Art Portfolio Bags

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   Best Art Portfolio/Bag to Buy?
   I am a graphic design student and am required to carry an art portfolio/bag to class everyday. The bag must be large enough to fit an 18"x24" pad of sketch paper as well as various other items and strong because these items are very heavy. I am currently on my 3rd bag because every single one I buy keeps breaking in some fashion. I am tired if shelling out for a portfolio only to have it break two months later. I have paid more for these portfolios than I have for all of my other art supplies combined!

   What is the best brand/kind/whatever portfolio to buy that will actually LAST so I don't have to keep replacing these bags? I don't have the time or the money to keep running to the store.

   Thanks!
   I have been buying the bags made out of the same material as backpacks, not the paper ones. I also am unable to carry anything smaller as that size is what is required by my program (I'm barely scraping by the minimum requirements of what you must carry).

   • ANSWER:
     Buy a portfolio that is made of leather and hav a sturdy handle like a suit case...Stop buying the paper style type portfolios....dont know the name of the good ones but either online or at a Azle art supply should carry the good ones...I would not spend a hole lot of money on that type because the smaller and more professional look is more important cause Senior Art Diecrtors dont like to handle big bulky bags...they like the small more compact ones...reduce your portfolio work and size if possible.

2. QUESTION:
   Art Portfolio Question?
   I'm a junior in high school and I'm attending portfolio day this December. I was wondering: Do I have to photograph my work and print the pictures to fit in a binder?
   I was just going to bring in my actual work in a portfolio bag. The largest pieces are only about 18 by 24.

   • ANSWER:
     If you treasure your work, it may be wise to photograph them anyway. There is nothing like the real thing. I have had lots of my original work stolen in grade school, middle, upper, and college levels. It's a compliment, albeit not a fun way to find out someone really loves your work. So think about that as a plus to taking in photos instead of originals. And 18 x 24 and smaller are easier to carry off.

     I don't mean to frighten you, but if you are leaving this portfolio behind for others to pour over, then I recommend using photographs. Be sure you have bright, indirect light when you take the photos and use the best quality camera you can get a hold of.

     Good luck and hopefully you have found one of the finest forms of expressing yourself, visual art.

3. QUESTION:
   help me with my art portfolio for college!?
   hey guys i am an international student(from india) and i am planning to apply to YORK UNIVERSITY for the bachelor of design program next year(2012-13)
   i am a good artist,have won regional and state art competitions....so wanted to ask you if i have any chance of bagging the amazing 000 entrance scholarship that york offers to international students?

   but the main question is about the portfolio!i know what i must include in my portfolio,but i dont know how to present it!my queries about art/design portfolio are-

   1)should i put them together in a folder,if yes please inform me about the size of the folder.
   2)should i decorate the folder in anyway to show my creativity?
   3)how and where should i write the topic of a particular artwork included in my portfolilo......by how i mean,should i print it or write it with pen?and by where i mean....should i write it on the top of the page or back page or anywhere else...?
   4)where should i write or print the mini rationale describing the artworks i have made...?
   5)any other important tips or info about making an art portfolio?

   i know....these questions are pretty silly.....but i really need to know all of these and dont wanna make any mistake!

   • ANSWER:
     Good luck! Portfolios can be stressful, but you've given yourself a lot of time to prepare.

     Here's a good start: http://design.yorku.ca/bdes/portfolio-faqs.php

     The university lists their portfolio requirements there, as well as any FAQs that might be relevant. As for your questions...

     1) Yes, put all of your works together in a folder, and no more than 16"x20" as per the university's guidelines.
     2) Do not decorate the outside of your portfolio folder; only label it with the most important information! The work you include will have all of the impact it needs.
     3) If you decide to write about your artwork, keep it short, and keep it tidy. If you feel it's absolutely necessary to include, then type up a very short statement to paste on the back of the work. The lower right-hand corner is usually the most common place for information, but keep in mind, no portfolio requirements state that any type of explanation should be included with the works. You'll likely be required to write an overall artist statement, and so your best bet will be to label the works only with your name, the subject/title of the work, and the date.
     4) The best idea is to include a brief (less than 1 page, double-spaced) artist's statement, which will outline your intentions, your desire to attend as well as why the scholarship should go to you. Present an argument that is rational without embellishing on any irrelevant points, and state your goals. ONLY include this statement if the application for the scholarship requires it!

     Make sure that your work is presented VERY NEATLY! You might be an incredible artist, but points will definitely be docked for any sloppy cropping or mounting of your works. Keep things as orderly and presentable as possible. Try to create a flow within the portfolio, so that the pieces are presented in a manner that makes sense. A good way to determine this is to ask both a trained eye and an untrained eye for advice- ask an artistic friend, and then ask one who has no training in art whatsoever for their opinions.

     Only include 10-15 pieces. You don't want to over-complicate things, and it can be hard to narrow down, but do your best. Select your best and most recent (within the last 2 years at the latest) pieces.

     Make sure that your portfolio shows your ability to grasp the fundamentals. Choose pieces that explore contour, value/tone, colour, and composition, and that explore a variety of different materials and techniques. Do NOT submit anything drawn from a flat photograph or image. Do NOT submit any cartoon, comic, or fantasy imagery; while these certainly express creativity, what the university is looking for is skill in the fundamentals of art and design.

     If you have experience with both technical as well as fine art work, submit examples of both.

     Finally, if you ever have any extra questions, contact an admissions officer at York university. They're always more than happy to help!

     Good luck!

4. QUESTION:
   How should I store all my preschoolers art projects?
   I have a paper bag full of art projects, along with them displayed all over the house...what should I do with ALL of them??? Anyone know of a portfolio book to display art in?

   • ANSWER:
     There's only a blunt way to put this, but as a mother of two and an aunt to twenty (and one of six kids myself), here's my honest advice.

     Keep five pieces/year. Buy a portfolio from Walmart every year and save maybe five pieces. The rest can be "removed" from the fridge routinely as the kids aren't around.. As long as you keep five or six per year, you really won't miss them. I promise.

     I know it sounds cruel, but you only have so much room!

     Another option is to scan them and store them on a removeable drive somewhere.

     When they get older, you can even let them decide what to keep and what not to keep. My daughters are avid story writers, and they only save themselves maybe two or three of their stories per year.

5. QUESTION:
   what art supplies should i bring with me to college at KCAD?
   I've got the essentials like paints, pencils, and paper...but what else do I really need?
   Should I get a portfolio bag for my artwork?? Will i need it?? What else should I take with me??

   • ANSWER:

6. QUESTION:
   what type of bag do i need to take for sixth form?
   so i have to wear formal clothes, you know - black blazer, trousers, shirt etc.
   i was wondering what bag i should buy which is formal and isn't a backpack, but carries alot of books?
   i originally planned to bring this huge colourful bag but i'm wearing black, and its the size of an art portfolio so i need to get something suitable lol.
   thanks for helping no fashionable or expensive bags (my school won't allow it) that and if possible, cheap?

   • ANSWER:
     i like the satchel type bags river island and topshop have
     or maybe try a messenger bag

7. QUESTION:
   Need Help Putting together an art portfoilo?
   I need help putting together a portfolio (not online) of my paintings. They are all on canvas so I dont know how to start...Can I take pictures and store them in a portfolio bag or something like that? I also need help getting my name out in the world. My site is: www.artcouture.piczo.com . Any feedback?

   • ANSWER:
     Yes, It would be fine to simply take photo's of the paintings. Just try to avoid any shadows. Lighting is very important.

8. QUESTION:
   What are some vintage items?
   For my art portfolio I am thinking about doing the theme as vintage still life. What are some things I could paint/ draw in my art board?? Or any other suggestions fore themes?

   For vintage I mean things like for example:
   clocks, vintage old bags, old telephones, typewriter etc

   Thanks!

   • ANSWER:
     My thought is old-fashioned desks. I have my grandmother's 'secretary' style desk. (She was the first female Dean of Nursing at the University of Washington.

     The desk is now about 60 years old, made of mahogany. It's really beautiful and I keep it as nice as I can. Seriously. I get compliments on it ALL THE TIME. But I am aware that it's not 'mine' per se. It was hers (Mary) and it will be someone else's later. And that's just the way it is LOL. Very nice though . . .
     -----------
     I suppose that I have other ideas as well, now that I think about it. I have a slide rule. How cool is that? ROFL I also have a REALLY nice chessboard. An old guitar. And WAY too many Vermeer paintings (replicas of course Some women just CAN'T be stopped. Apparently those are the women I choose to be friends with Lucky me, right ??

9. QUESTION:
   How do you deal with someone who has a "victim complex"?
   My ex boyfriend and I are involved in a custody battle, I am trying to be fair and even more so. Unfortunately whenever we go to court or involve the lawyers where it would be a chance for him to voice his opinion he repeatedly says that I am constantly trying to stop him from seeing my one year old daughter and never talk to him. It is so frustrating because I would just like to get this whole thing over with and forget about the past. He has court ordered visitation every other weekend but does not call and ask for anything more. When he had supervised visitation, he wanted to schedule a visitation but I was working that day and asked if we could do it the next day or whatever works for him. From then on he has said I canceled his one and only visitation, except that would have been number 3 or 4.

   Since we have broken up he has burned my art portfolio, tried to run me off the road with my daughter (3 months old at the time), and two other friends in the car off the road. Kept all (minus a couple Walmart bags full) of my personal possessions including my daughters crib, which was my sisters & cousins before hers. My grandfathers coin collection passed on from my great aunt, great grandmothers jewelry, and numerous other things.

   I have tried repeatedly to get along with him for the sake of our daughter, but I believe he wants revenge because I broke up with him. I have explained this to him and he agrees, but will turn around and say something completely different in the courts.

   Is there anything I can do to convince him that we need to put the past behind us and just move on? Or do I have to deal with his victimizing for 18 years, or until he grows up? (I am 20 he is 22) Is anyone in this same situation that might be able to give me some pointers?

   Thank you.
   I lived with him for almost a year while he was away truck driving and having sex with other women. He was a serious emotional abuser and came close to physical.
   ps. we handed evidence to the judge that would put him in prison, but the judge wiped his ass with it. He rubber stamped my ex's affidavits and doesn't care if I was abused or anything like that. What my ex says is close to god to the judge (he has shown more partial to the father in 80% of the cases)
   My daughter lives with me, she has as I said court ordered visitations for now. She is 14 months old. I would love to give him what he wants, but that would mean I would be held in contempt of court.
   I have filing cabnets full of documentation, many many tapes , such as he told me in front of a police officer that he was going to slam into my truck. It was so glorious. I want to play nice, but at the same time kick him in his dirty balls. He deserves to be in pain & know what I felt, but as he has told me he doesn't care.
   Another concern is that his family lives in the county just north of where he & I live. He takes her there on her visitation (which got turned from supervised to unsupervised by the judge, because he told the judge I was not letting him have his visitations. The whole scheduling conflict) but that county is very small and has chosen to take his side. They I filed a police report for him trying to run me off the road, but the county did not file it.

   The reason he tried to run me off the road is because he took my daughter when we broke up and there was no custody established. He said he wasn't giving her back to me unless i came back to him. So I acted like I would come back to him & went up there & took her back!
   He took her up to the county his parents live in over Christmas week and refused to give her back and the county stated if I tried to come & get her they would place her in protective custody with HHS. I have a court order stating I am the primary custodian, there was no option. They flat out didn't care. I did not get to spend my daughters first Christmas with her.

   I have had nothing but trouble with this man. I am at my wits end because all the documentation in the world does not matter to this judge. He does not care about subpoenas or anything. What should I do to appease them both for the time being? My lawyer is not helping & the funds are dry.

   • ANSWER:
     We sometimes make poor choices that continue to haunt us and I'm afraid that he was yours.

     When he tried to run you off the road, I hope you contacted the police about the incident and filed charges. Anytime he does somethng like that you need to file.

     You need to see an attorney and to see about getting back the things he took from you. The crib was your families before he came along. It was not something you acquired in the relatinship, as was the coin collection. You were not married so I don't know why you can't file theft charges or a civil suit to get them or the money back. Or go to small claims court for that. An attorney can better tell you what your rights are when you were not married to the man.

     You need to keep a calendar to document when visitation is and when he didn't make it or asked for another date. If it is not a time when you already had somethng planned, then you probably need to go along with it.

     If he was abusive to you, then you need to assume that he could be abusive to your child. Why was the supervised visitation stopped? Is there any way to keep that going to protect your child.

     He is going to try to manipulate you and the courts as much as he can. Therefore you need to document everything. If your child ever comes home with bruies, you need to take pictures and take her to the family doctor and then contact children's services to make a complaint.

     You don't need to explain anything to him. You are being a victim in that. You need to stop. He will try to manipulate you and you need to not allow that If you go to court, you need to state the facts and have documentation. If he rants about something or claims something that isn't true, you need to state the facts to the judge and to indicate that he was verbally and emotionally abusive to you and that he did try to run youoff the road (need your witnesses or the police reports) and then it is up to the judge to believe or not. Don't try to convince the ex. He isn't going to change his ways. You may have to deal with this 18 years unless you limit your contact. You do have to allow visitation as the court orders it. But if there are signs of abuse, you need to get those documented and to do what you can. If he threatens you, then you need to go to the police and see about filing charges (it can be an assault if he threatens you and you believe he can carry it out and fear that. You can file for protective order.

     Now I hope I am advising something that you never have to use but when a man is verbally and emotinally abusive, he often escalates to physical abuse as well and he is controlling. That is the problem right there.

     Sometimes you have more rights in a marriage than you have in living together. Yet there are some advantages as well. You should have more rights to your personal property than you might have in a marriage.

     But bottom line is how much you want to fight for things that may not mean a lot. Right now you and your daughter are the most important here. If he comes by to harass you, you can file a restraining order or have him ordered to stay away except for visitation and if you have to file restraining order, you should also ask for supervised vistiation.

     Good luck to you. Maybe he will find someone else and move on.

     This is not a legal opinion.

10. QUESTION:
    Ideas for GCSE Final art piece?
    Hi, in the next week I have to think of three possible ideas for my final coursework piece for my Art GCSE, my theme is Cities so I've been doing buildings, windows, litter, cityscapes, transport etc as part of that so have you got any ideas for what I could do? We can either do a 2D piece or a 3D piece, and then after that we have to do another 10 portfolio pages and another final piece for our actual exam so any ideas for that aswell? I'm interested in doing something 3D for it, so perhaps a dress or a bag but I have no ideas on how to link cities and a dress/bag together?
    Oh and we can use inspiration from artists we've studied and in my portfolio I've studied Gaudi and Anne Garney who does like brightly coloured paintings that are kind of cartoony of streets so I was thinking maybe I could do a brightly coloured picture of a street with bits of collage in it bringing in Gaudi's style but it would be of a photo I had took myself because we get yapped at if we don't use first hand images xD

    • ANSWER:
      I take it that your 2D medium is photography? If so, then go ahead and design the dress and bag. Then take photos of a friend wearing the dress around town: reflected in a window, dropping another burrito wrapper into the empty lot, boarding the train, etc. Keep focusing on the same objects, but have her as an incidental passer-by in each shot. Perhaps leave her out of some, but have the bag temporarily abandoned, instead.

      That tie-in repetition can be a very strong artistic statement, sort of "a day in the life of a city-dweller -- the mundane side".

      Another possibility is to make the bag in two distinct sizes, as identical as you can manage. She always carries the one bag as an accessory, but the quarter-sized bag appears at the edge of some close-ups, or the four-times-sized bag is seen atop a parking kiosk or on a shelf in the bookstore. If you let it share those duties with the "real" accessory, you can leave some of your audience with severely crossed eyes.

11. QUESTION:
    What to give to the student's as a "goody bag" ?
    My friend is an art teacher. She has ran an "Art Club" for all of her middle school students which took place twice a week. She had 35 children in it of all grades, and she had to actually make each one "audition" due to 70 students trying out!

    They have done a lot and have learned a lot about art. They met every Tuesday and Thursday after school from 3:00 pm till 4:30 pm. They have learned a lot about the culture. They have even missed 5 days of school doing a "Week of Art" going to art galleries and museums all week. They have had guest speakers who are involved in art. The students have face painted at community events. The students have worked in a kitchen and learned the culinary arts. The students worked with canvas'. The students had a photography project. The students had a video-ography project. They sketched a lot. They have worked with fashion design. They made art out of recycled items. They worked with anime. They worked with a lot and they had a good year.

    Their last meeting is next Thursday. So she is having a party for that. She will have a poster that they can sign. She will have t-shirts and puffy paint that they can decorate. She will have Pizza, Cake and little stuff and fruit kabobs! She will display some art work. She will give the students their art portfolio and their slide-show of pictures they all took and created together thru out the year. She will be giving them "Best Artist" trophies and also a goody-bag and there will be music!

    Now- what should be in the goody bag?

    • ANSWER:
      She sounds super fun and very interesting. I want to take her class! Here are a few ideas: Small sketch pads, colored pencils, sketching pencils, erasers. Since there is so many I'd do small sketching pad with a few colored pencils tied with ribbon, remember presentation is the key but she already knows that.

12. QUESTION:
    If your toddler-aged sibling broke something expensive of yours, would you expect your parents to pay for it?
    **** I apologize in advance that this is long and a bit rambling / ranty. If you think it's too long, you're not obligated to answer it, but if you do, please don't just complain about the length. Thanks. ****

    My two-year-old brother accidentally dropped my brand-new Macbook Pro laptop on the kitchen floor, and now there's a very noticeable dent on it, and the laptop will not power on. I'm bringing it into the Apple store on Monday to have them check it out, but I'm not very optimistic that it's fixable without it costing a fortune. I do have the Apple Care extended warranty, but it doesn't include accidental damage.

    I asked my parents and stepdad to help pay for whatever costs there might be with fixing or replacing the laptop, and they said no because I shouldn't have left it in access of a toddler. Usually I never would, but these circumstances were very unusual. I don't live with my mom, stepdad and their kids (including the toddler) most of the time because of a health problem that caused my immune system to be weak, so I have to limit my access to children. My dad and stepmom are currently out of town, and I've been at our house on my own this week, and was perfectly content there. He had wanted me to stay with my mom over the weekend because there was this special event on the beach going on right near our house until three in the morning, and he didn't think I should be there on my own with a massive crowd of random people parking on our street and all the noise and traffic chaos involved. Meh. However, I didn't think I *had* to stay with her. I thought that was just a request. I had a doctor's appointment in my mom's neighborhood yesterday, then headed home, and on the way there listened to a voice mail my dad had left about me staying with my mom that made it seem like I really didn't have a choice after all. So, I had to go all the way to our house, take care of the pets, pack up, then head all the way back over to my mom's, and this was during Friday afternoon traffic hell in LA. The doctor's appointment had included blood tests, and I was feeling weak and miserable, and the heat wave and traffic made me feel much, much worse. As soon as I got to her house, I took my laptop out of my bag to find some medicine underneath it, then had some juice and went upstairs. Yes, I should have brought my laptop with me, but I was taking up my backpack, art portfolio, and a ton of other stuff, and I was tired. I was just going to put it all away then come back down and grab the laptop. I ended up just crashing for a bit because I was that exhausted. While I was asleep the nanny and the kids came home, and she set them up at the counter to make a snack. I have no idea why she didn't just pick up my laptop and move it to another area first. She had to have seen it there since my brother was seated in the chair right next to it. I don't know what exactly happened, but apparently he tried to pick it up and it slipped out of his hands and fell on the floor. I woke up, came down stairs and freaked out. The nanny was just like "omg, so sorry!" and that's about it; my mom, stepdad & dad just blamed me for leaving the laptop out; I feel screwed over.

    This couldn't have come at a worse time because I'm participating in a festival event tomorrow, and a ton of my work was on there and hadn't yet been ported to my MyMobile so I had to pull an all-nighter to redo everything, and it's still not done. I feel like I've been penalized enough for this small mistake.

    I didn't even want to stay here, but did so just to try to make my parents happy, and none of this would have happened if they had just let me be. Normally I am not so scatterbrained as to leave my laptop out, and I am very responsible with my belongings, but I was completely spent at the time I put it down. Plus my brothers can't even reach that counter on their own. An adult has to help them into the chairs, and so an adult could have easily moved the laptop out of their reach first.

    I don't have 00 lying around to replace the laptop, and I donated my old one earlier this week. My parents could very easily pay it without breaking a sweat, so this is just so unreasonable and unfair to me. If your young sibling broke something belonging to you, would you expect your parents to be responsible for repairing or replacing it if they could afford to do so?
    This is just really, really harsh. The doctor's appointment had to do with a followup my cancer. A lot of blood was taken, and I'd fasted before hand. Of course I wasn't going to behave as responsibly as normal in that condition.

    • ANSWER:
      OMG for once I agree with one of your whining rants! You left the laptop on the counter top which would hardly be considered within the normal range of a 2 yo. I suspect the nanny didn't move it because she was also tired and trying to feed 2 hungry 2 yos. Also she may not have really known what it was and that it would strike their interest - most laptops are not exciting looking. It seems highly uncharacteristic of your mum and step dad not to pay for their toddler's damages. They must still be PO'ed over your I'm an adult campaign. Go park your car in a medium bad neighborhood with the laptop in plain view. Someone will steal it and you can collect on the insurance. It's that or small claims court.

      And not to rub it in but remember what I said about my cheap Dell. I've dropped it on the floor, including the concrete garage floor, many times and it still runs like a charm.

13. QUESTION:
    A question for art students?
    I'm starting college in 2 months time, i just enrolled and got a list of things i will need..

    The list is sooooooooooooo long!

    Q1. It says i need an A1 Portfolio, how do i carry something that big around all the time?!

    Q2. I need THREE A3 Sketch books and they do not fit in my school bag, where can i find a bag big enough to fit them all in along with everything else?

    I just wondered what you do, please help i'm kinda desperate <3

    • ANSWER:

14. QUESTION:
    Could Anyone give me ideas for Sketching Characters for concept art?
    Basically what i need is descriptions of characters,
    you could describe any interesting looking or unique person you may have seen or know.
    or a type of animal/creature either creepy looking or with a lot of details like : Angler Fish,
    or you could also go crazy with your imagination n put together a character for me
    give me lots of details.
    if possible provide images.
    I need the description for making sketches n then 3d models for my Portfolio.

    eg: an old Indian man with a pot belly wearing formal shorts- usually above his waist line, he also wears a sweater, hes also bald headed, carries around a jute bag, cigar in his mouth, he wears brown formal shoes with really long socks with diamond patterns on them skinny legs....

    But mostly creepy n gross stuff from the dark depths of your imagination

    • ANSWER:
      How do you feel about combining people you know with the characters you just mentioned? Or would that get you in trouble? What about using people you don't know, that you might see in passing? You can sketch someone you see on the bus and when you get home combine him/her with creepy people and animals to make a character. You probably don't think people near you are interesting, but people from far away might think so some day, especially if they are only used to be combined with animals, mythical breasts, or people even stranger than they are.

15. QUESTION:
    Why is it that when blacks try to make fun of white features, they're basically describing Jews?
    Blacks always talk about whites having beak noses, bags under their eyes, evil smiles etc., but these aren't white features, these are SEMITIC features. So that scary/evil looking Lawyer is a JEW and does not represent the typical White European phenotype.

    This is the "white people" you're describing:
    http://www.art-dept.com/artists/roy/portfolio/editorial/images/Jon-Stewart-003.jpg

    In reality, non-semitic whites have more softer features and look more like this (picture of me):
    http://i696.photobucket.com/albums/vv329/Christianrapistmonkeydonk/1.jpg

    Why can't people understand that most "white" bosses, businessmen, lawyers and other evil "white" people are JEWS, and the beak nose and scary face and bags under eyes are jewish features? Most white people have soft features and live in humble middle class homes and we have to suffer because of the Jews too, don't confuse us.
    Sanaz - LOL, my nose is normal, I guess it's a beak compared to yours because your nose is flat.

    • ANSWER:
      iight u gotta go
      don take it wrong tho...u got me some serious points! Thanks G

16. QUESTION:
    Why do people think that olive-skinned Europeans look like Arabs?
    Arabs and Olive Skinned Europeans look NOTHING alike. Olive-Skinned Europeans, like most white people have much softer features while Arabs, like most Semites have very ROUGH features like super beak noses, and scary-looking smiles and snarl and they usually have bags under their eyes and such, look at John Stewart (Jew) for example:
    http://www.art-dept.com/artists/roy/portfolio/editorial/images/Jon-Stewart-003.jpg

    Typical Olive-Skinned European:
    http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/NewArts/DemetriMartin.jpg

    Typical Arab:
    http://www.topnews.in/files/Mahmoud%20Ahmadinejad_0.jpg

    So why do people think they look like Arabs? olive Skinned Europeans just look like SLIGHTLY darker skinned versions of their pale counterparts, while Arabs tend to have rough and very "crow" type features, much like Jews.

    • ANSWER:
      Because people are ignorant.
      Olive-skinned Greek:
      http://www.boston.com/ae/music/blog/stamos.jpg
      http://www.la2day.com/files/u43/criss-angel.jpg
      http://www.greeneggsandplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/tommy_lee.jpg
      (yes, tommy lee is half Greek)
      No, they don't look like Typical Arabs.Period.

17. QUESTION:
    How does this story sound to you?
    It's called three little birds. The title has reference to the the ending.

    Hanna was sitting in art class, sketching doodles in her sketch book. The classroom was empty, but she had access to the art studio. Mr. Oakley gave her extra permission to use the art studio since she needed extra time on her portfolio if she wanted to get accepted to a real good art school. Her best friends were waiting for her in the library, but she didn’t care. It was a daily routine to be late catching up with them. They didn’t seem to mind. She glanced at the clock in the front of the room and closed her book. She was about to head toward the exit, when she turned around to see Mr. Oakley standing behind her. She jumped and caught her breath.
    “I’m sorry, Hanna. Didn’t want to disturb you with your work. You seem to be doing a excellent sketch.” He ran his fingers through his jet black hair and smiled. Hanna smiled and headed toward the door. He gently grabbed her arm.
    “Do you mind if you stay a bit? I need some help with something in the back.” Hanna blushed and sat her bag on top of the table. She stared at his bright blue eyes and nodded. He looked like he was a student here at AHS. She followed him toward the back of the room, where he kept all the chemicals and paint and clay. It was another room, much crowded then the classroom. Hanna followed him, and flicked on the lights.
    “I can’t stay long. I have to meet my friends in the library. It’s our study period.” Hanna said, shyly. She was always comfortable being around Mr. Oakley, but sometimes she wasn’t. Today she wasn’t.
    “It’s fine. Can you help me carry this to the classroom?” He picked up a box of paper towels and paintbrushes. Hanna nodded and passed him. She picked up the box. It was really heavy and made her legs wobble. He saw that she was struggling and offered to help her. He grabbed her waist, and the sudden physical contact made her fall on the cold floor, spilling all the contents in the box. Mr. Oakley chuckled and kneeled down to help her. She was wearing a skirt that reached passed her knees. It had raised a bit, showing her purple panties.
    “Let me help you.” Mr. Oakley said. Hanna shook her head and pulled down her skirt. Mr. Oakley smiled and grabbed her wrist firmly. She yanked away. She felt foolish not to let him help her, but something felt off. He ran his fingers against her thighs where the fabric of her skirt didn’t cover.
    “Mr. Oakley, I’m fine.” She said. He ignored her and continued to invade her privacy. She sat there, dumfounded. What was he doing? She watched his hands move over her chest and grasp her breasts. The bell ringed, making Mr. Oakley jump.
    “I guess I’ll clean this up. You better get to class.” Hanna wiped her eyes and struggled to her feet. She felt like she was a piece of ice, being melted under a lamp.
    “Hanna,” He called after her. “It was an mistake. Please, don’t tell anyone.” She nodded and darted out of the classroom, her heart pounding in her chest.

    • ANSWER:
      I think it was a very good start. You just need to work on how your sentences flow and your grammar, but I think you should continue with it.

18. QUESTION:
    Are acrylic paintings safe to store in high temperatures?
    I have a lot of art supplies on my hands when I go to my art classes at my college. I carry a huge amount of acrylic paint tubes and brushes (which are in a big bag), my laptop and books for my other classes, and a big portfolio for my artwork. If I don't go to my car and put my art supplies during break time, it becomes a hassle walking with them all over the campus.. Now

    would my paintings and/or tubes be safe (meaning that they wont cause any harmful fumes, especially with cadmium yellow and orange) to store inside my car in high temperatures ? Summer is going to hit my area soon (Vegas) and the inside of my car will probably get up to 80-100 degrees unless I use the parking garage at my campus.

    • ANSWER:
      Yes, I would try and always park in a shaded area, the trunk might work better for shade but the heat is not good for both. If you will be there day after day it might take a toll. Acrylics are obviously water based and will start to dry out. Your painting will start cracking, unless you will not have them out for long. You could take a cooler with you and a very small blue ice to keep them cool. Will have to warm them a bit before using tho. Good luck

19. QUESTION:
    Chihuahua rescues VS breeders?.?
    I've been having the rescues VS breeder dilemma many people possibly have. Ideas, suggestions?...

    Rescue pros:
    - Save a dog who needs a home.
    - Easier to get adults.
    - Less expensive then a breeder chihuahua.

    Rescue cons:
    - Chihuahuas are in high demand in the USA, so not as many to choose from as other breeds.
    - Most are short hair and I want a longhair.
    - Hard to find out if a rescued chihuahua is healthy and avoiding expensive surgeries such as pateller luxation.

    Breeder pros:
    - Can get exactly the chihuahua I'd like.
    - Health guarantee to avoid genetic problems such as pateller luxation.
    - Support from an experienced breeder.

    Breeder cons:
    - Most are puppies and I would prefer an adult.
    - Tend to be more expensive.
    - The better breeders seem to be elitists who only want their dogs to go to wealthy people.
    - Don't want to deal with hypoglysmia sp? issues that chihuahua puppies tend to have.

    Details about me:
    I was an artist/massage therapist who moved into a new house last week of last Dec with the intentions of working on home businesses.
    The former homeowners were dishonest and did not tell us the furnace had major problems. So just as soon I moved everything in, there was soot and fumes everywhere!!!!. Killed most of my pet fish that had recently been moved in with me.
    I had to put most everything I owned in boxes out in the garage and move out again. Most everything I owned got contaminated by the soot. This ruined the plans I had for furthering my massage plans and posting my portfolios online.
    I've been rebuilding my life as best I can and doing cleanup every since.
    I have kept a job that I'd rather not have at the nursing home and spend most of my time cleaning up the mess imposed upon me by the former homeowners.

    I have nearly everything inclyding food as I was originally planning to get a chihuahua in early to mid Jan after I moved to the new place and had organized a bit. I put away the deposit I got back from my apartment as a vet fund for my chihuahua. I have put the bags of food in a plastic bin in the garage so it'll stay fresh longer until I get my chihuahua.

    I was tempted to cancel my plans for a chihuahua after what happened, but I decided if I do, the person who did this to me has gained even more power over my life. They already took away my art,my massage, my hobbies, forced me to move in with my parents and killed my pet fish.
    They are not taking away my plans for a chihuahua. So that was it, I went back to moving forward with these plans.
    I suppose why I'm sharing these other details is because it would effect the choices as the more elitist people are going to outright reject me.

    • ANSWER:
      Rescue always. Especially for an incredibly naturally healthy breed such as the Chihuahua. And you can get exactly the Chihuahua you want, from a breeder you'd aquire potential to what you want, while you can see straight up what the personality of the dogs are like. You can always still get support from good breeders even if you don't get a puppy from them, that's what good breeders do

      I really reccommend it, why consider anything else when you can save a life? ^__^

20. QUESTION:
    what art supplies should i bring with me to college at KCAD?
    I've got the essentials like paints, pencils, and paper...but what else do I really need?
    Should I get a portfolio bag for my artwork?? Will i need it?? What else should I take with me??

    • ANSWER: