binder, but the exact makings are generally proprietary and not disclosed.


What can I do to make drawing this angle easier?

Here are some key differences I noticed between the reference image and your drawing:

The relative location of the pupils. If the subject is looking up at you, the pupils should be at the top of the eyeball, so there should be more white showing at the bottom of the eye.
The relative locations of the mouth/nose/chin. Since you are viewing the face from an oblique angle, the nose and mouth should be closely spaced and near the chin. The nose line will also seem longer than when faced head-on.
The position of the shoulders: in the image, her shoulders intersect at the level of her nose, about halfway up her face. In your drawing, the shoulders are at the level of the chin. Try moving them up.

The hair line looks good to me! At this angle you will see a lot more hair than usual, since you're viewing most of the top of the head.

Now for techniques: When drawing poses like this, I find it very helpful to sketch out a "wireframe" of the head. I use a roughly spherical shape for the cranium (pinched a little where the chin goes, like a rounded teardrop), then place the eyes on the equator line and the nose about 1/3 up from the chin. There are more "formulas" for these and other facial feature proportions you can search for if you're interested, but since your character is already stylized you can probably just eyeball the rest. (Sometimes I even use a wireframe method on the eyeballs themselves, if they are detailed enough! It helps me place and shape the eyelids as well as shade accurately.)

The neck and shoulders are probably trickiest to place. Remember that the neck connects at the back of the head near your ears, so when you rotate the head downwards, it will be from that connection point. That is, you're not just rotating the head-sphere around its center (and keeping it in the same position relative to the shoulders), you're flopping it forward over the shoulders.

Here's a very rough example of what I mean (sorry for MS paint.. limited options on my lunch break!):

The initial shape is black, guidelines are red, and features added afterwards are blue.

All that said, I strongly recommend finding reference photos as you have done here, and trying to copy them - not tracing, just studying as you recreate it. The suggestion in the comments to attempt the pose yourself is a very good one too! Many artists (animators, famously) keep a mirror at hand so they can check how a particular expression or pose looks.

And as always, practice makes perfect - as you draw more faces in more poses, you'll develop a better intuition of where to place features without needing to think about it as much.


What is the conversion for UK and US crochet hooks to mm?

For hook sizes, it's always best to refer to the size of the hook in mm, if possible. This should be standard across all countries. Metric sizes are used in many countries including Australia and New Zealand. UK sizes are generally used in the UK and Canada. US sizes are generally used only in the US.

The equivalents (when applicable) are below. Note that some sites give different size conversions for the same hook and not all mm sizes are available in every system, which is why some sizes are listed under more than one mm size.

Crochet Hook Conversions:

mm size ----- US -------- UK

2.00 mm ---- 0 ------ 14
2.25 mm --- 1/B ----- 13
2.50 mm ---- 2 ------ 12
2.75 mm --- 2/C ----- 11/12
3.00 mm ---- 3 ------ 11
3.25 mm --- 3/D ----- 10
3.50 mm --- 4/E ----- 9
3.75 mm --- 5/F ----- 9
4.00 mm --- 6/G ----- 8
4.50 mm ---- 7 ------ 7
5.00 mm --- 8/H ----- 6
5.50 mm --- 9/I ----- 5
6.00 mm --- 10/J ---- 4
6.50 mm -- 10½/K ---- 3
7.00 mm --- n/a ----- 2
7.50 mm --- n/a ----- 1
8.00 mm --- 11/L ---- 0
9.00 mm -- 13/M/N --- 00
10.0 mm -- 15/N/P --- 000
15.0 mm --- P/Q ----- n/a
16.0 mm ---- Q ------ n/a
19.0 mm ---- S ------ n/a


What type of glue is used for gluing acrylic pieces together?

I would like to expand on EmRoBeau's answer a little. Acrylic cement is the common product used when trying to merge pieces of acrylic together. It is important to note that while it is commonly referred to as a glue it does not function as one. It is actually a solvent that fuses or welds the plastics components together.

It is really important that your pieces lie together and flat with no seems or gaps. This could also be called perfectly mated. Acrylic cement only makes a strong bond when there is no space between the merged acrylic and the actual fluid. Since you are not joining on edges since, in theory, should be of less concern as the sheets should be manufactured flat.

I would caution that you try this on progressively larger pieces though. If an incorrect amount of fluid is used it will make for a poor weld and the project would be potentially ruined.

A good primer video would be one from Tap Plastics. While it does promote a product there is more useful information beyond that.

Introduction to acrylic cement

Since the product you are working with is a chemical solvent use the proper protection measures as described on the labeling.


How can I treat leather with dyes and keep it protected?

The general order for treating leather, or at least the one which I use, is as follows:

Cut and shape the raw leather. As enderland pointed out, untreated (veg tanned) leather becomes quite supple when soaked and will retain it's form when dry (this technique is known as wet forming, and is probably how the sheath in your picture was shaped).
Dye the leather. For veg tanned leather water based dye will work just fine. I don't know much about other brands, but Fiebing's dyes have always worked well for me. Remember to wear gloves, as leather dye is unsurprisingly good at staining skin.
First soak the leather in water, then apply the dye with a rag or sponge. Soaking the leather first will help the dye to penetrate the leather deeper, instead of just staining the surface. This step is of course optional.
Finish the leather. There are different ways to do this, but the general idea is to work oils into the leather to stop moisture soaking in and rotting it. The traditional method (and the one which I use) is to polish with dubbin, a mixture of oil and beeswax. You'll find that the leather softens a great deal when the dubbin is worked in.
Finish the edges. You can use Edge Kote, but burnishing with dubbin/pure beeswax and an edge slicker also works. This step is also optional, and you can do it before finishing the leather if you want to - it makes no difference.
Assemble. Leaving assembly until after all the parts are treated makes it much easier to ensure that you've definitely got into all the nooks and crannies of whatever you're making.

The pair of images below show before and after photos of this process, from a recent project of mine. I'd post more (and links to other resources) but I don't have enough reputation.

My leather is probably darker than yours, but that won't be an issue. I used Fiebing's Cordovan dye, undiluted, and dubbin to finish.


Replenish the ink of a fountain pen by dipping

If the fountain pen has any kind of (suction) pump, then you will need to use the said pump.

The capillary effects alone will not have the power to fight the weight of the ink itself.

My personal hack

I have a fountain pen with one-time-use cartridges. It came originally with a very long one (compared with what is usual in shops). Because I did not want to purchase so much plastic (the small one time use cartridges), I decided to use the original one. To refill it I use a syringe (dedicated specifically to this purpose) to transfer ink from the ink bottle to the cartridge. I use it in this way for more than 20 years without any issue. The original cartridge, even though it was designed to be one-time-use, still fits properly, without leakage, to the pen.


Is it possible to get a "crutch" when learning to draw that will stop you from drawing well?

I'm not great and accomplished artist, but I do spend a great deal of my time and passion drawing. Take my thoughts as you will.

No, I do not think there is any legitimate concern about learning to draw a certain way and then being stuck that way throughout your career, so long as you continue to practice.

What, how, and how often you study and practice are going to have the largest effects on your outcomes. If you only practice exaggerated styles, like manga, anime, or cartooning, then you are very likely to struggle with the anatomy-based styles of Western comic books. Or vice-versa. If you only draw people, then drawing animals won't simply come naturally. You can't just jump from point A to point Z.

There's always something else to learn and practice, or ways to elevate your current skills. The biggest challenge may simply be recognizing what your current weakness is (that you wish to address) and how to actually address it.

Consider this "short" list of drawing and drawing-related skills, and you'll begin see that there's a wealth of areas to practice and grow in:

Pencil control (straight lines, round circles, light vs heavy)
Line economy
Drawing what you see (vs what you think you see)
Using tone
Light and tone
Shading techniques (each technique is really a separate discipline)
Line weight
Perspective (there's many kinds to learn)
Human anatomy (each part of the body can realistically have its own course of study)
Animal anatomy
Facial expressions
Exaggerating features
Cartooning principles
Defining features of the "genre" you're targeting (anime, comics, cartooning, animation, French animation, etc. etc.)
Plants
Landscapes
Backgrounds
Technical drawings
Thumbnailing and silhouetting
Vehicles and machinery
Building design
Folds and drapery
Clothing design
Contour drawing
Negative space
Composition and layout
Constructive anatomy
Caricature
Concept design and the iterative process
Sequential art and storytelling

I'll stop there, but be aware that this really is a short list, and each bullet point itself has a number of sub-topics, and the amount of time that can be put into studying each thing has no upper limit.

While that may seem obvious, I find that the non-artists I'm exposed to are often not aware it. Drawing is often seen as something as people are either "good at" or not, but the fact is that the people that are good at art put in the time, just the same as any other skilled hobby or profession. Your favorite works of art often represent hundreds, but more likely thousands, of hours of dedication to the craft.

Just be careful to not get intimidated by everything that's out there! View it as opportunities, and a well that won't run dry.


Thermochromic material for low temperature?

I found a supplier of raw thermochromic pigment active in the temperature range you are looking for. But to make it into paint you would have to add binder yourself.

Company is called Shenzhen Yu Mingjie Pigments Co., Ltd.

Has different thermochromic pigments active in the ranges -5C to 78C

Be sure to specify the temperature range you are interested in.


The amount of paint you will use depends both on the size of the painting and your personal style and technique.  The amount of paint you use may be more or less than another person in your group.

Others have asked this specific question, e.g. "Amount of paint used in a typical Bob Ross painting"
https://www.reddit.com/r/HappyTrees/comments/6d29w8/amount_of_paint_used_in_a_typical_bob_ross/

As you can see by the range of answers, again, there is no mathematical way to calculate how many tubes/grams of paint you will need.

Once you have painted for a while, you will know approximately how much paint you typically use.  In the mean time, I suggest visiting a local art supply store if there is one in your area, and ask for their advice.  You may be able to buy more paint than you think you will use and return unopened tubes. But we sure to ask about returns before you purchase.

This sounds like a great group activity and a lot of fun.


How about a hardbound sketchbook:

*this or any other brand

**this is a sticker, the cover is black

***they come in variety of sizes and thicknesses


Creating Color Bleed From Magazine Cutouts

A technique that will get the result you are looking for would be to transfer the imagery from the magazines to something that you could then transfer again onto your work of art.

Color copies of the 'zines would probably work best, saw a lot of that in art school. Not sure the solvent used on the copies but pretty sure it is one of the things you tried for the magazine prints, probably rubbing alcohol. That will give the running and smearing effect that a "proper" transfer would lack.

The magazines themselves are printed in inks that are too permanent to dissolve before the paper breaks down.

The copying process allows you another point of manipulation as well, as you can scale the pictures up or down, copy multiple images, move them around during the scan, etc...


This is washi tape. I often keep some on hand.

Ha ha, let’s test it on my hand.

It stays on for a while, but doesn’t bend like adhesive bandages. So, once the edge pops up, it is compromised. Sweat or moisture will not keep it on. Removing it once compromises it as well. It might stick for a while depending on movement.


If you are looking to add signatures to a completed sewn binding, you would have to unpick the binding, add the signatures, then re-sew the binding.

Individual pages (leaves) cannot be sewn into the signature unless they have an excess at the binding edge which you can fold into the signature crease.  Without the excess, you will need to glue the leaf to their neighbouring leaves with a thin bead of glue as close to the binding as possible.  This will be the most secure possible.


You could cut up an old bike tire. Cut off the sides, and you have a nice strip of actual tire tread. There are lots of different sizes of bike wheel, so you can customize the depth of the tread by choosing between road tire (skinny tire, shallow tread), off-road (much wider tire and deeper, bumpier tread), hybrids (a cross between road and off-road) and those fat balloon tires that have become popular recently.
You could secure the tire tread with thin nails, strategically hidden between the treads. If the nails are too visible once they're in, add a dab of black paint to the nail head.
Or, if you just want a thin layer of rubber, cut up an old inner tube. In this case, there's nowhere to hide the nails, so I would make them part of the design. Space them evenly around the circumference. I would go with a larger nail with a wider head (eg, carpet tacks). Stretch the inner tube slightly as you secure it so it doesn't stretch after the fact and sag or gap. But don't stretch it so much that it will pull against the nails and rip. Note that the nailheads will stick out just a bit, like hobnailed boots. So this is not a good idea if you expect your children to play with these strollers on your nice wood floors.
Thanks to Chris H for this suggestion:

You could glue inner tube rubber - not with patch cement but with contact adhesive or gel superglue. Neither will hold against attempts to peel the rubber away, but should work in this case. This wouldn't work for a tyre, as that's too stiff.

Ask your local bike shop if they will sell you an old tire or inner tubes they were going to throw away. It should be cheap; they may even give it to you for free (especially if you tell them it's for a hand-made toy for your children).


How can I make a male object from a female reference object using a mold?

Your technique should work, as long as the male is a fairly close negative of the female. If that's the case, then your first mould (of the female part) will be the correct shape for the male part, and can act as what's known as a master.

If they're not exact negatives of each other (in your case, I expect the male connector to be slightly smaller than the female port so it will fit easily, for example) then you'll need to alter this cast until it's the correct shape.

You might find it easier to cast the first mould (the male bit) in a harder material for alteration, before making another mould of the altered casting.

From then, you can follow the normal procedure and make a mould of this master so you can reproduce it.

Silicone can be used to make moulds of silicone objects, but you will need to be very careful when applying mould release agent to prevent the two pieces from bonding.


What aspects of drawing should I focus on as a beginning artist?

There are some fundamentals that everyone who wants to draw needs to learn. (Not in order of importance).
#1 Control exercises
Make yourself comfortable with a pencil and paper, draw straight lines - 1/4, 1/2 and full width of a paper - draw  5 times over each line and try to hit the line as precicely as you can. Same thing for circles or ovals. Draw 2 Lines and fill the space between with - as perfect as possible - circles, or ovals. For very small things it is ok to "draw from your wrist", but try to train to keep your wrist still and rather use your shoulder and elbow to make the movement.
#2 Perspective
Learn about 1-/2-/3-point-perspective and vanishing points. Start with very simple forms like a cylinder or a cube and draw them from different angles. Put some simple objects on a table and draw these forms in a composition. Try to draw some stills with more complex objects, or use some photos of streets from different views.
#3 Shape and form
Start with simple objects and try to create more complex forms. You can draw some random "blob" and try to define a 3 dimensional shape by drawing contour lines in that form. Like a wire frame.
#4 Value and Light
In order to create convincing 3 dimensional forms you need to control your values. Always start with black and white. Use a simple value scale of 5 values. White is the lightest, black the darkest 50% grey the middle. Learn to understand highlights, reflected light, core, cast and occlusion shadows. Add more lights and complex forms.
#4 Anatomy
There is a ton of really good resources online to learn anatomy for artists. Get a book about it - I always used this: The Complete Guide to Anatomy for Artists & Illustrators from Gottfried Bammes. I cant remember the Website but when I trained figure drawing, there was a site where you were shown a picture of someone in a specific pose and you could set a timer for how long you wanted that picture to be shown. Train to do poses in 10s, 60s, 10minutes.
Depending on what type of learner you are you might want to search for some resources on each topic, get some books or just trial and error. Always use some reference even for relatively simple things.Get a sketchbook and carry it around. But most importantly have fun !


Can I microwave polymer clay to harden it?

Maybe, but it's probably not a good idea.

For one thing, the package says not to do it. The manufacturer isn't just saying that because they want you to buy a toaster oven -- putting it in the microwave will result in burning.

  Because microwaves don’t heat evenly, parts of the mass will begin to
  cure and harden while others remain soft. Microwave ovens heat the
  inside of clay just as much as the outside, so as the cooking
  continues, parts of the mass will begin to superheat, melt, and
  actually bubble and boil while other parts of the polymer clay mass
  will merely begin to harden.
  Source: Can you Bake Polymer Clay in the Microwave?

Not only will that ruin the project, it releases fumes which at best smell terrible, and at worst can cause respiratory distress and damage. For health and safety reasons, you shouldn't microwave polymer clay on its own.

Some crafters do say you can microwave polymer clay as long as it is completely submerged in water. Basically, this is boiling the item to heat it and cure it, but in a microwave rather than on a stovetop.
Sources: [1] [2]

But, some crafters say you still shouldn't -- the quality of the final piece will suffer.

  Some people advocate using a microwave to boil water which contains
  the polymer clay. The problem with this is that ... boiling water
  never heats above 212°F (100°C) ... [below] the proper curing
  temperatures of most brands of polymer clay. While you may find that
  the item is hard after boiling, it will be incompletely cured and will
  be weak and easily broken. (This is true for stove-top curing as
  well.) Some brands of polymer clay will get an icky white residue when
  boiled... I think there’s room for experimentation there, but it’s
  very difficult to control the amount of heat the items would be
  receiving.
  Source: Can you Bake Polymer Clay in the Microwave?


Can I draw dog fur with pencil and then go over it with colored pencils?

You can certainly add color into a monotone image (like you would have with a graphite pencil drawing). You are correct that there is the risk making the drawing messy or muddy though, so use (workable) spray fix to protect the base drawing before adding light shading with the colored pencils (or water color, etc.).
However using color when drawing in the style of the video, as well as in any added shading, will give you cleaner colors overall. So if you want the fur itself to have color it would be best to work with colored pencils for the line work as well as any tone work you might add after the base drawing. Try using a few different colors when drawing the fur to add more realism; check out some close up photos of fur to get the idea.
In general when doing works in color black becomes a very strong visual element compositionally. So if you do a black and white drawing first any colors you add later will be secondary to that base image. If you do a drawing (or painting) in color any black you use will really stand out. Finding the right balance between the two is the key.


Are there any "permanent" or close to permanent rollerball inks?

All Uni-ball rollerball inks seem to now be permanent (vs. water, UV, fading).  Pentel has permanent ink too.  Most manufacturers make this a clear selling point if you search 'permanent rollerball ink'.


Try holding the blades stationary while turning the handle in the direction opposite of the direction it turns during grinding.  That will possible unscrew the blades section from the top, leaving you with three easily cleanable and re-assemble-able pieces.


What kind of bamboo should I use for making a Chinese fan?

From bamboogrove.com

  There are many different opinions on how many species of bamboo that there are. Some experts say there are approximately 1000 species of bamboo, while others say there are more than 1600 species on the planet growing naturally.

It would be hard to make any specific recommendation on bamboo species as there are so many and I am not sure of your local. I have no real opinion on what is available in North America other than the kind that grows at my parents place, in Ontario, is weak and not good for much.

You see things like bamboo poles for fencing. You could split those with a knife fairly easily to get the lengthwise strips that you would need for this. Buying an entire fence seems excessive though. However for where and what it is used for it should be more than sufficient for what your are doing.

You might have better luck if this is a one off project by using something simpler like a bamboo placemat. You should be able to find one of these easy.

You can take that apart and get (almost?) the lengths you need and there should be enough strength in there to get the job done. Also would not have to finish or cut it yourself.


Normally, in watercolour painting, you don't get any "white" paint.  The techniques for watercolour painting, as you stated, is to use the underlying paper to supply the "white" colour, and to supply for the brightness of a colour as you use coloured washes to allow the white to show through that layer's transparency.

However, there is a thing called gouache, which is a sort of opaque watercolour paint - and you can get white guache.  I've found white goache useful for adding tiny highlights such as the "whites of the eyes" and little stars and shines and sparkles.  It's also useful for covering up mistakes.  Plus, you can paint over the white goache with other watercolours.

The white paint you get in plain watercolours is mainly for making your normal watercolour washes a bit more opaque.  Watercolours are, by nature, transparent, so adding white to a colour will make them less transparent, but never opaque (unless you add gouache).  I would use white watercolour, perhaps, for example, for some leaves and foliage where you want the colour to be both paler and more opaque.  You still have to use layering though.

This page describes a bit of why you would use white watercolour paint - there are reasons to use white paint, you know.

This page describes how to paint "white" without using white watercolour paint - since people don't normally use white paint to paint "white".


Storing large format art in the smallest space possible

If the old portfolio bag worked well, I'd suggest getting another one. It seems to be the most practical solution since it's mobile.
An alternative would be having a drawing cabinet and installing it atop an existing closet or a tall wooden construction so the space underneath is still available.
There are also vertical drawing cabinets (e.g. image 2) available, that won't take up as much floor space, and might be easier to hang from a wall.

Image 1 (source)
Image 2 (source)

These are usually quite expensive, though, but you can often find them as second hand offerings on online market place websites.
Alternatively, you can use them as references to build your own - that way, you can adapt them completely to your desired volume, shape, and location.


Whats is the mm equivalent of US / old UK knitting needles?


There are a few tricks of the trade for using tape on drawing paper. Here are some of them:

Use good quality paper.
Try using different types of tape to see which kind works best with the type of paper you're using.
Stick the tape to your pants one or more times before sticking it to the paper.
Don't leave the tape on the paper for more than 24 hours.
Remove the tape slowly, pulling away from the illustration instead of straight upwards.
Use a blow dryer or heat gun to heat up the tape slightly and soften its glue before removing it.


How to make abstract /marbled designs on a paper?

There are a variety of techniques to do something called paper marbling, and some of them may suit your needs and materials.

The basics of the process come down to putting something in a painting tray, such as water or a foam (usually shaving cream), adding some paint, and then laying the paper on top to absorb the paint.

Clean up may involve removing excess materials, and generally allowing the paper to completely dry.

Generally, the paint is mixed with something to help keep it sitting on top of the water, where your paper will be. This Rookie Mag tutorial suggests using a little turpentine. Then you can use some sticks to marble the paint together. The tutorial linked has a special device made, but most demonstrations show someone using a single spare piece of plastic or wood to get it done.

You can get some really neat effects due to the way the oil repels the water. Adding drops of plain water to an area of paint will create a circle of empty space. Add a drop of paint inside it and you'll make a ring. You can repeat this to get as many nested rings as you'd like.

There are an amazing number of tutorials already out there to cover this, and a lot of different methods. If this technique is suitable for you, then you should be able to find a step-by-step guide that walks you through getting this done.

FYI, a similar technique is used for "hydro dipping", a popular way to give a tie dye effect on animal skulls. The concept is the same, and so watching the many tutorial videos about it may help give you some idea of the requirements and capabilities of the technique.


To really mimic that sound experience, I'd recommend using multiple small pieces of something in the cavity. A single piece would have to bump against its enclosure to make a sound, but many objects inside will produce noise against each other as well as the enclosure. (While a single Kodama may actually produce only a small rattle on its own, I rather like the idea of being able to hear the raindrop-like patter of many at once...)

Ball bearings are metallic, but en masse they will have a more "rattle" than "chiming" sound, particularly if enclosed in a non-metallic casing.
Aquarium gravel will give an authentic stone sound. Since the shapes are irregular rather than spherical, it may contribute to the natural pattern that is heard in the linked video.


How can I secure the front and end of my hand-stitches without adding knot to needle, or back-stitching

I tend to leave a tail and then stitch over the tail as I progress, anchoring it. This is especially easy if you're using a thick, colored fabric. Cheap white flour-sack towel type fabric makes this method difficult, where every single piece of thread is visible through the fabric.

For some different no-knot techniques, I love the tutorials by Mary Corbet:

Beginning and Ending Threads: Photo Tutorials on Common Methods

You can get lost in all her tutorials! The pictures are always well lit, in focus, and plentiful. Her descriptions are, for me at least, very easily followed. She has helped me really advance my embroidery techniques.


It's unlikely that you'll be able to disguise the holes in any way that's not noticeable; instead, I would recommend looking into the Japanese process "sashiko," a mending process made deliberately visible. Based on your other questions, you are quite new to sewing and embroidery, so you may wish to start with a more simple pattern like the one shown on the bottom; with practice, a wide range of more complex patterns exist that you can use in the future.

A wide range of online tutorials exist to get you started, frequently focusing on a diamond or square pattern similar to the bottom example; the repair will be solid and should help prevent further damage to the area, and will make your shirt uniquely your own.


Its been a while and I found my own answer.

As an alternative to spirit gum I've found that name brand Eyelash Glue (glue intended for use attaching fake eyelashes) works as an alternative, though the cheap stuff does not. The cheaper Eyelash Glues does't hold up well and the prosthetic is easily pulled off with the most minimal of force, making it a bad choice if one intends on wearing the prosthetic anywhere that there is a chance it will be brushing up against anything (like walls, tree branches, etc.)

The best alternative I've found is Nail Glue (Glue intended for attaching fake nails). The nail glue is relatively cheap. It holds as well as spirit gum but it is also just as easy to remove the prosthetic once you're done as it is when using spirit gum. It does not appear to have damaged the prosthetic either.

Both Eyelash Glue and Nail Glue are readily available where ever make up is sold, including Walmart, Target, CVS and Walgreens.


Alternative for wickes PVA glue in america

PVA is one common type of wood glue (one global example is Gorilla wood glue), though the product in the video is the cheaper builder's PVA which can be mixed into plaster, or diluted and used as a primer or dust-reducing coating for concrete.  I'd expect it to be a little thinner than PVA wood glue, but the latter can be diluted with water.  PVA is sold as white glue (Home Depot), but go by the formulation not the colour.

You can buy PVA primers as well, or even a lot of kids craft glue, but having watched a little of the video I suggest just using a PVA wood glue (ideally one sold for interior use only as you want a little tackiness).  The kids craft glue tend to be thinner as well.

PVA glues are largely interchangeable (though in some cases some are stronger, and you don't want too much water in many woodwoodworking projects)


What can I do to store and segregate my embroidery thread?

My personal floss storage method is floss bobbins.

via Michaels

These are typically available in any craft store that sells embroidery floss, in the same aisle as the floss. They're available in either thin plastic or cardstock, and typically have little notches at the top or bottom that lightly hold the floss in place as you wind it (and for storage).

If you are feeling crafty, you can get free templates (e.g. here) to print and cut out your own -- either the more traditional "spool" profile, or more interesting/adorable shapes.

via Little White Whale

To keep the floss bobbins all stored together, there are a lot of possible storage methods. The above floss bobbin set has an included ring to hold the bobbins together. You can put them all in a plastic bag. You can build a custom box to hold them all in neat little rows. (The biggest limitation is your personal creativity.)

via Kat the Craft

Always write the floss color number on the tab so you know what color it is after the paper is gone! This does require a little up-front organizational work, but it's less effort than throwing out the tangled mass of thread and driving to the store for more :)


I am looking to melt some leftover acrylic into a mould, at home. Are there fumes that I should be worried about?

There are lots of links that describe toxic fumes from burning or laser-cutting acrylic.  Apparently, the risk also applies to the molten plastic, as you would encounter with 3D printing or molding.  According to Everything You Need To Know About Acrylic (PMMA):

  ...fumes from 3D printing with acrylic or from the molten material used during injection molding should not be inhaled and ... should be conducted in a well ventilated facility to avoid the potentially hazardous effects of gaseous polymer.


How can I reconstitute old polymer clay?

The generally accepted practice, as I've read on numerous websites and through books, is to break up the dried up clay into small pieces, add a little mineral oil (or baby oil), and massage/work the oil in. (If you're not wearing gloves, this will 'stain' your hands but it will wash off with a little effort). After the smaller pieces are softened, merge them back together and continue to work the larger lump to spread out the oil evenly, as you normally would to soften the clay.

Sculpey also markets a clay softener that helps with this process, however if too much is used it can affect the color of the clay, or make it slightly translucent.

When adding oil it is possible to add too much, and this will be evident in the clay. To remove excess oil, wrap the clay in several layers of an absorbent material, such as paper towels, and put it in a ziplock bag. Leave to rest for a day or two, checking the consistency occasionally and replacing the absorbent material, until you have the consistency you desire. This process will tend to wick the oil out of the outer portion of the lump of clay more than the inner portion, so after removing the absorbent materials and massaging the clay again, it will be slightly softer than indicated before massaging (how much will depend on the size of the lump prior to wrapping it.)

Adding mineral oil to soften clay also makes it easier to blend different colors to make a custom color, and then remove the excess oil using the process described above.


How to make a skin or golden color in nail paint?

Skin color can be mixed if you have white, red, and yellow nail polish. Provided these colours have equal opacity and color strength, you can get a good idea of what the proportions should be here.
For a **gold coloured mixture** the process is the same, unless you need it to have the luster that is characteristic of gold. If you have silver or another metallic nail polish with such a specular effect, you could try adding yellow to it.
Another option is to combine several yellow hues. Looking at this picture:

source
you can easily distinct three different hues (by eye, or using photoshop or a similar image editing tool), that can be mixed with the same three colours you would use to create the skin colour.
Uploading the image to an online colour palette creation tool, like coolors.co, you can extract the colors quicker and easier.


Rework an antique fur coat!

My grandmother keeps encouraging me to take hers, which I really don't want -- but the point is there may be many other such coats that used to be valued and sought after, but are now of very little interest to most potential wearers. Asking around thrift stores or estate sale agents may give some leads; even if they would typically discard such items due to probable disinterest, letting them know you're interested means they could inform you next time an old coat is available.

If it's significantly damaged (moths, mold, just old age), all the better: it is unlikely to have any further use as a coat, but could readily be repurposed into accents on a costume. This is perhaps the most ethical use of all: you're not resulting in any new animals dying (even if humanely raised and slaughtered), but instead salvaging something that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

(But like anything ethical, it's sort of down to your personal perspective and comfort level. There's also an argument to be made that if it wasn't humane and ethical in the first place, it isn't now just because decades passed between the animal's demise and your use of its pelt.)


What is the name of this black lines only oriental drawing style?

The technique seems to be woodblock printing.
You can tell by the linearity of the drawing, the lack of large dark areas, and the wavy structure of the lines. Especially the second picture shows the underlying wood nerves, as adjacent lines have the same slight deviation.

Not very oriental sounding, I know.

The Japanese term for woodblock printing is mokuhanga, and stylistically, the images can be considered a form of ukiyo-e, which until the early 18th century were done in black and white, and of which the linework is iconic:

  The earliest prints were monochromatic, and these lines were the only
  printed element; even with the advent of colour this characteristic
  line continued to dominate.
  source

Hokusai and Hiroshige are its most famous exponents.


A way to efficiently and effectively combine papers for musical scores

I assume you need it to lie flat when open, and don't have access to a printer that will print double size pages (e.g. A3 if you normally use A4). If you do have such a printer it's easy - fold in half and use a long arm stapler or sewing machine in the crease.
A comb binding machine would work well, giving you a book that lies nicely open. You can add, remove, and rearrange pages, and there's no tape. There is a margin needed at the seam though, so if you're joining the pages to get very long lines (which I've never seen in sheet music) this won't work.
Otherwise you can stop the residual exposed surface of tape being sticky by dusting it with talc after you've made the join. This will just brush off the paper.


Since oil pastels require layering of colors on the top of each other, how am I supposed to see the underlying sketch?

If you're able, a Tracer projector could suit your needs. You place it over a small sketch and it magnifies it. No digital images required. Any other kind of normal digital projector will work too - although the resolution might not be as good. Overhead Projectors (these) are great too, either sketch onto a transparency, or you can buy special transparencies to print on. You can often pick these up very cheap, or even for free - many schools have piles of them in my experience.

Any of these methods will allow you to project your sketch over the top of your work, meaning your sketch will not be obscured.


Yes! Different papers have different "tooth" -- this is another term for the roughness of the paper. The smoother a piece of paper feels, the less tooth; the rougher, the more tooth.

Most writing or copier/printer paper has very little tooth. It's not common for a tooth "value" to be shown on a package of paper, but different levels of tooth are sold for different purposes:

Image from Hello Artsy: How to choose quality drawing paper


Your best option for "precision" may be a craft known as batik. It involves applying melted wax onto the fabric in areas you wish to remain clear of the color currently being created. This effectively creates a stencil for the portion to be colored. Either paint or dye would then seep into the fabric.

The wax is then removed/washed out and new wax applied over the recently colored areas as well as any others to reject the latest color. As with many things organic and not particularly technological, you will get some less-than-perfect lines, but very likely much cleaner than with paint and tape.

I'd known of the process since my early years (so last century) but other than admiring others' work, never explored it. Your query and my resultant searches have me astonished at the development of the craft. Rather than drop a handful of links here in the forum, I suggest that you use your favorite or perhaps your second favorite search engine for "batik methods" and/or "batik supplies."

I'm going to pursue some of the links for my own entertainment. Another tool for the toolbox for me!


What's the best way to blacken metal jewellery to this quality?

A reverse image search suggests that the item of jewellery in that picture is plated in black gold; an alloy made of cobalt and gold. This might be ...difficult to do at home. Let's look at some alternatives.

Painting

This is probably not what you're looking for, but good quality matt black spray paint, sprayed over a decent metal primer coat, will be reasonably durable and very simple at achieve

Oxidating (Bluing)

You can either apply a coating of an oxidating substance, or oxidate the metal itself - a process known as bluing. This will give a relatively matt finish, but probably not as matt as you're looking for.

Anodising

If you go for aluminium instead of steel/brass, then you can try anodising it. Anodising at home is tricky, and the cost of tools is probably more than it's worth if you only want to blacken one or two items, but it is possible.

It seems to be possible to get a matt finish when anodising at home

Powder Coating

Powder coating is very durable, and can be done in many colours, and is doable at home. Like anodising, it requires some relatively specialised (and expensive) gear.

Outsourcing

This is the boring option, but if you need something doing well and don't know how to do it, or don't have the necessary equipment, it's often possible to pay someone else to do it for you.