How to recreate drawstring effect on this dress on homemade nightie pattern

There are a few things to be considered here:

Comfort

Are you sure the drawstrings will be comfortable when lying down, either on your back or your side? If you aren't sure, consider pleating instead.

Will you be able to ignore the loose ends of the strings or will they bother you? You can keep them shorter than shown in the picture (sew them in place) or pleat the fabric instead.

Pattern

The front is basically a big rectangle with a very narrow triangular neck that gets stretched by the drawstrings. The width of the front panel looks a little wider than the width of a well-fitting t-shirt. I'm sure you can adapt a simple tunic pattern.

Unless you want a drawstring at the back as well (keep your comfort in mind!), the back must be cut to your actual size. That poses the problem that the shoulder of the front panel is wider than the back. You either have to cut the back panel wider from the waist up, or find another way to fit both pieces together.

Construction of a drawstring

I assume the fabric for your nighty is rather thin. In that case you should encase the drawstring on all sides to protect the frabric from wear. Cut long rectangles (the width depends on the size of your strings), hem the short sides and sew the long sides together to make tubes. Iron the seams open right in the middle of the tube (will be the underside). Place the tubes on your nighty seam facing down and sew then in place along the top and bottom edge, then insert the strings.

If that adds too much bulk, you can get away with encasing only the top of the drawstring. Cut long rectangles, hem the short sides and sew them in place with the cut edge double folded inwards.

Tips

If you have any cheap fabric like muslin lying around or an old bedsheet you want to throw away, make a mockup before cutting your desired fabric. This helps you finding the correct size and refining your pattern.

If you don't want to make a mockup, I advise drawing the pattern without seam allowences and then adding generous seam allowances all around (at least 1.5 inch / 4 cm, more is better). This gives you enough fabric to gradually refine your pattern.

Remember: you can always cut away, but you cannot uncut.


The rule of thumb when repairing any kind of projection system, is that it is imperative that the lens is EXACTLY parallel and centered along the light’s primary path. If you mess it up, you fail and the projection will be fuzzy and/or distorted.

I recommend the following two step approach. Get some plasteline (non-drying modelling clay). Put the lens in the barrel like you think it should fit. Pay very close attention and center it. Roll out a 12 inch long and 1/4” or 0.8mm diameter cylinder of clay. Press it around the edge of the lens to temporarily fix it in place.

Now mount the barrel as usual and try it out. If you got the lens backwards, take it apart and do it again. Make sure you can focus it and everything with the projection is ok.

Now remove the lens and the clay. Use cold demineralised water with a drop of dish soap to remove any remnants of the clay from the barrel and the lens. Then polish the lens with a microfiber / or special lens cleaning towel.

This would be a good moment to use white cotton gloves - just make sure there are no fingerprints on the lens and that there is no dust in the barrel.

Once everything is absolutely entirely dry, install the lens as before, and now take some heat-resistant silicone and put a bead of silicon around the edge, as you did the first time with the clay. Go overboard and smear it up the sides of the barrel, but be careful not to get it on the lens. If you do get it on the lens, immediately remove it with the soapy water and microfiber. Be gentle, don’t scratch it!

Let the silicon cure (in accordance with its label) and enjoy your projector!


How to shorten a maxi skirt while keeping the bottom hem?

The biggest problem is getting a straight hem line. There are skirt hem markers designed specially for this purpose. They have a little chamber with powdered chalk in it and a little bag bellow with which you blow a fine line of chalk onto the skirt.

If you don't have one of these, you either need a sewing bust (set to your corect proportions) or the help of a second person.

Additionally, you need some tool to measure the length of your skirt. A rigid ruler works fine, but in my experience something that can stand upright and has an adjustable height works great, like a mini camera tripod. You can put a water-soluble fabric marker on top to easily mark the desired length.

There are 2 basic ways to shorten the skirt: either cut the original hem off and sew a new one instead or pleat the fabric to create a blind hem without cutting. If you don't want to sew at all, you can create a blind hem with fabric glue instead, but I've made the experience that this glue dissolves in the washing machine (despite all claims by the manufacturer) or stays visible even after drying.

If you're ok with cutting the fabric, follow these steps:

Wear the skirt and the kind of footwear you like to wear with it (can be barefood, too)
Stand on some kind of podest, stool, crate or bucket. You need to let the entire length of fabric hang loosely without it touching the ground.
In this position, determine how long you'd like the skirt to be. Mark the position with water-soluble pen, chalk or a needle.
If you have a sewing bust, put the skirt on it and set it on the podest. (If you don't have one, ignore this step and let a second person help you with the next steps.)
Measure the distance between the ground and the mark. If you have a tool to help you, set it's height to this distance.
Move the ruler / tool around the skirt and create marks on the way until you marked all around. Be sure not to pull the fabric while marking the hem line.
It's always a good idea to pin the skirt to the new length and wear it again to see if you measured correctly before cutting.
Don't forget to add seam allowance to hem the skirt! If there is not enough length for allowance, consider the blind hem solution instead.
Cut the skirt at the mark + seam allowance and sew a new hem.
If you like the pink detail on the original hem, you can add it as a trim line by cleaning up (hemming) the cut edge and sewing it behind the hem you created (just a few millimeter lower so it peeks out under the hem line). Maybe it's just a pink cord you can remove from the original hem and apply to the new one.

If you prefer the blind hem, you'll have to adapt the measuring process:

Follow steps 1 - 3 above (mark the desired length of the skirt in one spot).
Measure the width of the original hem.
Adjust your marking tool to mark the skirt at desired length - original hem width (shorter than the first mark) and mark all around the skirt.
sew the seam line of the original hem to the mark you created, right sides together. Fold the rest of the fabric up and sew a blind hem:

The black line is your skirt, the loop is the original hem, the blue line is your mark and the green line is the blind stitch. First pin the seam of the original hem to your mark and sew right over the seam. Then iron then fabric up to reveal the original seam. Actually sewing the blind hem requires some more folding. You want to sew mainly on the excess fabric and only tiny stitches through the upper part of your skirt.
Basic tutorial for blind hem
Video: sew blind hem with sewing machine
Video: sew blind hem by hand

There are several pitfalls that await you in the process of measuring.

Wash, iron and/or hang the skirt before measuring. Cotton shrinks when first washed, so you want it to shrink before you shorten it. Wrinkles pull parts of the fabric together, which might result in an uneven hemline. If you cannot iron the skirt, let it hang freely from a sewing bust or a coat hanger to let the fabric reach it's natural form and length.
Measure from the ground up, not from the waist down. Your body is more flat in the front and more rounded at the sides and backside. Rounded parts require more fabric to reach the same length. If you measure the same length from waistline to hemline all the way around, you and up with a skirt that's too short in the back.
Wear the skirt while marking the new hem line.  If you measure while the skirt hangs on a cloth hanger, the hem will look different once you wear it (because of the shape of your body).
Wear the shoes you prefer to wear while measuring. Wearing high heels requires a little more length in the back, while wearing flat shoes shortens the back line.
Stand on a podest so the fabric hangs free all around you. If some of the fabric lies on the ground, it props the parts above it up, while other parts hang down lower. This results in an uneven hemline.
Don't pull the fabric while marking it. The professional skirt hem markers blow powdered chalk onto the skirt to mark it without touching it. If you don't have one of them, you must be very careful not to pull the fabric while putting a needle in or drawing a line with chalk.


What are the little pieces of wood that come with pre-made canvas for?

These are called "canvas keys".

The are shimmed into the corners of the canvas to maintain the tautness of the canvas.  This generally happens only on machine-assembled frames, or on mass-produced frames that have low-quality inspection standards (for cost).


Coloring Pencils (no prismacolor, only Crayola)

Personally I prefer Tombow (Irojiten) and Faber Castell (Polychromos) pencils. Both have a great texture on any surface and the colors are really nice. They don't break easily which is a huge plus for me.

Especially if working with different tones I like to combine these two brands as they go really well together.

In the end which brand you use depends a lot on your personal preferences and experiences. I guess you can get similar results with a lot of brands (cheaper or more expensive ones). You should go with whatever you can get your hands on and practice with those. If you find that the pencils you are using are missing some "feature" or quality that you need, then go ahead and try to find pencils which cover that gap. ;-)

The crayola ones are really good pencils, too. I do also own some and especially like to take them with me when doing quick outdoor sketches.

Have fun and good luck on your project!


Image is mine. I took it for this answer.
As you have stated you can make a cube expect you can get to the point with the three pieces together.
Which for me shows where to put the next 6. Is the adding the last 3 units the point where you get stuck?
If so i find assembling the last three pieces together and then putting them in easier.

I don't know the terminology I do know how to make a octahedron.

Make sure all your sonobe's are the same. It doesn't matter if they all 'lean' left or right but you need 12 the same.


Remove or hide red colour from trackpad on laptop

My first thought would be to use 1/8" black pinstripe tape for the long straight red parts.  Cut the tape to length before applying it to the touchpad edges.  Never apply the knife tip against the touchpad.

The rounded over corners are probably too tight for the tape to bend around smoothly but it might be worth a try.  If the thin tape alone can't make the bend, Oracal makes wider rolls (sold from the same amazon page above).  You could apply some of the 1/2" pinstripe tape to a non-stick surface (like a plastic cutting board) then cut out the corner curve using an xacto-blade.  Again, keep the knife away from the touchpad.

Please note that I have recommended tapes that cost over 20 dollars total which puts you within 10 bucks of the cost of this black carbon-fiber skin which appears to be specifically made for your laptop.  (The same manufacturer also has a charcoal wood skin that makes me consider buying a Y720 for myself.  I do a lot of shou-sugi-ban finishes on my woodwork, so the charcoal style is perfect for me).


I am not an expert on this subject, by any means, but I can share the information that is available so that you can at least make a more informed decision yourself. Polymer clay, just like most other materials and chemicals, comes with an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet). This sheet lists all the potential hazards and risks when using the material. All the different types of polymer clay will have their own; however, they are basically very similar. The principal risk associated with polymer clay is that it can release hazardous fumes if it is overheated (hydrogen chloride vapor is one of the vapors). These vapors are irritants and should be avoided. Mainly, you need to make sure you do not overbake or burn the clays. The clay itself is considered non-toxic.

You can see for yourself an example of the information provided in the MSDS for Kato polymer clay  at: Kato Polymer Clay MSDS.

There is an excellent article at The Artful Crafter, about the safety of polymer clays that addresses the use of kitchen ovens for curing polymer clay and can be accessed at The Artful Crafter - Polymer Clay Safety Tips. This article states that it is safe to use your kitchen oven to bake polymer clay and discusses some precautions if you are a heavy user of polymer clay. There are other similar articles on the web.

My clay oven is quite small so I have used my own kitchen oven on several occasions with no ill effects.


Drawing with white ink on a colored/pastel pencil artwork without the pen clogging up

I'd suggest you use white acrylic ink with either a dip pen or a fine pointed brush (whatever suits you better).


Cameo 4 not cutting exactly on the printed line

In the comments you wrote that all cuts are always slightly left of the printed lines. That means the cutter uses a different 0-coordonate (the starting point of all measurements on the page) than the printer. This 0-coordinate is usually somewhere in the upper left corner of the page and the Cameo uses Registration Marks to mark that point.
You need to understand that the cutter cannot see the printed lines. Instead the coordinates of the lines are fed into the cutter via a seperate file. The cutter cuts along the coordinates in the file, irrelevant of what is printed on the paper.
I do not have a Cameo device, but even if I had one, I wouldn't be able to tell you exactly what configuration is incorrect in your setup. You'll have to check your configuration and find the error yourself.

What paper size do you use? Is it A4 or US Letter or something else? Make sure you have the same paper size configured in Pepakura and in Silhouette Studio.
Update the Cameo firmware. That's the software that runs on the Cameo device and people have reported that an update solves several issues. Go to the official homepage and follow the instructions there.
Check the print settings in Pepakura (in the menu "Settings" -> "Print and Paper"). Make sure you selected the correct paper size. Set the margins to 15mm for the registration marks. Activate the option "Print lines smoothly" and set the transparency to 0%.
Create a new version of the DFX cut file with the new settings in Pepakura. It could be that the cut file you used to cut the paper includes wrong coordinates. By creating a new file you can be sure that your current settings are reflected in the file.
Check your settings in Silhouette Studio. Again, make sure you set the correct paper size. In the "Defaults" options activate "Registrations Marks On" and "Cut to edge of page". In "Import Options" activate "As Is". Open the "Registration Marks" settings and set the Left, Right, Top and Bottom Inset to the lowest value possible.
Register your paper. There is a small black square printed on the paper, which is the Registration Mark. Once you placed the paper on the cutting mat, you have to move the cutting blade over this black mark before you can start cutting. Please read the manual on how to do this correctly. If you don't register the paper like that, the cuts can easily be off the way you describe in your question.

If that still doesn't solve your problem, here is a Youtube video that is somewhat lengthy but goes through all the important settings and steps.


What kind of methods can one use to bind two objects as one, without any adhesive

A general term you may find helpful here is fastening.

A search on fastening method turns up some interesting resources that discuss various fastening methods used in industry. I'd start there with the abstract discussions. Those are likely places to find other general category terms you can use to refine your search.

I found this one interesting for a start: Fastening & Assembly.

It would indicate what you're looking for may belong to the category "integral fasteners".


How do you properly store tins of turpentine?

In a general sense it is a very good practice to refer to the material safety data sheets (MSDS) for products like this. The product labels, in theory, should also contain similar information.

MSDSs will always contain more information though. They will break down all the information needed about the product when it comes to safety. It should be safe to assume that householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov is a good source of this information. I located the sheet for your specific product. Most other MSDS's for turps cover the exact same sentiment as far as storage and handling is concerned. For completeness sake I have also included some basic handling as well in the information quoted below.

  HANDLING:

  Isolate from oxidizers, heat, sparks, electric equipment & open flame.
  Use only with adequate ventilation. Avoid breathing of vapor or spray mist. Avoid prolonged or repeated contact with skin. Wear OSHA Standard goggles or face shield. Consult Safety Equipment Supplier. Wear gloves, apron & footwear impervious to this material. Wash clothing before reuse.
  Avoid free fall of liquid. Ground containers when transferring.
  Do not flame cut, saw, drill, braze, or weld. Empty container very hazardous! Continue all label precautions!

  STORAGE:

  Keep in fireproof surroundings.
  Keep separated from strong oxidants, incompatible materials. Keep cool. Keep inside a well-ventilated room.
  Keep container tightly closed & upright when not in use to prevent leakage.

Text is copied as is. Formatting and emphasis is my own.

Keep it cool, ventilated and away from sources of oxidants and sources of ignition. Ensure the container is seal and cleaned between uses.

I am not sure about the cause of the leaking. Chris Johns has a good theory though. Assuming you follow the instructions above it should not happen.

Related I found a discussion between users and the smells created by turpentine like yours and artist grade. Consensus is that the "cheap" stuff has a more offending odor


Some thoughts.

The big crack on the back looks like it might be amenable to replicating the adjacent area of the coils.  Make a narrow silicone mold of the coils to the left of the crack.  Then position the mold over the crack  and seal it against the snake.  It looks like you will also need to seal off the crack that extends into the base so resin doesn't leak out there.

Lay the snake with the mold down, and slowly fill the crack with casting resin from the "inside face" of the crack (i.e., the side toward the center of the carving).  Use a syringe to get the resin into the crack, and some tilting, vibrating or tapping, and maybe a thin stick-like applicator or piece of wire to get the resin to flow all the way to the end.  Do this in stages so the resin is free to run through the crack and build up at the far end.  If you add the resin too fast, you may get a trapped air bubble that blocks the resin before it can flow everywhere.

It looks like there's sort of a dome in the center that's lower than the top of the coils.  Orienting the snake so the mold is down will let the full height of the coils get filled without overflowing onto that dome.  Fill the crack in the dome as a separate step.
That leaves three cracks shown in the pictures -- the head, the dome in the center, and the base under the split in the coils.  Those would be hard to fill with liquid resin because they're curved surfaces and you're working against gravity.

The split in the head is big enough that you may be able to use a hardening filler putty.  The same with the dome.  The type of epoxy putty used for car body repair might be good because it doesn't shrink, bonds to most materials, and can be finely worked.

All three look like they would lend themselves to another type of repair.  Since the split in the head goes all the way through, you would need to seal the bottom of the split during the repair.  The repair method uses baking soda and super glue, which you build up a layer at a time if the crack is too deep to do in one step.  You pack a not-too-thick layer of baking soda into the crack, then saturate it with super glue (use a fine-tipped applicator to get it into the crack without getting it on the rest of the carving).  The super glue reacts almost immediately with the baking soda, turning the mass into a hard plastic.  Do this in a well-ventilated space because it releases a lot of fumes.  If needed, repeat the process to build up the material to the level needed.

The result can be worked with a Dremel tool to restore the matching surface pattern.  BTW, this type of repair can be used on a lot of materials.  It's strong, but a little brittle, so it isn't suitable for repairing things that flex.

Note that any type of repair will not match the finish of the snake.  You would need to add a matching finish (which will be almost impossible, or maybe paint the repairs gold, Kintsugi-style; not a serious suggestion).

Having suggested how a repair might be accomplished, I agree with rebusB's comment that repair isn't really a good idea.  Even the best possible repair will be noticeable and would probably cheapen the appearance.  The cracks are part of its character and history.  Filling the cracks will make it a repaired broken item, and potentially less attractive as art.


An option beyond using a laser would be to purchase a craft cutting machine such as a Silhouette Cameo or similar. It uses a very sharp cutter that is moved over the surface of the material, cutting through to create your stencils. It is quieter and less expensive than a laser cutter. Additionally, a laser machine creates smoke and odors which may be challenging to address.

As Chris suggests, you may find a makerspace with such a device, although they are inexpensive enough to purchase. Laser machines are much more costly.


This looks like normal EVA foam, which is often used in the cosplay community for making lightweight armour and the like (and of course for kneeling pads, children's play areas and the like).

I've successfully made prop helmets from EVA foam using contact adhesive to join the edges - they held up well despite the tension through the join. Given that you'll have a much greater surface area and much less tension on the join you'll have no trouble with it.

An alternative glue, widely used in the cosplay community, is barge cement, however I haven't used it so cannot personally confirm it's usefulness.


How to set the best solution for placing legs in this project

Do I see right that you only want to use two legs?
At 13 cm (about 5") they are not wide enough to support a 50 x 50 cm (20 x 20") table without extra support on the ground.
You do not need a computer program or phone app for this, people have made tables for many years before they even started with measurements, even less computers.

Place your legs on the floor, in the positions you want them to have when the table is made. (Straight up I thinkand try a few positions.) Put a clamps on the bottom of the legs to help them stay up, if needed.
Now put your top on it and balance it. It should stay there without you holding on if you want to have any hope of it working. The more to the sides your legs stand, the more stable the table will be side to side.
But the weak point will be front to back. You will have a very big area which is not supported well enough, so when the table is made with the legs in that position and you lean on the front or back of the table, it will tip over.
The whole of the table will do what the table top does when not fixed to the legs in that position.

To use these legs, you will need to add spreaders to the bottom of the legs, like the clamps I mentioned above.
The ends of the spreaders or horizontal parts will be the actual 'legs' in the bit I wrote below (Which I wrote expecting you to use 4 legs.)

The distance at the top does not matter, as long as you can place the legs at any angle. If you are restricted to straight or a limited amount of angle, your placement at the top needs to be adjusted to that.

The more at, or sticking out of, the corner of the table in all 4 corners, the more stable the table will stand.

I have a home made stool/mini table where the bottom of the legs are no farther than 20 cm apart (about 8 inches) but the table top is only 25 cm (about 10") in diameter.
For a 50 x 50 cm table (20 x 20") I would want the legs to come to at least 10 cm inside the corner. It can be attached on the corner and come straight down, it can be added in the middle of the table and stick out to almost the corner.

If you want the legs (4) or spreaders to be in the middle of the side of the table, they need to come out to most of the outside of the table to give enough support in the corners of the table.

You will also need to fix the top to the legs in such a way that the top is connected very securely, the more so, the more to the middle of the table you attach them.

Three legs would work, but four much narrower legs will be much less visible and give a nicer table in the end.
Two legs attached to a ring to stand on will also be sturdy enough, as long as all connections (to the ring and to the table top) are good.


What art style does this black and white work represent?

I would think that this is high contrast art. The variance of dark and light colours is very high in that picture. While this does not fit all the styles linked it fits enough of them.

This is like what you see in the classic Che Guevara graphic.

This effect is not limited to just black and white but excels in using minimal colours.


When should I cut fabric with scissors, rotary cutter, or knife?

It's mostly a question of personal preferences and boils down to a mix of what shapes you need to cut and your bodily capabilities.
Shapes
If you need to cut many straight lines, gentle curves or use a hard template to cut out many pieces, most people prefer a rotary cutter for its speed and capability to cut around the edges of a template without having to mark the outline first.

Image source
Another advantage of a rotary cutter is that it can cut through multiple layers of fabric at once without the pieces shifting out of place. This is often used by quilters.
A rotary cutter produces the cleanest cuts if you can cut the whole outline (or at least one entire side) in one go. That makes it impractical for very large pieces like shades, sails, upholstery and the like.
A rotary cutter also fails at notches.
For straight cuts some people prefer a rotary cutter with a long ruler, others fold the fabric over and cut along the fold with straight scissors. I once saw a video where a woman explained that the reason why Japanese fabric shears look different than western ones is that you only need to cut straight lines to sew a Kimono. The fabric is folded over where you need to cut and one blade of the shears is inserted into the fold. By gently pulling the fold taut you create a straight cut but you still have very much control over the cut due to the shape of the shears.

Image source
I honestly never heard of cutting fabric with a knife (at least not in a professional context). I assume you could do that for straight cuts when the fabric is folded over, but I'm afraid the risk of a crooked cut or snagged thread is much higher than when using Japanese style shears.
Capabilities
This is a very diverse topic and always depends on the individual user of the tool.
There are for example left-handed people who were forced to use scissors with their right hand in childhood and now left-handed scissors feel awkward to them. They might prefer a rotary cutter for its simplicity.
On the other hand, you need the strength to push the rotary cutter forward and through the fabric. There are people with physical disabilities that do not have the strength or are unable to stand up and lean over the fabric to cut it. Most of them prefer scissors.
There are also scissors with a spring that opens the arms after each cut, which makes them easier to use for people with disabilities or muscle weakness.

(Image source)
And lastly there are people with impaired vision that might need to hold objects very close to be able to see them sharply. They may not be able to use a rotary cutter for bigger pieces because the edges may lay outside their range of vision. By marking the fabric and using scissors they can pull the fabric close enough to see clearly where they cut.
Price
Both tools come in a great range of prices, but one set of good quality fabric scissors can serve you for years while a rotary cutter needs replacement blades and a cutting mat. The mat must be at least as big as the biggest piece you need to cut, so bigger is better (but also more expensive).


What are the composition guidelines to be followed in line art of type Mehndi designs?

I am also from India and i know about mehndi, while creating any mehndi look on hand, you need to have a Top down approach, the creation is started from the top so as to not disturb the wet mehndi you already applied to the hand and you have space at the bottom to rest your hand and create a design.

While on paper, there are no rules, it's basically doodling, you can get as creative as you want. The creativity applies to both hand and paper.Also you need to alter your designs based on where you want them, for a hand the diagram you mentioned might not work because a hands shape and size also need to be taken into account. I hope this helps because your question is a little ambiguous.

mehndi is a form of doodle art, some examples ad rules can be found at:

http://drawsketch.about.com/od/doodles/a/Begin-Doodling.htm
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/185773553351220298/
http://www.sparkletart.com/rsr/2013/08/doodling-for-beginners.html
https://www.pinterest.com/elixaa/henna-on-paper/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1ub7RR2GNY
http://www.lifechilli.com/draw-mehndi-designs-step-step/ (for hand, just as a refrence)


As your objective appears to be the requirement to present a product, you aren't asking for production methods. This suggests that a suitable method is to use 3D printing, specifically resin printing, to create the enclosure.

3D resin printing is nearly layer free (strong magnification required) and presents a smooth professional appearance. It can be painted to provide the necessary coloration.

You'd be able to have an enclosure designed specifically for the components to be placed within, providing structural support for circuit boards, switches, LEDs, etc.

Online services such as Shapeways will create these prototypes or you may find local resources. A nearby makerspace would also be a resource.

Another alternative is to create a plug/mold/part system. Carve, cut, sand or otherwise create a duplicate of your design in any convenient material. Even balsa wood serves the purpose as long as the surface is sealed.

Pour molding silicone around the plug and when cured, remove it and pour resin to create your final component. Resin can be colored as required, rather than to resort to applying paint.

The above is a summary, as the process is slightly more involved than described, but is an option for you to have a reasonably professional appearing enclosure. Considerations involve resin pour path and venting, mold parting and alignment, etc. Additional research is recommended if this is your selection.


What can I use to repair a beach glass pendant?

Best way will be to use resin and mix it with some pigment. Some resellers even advertise their resin colors and pigments saying that they produce an opaque look similar to sea or beach glass.

Basically any pigment of the color of the pendent mixed with some white pigment will work. However some trials are necessary to obtain a coloring matching the pendent.

In the end sanding the surface of the colored epoxy with a very fine grit sandpaper will also provide the surface structure of sea glass.


What is the name of this sliding collapsing square tool?

I think what you have is an adjustable viewfinder, a tool used by artists to help frame a scene.

By sliding the arms along the guides you are able adjust the view of the scene you are trying to capture.

Helps the artist to learn how to control the content, design and layout of an image.

Here's an example from the Derwent company.

[

Here's an example of someone using their fingers.


How can I make rose scented myrrh incense?

I am not a perfumer of any class, even amateur.  Because I have an interest in and have dabbled with essential oils for health benefits, I am intrigued by your question and interested in doing a bit of research on it.

The most pertinent resource I found, the beautiful Blog 'The Scent of Love: Ancient Perfumes - How to make your own perfumes just like the ancient Greeks and Romans did', discusses how rose and myrrh can be blended, with the ultimate idea that you can make a reproduction of a typical ancient perfume for yourself.  Starting with a carrier oil (she uses olive oil), she adds a base note from several choices, including myrrh resin, which is ground with mortar and pestal.  Mid-notes are then added, among others, rose petals, which are placed directly into the oil. Last they added top notes which consisted mostly of kitchen spices.

  "A favorite recipe of many was myrrh, rose, styrax, and marjoram for a warm, sweet perfume." [The Scent of Love: Ancient Perfumes]

In describing how to finish the perfume, once ingrediants have been added to the carrier oil, she says:

  "To complete your perfume, heat your oil mixture by pouring the oil and other materials into a glass or ceramic dish, heating water in a pot to boiling, turning the heat off and sitting the dish with the oil into the water as it cools.  This process draws the essential oils from the materials and can be repeated more than once. The mixture should then steep for at least 24 hours, at which point it can be strained—cheesecloth lets you wring the oil out while keeping all bits of ground materials out of the final mixture."[The Scent of Love: Ancient Perfumes]

The Scent of Love Blogger, Erin Branham, even offers a printable PDF with complete instructions.

Below is an image she featured in her story, which is very descriptive of the ancient perfume-making process which Branham describes:

Wall Fragment with Cupids and Psyche Making Perfume, Roman, A.D. 75–100. Plaster and pigment, 14 15/16 x 22 1/16 in. A group of cupids tend a perfume shop in this picture. At right, a cupid holds up an alabastron  filled with perfume, while Psyche (Cupid’s beloved) lifts her arm to smell the scent. Image used by permission of Getty Images.

Lastly, I took a gander at a Fragrantica.com, an online encyclopedia of perfumes, a perfume magazine and a community of perfume lovers. This page goes into great detail about all things myrrh, right down to harvesting.  At the bottom is an impressive array of around 150 tiny perfume bottles, each one a link to detailed information on a "myrrh perfume".  It only took me 8 tries to find one which also contains rose. [Frangratica.com]


Laminating with pouches or plastic under 75 micron

You probably won't be able to get professional-looking results with DIY lamination.

Thermal Lamination

For thermal lamination, the thinnest common thickness is 1.5 mil (38 microns), which a number of companies offer. USI has 1.3 mil film, also. USI once sent me a sample 9"x12" pouch of 1.5 mil film.  It kept curling and rolling up around the adhesive side; it was very hard to get it flat.  Film that thin is probably practical only with a roll laminator.

If it's for a book/booklet cover created from a single folded sheet, thermal lamination would need to be done before the cover is folded.  After lamination, the cover will be hard to fold.  Also be aware that thermal lamination typically relies on a lip of lamination beyond the paper.  If it is trimmed flush with the paper, it will often delaminate with handling, or the film will pull off the top layer of the paper.

Using thin-film pouches with a home laminator, it would be good to have a laminator with a temperature control.  Units without a temperature control will likely be calibrated for 3 mil film.  If you overheat it, the result will tend to be wavy rather than flat.  It is also important to use the cardboard carrier (which is silicone-treated so oozing adhesive doesn't bond with it).

If you want thermal lamination, don't rule out having it done with a roll laminator.  Check locally with places like schools or print shops that might do a volume of thin-film lamination.  You may be able to get a small quantity done "inexpensively".

If you need to use a pouch laminator, it will be hard to make a one-piece cover.  A more practical approach would be to laminate separate front and back covers using standard pouches.

Cold Lamination

Pretty much the same issues will apply to cold lamination

Adhesive Book Cover

You can buy adhesive book cover film by the roll, like this.  It's fairly inexpensive.  You cut off a piece the appropriate size, trim and score it, then peel off backing paper as you apply it.  Here's a tutorial.  This film is really intended as a protective cover.  If you look at the pictures in the tutorial, you'll see that the results don't look all that professional.  There's also a non-adhesive film sold in rolls for this purpose.  It's a crystal clear protective cover, but it is typically taped in place to hold it (again, not a professional look).  Libraries often prolong book life with covers like this.

Durable Plastic Cover

An alternate approach is to not try to laminate or wrap your cover, but use a durable plastic cover.  These are commonly available as either a heavy-duty clear plastic cover that becomes an outer cover, or an opaque plastic cover with a clear window.

Prescoring

Lamination makes a sandwich of plastic film, adhesive, and paper (commercially laminated book covers are typically laminated only on the outside face), and that is thick.  When you fold it, the outside of the fold needs to stretch and/or the inside of the fold needs to compress.  The plastic film doesn't like to do either.  Paper does it by breaking some of the bonds between the fibers.  Whether you laminate the cover flat and then fold it, or apply the lamination to the finished book, the action of either opening or closing the book will break down the paper.

Laminating flat and then prescoring the sandwich spreads the paper damage over a larger, controlled area, and the paper will survive the normal amount of opening and closing.  Prescoring the plastic and then adhering it to the finished book creates a plastic corner that needs to go somewhere when you open the book.  That will either cause faster breakdown of the paper, or delamination (failure of the adhesive or separation of layers of paper fibers).

So prescoring is important for a professional-looking result, and prescoring the flat sandwich will produce the best result.  This can be done with DIY tools, but it may take some experimentation and practice to get it right.

Hot vs. Cold Lamination

In order to get a professional-looking lamination, the film adhesive needs to bond with all of the nooks and crannies of the paper surface, which isn't smooth at a microscopic level.  Otherwise, there will be trapped air that will look cloudy, or even form visible bubbles.  Heat lamination melts the adhesive into a liquid and then pressure rollers force it into all the iregularities in the paper surface.  When the adhesive cools, it's solid and doesn't flow.

Cold lamination adhesives don't change how they flow, or flow to the degree of liquified thermal adhesive in terms of surface irregularities.  But they can be good enough if you apply pressure as the film is being applied, especially if the paper has a very smooth surface.  Because the adhesive doesn't change how it flows, the film can "creep" on the surface, or delaminate at folds, over time if there are dimensional stresses.

To get good results with cold lamination, the pressure applied needs to be appropriate for the specific product.  You need either the equipment designed to work with the product, or something else that mimmicks it.  Trapped air must be squeezed out as the film is applied.  That's normally done with a roll laminator, which applies the necessary pressure across the whole width as the film is being laid down.

You could sort of mimmick that action manually by rolling the film so the adhesive is on the outside.  Then start at one edge of the cover and apply pressure on the film as you unroll it onto and across the cover.  If you have a pouch laminator capable of being run cold, you could run the result through that, or go over it manually with a roller.

However, you need at least the pressure that the adhesive is designed for to force it into the surface iregularities.  Also, once the film is down, whatever air has been trapped has nowhere to go.  So you may have limited ability to improve the result with subsequent pressure.  You may even find that there is temporary improvement, but over time the film looks cloudy due to trapped air and/or the film creeping back to its original configuration.

One other thought: you might want to investigate the longevity of cold lamination.  Thermal lamination lasts "forever".  Cold lamination adhesives might not have "archival" life, which you probably want for a book.  It may well last for years, but not, say, a decade.

DIY Potential

Books are produced commercially with laminated covers, so it can obviously be done.  That process entails commercial-grade equipment and supplies.  On a mass-produced scale, it's even inexpensive.  On a smaller scale, it isn't obscenely cost-prohibitive to do it with the proper equipment.  You've already priced the rolls of film.  Amazon has several roll laminators under $400 USD.  If you amortize the equipment over thousands of laminations, the cost per copy isn't bad.  If your requirement is for dozens or even hundreds of copies, it would be a lot cheaper to have it done commercially.

The question is whether you can replicate a professional-looking result without a roll laminator.  How professional is sufficiently professional?  Is the goal to share decent-looking copies with associates, or results that look commercially-produced for sale?  If it's the latter, that's theoretically possible, but it would be very time consuming and probably entail a lot of experimentation and wastage.

If your total requirement is a few copies and you have the time, skill, and inclination to play with it, give it a try.  The film manufacturers often have small trial amounts for the cost of shipping, or may send you a few feet for free.  If your requirement is a lot of copies, consider how much your time is worth, and how much money you're willing to spend on it.  You can put plastic on a cover easily enough.  Getting it to look like a commercial result without the proper equipment is the problem.  Roll laminators were invented to make this task practical.


How to maintain dry ink in a fountain pen and Pilot V7 pens?

Fountain pens and metal-tipped technical pens rely on capillary action and flow limiters to deliver a controlled amount of ink.  They're manufactured to precise tolerances, and there isn't really any form of adjustment.  If the pen is clean and the ink is fresh, and the ink is in the general range of viscosity the pen is designed to handle, it should work.
The combination of the pen and a third party ink should deliver an ink line, although the characteristics of the line may not match what you want or what the pen manufacturer's ink produces.  For example, a lower viscosity ink may result in more ink being delivered, so the line will be wider and contain more liquid; it may take longer to dry, resulting in more spread and a less-well-defined edge unless the ink is much faster drying.  A higher viscosity ink may result in a thinner line.  In extreme cases, the pen may have trouble keeping up if you move the pen too quickly.
The pen will have prescribed maintenance, which is basically cleaning.  There isn't any different maintenance for third party inks, it may just require doing it more often.  If the third party ink is faster drying or higher viscosity, it will more quickly thicken inside the pen and dry in the nib or tip.
So if you want to use a "dry" ink in a pen designed for a "wet" ink, you will have the least problems if you use the pen regularly.  That will keep ink moving through the nib or tip to keep it free of dried ink.  It will also result in using up the ink inside the pen before it thickens.  If you want to use that pen-ink combination only occasionally, you would be better off emptying the pen and cleaning it before putting it away (unused ink can be returned to the original bottle).


Is there a standard angle to use for drawing and drafting tables?

It hugely depends on you. Typical setups are around 30-40 degrees, but personal preference is paramount. Find an angle that you are comfortable with, and stick with it.

Personally, I prefer a flat desk, but some people I know aren't happy unless it's closer to 45 degrees.

Bear in mind that whilst learning, some teachers will encourage you to change your angle if you are having problems with distorting your proportions. It will force you to look at the drawing differently whilst you draw it.


Is it possible to frequently change colours while crocheting?

You might try a method called "Corner to corner" crochet (C2C).

It seems to be relatively "new" and was something I was really intrigued to find out about. It's often used for making diagonal-style blankets but there are certainly examples of it being used for pixel-style art work.

It has the benefit of being dual-sided and it does allow for semi-regular changing of yarns. Creating your own patterns should be relatively simple with some graph paper and colored pencils/markers. Here's what it looks like:

click image to view project

As you can see, it does a pretty awesome job with pixel-style art and does allow for regular changing of colors. Here's a work-in-progress image for reference:

There's a very in-depth video of how the basic concept of C2C crochet works on The Crochet Crowd. It doesn't explain the more regular color changing process but I think that's something that can be figured out using the instructions for projects like this Christmas tree.

The best part is that the only stitches needed are chains, slip stitches and double crochets, so this should be extremely simple, regardless of skill level.

Also note that, if you're interested in really small scale, you could probably go crazy with this using steel hooks (under 2mm) and cobweb-weight yarn or embroidery floss.


Your model is quite clear, although the question is less so. You ask if increasing the height of the image in the background to 200% is the best way.

The best way for what purpose?

If your objective is to maintain an approximation of the original image, the number would not be 200%.

Consider that the red line extends below the forward lip of the shadowbox. Your measurement point should begin at the intersection of the orange triangle and the red line. From that point, the correct calculation is to use the square root of two times the original height, presuming the 45° mentioned in the question.

For angles other than 45° it is necessary to use a bit of trigonometry.


I don't know if this was intended but after looking for banded column style I ran into rustification or rustication:

  Rustication is a form of exterior ornamentation particular to buildings in the classical style. It is defined by projecting stones with sunken joints or grooves conveying an air of deliberate roughness and strength.

That is not compelling but the article goes on to describe different kinds of rustication. It is a broad definition but a specific style of rustication is:

  Picked-work or a simple chiselling or chipping of the stone surface to produce a general rough effect

Two of the examples on the page do my connection more justice. Click to enlarge in both cases.

It seems obvious from the photo in the question that this is not carved but it looks to be emulating picked work rustification. I can almost draw a line of symmetry down the middle of your picture but that might just be looking for a pattern that does not exist.

Searching for images of rustication yields similar results.


Just thinking out loud here.

Rotate the pendant 90 degrees.
Solder hooks on the opposite side mirroring the two on the other side.
Add the new chain.
Attach the chains together with loops.
Done.


What spray product could protect paper against grease?

I don't know whether you have finished all of your origami work, but I was just introduced to clear gesso. With this movement of Bible journaling, one of the big problems that they were having was either the drawings bleeding through to the next page or the pages were sticking together with decoupage. They discovered that a layer of clear gesso down on the page first prevented the bleeding and staining problems. This would be a solution to use prior to starting your project though.


How do I go about sealing tiles painted with acrylic ink?

Both methods should work; polyurethane varnish seems to be a fairly standard way of sealing acrylic paint on ceramic (see this thread on potters.org for example) and Art Resin* claims that 'the heat generated from a hot mug will not damage the resin surface' and that it is suitable for use on ceramics (ArtResin FAQ, points 24 and 25).

I also stumbled across some people saying that you can bake acrylics in the same way that you can enamels - no guarantees, but you might find that this works for you.

However, given that you've already had some issues with the ink dissolving in the varnish(possibly caused by attempting to varnish before the ink was fully dry) I suggest that you test your chosen method on something disposable before you seal your coasters.

*a brand, but the same points should apply to most clear two part epoxy resins


Is there a name for a pattern which alternates circle and square tiles?

Checker board with checkers. (It does not appear to be a pattern with an official name.)


Is the Pentel Aquash water brush pen worth it?

I am also a novice with watercolor. The brush pens are pleasant to work with, especially if you have more control over your application with pens over traditional watercolor brushes. You can determine how much water should be used with pressure, and also use pressure to quickly clean pigment off the brush tip. I personally use the Ohuhu water brush pens, myself, but even then some traditional brushes will be needed. For example, I did a quick cactus with only one brush pen. This particular brush did not have a fine enough tip to properly do the needles as  I would have liked. So, as a beginner you will likely want to mix and match brush pens and traditional brushes. Brush pens can be fairly cheap, and the ones that come with an end cap are quite nice for traveling with!


Are there toxic concerns with using a heatgun/torch on plastic/acrylic?

Yes, if you overheat it, most thermo-plastics will give off dangerous gases when heated above a certain temperature. For bending, you need somewhere between 100C - 170C (212°F - 338°F). Cast acrylic needs higher temperatures than extruded (due to the higher molecular weight), and thicker sheet need slightly higher temperature than thinner.

But do not go above 170C (338°F) for extruded acrylic or 190C (374°F) for casted. Just start off low and heat it slowly until the material will bend as you need it. It's only the bubbling and scorching caused by excessive heating that gives off the nasty fumes when burnt.

From my post on Lifehacks — Working with acrilyc/plexiglass, electric strip heaters are generally recommended (depending on what you are trying to do), but any electric indirect infrared source can be improvised for occasional use. BBQ starters, heat guns, hair dryers, and even light bulbs have been used, but toaster ovens are a bit more problematic.

Overall, low and slow is the key. You have to have a controllable heating source, so be careful.


When I first read your question, my answer was going to be that your "regular" ironing board has a metal surface in direct contact with the fabric covering. As such, it pulls heat from the iron without providing the benefit to the fabric being ironed.

In the case of the silver material, it is likely that it reflects the heat energy back toward the iron, also insulating the surface below. There should be some thickness to the silver material providing that insulating capacity. If not, even a thick towel will improve the insulation and protective ability of the silver covering.

One listing I found states that the material is one hundred percent cotton, then references an aluminized coating. It cannot be one hundred percent cotton, as aluminum is not cotton, but that is semantics.


Can I use inkjet waterslide transfers on glass bottles?

In scale model building, I apply waterslide decals over acrylic paint all the time.  Obviously, those models are plastic, so I don't cook them.  Instead, I put a light covering of clear coat over them after the paint has dried, then again after the decals are in-place and air-dried.

I've left uncovered decals exposed to the air without any trouble in situations where they won't be touched or handled, but whenever I want the application to be durable, a little matte clear coat does the trick.


Which type of adhesive should I use on posters, and when?

Assuming you're trying to affix things to poster board paper, here are some things:

Glue sticks

They don't set super fast, which is a pro and con:

You can adjust your placement if you make a mistake, and have a fair amount of time to do this
You have to wait until it's 100% set, being careful not to push or slide it around

They don't have the best sticking power, and items may fall off over time
You can apply it to either the board or the object you're placing very easily
It works best on flat, non-porous surfaces
It can be removed very easily if you accidentally put it somewhere, with a quick wipe of a dry or slighty-moist towel
It comes in colored varieties that dry clear, now, which helps you make sure you've applied it properly
It doesn't wrinkle thin paper as much as liquid glue, if at all

Use glue sticks if you want to put things up quick, have leeway with mistakes, and need a steadfastness in the sticking power

Liquid glues

Assuming you're applying it out of the bottle, and not using a brush

They take a bit of time to set, but have much better sticking power than glue sticks once dried
You can't easily adjust a misplaced item without smearing the glue around
They are more easily applied to the board, on a flat surface
They can work on porous materials, such as felt, and odd shapes such as pasta

If too much is used, they will bleed through the felt and make it stiff on the opposite side

It's a bit harder to clean up if you put a drop in the wrong spot, as it wiping will spread it
They dry clear, generally
If you're applying thin materials, like tissue paper, magazine pages or printer paper, then it's very likely to cause some wrinkles

Use liquid glues when you want your project to stay together longer, have some time and space to wait for it to dry, or want to use a variety of materials.

Tape

I'm assuming Scotch tape/cello tape, for this.

It sets instantly! Apply it and you're done.
If you make a mistake placing your object, you have to risk tearing the paper to pull it off ad try again
The sticking power usually depends on the length of tape you apply
You can fold a strip onto itself to create a double-sided tape, so the strips don't show on the outside

This takes more time and material and makes the tape easier to remove (a good and bad thing, depending)

The object you're sticking needs to be flat and thin, if applying it from the outside, otherwise it may pull of or not stick at all
It works best on clean edges, and not the kind made with decorate edge scissors, such as zig zags
You can find a variety of similar products, such as washi tape, to spruce up your project
It doesn't wrinkle your papers, but you have to avoid getting wrinkles in it

Use plain tape when you want something up fast and are willing to risk some tearing (that might end up hidden) on parts of your project and don't mind the obvious appearance of tap when using it on the outside. On the other hand, if you want to add quick, decorative borders, you can use washi tape or other products.

Double-sided tape is available, if you're using it under the object your applying, but it doesn't necessarily have extra sticking power than rolled up regular tape. Yet, it tends to be more expensive.

Another alternative to tape is stickers.


How can I select suitable leaves for hammered leaf art?

My wife and I did a bit of this the last time we were in Japan. It was very difficult, but also very interesting.

As the previous answer indicated, experimentation is key here. In fact, I almost think it's the whole point of this technique. Each time you fail miserably, you'll learn a bit more about what doesn't work.

Try everything you come across (it's all free materials anyway). Make notes on what did/didn't work. You can number your papers to correlate with your notes.

You may find that different plant materials respond better under different hammering techniques.

Once you have developed a feel for it (through experience), you will quickly develop your own signature style.

Don't be afraid to fail miserably.


Does grid drawing help with drawing from imagination?

Perhaps the main benefit of grid drawing is the accuracy it lets you achieve, but it also helps train your eye to see what's actually there, as opposed to what your brain thinks is there.

When you analyze the contents of each individual square, you're forced to focus more on the lines and spaces that make up the subject. It helps guides you through measuring those angles and proportions, like I mention in this answer about portrait drawing. Instead of comparing lines simply to themselves, you can compare lengths and angles to your clear, consistent grid lines.

It also helps you to get a better understanding of scale and proportion, especially when dealing with perspective and foreshortening. Your brain may know that a leg is longer than an arm, but in 2D representation this is not always the case.

So, while drawing from imagination you may think "I know the leg will be shorter than usual at this angle", you may over/under-estimate how much to adjust the limb for foreshortening. However, drawing from the grid will give you experience to help you make a more accurate decision.

These skills will be applicable to any drawing you're doing from reference, but also help train your eye to see what's right/wrong about things you draw from imagination. It's just another way to build up your ability to critically analyze what's actually there.

However, it's just one component that will help you in your drawing from imagination. For figure drawing in particular, it's helpful to learn how to construct figures using some type of method, such as blocks-and-cylinders. Drawing from life, in general, is going to give you a better understanding how the world actually looks and works. For instance, you may be able to construct great mannequins, but without having a good mental repository of real facial features and body types, you'll likely have very stale figures.

Since your focus is drawing people and poses from imagination, I personally would pursue other forms of practice over grid drawing. If I were to compare drawing by grid to drawing from materials by artistic anatomy masters such Jenó Barcsay and Stephen Rogers Peck, I'd pick artistic anatomy as a clear winner.


Applying custom decals to plastic figures

In my scale modelling, I use Microscale Industries' Micro Set and Micro Sol which works great for clear decals.  These products increase the adhesion and slightly dissolve the decals which allows them to conform to curved surfaces better.  Once they are dry, I sand any visible decal edges very lightly with a 600 or 1200 grit sponge.  Finally, I repeatedly cover the whole model with light coats of an acrylic clear coat, building the coating up until the decal edges disappear.

I'm not sure if the Microscale chemicals will work with foil based decals, but the edge sanding and clear coat should help them stay where you put them.


I know these as Tin Snips, or Tinner(')s Snips, and are identifiable as such because of the symmetry of the handles and blades, the wide aperture between the blades, and that the handles are longer than the blades.

The difference between snips & shears?

  Snips are shears that are used for cutting metal.

So a snip is a type of shear. And a shear?

  Is a cutting instrument in which two blades move past each other, like scissors but typically larger


Keep pencil leads from breaking during transportation?

A colleague of mine carries her 100+ colored pencil collection in a fabric pencil roll. The pencils slot into little rectangles or elastic along a rectangle of fabric, and then the rectangle is rolled up. It ends up about the size of a water bottle, and fits easily in purse, shoulder bag, or backpack.

While most of these I've seen are for colored pencils (due to the large number that are often transported at once), they should also work for graphite or charcoal pencils. For more delicate exposed tips, a layer of reinforcement or padding can be added to further reduce chance of breakage.

These are available commercially made:

Image from Blick

You can also find a number of tutorials online to make your own (or ask a crafty friend with a sewing machine to help you out):

Image from Love me Sew pencil roll tutorial


Spray matte coatings can indeed be easily scratched and chipped; I can't speak for spray gloss coatings, as I have no personal experience with them, but brush-on gloss coatings (Triple Thick, Tamiya gloss, Future floor polish, etc) can be extremely durable. The durability you'll want will ultimately depend on how you plan to store your miniatures, however. If you transport them separated in a lined box and treat them overall gently, then a less durable finish can be just fine; if you tend to toss them all in a box, you'll want something more durable to prevent them from getting banged up.

You can layer finishes; when I do miniatures, I do coat them in brush-on gloss (Triple Thick) for durability followed by a spray of matte finish (Dullcote or Purity Seal/Munitorium Varnish) to cut the shine. The minis I've treated in this manner are from a board game and stored in the game box, and so far have not chipped or shown any damage to the paint or coatings. They aren't as matte as they would be had I used only the final matte finishing spray, but they aren't glossy, either; your desired finished look may have some impact in how you choose to finish your miniatures, as well.

As an addendum, if you are using only plastic or metal miniatures, Krylon sprays are likely fine, but if you choose to purchase any "premium resin" miniatures, under no circumstances should you use Krylon on them; Krylon has been shown to behave unpredictably on polyurethane resin, ranging from "it kind of worked but didn't dry/cure well" to "it pitted/ate away at the surface where it was sprayed."


An assembled sleeve isn't much more than a tube of fabric, but completely disassembled, it looks more complicated.

If you are inexperienced with tailoring, this "quick and dirty" tutorial looks like a good start: How to tailor a sleeve. It requires you to put on the shirt (or dress) inside out, gather the surplus fabric at the existing seams and pin it to your desired size. You then open the original seams, sew along the pin lines and trim and neaten your new seams.

What it doesn't explain is how you match the new sleeve seam to the existing side seam of the bodice.

If you want to reduce the size of the bodice as well, it's perfect to do both at the same time. Otherwise you either need to match the new sleeve seam up to the original side seam (which preserves the puffiness at the shoulders) or you need to sew the sleeve seam in a crooked line back down to the side seam (which artificially narrows the arm hole).

I suggest going with the first solution, because it's the neatest and an armhole that's too narrow is very uncomfortable. This solution is shown in this video: Resize oversized sleeves

The professional way is to dissassemble the sleeves, adjusting the cut of the pieces and reattatching them to the dress. Of course this is more complicated, but if the "quick and dirty" solution doesn't look good, this is the only way to make it look perfect.

First of all, mark which sleeve is the left one and which is the right one, because they may differ very slightly from each other and sewing the left sleeve to the right armhole looks strange and feels uncomfortable.

Then take your measurements as described in Create custom sleeve pattern. Keep in mind that you want to measure your desired sleeve, so if you don't want it to be skin tight, don' t measure skin tight.

Follow that same instruction and construct your new sleeve on a big sheet of paper. Once you're done, measure the circumference of the armhole in your bodice. Then measure the length of the "sleeve crown", the curved line on top, from seam to seam. The sleeve crown should be slightly longer than the circumference of the arm hole.

If your sleeves have cuffs like shown in the picture, reattach them after closing the long sleeve seam.

At the end, sew the sleeves back onto the bodice as shown here: How to insert sleeves.


Gold nibs vs steel nibs in fountain pens - Does it really matter?

Gold nib fountain pens - invented around 1850 - were originally the standard as early (fountain pen) inks had corrosive properties. Although corrosion of nibs is no longer a problem, gold nibs have other advantages.
Pens of all kinds of metal (alloys) are often tipped with 'iridium' *, as the tip will have to endure the most. Apart from thickness and shape, the material qualities of the rest of the nib are decisive for the writing experience, as they determine ink flow and comfort of writing (that is, when compared to similar nibs of other materials on pens of equal size, shape, weight, balance, &c.).
Gold is the most malleable of the metals, so pure gold tips will relatively easily deform under the pressure of writing. This is why standard gold fountain pen nibs are made of 14, 18, or 21 karat gold (out of 24k), meaning (+/-) 42%, 25%, or 12,5% respectively consists of other metal(s) to strengthen the nib.
Nevertheless, when compared to other nibs, gold nibs are known for their suppleness, springiness, and a softer writing experience that adapts to the writer's hand.
Golden nibs are also praised for their durability. Gold (alloy) will last longer as it is less prone to corrosion than other metals, but modern steel alloys in combination with most modern inks will wear relatively slowly as well.
Whether golden nib fountain pens are worth the investment is impossible to answer objectively: it depends on how often and much one writes, personal preference with regards to the writing experience compared to the (wealth and often comparable qualities of) alternatives and the aesthetics of the precious metal over that of other materials, the cost-quality and cost-durability ratios, and whether or not and to what extent one regards such a pen as a statement and symbol of prestige.
One author makes the compelling case that gold nibs are only really worth it when you want the additional flexibility for line variation.

* More a synonym for 'fountain pen tip' than the actual metal, see https://www.nibs.com/blog/nibster-writes/wheres-iridium

Sources:

https://www.penheaven.co.uk/
https://www.writeherekitenow.co.uk/news/the-gold-standard-is-a-gold-nib-worth-the-money/
https://www.nibs.com/content/what-fountain-pen-nib

Further reading:

https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/4cfflr/gold_nibs_vs_steel_nibs_and_why/
https://edisonpen.com/in-praise-of-steel-nibs-2/


Pattern for adding train tracks to a simple stockinette square?

In the photo example, the "train tracks" are actually created horizontally - an easy way to tell is by the direction of the V made by the knit stitches. The rightmost edge of the item in the image would have been the cast-off edge.

As a starting point, I'll go through the existing pattern. It appears to start with:

  Cast on an odd number of stitches
  Rows 1-8: garter stitch

This makes the end border. The odd number is so that when you get to the body, it will be symmetrical on both ends.

The gap between the "tracks" is a garter stitch border on the edges, with stockinette in between. Keep in mind that here the odd-numbered rows will be on the right side:

  Row 9: k across
  Row 10: k 5, p until 5 sts from end, k 5
  Row 11: k across

Next you make the "rail" of the tracks:

  Row 12: k across

Next are the tracks. Continue the garter stitch border, but with ribbing in between:

  Row 13: k5, k1, *p1, k1* repeat between * until 5 stitches from end, k5
  Row 14: k5, p1, *k1, p1* repeat between * until 5 stitches from end, k5
  Rows 15, 16, 17: repeat row 13, 14, and 13 again.

Then your second rail:

  Row 18: k across

The original pattern just repeats the tracks (steps 3-10) a number of times, then adds another gap (3-5) and end border (2) before casting off.

To create a single "track" in a plain stockinette square, you just need steps 6-10, omitting the 5 stitch border on either end of the row. Make sure you start the track pattern on the wrong side (WS), so the first row (k across) will become a purl row on the right side.

So the pattern would become:

  Cast on an odd number of stitches
  Knit an even number of rows in stockinette
  (WS) k across
  k1, *p1, k1* until end
  (WS) p1, *k1, p1* until end
  k1, *p1, k1* until end
  (WS) p1, *k1, p1* until end
  k1, *p1, k1* until end
  (WS) k across
  Continue in stockinette stitch

Or if you want to start on the right (knit) side of the stockinette, you can swap the k's and p's above for the same result.

In case you want to knit it purely vertically, you could rotate the k's and p's by 90 degrees - but this will likely skew the result since stitches are not perfectly square. Typically row height is shorter than stitch width, but you can check your gauge to be sure. If that's the case, you would want to add extra space between the rails, like so:

  stockinette, p1, k5, p1, stockinette
  stockinette, k1, p5, k1, stockinette
  stockinette, p1, k5, p1, stockinette
  stockinette, k7, stockinette
  Repeat rows 1-4 until tracks are desired length
  Repeat rows 1-3 for symmetry

To give you a visual, using 0 for knit and . for purl, this would result in something like:

000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.......000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.......000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.......000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000
000000000000000.00000.000000000000000


Dishwasher-proof way to personalize plastic lunch containers

Both types of plastic, polyethylene and polypropylene are "slippery" and do not take glue or other adhesive attachments well. By extension, paint products are likely to slip off in some manner.

It would be more permanent to create a "damaging" effect to the plastic in an area that is not structurally critical, a section that doesn't provide for sealing or for strength in handling.

It appears that the corners of the lids may qualify in this regard. You could use a soldering iron or wood marking iron to engrave your mark(s) on the surface of the plastic. If you used sufficient caution and did not puncture the surface, you could mark almost anywhere on the container.

The flange around the rim of the bowl (redundant?) is another non-structural location. Even if you chose not to mark initials or names, a bump or divot or similar depression would provide identification unlikely to be duplicated by another owner.


How can I cut paper in one cut with scissors?

Focus on keeping the paper against the point where the two scissor blades cross.  At this one point, the paper is being sliced simultaneously by both blades which decreases the thickness which each blade needs to cut through.

When the paper slides forward onto only one blade, the speed of cutting slows because one of the two blades has been removed from the cutting process.  This slows the advance of the scissors across the paper, inviting you to compensate by applying more forward pressure.  The additional pressure speeds up the cut but slams the paper into the crux of the blades, inviting a snag and tear.

Slow steady motion, with a focus on using only the crux of the blades should result in a higher percentage of success.

Aside from that,...

Practice!


Can I use epoxy to stabilize/restore 18th century giant pottery?

I'm not a conservator, so I cannot give you a definite answer. And the answer will depend on the value of the object. If this is a rare remnant of history, do not attempt any restoration and let a professional restorator do their work. In that case, it would be almost illegal to apply epoxy to it, because the process isn't reversable. Most amateurs trying to conserve objects do more harm than good. If you just want to avoid buying a modern giant flower pot and there are hundreds of such vessels left, you have more leeway.
As pointed out in the comments, I would avoid power tools. Since the object is already brittle and crumbling, you might damage it with a power tool or it might sand away much more of the object than you like. A metal brush or sand paper would be the safer alternative, even if the cleaning takes a little longer. And please wear a dust mask and eye protection to protect yourself against dust particles and things like mold spores and bacteria that may be contained in that dust.
To restore it to a fresh look, I would apply a thin layer of fresh clay, which you can buy in many craft stores or online. The pot looks like it may have been made from red or yellow clay, so I would stick to that color. If possible, put the pot on a turntable, so you can rotate it like a potter would do on a potter wheel. In a big bowl mix the fresh clay with enough water to make it a thin paste the consistency of toothpaste. Then transfer the clay paste onto your vessel with your hands and smooth it out while turning the vessel. Let the vessel dry at least 2 days to make sure all moisture is removed from the inside of the walls. The disadvantage of this method is that the clay dissolves if it comes into contact with water again so you absolutely need to seal it.
An alternative is to coat the vessel with a layer of crafting cement. That still absorbs some water, but in general it's more resistant to water and doesn't dissolve again. The disadvantage of this method is the grey color of the cement and you need to wear gloves while working with wet cement.
This fresh layer of clay will look much more authentic and natural than a layer of paint. Paint always smoothes out the little irregularities of the surface and makes things look flat and monotone.
As for the conservation, the main problem is that the clay soaks up water (the original clay of the vessel just as much as the fresh clay). That causes gradually more damage (by lichen, bacteria and other microbes), but it also poses a challegne for the conservation, since the pot will soak up vast amounts of any liquid (like epoxy) you apply to it.
There are ceramic / flower pot sealers available online as a liquid to paint on or as a spray, but those are meant for small objects and you need to apply several coats. Given the size of your pot, that might become expensive. An alternative is brickwall sealer, which is usually available in bigger quantities and also designed to seal absorbant materials. Remember to look for matte finish if you don't want your pot to sparkle in the sun.
A more natural sealer is plant oil. You simply soak the vessel in as much oil as it can absorb and let it sit. Over time the chemical composition of the oil will change and it first becomes sticky and then almost like plastic. It's exactly the same process as in oil paints. I assume that the spills you see in one of your pictures are actually oil spills. Usually (for cookware) you would heat the oiled pot to accelerate this process, but I assume that's not an option here. If you cannot heat the vessel, it will take several months to completely change the oil. The disadvantage of this option is that the oil gets very sticky before it becomes inert. It might hold onto dirt in that stage.
I think epoxy would be problematic for such a project for several reasons:

You need a very liquid consistency of epoxy so it soaks deeply into the clay to stabilize it. That means you need a lot of epoxy, which can become expensice very quickly.
You need an epoxy with a long drying time to be able to cover the pot evenly. That poses the risk of leaves, insects or other dirt falling on the sticky epoxy and ruining the looks.
Depending on the type of epoxy you use, it can heat up and harden extremely quickly if you mix big batches.
No epoxy is 100% UV resistant. They will all yellow over time, especially when exposed to direct sunlight.
Epoxy is a health hazard. You need to wear gloves, eye protection and in many cases a respirator (if working with big amounts of epoxy).
Epoxy is an environmental hazard. Any liquid epoxy and hardener that you don't need any longer must be disposed of as hazardous waste.
Epoxy always has a smooth, shiny finish. If you want a matte finish, there are better alternatives (like sealants).


Paraffin candle burnt (or rather melted) WAY too quickly?

You did not do anything wrong, except leave a candle burning for hours unattended. Candles melt when burning, and five hours is not a short time in a regular candles life.


When I'm done painting, this is how I clean up. I've kept some brushes for years like this:

Soak the brush in white spirit for a minute or so
Gently massage the bristles to loosen the paint and make sure as much as possible is dissolved in the spirits
Put a good dollop of liquid soap onto the bristles, and gently scrub into a lather with a bit of warm water (not hot), separating the bristles to get as much paint out as possible
Rinse out with warm water
Repeat if necessary

Make sure the flow of water is always from handle to tip, make sure you're never pushing paint up towards the handle as it can collect there where it's almost impossible to get out, and it will harden and splay the bristles over time.


Is it safe to use the tip of a hot glue gun to melt crayons?

It will work, as high temperatures melt the crayons, regardless of the device you use, but in all cases I'd suggest doing it in a well-ventilated room or outside, as the fumes are a little toxic.

Also note that holding the crayon in one hand while doing so is asking for trouble: wear a glove, or attach the crayon sturdily to something.

I'm sure crayons won't damage the glue gun more extremely than the glues it is used for (I mean, the tip of the hot glue gun is made to withstand damage).


Will there be a noticeable offset if knitting rib from an unravelled edge?

You're correct in that the fluffiness of the yarn and the colour of the jumper should hide the offset to some degree. Most people won't pick up on the change unless they are looking really closely (and really -- who does that?).

TECHknitting did a series on grafting that addressed ways to disguise this particular dilemma. If you haven't already read it, you may find it helpful. Between these tricks and the yarn itself, no one will ever know :)


How can I make the detail of this map stand out better?

I would call inlaying metal wires into slate a high-risk project in general.

You already managed to carve the groves - congratulations for that!
Slate has the tendency to chip or break when hammered
Colored wire for jewelry often has a very thin coating of color over a soft metal core (often aluminum). Hammering that into the groves could damage or remove the color coat.

Add to that the fact that the contrast between slate and soldering wire is not very high - both appear silver or grey, depending on the lighting.

My first advice for this project is to use a contrasting color for the groves. Anything but black, white, silver or grey will stand out better.

Because of the high risk of breaking a sheet, I would not hammer anything into the grooves. Filling the grooves with a liquid promises more success.

One idea that you can test for a low price is good old Window Color. Buy a bottle of Window Color contour paint - these have a thicker consistency and a higher pigment content. Test the paint on the back of a sheet and see if you can peel it off in case something goes wrong. If you're satisfied with the test, squirt the paint into the grooves and let it dry. You can thin the paint by adding a few drops of water to the bottle.

A better shine might be possible by using metallic nail polish. I suggest transfering the nail polish into a squirt bottle with a thin nozzle that fits into the grooves. Both (bottle and extra thin nozzle) should be available online or in good crafting stores.

Metallic permanent markers might work as well, if the tip is thin enough to fit into a groove. Both nail polish and permanent marker can be removed with nail polish remover, but the grooves probably make it harder to get all of the paint out.

Another alternative that promises an even and shiny result is enamel color. These are often used for model painting and have a high pigment content, like this example by Revell. The only disadvantage is that I don't know how you could remove it in case something goes wrong, but I'm sure the manufacturer will provide more information. Use this paint with a squirt bottle as well.

In any case, my experience with slate as a crafting material is this:

Before applying any paint, wipe the slate off with nail polish remover to remove any oily residue
Slate needs extremely long to dry. It took almost a whole day in my case and in the meantime the slate looked blotchy. It's only dry when the whole sheet is a uniform light grey.
Test any paint or nail polish on the back side. The structure of slate can make some colors run and bleed into adjacent areas.


How to measure the distance to horizon line one-point perspective?

This solution will work any shape of room you have. Cubic, rectangular (as I demonstrate), and even rooms you aren't looking at from straight on (in which case you rotate the top elevation, a common perspective technique).

Click on any image for a larger view.

Layout the general lines.

a) You need three horizontal lines: your horizon line, a ground line (somewhere below the horizon), and a vantage line. In this example, my vantage line is below the ground line. The vantage line represents the distance of the viewer from the horizon.
b) You also need to choose a vanishing point somewhere on the horizon line.
c) You can pick a vantage point, but in this case its only purpose is to establish where to put vantage line
d) Draw the front elevation of your room, with the scale dimensions. The front elevation needs to rest its bottom-most line (or point, if rotated for 2-point perspective) on the Ground Line
e) Draw the top elevation of your room, with the scale dimensions. The top elevation needs to be under the Vantage Line, with its top-most line (or point, if rotated for 2-point perspective) on the Vantage Line.
f) Draw the front view of your room, aligned with both the front and top elevations

The real trick to this technique is mapping the angles between corners to the Measuring Points on the Horizon Line.

a) From a bottom corner of your top elevation, draw a line going through the opposite corner (such as bottom-left to top-right) and continue that line all the way to the Horizon Line
b) Where those lines intersect, mark that point as a Measuring Point
c) Repeat for the other bottom corner

Draw your normal perspective lines on your room

a) Don't worry about the back wall quite yet, just make sure your perspective lines go either all the way to the vanishing point, or far enough that you can be reasonably sure you have room for your back wall

Now the technique comes into play. You'll use the Measuring Points to map a projection to tell you where the back wall begins

a) From a bottom corner of your perspective room, draw a line to the matching Measuring Point. So, if you pick the bottom-right corner, draw a line towards the Measuring Point that connects to the bottom-right corner of your top elevation.
b) Where this new line intersects your normal floor perspective lines represents the corner of your back wall.
c) You don't need to map the other bottom corner, unless you're drawing a room/shape that doesn't have parallel front and back walls
d) Draw a horizontal line from the back corner you measured to the other side of the floor

Standard perspective techniques will give you the top of the back wall.

a) Draw vertical lines from the bottom corners, and the points where they intercept are your ceiling's back corners

Go over your final guidelines and clean it up!

a) You're done!


Is a parking method a good strategy to cross stitch a pattern with many single points?

For the pattern you posted, I would look at which stitches are rather close together, and 'hop' from island to island, taking a route so that the thread at the back doesn't form loops that are too large.
When there are single stitches or small groups that are further apart, I reason as follows: are the stitches/groups so far apart that it takes less thread to bind off and start again? If not, I make the thread go underneath one or two of some stitches in between (make sure it doesn't show at the front side, so don't push through completely), so the loops at the back side of your embroidery work are not that large.
If there are no stitches in between yet, you can always secure a large loop when you get there (with another colour).


Using an underpainting and painting a gradient on top of another, with gouache

Use acrylic paint as an underpainting. It can be safely used in combination with gouache. To retain as much as possible of the character of a gouache painting (the matte look and texture), I suggest diluting it nevertheless, which, in addition, will help keep an eventual underdrawing visible and improves adhesion (based on the discussion here, it otherwise seems best for adhesion to use a matte medium over the acrylics before continuing with the gouache, or to add gum arabic to your gouache). Please do some tests with this in advance, though: too much dilution will compromise the binding properties of the acrylic.
Shelf-life is not optimal, but better than casein and tempera, and you can cover your palette/dish/container with cellophane to effectively slow down the drying process whenever you take a break.
Acrylic is flexible even after drying, and can be safely used on paper, canvas, and panel.

Use tempera to create your underpainting. After drying, it will be insoluble. It is known for its durability. During the renaissance, even after losing its popularity, this was still regularly used as underpainting for oil paintings because of this characteristic.
On a layer of tempera it's easier to create gradients using gouache.
Egg tempera is also fairly easy to make, and it won't interfere with the appearance of the gouache that's applied on top of it.

Another way to keep your underdrawing intact when working on panel, and without having to resort to (organic) mediums, is by engraving or incising your linework. You can also indent lines on non-hardened gesso. You will be able to see the depressed lines even after several layers of thin paint, but of course they might remain
Of course, this technique is dependent on your artistic style.


Charcoal is organic matter (usually wood) that has been partially burned in a low-oxygen environment. To make it, you take wood, exclude air, and apply heat.
How to make charcoal with a fire and a metal container packed full of wood pieces
Supply list:

small pieces of wood (eg willow or charcoal)
a metal container with a lid and vent hole(s)
an outdoor fire pit or grill
fire tongs
firewood and kindling
an ignition method (matches, a lighter, flint & steel & tinder, a car battery, fire drill & block, etc.)
the skill to start a fire using your chosen ignition method
a fire extinguisher or several gallons of water (in case the fire gets out of control)

Instructions:

Get a closeable metal container with no flammable parts (eg, an Altoid mints tin or a paint can). The container should close securely, but it needs a vent hole to allow gases to escape during the charring process. Poke an air hole in the lid if it doesn't have one.
Fill the container with pieces of wood. Pack them tightly together to minimize air space.
Get a good fire going. Put the container on the fire and surround it with hot coals or add logs around it so it will be surrounded by burning wood.
Maintain the fire while you wait. The wood will release wood gas as it chars, and the wood gas will catch fire as it comes out of the vent hole. You'll see a flame coming out of the vent hole(s) as if it was a gas stove. When that flame goes out, it means the charcoal is no longer releasing wood gas, which means it's done.

A very small container may take half an hour or less.
A large container such as a 55 gallon steel drum may take 6 or more hours.

Use tongs to pull the container out of the fire and put it on a heatproof surface, well away from anything flammable. Let it sit until completely cool before opening the container. Don't open the container while it's still hot or your charcoal will catch fire. If this happens, carefully try to put the lid back on to smother the fire. If you can't, now you have another small fire inside a metal container. Just let it burn, but stand by with your fire extinguisher or buckets of water to make sure this fire doesn't spread.

An even simpler method to make charcoal is just to have a wood fire. After the fire burns down, there will be some sticks or chunks of wood that didn't burn completely. The partially burned ends of those sticks will have a layer of charcoal. The charcoal may be covered with a layer of white or gray ash, which can easily be brushed or scraped off. Make sure the coals are completely cool all the way through before removing them from the fire, or you may have an unexpected fire in your art supply bag.
Common types of wood used for drawing charcoal are grapevine and willow. You can find more information about which materials make the good drawing charcoal here: Is coconut shell good to produce charcoal for drawing?
If you want a more detailed tutorial, there are lots of youtube tutorials about how to make charcoal. Here are just a few using different types of containers: paint cans; primitive method using a dirt mount; homemade kiln made from a 55 gallon steel drum.


What paint to use for outdoor plastic chairs?

I have a plastic chair in my workshop. It is spattered with acrylic paint which is very hard to remove. I suggest you use good quality exterior grade acrylic paints. I have painted concrete ornaments with student grade acrylics and then sprayed them with automobile gel coat. It protects the paint and gives a shiny surface.


Basically what makes good sewing scissors is that they are nice and sharp, and will make a clean cut. So the simplest way to find out if your scissors are good for cutting fabric is to test them on some fabric. Take a scrap of fabric (not a large piece that you want to use for a project) and try to cut it. If you can cut a nice clean line in a single snip, then your scissors are good for cutting fabric. If you get frayed edges, or you have to open and close and kind of saw at the fabric, then your scissors are not good for cutting fabric.
Here's my take on the three pairs of scissors you have, but definitely the best test will be to try them out.

The first pair, with the brand name Farr on the side, is probably a pair of fabric scissors. Farr made a variety of good sharp scissors, including barber scissors and fabric scissors. So even if they're now dull, it might be worth having that pair professionally sharpened.

The second pair, the ones with no brand name and black handles, reminds me of scissors I used in school art classes. Instinctively I assume they won't be sharp, but it's possible that type of scissor can be good quality when new and well-maintained, and the ones we had in school were just really abused.

The last pair, also with no brand name, look like sewing scissors to me. They look a bit like a pair of Sears brand scissors I own, that are quite good quality. But mine have the brand name and country of origin embossed. The lack of brand name doesn't seem like a good sign in terms of quality. But the handle is well-worn, which might be an indicator that they were the original owner's favorite scissors, which is usually a good sign in a tool.

Once you have some nice, sharp scissors that do a good job at cutting fabric, don't use them to cut anything other than fabric, even (especially) paper. If you decide to have your scissors sharpened, make sure you take them to a reputable sharpener who knows how to do scissors; don't just ask your friend who likes to sharpen their own knives. If you do it wrong you can ruin a pair of scissors.

Pinking shears are a type of fabric scissor. Pinking shears have scalloped edges, so they leave a scalloped edge on the cut fabric, which reduces fraying. That's useful when you're cutting large pieces of fabric, or in particular types of fabric that are extremely prone to fraying. But you do have to make your seam allowances a bit larger to compensate. I've definitely seen sewing tutorials where they do everything with pinking shears, though. Your scissors are not pinking shears.


Which glue works for acrylic painted slate and mdf

You could use a 2 part epoxy. Like some "jb weld". They make different kinds that will stick to anything. Even some that will work underwater, others for metal, containing steel fibers. I doubt they wont have a product that will not solve your problom.


Is there a special glue to use to bond acrylic and metal together?

I would recommend a hot glue gun for gluing these very dissimilar materials. Hot glue gives you a bit of work time to get the pieces situated correctly, and it works phenomenally well for holding tight even if the two materials may not mate together perfectly.

Product Search: Hot Glue Gun

I have never built a snow globe from scratch, but I've repaired a few, and this is exactly what I used to re-afix a snow globe that came lose from its stand.


I am not a teacher, but I too am impressed with your willingness to commit.. Do not take this as permissive, but my belief is that your education begins with your interests and the rest can be garnered in college, where you can apply yourself.

If you intend to be an artist, then this is your launching pad.

Time is always a problem when stepping into a new endeavor.  Please consider using a grid and transferring the entire image, in pencil or chalk, onto your surface.

I suspect you can google all you'll need to know about using a grid for reproducing an image onto a wall, so I won't elaborate to much here.

Sketch your idea or use a commercial photo.
Then overlay clear velum, glass, plastic, or draw a grid pattern directly onto the sketch.
With a chalk snap line, make a larger grid on the wall.
Now, imagine each square on your sketch or photo being copied onto the corresponding chalk line square on the wall, then draw it.

This will save you an enormous amount of time in every step of the mural process.  Designing, transferring, and painting can all be done on your sketch, and preparation, the key to success, is covered.


My bachelor's degree was in Fine Arts, with a focus on wood block printing.

The technique I was taught involved marking the center line on the back of the leading edge of the paper. (The end that will feed into the press first.) On the press, lay out a registration paper that clearly marks the location of the block, a corresponding center line, and one or both leading corners. The block is inked and laid on the slab. Then, align the center lines and corner marks, with the other end held high. Slowly "roll" the paper flat onto the block while keeping the leading edge aligned. This minimizes inappropriate contact and ensures a flat lay on the block. The ink will loosely hold the paper in place.

Once the paper is laid, heavy felt blankets are usually laid over the entire thing. There is the chance for paper movement here, so again - a careful "rolling" action from the leading edge back is best. Make sure the weight of the blankets is centered over the block as you do this. These blankets then keep the paper in place while printing, as well as enhancing print quality and embossing.

Ensuring that your press is set to the appropriate height is very important too. Too much pressure will cause damage to the paper, or movement of the block and/or the paper. Once printed, the blankets and then paper are removed in a similar but opposite method.