How To Make Learning Productive Through SQ3R Method

How To Make Learning Productive Through SQ3R Method Learning is a process which is governed by certain proven methods. Reading and writing are the starting point of learning any subject and they can be developed at their best through certain methods like SQ3R. This method talks about reading methods that take one in the road to success in understanding a text. Any student needs to read his text chapter wise and grasp the content given therein. But many fail in this attempt due to lack of knowledge about the way it should be done. SQ3R proves as the best method for effective reading and understanding of subject content. Want Online English Tutor For Easy English Exams by @TutorPace #englishhomeworkhelp http://t.co/YSFPWCHAL2 via @SlideShare â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) August 19, 2015 SQ3R is the abbreviation for Survey, Question, Reading, Reciting / Recalling and Reviewing. It was introduced by Francis Pleasant Robinson in his book ‘Effective Study’. It forms a progressive sequence of reading and yields beneficial learning effects for a student in the end. Let us see them in detail. Survey As the term indicates, surveying a book before reading is good for you to have a glimpse of its content. Read the headings, sub headings and titles of the chapters and come to a conclusion about the key points that are going to be discussed in the text. #OnlineEnglishTutor Makes You Excel In Language Skills http://t.co/VMZTWc1fVW â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) August 19, 2015 Question When you formulate questions about the titles and sub headings in chapters, you are in a position to ask for yourself what the text deals with. You can read the questions at the end of the chapters also to understand what the text tries to convey. By doing all these things, you come to an understanding of the crux of the text. You can have this practice for study guides or notes provided by your instructors as well. You can also write out the questions for your better understanding. Your questions are in a way your doubts about the topics in the text which you can clarify after reading the text. Why You Need To Focus On Your #English Skills For Success In Your #Career And Life http://t.co/V8h7sb0gn8 via @TutorPace â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) August 19, 2015 Reading Now you start reading the text chapter by chapter. A chapter for a day will serve the purpose of good and intense reading. If you cultivate the habit of underlining the important words, concepts and ideas while reading the chapter, it will help when you revise the chapter for tests. Reciting/Recalling Reciting or recalling is to bring to mind the ideas that are read by you. When you recall the topics read by you, you are able to ascertain how far you remember the points and ideas and whether you need to go back to the chapters for reading once more. It is in a way revising the ideas you have come through reading and getting back to the chapters if necessary. Your knowledge in the subject also gets strengthened through this method. Reviewing Review the material you have read by answering the questions you have already raised. Check whether you are able to answer or go back and pick out answers. Make flash cards and table of contents for the points you have learnt and review the learnt material with the use of these sources. Once you are not able to recollect any point, re-read and be thorough with the topic. Find out whether you have covered all the important points and have not missed anything. #OnlineEnglishTutor Few Suggestions To Choose The Best One http://t.co/gl5Pac4W82 â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) August 19, 2015 Conclusion Learning through proper reading methods is the most effective way to understand the concepts and make a thorough revision for the tests. SQ3R proves to be a beneficial method of learning through reading and is easy to follow. If you contact online English tutors, they teach you more strategies in reading and help you in a thorough grasp of the text and make you gain better scores there by.

Recording Your Singing

Recording Your Singing What Do You Need to Record Your Voice at Home? ChaptersThe Best Microphones for SingingSound Cards for Recording VocalsThe Best Headphones for SingingHow Much Does It Cost to Record Your Singing?“Singing is a way of escaping. It's another world. I'm no longer on earth.” - Edith PiafMusic is a popular activity among many of us and it includes everything from singing, playing instruments, or joining a choir. It'd be difficult to find anyone who doesn't listen to music in some form or another.With so many people listening to music, it’d be hardly surprising to hear that there are quite a few people interested in singing. If you’re using your voice as an instrument, you might be interested in recording it. While some prefer to learn with certain vocal exercises, others might like to learn with the help of a singing teacher.No matter how you’re learning, you still may need to record yourself.So how can you make a home studio? How can you record your vocalisations and vowel work without leaving the comfort of your own home?He re’s our mini guide to recording your singing with a home recording studio setup. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Best Microphones for SingingEvery singer will tell you, the microphone is essential! When it comes to recording your voice, your microphone is responsible for most of what you’ll get out of your recordings and how they’ll sound. If you want to record your voice, the first thing you'll need is a microphone. (Source: Pexels)Just like any other audio equipment, there are different categories according to your needs and budget. Here’s our non-exhaustive list of mics that’ll give you a good sound for practising singing.Shure SM58, a robust and ergonomic microphone that’s used by greats including Bjork and U2.Rode NT1A, a versatile microphone that’s great for beginners.AAKG D5, a clear, balanced, and powerful microphone.MXL 770, a popular microphone amongst rappers and great value-for-moneyShure SM7B, the microphone that Michael Jackson used, which gives the voice a natural sound.Sennheiser MD421, a dynamic microphone with good resistance to the Larsen effect.AKG C214, a microphone that’s well suited to singing.Rode NTK, an all-rounder at a good price.Neumann TLM 102, a dynamic microphone with a good cardioid directivity.Amongst the best microphones for singing, you’ll see that these will capture your voice well and are great for recording. Then it’s up to you to work on your breathing, vocal techniques, and do your best to improve your singing.A good microphone won’t do all the work, you’ll still need to put the effort in yourself.Sound Cards for Recording VocalsOf all the choices you have to make when opting to record your voice, choosing a sound card is an important step as it’ll improve the finished product. A sound card is used to convert analogue audio signals into digital signals. (Source: Bru-nO)You can also get external sound cards, allowing to you treat the audio at input or output. It’ll manage the analogue signal (in this case, your voice) and convert it into a digital signal which is exactly what you want when recording your voice at home.Many people are opting for external sound cards when recording their singing. There are two types of connections you can choose from:USB or USB 3.0 for PC or Mac.FireWire, a faster connection but less commonly found on computers.To be able to record your voice, you’ll need the right ports on your computer or sound card. Usually, you’ll need one or several XLR ports.Generally, you’ll just need one if you’re only recording your singing, but you will need several if you plan to also record instruments. Luckily, most sound cards will come with several.You’ll also need converters. The AD/DA (Analog to Digital/Digital to Analog) converter is the main part of a sound card. However, this is what allows you to take an analogue signal (your voice) and convert it into a digital signal. You'll need an audio interface and some recording software (commonly known as a digital audio workstation) to create a digital recording of your voice.You need good audio quality so you can hear the best and worst parts of your voice when practising. When it comes to sound cards, some of the best include:Behringer UMC22 U-PhoriaNative Instruments Komplete Audio 6Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (2nd Generation)Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi HDFocusrite Scarlett 2i2PreSonus Audio iTwoAnd many others...What better way to listen to yourself singing?The Best Headphones for SingingTo listen to your singing in real-time, you’ll need to hear your vocal technique. This is why headsets or headphones are important when recording yourself. Furthermore, you won’t have the same equipment as a professional studio. A good set of headphones will allow you to hear your singing. (Source: cegoh)You must choose a headset with good sound quality. Additionally, you also need something ergonomic and comfortable and practical. With that in mind, here’s a list of decent headsets or headphones:Beats Solo3: a good set of headphones that optimises the acoustics with padded cushions and high build quality.Denon AH-GC30: great headphones for singers, great value-for-money, and good noise-reduction.Sennheiser Momentum: good headphones with great shape and feel.JBL Everest 710: comfortable folding headphones with a great range.Nura Nuraphone: powerful headphones, low distortion, and some great functionality.Bose QuietComfort 35 II and QuietComfort 35: robust headphones with a vocal assistant built into the second model.Sony WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM2: Quick charging headphones with 28 hours of battery life and great noise reduction.Marshall Mid A.N.C: the perfect headphones for singing thanks to its noise-redu ction, balanced sound, clarity, and control.If you’re getting all this equipment, you can expect to pay for it.So how much will this all cost you?How Much Does It Cost to Record Your Singing?If you’re going to record yourself to improve your singing, you’re going to have to pay for it. You can get a basic home recording studio for quite cheap. (Source: Pexels)You’ll have to start by buying your microphone first.You need to know that a good quality microphone can cost you a few hundred pounds. Of course, you need to weigh up the cost against how much you’ll use it.If you’re regularly going to use your microphone to record yourself practising, you’ll need to set aside £200 to get started.A recording program can cost a pretty penny whereas as others such as Audacity are completely free. For a home studio, some like to record with something like a Zoom. You can pay around £300 for some recorders. The more outputs, the more you pay.In terms of sound cards, you can pay around £200 for a decent one. Of course, this is just an average price so you can get stuff for more and less.Accessories can also end up costing you more than you’d think. For example, you can pay around £10 for a pop filter, £30 for a mic stand, and between £150 and £200 for a good set o f headphones.If you want to record a singing voice, you’ll need the right equipment, which won’t be the same as it would be for a speaking voice. Your home studio will be designed with you in mind.You need to choose what works for you and your budget.If you need more help with your singing, consider getting in touch with one of the many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof. There are three main types of singing tutorial available and each has its pros and cons so have a look at what's on offer and see what will work best for you, your learning style, and your budget.Face-to-face tutorials are between just you and your tutor. Since you're the only student, the tutorials will be planned around you, what you want to learn, and how you like to learn. Of course, this bespoke service comes at a price and face-to-face tutorials tend to be the most costly per hour of tuition. That said, they're also the most cost-effective since every minute in a tutorial is spent teaching you h ow to sing.Online tutorials are similar to face-to-face tutorials in that they're between a single tutor and a single student. However, thanks to the marvels of modern technology, you can be taught over the internet thanks to video conferencing software. However, since your tutor won't have to travel to you and can schedule more lessons each week, they can also charge more competitive rates.Group tutorials tend to be the cheapest per hour because the tutor's time is being paid for by everyone in the class. Unlike the other two types of tutorials, the tutor won't be able to offer bespoke tuition as they have several students to keep happy. However, if you and a few friends all want to learn how to sing, you can share the cost of private tutorials between yourselves in group tutorials.

5 Ways to Master High School Physics

5 Ways to Master High School Physics Oftentimes, when the three main science courses that students take in high school Biology, Chemistry, and Physics are ranked in order of favorite to least favorite, Physics winds up at the bottom of the list. There are a plethora of reasons for this, but one of the big ones is that many students find Physics very difficult to grasp. Struggles in a class can easily lead to negative feelings toward it, so it is not difficult to see why many students try to steer clear if they can. Despite its notoriety, Physics can actually be an enjoyable and useful class with tons of real-world applications (from improving your golf swing to launching a rocket), and you can get through it relatively painlessly by following these simple tips. 1. Familiarize yourself with key math lessons first Physics can be taught as both Algebra-based and Calculus-based. No matter which type of Physics you are taking, it is crucial to ensure you have a thorough understanding of the mathematics concepts associated with it. Here are 5 tips for taking better math notesthat may help you. Since Physics is essentially the application of mathematical principles to model the world around you, you will need a solid grasp of Algebra and/or Calculus in order to better comprehend the theoretical math and calculations that pop up in Physics problems. 2. Understand concepts before class There are two parts to Physics: understanding the concepts and applying the concepts to actually solve a problem mathematically. Try to get a conceptual understanding before class, and worry about the math that comes with it once lecture begins. Try to reason your way through the ideas presented in the text. Understand what terms mean, how they relate to each other, and what units are attached to them. Knowing your terms thoroughly will be extremely useful when it comes to actually solving problems, as oftentimes you must substitute formulas into each other to come up with a workable function that includes all the terms you are given. If there are worked examples in the text, look at them, identify all the terms and steps taken to solve, and then rework the examples yourself. This will be the first step in learning to master the problem-solving part of Physics. If you are confused on concepts, terms, or worked examples, make a note and ask in class. 3. Pay attention in class No matter what class you are taking, this tip is crucial to success. The whole point of being in class is to learn something, so pay attention while you are there! Since you have read the material beforehand, you will have a basic understanding of the concepts and will be able to focus on the application to problems during lecture. Normally your teacher will work some example problems, and if you understand the concepts you should be able to follow along. Take good notes, and when you are confused, ask a question! Here are 3 note-taking formats every student should try.The better you can understand concepts and how to solve problems by the time class ends, the easier you will have it when it comes to doing the homework on your own. 4. Work through a variety of problems Just like Calculus, correctly working as many Physics problems as you can will put you on the path to success. Practicing your problem-solving skills repeatedly will help you get the hang of the process that you must go through in order to solve problems in Physics. The more types of problems you see and know how to answer, the more you will hone your problem-solving skills. Here are 4 ways to improve your problem-solving skillsthat you may find useful. 5. Remember the details Even if you are working the same general type of problem, the details may be different. Are you solving for initial or final velocity? Are your units in cm, m, or km or do you have to convert from inches? Making sure that you identify all necessary terms, know what term you are going to find from solving the problem, and use correct and compatible units when solving will help you greatly!

Discover the Incredible Links Between Art And Biology

Discover the Incredible Links Between Art And Biology Examples Of Art In Biology Tuition ChaptersLife Drawing â€" The Human FigureHuman Anatomy ArtAbstract Art And The Human FormBiological PhotographyBioArt - Taking Art To The ExtremesA Quest To Find The Perfect Body?Horticultural ArtAlthough it may not have crossed your mind before to find a link between Art and Biology, the two actually share many connotations with one another. Classically, Art has been the study of humans and other organisms, with a strong focus on highlighting the intricacies of nature.Of course, illustrations and images are required for your academic textbooks, in order to teach you about scientific concepts, but Biology has a much bigger connection to the world of Art than just that.Keep reading to find out how Science and Art combine to celebrate biological processes and phenomenon. If you don't already, this will teach those art lovers among you to love Biology too! MahimaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!D iscover all our tutors AlishaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaifBiology Teacher 5.00 (9) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FrankBiology Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HeavenliBiology Teacher £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SiobhanBiology Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MackenzieBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsLife Drawing â€" The Human FigureThe human form has been the subject of many paintings over time,  but while photographs of nude bodies are still somewhat controversial in today's society, historically there was no shame in nudity in art.Figure drawing has been around for many centuries and describes the sketching of the human figure, male or female, in various shapes and postures. Purely observational, artists following this particular style of art have limited freedom to express themselves because they are using a liv ing and breathing person standing before them to compose their works of art.Even in prehistoric times, society was concerned with anatomy and drawings suggest an already sophisticated view of the human form. In the late 1700s, the ability to master drawing was seen as a prerequisite for artists and so many had to spend hours in the drawing room practicing their craft.Take your A level biology courses on Superprof.Life drawing is the process of studying the natural human form using art media. Photo credit: San Sharma via Visualhunt / CC BY-SATo this day, art students continue to draw models, often in a circle or semi-circle so that no one has the same perspective.Contemporary artists might choose to exaggerate or distort aspects of the model’s appearance to bring something extra to their art piece, balancing composition with style. Those  who do life drawing are encouraged to learn how to draw figures of all types, thus opening up their eyes to the fact that all body shapes are dif ferent.Discover some A level biology distance learning courses here.Human Anatomy ArtWhile life or figure drawing is quite matter of fact in its execution and is very much about putting down on paper what you see on the surface, some artists are more interested in what lies beneath.So many of us go through our lives without really knowing much about the intricacies of our bodies, like our anatomy and the processes our organs go through to keep us alive every second of every day. (Not to mention all of the emotional states that our mind and body experience over our lifetime.)Figure artists, however, draw humans in a very realistic style, displaying an understanding of the structure of the human body, including muscles, bones and organs. One of the best examples of this is Michelangelo's series of studies of nude men.Like these artists who study the human body in an attempt to recreate it on paper, once you begin studying the finer details of our bodily parts then your eyes will be op ened to the sophistication of our figures. Having appreciated what our bodies can do, and how well they do it, you will never look at them in the same way!Rembrandt famously painted a series of paintings focused on surgeons  which, although less detailed than Michelangelo's sketches, brought about interest in human anatomy.With less information and knowledge of what was beneath the layers of our skin back then, the fascination with autopsies and dissection was of course quite astounding. People were naturally curious about corpses and the artist’s motif was to reflect on these lessons in anatomy.Abstract Art And The Human FormThe Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso, was a very important figure in Art during the 20th century, and had a very particular style when it came to expressing the human body.Not one to follow trends, the innovative artist rearranged the traditional outlook of the male and female bodies into an abstract form. He completely abandoned known form and brought to the su rface the question of what is real and what is illusion, playing with feelings and emotions too.This approach has even more relevance today, with so much emphasis on looks and the idea of what is beautiful. If Picasso were still alive and painting today, we wonder how we would have depicted the falseness of cosmetic surgery or the startling transformations that come  from modern methods of applying make up or using controversial hair dyes? MahimaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyBiology Teacher 5.00 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlishaBiology Teacher 5.00 (10) £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaifBiology Teacher 5.00 (9) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FrankBiology Teacher 5.00 (8) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HeavenliBiology Teacher £9/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SiobhanBiology Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MackenzieBiology Teacher 5.0 0 (2) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsBiological PhotographyAlthough not exactly considered a popular form of art, photography has a very important place in the world of Biology, and particularly in the area of crime investigation.On crime scenes, photographs are taken as a visual representation of how the scene was left, including any relevant objects or, in the case of massacres, corpses. In the case of fatal attacks or robberies, a crime scene investigator will arrange for photographs of the deceased to be taken. If you have watched CSI: Miami or Silent a Witness, you will be very familiar with this process.Photography plays an important role in crime scenes. Photo credit: Colin Remas Brown via Visualhunt.com / CC BYWhile most photographs are kept guarded in police files, some chilling photos are released to the public, including some macabre photos showing New York crime scenes in the 1910s which have been printed as part of a book called Murder in the City, by Wil fried Kaute.Although the pictures were not intended for the public, they have been collated and serve a purpose to show what crime looked like in the Big Apple during this decade (where homicide rates were extremely high).BioArt - Taking Art To The ExtremesBioArt, is a relatively new art practice whereby artists and scientists are creating pieces (mainly in the lab but also in studios and galleries) made from live tissues, bacteria and other living organisms. Pioneers of this branch of art are determined to transform the science into works of art by using their bodies and other living things and by adopting the help of engineers and scientists.Orlan, for example, is an artist who uses cosmetic surgery procedures to change her appearance to resemble famous images of women in art, using the procedure as part of the performance.Her aim is to focus on the power of technology to transform our physical appearance.  Orlan’s work also pushes boundaries in terms of human health with her nu merous experiments with going under the knife. That sure is dedication to one’s craft!A Quest To Find The Perfect Body?Having considered all of the above examples, can we conclude that Biology’s place in art is centred around finding the perfect body?While many people in society share roughly the same ideology concerning feminine and masculine beauty (hence why the same actors and singers are voted as the ‘sexiest’ or ‘best looking’ in magazine and television polls) it would seem that this belief of what is attractive and what isn’t is very much influenced by the times.Just to prove that this is the case, you are unlikely to look at a painting from the 1700s, of a then very beautiful women or a strappingly handsome man, and to think that they are good-looking. This is because, as with most things, tastes change and external factors play a big part. What  on earth might those from the 18th century have had to say about Kim Kardashian’s famous pear-shaped body, or Arno ld Schwarzenegger’s bulging biceps?The answer to the aforementioned question is therefore an astounding no. We can safely say, however, that Biology’s place in Art is to embrace the human body including all of our unique traits or imperfections, while also celebrating how strong and powerful our bodies are as well as referencing all that they are capable of doing.Horticultural ArtMoving away from the controversies of the human body, however, plant matter has equally been the focus of many artists’ attention over the years.Perhaps it is their ability to reproduce, just like humans, that draws us to flowers, or maybe it is simply because they look so nice.Anatomical images of flowers are very popular among homeowners, with many prints and drawings being available to purchase online and in art or poster shops, but the subject is also very closely linked to your biological studies.Horticultural drawings are commercially very popular but they also serve a purpose to the scientific community. Photo credit: Swallowtail Garden Seeds via VisualHunt.com / CC BYDuring your Biology GCSE course, you will be required to learn about plant reproduction, including the male and female sex cells and the process called pollination.The flower is the reproductive organ of many plants and is therefore a hugely important piece of nature, as well as being a pleasant thing to look at.There is such a thing as Scientific Botanical Art, which describes the ability to draw plants to scientific standards, i.e. using observation to create detailed illustrations of plants and their make-up.This is a very important branch of art as it vital to helping scientists within the botanical field to recognise and distinguish species from one another, while documenting this information in the formal classification of plants.Biology affects our everyday lives.In order to lean more about the sensational breakthroughs within this field, click here.Alternatively, you can read our blog on some of the vocabulary that you will need as a Biology student.Moreover, you can discover more about how the subject has evolved over the years by visiting this blog.Find biology tutors.

An Introduction to Oil Painting

An Introduction to Oil Painting All a Beginner Needs to Know about Oil Painting ChaptersOil Painting for BeginnersBeginner Techniques in Oil Painting â€" and Some More Advanced OnesHandy Tutorials and Resources to Improve Your Oil PaintingWe’re guessing you’re here because you want to stand alongside some of history’s geniuses of oil painting. You want to be rubbing shoulders with Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Da Vinci, in the pantheon of the greatest oil painters of all time.Or maybe not; maybe your oil painting ambitions are a little more modest. Maybe you just fancy splattering that canvas with something beautiful, being able to wield a paint brush, or creating an oil painting of which you can be proud.Whilst the first may be a little challenging â€" although not to say impossible â€" the latter is within everyone’s grasp. And we’re here to help you get there.That’s why we’ve prepared this beginner’s guide to how to paint with oil. And although it is one of the more difficult painting mediums to master, its effects â€" its bold, vivid colo urs, its beautifully textured quality, and its glossy vibrant finish â€" make it one of the most rewarding media in which to work.So, let’s have a look at some of the things that you will need to have to start painting â€" and some of the things that you will need to know. There’s a fair few of them. However, with practice, you’ll be as good a painter as you want to be.Let’s take a look. FernandoPainting Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EmmaPainting Teacher 5.00 (5) £75/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidPainting Teacher 4.75 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPainting Teacher 5.00 (7) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors StefaniaPainting Teacher 5.00 (4) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SakinaPainting Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorrenPainting Teacher 5.00 (2) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Off2themoonholliePainting Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsOil Painting for BeginnersSo, what do you need to know before you get cracking with your oil painting? That’s what we’re going to be answering here.However, the answer depends on what exactly you want to be doing. Obviously, everyone has a few things in common. Yet, the amount of detail and the types of techniques you’ll want to learn depend on the sort of painter you want to be and the level of seriousness you’ll want to put into learning to paint.Here, we’re going to be looking at the very basics, for those who are totally new to painting on canvas. Because that is always the best place to start. Oil painting is fun!What is Oil Painting?To begin with, then, what is oil painting?Oil paint is a particular type of painting medium that is known for its viscosity, its slow drying time, and its use by some of the most important painters in history.It’s made â€" as you can probably expect â€" from oil. From vegetable oils, primarily â€" including linseed oil, walnut oil, or the oil from poppy seeds. Oil is a great medium in which to suspend colour pigments because it has a very high saturation, meaning that oil paints can hold a lot of the colour, so they become incredibly bold on the canvas.In comparison, watercolour â€" in which pigments are suspended in water â€" does not produce such vividness of colour.The other characteristic thing about oil paint is that it is very slow drying, to the extent that some colours don’t dry fully even after months. This means that artists can retouch and correct their works after much time has passed.In comparison to acrylic paint, say, which is incredibly fast drying, this feature of oil painting makes it ideal for beginners who shouldn’t need to rush.Some Key Tools You’ll NeedTo excel in oil painting â€" or, indeed, to get anywhere at all with it â€" you are going to need a certain number of practical tools with which to work.You can imagine what most of these will be.Paint brushes are a pretty good place to start. But note the plural: you’ll probably need more than one of different sizes before you can get going. Flat brushes are good for larger scale paint application, whilst round brushes are good for detail.Meanwhile, canvases â€" primed and sized â€" are going to be necessary too, as well as a colour palette in which you can mix your colours. The mixability of oil paints is one of the perks of the medium â€" so don’t neglect it.Otherwise, something to clean your brush â€" and water won’t do. You need a white spirit of some kind. We’ve moved past the days of turpentine, however, so try an artist’s whi te spirit. Any art shop will sell it.Find out more about starting out in oil painting!Beginner Techniques in Oil Painting â€" and Some More Advanced OnesOnce you have rushed out and bought all those things that you’ll need, it’s good to think about what techniques, skills, and knowledge you are going to need to make some progress in your painting.Here’s where it all gets pretty serious, because if you don’t nail some of the fundamental aspects of this, your painting might not last as a painting for too long. The canvas can rot, your paint can flake or fade, and the whole thing can crack if you do the wrong thing.But enough of the scary stuff. Really, it is very difficult for it all to go that wrong. Just do as we suggest and it will all go swimmingly. Start on your journey of oil paintingPreparatory Techniques in Oil PaintingSo, what do you need to know before you start painting? There are three things really:How to prime a canvas or surface;How to thin your paint; andThe laws of paint application.You can see the details of all this in our article on oil painting techniques for beginners, but let’s run through some of the basics here.In regards to the first point, if you paint in oil on a surface that has not been primed â€" such as an unprimed canvas â€" you are going to be exposing the threads of cotton or linen in the canvas to the oil. This will make the fibres in the canvas rot â€" and your paint will begin to flake off.Secondly, you know that you are going to clean your brush with white spirit â€" because water and oil don’t mix. However, these spirits are also essential for thinning your paint too.Why would you want to do that? Sometimes you don’t want your oil paint to be as thick as when it comes out of the tube (su ch as when you are doing underpainting). As such, you can add spirits â€" and oil too â€" to your paints to make them less thick.Finally, there are two primary laws of oil painting: fat over lean and thick over thin. In both cases, you want the fast drying paint to be applied first. Thick paint â€" and ‘fat’ paint, that paint that is oilier â€" needs to be applied later. As the thicker and fatter paints dry slower, thin paint on top will just crack.Use Different Oil Painting Techniques to Achieve Different EffectsMore advanced techniques come in truckloads â€" and the different techniques you’ll want to learn will depend on the styles in which you want to paint.If you are interested in traditional landscape painting, you might want to try your hand at blending â€" the technique in which you mix together the boundaries of adjacent colours on your canvas. The effect smoothens the whole scene.If you are more a Van Gogh fan, you’ll want to consider wet on wet painting (or alla p rima, as it is known), or impasto.Handy Tutorials and Resources to Improve Your Oil PaintingFinally, if you are looking for guidance or inspiration in your oil painting, there are plenty of places in which to look.From the newer forms of entertainment and instruction â€" such as podcasts and video tutorials â€" to blogs, books, and the original paintings of famous artists themselves. All of this can provide inspiration and motivation in your own work.Oil Painting Podcasts and VideosPodcasts and online videos are some of the most popular places for people to get their information these days. And this doesn’t exclude the world of art either.In terms of oil painting tutorials via video, the best place to look is of course YouTube, where painters such as Florent Farges and Lena Danya give live demonstrations of their work.If you want to just learn about the history of oil painting, or about ideas around the creative process, check out the podcasts of Tate Museums. They cover just abou t everything, with a quality that you would expect.Learn more about resources and tutorials to help with your oil painting!Find Inspiration from the History of ArtHowever, there is no better place to look for inspiration and guidance than in the history of art itself. From Da Vinci and Rembrandt to Van Gogh and Wassily Kandinsky, history is full of oil paint artists â€" who are probably the reason that you wanted to paint in the first place! Those paint brushes won't stay clean for long...

Should you take the SAT or ACT in 2014

Should you take the SAT or ACT in 2014 One of the most common questions we get here at AJ Tutoring is whether a student should take the ACT in addition to (or instead of) the SAT. Read on for more information to help you make the decision!How do the SAT and ACT differ?ACT questions are generally more straightforwardThe ACT has a science section, which the SAT does not haveThe SAT tests more vocabularyMath on the SAT only includes algebra and geometry, while math on the ACT includes more advanced trigonometryThe SAT is split up into more sectionsThe ACT is a faster-paced testSo, which test should my student take? Its difficult to predict which test is a better fit until students actually take the tests and compare their scores.  Subjectively, most students prefer the ACT because it feels like an easier test.   However, after the scores are scaled, most students get similar scores on both tests.  Some students, though, perform much better on one test and since colleges accept both tests for admission, we always recommend trying both the SAT and ACT!How can my student take a practice ACT test? AJ Tutoring offers free proctored practice tests for current students most Saturday mornings at our Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Jose offices.  Students are welcome to take a practice ACT, which we will score and compare to prior PSAT and SAT scores.   If its clear that the students score is much higher on one test than the other, its an easy decision thats the test we should focus on in the spring.  However, if the scores are similar, we recommend preparing for both tests.How do we prepare for the ACT? Because so much of the content on the tests is similar, AJ Tutoring offers a shorter ACT hybrid program for students who have already completed a full SAT preparation with us.  The ACT hybrid program, which is typically four sessions, focuses on strategies and timing unique to the ACT.   If your student is only planning on taking the ACT, we also offer a comprehensive 8-9 session preparation for the ACT a lone.To find ACT test dates for 2014 and to register for the ACT, please go to  the ACTs website.If you would like to register your student for a practice ACT  or would like to speak to a director about ACT tutoring in more detail, please give us a call at (650) 331-3251 or email us at info@ajtutoring.com.  Were looking forward to speaking with you!

The Tutorfair Foundation Celebrates 1,000 Volunteer Placements

The Tutorfair Foundation Celebrates 1,000 Volunteer Placements On Wednesday 30th October 2019, The Tutorfair Foundation placed its 1,000th volunteer. This is a huge milestone for a small organisation and a testament to the power and appeal of volunteer-led solutions in education. At the Foundation, we spend most of our time thinking at the scale of one project at a time, asking what can a handful of volunteers do for these students or this school? At this landmark moment in our journey, we want to step back and ask a bigger question: what have we done with our first 1,000 volunteers? We asked the Foundation’s Director, Joss Serraillier, to give us his thoughts. Why do so many tutors volunteer? The effectiveness of one-to-one and small group tuition is beyond question. Every year, schools across the UK spend hundreds of millions on individualised support for their students, and in the private sector the market is booming. In London, as many as 40% of students have had a private tutor supplement their education. Every educator in the country can tell you the problem this raises for a society in which a child’s academic success is still so closely linked to their parents’ income.   In setting up programmes and recruiting volunteers, we have to answer a lot of questions. We’re asked about the practicalities and logistics of the placement; travel arrangements and timetables. We’re asked about age groups, class sizes and how to work with teachers. But we’re never asked why. Why do you do this? Why should I help? It’s plain that tutors understand implicitly both the value that they can add to the lives of students from less advantaged backgrounds and the rewards that they’ll get in return. And, therefore, they understand the Foundation’s mission. Our opportunities remove the barriers between tutors and the students who need them the most â€" and that’s enough to turn the wheel. We receive volunteer applications every single day from tutors from a wide variety of backgrounds â€" all with a drive to learn, to grow, and to do what they can to help. Where did it all begin? The first tutor to volunteer for the Foundation was one of Tutorfair’s founders - Mark Maclaine. A market-transcending tutor with more than 20,000 hours experience, Mark volunteered with students at Central Foundation Boy’s School as part of a collaboration with The Access Project.  He recalls that the most important outcome from the sessions was not in topics covered or questions answered, but in the shifting attitude he saw from his tutee towards their teachers. Seven years later came number 1,000 â€" Janet. An astronomy Ph.D and butterfly enthusiast, Janet tutors A-Level physics at Oaklands School in East London. Already travelling up to London each week to tutor, Janet discovered the Foundation looking online for opportunities to tutor on a voluntary basis. You can read her thoughts on the rewards of volunteering here.   Who have we helped? At the end of October 2019, Tutorfair volunteers have provided free tutoring to 9,419 students across many projects and partnerships. The projects are selected on the basis of students’ need. Any school in which more than 50% of the student population qualifies for Pupil Premium Grant is eligible for support from the Foundation, but not all projects have been school-based. The Foundation also supports extra-curricular projects in areas of high deprivation and worked with students struggling with mental or physical ill-health, bullying or displacement. What do we want to do next? The Foundation is currently running a number of volunteer projects across London and Birmingham. If you would like to volunteer you can sign up here  to find out more. We hope to reach our next milestone â€" 10,000 students helped â€" before the end of 2019/20 academic year. Nesta’s pilot of Tutorfair On-Demand has come to an end and we are seeking grant funding to continue to improve and expand the service. If you would like to support our fundraising efforts in any way, contact the team at foundation@tutorfair.com. To help us reach our next 1,000 tutors we want to step up our in-school programme in the New Year. We’re always on the lookout for fresh partnerships; for organisations who share our ethos and our aims and would either like to fund or to benefit from the work that we do at the Foundation. If you or your organisation would like to be involved with the work that we do, you can reach out to me directly at joss@tutorfair.com.

Is It Worth It Pros and Cons of Ordering Food Delivery

Is It Worth It Pros and Cons of Ordering Food Delivery via Unsplash The Pros: Convenience You can’t deny that ordering food delivery is one of the most convenient services we have in present day. With just a few clicks on a keyboard or swipes on your phone, you can have a delicious hot meal delivered right to your door in under an hour. Ordering food is great for the busy college student who may not have time to prepare a fully home-cooked meal. You don’t want to have to worry about when you’re going to eat next or if you’ll have time to cook it. Ordering food ensures that you won’t go hungry and will enjoy what you eat. Saves Time In just under an hour, depending on where you live and who is delivering, you can receive a full hot meal right to your doorstep. You don’t have to worry about going out to the grocery store and buying all of the ingredients to your favorite meal. You don’t want to spend time at home preparing and cooking those ingredients. Instead, you can just call up your favorite restaurant and have it delivered. A busy and dedicated college student doesn’t have time to waste spending an hour cooking and cleaning up their lunch and dinner every single day. There is nothing better than crossing things off of your to-do list while waiting for your food. You have much better things to do! No Mess When ordering food, the restaurant will usually provide you with plastic utensils, napkins, and any condiments you may need. They also make their packaging so that you can eat your meal right from it. What does this mean for you? No mess! Ordering food means you save time preparing your meal and cleaning up from it. All you have to do is throw it out. That means you have more time to spend with friends or studying for your next exam. Choices are Endless Ordering food means that you have endless choices of what kind of food you can eat. This is especially true if you live in a city known for its food options. No matter what you’re craving, you can most likely have it delivered to you. It also gives you a chance to try foods from different cultures. When cooking at home, we tend to stick to what we know because we don’t want to make a mistake or put any effort into cooking a new dish. When ordering food, you just have to take a chance and order a dish you’ve been meaning to try. It’ll open your mind and tastebuds! Great Food How many times have you tried to cook for yourself and it turns out bland or burnt? You are left hungry, frustrated, and probably thinking about ordering food for the night anyway. Ordering food is great for those of you who don’t know the first thing about cooking. Sure, you can live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, scrambled eggs, and pasta, but it sure gets boring after a while. Ordering food means that you’ll be sure to have a tasty meal that won’t be burnt so you won’t go hungry. Coupons Some restaurants offer rewards for ordering from them a certain number of times or coupons to their most loyal customers. You don’t want to always pay full price, so use coupons to optimize your food delivery. This will save you some money while ordering your favorite food. Online Ordering The beauty of today’s technology is that everything is done online. Long gone are the days of calling a busy restaurant, ordering your food, and hoping that they heard you correctly. When ordering food online you decrease the chances of the restaurant messing up your order. Mobile apps such as GrubHub and Eat24 make ordering food that much easier. GrubHub will even text you updates on the status of your order! Not only does it decrease miscommunication, but you can view a restaurants full menu. You may find something that you never thought the restaurant offered with different options and substitutions with their online menu. The Cons: Can Get Expensive It’s undeniable that eating at home is much less expensive than ordering food or eating out. When you eat at home you don’t have to pay for the Infographic by Brittany Loeffler labor that it takes to make your meal, sales taxes, or tips. Instead, you just have to pay for the food that you are going to eat, which is ultimately very inexpensive. On average, an American will spend $45 every two weeks ordering food. Just think of how much money you could save if you stopped ordering food and cooked at home for three months. Delivery Minimum and Other Charges Many restaurants have delivery minimums when customers are ordering food. This is to ensure that sending their delivery driver is worth it for them financially. So, when you plan on ordering a burger that is $7 but the delivery minimum is $10, what do you do? You’ll probably add another food item. The chances of finding an item for $3 are slim so you will end up paying more than $10 to have your food delivered. On top of the delivery minimum when ordering food, there are additional fees such as sales tax, delivery fee, and the tip. When ordering prepared food, a sales tax is added on. When buying unprepared food at a grocery store or farmers market, sales tax is not added. It may be a small percentage, but it definitely adds up when ordering food multiple times a week. Sometimes you can spend an extra $10 just on these additional fees! Consuming More Calories Food prepared at restaurants are packed with calories. The most common foods people buy when ordering food are fried and full of fat. Pizza, French fries, burgers, wings, and Chinese food are among some of the most common foods people order. These fried foods can sometimes contain a day’s worth of calories! Surprisingly, even food that you may assume is healthy, such as a salad or wrap, may also be packed with hundreds of calories. A Caesar salad from a restaurant can easily be over 500 calories while at home it can be as little as 200. If you are looking to eat a healthy diet, then ordering food is not the best option. You Don’t Know What’s In Your Food The best thing about making food at home is that you know exactly what is in your meal. This is beneficial to people who watch what they eat or have food allergies. When ordering food, you probably have an idea of what kind of ingredients are used to make your meal, but you can never be one hundred percent sure. Not knowing what is used in your meal can also make it difficult to track calories, especially because it isn’t measured. Chefs will use usually use butter when frying something in a pan, but you may never know because it’s melted and you can’t see it. One tablespoon of butter is around 102 calories. That’s a lot of calories for something that melts and used to season your food! Unaware of Restaurant’s Cleanliness A disadvantage of ordering food is that you have no idea how clean the restaurant you are ordering from is. There are times you walk into a restaurant, intending to eat there until you notice the place doesn’t look very sanitary. So, you decide to leave. When ordering food, you never step into the restaurant so you don’t have a feel for the kind of sanitary conditions it may be in. Of course, the country has a food and health code that restaurants must follow, but not everyone follows them to the T. Large Portions America is already known around the world for the large portions that restaurants serve. It’s easy to eat a day’s worth of calories in one sitting when ordering food from a restaurant. These large portions lead to overeating, which then leads to weight gain and other health risks. It’s important to recognize that the portions served when ordering food are not normal and you should only eat half of what is served. You may also overeat because of delivery minimums that require you to order more food than you intended. Keep in mind the portion size you receive when ordering food and try to make it into two meals. Not only will you keep from overeating, but you now have a meal for tomorrow! More Likely to Eat Unhealthy Food There are more restaurants that serve unhealthy food than restaurants that serve healthy food. A restaurant’s job is to make their food taste good for its customers, which means cooking with lots of fats, sugars, and carbohydrates. Biologically, that’s just what we crave! So, when ordering food you’re more likely to buy fried and fatty foods than a healthy meal like a salad. Looking at a restaurant’s menu you may feel more tempted to order a dessert or side to your dinner too. Won’t Learn How to Cook If you depend on ordering food to eat, then you will never successfully learn how to cook. Cooking is a skill that will benefit you throughout your life, so it doesn’t hurt to start early! When you grow older and have a family, you’ll want to cook at home because it is cheaper. If you like to host during holidays and celebrations, you’ll have to cook food for your guests too. When you stop ordering food, follow recipes, and teach yourself how to cook some of your favorite meals, it will result in healthier eating and spending less money on food. via Unsplash Cooking for Yourself If you dedicate some time to cooking for yourself, you will definitely see a great change in your bank account and your health. Meal Prep You see fitness stars on Instagram do it. You read articles for tips on how to meal prep. Now it’s time to actually put it into your routine! Every Sunday, cut out two to three hours to cook yourself five to ten meals for the week. You should make lunch and dinner that consists of protein, vegetables, and a grain. It’s so easy to pop one of your meals into the microwave. It may even be faster than ordering food! If you just put some time aside to cook your meals ahead of time, you will learn how to live a healthy lifestyle, learn how to cook, and save money. It doesn’t get any better than that! Is It Worth It? Now that we have explored the pros and cons of ordering food, it’s up to you to decide, is it worth it? We know that ordering food is extremely convenient and will save you a lot of time especially if you don’t have time to cook that day. However, the money you spend on ordering food can really add up. You don’t know what you’re eating and are probably consuming more calories than is recommended. When you cook for yourself, you’ll save money and learn an essential lifelong skill. Taking just three hours at the beginning of the week to prepare your food ahead of time will make it easier to eat healthily and save money. So, is ordering food worth it?