Cut from the same cloth - A brief history of the t-shirt

T-shirts are a proven way to make a provocative statement - but which are the most iconic - and what do they say about the humble wearer?

It's not often that a whole new piece of clothing appears, which is what happened with the t-shirt 40 years ago. When James Dean and Marlon Brando sported T-shirts as outerwear, it was a faux par and seen as bad as wearing underpants over trousers. Iconic photos of the American GI during WWII filtered back and in an instant, Hollywood transformed how the garment was worn and attitudes towards the T-shirt changed. Over the years the t-shirt was approximated as a walking billboard, advertising the wearer's affiliations or views, or simply what was the latest fashion.
Nowadays the t-shirt is used in many provocative, innovative and controversial ways, whether it's a social statement or boosting a rock bands merchandise sales - its uses are endless. But what do different t-shirts say about the people who wear them?

Frankie Say Relax T-shirt

Another 80s phenomenon, originally designed by Katharine Hamnett but appropriated by Frankie Goes To Hollywood they became ubiquitous in the UK during the summer of 1984, mainly because the BBC banned the song on radio and the 'terribly rude' video on TV. This just increased the bands sales and their bad boy credentials. People buy these t-shirts less for the original political reason, more to get dressed up like 80s freaks for fancy dress parties.
What it says about the wearer: Hey, I remember the 80s, its all about being ironic mmm'kay? Great t-shirt though. Currently the latest celebrity fad, with one of the Olsen twins 'spotted!' wearing one in the celeb mags.
Hitler European Tour T-shirt

A mock up with colour map of Hitler's European Tour 1939-45, or as its better known, World War 2, with dates in England cancelled. Is this a bit close to the bone, considering the horror of the Holocaust? I guess this all depends on the nature of the person wearing it, as people wear t-shirts with some mighty strange designs - but may be it could be appropriated by Nazi scum who may mis-understand the message, which ultimately is of Hitler's failure to beat the civilised world. What it says about the wearer: Hey, I'm controversial!

Brigade Rosse T-shirt

The Red Army Faction, a Marxist-Leninist group whose aim was to separate Italy from the Western Alliance. An ultra-leftist group the Red Brigades left its mark on the Italian political scene of the 1970s and 1980s, rising from the student protest movement of the late 1960s advocated violence in the service of class warfare and revolution and the group's attacks targeted symbols of "the establishment" such as unionists, politicians and businessmen. Phew, heavy stuff, but not too much for The Clash's Joe Strummer who was a staunch supporter, and thus was seen wearing the tee on stage.
What it says about the wearer: I like The Clash. Its one of those tees that has a hidden 'layer', in that the wearer wears it on the understanding that only true Clash fans will recognise the depth of their fandom. I'm pretty sure they don't support The Red Army Faction.Wham Choose Life T-shirt

Another 80s retro tee designed by Katharine Hamnett originally the slogan came from a Buddhist exhibition, but was used in the early 80s and directed towards suicide and drug addiction, but nicked by Wham for their uber-camp "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" video.
What it says about the wearer: Originally I guess its all about positivity, but again these days it's all about the fancy dress party. GO-GO!

So there you are, a snapshot of some of the t-shirts doing the rounds on the internet, if there's one thing you can say about t-shirt wearers it's that they are always individual, and nothing is taboo if it's on the front of your chest!

By  Richard Flanagan

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Flanagan

   

The Meaning of Color

Where does color exist you may ask? Some might say that color exists in the surface of objects or the texture of things. Well whatever you may think, let me tell you what the real answer is. Color exists in the eye of the beholder. Color is generated behind your eye and in the brain of each individual. Perhaps it is one millionth of a bit different in each person, but generally the color that we see, is dependant upon our eyes.

Color has a couple important aspects or features to it. There is the physical aspect of color as well as the psychological effect. We could also include the emotional or historical affect of color on us but for now we will just focus on the first two.

The physical aspect of color regards the perception and physics, while the psychological aspect regards the way in which we think about color and the role it plays on our minds. Color is defined as a component of light. This is an interesting fact when we think about it. Color is defined according to light. In a way this makes a lot of sense.

If there is no light, there is no color, but only blackness. For those that are saying, well black is a color is it not? No, black is not a color. Black is the absence of color and is a shade. Depending on how much light is taken into our eyes and the amount of tone, shading, or tint, we will see a variety of color. This variety of color has millions of different shades.

There are three primary colors of light. These colors are red, green, and blue. These three colors are the basis upon which every single other color is formed. This is accomplished by mixing the red, green, and blue together. Other colors that we know well such as yellow, violet, and orange can be accomplished by mixing these primaries.

To demonstrate how we see color it is important to understand that some surfaces refract or absorb certain colors better than other surfaces do. If you are wearing a red shirt, the reason we see your shirt as a red color is because that is the only color the shirt does not absorb. The red shirt is absorbing all the green and blue wavelengths. This is why the shirt is a red one. Does this make sense to you? Black reflects no light and this is why we see black. The same goes for nighttime. If there is no sunlight, there is no color.

By learngermanwords

Source  : http://www.articlecircle.com/science/the-meaning-of-color.html

Feeling blue. Seeing red. A silver lining. All of these phrases came about because of the meanings that can be attributed to colors. Maybe you've always wondered why certain colors appeal to you or often find their way into your artwork. As someone that creates mandalas for both art as well as therapy, I have found that taking the time to analyze my color choices has provided me with great insight on where I stand both mentally and spiritually.
Below is a quick reference guide you can use to gather more awareness from your own artwork or mandala designs. Each color discussed has a list of 'meanings' that you can pull from when trying to interpret your work along with a list of 'uses' that may help you choose colors for healing or as a form art therapy. While this list is far from exhaustive, it does tap into the core properties. If you want a more thorough explanation of color, I suggest you take a look at The Color Answer Book by Leatrice Eiesman.

RED Meanings:

energy, passion, power, desire, intensity, anger
Uses: combat depression, increase appetite, attract attention, increase energy, achieve goals
In terms of energy, a person with a red aura (like most teenagers) are often found to be impulsive, stimulating, freedom seeking individuals. Red is used in fast food restaurants to make patrons eat quickly and to increase their appetites.

ORANGE Meanings:

creativity, confidence, increased intuition, pleasure, adventure
Uses: increase creativity and inner dialogue, boost metabolism, elevate mood
As another warm color, orange also has some intensity and energy in its meaning. Color therapistsa use orange to open up a persons mind, allowing creative ideas to flow freely.

YELLOW Meanings:

cheerful, bright, optimism, warm, open, innovative
Uses: increase mental clarity, release of problems, promote enjoyment
Not surprisingly, individuals with yellow auras are known for their sunny dispositions. Yellow crystals are often used sharpen memory and increase decision making skills.

GREEN Meanings:
harmony, balance, growth, tradition, focus, jealousy
Uses: calm nerves, increase compassion, restore mental and emotional balance
Green falls basically in the middle of the color spectrum making balance its chief interpretation. Feng shui experts taut the healing and restorative powers of the color green, often using different shades to maximize its healing effects.

BLUE Meanings:
truth, depth, loyalty, serenity, empathy
Uses: soothe, cleanse, induce calm and peaceful feelings
Artists and poets (and other sensitive individuals) are drawn to this color. Interior designers use blue in designing bedrooms because of its peaceful qualities. Dark blue is often used in uniforms because of the qualities of truth and respect the color induces.

PURPLE Meanings:
spirituality, royalty, originality, imagination, mystery
Uses: meditation, inspiration, psychic healing, connection with higher power
Purple is associated with the crown chakra; the one that links us to the infinite consciousness, The Universe, and/or God. Not surprisingly, purple has a long history of use in a variety of religious ceremonies from the Christianity to Hinduism.

WHITE Meanings:
reverence, purity, innocence, simplicity, cleanliness
Uses: purify the body and mind
The significance of white in a dream is believed to be its representation of a hope fulfilled or the attainment of spiritual enlightenment. White is a yin or healing color used in Estern cultures to induce calm.



BLACK Meanings:
elegance, power, strength, achievement
Uses: internal strength, power in career, self control
In the fashion industry, black equates to wealth and sophistication i.e. tuxedos, limousines, the little black dress, etc. The color is also used to portray authority, i.e. judge's robes, priest's attire, and a black belt in martial arts, but too much black can be oppressive.
Michelle Normand is a graphic designer and author of 30-Minute Mandalas coloring book. She also works as a Mind-Body Fitness Specialist, teaching workshops on the subject in her new home in Dublin, Ohio. Michelle's second book, 30-Minute Celtic Mandalas will be out later this winter. For more information about Michelle and the healing power of coloring therapy visit her website at http://www.30minutemandalas.com

By Michelle Normand
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michelle_Normand

Hand-Made T-Shirts

For an artist, selling something he or she has made is really gratifying. As many of them admit, it's one thing to get feedback from people they know, but there is something about a complete stranger liking their art piece, design, song, painting, or idea, so much that they actually decide to pay money to acquire it. But today's software programs and easy-to-do techniques can turn anyone to a T-shirt designer. By following simple guidelines you can increase your skills to that of an T-shirt printing expert, given the fact that you have never worked at a T-shirt printing company. From creating your environmental organization's theme T-shirt while cleaning your local park to adding a new garment for your kids' soccer match next weekend, making your own T-shirt can be an exciting and genuinely artistic experience for everyone involved.

You hear other people say it is an easy and fun thing to do for a special event, but you lack the confidence needed to pull this off. Well, it is time to stop thinking that you are incapable of exploring this type of artistic expression as customizing your clothes can be really fun as well as extremely simple; even if you mess up the first time there is always room for improvement. All you will need are some regular household supplies, like an iron and an iron board, a white or lightly colored T-shirt, a clear dry pillowcase, your choice of crayons, some pieces of white paper, a pair of scissors, and some transfer printing paper which you can purchase from your local craft store.

You may begin by designing your own image using any of the software programs in your computer's memory, or you can choose from a vast variety of ready-to-use designs stored in the image bank of the software you select to use. Insert by copying and pasting the images you want to print into a blank page document and resize the icon so it fits the screen and it does not cross the boarders of your document's ruler. For greater impact, you can add text along with the image. If you are doing this with your kids, a clever idea is to print your child's favorite picture or phrase and let them select the type of colors they want to illustrate their T-shirt's theme. The phrase "Best Friends," for instance, can be placed above the picture itself, or be placed one upon the other so as to create a more "personal" effect. Be careful of the coloring you will use for the phrase as you do want it to be visible when you print it. Group the image and wording together so you can move them at the same time and then flip your grouped images horizontal in order to create a mirror image that will appear correctly when ironed onto the T-shirt.

Then it is time for the actual transfer. Print the design you have just created onto the transfer paper. Leave the transfer paper somewhere safely to dry completely; it is best to follow the specifications of the paper's manufacturer. After your image dries, you can cut with the scissors any excess paper living a thin ? -inch margin around the printed area. Preheat the iron to the hottest setting and prepare the surface you will use to press your design onto the T-shirt. First, place a pillowcase on the surface and iron it so as to eliminate any existing wrinkles. Then place your T-shirt on top the pillowcase and iron it as well. Put the printed transfer paper onto the surface of the T-shirt you want it to appear and iron it for at least 2-3 minutes. Move the iron from the corners to the center and be sure to press it with at least 50 pounds of pressure. Then let your T-shirt cool down before attempting to remove the paper from its surface. Ten minutes later you can remove the paper by holding the T-shirt with one hand and peeling the paper from any of its corners with the other. It's that simple! So, try this easy-to-do T-shirt printing project next time you want to surprise someone with a thoughtful gift and I am sure the outcome of your efforts will astonish you.

By Jonathon Hardcastle
Article Source: Hand-Made T-Shirts http://ijewelrycenter.com/ and http://universeoftoys.com/