by: Ian Spencer
Your resume and CV would have one sub-point reserved for ‘Hobbies’. Have you wondered why? Hobbies would often tell the employer what type of a person you are – happy, creative, intense, extrovert, introvert and so on; it would also indicate whether you allow creativity a free hand – a thing that is extremely important in personal and professional growth no matter what field you choose for yourself.

The founder of modern psychiatry, Sigmund Freud had pointed that mental disorders are more often than not the result of unrealized and un-integrated (with life) creativity. People who are normally forced into “successful” and demanding professions often choose to give up their hobbies or leisure time in order to further their career. The demands on their time being such, they rather take rest than indulge in their hobbies whenever a window of free time emerges. When there is no more time for fun, in walks anxiety uninvited and unwanted; and that is always bad news.

Leading psychiatrists are of the opinion that hobbies and leisure time occupations such as watching TV, gossiping with neighbors, walking in a park, learning a new language and so on, actually help your mind and body to de-stress. The process is simple – when you do something you love, your mind would shut off the problems that worry you and revel in the pleasure generated by the activity you enjoy. When your mind is off problems, your body relaxes and your mind is able to think with more clarity. This means you short-circuit an impending anxiety attack and are very likely to find a solution to your problems. Isn’t that called a win-win situation?

Some people know what gives them pleasure to do – and cultivate this activity as a hobby or leisure time occupation. What about people who are undecided about what they would really like to do? If you are surprised at this, don’t. There are many people out there who have never thought about it hard enough to identify what they would like to do for pleasure. Well, finding out is easy. Ask yourself this question, ‘If I had all the money in the world and did not have to work for a living, what work would give me the most pleasure?’ Do not look for one answer – because there would be many swimming in your mind and if you are looking for one answer you would be disappointed enough to stop searching.

Make a list of all the possibilities that pop up in your mind. Stop when you reach at reach at 20. Keep the list where you can see it every day. Give yourself a month to identify what you love to do. In the meantime, take out the list everyday and add or delete suggestions from it, aiming to narrow it down to 10 favorite activities – if you can reduce to less it would be even better. Once you have a list of 10 items prioritize these in order of your preference, the best one first. Now, the list would be do-able. Establish a time at least once a week where you would take up one or more of the activities on your list. Keep doing this until you identify what gives you the most pleasure among them all. Please keep in mind that you could choose more than one hobby.

Here are some examples of creative and fun-filled hobbies:
1. Photography
2. Creative writing – poems, snippets, how-to books, short stories, chicken-soup stuff, memoirs
3. Painting/ learning to paint
4. Drawing cartoons/ animation/ sketching
5. Model building – ships, airplanes, cars, buildings, and the like
6. Traveling to see the world
7. Traveling to learn about different customs and people
8. Historical traveling
9. Traveling to discover the taste of the world – for food lovers
10. Cooking/ baking
11. Stitching/ embroidering/ tailoring
12. Swimming/ skiing/ ice-skating/ any outdoor sport you love
13. Indoor sports – chess, carom, bowling, table tennis, billiards
14. Chatting on the Net
15. Surfing the Net
16. Singing/ playing an instrument/ learning to sing or play an instrument
17. Woodworking/ carpentry
18. Mechanic work/ working on cars, motorcycles
19. Horse riding
20. Training animals

These are only a handful of things you could do. The list is endless. You need to allow yourself enough time to identify the one or two activities that give you the most pleasure. Once you found it out, pour in all efforts to make it a full-time hobby. Ensure that every weekend you have a couple of hours reserved for your ‘battery re-charging time’ when you indulge in your pleasure.

You will find that as you channel your creativity into the chosen hobby(ies) you would feel more relaxed, tolerant of your mistakes and those of others, slower to anger and worry, and more productive. This is because when you are happy, your brain actually works more effectively. As you cannot cry and laugh at the same time, so you would not be able to feel anxious and relaxed at the same time. As your hobby would take root and you discover yourself through it, you would find that your anxiety or panic attacks become lesser and lesser both in intensity and number.


About The Author
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by: Bill Enslen
Making wonderful glass mosaic tile art is easy! Let me show you how.

Andamento (Italian for “flow”) is the visual movement of your mosaic created by placing tesserae in specific patterns to achieve the desired image (a.k.a. “coursing” your tesserae).

Opus (Latin for “work of art or literary work”) is any work in any creative field, such as literature, architecture, music, and fine art. In our world of mosaic art, opus refers to how we arrange our tesserae. Different opera (the plural of opus) result in different flows. Understanding the various opera allows you to properly plan your work to ensure you achieve the desired look.

The following opera terms are based on Latin. Few people I know, including me, remember two minutes after rading about them what each term means. It doesn’t matter what you call each style. For example, instead of saying “Opus Regulatum,” you can call it “squares aligned like a brick wall.” The point is to be aware of the types of opera, then plan which types give the results you want, and then create your masterpiece accordingly.

This articles merely describes the basic andamento types; whereas, the eBook provides visual examples. Don’t get hung up on the names; simply be aware of the various styles and how your eyes react to each. Plan your work to give the desired flow and effect. I won’t try to describe in art-speak the effect that the eyes see in each opus because your eyes may interpret something completely different than mine. Besides, I never understand so called connoisseurs when they use words like energy, strong, sharp, dynamic movement, and dynamic power to describe a particular opus. I remember a pretentious guy who once told me, “Your lines are crisp and intense, and give the piece a provocative personality.” I confidently responded, “That’s exactly what I was going for,” although I had no idea what he was talking about. I felt I had to acknowledge what sounded like a compliment by pretending to understand his art-speak.

Surf the Internet for mosaic artists, study their work, and note the flow of their tesserae. Pay attention to how each type of flow makes you feel. Associate the flows with the feelings they stimulate in you. Then, plan your own work using the flows for the feelings you hope to evoke in others. Try mixing several types of opera into your work. For example, try using Opus Regulatum for the border, Opus Palladianum for the background, and Opus Sectile for the focal point.

Opus Tesselatum is a square or rectangle pattern with grout lines aligned, such as a checkerboard.

Opus Regulatum is also a square or rectangle pattern but with grout lines staggered like a brick wall. I sometimes use a variation of this opus as a background by enhancing the effect using light tesserae in the center and gradually darkening the tone to the border.

You’ll find inconsistencies with the definitions of tesselatum and regulatum in that some believe they’re reversed. Those who believe as I do have sound justification. For example, the Latin “tessella” means “small square piece of stone.” The Latin “tessellatim” means “in a checkered or tessellated form.” The modern “tessellate” means “arrange in a checkered pattern.” Therefore, I’m comfortable being in the group that defines the two terms as noted above. However, there’s another discrepancy, which is with the spelling of “tesselatum.” Does it have one “l” or two? I use one "l" to stay consistent with the other “...latum” opera described below. Again, it doesn’t matter what you call them or how you spell them as long as you understand that the two styles exist and they each can arouse different feelings when used in mosaics.

Opus Reticulatum is similar to opus regulatum or tesselatum but with slanted lines.

Opus Sectile is either a piece of tessera cut to one specific shape or several tesserae of varying sizes cut to shapes that fit together like puzzle pieces.

Opus Vermiculatum is typically a single row of tesserae following the outline of a focal point or main feature of the mosaic. Some artists use several rows to create the halo effect and add emphasis to the focal point. The background is usually done with a contrasting opus, such as opus regulatum. “Vermis” is Latin for worm, so think of opus vermiculatum as a worm surrounding your focal point.

Opus Musivum is opus vermiculatum extended out to fill the background, either all the way to the borders or to secondary focal points.

Opus Classicum combines opus vermiculatum with opus regulatum or opus tesselatum.

Opus Palladianum uses similar shapes laid in an irregular pattern. In my opinion, triangle like shapes with relatively equal grout spacing works best for this opus.

Opus Circumtactum uses interlocking fan like patterns for the background.

Remember, the eBook gives visual examples of each type of andamento described above, making it so much easier to understand its associated flow.

Making mosaic art is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can! Let me show you how.


About The Author
Bill Enslen has created glass mosaic art and mosaic tables for 30 years. His new eBook gives you step-by-step details for creating your own mosaic masterpieces. Visit him at http://www.glassmosaictileart.com and read the free sample chapters. Let him show you just how easy it is. With Bill's help, you can do it. Yes, you can! See beautiful stained glass mosaic tabletops at http://www.glassmosaictileart.com/mosaic_table_top_furniture.html

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.glassmosaictileart.com

by: Bill Enslen
Making wonderful glass mosaic tile art is easy! Let me show you how.

You’re so anxious to hang your first masterpiece that it seems like the frame store is taking forever finish the frame. Finally, they call to tell you it’s ready for pickup. Wow, they did a great job and the frame makes your mosaic look even better. You can’t wait to hang it on the wall and show it off.

It weighs a ton and you’re nervous wondering whether a 10-penny nail in flimsy drywall can hold all that weight. You wisely decide that the nail must instead go into a wall stud. The last thing you want is your heavy mosaic crashing down, popping off tesserae, breaking the custom frame, and cracking the ceramic floor tile. You find the exact spot for the nail and poke around hoping to find a stud somewhere close to that spot. Oh, no! The nearest stud is six inches to the left. If you install the nail in that stud, the mosaic won’t be centered on the wall and will look terrible. Good grief, now what? Relax. This is easy. In my eBook, we walk step-by-step through the process of adding a solid support system in the wall that’s plenty strong enough to hold your heavy magnum opus. This isn’t rocket science so don’t panic. You can do it. Yes, you can!

If your masterpiece has any size to it, it’s going to be heavy. For example, one of my projects is only 27”x32” but it weighs a whopping 24-pounds. Always be safety conscious. Never create a safety hazard. You must always ensure the support system is adequately strong enough to bear the load of your heavy mosaic.

Some artists don’t hang their pieces because they don’t want to risk a falling hazard that can harm people or damage the piece. They commonly use free standing easels made of sturdy wood, low to the floor, and well-balanced to minimize the risk of tipping. Typically, these easels are used in galleries, but some people use them in their homes. Personally, I’d rather see my mosaics on the wall. To me, they look better and make the home feel cozier. Besides, who has room for several free-standing easels throughout the house?

The complexity of the support system depends on several factors, such as the mosaic’s weight, location of the lag bolt with respect to a wall stud, and safety concerns for your children. For example, if you find that the lag bolt location is just to the side of a wall stud, you may not need an elaborate support system like the one we install in the eBook. Instead, a small piece of 2x4 attached to the side of the stud may be sufficient.

What we install in the eBook is probably the most complex support system you’ll ever need for a hanging mosaic, so once you learn that method, you should be able to install any simpler support system that you might dream up. Remember, this is easy! You can do it. The eBook walks you through each step of the process as if I’m right there in your living room with you. Relax! Don’t worry about cutting a big hole in your drywall. You’ll learn how easy it is to measure, cut the drywall, install a 2x4 support system to the existing studs, replace the drywall, patch it, and paint it--like a pro! It’s easy. You can do it. Yes, you can! Let me show you how.

Remember, making mosaic art is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can!


About The Author
Bill Enslen has created glass mosaic art and mosaic tables for 30 years. His new eBook gives you step-by-step details for creating your own mosaic masterpieces. Visit him at http://www.glassmosaictileart.com and read the free sample chapters. Let him show you just how easy it is. With Bill's help, you can do it. Yes, you can! See beautiful stained glass mosaic tabletops at http://www.glassmosaictileart.com/mosaic_table_top_furniture.html

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.glassmosaictileart.com

by: Bill Enslen
Making wonderful glass mosaic tile art is easy! Let me show you how.

Which type of adhesive is best for mosaics? It depends on your base material, mosaic method, whether you’re working horizontally on a table or vertically on a wall, whether your mosaic is exposed to moisture, and personal preference.

Many websites and articles say Weldbond is the best adhesive for indoor mosaics and that it’s the preferred glue of professional mosaic artists worldwide. I’m the kind of guy who likes to ask, “Why?” I’m compelled to dig deeper, so my question is: What makes Weldbond so much better than other polyvinyl acetate (PVA) glues (commonly known as white glue), such as Elmer’s Glue All? If you’re like me, you wonder, “Why do so many mosaic websites say Weldbond is the best mosaic glue, but none of them fully explain what makes it better or why it’s better?” I don’t know, maybe one mosaic artist heard something about Weldbond and regurgitated it to another artist without knowing the chemical facts. Maybe a mosaic supply salesman makes a bigger profit selling a 4-ounce bottle of Weldbond for $4.50 than a 7.5-ounce bottle of Elmer’s for only $1.50.

Let’s think about it. White glues are made from PVA emulsions. All basic PVA emulsions have the same properties: water-based, odorless, easy clean-up, colorless, relatively non-toxic, water resistant (not waterproof), and not too heat resistant compared to other adhesives.

Varieties of PVA glues can be developed by adding small amounts of materials to improve specific characteristics. For example, simple clay can improve the glue’s high temperature strength. However, the differences in varieties aren’t that great because if too much extra material is added, the glue’s adhering properties unacceptably weaken.

I tried to determine the chemical properties of Weldbond and Elmer’s, but I couldn’t find anything that fully defines the ingredients. The Elmer’s website says their ingredients are proprietary, so I assume Weldbond’s ingredients are also proprietary. I also couldn’t find independent laboratory test results that define Weldbond’s shear strength, adhesion strength, and cohesion strength. (The key word is “independent.”) Same for Elmer’s. Therefore, I couldn’t compare the two to determine if one truly is stronger than the other in shear, adhesion, and cohesion strength.

For our indoor mosaic applications, do we really care if one brand is stronger than the other by a ga-zillion Pascals? (A Pascal is a unit of pressure equivalent to one Newton per square-meter.) I don’t think so. For example, do we care that one brand might support the weight of two elephants while the other brand might support only one? Of course not. All we care about is if the glue can effectively hold a small piece of glass tessera that weighs less than an ounce to our base material without extreme external forces acting on it (e.g., forces such as walking on it or beating it with a hammer). So, in terms of strength, how do we choose whether to use Weldbond or Elmer’s for our simple, light-duty, indoor, mosaic art application? The answer is easy--perform our own unscientific experiment.

Read the eBook to see the details and results of my experiment and learn which brand performed better. You’ll be surprised at the results. The eBook also explains more about PVA glue, so you’ll understand whether it’s possible to manufacture one brand significantly better than another brand. So, the question still remains: For our indoor glass mosaic art, is it worth it to spend $4.50 for a 4-ounce bottle of Weldbond instead of $1.50 for a 7.5-ounce bottle of Elmer’s? Read the eBook!

Remember, making mosaic art is easy. You can do it. Yes, you can!


About The Author
Bill Enslen has created glass mosaic art and mosaic tables for 30 years. His new eBook gives you step-by-step details for creating your own mosaic masterpieces. Visit him at http://www.glassmosaictileart.com and read the free sample chapters. Let him show you just how easy it is. With Bill's help, you can do it. Yes, you can! See beautiful stained glass mosaic tabletops at http://www.glassmosaictileart.com/mosaic_table_top_furniture.html

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.glassmosaictileart.com