Expressive arts

Drawing straight lines

External links

Kukumbila Kunyata (Drinking is bad for you) designed byPascoal Mbundi, Mozambique

"I returned home last year after an absence that totalled twenty years, going to school and then working in the US. I decided to come back home to start ZIVA, a New Media Arts school. ZIVA, besides being an acronym for Zimbabwe Institute of Vigital Arts, is also a Shona word meaning “knowledge.” “Vigital” is a word I created to describe the school – training students in the visual arts using digital tools." (Source: Saki Mafundikwa ictfonts)

Mistari (Line and Circle) designed by Martin Mirucah, Kenya

Amandungu, designed by Paul Ndunguru, Tanzania

Photograph sites to search, store, sort and display

Sites that enable you to store, sort and display images:
* dotphoto (dotphoto.com). Read review
* flickr (flickr.com) Read review
* picasa (picasa.google.com) Read review
* photoworks (photoworks.com) Read review
* slide (slide.com)
* photobucket (photobucket.com)
* myphotoalbum (myphotoalbum.com)
* funtigo (funtigo.com) Read review

* Review on digitalfamily.com

Popular social networking sites which allow you to store, sort and display images:
* facebook (facebook.com)
* myspace (myspace.com)

Exploring art blogs

Explore blogs specifically created for displaying and discussing art of all kinds.

Here are a few that I have discovered:
* artmakr (artmakr.com)

Weaving

Weaving is an ancient textile art and craft that involves placing two sets of threads or yarn called the warp and weft of the loom and turning them into cloth. This cloth can be plain (in one color or a simple pattern), or it can be woven in decorative or artistic designs, including tapestries. Source: wikipedia

Check out 1,000s of photographs of weaving at flickr.com. Here are some flickr groups:
* Handwoven (1,000+)
* Palaspas palm leaf art (3,000+)
* Woven furniture (5)
* Crazy daisies (500, Lots of looms)
* Rigid heddle loom weaving (200)

Puppets

A puppet is a representational figure manipulated by a puppeteer. It is usually but not always a depiction of a human character and is used in a play or a presentation. The puppet undergoes a process of transformation through being animated, and is normally manipulated by one, or sometimes more than one, puppeteer. Some puppets can be moved electronically. There are lots of different things that puppets are used for. Some for entertainment, some for Politics and some for Culture. Puppets are made of a wide range of materials, depending on the effect required and the amount of usage intended. They can be extremely complex or very simple in their construction. There are many different varieties of puppets. Source: Wikipedia

Collage

A collage (from the French: coller, to glue) is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. Use of this technique made its dramatic appearance among oil paintings in the early 20th century as an art form of groundbreaking novelty.

An artistic collage work may include newspaper clippings, ribbons, bits of colored or hand-made papers, portions of other artwork, photographs, and such, glued to a piece of paper or canvas. Source: wikipedia

Decoupage is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts onto it in combination with special paint effects, gold leaf, etc. Commonly an object like a small box or an item of furniture is covered by cutouts from magazines or from purpose-manufactured papers. Source: wikipedia

The Collage shown is by Pablo Picasso 1912

Check out the work of over 1,000 artists on collage and decoupage artists and over 2,000 artists at collage crazy their group pool site on flikr.com. The work is truly inspiring.

There are many other flickr.com group picture pools on collage and decoupage so if you have time check them out.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle. Embroidery may also use other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. Sewing machines can be used to create machine embroidery. Source: Wikipedia

Check out the work of embroidery artists with over 30,000 photos on the biggest flickr.com group pool. This group even have their own blog called feeling stitchy.

Crochet

Crochet is a process of creating fabric from yarn or thread using a crochet hook. The word is derived from the Middle French word croc or croche, meaning hook. Crocheting, similar to knitting, consists of pulling loops of yarn through other loops. Crochet differs from knitting in that only one loop is active at one time (the sole exception being Tunisian crochet), and that a crochet hook is used instead of knitting needles. Source: Wikipedia

Crochet Pattern Central is an online directory featuring thousands of links to free crochet patterns. Choose from 90+ categories, including clothing, Afghans, doilies, baby items, bags and totes, potholders, toys, stuffed animals and so much more. Begin by browsing at the Free Crochet Patterns Directory.

There is also a Tutorial Directory and a growing list of crochet stitch instructions.

* Crochet tips and tricks.

* Crochet Designs .com

Knitting

Knitting Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth. Knitting consists of loops called stitches pulled through each other. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can be passed through them. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. By hand, there are numerous styles and methods. Flat knitting, which is done on two straight needles, produces a length of cloth, while circular knitting, which is done on circular or double-pointed needles, produces a seamless tube. Source: Wikipedia

Knitting Pattern Central is an online directory featuring thousands of links to free knitting patterns. Choose from 50+ categories, including clothing, hats, afghans, stuffed animals, toys, dishcloths, and much more. Begin browsing by category at the Free Knitting Pattern Directory or by keyword with Knitting Pattern Central's Pattern Search...

If you are a beginner at knitting, take a look at Knitting Instruction Directory providing links to illustrated knitting tutorials, and our growing list of unique Knitting Stitches. Get motivated by browsing some Encouragement and Testimonials and Tips 'n Tricks sent in by other avid knitters.

Another great site is Knitting On the Net. Babara Breiter's amazing site with comprehensive coverage and excellent tutorials.

Interested in free crochet patterns? Try Crochet Pattern Central.

Costumes from around the world

An excellent site for costumes is the McAllen Memorial Library. It provides links to major internet sites on costume:
General
11th-15th Century
16th Century
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
African
Ancient European
Arctic Region
Babylonian
Byzantine
Chinese
Celtic
Edwardian
Egyptian
Elizabethan
French
Greek
East Indian
Japanese
Medieval
Native American
Prehistoric
Renaissance
Roman
Russian and Soviet
Victorian

Photograph: Miss Johannesburg Odette Maponyane of South African displays a traditional costume during the Global Pageant in Taipai. AFP PHOTO/Sam YEH 2007.

See also: Clothes (wikipedia)

Hats

A hat is a headcovering. It may be worn for protection against the elements, for religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status. In the military, they denote rank and regiment. There are hats for men and hats for women, as well as hats worn by both sexes. Purveyors of men's hats are called hatters and purveyors of women's hats are called milliners. Source: Wikipedia

* Hats as part of academic dress

* Hats off! A salute to African headwear (Smithsonian)

Footwear

A shoe is an item of footwear. Shoes may vary from a simple flip-flop to a complex boot. Shoes may have high or low heels, although in western cultures, high heels are considered a women's style. Shoe materials include leather or canvas. Athletic shoe soles may sometimes be made of rubber. Source: Wikipedia

Types of footwear, components and construction materials.
History of footwear (footwearhistory.com)