Purchasing a pottery kiln is no inexpensive undertaking. It is the largest investment a potter has to make. But which type of kiln should you buy? Good question. In this article, I will take a closer look at different types of kilns available and a history of how pottery kilns were used in the making of handmade pottery and other ceramic pieces.

Primitive kilns were no more than the simple hearths used for cooking, warmth, light, and protection. In fact, pit kilns being very easy are still incorporated in hand made pottery and ceramics. Clay has been used since prehistory for decoration and function but it is unknown how the actual firing process was discovered. It is thought that the first fired pots originated nearly 10,000 years ago, when agriculture began. These early farmers needed storage containers and fired clay served these needs well. The earliest kilns were pits dug into the ground and the pottery loosely stacked on top of each other. Flammable materials were placed around the pottery and the fire was allowed to burn down. After cooling, the pots were cleaned of the ash and residue and were then used.

Another early form of pottery kiln, the beehive kiln, was the first kiln constructed that looks like what we consider a kiln. The pots are stacked in an arched chamber retaining greater heat than the pit kiln and making the pottery more durable. An alternate type of the beehive concept was built in China around 500 A.D., yes way back then, and called the stepped kiln. This kiln used the simple form of the beehive, but had multiple chambers in a terraced pattern so that the kiln capacity could be increased. This worked well in villages where pottery making was a primary activity, and where a large volume of pottery was needed.

A well known kiln concept that is used today is the natural gas kiln. Rather than using the flammable materials of the pit and step kilns, natural gas is used for the fuel. There are both updraft and downdraft natural gas kilns available. The advantages of natural gas as a fuel are that it produces very low levels of pollution, and that the fuel is relatively inexpensive. In some areas propane is more commonly used as a fuel; however care must be taken as propane is heavier than air and if the flame should get extinguished, the gas can settle and produce a potential for explosion. Natural gas will disperse on its own since it is lighter than air.

The only new kiln technology is the electric kiln. Unlike other methods which utilize a fuel for operation, electric kilns run by coiled wires that bring about heat. A toaster operates on the same principle. A lot of the modern electric pottery kilns are equipped with electronic shut off devices, called kiln sitters, to monitor the firing process. Still, any kiln must never be left unattended.

So there you have it, a brief history of the kiln and the different concepts behind it and its construction. Now go make pottery.

Soy candles provides detailed information on soy wax candles, pottery, handmade soaps and more and is affiliated with handmade soap dishes.

There are many different definitions of a scrapbook, and ideas about what a scrapbook is supposed to be. The main thing to remember when thinking about your scrapbook is that there will always be one thing central to a scrapbook- keeping memories.

Just like photos, scrapbooks are keepers of precious moments that you would always want to return back to. The moments that you have captured in photos and the moments of your creativity are deeply embedded in every page, note, captions and journals in your scrapbook. One day, you’ll take a look at the scrapbooks you have created and they will deliver you back in time.

The hardest part of scrapbooking might be starting from scratch. Everyone has their own scrapbooking style and you will want to find yours. This can be challenging when just getting started but there are many ways to do this, and with time and practice you will refine your personal style.

Let your personality shine through your scrapbook. If you are not sure what your preference is when planning the design or the layout of your scrapbook, it is best that you analyze yourself first. Know your personal tastes and refrain from following the hypes and fads as presented in the scrapbooking industry. This way, you will be more likely to produced original and personal ideas that will work best in your own ways. Of course starting with someone else’s ideas or layouts, or even pre-printed pages is a good way to discover your style when starting out.

Many find great uses in other people’s designs. For beginners, it is often easier to follow someone else’s ideas than to try to create your own. Along the way you will find your own methods and style. You can start by looking at scrapbooking books, magazines, websites and blogs to find ideas. Most of these will include dimensions used for a layout and what papers, embellishments and other items were included. Remember that any layout can be adapted to your colors and style. Do not feel like you have to follow the layout exactly; just use it as a guide to get you started. Once a good inspiration breaks out, you may find yourself immersed in the confidence of doing things your own way.

Another idea for getting started is to create your own mood board.

Mood boards are commonly used in the fashion industry as testing grounds for new ideas. These are boards wherein cutouts, drafts of designs and fabric swatches are portrayed to provide initial impressions of the new trend. In fact, anything that will help the viewers see the direction and concepts of the designers are placed on the mood board.

By making use of mood boards, you can easily find your style. Placing concepts into more tangible mediums will construct foundations for your layouts and intentions. Cut out pictures in magazines that you like, print pictures off the internet, you can also include paper scraps, fabric scraps and ribbon in your mood board. Anything that you think may provide good inspiration for a layout can be included. Think, color, texture, and design when searching for things to include in this board. Look at layouts others have done and if there is a specific paper you like ask them if they have a small scrap piece of it so you can include it. Crops are a good place to gather ideas and samples.

Don’t be too critical in this process. While gathering ideas, you need not know why a picture or an image attracts you. If it produces positive reaction then go ahead and include it. This is one good test to determine your style. Just include everything that you like, later you will mix and match to plan color and texture combinations. You can even get inspiration for embellishments from these cutouts.

Second, you would want to check on color combinations. Some of us have already set definite grounds on what our favorite color is, and what we will most likely not use. Using a single group of shades is good if you can manipulate and mix them into varying combinations.

Many people find it hard to detract themselves from a single concept. Make sure you experiment with different color and texture combinations. You may be surprised with colors that complement each other well. Also keep in mind the colors of a photo when planning the colors for a layout.

When inspiration turns bad and there seem to be no color available for you, look at the butterflies for inspiration.

Sabrina Scheerer is a scrapbook consultant for Close To My Heart and runs a website for scrapbookers. She also does cardmaking and some other forms of paper crafts which she touches upon in her website and blog. http://www.sobystamps.com and http://www.sobystamps.blogspot.com There is currently a free scrapbooking e-book on the website.

One of the most common oversights in group photography is not optimally framing the picture that they want to make an enlargement so their MASTERPIECE can find a place of honor on the wall.

Here’s the paradox…

Have you ever enlarged one of your WOW group images only to realize that you need to cut off a part of one subject, in order to achieve the desired size of the enlargement?

If you’ve ever used a 5 x 7 crop on an image having a 2:3 or 3:4 aspect ratio (which most digital cameras use), you know the problem.

Photographers often experience this discouraging result without knowing what caused it; thus leaving them doomed to repeat it. Consider this ideal scenario…

It’s a beautiful day, the sun is shining, and your composition is good (i.e., you “framed” the picture so that your camera’s viewfinder forms a close crop around all of your subjects).

Everyone is smiling, and the background has been nicely blurred. After downloading the image, you realize you just took a masterpiece.

So what do you do (after jumping up and down)? Let’s say the family wants to hang a nice 14 x 11 portrait on their wall. (Refer to these Group Portraits examples since photos are not allowed to be included here.)

If you take a group picture and then superimpose a 14 x 11 (or, whatever the desired enlargement size is) rectangular on it, you can tell how the final 14 x 11 cropped image would look.

Here is the Money-Saver

If at all possible, always use STANDARD print sizes when enlarging, mating, and/or framing an image. Why? Because framing an 11 x 14 photo will cost 25% to 80% less than a non-standard size (11 x 12, for example) will cost.

What To Do BEFORE THE PHOTOGRAPH Is Taken

Compose each picture as though it will turn out to be a masterpiece! So what does that mean? Remember that the final image will probably need to be cropped. Therefore, BEFORE you take the photo, allow enough non-critical space around your subjects, so if you do need to crop it off, your subjects will remain intact.

How much space is required? Adding approximately 20% to both the horizontal and vertical sides of your composition should do it. Then, once you decide how big an enlargement you want for your masterpiece, there will be enough excess to achieve your goal without doing a hatchet-job on any of your subjects or spending a fortune on custom framing.

To bring your photographic skill to the next level, here are dozens of Group Portraits tips.

It has often been said that you can never truly know another man until you walk a mile in his shoes. Well, I’ll take this analogy a step further and say the same applies to you. You’ll never know what’s really going on inside your guy’s head until you walk in his shoes, i.e., get inside his head.

This is by no means an easy task. According to a 5000 person study done by Rodale publishing, publishers of both Men’s and Women’s Health Magazines, almost 66% of men don’t want you asking them questions about themselves. What about the other 34% of men? They just might be content with the questions you’ve already asked! The bottom line to all this is that it’s probably best to get your questions answered elsewhere.

What do I mean by getting inside his head and where should you start to do this?

I think a good book would be a great place to start but which one?

Now this is where you come in. It should be your goal to put yourself in a guy’s shoes if only in your imagination. Obviously books are great for this. Countless romance novels paint pictures of guys as the writers believe men should be. Men and women are cast as various archetypes that have similarities in the real world. Sometimes romance novels strike a chord and sometimes they don’t. I suppose fantasy can be great for escape and fun, but does it get you closer to understanding men better?

It’s probably best to read something reality based as it can give you new insights you never had before. The insights garnered from these kinds of books will answer questions like the following.

Has your guy ever said something that has thrown you for a loop, made you scratch your head, or made you want to pull your hair out?

Has his lack of communication made you feel betwixt and between?

Have you ever been confused by something he’s said or not said?

Could he be more talkative?

Does he ever think about the relationship? Is he even capable of doing it?

Has that “secret code” guys speak ever driven you to the brink of exhaustion and made you wonder if you’ll ever, ever understand what he’s really trying to say?
Could a better understanding of the male mind, of the way men communicate and the way men think, help you build a relationship that would make you the envy of friends and family?

Alan Bentley, God’s gift to female/male communication, helps single women across the country unravel mysteries of the male mind helping improve their relationships with men they love. To discover how you can crack the guy code, go to http://www.cracktheguycode.com or email

People often have problems finding balance in their photos because they simply do not know how to start. Most of them lack any professional training in photography and don’t have the knowledge to get the most out of their photos. Others have the knowledge but do not know how to use a specific, sophisticated model. However, the secret of taking a balanced photo does not lay in the specific functions of the camera, but in mastering the main principles of positioning, lighting and contrast. Here are ten tips to help you improve your work:

1. Start by setting the proper contrast. The contrast is that feature that brightens or darkens the image accordingly to the background. When it is dark outside you should use a lighter contrast, while during the daytime when there’s a lot of light go for a darker one.

2. Position your camera right. There are several methods to choose a good positioning. These include the Lines, the Rule of Thirds and the Portioning. The lines use the natural angles of the things in the picture. If you are photographing a mountain landscape, you can either follow the lines or go against them depending on how you want the picture to look. When using the Rule of Thirds, the picture is divided in nine sections and you balance it accordingly. Portioning refers to placing the subject of the photo to one side to create a more interesting picture. These techniques help you to highly diversify your photos.

3. Focus the image in different areas to get more varied effects. People tend to focus more on sharper, clearer images than on blurred ones. Focusing on different areas will help you achieve a three-dimensional view.

4. Use your zoom function to improve balance. You can either zoom out to include more things in your photo so that the viewer has more to see or zoom in to focus on a certain aspect.

5. Take advantage of the flash function. Although flash is generally used in dark conditions, you can use it in broad daylight to in order to achieve some interesting effects. For example, you can make the background lighter giving the picture a whole different look.

6. Play with colors to express the ideas you want. You can use darker tones for warmer images which have more emotion and lighter hues to express freedom. There are a lot of color coordinations you can experiment with.

7. If you have attachable lenses, use them. They make a lot of difference in the picture. Attachable lenses help you achieve the so-called ‘depth of field’. Although this effect can also be achieved through other methods, it is stronger when you use lenses. There are many different kinds of lenses, such as wide-angle and fish-eye, which help you achieve various effects.

8. Take several pictures of the same object. If you have a digital camera, you no longer have to worry about wasting film. You can take as many photos as you want and then erase those you don’t like. Taking more pictures of the same thing helps you improve your chances of getting at least one that looks just right.

9. Have patience. Good pictures may come hard and you need to be patient enough to wait for the right moment. It won’t turn out the way you want every time, but there will always be other opportunities so don’t despair.

10. If you don’t know how to lead the viewer into the photograph, you can include a foreground. This is a zoomed-in area that can be used as a starting point and leads viewers towards the rest of the photo.

Alex Don is a writer in the field of picture resizer software applications for the company Reshade. Reshade specializes in online image resizing offering an online image resizing software. As a plus it provides a picture resizer windows program.

Don’t you feel a little jealous when you look at photos taken by someone else and they look incredibly good, while yours are almost always bad? Some amateur photographers feel that everyone can take a great picture except for them. The fact is that taking good photos is not something you just have, but something you learn. Even a basic digital camera can take beautiful portraits if you learn a few simple techniques and keep them in mind each time you take a new photo. Here are some of the most common techniques you can use.

Select the appropriate settings. All cameras come with many features, but a lot of people never use them. For example, most of them have a built-in portrait mode which can really help when photographing faces. To enable this feature, turn the dial button to the head icon on the screen. What this option does is affect the field depth so that you can take a sharp photo of the person’s face while blurring out the other stuff in the background. In order to get an even better image, you can further blur the background. This can be done by zooming the lens of your camera all the way in. Now the subject of your photo will be even more in focus, while the background will be more blurred. Optical zoom is better than digital zoom, so what you need to do is turn off the digital one and use only the optical.

Another thing you can do is adjusting the flash settings. If you have them on automatic mode, your camera will only flash in dark environments. You should use the flash all the time because it softens the background and give a special light to the person’s eyes. Your camera has a setting that allows you to always use flash. Check the manufacturer’s manual to see how you can find it.

Lighting is another very important factor for taking good photos. If you do not have professional studio lights, take pictures outside. Natural light is much better than the artificial one and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a sunny day. If you’re outside, tell the person you are photographing to sit so that the sunlight comes from behind and to one side. If the subject is facing the sun, there will be shadows on the face. If the sun is directly behind the subject, the light will get in the lens of your camera and you will get the best effects. Depending on your possibilities, take the photo early in the morning or in the late afternoon as you will get the best light. The sun is lower upon the sky and you will have a more indirect and warmer light.

Now it’s time to learn a few things about composition and shooting. Your photo should be framed so that it includes only the person’s head and maybe shoulders. The closer you get to the subject, the better the results and photos that include only a small portion of the background are generally neater. Don’t forget to zoom in as much as you can before composing the photo. By now you should be ready to take the picture. Press the button only half way down to enable the auto focus and adjust functions of the camera. Let the person you’re photographing relax and smile in a natural way and take the shot when they’re almost unaware.

The real secret is taking a lot of pictures. This is something even the most experienced photographs do. Then they look through them and pick the best. Remember you’re using a digital camera, so you don’t have to worry about film. In the end you can delete the pictures you don’t like and only keep the ones you are proud of.

Alex D specializes in writing about image resizers for the company Reshade. Reshade.com is specialized in online picture software applications and makes available a free online image resizing application. And also it provides a image resizer software application.

Even experienced photographers find wildlife photography a rewarding, but sometimes frustrating experience. A good photo of a wild animal in its natural habitat is a great memory, but the challenges it brings can make a beginner feel a bit overwhelmed. ‘It was a great experience, but the photos don’t really capture it.’ is a common phrase we hear from people who come back from exotic holidays. This happens even when you have everything set and your camera ready - you just miss the shot. You can’t usually blame the quality of the camera for this. Even with the best camera there is, if we rush to take a picture - any picture - we are bound to make mistakes that ruin the opportunity of a great wildlife photo. Here are some common mistakes many amateur photographers make and ways to avoid them.

1. Not Getting Close Enough to the Subject. This is the most obvious mistake someone can make. You see a rare bird in a tree and rush to take a photo, but when you look at it later you can hardly see the bird behind the leaves. Before taking the photo, ask yourself what is important to catch and eliminate all the rest. You can do this by getting as close as you can to the subject (without scaring it away) and/or zooming in using the largest lens. This way you eliminate all the distractions and the viewer can concentrate on the subject itself.

2. Catching Too Much of the Background. Many people keep their cameras on automatic which lets it select its own settings. While this occasionally works, if you want to get great wildlife photos you need to make these choices for yourself. If the aperture of the camera is set too small, you get a wider area of field around your subject, which is a disturbing distraction. When photographing animals, it is best to set the aperture at the widest. This narrows field depth and the focus is on the animal not the surroundings. It also comes with another advantage, which is faster speed, helping you catch the perfect moment when photographing a moving subject.

3. Getting Too Close to your Subject. From fear that their subject will not be visible enough, especially if they’ve had such experiences, some people fall in the opposite mistake and that is getting too close. If you catch an animal alone with no surroundings, it seems a bit out of place and the photo can look rather unnatural. You need a small background so that the composition doesn’t look cramped. This means at least some small space above the subject’s head and some on each side. In case the animal looks to the right or left, you should adjust the composition to make sure you have a bit more space in front of it than behind. This way it will seem that the animal looks right into the picture not at the frame.

4. Bad lighting. While you may like to get out on nice sunny days, this is not necessarily the best time to take a good picture. Bright sunshine can create shadows where you least want them; that is, on the face of your subject. If you take a photo at noon and the sun is shining brightly you may find that the whole face of the animal is covered with a dark shadow. If you really want good photos and it’s a sunny day, take the early in the morning o in the evening when the sun is lower upon the sky. This gives you a warmer light and lower contrast, making the whole photo more expressive. Often the best photos are taken on cloudy days, when there is less light and lower contrast. This type of light takes off heavy shadow and glare.

5. Bad timing. This is also a very common mistake when photographing wild animals. They are alive, they move, blink, flap their wings or turn their back. You can sometimes get so frustrated that you feel they are doing it on purpose just to make sure you miss your photo. However, you shouldn’t get discouraged. For every wildlife photographer, the opportunities to take a bad picture are endless, while the ones to take a great one are only a few. But they are well worth the waiting. It is just a matter of perseverance and patience. If you spend more time with the animal you will learn to anticipate its moves and improve your chances of getting a better shot. Try to catch something unique, memorable, something that can set your picture apart from the thousands of wildlife photographs out there. You should expect to miss the shot very often and most of your photos will probably be bulk. But when you do get that perfect moment on camera, it will be something to treasure.

Alex D. writes about picture resizers for the company reshade.com. Reshade focuses on picture processing and offers a free to use online photo enlargement application. And also it provides a photo resizer program.