Learn all about traditional and modern Calligraphy
From suitable writing styles to choices in nibs and inks, Nikhil Ranjan, CEO of William Penn offers a complete guide to the wildly visual art of calligraphy.
Modern calligraphy ranges from functional hand lettered inscriptions and designs to fine art pieces created with fountain pens. Hold the pen right: Ideally, the thumb, the index finger and the middle finger should wrap around the barrel comfortably without overlapping. People with big and stout fingers would need a thicker pen and those with petite fingers should use sleeker ones. As a rule, one should not press too hard while writing.
The perfect nib: Nibs should be chosen according to one's individual writing style. Text book advice would be a fine nib with a 0.5mm tip for someone with small and tight writing; a bold nib with 0.9mm to 1 mm for someone with quick strokes and a large emphatic script and a medium nib with 0.7mm nib for these who don't qualify for either of these cases. Nibs are usually made from 14-Kt/18-Kt Gold or Stainless Steel.
While gold nibs are softer, the more flexible steel ones are sturdier and ideal for anyone who uses a hard or heavy hand while writing. Make the right choice: The Japanese company Sailor makes special nibs like Naginata Fude which makes bold strokes in normal mode and turns fine when used upside down and the Naginata Concorde which does just the opposite.
Lamy's smooth steel Safari nib is recommended for all forms of writing and sketching. Sheaffer's basic fountain pen with a steel nib is stable and makes a good choice for a first timer. MontBlanc's 149 Piston is another great nib to use.
Preferred Inks: Darker and quicker drying inks are preferred when writing large bold letters. Besides the usual Parker Quink, Sheaffer Skrip and Aurora Black inks, you can choose quick drying specialist inks like the Private Reserve (Ultra Black) and Noodler's Highlighting inks.
Basics of underwater cinematography
Turn your deep sea adventures like scuba diving and snorkeling into lasting memories. Take ace cinematographer Virendra Khanna's advice and go behind the lens before going into the deep blue.
Waterproof Camera: A single drop of water is enough to cause electrical problems, thus one should go for a waterproof camera and housing. The camera should be a wide-angle one. The Canon 7D and 5D Mark II, Olympus PEN E-PL1 and PT-EP-01 are good choices.
Lighting:Water has a tendency to absorb light and as we descend, we lose colour. Your housing should include a fill light that shoots light straight at your subject at a 45-degree angle. If you don't have one, purchase a key light to attach to your housing. Bright sunlight makes for excellent shots up to a depth of approximately 30 m.
Focus: The main problem with autofocus under water is finding a point to focus on. Most autofocus systems 'hunt' i.e. they move back and forth between various focus distances and this impedes clarity. Thus, one should use manual focus and momentarily turn on autofocus while pointing at the subject. This allows you to quickly refocus manually.
Zoom: Since videography involves movement, zooming will make for shaky and unusable shots with bad focus. It is always better to avoid the zoom. Move closer to your subject instead for a tighter shot.
A rule of thumb in filming: Don't ever try to create the action with the camera, let the action happen in your frame. If there is nothing happening, then change locations and try again.
An ode to wine and cheese pairing
Shital Kakker Mehra of Soft Skills International offers advice on savouring the classic combination of wine and cheese. The protocol: As a rule, the wine shouldn't overpower the flavour of the cheese. While some connoisseurs believe that wine produced near the home of the cheese suits it best, others say that more tannic the red wine, the harder the cheese that goes with it.
Pair em' right: While the Danish Blue semi-soft creamy blue-veined cheese pairs well with the red Cabernet Sauvignon, the soft French Camembert cheese complements the white Chenin Blanc. The Italian granular Parmesan brings out the flavours of a Chardonnay just as the crumbly and salty Gorgonzola does justice to the full-bodied Bordeaux.
Serving Cheese: At room temperature, except cream cheese which should be served cold. Serve the different cheese on a wooden cheeseboard, where each piece is placed separately to avoid any interference in taste or smell.
Accompaniments: Fruits, breads, crackers, olives or meats are classic accompaniments. Use your fingers when eating it as an appetiser.
A game of mini golf
Aashish Vaishnava, founder of Holein1GOLF considers mini golf an interesting and convinient variant of the game. What is it: This miniature version is played on a very compact course with a putter and a ball.
Just like regular golf, mini golf courses have multiple holes and the objective is to hit the ball into the hole with as few strokes as possible. An array of obstacles positioned around each hole add to the excitement.
Setting up: You'll need an astroturf base which can either be fitted inside wooden frames or be recessed into wall-to-wall carpets. While a six-hole course can be created on 1,000 sq ft of astro-turf, you'll need 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft for a nine hole course. In case you're pressed for space, choose a portable mini-course with a wooden base.
These are generally 200 sq ft and have about three holes. The game can be made challenging by making the balls pass through obstacles like moving windmills and tunnels.
Jazzing up the space: Bringing it closer to a natural golf course, place stones which will also double up as obstacles. You can also use sounds of birds and crowds cheering as soundtrack. Going for the shots: Use two sided putters which allow you to hit from both sides and play a two stroke game.
Website: www.holein1GOLF.com
Shake it daddy
Trade ambassador of Bacardi India and star mixologist Arijit Bose spills the beans on shaking cocktails. Why Shake: The vigorous to and fro movement of the cocktail shakers helps mixing ingredients of different densities, such as alcohols and juices, with ease. Ice lowers the temperature and makes it more palatable, especially in summer.
Process: The shaker has multiple parts which interlock to create an airtight space within which you need to add different ingredients and ice. To make a great drink always remember to fill three fourth's of the glass with ice cubes and shake hard till the shaker is too cold to hold. But be careful not to shake too much or the melted ice will dilute the drink.
Shake This: The classic Bacardi Daiquiri uses 2 spoons of castor sugar and 20 ml of lime juice added in a shaker with 60 ml Bacardi topped with ice. If the drink is shaken well then all the castor sugar will dissolve, leaving it cold yet well balanced. In case the castor sugar hasn't dissolved well, the drink is unprepared and needs further shaking.
Feng shui for office space
An ideal office space should boost productivity, success and health and purge all forms of stress. Feng Shui practitioner and consultant Ravi Chadha elaborates.
Seating: Your table should be on the opposite side of the room from the door so that your back is against a solid wall or partition. This 'anchors' the desk and gives maximum exposure to the auspicious ch'i (energy).
Yang Interiors: It is important to have sufficient natural light, especially in your personal work area. Also use natural surfaces and materials and plenty of plants. This will generate happy vibes.
Pictures and Paintings: A group photograph on your right will enhance loyalty and motivation. For harmony, place a picture of spouse or children on the
The perfect nib: Nibs should be chosen according to one's individual writing style. Text book advice would be a fine nib with a 0.5mm tip for someone with small and tight writing; a bold nib with 0.9mm to 1 mm for someone with quick strokes and a large emphatic script and a medium nib with 0.7mm nib for these who don't qualify for either of these cases. Nibs are usually made from 14-Kt/18-Kt Gold or Stainless Steel.
While gold nibs are softer, the more flexible steel ones are sturdier and ideal for anyone who uses a hard or heavy hand while writing. Make the right choice: The Japanese company Sailor makes special nibs like Naginata Fude which makes bold strokes in normal mode and turns fine when used upside down and the Naginata Concorde which does just the opposite.
Lamy's smooth steel Safari nib is recommended for all forms of writing and sketching. Sheaffer's basic fountain pen with a steel nib is stable and makes a good choice for a first timer. MontBlanc's 149 Piston is another great nib to use.
Preferred Inks: Darker and quicker drying inks are preferred when writing large bold letters. Besides the usual Parker Quink, Sheaffer Skrip and Aurora Black inks, you can choose quick drying specialist inks like the Private Reserve (Ultra Black) and Noodler's Highlighting inks.
Turn your deep sea adventures like scuba diving and snorkeling into lasting memories. Take ace cinematographer Virendra Khanna's advice and go behind the lens before going into the deep blue.
Waterproof Camera: A single drop of water is enough to cause electrical problems, thus one should go for a waterproof camera and housing. The camera should be a wide-angle one. The Canon 7D and 5D Mark II, Olympus PEN E-PL1 and PT-EP-01 are good choices.
Lighting:Water has a tendency to absorb light and as we descend, we lose colour. Your housing should include a fill light that shoots light straight at your subject at a 45-degree angle. If you don't have one, purchase a key light to attach to your housing. Bright sunlight makes for excellent shots up to a depth of approximately 30 m.
Focus: The main problem with autofocus under water is finding a point to focus on. Most autofocus systems 'hunt' i.e. they move back and forth between various focus distances and this impedes clarity. Thus, one should use manual focus and momentarily turn on autofocus while pointing at the subject. This allows you to quickly refocus manually.
Zoom: Since videography involves movement, zooming will make for shaky and unusable shots with bad focus. It is always better to avoid the zoom. Move closer to your subject instead for a tighter shot.
A rule of thumb in filming: Don't ever try to create the action with the camera, let the action happen in your frame. If there is nothing happening, then change locations and try again.
Shital Kakker Mehra of Soft Skills International offers advice on savouring the classic combination of wine and cheese. The protocol: As a rule, the wine shouldn't overpower the flavour of the cheese. While some connoisseurs believe that wine produced near the home of the cheese suits it best, others say that more tannic the red wine, the harder the cheese that goes with it.
Pair em' right: While the Danish Blue semi-soft creamy blue-veined cheese pairs well with the red Cabernet Sauvignon, the soft French Camembert cheese complements the white Chenin Blanc. The Italian granular Parmesan brings out the flavours of a Chardonnay just as the crumbly and salty Gorgonzola does justice to the full-bodied Bordeaux.
Serving Cheese: At room temperature, except cream cheese which should be served cold. Serve the different cheese on a wooden cheeseboard, where each piece is placed separately to avoid any interference in taste or smell.
Accompaniments: Fruits, breads, crackers, olives or meats are classic accompaniments. Use your fingers when eating it as an appetiser.
Aashish Vaishnava, founder of Holein1GOLF considers mini golf an interesting and convinient variant of the game. What is it: This miniature version is played on a very compact course with a putter and a ball.
Just like regular golf, mini golf courses have multiple holes and the objective is to hit the ball into the hole with as few strokes as possible. An array of obstacles positioned around each hole add to the excitement.
Setting up: You'll need an astroturf base which can either be fitted inside wooden frames or be recessed into wall-to-wall carpets. While a six-hole course can be created on 1,000 sq ft of astro-turf, you'll need 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft for a nine hole course. In case you're pressed for space, choose a portable mini-course with a wooden base.
These are generally 200 sq ft and have about three holes. The game can be made challenging by making the balls pass through obstacles like moving windmills and tunnels.
Jazzing up the space: Bringing it closer to a natural golf course, place stones which will also double up as obstacles. You can also use sounds of birds and crowds cheering as soundtrack. Going for the shots: Use two sided putters which allow you to hit from both sides and play a two stroke game.
Website: www.holein1GOLF.com
Shake it daddy
Trade ambassador of Bacardi India and star mixologist Arijit Bose spills the beans on shaking cocktails. Why Shake: The vigorous to and fro movement of the cocktail shakers helps mixing ingredients of different densities, such as alcohols and juices, with ease. Ice lowers the temperature and makes it more palatable, especially in summer.
Process: The shaker has multiple parts which interlock to create an airtight space within which you need to add different ingredients and ice. To make a great drink always remember to fill three fourth's of the glass with ice cubes and shake hard till the shaker is too cold to hold. But be careful not to shake too much or the melted ice will dilute the drink.
Shake This: The classic Bacardi Daiquiri uses 2 spoons of castor sugar and 20 ml of lime juice added in a shaker with 60 ml Bacardi topped with ice. If the drink is shaken well then all the castor sugar will dissolve, leaving it cold yet well balanced. In case the castor sugar hasn't dissolved well, the drink is unprepared and needs further shaking.
An ideal office space should boost productivity, success and health and purge all forms of stress. Feng Shui practitioner and consultant Ravi Chadha elaborates.
Seating: Your table should be on the opposite side of the room from the door so that your back is against a solid wall or partition. This 'anchors' the desk and gives maximum exposure to the auspicious ch'i (energy).
Yang Interiors: It is important to have sufficient natural light, especially in your personal work area. Also use natural surfaces and materials and plenty of plants. This will generate happy vibes.
Pictures and Paintings: A group photograph on your right will enhance loyalty and motivation. For harmony, place a picture of spouse or children on the
