The Crafter

The Crafter's Companion is for everybody who loves the world of handcrafts and anybody who's ever wondered what exactly there is to love about it. An online community of skilled artists has come together to answer these questions: Why do you create? What inspires you? How do you work?

Additionally, each artist has contributed a pattern of her own design, making this the ideal resource for practical projects and encouraging words.

Japanese Brush Painting

Japanese brush painting is a relatively recent development and emerged out of the Buddhist schools of calligraphy (Shodo). The ancient art of Japanese brush painting, or sumi-e, is strikingly beautiful, simple and pure, yet strong and resonant. Closely related to Zen philosophy, the art of sumi-e is executed with black ink on white rice paper using bamboo brushes. Subjects in Japanese brush painting include landscapes, flowers, or animals, anything that suggests a closeness to the natural world.

Budding artists can master the toughest and most treasured technique of all: portraying the beauty, grace, and personality of the human body. This wonderful tutorial, and a variety of inspiring sketches on every page, provide the solid technical foundation needed to depict every type of figure—young or old, male or female, standing, sitting, or in motion—and with style. Detailed drawings, some with grids, help capture the correct proportions for head, torso, arms, and legs; add light and shadow for tonal depth; and create texture, volume, and expressive lines.

Math puzzles and games

A collection of old and new problems, puzzles, games, and diversions based on probability, geometry, number patterns, magic squares, and the laws of physics.

Table of Contents:

 

1. Number Problems
2. Number Patterns
3. Magic and Party Tricks with Numbers

More math puzzles and games

A collection of old and new brain teasers, tricks, puzzles, games of logic, and recreations.
Table of Contents:
1. Flat and Solid Shapes
2. Routes, Knots, and Topology
3. Vanishing-Line and Vanishing-Square Puzzles
4. Match Puzzles
5. Coin and Shunting Problems
6. Reasoning and Logical Problems
7. Mathematical Games