the bird on fire

The Bird is the Word: Sophisticated Schoolyard Shenanigans

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Which Mythological Beast Are You?

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Chelsea curates our Wednesday Writing Prompt that asked: “Which mythological beast are you?” Below is the prompt and blog staff responses.

Prompt: Two hundred years ago an eccentric sorcerer turned all mythical creatures into humans to try and prevent them from being hunted to extinction. Now that the spell is starting to wear off, the descendants of the original beasts are slowly beginning to morph back into their true forms. What happens as you morph back?

Our fellow responders:

Katelin

I lie in bed. I cannot sleep. My head hurts as well, but this time it seems to be a similar pain to the one my friend described to me. However, it seems to be a different kind of pain; it is not the coolness my friend has described, but it burns. I get up in the night, and look at my mirror. Everything seems fine, so I turn around to go back to sleep. When I turn around, I see it in the mirror, angry red lines on my back. I run my hand across them; they sting and burn underneath my touch. I lie back down, but the discomfort in my back is too much. I don’t sleep the rest of the night. In the morning, I get up and go to school. The pain is too much for that, so I leave after the first class. My mother has taken me to the doctor, and now there are reporters asking me questions……

Quintus

Once upon a time, I saw birds speaking lots of languages with different people from different countries. They were charming and elegant, and dressed in luxurious clothes with diamonds. The peacock was the queen of the thousand variety of birds. She was elegant and fancy. Every year, the whole world experienced Celebrating Peaceful Day, which is working for the relationship between the birds and humans…..

Chelsea

First, I realize there are mythical forces surrounding everybody. Of course, I’m not the only one noticing this; some students start to question what’s going on while the others are just playing along. Secondly, around noon the day darkens, but there are no clouds covering the sun. Many students panic as their mythical forces become stronger while the others are shouting, “THIS IS SO COOL!” (I would totally do that). Things are just going to get more interesting, and who knows what magical secrets we might discover; guess we’ll just wait and see as the day goes by…..

Editor: Chelsea Xu

Dream Analysis

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By Dreamer Chelsea Xu

Hello, everybody!! Editor Doreen has assigned us the theme of dreams. Dreams can have many meanings and can also express how you feel as a person deep inside. These are some interpretations of dreams that you might have dreamed last night!

Just a reminder, these analyses are not definitive. You can totally feel completely different things while experiencing the same phenomenon as the next dreamer. So, with that in mind, let’s get started!!

Falling Dreams

If you dream of falling dreams, it may indicate that you have insecurities, instabilities, or anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life. Falling dreams also often reflect a sense of failure or inferiority in some circumstances or situations.

Flying Dreams

Dreams of flying usually mean you feel unhappy in the waking life and that you are totally out of control. Dreaming of flying in the air normally happens when one feels somewhat “out of control” in life.

Dreams of Natural Disasters

If you dream of a natural disaster, you’ll find that different disasters have different meanings. Fires in these dreams can relate to social problems. Water, floods, tsunamis, can also represent spiritual issues. Volcanoes and earthquakes can symbolize the physical body and ailments. And, if you dream with a comet or asteroid falling, it is a sign of a new era in your life.

Dreams of Death

Dreams about death often indicate “the symbolic ending of something, whether that’s a phase, a job or a relationship” (Dreams About Death: Dream Meanings Explained | HuffPost Life”). A dream about death can also indicate attempts to resolve anxiety or anger directed toward the self.

Precognitive Dreams

Precognition is a psychic ability to see events in the future. But, unfortunately, there is no accepted scientific evidence that precognition is a real effect, and it is widely considered to be pseudoscience–whether it’s in dreams or not. Precognitive dreams are usually dreams that appear to predict the future through a sixth sense.

Sources:

dreammoods.com › cgibin › fallingdreams › search=fallingintro.

https://www.huffpost.com › entry › dreams-about-flying_n_891625.

https://www.powerofpositivity.com › dreams-natural-disasters-means.

https://www.huffpost.com › entry › dreams-about-death_n_891555.

https://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com › precognitive-dreams.

Dreamer Editor: Doreen Yuan

Loki The Green

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By Chelsea Xu

Hello everyone!! This week is all about green!! That’s right, the color green! I ́ve decided to draw Loki to match the theme. But, this is not a typical art post of mine. Instead of a drawing tutorial, this is going to be an appreciation post for Loki. Because. . . MY BOI DIDN’T DESERVE TO DIE! BRING. HIM. BACK. MARVEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So please, enjoy the fanart and have a good day.

Green Editor: Luke Langlois

Ten Surprising Facts about the Cold War

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Hello guys!! I am going to do something different this week! Editor Quintus assigned Blog Staffers to write on the 1960s. So, instead of doing my usual art tutorials, I will do a post about another interest of mine: History. The history of the 1960s that most interests me is the Cold War. Without further adieu, let the journey begin.–Chelsea Xu

  • Russian officials thought the building in the center of the Pentagon was a secret meeting room. In reality, it was a hot dog stand!
  • At one point, the US considered dropping over-sized condoms on the USSR that were labeled “medium.” The apparent intention was to demoralize the enemy. (Ohhhhhh.)
  •  The CIA developed a complex code involving different ways for their spies and informants to send messages based on how their shoes were tied.
  • In keeping with their positioning as the antidote to atheist communism, the US dropped tens of thousands of Bibles into Romania in the 1970s. It was later alleged in Congress that the Bibles had been collected and repurposed into toilet paper.
  • Deer in the Czech Republic refuse to cross the imaginary line where an electric fence had once separated the Soviet Union from the rest of Europe. The fence was taken down in 1991, long before any current deers were born, but they remain cautious of the border. 
  •  The security regarding nuclear weapons sounds positively lax. The launch code for US nuclear weapons was 00000000.
  • The Soviet Union finally collapsed in 1991, as a coup chased Soviet chairman Mikhail Gorbachev from office, and the former Soviet republics broke off to form independent nations. The Soviet flag was lowered from the Kremlin, and the Russian tricolor rose in its place on December 25, 1991. The Cold War was officially over.
  • During the Cold War, the CIA was very interested in LSD as both a social disruptor and a potential truth serum. As part of some largely clandestine and non-consensual experiments, the CIA drugged a bakery in a small French village. As a result, many people had to be institutionalized after having vivid hallucinations.
  • The US and Russia met to discuss the threat of alien invasion. They eventually agreed that, should aliens invade Earth, they would cease hostilities and cooperate for the good of mankind. It makes you wonder what they knew…
  •  During 1963, at the height of the Cold War, the US military launched a ring of 480 million needles into orbit around the earth. It was hoped they would more reliably bounce radio signals back to earth in case the Soviets cut through undersea cables. Multiple clumps of these needles are still up there.

Source Link: https://list25.com/25-facts-about-the-cold-war-you-probably-didnt-know/

1960s Editor: Quintus Ni

Art Theme Week!

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By Art Editor Chelsea

Hello everybody!! I am the editor for this week, and the theme is going to be art!! Art is a commonly used word that describes many things including liberal arts, art history, fine arts, digital arts, drama, music, musicals, etc. So, please enjoy this week’s posts by our school’s amazing bloggers and have a wonderful day.–Chelsea

Image by Vexx on Youtube.

How to Draw an Alien

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By Chelsea Xu PROFESSIONAL AP ART STUDENT EXTRAORDINAIRE

Editor Doreen says, “Blog something Far Away!” So, Chelsea instructs us in drawing our “far-away” neighbors.

Hello, everyone!! Today I’m going to teach you guys how to draw my version of an alien. Everybody has their own alien in their imagination, so feel free to add your own features on your alien if you like.

Let’s get it started!!

Step #1 Draw a circle on the upper hand of the paper.

Step #2 Draw two lines alongside the circle.

Step #3

Now, since I am drawing the face a bit sideways, the centerline of the face should be a little left or right to the side. As well as the jaw, if your line is on the left, extend the right jawline a little further, and if your line is on the right, then do the exact opposite.

Step #4

Add the eyes!! Note that the eyes are not totally symmetrical to each other because the head is tilting to the side. 

Step #5 

Add shadow in the eyes!

Step #6

It’s time to add the nose! This is a unique pointy nose, but honestly, you can draw the nose however you like! They are aliens after all.

Step #7

Even though you cannot see the mouth clearly, I did draw the mouth. It is below the nose of course, and, again, you can do any shape of the mouth you like.

Step #8

Horns!! I added some pretty unique horns to my fellow alien; adding some extra features on your aliens will make them extra special!!

Step #9

It’s neck time! Since the head turned to the right for a little bit, the neck needs to be in a different direction as well. The left line connects the edge of the jawline while the right line connects to the left jaw.

Step #10

Add the beginning of the shoulder blades at the endpoint of the neck. Note that is a downward slope, not a straight line.

Step #12

Erase the helping lines gently, and add a bit of shadow under the neck.

And ta-da!! You are finished!! Here is the result of our lesson!

Awesome job, everyone! I hope you guys like and learned something in this tutorial. I ́ll see you all next time!!

                                                                                                  “Far Away” Editor: Doreen Yuan

How to Draw Science Tools

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For this week’s “Science” theme, Chelsea teaches us how to draw science tools–may come in handy in Chemistry.

By PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AP ART STUDENT EXTRAORDINAIRE Chelsea Xu

Heyo guys! I’m back with another drawing tutorial. This week we are going to learn how to draw science tools. I’m betting this is going to help you with your scientific diagram.

So follow along, and get started!

This time is a bit different than the last time. I put the steps on the paper since I drew multiple tools at once. 

And ta-da!! If you are satisfied with your drawing, feel free to show off your drawing skills. And if not, try again! Art is about trying, just like doing labs in science class.

I hope this tutorial helps, and have a good day!!

Science Editor: James Zheng

How to Draw a House

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By PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AP ART STUDENT EXTRAORDINAIRE Chelsea Xu

Hello everyone!!

Today I’m going to show you guys how to draw a house based on the “home” theme for this week’s blog!! 

Before we begin, I just want to say this is different than the previous post when I taught you guys how to draw anime heads. Houses are mainly based on shapes and perspective. If you are good at drawing shapes and have steady hands, you’ll get the hang of drawing houses pretty quickly. And, if you don’t, all you need is some more practice. 

In the meantime, follow along, and let’s get started!!

Step #1

First, draw a trapezoid towards the upper side of the paper.

Step #2

Then, draw a rectangle right beneath the trapezoid.

Step #3

Draw a small triangle in the middle of the house; it’s also where the trapezoid and rectangle meet.

Step #4

Draw two more parallel lines and a bottom line that is a little below the rectangle.

Step #5

Add the door! Draw another rectangle (vertically) in the center of the front of the house. 

Step #6

Chimney time!!

This step is totally optional; it’s totally up to you if you want to add a little chimney to your lovely house or not. If so, please follow the instruction and do the best you can! You can add windows as well!

Step #7

Background! This is a simple background that you can try on. While simple, it adds complexity and perspective to the picture as a whole.

Step #8

Gently (if you are on paper) erase your helping lines, and ta-da!! You have completed your house!!!

I hope this tutorial helped you!! I’ll see you next time!!

Editor: Renėe Vazquez

How to Draw Anime (Part 1)

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By PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AP ART STUDENT EXTRAORDINAIRE Chelsea Xu

Hey, welcome back to school everyone! 

This is going to be another stressful year, but I hope everybody gives their all to achieve their goals.

Drawing is a fun little activity that I think will help you relax and fill your free time. Since I’m an artist, I know some simple steps that can get you along the path to becoming a drawing pro. The lesson today will be how to draw an anime head. If you are into anime, drawing is a great way to introduce yourself into the realm of fandoms. This applies to both traditional and digital artwork, so feel free to follow my steps for either of these two.

Are you ready?

Then, without further ado, let’s begin!

Step #1  

Draw a circle (it doesn’t have to be perfect), and in the middle of the circle draw cross-shaped lines that intersect each other as shown below.

Step #2

Now draw two curves downward that mirror each other on the horizontal line. Then soften the edges with an eraser because you don’t want them to look like pointed rectangles.

Step #3

Draw another horizontal line on the bottom tip of the circle. Again, it doesn’t have to be perfectly straight. 

Step #4

It’s eyebrow time! Draw two semi-arcs on the top horizontal line. You can draw them differently to add some more emotions in your character. 

Step #5

It’s time to draw eyes! Eyes are obviously located below the eyebrows. Since eyes have many shapes and sizes, you don’t have to follow my art style to draw eyes. Feel free to come up with your own!

Step #6

Alright, almost there! Here’s my way to draw anime noses. It’s easier to draw for me because it takes less time, but feel free to try other styles of noses as well.

Step #7

Smile! Just add two curves a distance below the nose, and you will get an amazing smile for the day!! I also added ears. For beginners, just worry about the shape and not the details. It can be really hard to get the sides equivalent to each other.

Step #8

It’s time to add hair! This is just a simple hairstyle that I’ve chosen to demonstrate. As you can see, every hair’s direction is different. But remember, each hair section must follow the pattern; do not draw them randomly without direction.  

Step #9

Erase the base lines that guided your drawing. If you are on paper, do not draw the base lines too heavily, and you can softly erase without touching any important parts. Ta-da!! Congratulations!! You’ve successfully drawn an anime head!!!

I hope this tutorial is helpful, and I’ll see you soon for PART 2!!!!

Editor: Luke Langlois