# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Doreen P

"If you want the perfect sesame chicken recipe this is it! You may want to increase the vinegar or lower the amount of sugar. It all depends on how sweet you want the sauce."

Original recipe yields 6 servings

On Sale

What's on sale near you.

Find Me

or

Sort stores by

Closest to me Most deals

These nearby stores have ingredients on sale!

May we suggest

ADVERTISEMENT

Prep

Cook

Ready In

1. Sift flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder into a bowl. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, sherry, 2 tablespoons water, vegetable oil, and a dash of sesame oil; stir until smooth. Stir in chicken until coated with the batter, then cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Dissolve 1/4 cup cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water, and stir into boiling sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and keep sauce warm.

3. Heat olive oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to a temperature of 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

4. Drop in the battered chicken pieces, a few at a time, and fry until they turn golden brown and float to the top of the oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. To serve, place fried chicken pieces onto a serving platter, and pour the hot sauce overtop. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to garnish.

Read all reviews

My review

To cut down on fat, I baked rather than fried this chicken, and it was still to die for! I followed all directions except when it came time to put them in the olive oil, I put them on my stonewa...

I had a hard time with this one. I thought that there was far too much sugar and cornstarch in the sauce and the batter was too thin. I was able to turn this into very good sesame chicken, but i...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Doreen P "If you want the perfect sesame chicken recipe this is it! You may want to increase the vinegar or lower the amount of sugar. It all depends on how sweet you want the sauce." Original recipe yields 6 servings What's on sale near you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Download Article

Download Article

There are many reasons why you may want to make clothing. If you are interested in fashion design, have some garments in mind that you'd like to make for yourself or simply need to make some alterations to clothing you already own, then it would be beneficial to know how to sew a garment from scratch. You do not need to be a seamstress to learn how to create your own custom apparel.

Add New Question

How do I make shoes?

wikiHow has a whole article on this topic, with diagrams and even shoe pattern templates, which you can find at: How to Make Shoes.

How do I use a sewing machine?

Modern sewing machines are fairly straightforward to learn to use. You can use YouTube tutorials to teach yourself and you might even be able to find the exact make of sewing machine you have. For more help and images showing you what to do, see: How to Use a Sewing Machine.

Show more answers
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Things You'll Need

Tape measure

Pencil

Pattern paper

Fabric

Iron

Fabric pins

Sewing machine

Thread

Finishing touches (buttons, zippers, elastic, etc.)

wikiHow is a "wiki," similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 29 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 676,521 times.

Valentina Moya

"My mother just recently gave me a sewing machine, I have always loved clothes. I really want to sew, but I had no idea where to start. This was good so that I can get a good grip and begin advancing in my experiences." ..." more

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There are many reasons why you may want to make clothing. If you are interested in fashion design, have some garments in mind that you'd like to make for yourself or simply need to make some alterations to clothing you already own, then it...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In gymnastics, a front flip is also called a front tuck.http://gymnastics.isport.com/gymnastics-guides/how-to-do-a-front-flip-in-gymnastics Basically, it's a move where you jump up in the air, tuck yourself in a ball, and rotate forward....

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get the recipe for Easy Cookies 'n' Cream Ice Cream.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
wikiHow's mission is to help people learn, and we really hope this article helped you. Now you are helping others, just by visiting wikiHow.

Trek to Teach is a nonprofit organization that sends fluent English speakers to teach in Nepal near the Himalayas. In addition to teaching, Trek to Teach strengthens local communities by helping schools build infrastructure, paint their classrooms, and find furniture.

Click below to let us know you read this article, and wikiHow will donate to Trek to Teach on your behalf. Thanks for helping us achieve our mission of helping people learn how to do anything.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The fishtail braid looks elaborate and will become a favorite for rushed mornings, especially if you have long hair. It turns out beautiful and is great for an average day. It is also a hairstyle that tends to look better the messier it...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Download Article

Download Article

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "The Earth laughs in flowers." Make your home or garden a joyous and bright place to be by planting flowers--nature's own way of showing happiness. Follow these steps to make your favorite locations blissful with the addition of flowers.

1. Select your location. Although flowers are typically easy to grow, they can't be grown just anywhere. An area with too much direct sun or too much shade will be difficult for some flowers to grow in. Find out what type of light is best for the flowers you are planting.

If you have a specific plant in mind to grow, check the light preferences for that plant and choose your plot accordingly. You may end up wanting to choose an area with more or less sun than your original plot has.

If you plan on planting several different types of flowers, choose ones with similar light/shade requirements so that they grow equally well in the same location.

2. Decide on your flowers. Visit a local gardening center to choose the best flowers for your garden. Growing from seeds, a small plant, bulbs, or a cutting requires nearly the same process, so focus on flowers that you enjoy and that will add a beautiful appearance to your yard. Check the tags that come with the flowers or seed packets to make sure the flower is right for you.

Look for the completed growth size of the flower. Will it become very large and bushy, or stay relatively small? Will it grow upwards and become tall or outwards like a vine?

Ask about native flowers before looking at all the available varieties. Flowers indigenous to your area are already known to be successful growers in your soil, temperature, and humidity zones.

Check to see if the flower you are growing is an annual or a perennial. Annuals bloom only once a year and must be replanted yearly, but are known for their bright colors and beautiful blossoms. Perennials grow back every year without needing to be replanted and will continue to grow larger over time.

Read the tag for the watering requirements for the flowers. Some need water often, while others require it only infrequently. If you are getting multiple different species of flower, try to choose ones with similar watering requirements.

3. Plant at the right time. Even with the perfect soil, ideal location, and healthy flowers, if you don't plant at the right time your garden may not grow well. Most flowers don't do well in weather that is too cold or hot, so it is usually best to plant flowers in spring because it is between these periods. Although planting in the spring may seem obvious, there is an art to choosing the perfect time. With the exception of bulbs and wildflowers-plant these flowers in the fall-wait to plant flowers till at least two weeks after the most recent frost, and avoid planting until temperatures at night stay above freezing on a regular basis.

Use a farmer's almanac to find the best time to plant flowers in your area. Because of differences in weather in different locations, flowers can be planted anywhere from February - July.

Check the seed packets of the flowers you are planting to find the best planting time for your flowers.

1. Dig a hole. If you are planting your flowers from seed, you will usually only need to plant your seeds inch (0.6 cm) deep, but it is important to check the specific planting recommendations for any flower you want to plant to find out how deep to plant them. A transplanted/potted flower will need a hole as deep as the root ball that it comes with. Flowers don't need to be smothered with soil, so burying that deep isn't necessary.

Read the packet for any specific recommendations on the size of the hole. Depending on the species of flower, you may need to dig a shallower hole.

2. Plant your flowers. Place each plant into the individual holes prepared for them. Use your hands to fill in the empty space around each flower and cover the top of the root ball. Avoid adding much soil to the top of the flower; the stem of the flowers should never be covered by the dirt.

Consider relocating. As you continue to help your flowers grow, they may become too large for the plot you originally chose for them. Consider moving them to a larger location and adding new flowers to their old location. This will keep your garden growing big, healthy, and beautiful!

Add New Question

What flowers or plants are best to plant in fall?

Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.

Bulbed plants, such as Daffodils or Tulips, do best when planted in the Fall.

What do I need to do if I plant it in a dry place?

Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.

Add some compost to the soil to help with its moisture retaining abilities. Look for flower varieties that are drought-tolerant.

My plants very healthy, but there are no flowers. What can I do to get flowers?

It depends on what kind of plants you have. If they're annuals, you should be getting flowers soon, as they tend to quickly bloom as long as the environment is right, then die. If you have perennial shrubs or forbs, there's a few possibilities: 1) You missed the window of opportunity, as some plants, like lilies and irises, only bloom once at a particular time of year; 2) The plant is still growing and not focused on reproduction; or 3) The plant species has flowers that are hard to notice. You didn't make any specification to what kind of plants you have, so it's hard to tell from here.

See more answers
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

This article was co-authored by Andrew Carberry, MPH. Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee. This article has been viewed 949,508 times.

If you want to plant flowers to brighten up your home, check the requirements for the individual flowers you chose so you'll know what time of year to plant them and what type of soil to use. If you're planting seeds, place them about 1/4 of an inch in your soil. If you're transplanting a flower, use your fingers to gently break up the root ball with your fingers, then place it into the ground so the root ball is covered. Fertilize and water your flowers after planting them. For tips on maintaining keeping your flowers looking healthy after planting them, read on!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 949,508 times.

"This article helped me finish my report on plants."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Plant Flowers: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "The Earth laughs in flowers." Make your home or garden a joyous and bright place to be by planting flowers--nature's own way of showing happiness. Follow these steps to make your favorite locations blissful...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Download Article

Download Article

Doing nails at home can be done with practice. Read about the risks that goes with the work, both educated, and especially uneducated before you start. If you're careful and don't go too quickly you can be as good as anyone else. All you need are a few supplies from the drugstore and little bit of patience.

1. Consider an acrylic nail kit. If this is your first time doing your own acrylic nails, you may want to start with a kit. Kits contain everything you need to get started and come with detailed instructions to help you achieve the look you want. Make sure you read the ingredients so the monomer does NOT contain MMA. MMA (Methyl methacrylate) is a dental acrylic and is too hard for the natural nail. Look for EMA - Ethyl Methacrylate, that is what you want on your nails. Look for brands professional uses or google for something a lot of people recommend.

2. Decide to buy the supplies separately. For greater control over the appearance of your acrylics, you may want to buy the supplies separately. This way you'll also be prepared when it's time to reapply acrylic after your nails grow out. Go to a beauty supply store and buy the following supplies:

Acrylic nail tips and nail tip glue. The tips are usually quite long, which allows you to trim and file them down to the shape and size you want.

Acrylic nail clippers and files. Regular clippers and files aren't as effective on acrylic nails.180, 240, 1000 & 4000 grit should be enough. You might need an even coarser file than the 180 grit if the end result is very clumpy.

Acrylic liquid and acrylic powder. These substances are mixed together to create acrylic nails. As said before, stay away from MMA monomers, go for the EMA (always read what ingredients is used!).

Acrylic bowl and acrylic brush. You need these supplies to mix up the acrylic and apply it. Somewhere between size #8-12 might be a good choice.

Training fingers or a training hand. You may be very eager to make your first acrylic nails on your own hands - or on someone else. But before that you should, and probably need, to practice on something that won't harm you or anyone else. Remember these are strong chemicals which may cause allergies if you aren't careful. Do your first (at least) 10 tries on a training finger or hand. When you are good enough so the material does not go outside of the practice nail, do a few more and then you can start to think about doing it on a real hand. Allergies are for life, if you are unsure, don't do it on anyone else than on yourself.

1. Remove old nail polish. Acrylic should be applied to clean nails, so remove your old polish before getting started. Use an acetone-based, oil-free nail polish remover to take it off. If you have old acrylic nails or gels to remove, soak them in pure acetone to remove them. Do NOT peel them off; soak them until it can be pushed away with ease. Peeling it off will damage your own nail, making it a lot thinner.

2. Trim your nails. To provide a good base for the acrylic, use a nail scissors or nail clippers to trim your natural nails to a short, even, manageable length. A few millimeters is good to have so you can glue the tips at the end where your natural smile line is. Use a nail file to even them out.

3. Buff the surface of your nails. Use a soft nail file to make the surface of your nails slightly rougher and less shiny. This provides a better surface for the acrylic to stick to.

4. Push back your cuticles. You want the acrylic to be adhered to your natural nails, not your skin. Push back your cuticles or trim them to keep them out of the way while you give yourself a manicure.

Use a wooden cuticle pusher to push back your cuticles. Metal pushers can be used, but wooden are better for your nails. If you don't have a cuticle pusher, a wooden popsicle stick can be substituted.

It's easier to push back cuticles when they're soft and wet, rather than dry. Soak your fingers in warm water for a few minutes before using the cuticle pusher, and preferably work on them a few days before so that they are extra fine for your treatment.

5. Use the nail primer. This removes the remaining moisture and oils from your nails to get them ready for the acrylic. This step is one of the most important for best adhesion. If oil remains on your nails, the acrylic won't stick.

Use a cotton ball or preferably a lint-free paper towel to carefully rub the surface of your nails with acetone.

Nail primer with acid is made with an methacrylic acid, which can burn. Be careful not to use too much or get it on your skin. There are acid-free primers if you are unsure of the acid ones.

1. Apply the tips. Find the right size tips for your nail. If the tip doesn't fit your nail perfectly, file it down to size. A little too small can often looks better than a little too big. Place a dab of glue on the tip from side to side and apply it to your natural nail so that the bottom edge of the acrylic tip is centered halfway down the surface of your nail. Hold it in place for five seconds to allow the glue to dry. Do that on all 10 nails, then cut the nails to preferred length.

If you accidentally apply the nail tip crooked, soak it in water for a few minutes to remove it, they dry your nail and reapply the nail tip.

Use only a small amount of glue so that it does not touch your skin.

2. Get the acrylic materials ready. Pour the liquid acrylic into the acrylic dish, and pour some powder into a separate dish. Acrylic is a strong chemical that produces fumes that can be toxic, so make sure you're working in a well-ventilated area.

3. Load the acrylic brush with acrylic. Dip the brush into the acrylic dish. Push it all the way down and make sure all the bubbles goes away. Then brush it against the side of the bowl to remove excess liquid. Run the brush through the acrylic powder so that a small, moist ball collects on the end of the brush.

You may have to practice a few times to achieve the correct ratio of liquid to powdered acrylic. The small ball of acrylic mixture should be moist and spreadable, but not too wet. The acrylic should stray on the brush, not drip off of the brush.

Have paper towels handy in case you need to brush off extra moisture and to wipe the brush between strokes so the acrylic doesn't stick to the brush.

4. Apply the acrylic mixture to your nails. Start at the "smile line" - the bottom edge of the acrylic tip. Flatten the acrylic ball over the line and brush it down to the tip. Spread it quickly and smoothly so that the transition between your natural nail and the acrylic tip is smooth. Take a second ball of acrylic and place it near your cuticle, but not too close. With small circular movements, try to get the acrylic closer to the cuticle, without touching it, and then brush the acrylic down to make a smooth transition. Repeat the procedure with all ten nails.

Remember to wipe your brush on a paper towel between every stroke. When you get a hang of it you won't need to do it as often. This is so the acrylic won't stick to your brush. If i'ts still on the brush you could dip the brush in the liquid while the acrylic is still wet on the brush, and then wipe it off again.

To avoid lumps in the acrylic, be sure to use small single strokes in the same direction

Less is more! If you have too much acrylic on your nails, you'll have to file for what feels like an eternity. Working with small beads is easier in the beginning.

If you apply the acrylic correctly, there should be a gentle curve, rather than a harsh line, where the acrylic tip meets your natural nail. You may need to use more than one ball of acrylic per nail to achieve this.

Don't apply the acrylic to your cuticles. It should start a few millimeters above your cuticle so that it adheres to your nail, not your skin.

5. Let the acrylic dry. It should only take about ten minutes before the acrylic is completely set. Test it by tapping the surface of your nail with the handle of your acrylic brush. If it makes a clicking sound, it's ready for the next step.

1. Shape the tips. Now that the acrylic has set, use a coarse nail file (180 grit for example) to shape the tips and file them to the length you want. Use a buffer to buff the surface of the nails, the 240 grit file takes away the scratches from the 180 grit file. Finish with an 1000 grit and after that the 4000 grit for the extra shine. With the 4000 it can be as shiny as a top coat if done correctly!

Remember use a small brush to dust off the excess nail dust made by the drill, so that it doesnt mix with the nail polish!

2. Paint your nails. You can use a coat of clear polish or choose to paint them with colored nail polish. Apply the polish to the entire nail to create a smooth, even surface.

3. Maintain your acrylic nails. After about two weeks, your nails have grown out. Choose to either reapply acrylic or remove the acrylic from your nails.

If your nails are green or yellow or in any other way looks unhealthy, DO NOT apply acrylic on your nails. Fungus and other nail conditions won't go away and need treatment! It will get worse if you apply acrylic nails on it. Nail fungus is highly contagious so don't use un-disinfected tools on you or anybody else.

Add New Question

What do I need to do acrylic nails at home?

Marta Nagorska is a Nail Technician and Nail Art Blogger based in London, UK. She runs the blog, Furious Filer, where she gives tutorials on nail care and advanced nail art. She has been practicing nail art for over 5 years and graduated from Northampton College with distinction with a Nail Technician and Manicurist degree in 2017. She has been awarded the top spot in the OPI Nail Art Competition.

Show more answers

1. ↑ Marta Nagorska. Nail Artist. Expert Interview. 29 July 2019.

2. ↑ Marta Nagorska. Nail Artist. Expert Interview. 29 July 2019.

3. ↑ Marta Nagorska. Nail Artist. Expert Interview. 29 July 2019.

This article was co-authored by Marta Nagorska. Marta Nagorska is a Nail Technician and Nail Art Blogger based in London, UK. She runs the blog, Furious Filer, where she gives tutorials on nail care and advanced nail art. She has been practicing nail art for over 5 years and graduated from Northampton College with distinction with a Nail Technician and Manicurist degree in 2017. She has been awarded the top spot in the OPI Nail Art Competition. This article has been viewed 2,652,852 times.

Updated: September 16, 2021

To do acrylic nails, start by buying an acrylic nail kit from a beauty supply store and setting up a work space in a well-ventilated area, since acrylic fumes can be toxic. Next, use the nail primer in your kit to remove any moisture and oils from your nails, then glue the tips halfway down the surface of each nail and cut them to the desired length. After that, dip the brush into the liquid acrylic, followed by the acrylic powder, and apply the mixture to your nails from the tips to the cuticles. Finally, let your nails dry for 10 minutes before shaping the tips. To learn how to finish and maintain your acrylic nails, keep reading!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,652,852 times.

Sofia Alarcon

"I'm trying my own acrylic nails for the first time and this page gave me the best information I could have! Starting with what products to buy, all the way to the acrylic nail application procedure! Excellent! Can't wait to start my own! " ..." more

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Doing nails at home can be done with practice. Read about the risks that goes with the work, both educated, and especially uneducated before you start. If you're careful and don't go too quickly you can be as good as anyone else. All you...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Canvas Painting for Beginners

In a previous blog I discussed the different grades of watercolor paper so, in all fairness to the other mediums, this art supplies tutorial will give insight on how to prepare your canvas for the opaque mediums: oil, acrylic and pastel.

In leading art stores you will find already manufactured canvases and canvas boards. Some are very costly, such as linen ($20 for a 12- x 16-inch canvas), and you can even find the same size in a dollar store ($2.00 for a 12 x 16) cotton fabric. Is the cost worth it? Are the cheap canvases worth the savings?

I have tried the dollar store ones and discovered some of them are under-gessoed, so I add another layer of gesso. Shall I opt for the middle range? Artists are faced with this dilemma all the time, and I believe my professional insight will help you make the right decision.

Linen vs. Cotton Canvas

Linen is the most costly surface of them all. Many professionals note their plein air paintings are done on this surface. This gives the impression they can afford it and are successful. In fact, you will often see the title of the painting plus "on linen" specified under their paintings.

I admit linen is more cooperative than cotton as a painting surface. But I don't feel it's worth the additional cost unless you are being paid for that painting or know you will sell it. The collector will feel prouder of the acquisition knowing you used the top materials.

Additionally, duration isn't a reason to justify favoring either cotton or linen because both use the same primers. Some artists complain the weave of a cotton canvas is too mechanical, whereas with linen it is more random. Also worth noting, many top landscape artists resort to dry brushing; linen lends itself nicely to these effects because some areas of the weave bulge more.

Unless you have money to spare I don't think the expense merits working on a linen canvas for painting. Both cotton and linen canvases are either primed with acrylics or oil. Acrylic gesso-primed surfaces have a bit more friction, giving you more brush control for detail, whereas oil-primed surfaces are more slippery (Note: Do not use oil-primed canvas for acrylics.)

Neither one is better than the other. It's a personal preference. Both of these fabrics are either stretched and mounted on wooden bars or glued on cardboard boards and commercially sold. In my opinion, presenting a painting on a cardboard board looks cheap to a collector even if linen is mounted on it. It also will not offer enough protection against humidity or insects.

Stretched canvases will increase the price. Some artists like the spring or feeling of a tight drum of the stretched canvas. To me, it makes no difference. As a side note, I feel too much instructional attention goes to art supplies rather than to the building blocks of good painting design. If you are competent in techniques, the surface is not much of an issue.

Preparing Your Painting Surfaces

If you have the time to prepare your own painting surfaces and want to save a bundle, especially if you paint a lot, read on for some options you can experiment with. If you still want to use linen or cotton you can buy it by the roll, cut out your own sizes and then glue them to wooden panels.

You can use acrylic gel medium as glue for a few units or buy a gallon of Miracle Muck glue if you intend to make them in series. The cost per unit will considerably drop since the labor is no longer factored in.

Mounting these on stretcher boards is not worth the work, so forget that. The best option is to order an 8- x 4-foot birch wood panel at a lumber store and have them cut this panel into smaller units. I mostly work on 9 x 12, 11 x 14 or 12 x 16 canvases for outdoor painting and my online art demos.

Because lumber stores do not usually charge for cutting, the savings are substantial.These raw boards are good for absorbing the glue as well. You'll end up with quite a few individual boards.

Once you have these units, you have the following two options:

1. Paste sections cut out from a roll. In case you decide to paste from a roll, make sure the size is a 1/4 inch larger on each side to compensate when the fabric shrinks when it gets wetted by the glue. Then, cut off the residue. This still takes some work.

2. Gesso your own surface. Take into account thin boards will warp when they become damp. Wet both sides when adding the glue or gesso. You can use 1/8 inch boards for small panels; 1/4 inch will be necessary for larger sizes; 1/2 inch for 24×30 inches or larger. Birch wood is light weight, so these canvases are handy for transporting on a plein air painting trip.

Applying Gesso

The most viable option, in my opinion, is to gesso your own painting surface. Again, the success of a painting is in your decision making (that's where my online classes will benefit you), not the surfaces. I am a lazy artist and want to do the least work possible. I prefer to gesso panels instead of pasting canvas. There are three options when it comes to gessoing your surface:

1. A flat, smooth non-textured gesso. This is suitable for fine detail such as wild life and portraits. Apply three coats and do not water down.

2. A mildly textured surface. Gesso with Liquitex Super Heavy Gesso using a fine fabric roller. Do not water down. This will leave some pointed protrusions and will work well for dry brushing, which is a technique I often use to indicate foliage and grass in landscape paintings. Give a sanding after each coat so the protrusions aren't too predominant. Apply only two coats. I find these prepared panels to work the best for small sizes.

3. Heavy textured surface. This is an excellent option to show convincing landscape texture. You can save a lot of money on paint as well. I would use this for painting larger than 16 x 20 inches. The rule of thumb is small panels should not take on heavy texture for simplicity; increase the texture as the size get larger. Do your general landscape drawing on the first layer of Liquitex Super Heavy gesso done in a smooth application. Apply a second coat straight out of the container in the same manner and paint your shapes by applying heavy loads on your brush.

For example, a waterfall will have downward strokes following the water movement. Trees would take on broken, choppy strokes. Paint rocks with "band aid strokes" or even a palette knife with white heavy gesso.

Remember, you're emulating the actual colored pigment application. Pretend you are actually painting. Leave the smooth areas that will not have texture for contrast such as lakes, rivers and skies. It is important to have the smooth vs. textured areas so the texture stands out when contrasted with the smooth areas.

Allow the now gessoed surface to dry a couple of days, then apply the paint. But in this case, you do not need to apply heavy paint because you did that already with the gesso - a great savings technique!

Remember a 12 x 16 panel may warp, so wet the opposite side as you apply the first layer of gesso. This whole procedure will enhance the painting and help convey a three-dimensional aspect.

Toning a Canvas

At this point, you might be thinking: This is great, but what do you do when working with pastel? Pastel paper is known to come in different colors. You can also tone your canvas before you paint. I use burnt sienna acrylics with very little water and apply a thin transparent wash over the white canvas. You can do this on any gessoed surface.

The advantage of toning is when you apply thin paint in the dark areas, such as in summer trees, some of that orange will glow through. I do this for green trees. You can also tone your canvas to a blue-gray in case you do a nocturne or foggy day. That cool background will influence the colors. This also helps avoid having little white dots where paint didn't completely cover the canvas.

Preparing Painting Surfaces for Pastels

Most of the time pastel artists paint on sanded paper. Some may not find this very presentable to collectors because the painting is done on "paper," and the artist may want to give them a more handsome, sturdy presentation.

You can prepare your own pastel boards with a pastel ground sold in major art stores, then simply follow the instructions on the container. Good luck and happy art-making, artists!

Want more from Johannes?

Johannes Vloothuis' Landscape Painting Essentials and other video courses are available online. North Light has also released a book written by Vloothuis, titled Landscape Painting Essentials. Additionally, learn more about Vloothuis and register for his online art classes by visiting his website, ImproveMyPaintings.net.

And, because we also can't get enough of Vloothuis, here is a short video demonstration from the artist on an easy technique for painting bundles of foliage in acrylic. Enjoy!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Canvas Painting for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In a previous blog I discussed the different grades of watercolor paper so, in all fairness to the other mediums, this art supplies tutorial will give insight on how to prepare your canvas for the opaque mediums: oil, acrylic and pastel. In leading art stores you will find already manufactured canvases and canvas boards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How to Play Softball? - Learn Softball in simple and easy steps starting from Overview, Equipment, Playing Environment, Basics, How to Play Softball?, Rules, Champions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Here's a quick and easy method for beginners to draw male and female faces. In this tutorial, I'll draw 2 basic faces and then I'll demonstrate how some easy modifications can affect the overall look of the face.

This tutorial is available in blog format and video format:

This tutorial was requested by Wendy Nelson. Thanks Wendy! If you want to vote on the next video tutorial, check out my Patreon page to learn how :)
Tools:
Try to sketch very lightly so you can easily erase mistakes as you go along. This will also be helpful for the last part of the tutorial where we'll swap out facial features to play with the way our characters appear. I used a 2B for this tutorial so you can clearly see what I'm doing, however I recommend using an HB or harder pencil grade.

How to Draw a Male Face Easy

Step 1: Draw a Circle

Draw a circle and then make a line through the center vertically and horizontally. Try to keep your construction lines as light as possible. If you can't draw a good circle, don't worry! Trace a round object such as a cup or a roll of duct tape.

Step 2: Draw a Line for the Chin

To find out where to draw the chin, use your ruler or pencil and finger to measure half of the circle's diameter (from the bottom of the circle to the horizontal line), then transfer your measurement to the bottom of the circle and draw a line for the chin.

Step 3: Draw the Cheeks and Jawline

Draw the cheeks and jawline by connecting chin to the circle. Don't forget to keep your lines light. We're going to give the face more definition later. The lighter your lines are, the easier it will be to erase and make changes.

Important: Before we move onto the next step, erase the horizontal line inside of the circle.

Step 4: Draw Facial Construction Lines

Through the center of the head, draw a vertical and horizontal line.

Split the bottom section of the face in half and then in half again.

Do the same thing for the top section of the face.

These lines are for the eyes, nose, lips and hair.

Step 5: Draw the Eyes and Eyebrows

On the line labelled eyes, split the face into 5 equal sections. Make sure you take the entire width of the head into account.

Note: Thanks to Pranab Mahajan for reminding me to add this little detail - If you find it difficult to split the face into 5 equal sections, measure the width of the head using a ruler and divide your number by 5.

Example: If the widest part of the head is 6cm, divide it by 5 to get 1.2cm. Then split the head into sections of 1.2cm each.

Draw your eyes in the appropriate spaces. Click here for a detailed tutorial on drawing eyes.

Step 6: Draw the Nose

Before we draw the nose, we'll need some boundary lines. Draw a line coming down from the corner of each eye and stopping at the line labelled "nose".

Let's draw the nose within these boundaries. For a medium length nose, draw it above the nose line.

Learn how to draw a nose: blog version, video version

Step 7: Draw the Lips

We'll need some boundary lines for the lips as well. Draw a boundary line coming down from the center of each eye and stopping at the line labelled "lips".

Draw a triangle directly under (touching) the nose and ending on the "lip" line.

Learn how to draw lips using my triangle method: blog version, video version

Step 8: Draw the Hair

Draw the hairline by creating a very angular shape that is well defined.

I like to draw the top hairline between these 2 lines.

Once that's complete, draw the rest of the hair. To give his hair more volume, draw your outlines further away from the head, but make sure the distance is somewhat consistent or else the head shape may look unrealistic.

Step 9: Draw the Ears

Roughly between the eyes and nose, draw the ears.

Step 10: Complete His Face

Give the cheeks, jawline and chin some more definition. I gave him a sharp jawline with a dimpled chin. To make someone look skinnier, you can draw some subtle lines to shape the cheeks.

Finally, give him a thick neck and add the shoulders as well.

I erased the construction lines to show you his face without obtructions. You can keep these construction lines to aid you at the end of this tutorial when we swap out facial features to transform our characters!

How to Draw a Female Face Easy

Step 1: Draw a Circle

Same thing here - draw a circle with a line going through the center vertically and horizontally.

Step 2: Find Out Where to Draw the Chin

Measure half the circle's diameter and add it to the bottom to get the chin, except THIS time, draw the chin slightly shorter.

Step 3: Draw the Cheeks, Jaw and Chin

For females, I like to draw a narrow face with a narrow jaw. For the chin, taper your lines in so the chin is more narrow compared to the male.

Step 4: Draw Facial Construction Lines

Erase the horizontal line inside of the circle and then draw a line going through the center of the head vertically and horizontally.

Split the bottom section of the face in half and then in half again.

Do the same thing for the top section of the head.

Step 5: Draw the Eyes

One the line labelled eyes, split the head into 5 equal sections while taking the full width of the head into account.

Draw your eyes in the 2nd and 4th space.
How to draw a pair of realistic eyes
Step 6: Draw the Nose

Again, draw a set of boundary lines coming down from the inner corner of each eye. Draw your nose a little higher than the 'nose line' for a medium length nose.

For a more feminine face, draw a narrow nose using soft lines that are not too angular/sharp. For the nose-bridge, draw a smooth curve that's not too dark.

Step 7: Draw the Mouth

Create your boundary lines coming down from the center of each eye.

Draw your triangle directly below the nose and resting on the line labelled "lips".

For a medium length mouth, draw it well within the boundary lines. Rest the bottom lip on the line labelled "lips".

Step 8: Draw the Ears

Draw the ears roughly in between the eye and nose line.

Step 9: Draw the Hair

Females tend to have softer, more rounded hairlines compared to males. Draw a smooth line around the forehead without making many sharp angles. Make sure to keep your lines fairly light as well.

Once you finished the hairline, draw the rest of the hair. For a super detailed tutorial on drawing hair, visit this tutorial.

Step 10: Complete Her Face

Draw the cheeks, jawline and chin using smooth lines. A square chin can make your drawing look a lot more masculine (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

To finish it off, give her a narrow neck compared to his. A thick neck may indicate a muscular individual.

Easily Make Changes to Your Character

This is the most fun part of creating this tutorial! Once you've created a face, you can easily change the features to test out different looks: hairstyles, lips, nose lengths, eye shapes, etc... The possibilities are endless and it's also a great way to learn how each facial feature impacts a character's emotions.

You can keep your construction lines to aid in the process or erase them and use the faint lines from your erased features to draw a slightly different one.

Move your features around, make them bigger, smaller, longer, shorter or place them further apart. The possibilities are endless!

[GIF]

Don't be afraid to experiment with drawing dis-proportioned faces. Stretch your imagination and just have fun with it!

Draw Various Male Faces

I noticed that when drawing males with thick outlines around the mouth, they turn out looking more feminine. You can lighten the outlines to make a pair of lips look more masculine.

Drawing narrow eyes can make a face look more chill and relaxed. The more visible the iris is, the more alert, intense, surprised, innocent or even angry the face will look.

Sharper, broader angles can make him look stronger, more masculine

Try different eye shapes too. I tried to make him look southeast asian by turning his eyes up at the ends, making the tip of the nose less pointy and giving him a pair of well defined lips.

Try to turn your character from a man into a boy by simply making his jawline narrower and smoother so his bones look less developed.

See if you can age him by adding different types of facial hair too!

Draw Various Female Faces

The original face looked sad. When I made her eyes wider, her sadness disappeared instantly! I didn't even need to change the eyebrows.

And then I changed her lips and lowered her nose.

Here are Some More Examples!

I hope you guys enjoyed this tutorial as much as I enjoyed making it :)

Happy drawing!!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Darlene created RFA In 2013 with the goal of sharing simple yet detailed drawing tutorials with other artists on the world wide web. She is a self taught pencil portrait artist and Youtuber.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Draw Faces for Beginners - SIMPLE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Here's a quick and easy method for beginners to draw male and female faces. In this tutorial, I'll draw 2 basic faces and then I'll demonstrate how some easy modifications can affect the overall look of the face. This tutorial is available in blog format and video format: This tutorial was requested by Wendy Nelson.