Why You Should Pursue a Career in Organic Chemistry at the USDA Organic and Natural Products Chemistry

Why You Should Pursue a Career in Organic Chemistry at the USDA Organic and Natural Products ChemistryIf you want to be an organic chemist then you will probably want to begin your professional career at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Organic and Natural Products Chemistry. Organic chemists use various methods to extract from soil, water, and crops that are used to make organic products. They are able to make significant contributions to the environment through the products they create.If you are interested in applying your talents to the career fields of Organic Chemistry then you will want to consider completing organic chemistry at the university level. There are colleges and universities that offer organic chemistry courses, and the majority of these programs require at least a bachelor's degree. The main reason to continue to get a graduate degree is to obtain higher level certifications. The certification test will be for the Certified Organic Specialist Certification, whic h is the highest level you can attain.However, if you are a high school graduate or college graduate, the certifications will be much lower. For most people, that may be a necessity, especially those that do not have a high school diploma or even a GED, but others that are graduate students, they can earn their certifications at either the college or university level.The major focus of organic chemistry is to develop organic chemistry through research and knowledge. Research is important because it is the basis of all organic chemistry and any new discoveries and findings must be documented. One of the first steps to being successful in this career is researching a specific research project, identifying which chemicals are used, identifying the correct variety of plants, obtaining information on the soil in which the test is conducted, collecting soil samples, analyzing the soil and making an analysis of the samples, and then preparing and developing the report.The next step is to w rite and submit the laboratory tests. The next step is to organize and prepare the reports. And then finally, to read and analyze the reports. These reports are then reviewed and submitted to the relevant and regulatory agencies.The final step is to get your work reviewed by a senior examiner and then submit your work to the responsible individual in the department responsible for the project. The responsible individual will then consider the data presented and respond accordingly. Any amendments to the data should be noted.The U.S. Department of Agriculture and all of the fields of organic chemistry require a professional certification. The Professional Council for Organic Education, or PCOE, is the group responsible for certifying organic chemists and they can be found by doing a search on the official Web site of the National Organic Program.

Exponential Functions

Exponential Functions Exponential functions are the functions which involve variables and the base number, the only difference here in this case is that base is constant number and power is variable. To evaluate this type of function, one needs to understand the basic concepts of exponents. The example of exponential function is 3^x, here in this case constant 3 is base and variable x is the exponent. The variable x can be positive or negative, both of these values helps to generate the graph of exponential functions in a very easy manner. This can be better clarified by the suitable relevant examples, and the examples are as follows:- Question 1:- Tom invests $200 at a bank that gives 5% compounded annually. With the help of general equation, frame an equation to model the growth of above investment. Solution 1:- We know that, General equation for this form is: - y = ab^x Therefore y = ab^x = 200. (1.05)^x Here, y is the money And x is the number of years since the total investment. Question 2:- Billy bought a new motor bike at a cost of $30,000. The motor bike depreciates 15% of its value each year.With the help of general equation, frame an equation to model the decay value of the motor bike. Solution 2:- We know that, General equation for this form is: - y = ab^x Therefore y = ab^x = 30,000 (1-0.15) ^x So y = 30,000 (0.85) ^x Here y is the value of the motor bike, And x is basically the number of years since new purchase.

What is it Like to Attend Arizona State University

What is it Like to Attend Arizona State University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Jeffrey is a Philadelphia tutor who specializes in Chemistry tutoring, Algebra tutoring, AP Biology tutoring, and much more. He graduated from Arizona State University in 2011 with a Bachelors degree in Psychology. Check out his review of his alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Jeffrey: The Tempe campus is a beautiful suburban campus right off of Tempe Town Lake. Though hot during the summer, most first-year students rely on walking/biking/skateboarding around campus. Older students and commuters typically live off campus within driving range. Some bus routes and more useful light rail routes provide decent mass transit options to and from the campus and even to the downtown campus. Campus safety is pretty well maintained with only some minor theft incidences and rare assaults every year both on campus and nearby off-campus areas. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Jeffrey: Faculty and staff availability varies widely depending on programs and classes. I had many wonderful professors and TAs who had great office hours and went above and beyond to help every student who needed it. I also had professors who barley seemed to realize that teaching involved interactions with students at all. Advisers and staff varied greatly as well. Big programs like Psychology and Biology involved well in advance scheduling in order to get any face time with an adviser and usually the meetings seemed rushed. Though that isnt to say I didnt get some great advice and help when I really needed it and knew where/who to go to. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Jeffrey: I spent all four years of my time at ASU living in the dorms both as a resident and as an RA (CAs at ASU). The rooms run the range of roomy, comfy, and huge, to tiny, musty, and prison-like. Of course, the nice, new dorms (Hassayampa, Barrett Honors Dorms) are extremely expensive, while the not so desirable dorms (anything in North campus) are more reasonable. The dining options are overpriced and a bit forced. During my time there, I never fully enjoyed the dining hall options, with the possible exception of the new Barrett Hall dining which of course cost more. The good news is they offer options that allow you to largely avoid the dinning halls and instead buy food from the Markets and various campus restaurants. Socialization is hard to avoid as there are countless clubs, communities, and activities going on seemingly every hour of every day. Needless to say, you shouldnt have any trouble making friends and having fun on campus. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Jeffrey: The Business School gets all the love, mostly due to President Crows bias and plentiful support from private sources. ASU also had decent support for its successful Nursing and Broadcasting Schools. I was in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) majoring in Psychology with a Biochemistry minor. I came into ASU wanting to study the brain, hence the Psych major, and then realized I wanted a bit more science in my life and picked up the Biochemistry minor. The Psychology department was huge and well-run, as were the Biochemistry/Chemistry departments. Chemistry support for students was amazing with many study aids, TAs, tutors, and just about anything else one could need to pass scary classes like O-Chem, P-Chem, and Biochem. The Biology department to a lesser extent had decent support. Though I have heard the Bio department has improved since I graduated. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Jeffrey: Social life was almost too easy at ASU. Apart from the typical social atmosphere cultivated within the dorms, the campus is flush with many events geared toward having fun and meeting new people. Of course, there are also the unsponsored social events that naturally go on both on and off campus throughout the week. Football games are also, in my opinion, the best way to socialize. Greek life has, and Im sure always will have, some role at ASU. Though many steps have been taken by various people both within and outside of the school administration to drastically limit the negative effects that have come with our Greek life history. This includes both completely kicking out all of the on-campus fraternity houses and stricter enforcement of fraternity suspensions. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Jeffrey: The Career Center is somewhat helpful, but most of the resources that many students use are directly through their departments/programs. There are many great companies that recruit on campus, but I dont have experience with them since they mostly recruit the more business-related majors. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Jeffrey: The libraries and student union are always popular places to be. The MU (memorial union) is huge but still always full, though finding a table during lunch isnt impossible since there is ample seating outside as well. The libraries are a bit hit or miss. The main library seems to be a magnet for students who want to look like they are studying while they socialize, which is very frustrating for those actually studying. The Engineering and Science specific libraries are therefore the places to go if you actually want to get work done. Some dorms provide decent lounges for studying but those are at the whim of how quiet your fellow residents are. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Jeffrey:The area immediately surrounding campus can be very fun. Mill Avenue is just a block or two from campus and is one of the two major nightlife scenes in the Valley. There are also some very good restaurants, both fast and sit-down, within walking distance of campus. With on campus light rail stops, downtown is also easily accessible. Though not many students go downtown outside of heading down to see a ball game or visiting a museum. We also have the Gammage Auditorium right on campus that has national tours of big popular musicals/shows throughout the year. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Jeffrey: Huge. Last I heard, we were still going back and forth with OSU for the biggest campus size in the country. With that huge size came packed classes. The biggest class I took had 750 students in it. The smallest class I had was still around 15 students. So, it does take some getting used to. I would have liked to have smaller classes, but the sizes become much smaller once you get into the 300-400 level classes more specialized in your major. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Jeffrey: I think by far the best experience has to be my entire year spent taking Organic Chemistry I/II. Yes, I know this is insane, but Dr. Ian Gould is seriously the best Chemistry professor in the world. He was helpful beyond what any student could expect, posting all classes hours online after the class (which was at 7:30 AM, and yes, it was still worth it!). He also ran weekly review sessions every Saturday and at least three review sessions before every test. Most importantly, he actually made the challenging subjects very fun to learn and study. Luckily, he was not the only professor who seemed to make everything about learning fun. I have to say my Biochemistry professor, Dr. Redding, was nearly as amazing as Dr. Gould, while many other professors shared great enthusiasm and dedication to helping students succeed. Check out Jeffreys tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Accommodation When Travelling in Russia

Accommodation When Travelling in Russia Where Can You Stay in Russia? ChaptersHotels, Classic Accommodation in RussiaStaying in Authentic Russian AirbnbsHostels for Meeting Russian SpeakersUnusual Accommodation in RussiaAdvice for Seasonal Rents in Russia“All the real things in Russia are done in the villages.” - Ernest PooleAre you planning a trip to the Russian Federation and visiting the Kremlin other historic wonders?The first step to take before you go is to plan your trip by choosing where you’re going to stay. Following the recent Russian World Cup the summer of 2018, Russian accommodation and tourism saw an increase of 35% on the previous year.So where can you stay when you visit Russia?In this article, we’re going to have a look at the different types of accommodation you can stay in from hotels to hostels and everything in between.If you want to travel to Russia, don't forget to get your Russian visa before you book your accommodation! In fact, you need to do both before your departure.Whether you're travelling to St Petersburg, Red S quare, Yekaterinburg, Siberia, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal, or the Golden Ring, you'll need to think about where you're going to stay. LavaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LarisaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors InaRussian Teacher 4.88 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IrynaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvgeniaRussian Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnastassiaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NikolaRussian Teacher 5.00 (4) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MargaritaRussian Teacher 5.00 (3) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHotels, Classic Accommodation in Russia77% of tourists in Russia choose to stay in hotels. The good news is that the exchange rate with the ruble is quite favourable and you can get a good quality hotel for relatively little.There are plenty of fine hote ls in Moscow. (Source: 12019)Furthermore, hotels in Russia are quite modern and have been since the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Long gone are the days of an old babushka watching the alleys from behind the reception desk that we saw in films during the era of the USSR. Nowadays you can stay in some of the world’s best hotels for a price that you wouldn’t get elsewhere.The Cosmos Hotel is a 4-star hotel and is one of the 3,200 hotels in Moscow (there are over 24,000 hotels in Russia). The Cosmos Hotel is one of the better hotels in Moscow and offers an old-fashioned vibe. Since it was built in the 1980s, there’s still quite a Soviet feel to this hotel, which is located by the VDNKh subway and Cosmonauts Alley. You can get rooms from around £35 a night.Of all the famous hotels in Russia, the Izmailovo Hotel Complex takes its name from the market in the east of the city. This hotel can lodge 10,000 guests at once owing to its 7,200 rooms across 30 floors. T his is an impressive structure that is focused on those travelling for business rather than pleasure. That said, there are luxury facilities and a spa. You can get rooms from around £30 a night.You can go shopping and buy souvenirs at the Izmailovo market (accessible from the Partizanskaya metro, blue line). This is a great place to find tonnes of symbolic Russian objects, as long as you have the rubles to buy them.In short, there are three types of hotels in Russia:International hotel chains, like Novotel or Hyatt.Russian hotel chainsIndependent Russian hotelsThere are also taxes and fees that you may have to pay on arrival. Make sure you keep this in mind when booking your hotel in the largest country in the world.When you travel to Russia, you should have some knowledge of the language as even 4- and 5-star hotels mightn’t have staff who speak English. Think about learning some essential phrases before you go.Do you prefer comfort, originality, or authenticity?Staying in Authe ntic Russian AirbnbsThe main advantage of Airbnb, especially in Russia, is that you can get comfortable accommodation for reasonable prices. However, be wary of ripoffs. Some Muscovites will increase their rates when renting to foreigners.If you don't fancy a traditional hotel, there are other options. (Source: bottlein)180,000 reservations were made on Airbnb during the World Cup, a record for the Russian Federation. You can find Airbnbs in many Russian cities including:MoscowSaint PetersburgKazanVladimirNizhny NovgorodSochiVladivostokThere’s also LikeHome for reserving accommodation where you can stay with people or get accommodation on your own.  Don’t forget about the administrative steps. While hotels usually take care of this, with Airbnb, this is a little more difficult.This can lead to two problems:Getting visas is trickier when staying with private individuals because you’ll have to go see the police. This can be a little stressful, especially if you’re only going f or a couple of days.Increasing prices. A lot of owners, especially those who can speak English, offer to do this for you for around £200.Is it worth it?There are a few benefits to staying in an Airbnb:If you travel in a group, you can share the costs.On a long journey, this can help limit costs.You can check feedback to see how trustworthy your host is.So are you ready to discover a new Russian town? LavaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LarisaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors InaRussian Teacher 4.88 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IrynaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvgeniaRussian Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnastassiaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NikolaRussian Teacher 5.00 (4) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MargaritaRussian Teacher 5.00 (3) £18/h1st lesson free! Discover all our tutorsHostels for Meeting Russian SpeakersThe best way to really immerse yourself in Russian culture is through staying in a youth hostel. You can’t really expect the same comfort as you’d get in a hotel because you’ll be in a room with 5 or 10 bunk-beds, a shared bathroom on each floor, and you’ll struggle to get luxury services like a spa.Your accommodation probably won't be like this. (Source: IgorShubin)That said, you can’t beat the price. If you check sites like HostelWorld, you’ll see that the average prices for bigger Russian cities are lower than hotels.Don’t forget that there are also private rooms in hostels and you can get them for under £20 per night.This is also a great way to meet people if you’re travelling on your own. You can speak with locals, meet other travellers from Russian-speaking regions. It’s probably a good idea to learn important expressions in Russian as English isn’t as widely spoken as you may think!Unusual Accommo dation in RussiaFancy a change of scenery? Something more authentic? Getting back to nature?This is great because Russia is a huge country full of unusual places to stay. Here are some of the most reputable:A family cottageA country house (dacha)A cabin on a ranchA wooden cabin in the forestThe rates for these types of accommodation will vary hugely according to the facilities and the season. Generally, you’ll also need to rent a car to get to a lot of these places. That said, petrol is incredibly cheap. If you really want to see the real Russia, this is the way to do it.You could also even rent places in Russia using sites like CIAN (equivalent to craigslist or gumtree) where you can find everything from flats to haunted houses. By renting, you can save up to 20%.That said, the really weird rents (complete with poltergeists) only really exist in the bigger cities like Moscow.So are you ready for an adventure?Find out more about Russia's most popular attractions.Advice for Seasona l Rents in RussiaTo choose where to stay in Russia during your travels, you need to think about:Dates of stayHow long you’ll spend travelling in RussiaWhere you’re staying in the Russian FederationYour budgetYour tasteFor example, when you choose your Moscow accommodation, you need to consider travel time, too. The city is really big. For example, if you go from a hotel in the southwest, you could spend several hours on public transport making your way to the city centre. While you might save money staying out of the city centre, if you’re only staying for a couple of days, you might want to spend a little extra to get a better location.There are also options outside of cities. (Source: 12019)There’s also a lot of administrative steps to consider. For example, if you travel from Russia to the Baltic States and back, you’ll need to register (and pay) each time, even if you're returning to the same accommodation as before.Make sure you keep this in mind when booking your hot el. In Russia, you need to get your tourist visa and pay your registration fee. You need to provide a document proving where you’re staying and when you’re staying there. While certain types of accommodation, such as hotels, will take care of this, others will leave it up to you. This can add some extra costs.On average, accommodation in Russia is about half the price of the UK. This is in line with the cost of living in Russia.Before you go on a trip to Russia, you'll need to send your visa application to either the Russian consulate or the Russian embassy. The application requires that you have accommodation booked at your destination and that your passport is valid for six months after your stay. If you're going on a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway or on a cruise, for example, you'll require a letter from the tour operator with the itinerary of your trip and other details.Of course, if you need a business visa, this will be a different process...

English homework help websites for college grades can bring you to acquire better grades

English homework help websites for college grades can bring you to acquire better grades After our schooling is over we have to concentrate on the next big phase of our life and that is the college. Since school days it is very essential that one should keep their base firm in studies. The entire process of learning process should start from the initial years of school days. The school days were fun filled and still base is always created through the help of school and its teachers. Every subject has its own attributes and thus it makes any subject different from the other. For me from the very initial days of my studying, English was an intense part of my life. As ours was an English medium school so the priority to English was given more than any other subject. It can be said that English at that point of time was our mother tongue as well. It was like eating English, sleeping English and learning English. English as a subject and its divisions For many students English may seem a boring subject and its importance is less understood. But for me English has always been one of the most important and interesting subject. English is divided into two types of papers. One is the literature part and the other is the grammatical part. Both the part is lot different from the other. Each part has its own base and need in educational life of a student. The literature part encloses you in the world of mystery, fantasy and many more such places where it is not possible for any person to reach in real life so easily. Literature has the capability to take us to such a land. On the second part is grammar. Grammar is lot more different from literature. It can be said that grammar is the base of English and when you have learnt grammar well then you can play with words anytime and every time. But it is not that easy to learn and know grammar. You need an expert professional teacher who will help you to know the depth of the subject and deal with every problem very efficiently. Good teachers and its search A good professional teacher can help any student to arrive in with the essential help and support that is needed for student to learn the subject better way. Private teachers as well as online teachers, both are available in today’s timing. It depends on the student as to which one of them to avail. Private tutor is one of the good way but you have to search the teacher as to where you will come in terms with a good and qualified teacher. It is a time taking work and thus it needs extra amount of energy to find someone like this. Online teachers are available with ease and with less misuse of energy. It also takes less wastage of energy as well. It is a new way of learning and is gradually gaining lot of popularity with the passage of time. If you are less familiar with the entire concept of what is online teaching and how it can help a student better, then you have get help through reading some of the points below. Some points to help you know online tutoring better • Online sites help you to learn any subject better. The availability of the good teachers can be found when you hire a reputed and good online teacher for your help. The qualified teachers are only entertained by the people who are sitting at the interviewer panel. This helps the institutes to have some gems among themselves. • The efficient teachers can help a weak student also to engage in the subject well and know the subject on a much better note. The efficiency of a teacher is known when they can turn or change a student from being weak student into amongst the top rankers. English needs practice and thus good teachers keep this fact also in main and make it a point to help them to practice. • Good teachers also help you to complete various types of projects that come your way during your school or college days. You can get help for your assignments as well. These are some of the crucial parts of learning better and in a much faster way. Today every school comes up with such type of extra help as well. These types of help are not possible in case of a private tutor. • The process of online tutoring is of one-on-one service. It is a new type of service and this service provides you with having every individual teacher for each individual student. This is one of the best services that a student can ever get. The weak students are mostly benefited with such service as they can open up with their problems in front of the teachers and they can clear their doubts or solve their problem that pops us their way. • The online teaching institutes are open all round the clock and the teachers are always present. The 24*7 process of learning can be easy for any student to solve their doubts whenever they want. The availability of the teachers all round the clock can be said as one of the best and unique service that is not at all possible from any other teaching help that you get. Reputed TutorPace and its attributes Among-st the list of various types of such institute, you can trust upon TutorPace for its high level services that it provides. It is one of the reputed institutes that can help you with all the mentioned services above and that also within very less price. The charges are so less that it can be easily afforded by the parents of a middle class parent as well. You will come across English homework help websites for college grades from TutorPace and its efficient teachers in the middle of various other services as well..  

What are the Best Drawing Pencils

What are the Best Drawing Pencils How to Choose your  Artist Pencils ChaptersA Brief History of the PencilChoosing the Right Pencil TypesArt Pencils: Brands and QualityRound Out Your Drawing SkillsA man is only as good as his tools - Emmert WolfeDoes that mean that top quality pencils will guarantee you a masterpiece pencil drawing?Not necessarily.You won't find any art teacher recommending magic charcoals or paints, although plenty would recommend taking art lessons.That is where you will find magic!A few art classes will most certainly help you learn basic drawing and art fundamentals.Before you enroll â€" or just after, you might consider investing in a few implements every visual artist requires for his métier. You may wonder:What would be considered a suitable starter kit for an absolute beginner drawing class?Which pencils should you select?Should you buy a kneaded eraser or an ordinary rubber?What tools are used to create shading? A line drawing? A pen and ink drawing?What size and type of graphite pencil would be best?Oh, the questions a burg eoning artist might ask!Posing them to any art supply store clerk might yield dubious results: is s/he there to sell things, or might she be an artist herself, and therefore knowledgeable on the topic of art supplies?It is almost endemic to the field that each artist has his favourite brand of colored pencils and drawing paper.You, the novice artist, have not yet developed such fetishes. You are still at the doodle stage, trying everything out, on the quest to see how this medium or other works for you.As long as you are open to suggestion, let Superprof offer up a few...A pencil used for writing is substantially different than one used for art Source: Pixabay Credit: StockSnap there are no hard and fast rules on how to contour or outline, and there are no exact shading techniques to recommend.As your style evolves from doodles and stick figures to pencil portraits, you will discover the right pencils for your style: for contour drawing, for shading, for outlining and for cross hatc hing.Art Pencils: Brands and QualityIt is important to choose a well-known, reputable brand of pencils and colored pencils for your basic drawing lessons.  Just as a painters need great brushes to make the most of their  paints, a pencil artist needs good pencils to make great art.Some 'leads' may be exceedingly grainy, inadvertently making tiny furrows on your drawing paper. Later, as you paint your drawing with watercolors, these lines would be revealed, creating an undesirable effect.Another reason to invest in quality pencils is that the lead is less likely to break off, saving you money in the long run.No two pencils will have exactly the same hardness, even if they are from the same manufacturer.It is therefore important that you spend a bit of time trying out various pencils before settling on any particular ones.While shopping around for pencils, you may benefit from sellers' advice.Or, if you are wary of sellers â€" whose primary job is to move inventory, you could talk to other portrait artists or art school enrollees in the store, who might have more experience buying quality goods.If you are an absolute beginner, you might investigate a few name brands with strong tradition and good reputation in the art world.These are a few name brand art supplies that have stood the test of time and proven themselves repeatedly:Faber Castell: these pencils should be a part of any artist's basic kit, especially the 6H and the 8BDerwent also offers quality graphite pencils. These graphite pencils are available from 8H to 9bStaedtler: the Mars Lumograph models are particularly high-end. The 6H and 8B are especially sought after, in art circles.Kooh-I-Noor: Also a well-known brand in art instruction. Their 1500 series makes any perspective drawing a work of art.H-type pencils are generally used for technical drawings Source: PixabayRound Out Your Drawing SkillsIf graphite pencils are elemental in any artist's arsenal, other implements are equally essential, to draw anything from simple shapes to the human form.With other media, from charcoals to hematite, you can learn other drawing and sketching techniques.Hematite PencilsThese pencils are pigmented with varying degrees of iron oxide found in the same-named rock.Colours derived from this type of rock range from ochre to beige, including orange. You can buy hematite in pencil form; also as chalks and pastels.This type of art instrument is recommended in drawing portraits of a living model, because it allows for deep, rich textures.You might be interested to know that the great master, Leonardo da Vinci, was a proponent of using hematite when creating his works of art.Why not have a framed painting of his on your wall, to inspire you?CharcoalThis medium is an absolute must if you are learning how to draw!As their name implies, charcoal â€" pencils, sticks or crayons, is made by thoroughly charring wood in a form.This char is then combined with gum or wax binders, to achieve varying degrees of h ardness and darkness.The more binder content, the less dark the markings.A charcoal pencil makes for great crosshatching. Depending on the type of paper used, it will also be possible to obtain the finest lines.Rough texture will retain more charcoal. Charcoal on toned paper, especially when used in conjunction with Conté crayons, provides brilliant contrast. Drawing with charcoal makes it possible to get a realistic design and work facial expressions.Once finished, you will have to use a fixative to ensure the holding of the drawing in time.The main drawback of working with charcoal: it is messy.The Pierre NoireMade of ampelite, otherwise known as cannel coal, this black stone pencil yields a deep, dark and dull black effect.This drawing tool was very popular during the Renaissance art movement.It is excellent for face drawing, dimensional drawing and any type of drawing that calls for refinement and precision.Used for figure drawing, its effect is comparable to charcoal, while be ing less messy and offering more exactitude.Non-Photo Blue PencilsA drawing rendered with such a blue pencil has the unique property of disappearing when scanned or copied.These are the pencils of choice for the illustrator or cartoonist.Step by step drawing done in blue line prior to the inking of sketches makes those first, tentative strokes invisible once the   drawing is scanned into a computer for rework.Another advantage of the blue pencil? It is easy to erase and disappears completely, even without being scanned or photographed. Ideal for creations you want to share over an  interactive whiteboard application!Mechanical PencilsWe would be remiss if we did not mention this alternative to the graphite pencil that you have to sharpen.The 'leads' for these pencils are available in different hardnesses and thicknesses, to suit all pencil drawing techniques.However, the time consuming task of changing leads during your drawing tutorial would serve not just in foreshortening your in spiration, but in taking time from your lesson.Still, some who are learning to draw prefer mechanical pencils. You might be one of them but, remember: in the long run, this writing instrument can be more expensive than simple graphite pencils.Finally, to maintain your pencils, do not forget to invest in a good sharpener, but also a tool to blur, the appropriate gums and a sketchbook.With all of this drawing material, you will have no issues with indecision.You will be able to draw a landscape, draw a face, draw animals, draw a still life, draw the human body and even draw cartoons.You only have to learn drawing basics; and then, you can create paintings on canvas!Happy Drawing!Looking for drawing classes in the UK? Search for a private tutor on Superprof:Drawing class London.Drawing lessons BirminghamDrawing lessons Glasgow

American Idol Season 12 Not What it Used to Be

American Idol Season 12 Not What it Used to Be Sign up successful In my opinion, Ms. Minaj has been anything but professional.  After storming off the set like an attention-seeking child,  inexcusably  showing up late to a live taping and then later threatening to quit the show, its no wonder why ratings have dropped dramatically.  Its questionable if FOX is feeding the outlandish behavior of Nicki Minaj simply in order to gain viewers.   The whole point of American Idol is to tune in twice a week to support and vote for your favorite contestant.  Using violence and immature outbursts as means to boost ratings on a television show designed to inspire and unify American pop culture fans during the process of  determining the next winner is counterproductive. American Idol is clearly going through some major growing pains and Minaj may just be the shows teenage antics.   For a reality show that once pulled in 37.44-million viewers, Idol has a lot of making up to do before Season 12 closes. In other Idol news, the results show on March 28, 2013, marked the shows 450th episode.   The singing competition inspired many other reality shows with the same idea, including   NBCs The Voice, currently in its 4th season, and FOXs X-Factor, moving into its 3rd. While no other singing competition show has seen American Idol-level ratings, if viewership continues in the same downward direction, I wouldnt be surprised if  Idol was surpassed as the #1 singing competition show. What do you think about American Idol Season 12? Do you think show is measuring up to past seasons? Leave a comment below! Dylan M., TakeLessons staff member and blogger  You might also like Nail Your Audition for X-Factor and More 5 Insider Tips for The Voice Auditions How Can American Idol Help in Music Lessons? Photo by CHRISTOPHER MACSERAK