Category: Art

With the world coming to a standstill, life is not what it used to be. Staying indoors is the new norm, and at a glance, it seems like there’s nothing to do. However, being indoors can be an opportunity to try things you have never tried before, even from the comfort of your home. Most of them are free and do not require any special skills to test. Here are some of the ways that you can have a good time even when you’re on lockdown.

1. Try a new recipe

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If you are home, then the chances are you have been cooking your meals more often than ordering fast food. The lockdown allows you to try something new for your taste buds. There are a lot of recipes to try online, which do not require too many exotic ingredients. You can also travel the world with your taste buds by choosing an international recipe to try daily, weekly, or month depending on how fast you can learn. You can unleash your culinary genius during the stay at home period and come out with some novel skills to impress your friends and family with. You don’t have to restrict the learning to just solid food. Try some cocktail recipes that you can use when you have friends over.

2. Organize your space

The hustle and bustle of life sometimes make you neglect your area even though you know what you have to do. Once you’re at home, you come to terms with how much stuff you actually have and how you don’t need them. Your shoe rack and closet are the right places to start. Now is the best time to get rid of the extra items and create some more room. You can choose to donate whatever you find to those who need them or throw them away if they’re too damaged. If you work from home, then this is an excellent way to become more productive. You can also organize files, whether on the computer or in a cupboard, so that they are easier to reach.

3. Redecorate your space

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It is very exciting to transform spaces, and you can do that with your room or area, so create a new environment. Bring in some plants if there are none or change the positions of the ones you have. If you can, change the wallpaper or paint the walls a new color. Change the carpet and rugs and move the furniture around the house to also give the rooms a new look. You can use the internet for inspiration and get the work started.

4. Try online betting

The online betting industry is one of the most versatile sectors, offering a wide variety of games that consumers can participate in. You can get into it from the comfort of your home because of technology and the internet. You can get out of your comfort zone and still get a feel of Las Vegas even while in lockdown. 

5. Engage in some self-care

The spas are most likely to be closed, but that does not mean you cannot pamper yourself. The internet is filled with information on products and techniques that you can use to give yourself a spa day from your home. Deep condition your hair, give yourself a manicure or pedicure, or learn to shave by yourself. You’ll get some useful skills that’ll help you save costs even after the lockdown is over. You’ll also become more self-sufficient, and it will not be so boring being stuck at home. 

6. Start a blog or journal

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Blogging is a great way to pass the time, and it can also teach you some valuable life skills. You will become better with time management and communication, and it’ll serve as an outlet for what you’re thinking. You’ll meet people who relate to your content and make new friends to go through the lockdown with. You can join a free platform and start some of your exciting hobbies. One fun thing to do in addition is to learn a new word each day and use it in your blog or journal.

7. Learn to be ambidextrous

Aren’t you tired of doing things the same old way? You can give yourself the fun challenge of learning to use both hands for your routine activities. Try with safe activities like brushing your teeth before moving on to shaving or trimming your nails. It will be frustrating but also very fun, and you’ll feel fulfilled once you master the skill.

8. Learn some calming exercises

If you have never tried yoga, then this will be an excellent time to try it. That stiffness in your body will not be so much anymore, and you’ll genuinely enjoy the exercise. Once your body is calm, your mind automatically follows, and you’ll realize you are less stressed about anything. While you’re at it, also learn some breathing exercises to help you relax whenever you feel anxious. Being indoors for a long time can take its toll on you so that you forget to fill your lungs with oxygen. Meditating is also another way by which you can calm yourself, and it doesn’t require much expertise. There are so many mobile applications that take you through the steps of meditating, and you can do it from anywhere. 

9. Build a garden

Gardening takes a lot of work and skills like patience and dedication, which you will need during the lockdown. Making a DIY garden does not cost much, and you will reap tremendous benefits. It is incredibly relaxing and heart-warming to watch things blossom from a tiny seed into a beautiful garden, and it will make your space look even better. You can make it more meaningful by growing spices and other plants that you can use around the house. You can even create a green lounge area for when you can have people over.

10. Learn a language

Within your home, travel into another culture and study their way of communicating with each other. You’ll become well-spoken and interesting when you know more than what you’ve been taught or are used to. A new language will give you more leverage anytime you decide to travel to that part of the world as well. 

11. Learn a new dance move

The internet is buzzing with so many contemporary dance routines that are entertaining to watch. Instead of just observing other people have some fun, why not join in. The steps are online for you to learn. Most of these dance moves are easy and do not require any special skills. It also adds to your skillset and makes you more fun to be around. After the lockdown, you’ll have something to show for all the videos you watched.

12. Learn first aid

With the way the health sector is overwhelmed, it will be helpful if you can take care of minor health issues. Learning first aid will save you the time and money to go to the hospital. Being able to handle your little health problems is an advantage for yourself and those around you as well. There are free online courses on first aid that can get you started. 

Staying at home during a lockdown does not mean your life should come to a halt while you wait for the hurdle to pass. There is so much you can do, but at the same time, it is also an opportunity to take a break from usual.

You’ll find plenty of city guides on this blog. However, rather than just visiting them, have you ever considered living in one? Well, if you can’t do so right now, you may well be able to in later life. In fact, a city can be the perfect place in which to spend your golden years. Read on to find out why. 

Old doesn’t mean out of touch or no longer in vogue

First of all, let’s start by stating that old age is nothing but a number. In fact, being older doesn’t mean that your taste suddenly disintegrates, or that you love for design, culture, and fashion fall by the wayside. Just ask icons like Iris Apfel!

What we mean here is that just because you have a few years under your belt, it doesn’t necessarily follow you won’t want an active and culturally rich life. That, as well as the reasons below, is why moving to a city later in life is such a great choice! 

Cities have fantastic public transport links

One best thing about moving to a city in later life is that many of them like Ghent have excellent public transport. 

Of course, this is beneficial because you don’t have to run an expensive car if you don’t want to. Something that can help save you some money and make sure you are doing your part for the environment as well.  All without limiting your access to any of the flights that city life has to offer.

Cities are the perfect place to find others you gel with

Then there is the element of community that can be much more pronounced in city life, as opposed to the suburbs. In fact, it’s not uncommon for those living in the ‘burbs to have no more interaction with their neighbors than the occasion mod of the head as they go to get into their car.

However, cities bring together a vast range of people all into close proximity. Something that means you only need to do an online search to find like-minded individuals. Try terms like senior citizen group activities near me, or meet up groups + your particular interest to start. You’ll be flooded with opportunities to join involved in passionate and vibrant communities! 

Cities are choked full of entertainment

Finally, and perhaps one of the most appealing reasons that many people choose to retire to a city is because they are so full of entertainment and activities.

Of course, you have museums and galleries. Many of which are often free or at least discounted for senior citizens. Something that means you can while away an enjoyable time without spending too much at all. 

Then there are restaurants and cafes to try! Oh, and don’t forget the walking tours, the theatre and cinema events, and all the bars you can frequent too! Thus proving that if you are looking to grow old disgracefully and have the fullest, most fun retirement there is, there is no better place to settle than the City!

 

One way to spend your time and entertain yourself is through and with the theater. There are a lot of opportunities out there for you to immerse yourself in it and learn more. If you’re someone who’s creative and has a passion for acting and music then it’s definitely worth your efforts to increase your knowledge and engagement with it.

You may have a desire to improve your familiarity and skills but aren’t sure where to start. You’ve come to the right place to understand ways for how you can get more involved with the theater and make it a more significant part of your life.

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Find Useful Resources

One way to get more involved with the theater is to seek out useful resources and experts who can offer you insights and advice in the area. For example, one name that sticks out and that you’ll want to look into is Travis Preston with CalArts. He has an impressive resume and background and one of his passions is being a resource for those looking for more information and guidance around entering the scene and learning about the industry.  

Volunteer Behind the Scenes

You can get more involved with the theater by volunteering behind the scenes in your free time. Find out more about the opportunities in your area and who may need your help with upcoming productions and performances. It’s an excellent way to gain new knowledge and develop your skills in the field. You’ll also likely meet a lot of like-minded individuals who you can learn from and bounce ideas off of. Be on the lookout for a person who may be able to act as a mentor for you and help you continue to grow and develop your knowledge and maybe even make a career out of it.

Start Acting

Consider acting and getting on stage yourself as a way to get more involved with the theater. Acting will give you an appreciation for what those in theater do and go through each day. You can work on building confidence in yourself and acting skills and feeling good about yourself as you take on more roles and make it a bigger part of your life. Take acting classes and then go out and audition for roles that interest you.

See Shows & Read Reviews

Another opportunity and way to get more involved with the theater is to see shows and read the reviews from critics and the audience. You can learn a lot about the theater and industry by going out and observing these performances and actors. Come up with your own opinion of each show and then read the reviews to compare your view to what others thought of it.

Conclusion

These are a few ways and options for how you can get more involved with the theater and make it a larger part of your daily life. You may find you enjoy it so much that you turn it into a career or use it as a way to fill your free time. Have some fun with it and notice how your appreciation for the arts grows as you learn and experiment with it.

Becoming an artist is one of those big leaps you can take in life when you have a creative mind and a talent for visuals. Art is a stunning form of, well, art – and it is something that is accessible to anyone and takes many different forms. 

Today we want to talk about becoming an artist for the first time or taking your first leap into the art world. There are so many amazing things you can do and ways to experiment and find your flow.

We are going to take a look today at some simple tips and things you should do when trying art as a newbie. There are a few basic skills every artist needs and we want to help you with those and more today. 

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Practice sketching 

The first thing you should do when you try art is sit down with a pencil and paper and try to sketch something. The easiest way to draw is to have a reference photo to look at – and once you have on in front of you you can practice sketching it a few times. Don’t worry of you don’t get the gist of something right away – it takes practice! For many artists the simplest way to approach a subject such as a person or an animal is to start with shapes. A cat’s face for example is made of a circle, two triangles, and an oval. The circle is for the head, the triangles are the ears, and the oval is the snout. By having these foundations drawn before you start it will help you with perspective and sizing. Take an online class it look at YouTube tutorials for a better idea of how to do this.

Learn colour theory 

Colour is the most fundamental part of art and it is something that most artists will use to portray a piece or evoke an emotion. As a new artist one of the first things you should do is learn about the colour wheel and learn how to mix colours together to make more. If you were to be a purist; you would only ever need 5 paint colours in your arsenal: white, red, yellow, blue, and black. All of these colours can make every other colour imaginable. Practicing how to make colours from the primary’s can be a useful exercise when learning about art – but of course you can use premise paints or materials for your work.

Experiment with your style 

Finding a style as an artist can be difficult and often you’ll spend loads of time on Pinterest looking at everyone else’s work and wanting to try loads of different styles. As an artist you will eventually find a specific tone and style of work that works for you. It might take some trial and error – and this is where experimentation comes in. A good exercise would be to take one reference photo – for example a tiger – and try to recreate it in a few different styles. You could try realism, expressionism, abstract, or more. There are lots of fun ways to view and create a piece and as you try different styles you’ll find the one that works for you. 

Let it flow 

It is so important as a new artist to go with the flow and allow yourself to do what feels right. Don’t worry too much about finishing a piece of you feel like moving on to another – allow your heart and your hand to guide you. The best way an artist works is in their own time and their own way – and this means a lot of the time you might flit between pieces. But allow your artistic talent to flow naturally. It will be worth it.

Take prints

As a new artist one thing you will want to consider is taking prints and canvas prints of your pieces to sell on. Artists make money by selling their work – but often more than one person will want a copy of a great piece. This is why you should scan and take prints of your pieces and have them on hand for people to buy. It will allow you to make more money as an artist but will also mean you get to keep your originals until you are ready to sell them. 

Try abstract 

If you want to try a fun exercise as an artist one day – grab some acrylic paints and make an abstract piece. Abstract pieces make you think more about colours and how they fit together – and it can also loosen you up if you are having some artist block. Allow yourself to play around with some paints and make a few different pieces and you never know, they could be good enough to add to your shop!

Have fun 

The most important thing to remember as an artist is to have fun with your work. When your art starts to feel like it isn’t for you anymore – this is where you should stop and take a break. Art should be your own pet project and it should be about you creating what you want to create. Don’t allow anyone to force you into commissions or pieces that you don’t enjoy because the quality won’t be the same as if you are creating something you love.

Don’t compare yourself 

It is very important as an artist to never compare yourself to others. None of us are going to be Leonardo Da Vinci – but that doesn’t mean our art isn’t beautiful in its own way. Focus on your own style and your own voice, and don’t allow other people’s art to influence your own. It is important to stay true to your style and your way of art instead of bending to others will. Being an artist is about self expression – so express yourself in a way that you want to and not like anyone else!

Art is a beautiful thing and we hope if you are considering taking the leap into this world that you try some of these tips.