Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Latin bases are building blocks that aid in understanding everything from SAT words to complex medical terms. They are puzzle pieces that you can combine with prefixes and suffixes to form a wide variety of vocabulary words. Rote memorization and flashcards are not the best ways to learn vocabulary, however. Dr. Kate Kinsella purports "repetition, integration and meaningful use" of vocabulary are the best aids for comprehension.
Decorating ceramic pots requires you to work on adding a little embellishment. Decorate ceramic pots with help from a crafts expert in this free video clip.
Identifying collectible stoneware pottery isn't really that difficult once you know what you need to be looking out for. Identify collectible stoneware pottery with help from the owner of an antique store in this free video clip.
Making clay pinch pot bowls doesn't necessarily have to require the use of a kiln. Find out the secret to making clay pinch pot bowls without a kiln with help from an experienced artist in this free video clip.
Making a vase in Photoshop is a great way to work with a few different elements of the program at once. Make a vase in Photoshop with help from a Photoshop and Adobe Suite professional in this free video clip.
Painting and decorating Terra cotta flower pots is a really great way to allow your creativity to run free. Plant and decorate Terra cotta flower pots with help from an experienced professional gardener in this free video clip.
Cleaning the ceramic plates on a straightener is something that you have to do in a very particular way for maximum effectiveness. Clean ceramic plates on a straightener with help from a hair professional with over two decades of experience in this free video clip.
Not all paints for ceramic plates are going to be equally safe for the material in question. Learn about safe paints for ceramic plates with help from a ceramic artist and instructor in this free video clip.
Modeling clay is a great tool to use for a variety of different projects - even making your own Liberty Bell. Make the Liberty Bell out of modeling clay with help from a ceramic artist and instructor in this free video clip.
When making Saturn out of clay, you're always going to want to keep a few important things in mind. Make Saturn out of clay with help from a ceramic artist and instructor in this free video clip.
Conditioning pottery clay is a very specific process that you're going to want to familiarize yourself with. Learn about the definition of conditioning pottery clay with help from a ceramic artist and instructor in this free video clip.
How long it takes to dry Mexican red clay pottery depends largely on a few key things. Find out about how long it takes to dry Mexican red clay pottery with help from a ceramic artist and instructor in this free video clip.
If you're going to be able to use a pottery wheel successfully, you'll need to know about its individual parts and what they do. Learn about the parts of a pottery wheel with help from a ceramic artist and instructor in this free video clip.
Are you tired of the cookie cutter shapes of the traditional pool? Then the curving shape of the free-form pool may be what you're looking for. Using a free-form design makes it possible to place a pool in oddly shaped areas where the standard rectangular pool would not fit. Its flowing lines makes it possible to create an oasis that blends seamlessly into your surrounding environment and looks more like a natural pond. You can create a free-form pool that's tiled and paved, just like standard pools. Another option, which is easier for the average do-it yourselfer, is to create…
Lumber that's not dried properly is prone to warping and shrinking. Particularly when used indoors -- where the air is kept dry for comfort -- insufficiently dried wood will continue to dry over a long period of time. As it dries it will shrink, causing a multitude of problems, depending on where the wood is installed and on its purpose. Improperly dried wood may also rot or degrade more easily, because the drying process kills infestations. Lumber may be dried in heated kilns, or in vacuum kilns. Many woodworkers find it more convenient to purchase pre-dried wood as needed, but…
Clay pottery must be fired to make it sturdy, durable and able to withstand exposure to moisture. Modern kilns function like high-powered ovens that cure the clay with relative ease. If you don't have a kiln but you do have some patience, it is possible to create a kiln in your fireplace using traditional firing methods that work with pottery up to 4 inches in height and width.
A .NET ASPX page is a server-side script that gives you the ability to process input entered by your website readers. If you have an ASPX processing page, you can use this page address in your JSP form pages. The JSP file contains the form the reader uses to input information. When you specify the ASPX page in the "action" property of the form, the JSP information is handled by the ASPX page.
Fire bricks can stand up to high temperatures, but can be very brittle. If you accidentally puncture or crack a brick in your Paragon kiln, you don't need to replace the kiln or have it repaired by a professional. Fixing your own firebricks is relatively simple and requires few to no special tools. For best results, use Paragon-branded kiln cement and keep the coating as thin as possible.
Making manure pots is a process that turns waste into paper, which can then be baked and molded into the appropriate shape. These pots are biodegradable and can be seamlessly integrated into any garden or home environment. The manure, which you can purchase from a local home and garden store, is often made from cow feces. Despite this standard, you can cultivate your own manure using the excrement of your own pets. While the process may be smelly, the finished product is equivalent to a typical paper pot.
Children will enjoy creating and then hoisting their own homemade chalice out of clay. A chalice is a footed goblet that often has a heavy, medieval appearance. A homemade clay chalice is a good accessory for a play and also makes a great prop for a child who enjoys role playing as a medieval character, such as a knight or a princess.
Lace is a decorative fabric often used in clothing, but it is also possible to use it as a tool when painting on ceramic surfaces. It is extremely hard to draw complicated repeating patterns without a template in pottery painting and lace can play this role. A variety of techniques using lace in this way include spray painting, brush painting and sgraffito.
Terra cotta pots filled with colorful flowers are often placed onto balconies or windowsills. One additional option is to hang up the terra cotta pots using durable wire hangers to enjoy them as hanging arrangements. Although wire pot hangers are found at any garden supply store, they are often costly. Save money by making your own wire terra cotta pot hangers using a few basic materials purchased inexpensively from any arts and crafts supply store.
Terracotta is made of fire-treated clay that is strong and durable. Terracotta is used around the world as a material for piping, roofing, cooking, dinnerware and even artwork. These pipes are typically used as drainage systems for roofs, or as underground sewage lines. When a section of terracotta pipe is broken or damaged, it can be replaced without reinstalling the entire system. The process of replacing the pipe requires some masonry skills and a few specialized tools.
Chinese Emperor Qinshihuang was buried with 8,000 Terra-Cotta Warriors in 221 to 207 B.C., according to Imperial Tours. These warriors were buried with the emperor to defend him in his journey in the afterlife. The warriors and horses found in the tomb are life-size and were placed in a pit measuring 755 feet long by 203 feet wide in an area 153,493 square feet, according to the Global Mountain Summit. You can make your own terra-cotta warrior using clay.
Having a stylish home is important to most people, but when your household is on a budget, buying decor isn't always possible. Making your own decor is a great way to save money. Decorate any room in your house with a homemade ceiling pot hanger. Customize the color and length of the pot hanger and use it to hold a beautiful flowering plant.
While both terra cotta and porcelain tiles are ceramic, they vary greatly in durability, finish and versatility. Both types of tile are made of shaped clay that is dried and baked, or fired in kilns. Terra cotta tiles are more brittle than porcelain, but the earthy, reddish-brown color is uniform throughout. Porcelain tile color is only on the surface, imparted by glazes and dyes, but the hard finish resists scratches better than terra cotta.
Dendrobium phalaenopsis is just one of 25,000 species of orchids. A hardy plant, it grows to mature heights of 1 to 3 feet, with a matching foliage spread. The brilliant flowers that the Dendrobium phalaenopsis produces are long-lasting and come in shades of purple, lilac, magenta and white, and they grow upon spiked stems. A real showstopper, this orchid can be potted or mounted.
Picking flowers, as well as weeds occasionally, is a favorite pastime of many preschoolers. They are always so eager to share the beauty of nature with everyone they encounter. Preschoolers can easily make their own vases to display their findings, using common art project materials and household items. Each child can decorate a vase in his own creative way. The finished pieces can be used as Mother’s Day gifts or teacher appreciation gifts.
Fimo clay is a soft, pliable clay that is easy to knead and bakes at a low temperature into a hard, durable object. Spend some time with your family, working together on a fun clay project making colorful dice. Create dice to replace pieces lost from a game. Or make specialized dice with pictures on the sides instead of numbers. Use one main color of clay, or mix several colors together to make more interesting-looking dice.
Originating centuries ago, clay tiles are still admired today because of their versatility, authenticity and beauty. Tile-making is a tedious process that involves many factors, all of which can impact the tiles’ performance and aesthetic appeal. The drying process for clay tiles is especially crucial and commonly presents the most challenge to tile makers. Improper drying methods often cause clay tiles to warp and curl around the edges, which makes them essentially useless. Fortunately, there are some basic techniques to prevent homemade clay tiles from warping.
Looking at some chimneys, you might notice a part extending above of the brick. That's the terra cotta flue -- the smokestack pipe or liner -- of the chimney. A terra cotta top plate, which is constructed of metal such as stainless steel, is fabricated to protect the terra cotta, and some of the brick, at the top of the chimney. Installing a terra cotta top plate is an investment in the longevity of the chimney's most-exposed parts.
Cupid, the Roman god of erotic love, makes a popular gift or representation of love on Valentine’s Day or a romantic occasion. Mythology reports this small, winged character shot arrows into the hearts of men, women, gods and demigods to make them fall in love. You can use clay to create your own representation of Cupid to give to your true love.
Sculpting realistic human heads out of clay dug from the earth is a time-honored artistic tradition. The art form reached a high point during the classic period of the pre-Columbian age. The ancient Peruvian Moche culture achieved a startling level of realism in their clay portrait heads more than 2,000 years ago. Sculpting realistic clay heads is still practiced by artists in the early 21st century, using the same basic techniques and materials.
Complement your tea cup with a handmade saucer made out of clay. Making pottery is one of the oldest human crafts. Experienced ceramicists often make saucers, which are essentially small plates, on the potter's wheel. But most home crafters do not have access to professional wheels and kilns, which are high-temperature clay ovens. A simple way to construct a symmetrical and well-formed saucer is to use slab construction, which is a hand-building technique of joining clay pieces together.
A backyard terra-cotta oven cooks anything you can fit in it -- from pizzas and loaf breads to chicken or suckling pig. Use hardwood or charcoal briquettes to infuse your food with a woody aroma, which provides character. Make your own homemade terra-cotta pizza oven when the weather is temperate, not rainy or humid, so the materials can cure safely.
Architectural terra cotta is a building material that was commonly used in the first quarter of the 20th century as designers looked for efficient ways to build new high-rise urban structures. Strong, durable terra-cotta blocks offered a lightweight, water-resistant, fireproof alternative to traditional bricks. The material became a favorite of innovative architects such as Louis Sullivan and Daniel Burnham.
A broken terra cotta or china dish may seem unfixable, but with the right tools and a little patience, you can achieve a nearly invisible repair. To fix a broken ceramic item properly, it is essential to start with clean pieces, to use an adhesive appropriate for porous ceramic materials, and to take the time to fit the pieces together properly and let them dry completely. You can even use acrylic paint to touch up your repaired item. Take the time to do the job right, and you may achieve a better result than you imagined.
American Olean creates tile in a variety of materials, including porcelain, glass, metal, stone and the earthenware Quarry line. Many of the Quarry tiles made by American Olean have a similar appearance to masonry blocks, such as brick and concrete, though some of the tiles do have solid-colored surfaces.
Terracotta is a type of clay shaped and fired to produce durable and porous items like pots and tiles. Terracotta wood-fired cooking ovens have been used for centuries in countries such as India, Pakistan and Iran. You can make a homemade terracotta oven in your backyard out of a few materials available at any home improvement store.
The face of a Beluga whale looks like a hard-hat worker with a smile on his face. Sculpting a Beluga whale out of polymer or modeling clay requires attention to a few distinctive features of the Beluga. The Beluga is white with a melon-shaped protrusion on top its head that makes it look like it is wearing a hard hat above its beak. Small, slightly curled-up side fins are located in the arm area, and the fluke, or tail, is deeply notched. Make a Beluga whale out of white clay, and use black paint for eyes.
Use of terra cotta roof tiles dates back to 10,000 B.C. in China. Today the roofing material is experiencing a resurgence in popularity due to its longevity and the fact that it can be made with recycled materials. The tiles are usually shaped like half barrels that are set to look like an "S" when installed. This type of roofing has to be installed on a roof with at least an 18-degree pitch to it. A flatter roof will not be able to sustain the weight of the tiles.
Display your jewels or other objet d'art with bezel-style settings made of polymer clay. Enjoy the mush of clay in your fingers as you soften it with your hands. Create bezels from extruded strings and rolled-out sheets of the softened clay. Work your imagination -- and get creatin' -- making bezels in any number of shapes and styles, as long as the bezel slightly overlaps and fits the edges of the convex shape of the object you are setting.
Decorative ceiling medallions dress up plain light bases or add visual interest to an expanse of empty ceiling. Manufactured medallions are expensive and available only in limited sizes and designs. Creating your own medallion gives you more control over the size and shape while also lowering the cost drastically. Homemade medallions require lightweight materials so they don't cause the drywall to sag, but they must appear solid enough to give the impression they were sculpted into the ceiling.
While drop-down floor installation isn't as common today as it was in the past, it is a tried-and-true method of putting down a ceramic tile or natural stone floor. This installation technique ensures that a floor will last for years. Just take a look at any ancient Roman ruin, and you will see the drop-down method in perfect display.
Ceramic teapots produce a tasty cup of tea, but there is a risk of an ammonia-like odor from both a glazed and unglazed ceramic pot. You can take cleaning precautions to reduce the risk of odor, so the water takes on the flavor of the tea and not an odor from the ceramic pot.
Terra cotta roof tiles are made of baked clay and have an orange-tan natural color. Manufacturers also create ceramic tiles with added colored enamel, baked in the oven at extremely high temperatures. The color melds to the clay and will not peel or face. Terra cotta tiles have been used for many centuries in Europe, and life expectancy ranges from 50 to 100 years or more. Prepare your roof first with new deck sheathing and 30-pound roofing felt before installing your terra cotta tiles.
No vampire costume is complete without a set of vampire fangs. However, if it’s not the Halloween season, finding a set of vampire fangs to wear with your costume might be quite difficult. Rather than spend time shopping, make your own vampire fangs out of polymer clay. This clay is easy to work with and can be baked so that it is hard and durable. Once you’ve made your vampire fangs, glue them onto a regular set of plastic teeth to turn them into a set of vampire teeth.
Horses are excellent subjects for projects with modeling clay. The animals' finely sculpted and well-defined muscles, along with their flowing manes and tails, are easily represented with malleable clay. There are many types of horses to represent in modeling clay, including graceful quarter horses, thoroughbreds, Arabians, mustangs and Tennessee walkers. Heavily muscled and burly work horses such as Morgans and Clydesdales make good subjects. There are many pretty breeds such as palominos, appaloosas, pintos, strawberry roans and paints to interpret in modeling clay, with its smooth working texture.
After a visit to the zoo or watching a television show about giraffes, children and adults can recreate the unusual animals in a craft project using clay. Polymer clays are well adapted to making a permanent giraffe with kids. Air-dry modeling clays are are also suitable for making the long-necked and distinctively patterned animals. After the project is completed, the giraffes can be used as toys or set on shelves or window sills as decorations.
A flywheel is the wheel that the potter kicks in order to move the pottery wheel. This part of the pottery wheel helps to create an even, circular movement for the wheel so the creations are symmetrical. You can create a flywheel with materials that you can buy from lumberyards and hardware supply stores.
