text:
Satin A-line with Lace Embroidered Cap Sleeves Style T8612
David's Bridal Collection
Final sale. This item cannot be exchanged or returned.
This item is available online only. *
Satin A-line with lace embroidered detachable cap sleeves, side draping, beaded metallic embroidery on bodice and skirt.
Train that extends one and a third yards (about 4 feet) from the waist.
A very short, often rounded sleeve that barely covers the top of the shoulder.
Elaborate designs stitched into the gown by hand or machine. May be beaded.
A dress with a fitted bodice that gradually flares from the waist. A-line styles are flattering for all women.
A smooth fabric often used in bridal gown design because of its exquisite drape.
customers bought with this dress
Satin A-line with Lace Embroidered Cap Sleeves Style T8612 48 50
Loved this dress All of the reviews are right... Dress looks much better on than in the picture. I absolutely loved this dress. So flattering. I am 6'2'' and ordered it in a long and it was perfect. It didn't need any alterations except for the straps b/c they were too short. The top of the dress is so pretty. I love the beading. So happy with this dress. I felt beautiful in it on my wedding day. September 10, 2011
Simply Beautiful I went into Davids Bridal, after i had already selected a gown, and tried on atleast 15 dresses in all. I put this one on, and I did not want to take it off. I am a size 6-8, and it was just PERFECT for my body type. You could really see curves! Like everyone else said, it doesn't look great in a bag, or in pictures..but its great!I have tried on so many different style dresses, but A-Line was my absolute favorite. I will not have the sleeves, because strapless is beautiful with this dress. So Glad to FINALLY have the perfect dress picked out! No Changing my mind on this one!! June 15, 2011
AWESOME!!! <3 This was the first dress in a whole slew of dresses I tried on. I had one I had tried on previously that I was on the fence about.. but after trying this one on.. I was absolutely sold. Plus when my attendant paired the dress and the veil I knew it was the one. GREAT PURCHASE! May 14, 2011
When you know, you know I originally purchased a mermaid style dress, but it just didn't feel like me. The day before my appointment for alterations, I went back and tried on only a-line dresses. This dress caught my eye in the store. We had to try on a couple sizes, but it was meant to be, they had the dress in every size we needed. It's the perfect shape, the right amount of bling and very elegant. Just perfect! I'm excited again! April 30, 2011
13-16 of 50
*Color & Style representation may vary by monitor. Not responsible for typographical or pictorial errors. Product availability varies by store and online. Some in-store purchases require special order and markdown styles cannot be special ordered. Contact your local store for details.


text:
GreatSchools Rating
Teacher quality
Principal leadership
Parent involvement
A too-close community that leads to rumors being the dominate force in this school. Agriculture or Machinery? Oh right, we have ROTC and Sports. Band? Sure. Teachers with degrees in the field they're teaching? A few, I think.... Dress code is based off of the opinion of whatever specific administrator is feeling at that particular moment. The education itself is decent, but not worth the drama of the local community. If this school wasn't Okeechobee, then it would be better.
I love a country school with advantages not available in other places. Many of the faculty are residents of our county & know the students personally. This helps each child get individual care! We vote 100%--A+++
awesome school!!! The best school ever!!!
My child comes home every day so mad that she has to go to this dump! She never has any thing good to say about it. There are no classes she can take to better prepare her for her future. She is force to take classes that she does not want because there is nothing else to help her with what she needs. This school has lack of money and teachers that know what they are doing. Some of her teachers dont even have a degree in what they are teaching. I am very sorry that my daughter has to go to this school. Luckly she only has 1 more year.
Although there is a below-average availability of Advanced Placement courses, due to low demand from students and parents, I believe Okeechobee High School will adequately prepare students for college. Although AP classes are necessity for to compete academically with students from larger school districts at my highly-competitive university, I think that a student who opts not to take AP classes will certainly be prepared to attend an average state university. As for extra-curricular activities, OHS has a relatively-large number of national organizations (National Honor Society, Beta Club, etc). In addition, a wide-variety of sports are offered.
I believe OHS is a wonderful and safe school. I do not have to worry about my daughter getting hurt, and I know that she is receiving a quality education.
This school is old but good! Keep it up! (We need better cars for drivers ed. We only have 2 Dodge Neons!)
I feel that this school has alot of good qualities about it but they are limited to mostly agriculture. They programs they provide for that particular area are great, but there aren't enough programs provided for students who may not have an interest in that field. Most of the teachers here are great and I have found to be very reasonable and understanding. They really care about the education they are giving to there students. But I do feel like the principal, and vice principal aren't as aware as they feel they are in the engagements of there students. I feel that they need to take into consideration of their student thoughts and opinions about the school. They also have to come there , too. So it should be enjoyable both for the faculty and the student body.
The high school is an alright school. There are some problems with the dress codes and things like that. The band is not that great. The football team is really bad also. So the school is a great school for just learning.
My children were in the third and fifth grade when we moved to Okeechobee. We were seeking a small-town rural environment, good schools that taught core values,with dedicated,caring principals and teachers to provide a disciplined safe environment. We have been very pleased with this rural public school system and the sense of 'community' found here. Our children are enrolled in Florida colleges and are well-prepared and successful(so far!)
This school definitly has a lot to offer some young adult in such a small town!!
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The Community Rating is the school's average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.
Okeechobee, FL 34972
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subset: commoncrawl


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text:
A New Zealand company plans to implant pig cells in the human brain in a clinical trial to treat Parkinson's disease and help improve movement and brain functions in patients. The clinical trials, planned for next year, would be the first using pig brain cells for potential treatment in humans. Living Cell Technologies Ltd said on Tuesday the treatment involves transplanting "support" cells from the brain of pigs that can help repair damaged nerve tissue in people with Parkinson's.
Posted April 18, 2012 at 8:16pm || home


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Show your respect for K9 officers with this Elite Breed K9 Unit Police T-Shirt. This short sleeve mens graphic tee features a large "EB" on the front left in vintage style lettering with the words "Elite Breed" and "K-9 Unit" under it in dark gray. Turn this police t-shirt around and you'll see a large, silver policebadge with German Shepard in the middle with tons of cool details.At the top are the words "Police", "United States" and at the bottom is "To Serve and Protect" and "Elite Breed". You'll be impressed with the high quality detailed print on this graphic mens tee. This all cotton men's tee is made from 100 percent preshrunk cotton. It features double needle stitching on the neck, sleeves and hem that make this law enforcement tee durable and long lasting. Show your support for those that serve and protect, order this K-9 Unit policetee online today. It makes a great gift.
This shirt is made to order and ships within 1 to 2 business days separate from other items ordered via complimentary USPS regardless of the shipping method chosen at checkout.
Harry's Army Surplus: Serving Dearborn and Metropolitan Detroit with army navy surplus, uniform gear, boots, army surplus and work clothing since 1950.


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It's nice to be a programmer. Often when something computer related annoys you, you can create a fix for the problem.
People always talk to me about week numbers (week this, week that), and I'm no good with week numbers. The fact that iCal don't know anything about week numbers doesn't help either. Previous years, I've found calendars somewhere on the internet that I imported into iCal, but when we entered 2008, I didn't find one fast enough. But that was easy to fix.
Seraching for Ruby gems, I found iCalendar, and some lines of Ruby later, the problem was solved.
The code is trivial (due to good gems), but here it is in case someone finds it useful.
require 'rubygems'
require 'icalendar'
require 'date'
require 'active_support'
include Icalendar
cal = Calendar.new
date = Date.parse("2007-12-31")
end_date = date + 5.years
while date < end_date
cal.event do
dtstart date
dtend date + 1.week
summary "Week #{date.cweek}"
date += 1.week
puts cal.to_ical
It (obviously) outputs an iCal calendar containing week numbers from 2008 to 2012 to stdout, so run it like this:
ruby ical-weeks.rb > weeks.ics
It's nice to be a programmer, but in case you're an unlucky non-programmer who just wants a calendar file, or (worse?) a programmer without a Ruby interpreter on your machine, here's the resulting file.
Import the file into iCal (File -> Import) and choose "New calendar" when you're prompted which calendar to import it to.
(Of course, when I mailed the code to my colleagues, Lennart Ohlsson sent a quick reply with a link to a Google calendar that would have worked just as well. :-) But the good thing was that I found iCalendar, which I've used for other things afterwards, and will use again.)


text:
Alphabet Arm Design is an award-winning, full service design studio specializing in bold, creative and distinctive print design solutions. Services include: Logo Design & Branding, Collateral Design, CD Art Direction, Merchandise Design and Packaging Design. One of our primary goals is to make the design process itself enjoyable for our clients. Contact Alphabet Arm today and start lookin' better.
Here are a couple additional things you might find useful to know about the studio: humor is our weapon of choice, we find inspiration everywhere, we answer the phone with a smile (you'll have to trust us on this one), we constantly challenge one another to be the best designers we can be, music is always playing, we take our craft very seriously but collectively feel work should be fun, we consider coffee a food group, customer service is paramount, and although we can dress fancy when we need to, we prefer the standard t-shirts & jeans.
Aaron Belyea
As the founder and senior designer of Alphabet Arm, Aaron oversees a full-service design studio known for its striking logo identity, print designs and marketing solutions. A self-taught artist, Aaron launched his graphic design career while performing in numerous bands, for which he would create a visual image that complimented the band's music. This niche interest in music-based design led to freelance jobs, designing edgy, pop-art logos and marketing materials for Boston-based bands such as Pooka Stew, Gigolo Aunts, Little John and Letters to Cleo. Aaron's bold typography and designs soon attracted a loyal fan base comprised of nationally known musicians, recording studios, radio stations, record stores, artist management companies and record labels.
Aaron later honed his artistic talents at The Planetary Group, overseeing the design department for this artist development company specializing in radio promotion. His ability to successfully develop identities rooted in decisive, visual concepts led to the establishment of his own studio in 2001, Alphabet Arm Design. The company name comes from Aaron's design moniker, "Alphabet Arm," which refers to the alphabet tattoo wrapped around one of his arms. In addition to specializing in music-based design, Alphabet Arm has expanded and diversified its client base to include advertising and word-of-mouth agencies, entertainment venues, entrepreneurial start-ups, higher education institutions, non-profit organizations and retailers.
Ryan Frease
After an extensive search for a studio that would be a perfect fit, Ryan became the first employee to join Aaron at Alphabet Arm. Growing up in the sunshine state certainly didn't prepare him for the treacherous New England winters that lay ahead. After graduating from Ringling College of Art in Design in Florida, Ryan tested the water at several small local firms. Soon after, he and his wife packed their bags and headed to the cold north of Boston. Currently a senior designer, he has over 10 years design experience under his belt. Ryan's design work is often saturated with multiple levels of detail — a quality that helps keeps his work distinctive and fresh. He strives to add a tactile, human touch to even the simplest of designs. On the weekends you can find him at his home in Holliston, MA tending to the BBQ, mowing the lawn and spinning records.


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Get The Arms And Abs That Skimpy Summer Wardrobe Was Made For
Here are some truths about me and my exercise regimen: 1) I don't do well with trainers or classes; 2) I go through on and off phases: When I'm on, I run and swim; when I'm off, I watch a lot of TV while sitting in spandex shorts and talking about going to the gym; and 3) my overall goal is strength, not slimness—specifically in my abs and arms.
Item 1 often offsets item 3, as my problems with authority and regimented schedules preclude me from learning any new muscle-building techniques (my core-tightening knowledge begins and ends with antiquated workouts I learned from playing high-school sports many moons ago). Celebrity fitness and wellness expert David Kirsch seemed to have me in mind when he penned his new tome, David Kirsch's Abs & Arms, which went on sale this weekend. The illustrated book takes you through a number of do-it-yourself exercises, with user-friendly instructions for proper usage of the "stability ball" so you can get a washboard stomach and svelte—not bulky—biceps à la Liv Tyler, Karolina Kurkova, Linda Evangelista, and Heidi Klum, the latter of whom Kirsch got back onto the Victoria's Secret runway just eight weeks after she gave birth in 2005. Kirsch also provides a guide to following his patented high protein/low carb diet, which will help you see maximum results from all the reverse plank and pike push-ups on the agenda. The paperback has actually inspired me to return to the gym after a brief hiatus, if only so I can try out some of my fancy new moves in public and finally break free from the try-whatever-the-woman-next-to-me-is-doing approach.
Photo: Courtesy of David Kirsch


text:
CLARINS Joli Rouge lipstick
- £19.00
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Create irresistible kiss–me lips with Clarins Joli Rouge lipstick. Joli rouge offers an innovative and incredibly creamy melting texture with a comfortable feel on application. The intense colour is enhanced by its shine, to give a really vibrant make–up result. It also cares for your lips – mango butter repairs, nourishes and protects against dehydration.
cmCreatePageviewTag( sfcm_makePageId( 'Details', true ), sfcm_makeCategoryId( '' ), '', '', '10052-_-Details-_--_--_--_--_-'+ (_sfcm_isVIP ? 'Y' : 'N') +'-_-');
Volume 3.5g
UK icon UK delivery
Standard £4.95
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Same day (order by 4pm for delivery within M25) £16.00
Click & Collect icon Click & Collect
We'll deliver this product to your nearest store Complimentary
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It's okay if you change your mind, we offer a 14 day returns policy.


text:
featured artwork »
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Express yourself through music, drama, visual arts or another form. The links below and in the navigate menu to the right will take you to info on classes, studios, workshops and other opportunities to inspire your inner artist.
Cultural Events: Community activities for wellness, culture and arts.
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Visual Art: A list of places to go for classes, studios and exhibits.
Writing: Some sites for budding writers.
Dance: Places to learn and enjoy dance.
APS FINE ARTS APPRENTICE PROGRAM: Applications due Tues, March 19, 4:30 p.m. The program is competitive and for highly motivated and accomplished students in art, dance, music and/or theatre who are enrolled in Arlington Public Schools and currently in grades 9, 10, and 11. Locate the application materials online: http://www.apsva.us/page/1722 Please note that new this year students are asked (when possible) to complete the application and submit work samples electronically. Information and a sample e-portfolio can be found on the above website. Questions? Contact Allison Gilbert in the Arts Education Office: email@example.com or 703-228-6299
within: activities


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Take a stroll through this lovely meadow whenever you want by adding this delightful wallpaper to your desktop.
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Product Innovation and the Business Cycle
AbstractMicreconomic data show two important facts about new products. First, some products are more important than others. Second, it takes them years to penetrate the market significantly. The authors' calibrated model with these features overpredicts the autocovariance of U.S. GNP at long lags but underpredicts it at short lags. The latter is not surprising since the model leaves out other obvious high-frequency shocks. The puzzle is why the U.S. GNP data do not show stronger autocorrelation at higher lags. A surprising finding is that, while the speed of diffusion has huge level effects, it plays a minor role in shaping the business cycle. Copyright 1997 by Economics Department of the University of Pennsylvania and the Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association.
Download InfoTo our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
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Bibliographic InfoArticle provided by Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association in its journal International Economic Review.
Volume (Year): 38 (1997)
Issue (Month): 1 (February)
Pages: 3-22
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Other versions of this item:
- Boyan Jovanovic & Saul Lach, 1995. "Product innovation and the business cycle," Finance and Economics Discussion Series, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.) 95-46, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
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This package includes an astrology chart of the moment of your birth and a 15-page reading, bound in a report cover. Learn about your personality through the zodiac signs and aspects. A powerful tool for learning and growth.
Click here to read a sample report.
Order a Birth Chart
and receive this report absolutely free.
Ever wish your kids came with an instruction manual? Now they do! This report is specially geared towards the growth and development of your little one. Areas include personality, emotional development, and potential. It is written by Gloria Star, renowned astrologer. These make perfect gifts for babies and newborns!
Click here to read a sample report.
Provide the birth info for yourself and your sweetie. We'll tell you what specific parts of your personality match, support, or conflict with your partner. This is an excellent report for understanding your relationship or marriage, giving you a tool to celebrate the good parts and work around the more challenging ones. For an extra $15 you can also receive full individual reports.
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Together you create a whole new life. Your relationship had a personality all its own. This report is wonderful for learning how the two of you blend together! For an extra $15 you can also receive full individual reports.
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Each zodiac sign has associated parts of the body, colors, and foods. Which ones are good for you? How does your chart affect your health? Learn what to eat, what colors to wear, and potential health issues to watch out for.
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Gifts for Leo
Gifts for Virgo
a Catalog


text:
Definition of rapine in English:
rapineSyllabification: rap·ine
Pronunciation: /ˈrapən, ˈrapīn /
The violent seizure of someone's property.
More example sentences
- Plunder and rapine made her rich, and her oppression of millions made her great.
- Plunder and rapine were a way of life and no man trusted his brother.
- Three weeks of rapine, slaughter and plunder were sufficient to anger the king and the emperor, who entered into negotiations with each other.
late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin rapina, from rapere 'seize'.
Definition of rapine in:
- The British & World English dictionary
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Word of the day fioritura
Pronunciation: fēˌôriˈto͝orə
an embellishment of a melody...


text:
Search the Painter's Keys:
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Join the world's largest art community and get the twice-weekly art letter.Subscription is free.
Absolutely free, no strings. You'll get the valuable twice-weekly letter and be joining the world's most active art community.
Conversation piece
February 1, 2011
Dear Artist,
Yesterday, Anne Swannell of Victoria, B. C., wrote, "A couple of years ago one of my paintings sold in a group show and also won the Viewer's Choice Award. The other day, I printed a copy of it to be made into a card, when I noticed it had an error. It's a painting of people walking in the rain, with reflections of them and their umbrellas. But one of the reflections is missing an umbrella! Would you call up the buyer and offer to paint a blurry upside-down umbrella in, or would you consider that mistake part of the picture's mystique and leave well enough alone?"
Thanks, Anne. There are times when you need to repair your sold paintings, but this is not one of them. You have produced what is known as a "conversation piece," that is, something the owners and their friends can talk about long after it stops raining in B.C. My guess is your customer will want it left just the way it is. FYI, we've put the painting at the top of the current clicback.
Whether by intent, intuition or error, artists do well to take liberties in their work.
Art has the potential for another kind of truth--the truth of illusion, distortion, anomaly, enigma, exaggeration, paucity, understatement, embellishment and error. If everything in a picture were exactly as in nature, there would be little to engage anyone, much less give them something to talk about. Art fascinates for reasons the artist and the viewer cannot always define. We sit in front of our work and say, "There's something funny about this, but I don't know what it is."
Just the thing you can't figure out may just be the basis of its charm. Further, with the exception of a short hint in the title, your work is mute. Here are a few ideas to encourage your viewers to speak up on its behalf:
A personal connection to either you or the owner.
An intriguing style that has them wondering.
An incongruity that begs the question, "What's this?"
Artists are supposed to be the ones with imagination. A good part of our job description is to get regular people to use theirs.
Best regards,
PS: "Those things which are most real are the illusions I create in my paintings." (Eugene Delacroix)
Esoterica: Recently, I was a guest at one of our exclusive men's clubs, an establishment I've visited a dozen times. There's a painting in there that shows a steeplechase horse knocking down part of a fence. The cast shadow of the fence shows the fence in perfect shape, as if the picture was painted faster than the speed of light. Our host delighted in asking, "Can you see what's wrong with this picture?" I pleaded ignorance, of course, so that he could get the upper hand in the conversation. It was kicking a dead horse for me, having seen it before, but his other guests were mighty impressed and continued to discuss the painting at length during dinner.
Charm and perfectionby Gerti Hilfert, Langenfeld, Germany
What an interesting point; charm and perfection! I imagine Anne's feelings about producing and even
Gollummixed media
selling a mistake from her own view of perfection. Catherine Deneuve once said, "Charm and perfection hardly cooperate. Charm premises little mistakes which one would like to cover." In Anne Swannell's painting both charm and perfection meet and complement one another. I believe most will overlook this missing umbrella reflection. But once discovered it makes the painting something very special. Guessing from that fact this painting could be once all the more interesting for art collectors or museums. This painting is brilliant work and what counts is the special spirit that makes the point; I can feel the wet as if I am part of it. Why not make a series of such conversation pieces, each including a mistake.
There is 1 comment for Charm and perfection by Gerti Hilfert
Your painting is fascinating...How can I see more???
Never spoil the magicby Linda Anderson Stewart, AB, Canada
Never spoil the magic. Folks love to think they see something wonderful in an image whether planned
Blushoil painting30 x 42 inches
by the artist or not. I often want to hide at openings so no one will ask me to "explain" what I was thinking when I put in a certain touch. Inevitably it will be way off what they hoped for and it loosens their connection to the work.
There are 2 comments for Never spoil the magic by Linda Anderson Stewart
Wonderful texture and color contrast.
Gorgeous painting!!
Dragon with two right feetby Warren Criswell, Benton, AR, USA
I made a worse mistake than that once. I painted two right feet on the "dragon" in my St. George & the Dragon.
St George and the dragonoil painting
I must have been looking at my own left foot in the mirror while I painted it. The painting was in a traveling museum show that visited four museums in four southern states. Nobody said anything about the anatomical anomaly. A year or so after it returned, my local gallery hung it in a show. At the opening, my friend took me aside and whispered, "Warren, did you intend to give him two right feet?" That was the first time I saw it. If anybody else did, I guess they were too polite to tell me. I took it home and fixed it. If it had been two left feet, I might have left it as a comment on my subject's gracefulness, but two right feet made no sense. Fortunately it had not been purchased yet.
There is 1 comment for Dragon with two right feet by Warren Criswell
There are plenty of ways to differentiate left and right aside from gracefulness/gaucheness. You have the left-brain, right-brain concept. Also left being identified with Female and right with Male in Eastern culture. Never underestimate the human ability to rationalize a seeming discrepancy. Cool painting, either way.
Sly foxesby Barrett Edwards, Naples, FL, USA
Several years ago I painted a larger oil commission of a Colorado landscape. The client's only
Marsh Harmonyoil painting
request was that I show a bit of wildlife in it, and in particular he loved foxes. I painted in two not-very-obvious foxes and titled the painting Three Foxes. A week after receiving the painting, the client phoned: "Where is the third fox?" He had an entire dinner party searching the painting. And he loved my answer.
There are 3 comments for Sly foxes by Barrett Edwards
??....what was your answer?
OKAY, just dawned on me like the rising sun...very nice for almost Valentine's day....!
Marsh Harmony: This is the first marsh I see on a hill....
Mistakes by the greats?by Joseph Hutchinson, Santa Fe, NM, USA
Anne Swannell is not alone; even the greats have their moment. There is also a "mistake" in The Last Judgment
Nocturne in Red and Goldoil painting
fresco on the end wall of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican by Michelangelo. He neglected to paint the colors of a hand of a figure in the central group. The hand may have been "corrected" when the fresco was restored in the 1990's. Perhaps Michelangelo never intended to paint the hand, who knows? It makes for fine esoteric discussions in art history classrooms.
There is 0 comment for Mistakes by the greats? by Joseph Hutchinson
Intentional omissionsby Sonia Gadra, Frederick, MD, USA
I recently painted several pieces en plein air for judging in a competition. I sent 5 images
City Halloriginal painting
of the pieces I created to a group of friends in order to have them help me choose 3 which they thought to be the best. The favorite was a piece of our local city hall, which surprised me because it was not my favorite, but I left out something which could be considered a very important element, the flag pole with the flag flying at half-mast. I painted it on the day of the Arizona shooting. I left out the flag pole because I couldn't see it very well from my vantage point and because I thought putting it in the painting would take away from the focal point. It would have had to be placed right in the center. My intention was to bring joy to the viewer not sadness.
There is 0 comment for Intentional omissions by Sonia Gadra
Anomalies engagingby Barbara , WA, USA
In my kitchen hangs a series of 4 prints. Each depicts a small vintage kitchen appliance. They were purchased for their style and bold colour. Quite some time after hanging them, we noticed that the toaster was made to hold three slices. We looked farther, and behold, the blender control dial has three speed settings, but no 'off' setting. Hard to say, but it seems the stand mixer may only have one beater. The real "conversation piece" is the kettle, because there doesn't appear to be anything irregular about it. Many kitchen conversations have begun with a casual comment about the pictures, then the ahah!s as the anomalies are discovered and, always, the kettle's mystery becomes a puzzle. The simple blue panel with its rotund electric appliance gets more than its share of consideration, scrutiny, speculation and discussion. Guests, friends and family visitors aside, after all these years I still sit sometimes with my tea and am drawn to study this fat enigmatic kettle who certainly hides an imperfection that I cannot perceive. Thanks to a three-slice toaster and its friends, my engaging kitchen prints have yet to become wall flowers.
There is 1 comment for Anomalies engaging by Barbara
Seeing diamondsby Mac Grieve
Awhile back I attended your two-day workshop. The third day was offered to paint en plein air
Untitledoil painting
in the area of the Stewart Farm House. The weather was not great so I opted to take camera and shoot reference material. With one eye on the view finder and one on your method, you sat on a bench and began to paint what was in front of you. I could have sat in that same spot until they declared Bentleys non collectable and never saw a thing to photo or paint. When I see a turnip truck I see turnips not diamonds. This ability to see what others do not could be why some make it in this game and others don't.
There is 0 comment for Seeing diamonds by Mac Grieve
The artist's dilemmaby Tatjana Mirkov-Popovicki, Port Moody, BC, Canada
At first I laughed thinking that the question was silly, but on the second thought, I think that I
Vancouver Reflectionacrylic painting
understand the artist's dilemma. This kind of thing actually pops up quite often. Just the other day a gentleman criticized my painting saying that not all the trees reflected accurately in my lake. Reflections are notorious to get wrong. Some of the old masters studied them in the gory technical detail, such as Leonardo and Thomas Eakins. I think that realist painters shouldn't get away without a thorough understanding of reflections. Even when we paint what we see, we should be able to consciously choose when to be technically precise and when to leave things ambiguous or intentionally inaccurate. This artist seems to have wanted to be accurate so she sees this detail as a mistake, but as you say, it's water under the bridge and a conversation piece by now.
There are 2 comments for The artist's dilemma by Tatjana Mirkov-Popovicki
Just wanted to say that I love your work, Tatjana! I can always spot your paintings. This one's a gem. :)
Thanks very much Judy Lalinigo and Brigitte Nowak and Quin Sweetman!
Featured Artist: Oleg Korolev
Peacockwatercolour painting Oleg Korolev,
You may be interested to know that artists from every state in the USA, every province in Canada, and at least 115 countries worldwide have visited these pages since January 1, 2013.
That includes Bobbo Goldberg
of Orlando, FL, USA, who wrote, "I really like Anne's painting from last week's clickback. The 'mistake' takes an everyday experience and lifts it suddenly to the level of the surreal. Done is done, but Anne's 'flub' is fun."
And also Ken Paul
of Eugene, OR, USA, who wrote, "Some art answers questions, and some asks them. Hemingway was quoted as saying that leaving out what you know is OK, but leaving out what you don't know is cheating."
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Archived Comments
Enjoy the past comments below for Conversation piece...
There are 36 comments -
I recently painted a yacht with the reverse numbers on the sail and one of them was the right way around - I was going to change it but thought, no, I wonder if anyone will notice!
I've looked closely at Manet's "Bar at the Folies-Bergere in person on several occasions (and many other times in books and on the internet), and like many others I have puzzled over whether he got the reflection in the mirror correct.
A brief discussion of the picture and it's seeming discrepancy can be found here: http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/manet_bar/
A more mundane example was at our watercolor society meeting a couple months ago in which one of our "signature" members displayed her latest work, a picture of two fairies looking at a calendar, the cover page of which was visible but had the title printed upside down. Oops... sort of like the old New Yorker cartoon in which the guy is painting the name on the stern of his small boat, ignoring the fact he has it upside down in the sand while doing so.
The exclusion of the reflection is probably one of the reasons the painting is so powerful. Like Robert suggests, accomplished artists leave room for the viewer's own imagination and interpretation.
If the reflections are also some of the tulips in the title, then the missing reflection is just a picked tulip. Really nice painting!!
What about that poor woman with no umbrella -- you'd think someone might share? The man walking away from us probably just came out of the local pub and doesn't want anyone to know he's been drinking -- and he may also be trying to whistle on his end which is not getting good results. Ah yes, rain has a way of bringing out the best and the worst in us. I like the painting.
This could be a missed opportunity to sell another painting.... I would contact the owner..... offer to paint in the missing umbrella.... Then try to sell another painting.... People who have purchased a painting are your best potential clients.....
On more than one occasion I had a wrong number of fingers in a portrait, but I fixed them rather than leaving it for conversation. No offense intended to the people with 4 fingers!
JCB asked a good question:
Robert claims "We know that women in general tend to have better art brains [than men]"?
I haven't heard that before, and I haven't seen any evidence of it. So, I'm curious, what is your factual basis for saying it?
Robert did not answer so I did a little research.
Wandering wombs, an anatomically conferred destiny of penis envy and masochism, smaller brains, smaller frontal lobes, larger frontal lobes, right-hemisphere dominance, cross-hemisphere interaction, too much oestrogen, not enough testosterone all have been invoked to explain why women are intellectually inferior to men, more emotional, less logical, better at asking for directions, worse at map reading, hopeless at maths and science, and ever so much better suited to jobs involving finger dexterity, nappies and dishes.
As Cordelia Fine documents in Delusions of Gender, researchers change their focus, technology marches on, but sexism is eternal. Its latest incarnation is what she calls neurosexism, sexist bias disguised in the neuroscientific finery of claims about neurons, brains, hormones.
Fine was spurred to write her critique, she says, when she found her sons kindergarten teacher reading a book that claimed a young boys brain was incapable of forging the connection between emotion and language. The result of Fines irritation is a witty and meticulously researched exposé of the sloppy studies that pass for scientific evidence in so many of todays bestselling books on sex differences, notably Louann Brizendine's The Female Brain, Simon Baron-Cohens The Essential Difference, Michael Gurians What Could He Be Thinking?
When we follow the trail of contemporary science we discover a surprising number of gaps, assumptions, inconsistencies, poor methodologies, and leaps of faith as well as more than one echo of the insalubrious past.
Over and over, if you watch what people do rather than what they say they would do, and vary the situations in which they do it, gender differences fade to the vanishing point. As Fine puts it, Pick a gender difference, any difference. Now watch very closely as poof! its gone.
For more on this http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/the_tls/article7171325.ece
Robert's claim that "We know that women in general tend to have better art brains [than men]" is not only laughable, it's a cynically sexist attempt to cater to his mostly female audience.
Shame on you, Robert.
I think the irregular perspective on the base of the lamppost is what draws my eye not the lost shadow. Unless this is a purposeful design ploy that really tells me the artists needs to learn to draw better.
I was taught to never leave anything wrong on your canvas that you can notice. It's too late for the shadow but I agree with the angle on the lamppost. Not good.
I was at a demonstration by a nationally prominent artist, several years ago. He neglected to cast the same reelected light from the umbrella of his main subject as was prominent in the rainy street.
To me, it spoke of the use of a separate photo for the figure. It was a very successful painting otherwise and no one else found this unsettling.
I liked the anomaly of the parasols. Years ago I painted a series of cow heads, followed by the rear view. Sold the pair, and discovered after they were framed in a friends bathroom, that I was short one cow behind. True, what a conversation piece! It's still one of my favorites.
What made some postage stamps draw so much money in the philatelic world is when there is a flaw or a mistake at their first issue and were withdrawn from circulation and only a few exist anymore. They are a rarity which makes them a novelty. Perhaps this is in the same way what makes Anne's painting unique and makes it an interesting conversation piece. Was it intentional, an oversight or error? The more people wonder the greater the interest. Serendipity also plays a part in the game. It is beautiful painting. For all purposes we would like our work to be perfect but once in a while we may overlook something or make extra brush strokes which made the painting more exciting and more appealing that piqued the viewer.
I agree with you that the painting is fine and shouldn't be adjusted. Enough people liked it to vote it as their favourite, and someone liked it enough to choose it for their wall.
Weavers have a saying that only the gods can produce something perfect, and if a weaver wove perfect cloth, the gods would be angry. In my painting and weaving I do strive for perfection, and have yet to anger the gods.
It's much better not to mention the "error" and let the owner discover it on their own. You'd be amazed what people don't notice. As a tapestry weaver, and owner of many Turkish Kilim rugs, it's always a wonderful surprise when I see an error (be it intentional or not) in a rug that I've owned for years. Kind of like a gift that keeps on giving, it always brightens my day.
In viewing a watercolor show in SC a couple of years ago, I was admiring a nice, clean painting of a shrimp boat when my boyfriend, who in not an artist, pointed out the the name of the boat was reflected in the water right side up. I wondered if this was just a joke the artist was playing on the viewers or did his senility just kick in and he forgot that the reflection should have been up side down.
Shadow, or not, is completely unimportant. Its the mood and feel that makes this piece appeal to the buyer.
Incongruity is at the sole and soul of life. God protect us from too much congruity.
Please pass on to Anne Swannell that I LOVE that the umbrella's reflection is missing. Had I the painting, I'd be delighted with the discovery and think it perhaps intentional, just to draw us in further to wonder why. What a wonderful, whimsical detail, even if unintentional. By the way, if she does print the cards, I would love to know how to buy some. Capture that 'mistake' and just think of it as a symbol that somewhere, somehow, it's not really/always raining even if it may seem so. Life is like that some times.
I found one of those mistakes in my paintings and after I considered changing it I just felt Id leave as is. Your right it adds interest and thats why I opted to leave it alone.
I once painted a picture where the person had no arm. I was working from a photo where the arm could not be seen and this is the trouble with that system. It's good to understand how things work.
Fess up, Anne, and make a friend for life.
I would insist on adding the umbrella to this particular painting had I painted it. I've missed some things over the years but such incongruity in a representational painting is jarring. We can make deliberate decisions on eliminating detail or adding interest but this isn't Salvador Dali. It's like watching a figure who doesn't cast a shadow ... something isn't right. The overall excellence of the painting loses its impact because the viewer is distracted from the mood of the painting. A conversation piece is one thing but I would prefer a painting of mine be noted for its quality rather than "she forgot the shadow!" The viewer does not know your mindset: only the painting in front of them.
Works for some people. Others, when they realize the reflection of the umbrella is missing, won't be able to get past it. I'd broach the subject with the current owner of the painting.
Robert has dealt with the creative ability of women in many letters that can be found on this site or in his books. The main thrust of these arguments is the bicameral nature of the brain, the tendency of more women to be right brained than men, and the evidence of a larger corpus collosum in women--the conduit between the hemispheres. He also notes the lack of stubbornness in women, their excellent networking ability, and willingness to take advice from others, including men. (As opposed to men taking advice from women)
Everyone who has written about leaving mistakes or not being bothered by mistakes is just another sign of the mediocrity of women' art today. Listen to yourselves making excuses for someone just to be politically correct. Come on!
Also, being a women, I have to say that if 78% of artists are women and not rich and famous maybe we should take a better look at what we are passing off as art! Men succeed at this because they are dedicated to an art life whether they have wifes or not. They don't do this on weekends as a hobby or to make pretty pictues to put in the kitchens of women who search the local art shows for something that matches their curtains. I feel women need to get real and stop bitching as to why they can't make it and get on with it. This is one reason men don't take us seriously.
Bobby, you spoiled your tirade with your last sentence. why do you care if man take you seriously or not?
I'm commenting on the workshops page. It would be so much easier to read if in addition to the dates, the location and medium would be up front and center for each listing. As it is, it wastes a lot of time trying to wade one's way through it.
Not everyone uses umbrellas.
Pnk - 'cause they currently have the power! AND we are the only two species on this earth and need to get along with each other.
Cute story. It reminded me of the time I sketched a young lady's portrait and left one of her eyebrows off ! We were admiring it together afterwards when I realized my mistake, so I was able to fix it on the spot.
I learn much from your letters and from the responses you give to questions. Ergo, here's one from me. What, if any, legal pitfalls might there be if one creates paintings using images from books or magazines as inspiration?
Have a great, painterly day.
Mel- With the way you phrased your question, I think you already know the answer. There are copyright laws in force that if you are found to be using copyrighted material, in all likelihood there will be litigation against you. And in many cases it will be obvious to those who know that your work is a copy. If you live in a little town and only enter local shows with no national attention. I wouldn't worry about it. The only ones you would be cheating are going to be your neighbors and those foolish enough to buy your work. But on a more serious note, Why would you do that in the first place if you have any talent at all.
not everyone uses an umbrella when it rains .
"Artists are supposed to be the ones with imagination. A good part of our job description is to get regular people to use theirs." R. Genn
This is a Genn Gem, I believe.
Your comment makes think of Velazquez's Venus at Her Mirror. The reflection in the mirror is totally wrong but did anyone care?
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Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End:Talked to the family of Shannon Stone for next week's Observer column. Wait until you hear their other sad story involving a souvenir ball from a Rangers' game. Sorry, you have to wait.Not ... More >>
Jerry Jones has scheduled a 2 p.m. press conference here at Cowboys Stadium. As I've said all along, Drew Pearson is in. Question is, will he have company? Larry Allen, you still in town? Pretty sure he is. Four chairs up on the stage for the presser.
We know one of these days in the next two weeks Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is going to call a press conference at which he'll announce his intent to induct former receiver Drew Pearson into the team's Ring of Honor. Good. Not a more deserving candidate. But ... not so fast? Or, perhaps, ... More >>
Whether you've reached the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *I know one practice doesn't make a career and, as Bill Parcells says, let's hold off on shipping that bust to Canton, but Cowboys' first-round draft pick Tyron Smith looks like a beast ... More >>
It was already a bad week for Dez Bryant, after former mentor Deion Sanders reiterated that he is severing ties with the firebrand Cowboys' receiver. Now Bryant is on the verge of more legal trouble after standing up a New Jersey memorabilia show. According to organizers of the Collectors ... More >>
If there's less post-draft buzz than usual, it's because the Cowboys for once went substance over style.
Buzzing around radio row this week have been familiar Dallas Cowboys faces such as Tashard Choice, Felix Jones, Everson Walls, Daryl Johnston, Darren Woodson, Larry Brown, Dale Hellestrae, Michael Irvin, Roger Staubach and Erik Williams. And yesterday owner Jerry Jones ma ... More >>
Surprised to see Bryant on the list? You shouldn't be.Is it time for Jerry Jones to step aside as general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, or do the three Super Bowl wins under his tenure validate his decision to remain in that role? The debate will continue until Jones either hands over the keys t ... More >>
10. Man, what a letdown. You spend all weekend talking about and listening to and watching highlights of Emmitt Smith and Super Bowls and football immortals. Then they kick off the Hall of Fame game and you get Cowboys 16, Bengals 7. It's like going to the theater and being titillated b ... More >>
Whether you're at the end of your rope or merely the end of your week, welcome to Whitt's End: *Since you guys salivate over local radio news, here's a zesty taste: Starting August 16 the new program director at 105.3 The Fan will be Bruce Gilbert. Yep, the same Bruce Gilbert who helped buil ... More >>
Michael Young is crushing the ball. That's nothing new. He's also playing flawlessly in the field. Again, nothing new. And last night he sparked a Texas Rangers' 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles with first his bat, then his hustle. Want something else not so new? We underappreciate him ... More >>
I grew up with Drew Pearson, covered Michael Irvin and have the highest hopes for Dez Bryant. But should the Cowboys' rookie receiver from Oklahoma State be allowed to wear the sacred No. 88? The Cowboys revere uniform numbers, but they don't retire them. Should they? You don't see No. 8 or ... More >>
No. 12 in your football program ... No. 12 on our fantasy roster.When I say No. 22, who comes to mind? Do you immediately think of the Dallas Cowboys' all-time best runner? Or their all-time best rusher? Or perhaps instead the second-leading all-time scorer in the history of the Dallas Mav ... More >>
Who's next?Hard to remember way back when we bitched and moaned about a "Cowboys bias" in the Pro Football Hall of Fame isn't it? Saturday night in Canton receiver Bob Hayes became the 11th Cowboy inducted into Canton, continuing a trend that has seen four Dallas stars earn immortality ove ... More >>
Let me kick off this week with a detailed breakdown of the players the Dallas Cowboys selected on the first day of last weekend's NFL Draft: For the reaches, afterthoughts, confounding strategy and appropriately crappy grade, we'd bes ... More >>
Steelers 27, Cardinals 23: Best Super Bowl ever? Santonio Holmes' tip-toe TD: Best Super Bowl catch ever? The Boss: Best Super Bowl halftime show ever? Better late than never, I've got XLIII thoughts about Super Bowl 43: 43. Gotta make it snappy. My free Grand Slam at Denny's is calling. 4 ... More >>
Just which local players have earned the right to be eternally identified with their uniform numbers?
You're tired of meaningless, pre-season games. Tired of hollow, irrelevant complaining and waffling from Greg Ellis. What you, the Cowboys fan, need is a time-warp to September 9. Until then, a couple of options. If you want to meet 'n' greet the 2007 team all spiffied up in their formals, get yo ... More >>
Despite a run-of-the-mill reputation, Drew Bledsoe owns a Hall of Fame résumé
With Terrell Owens, which comes first--the Super Bowl ring or the explosion?
Why is Lincoln Kennedy so danged happy? Maybe it's because the former Raider's getting a shot at being a Cowboy during training camp. Two words this morning: Lincoln Kennedy. Been a while since you heard that name, eh? Well, you'll be hearing it again later today as the Dallas Cowboys bring in the f ... More >>
Former Cowboy's big dreams diverted to small schools
The Terrell Owens gamble notwithstanding, the Dallas Cowboys quietly are taking small steps to make big improvements next season. First, Dallas cured its chronic kicking cancer by signing Mike Vanderjagt. Despite being labeled an "idiot kicker" by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning for ru ... More >>
Back in 2001 I shook hands with Big Tex, or at least it felt that way when I hopped in Larry Allen's golf cart for an interview at Dallas Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls. On that particular day, Allen--one of the biggest, meanest, strongest, scariest players in NFL history--was almost huma ... More >>
They play like it's 1950, so why shouldn't the Cowboys air on an oldies station?
No refunds, Rangers fans, even though the dark clouds of the A-Rod trade threaten the entire season
Bikers give kids some toy joy
Gerry Fraley, The Dallas Morning News
Larry "Puff Daddy" Allen
Bill Parcells is looking for a few good men. Good luck.
Pete Hunter grew up in Atlantic City casinos, so he knows he's a long shot to make it in the NFL. Then why does he seem like a sure bet?
Larry Allen
Pat Summerall has been here for years, rockin' his peers...and so forth
Forget Cincy--our experts say the Boys will get a lot worse before they get better
Yeah, they're fast, but the Cowboys' linebackers are too short and light for the NFL
Were yesterday's heroes better than today's?


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A Sweet! Slam-dunk for the Orlando Magic at the new Amway ArenaFriday, October 29th, 2010
While the Orlando Magic took on the Washington Wizards with a landslide of a win 112 to 83, a larger than life basket ball display enhanced the experienced for fans watching the game from the VIP Mercedes Benz Lounge and Owners Suite.
The display conceptualized by Hollis Wilder, Owner of Sweet! By Miss Holly at the Waterford Lakes Town Center included a 6′ elevated cupcake tower with basket ball themed minis and toped with a specialized custom made Giant Cupcake. The tower was decked out with the signature Orlando Magic "Swoosh" logo of which rested on top of a 6′x6′ basket ball net!
If you can Dream it, Miss Holly can Design it!


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Birth of a Floor Polish
The process of producing a quality floor
coating that shines brilliantly, or stands
up to the most rigorous traffic, is an
interesting event. To give you an idea
of the complexities of producing a high
quality polymer formulation and how it
works is described in the "White Paper" below.
The Birth Of A Floor Polish Film
It's a product that is by and large taken completely for granted by the thousands of people who walk on it, track dirt on it, scuff it with every imaginable type of heel and wheel, and occasionally admire it, perhaps subconsciously, for its crisp, clear shine.
And yet, to the handful of "insiders" involved in its manufacture and sale who know first hand the ever-broadening spectrum of performance requirements it is expected to meet, the product represents a Herculean achievement in the fields of chemistry and engineering.
The actions and reactions that take place from the moment a coat of polish is applied, to the point at which it becomes a film no thicker than two-tenths of a millimeter, are to us as intriguing as they are challenging. Moreover, they are important and well worth understanding by anyone charged with the responsibility of making or selling this singular product.
As shown in Table I, water is by far the most common component in a floor polish formulation, amounting to approximately 80% of the total weight of a floor polish as it is manufactured. Water, then is the continuous medium that allows all the active components to form a stable mixture until the wet polish is applied to a floor and the complex process of drying occurs. Simply put, the drying process is the evaporation of water and other volatile components and the formation of a film. When the drying process is studied on a microscopic scale, it is recognized that the birth of the floor polish film is not only very complex, but also a most important event in the life of the polish. If improperly born, the polish film cannot be expected to perform effectively.
The Influence of Materials
Figure IIA shows the wet polish film that has just been applied to a flooring substrate. The wet film is approximately 1 mm thick and contains all the various components listed in Table 1.
The polymer, which is the predominant active component, accounts for 60-80% of the material in the dry film. Therefore its effect on the performance of the polish is very important. Referring to Figure IIA, the polymer in the wet polish consists of spherical emulsion particles ranging in size from 0.1 to 0.5 microns. These are depicted as orange spheres. The emulsion particles are stabilized with anionic and nonionic surfactants shown as short bristles surrounding the particle (see Figure IIB). Inside the particles are the polymer molecules composed of acrylate, methacrylate, and styrene monomers that have been polymerized to a molecular weight that in some cases exceed over 1 million. The particles may also contain some low molecular weight material, sometimes called oligomers. A model of a polymer chain segment comprised of about five methacrylate molecules is shown in Figure I. The molecular structure of these polymers is very random or amorphous and resembles several strands of rigid fibers formed into a ball. Associated with most polymer emulsions are multivalent metal complexes that serve to crosslink the polymer during the final stages of the drying process by reacting with pendant carboxylic acid groups that are part of the polymer molecule. These metal complexes are represented by the x's in Figure IIA.
The polyethylene or wax emulsion particles are another important component of a floor polish. These are depicted as black spheres (see Figure IIA and IIC) that contain some parallel lines denoting crystallinity or a certain order in how the individual molecules associate. A wide variety of synthetic and natural waxes have been used in floor polish; however, the most popular types are oxidized polyethylenes and polyethylene copolymers. These generally have a molecular weight of 1000 to 5000 and varying degrees of crystallinity. Due to their physical properties these tiny black spheres impart the important characteristics of buffability and scuff resistance to a floor polish.
The next material appearing on Table I is the alkali-soluble resin (ASR). ASR's (gold strands in Figure IIA) have generally low molecular weight of about 500 to 2000 and sufficiently high acid numbers of 150 to 250 to permit solubility in water and ammonia or other alkalis. Resins are used to enhance gloss, leveling and, by virtue of their alkali-solubility, removability. As Table I indicates, an ASR is not a necessary component, although most floor polishes contain some ASR to finely tune a formulation. Generally, there are three types of ASR's used in floor polish: rosin adducts, acrylic resins, and styrene/maleic anhydride resins. More information on these materials is readily available from other sources.
Minor Components Play Major Role
Before discussing plasticizers in detail, we will examine the respective functions of the minor components of the floor polish: defoamers, wetting agents, stabilizers, and biocides. The designation "minor components" may be a little misleading because, albeit small in quantity, these materials can be very important to the proper functioning of a polish.
A silicone emulsion defoamer may be added to a polish at a rate of 0.004%, and is absolutely necessary if a polish is to be applied to the floor without the retention of foam bubbles and an unsightly appearance. Wetting agents, also used in very small quantities, act to reduce surface tension of a polish to 30 dynes/cm or less, and thereby assure improved flow and leveling characteristics. A number of commercially available fluorocarbon surfactants are the most popular wetting and leveling agents used by the floor polish industry. Stabilizers protect the polish during shipping and storage from increases in viscosity or destabilization caused by high temperatures or freezing, thereby enhancing the shelf life stability. This means that polishes stored in hot warehouses or frozen in winter transport do not deteriorate and, when brought back to normal temperatures, can be used without impairment of quality. The use of effective biocides in floor polishes is critical in protecting against the growth of bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. Needless to say, once biocontamination strikes, the effects are most unpleasant as evidenced by the formation of malodors, slime, and coagulation in a polish. Spoiled polishes frequently cannot be salvaged and result in a complete loss.
The Importance of Plasticizers
Plasticizers play a major role in the film formation process of a floor polish. Anyone familiar with compounding of floor polishes knows that, if you try to evaluate a formulation in which the plasticizers have been omitted, you will be very disappointed. A polish without plasticizers may dry to a powder and become a totally useless product. Therefore, the amounts and types of the various plasticizers required to produce an optimized floor polish film are of critical importance. Of course, other factors also affect the film formation process, such as temperature, humidity and nature of the substrate.
Dealing with typical field application requirements, it is often necessary to lay down several coats of polish with no more than 30 minutes drying time between coats. The environmental conditions under which these applications occur may vary widely as follows:
Under extreme conditions of humidity and temperature, the evaporation rate of volatiles can be accelerated or retarded so that optimum film formation will not take place. Likewise a porous substrate may absorb certain components from a coat of wet polish and adversely affect film formation. Fortunately, most field applications are performed under moderate conditions which we will assume is the case in this presentation.
The reason a polish without plasticizers dries to a powder has to do with the chemical composition of the polymer. Polymers used in floor polishes are designed to have Glass Transition Temperatures (Tg) in the range of 50° to 75°C. At its Tg the properties of a polymer change from glass-like and brittle to a flexible and rubbery consistency. Therefore, an emulsion containing a polymer with a Tg of 65°C cannot be expected to form a film at a room temperature of 22°C. A related concept is Minimum Film Formation Temperature (MFT), which is defined as the lowest temperature at which an emulsion polymer or a floor polish will produce a continuous film upon drying. In short, at the MFT and above there is film formation, below the MFT there is discontinuity and powder.
To obtain a better understanding of the concepts of Tg and MFT, let us look briefly at a polymer particle as depicted in Figure IIB. The cutaway of a polymer particle shows several closely packed polymer molecules that are high in molecular weight. Below the Tg, the polymer molecules are so rigid and tightly associated that there is very limited space for molecular movement. However, at their Tg and above, the polymer molecules acquire more kinetic energy creating more free space into which the polymer molecules expand and gain more freedom of movement. This phenomenon can be observed by using a dilatometer to measure the small increase in polymer volume and a corresponding change in the specific gravity. The transition to new physical properties that polymers acquire at and above their Tg allows for the deformation of polymer particles in the drying process and formation of continuous films at the MFT (see Figures IID, IIE, and IIF). Of course, floor polishes are not applied at the Tg (65°C) of a typical polymer, therefore we need plasticizers to promote film formation at room temperature.
Plasticizers - Some Flee, Some Stay
Specifically, plasticizers reduce the MFT of a floor polish, permitting it to be transformed into a tough, durable film while drying at room temperature. There are two types of plasticizers: permanent and fugitive. The fugitive plasticizers are also referred to as coalescents. Both types of plasticizers are required in a balanced floor polish and have a significant effect on the performance of a polish film. Permanent plasticizers (small green and yellow spheres in Figure II) are absorbed completely by the polymer and other solid components upon drying and remain in the film to provide continuing plasticization. Coalescents (red spheres), which volatilize during the drying process, are used to temporarily lower the MFT of a polish during the drying phase. The evaporation rate of the fugitive plasticizers or coalescents must be carefully evaluated, so that proper film formation will be accomplished before the polish has completely dried. If the evaporation rate of the coalescents is too slow, the polish film will remain soft and even tacky after drying.
This will result in recoat problems and dirt pick-up when the floor is exposed to traffic. The most effective coalescents have vapor pressures that fall in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 mm Hg at room temperature.
A permanent plasticizer of special significance in floor polish is tributoxyethyl phosphate (TBEP), represented by the green spheres in Figure II. As a result of its hydrophobicity (solubility in water is 0.2%), TBEP resides on or inside the polymer particles in a wet polish. With a solubility parameter of 8.7 (see Table II), TBEP is predictably a good solvent for acrylate-styrene copolymers, however, it also acts as an effective leveling agent. Speculation is that the leveling activity of TBEP is the result of its molecular structure, which may lead to a specific orientation on the polymer particle surface.
Solubility and Stability
The degree of oil and water solubility (hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance) of a plasticizer system is important, because it can have a significant effect on the stability of a polish in the wet state. Assuming that we have chosen a system with the proper solubility parameters, then we can expect the plasticizers to be readily soluble in the polymer particles. If the plasticizers are mostly hydrophobic, they will quickly solvate and swell the polymer particles, which can lead to agglomeration and coagulation of a polish in the container. The distribution of the plasticizers in the wet polish is difficult to predict theoretically, so stability studies at elevated temperatures are an important part of designing a new polish. One method to improve the wet stability of a polish, is to shift the plasticizer blend towards the hydrophilic side.
The Drying Process
Having discussed the various roles of the components in an industrial floor polish, let us take another look at Figure II and carefully follow the drying and film formation process. The section of vinyl composition tile (Figure IIA) at the bottom has just been coated with a typical polish at a rate of 2000 square feet per gallon. The wet coat is approximately 1 mm thick and contains all the components listed in Table I. Assuming that normal indoor conditions exist, the drying process begins immediately at the proper rate. This is indicated by the blue arrows and the red spheres denoting water and some fugitive plasticizer molecules escaping. However, the water volatilizes much faster than the fugitive plasticizer and after approximately five minutes sufficient water has left the wet film for the polish to begin to solidify. Of course, before solidification sets in, we hope the polish has leveled smoothly and the defoamer (not depicted) has performed its function by eliminating any entrapped air bubbles that might have formed during application.
At this point, the permanent and remaining plasticizer molecules that have resided in the water phase begin to solvate the polymer particles and the other non-volatile materials. If plasticizers with the appropriate solubility parameters have been selected, they will now perform their intended function with ease and render the polymer particles soft and pliable. On the molecular level, the plasticizer molecules have loosened the cohesive forces that were holding the polymer molecules rigidly together. The newly gained mobility of the polymer molecules combined with the enormous capillary pressure deform the polymer particles to assume the conventional hexagonal configuration of close-packing (See Figures IID, IIE and IIF). The polyethylene particles (black), which have a natural Tg below room temperature, have also absorbed some plasticizer and deform with little effort to occupy any available space between the polymer particles.
As the polymer particles come in intimate contact with each other, a certain amount of molecular entanglement will occur depending on the degree of plasticization and molecular weight of the polymer. The lower the molecular weight, the more freely polymer molecules will entangle.
When more water and volatile plasticizers have escaped the film, the metal complexes dissociate and the free multivalent metal ions begin to associate and crosslink with the available acid groups on the polymer and other components. In about 20 minutes, the polish film is dry to the touch and most of the complex process of film formation has taken place.
A small amount of fugitive plasticizers and trapped water still remains in the film, but this does not usually interfere with the application of the next coat in 30 minutes. However, if too many coats of finish are applied in 30-minute intervals, the amount of retained fugitive plasticizer and water may increase so much that trouble-free recoating will not be possible.
A typical floor polish film after complete drying is shown in Figure IIF. The polymer particles have deformed and some molecular entanglement has taken place. The TBEP (green spheres) and the other permanent plasticizers (yellow spheres) are dispersed throughout the film. The polyethylenes and waxes are presented as deformed but distinct black particles and will provide an important degree of lubricity to the polish under foot traffic and buffing maintenance. The multivalent metal ions have tightly crosslinked the film for durability and later will allow removability when the floor is stripped by releasing their hold on the acid groups. The ASR (gold) is randomly distributed throughout the film. In many cases, the resin has helped in the leveling process and now is filling small voids in the polish film resulting in higher gloss.
A thorough knowledge of the intricacies of the film formation process is necessary to produce the very best floor polish formulation, one that is truly "strong to the finish."
While there is always the possibility of a misformulated batch of polish reaching the end user, improved quality management techniques have greatly reduced the number of errors in production. Experience shows that most problems with floor polish break down into two areas: A) Application, the process of getting the polish onto the floor, and B) Maintenance, the results that occur when inappropriate procedures damage an initially excellent looking floor. These areas will be the focus of our attention.
Application Problems
In this section we refer to conditions that may be observed upon application of polish to a new floor or an existing floor which has been stripped or otherwise prepared for the application of one or more coats of polish.
Low Gloss
The most common cause of low initial gloss is improper floor preparation. Inadequate stripping and/or rinsing will leave residue that interferes with the film formation process of the polish, resulting in reduced gloss. The practice of using floor "neutralizers" can leave the floor coated with residual acid, which reacts with the alkaline components in the polish, causing instability and improper film formation. Neutralizers are not recommended with today's products. In fact, a small amount of residual alkali is less harmful than residual acid. A "floor pH" of 9.5 will not interfere with the application of a well-formulated polish, but a pH of 4.5 most likely will.
Occasionally low gloss is the result of a very porous substrate. Additional polish coats, or the use of an effective sealer will be helpful in this situation. A well-formulated sealer is designed to have superior "hold out" over porous substrates. Its use as a base coat will assist in building gloss.
Poor recoat can also interfere with the gloss development of a floor polish. When investigating complaints of low gloss, one should try to differentiate between a recoat problem and other possible causes. Recoat problems can result from inadequate drying conditions or an interaction with the substrate.
The development of a haze on the polish film is a complex problem, which can usually be traced to the environmental conditions during application. All polish formulations have a "window of use", based on temperature and relative humidity. Some formulations may look great at 70°F (21°C) / 50% RH, but will not function well at 80°F (27°C) / 80% RH. As was discussed in "The Birth of a Floor Polish Film", the volatile components, namely: water, coalescents, and ammonia from the zinc complex are designed to evaporate in a certain order and at specific rates to optimize film formation. Extremes in temperature and humidity will change the rate and order of evaporation of these components. In high humidity conditions the slow rate of water evaporation will leave an insufficient amount of coalescent available to form a properly fused film.
Several different types of "haze" can develop upon application. One type could be described as a "light ghosting" on the floor surface. This type of haze is usually caused by low molecular weight material, such as surfactants, that have migrated to the surface. Generally this material is easily removed by buffing, and does not permanently damage the film. Another haze problem that can occur is a graying or dulling of the film. This type of haze is not removable with buffing and is evidence that the underlying film has been damaged by recoating too quickly for the ambient environmental conditions. Under unfavorable drying conditions more time is needed between coats. As the number of coats increases, the greater film thickness will retain more moisture leading to surface irregularities and unsightly haze. Under high humidity conditions more drying time should be allowed between coats as the number of applications increases.
Applying polish successfully in high humidity can be difficult due to the complex nature of the drying process. Even under apparently similar temperature and humidity conditions, differences in air movement and floor surface temperature will affect the rate of evaporation of the various components, and the final appearance of the polish on the floor.
Occasionally a haze can develop in a polish under the best of drying conditions. This is usually the result of an incompatibility between the polish and the substrate, or a contaminant on the floor. For instance, the floor may be coated with residue from ice melt, which is incompatible with most polishes and results in a dull film. In addition, not all sealer/finish combinations are compatible. Care should be taken to select the right companion product.
Poor leveling is typically due to a residue on the floor. Any oily material left on the floor will inhibit the polish from leveling properly. Culprits such as commonly used furniture polish or dust mop treatments can negatively affect leveling. The surface energy of a given substrate will also have an effect on the leveling properties of a product. Certain substrates must be investigated carefully to assure that the floor polish will level properly.
Short term tackiness is usually due to inadequate drying conditions, which can generally be improved by longer dry times and better air movement. Care should be taken to ensure that the polish is completely dry before returning furniture, particularly in closed areas such as classrooms. As mentioned in the section on hazing, the time required for the drying process escalates exponentially with increasing coats rather than linearly, because more water is entrapped by the underlying coats.
Adhesion can be a serious problem, particularly on mineral surfaces and specialty substrates, such as urethane and polypropylene. To remedy these situations, specialty sealers are available that are designed to adhere to difficult substrates. When coating mineral floors, the application of one or two coats of sealer followed by several coats of polish will usually result in an attractive and serviceable floor. Here again, care should be taken to allow adequate dry time between coats.
Properly formulated polishes should not have a problem on most standard resilient tile floors. However, there are a few situations that can cause problems. New tile has usually been coated with a factory finish, which is designed to keep the individual tiles from sticking together in the shipping boxes. Unfortunately this anti-block coating also keeps the polish from adhering to the tile. The factory finish must be removed from the tile before the polish is applied. If the polish is having difficulty adhering to an older floor, it is most likely that something has been spilled on the floor prior to the application of the polish. As always, removal of any foreign material on the floor is essential before applying polish.
In some instances the problem may not be adhesion, but rather film deterioration due to plasticizer absorption by the substrate. Specific questions about the substrate and its preparation should be the first step in determining the nature of the problem.
While this problem is usually considered in the maintenance category, excessive powdering can also indicate improper film formation and may be described in different ways. Comments may be that the product is "walking off the floor", or has poor durability. In some cases the product will generate excessive "grinding dust" while buffing. These are all descriptive of poor film fusion.
A major impediment to good film formation is low temperature during application of the polish. The emulsion polymers used in formulating floor polishes have minimum film formation temperatures (MFT) well above room temperature. As discussed earlier, plasticizers and coalescents are used to reduce the MFT of the polish so that film formation will occur at floor surface temperatures as low as 50°F (10°C). If for some reason the temperature of the floor falls below the MFT of the polish, a properly fused film will not form. The temperature of the floor can be affected by a number of conditions. A concrete slab floor on grade will conduct the heat away quickly, leaving the surface of the floor at a much lower temperature than the air at eye level. There have been many cases where a product performed well on the upper floors of a building, but the ground floor showed a powdering problem. The phenomenon known as evaporative cooling will also reduce the temperature of the floor as the polish dries. If fans are used to accelerate the drying process, proper film formation can be inhibited by evaporative cooling.
The substrate can also have a negative effect on the film formation of the system. Resilient tile with a high filler content, or older linoleum can absorb some of the coalescents and plasticizers from the polish, thus reducing the amount available for film formation. As a result of this coalescent/plasticizer depletion, the MFT of the system will rise and possibly reach a point above the temperature of the floor. In such circumstance the polish will develop a severe case of powdering. The use of a properly formulated sealer before applying polish is generally effective in remedying this condition.
It is important to remember that the MFT of a polish is not an exact temperature. There can be a 3° to 6°F (2° to 3°C) range where a finish will start to lose optimum film formation characteristics. When coating a floor with a surface temperature near the MFT of a polish, a glossy film may form. This film, however, will not be strong enough to withstand heavy traffic or maintenance operations such as high speed buffing. In a matter of days a complaint will be received that "the polish is blowing off the floor".
Premature Loss of Gloss
At times a product will exhibit a sudden and significant drop in gloss after having been down for a week or two. This is usually an indication that some foreign material has contaminated the floor. Such materials include furniture polish, dust mop treatments, ice melt chemicals and the overuse of cleaners, maintainers or spray buffs. Reduction in gloss can also be the result of an adverse response to buffing. Generally this is a uniform dulling of the floor as a result of micro scratching, which appears as unsightly swirl marks.
Swirling is a condition traditionally associated with the response of a polish to buffing. Polishes are designed to respond to a specific pad, pad speed and pad pressure combination. The polish supplier will usually recommend the buffing combination needed to achieve the best results. Buffing a polish with the wrong combination will fail to produce the desired appearance.
When buffing or burnishing a floor the polish surface is abraded and heat is generated. The relative amount of each is determined by the pad and the equipment used. Coarse pads are very open and primarily abrade the polish, while softer pads will have more surface area and will generate more heat. This heat will cause some movement of the thermoplastic components of the finish. The polish formulation will determine which type of pad and buffing equipment produce the best results.
Buffing with an overly aggressive pad can result in "micro scratches", usually in a semicircular pattern. The end-user should evaluate a softer pad, and/or a lighter pressure setting on the machine. Conversely, a softer pad will have more contact with the floor, which generates more heat, potentially damaging the film. As can be seen, instructions regarding the proper use of a polish are very critical and must be clearly communicated to the end user.
Occasionally a polish will develop a buffing problem over time. This can be due to excessive use of a maintainer/spray-buff, or an aggressive detergent cleaner which alters the surface of the finish. Proper maintenance procedures which include following the manufacturer's instructions will avoid this type of problem.
Dirt Pick-Up
Dirt pick-up problems are usually described as a darkening or yellowing of the floor. This discoloration can be uniform in a given area, or be seen as "splotchy" dark spots. Such problems occur for several reasons, but are generally associated with inappropriate maintenance procedures. Softer polishes that are designed to be UHS burnished frequently may have dirt pick-up problems, if used in areas that are not cleaned regularly.
The misuse of maintainers can lead to dirt pick-up problems. Polymer containing maintainers can be excellent for restoring a trafficked floor. However, if the floor is not properly cleaned before application, trapped dirt can leave the floor looking darker. Maintainers containing permanent plasticizers will soften the polish if overused. This practice will lead to discoloration as the softened polish can no longer effectively repel dirt. Tackiness and soiling of the polish surface can also develop over time due to plasticizer migration from a highly plasticized substrate. Any material that softens the polish film will potentially lead to a dirt pick-up problem.
Today's modern floor polish formulations are complex mixtures of polymers, waxes, surfactants and other additives that are designed to work together under a wide variety of conditions. But even the very best formulations can develop problems depending upon application conditions and the practices employed to maintain the polished flooring.
We certainly hope this provides you with a solid foundation for understanding the complexities of one of today's most under-appreciated products. As the leading supplier of specialty polymers to the Floor Polish Industry for over thirty-six years, Interpolymer takes special pride in providing this information to you and looks forward to meeting your specific needs in the future.


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A heart pounding rescue- a toddler is found crawling alongside a busy road. Now Child Protective Services are investigating.
59News went to the location where the child was found. We took our area to get a child's eye view of Route 10 in Hiawatha. Cars whizzed by as our news crews worked on.
"It is very, very busy, extremely busy," Patti Graham said, talking about Route 10. She explained it is a two lane road where coal trucks, ATVs and tractor trailers speed by.
Imagine, a teeny-tiny toddler crawling on this curvy, busy road. Well according to State Police that is exactly what one off duty emergency medical technician found Tuesday.
Neighbors told 59News the baby boy was crawling on this road and he was crawling right down the center of it on the yellow painted lines
The EMT took the child to the nearby Matoaka Fire Department and called police. In the meantime, police said the boy's parents reported him missing. The parents said he must have crawled off the porch.
But for one mother our news crews spoke with, that is no excuse. Pattie Graham is a mother, grandmother and even great grandmother. She said you just can't turn you back on a toddler.
"Well you know with children there are always accidents naturally. But they are so quick and so fast and you just really can't take your eyes off of them unless you know they are in an area they are safe and can't get away," Pattie Graham said.
Police said the parents are not facing charges. But the boy and his sibling are now in the custody of Child Protective Services, pending the outcome of their investigation.


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18108 South Parkview Drive has a Walk Score of 38 out of 100. This location is a Car-Dependent neighborhood so most errands require a car.
This location is in the Addicks Park Ten neighborhood in Houston. Nearby parks include Mayde Creek Junior High School Baseball Field and Mayde Creek Junior High School Football Field.
Nearby schools include Montessori Moments, Five Star Montessori School - Kingsland and Mayde Creek Elementary School.
The closest grocery stores are Valero Corner Store 2349, Valero Corner Store 2349 and Smoothie Factory.
Nearby coffee shops include Zydeco Kitchen, Creative Coffee Inc and Starbucks. Nearby restaurants include 7 Rivers BBQ A Texas Kitchen, SUBWAY® Restaurants (C-Store / Gas Station) and Kimchi Korean Cafe.
18108 South Parkview Drive is near ConocoPhillips Headquarters, Sysco Headquarters and Group 1 Automotive Headquarters.
There are minimal bike lanes and the terrain is flat as a pancake. 18108 South Parkview Drive is somewhat bikeable, there is minimal bike infrastructure.