Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with technique

i promise she'll find this funny

kidsleepy — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:43:35 -0800

What do you call this kind of retro picture? I'd like to create something like this for an upcoming 50th birthday surprise (featuring the birthday girl instead of the married couple). The theme of the party is "Like a good wine, she only gets better with age." I think it would be funny to 'emboss' the picture with gold writing, a la Olan Mills. I'd like to get some more ideas, but can't even figure out what to Google!

Caramels Om Nom Nom.

halogen — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:20:50 -0800

Can you recommend a recipe for chocolate-coated creamy caramels (with creamy being the operative adjective)? Also, your candy-making tips. I love Fran's (Seattle, WA) gray salt caramels in dark chocolate, but at USD12 for 7 delectable pieces, I can't really justify the expense when I go shopping. Combine that with my current state of unemployment and a passion for cooking = clearly I have to make my own.

One of the recipes I've found is this one, but it uses condensed milk. Fran lists cream as the first ingredient in her caramels, and since I usually have cream at home but not condensed milk, I'd like to adapt the recipe to omit the condensed milk somehow. Can you help with that? If that's a bad idea, can you recommend a different recipe for soft, buttery caramels?

Furthermore, I've never made any sort of candy (as opposed to, say, pastries). Do you have any secret tips or ideas on how to deal with the sticky caramel mess? I'm fully prepared to deal with the frustration (assuming it's anything at all like working with sushi rice), but surely people have figured out ways to simplify the process? Please share.

Bonus points if I can use our meat thermometer that only goes up to 220°F/105°C: obviously this is a bad time for me to invest in a candy thermometer.

Recommendations for new and unusual crafts?

psychostorm — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:44:02 -0800

Knitting, crochet, beading, sewing.. what am I missing? Looking for some unusual craft techniques and projects. Oh hivemind, I'm asking for your most obscure and unusual self-contained craft techniques and skills that will keep a long-time crafter entertained over the long autumn nights. (Level of experience if it helps: intermediate jeweller, no stranger to beadweaving, improving knitter and crocheter.)

I'm looking for separate craft techniques and projects rather than something that is a sub-set of another craft. So, good examples would be quilling or kumihimo. Not so good: Tunisian crochet.

Bonus points for crafts that do not require the purchase of a whole heap of new, single-purpose supplies.

Death grip has me in a tight spot.

Anonymous — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:49:06 -0800

How can I resensitize my penis after excessive masturbating? (NSFW) Over the past year and a half, I've been masturbating daily to porn. Unfortunately for me, I use a death grip. I also don't use lotion or lube when jacking.

I also started taking SSRI's, which made it harder for me to cum. Thus, my death grip got even tighter.

I've now met a lady, and she wants to have sex. Unfortunately, at this point, I don't think I can orgasm without the death grip.

How can I resensitize myself so I can have sex with my new lady?

For followups, please contact me at chronicmast at gmail.com

A hand-screenprint feel with digital technology

Foam Pants — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:02:28 -0800

I am looking to get a screenprint look on my graphic design work. What are some techniques or some filters I could use to enhance my Adobe Design Suite environment? I want to produce some projects that look something like these by artist Andy Smith. My work just looks too perfect, the edges and colors too precise. Not to mention my typography doesn't have that custom fit. I know that some of that is only achieved by actually doing it by hand but I doubt that Mr. Smith is making these stickers with a silk screen. Specifically I would like to:

1. Get that transparent, yet vibrant, colors that overlay each other from a screenprinting process.

2. Get system fonts to look a little more hand-lettered. I currently am doing this by laying them down on a slightly crooked path and mixing up angles and sizes a bit.

3. Get my "ink" to fade out and splotch like silk screening. Perhaps there is a quality filter? I am not opposed to laborious processes as long as it works.

Being a self-taught graphic designer that never has any contact with other graphic designers, I have no one to bounce ideas off of or help me mess with techniques. This is an issue that has been bugging me for a long time.

What's this still motion effect called?

jrchaplin — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:52:06 -0800

This motion technique is used all the time on History Channel shows and the like, and I'd like to learn more about it. But I don't know what it's called, so I don't know where to even start with my Google-Fu.

Basically, it uses what's obviously a still image; a figure in the foreground is isolated and is either moved or zoomed in relation to the background, creating a sort of parallax effect.

First, what's this effect called, and, secondly, any ideas, suggestions from Me-Fites on where I can find more info or tutorials on it on the interwebs? Thanks!

What is this shot/effect from Heroes called?

cramer — Tue, 05 May 2009 07:47:25 -0800

On NBC's Heroes, what is the shot or effect called when Matt Parkman uses his telepathy? Bonus points if you can also point me to tips for emulating this in After Effects. In case you don't watch the show, the foreground elements remain stable while the background moves further away. I lack the vocabulary to google effectively, so any help is appreciated.

Tutorials on the process of making a graphic novel?

Tufa — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:35:49 -0800

I would like to read graphic artists' accounts of their work process, like Kazu Kibuishi's walk-through of the making of Copper. Discussions of favorite pens or art supplies or studio setup also very welcome. Really, I would appreciate any guide to the making of a graphic novel. I own Scott McCloud's Making Comics.

Houses that favour simplicity of construction

phoeniciansailor — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:41:52 -0800

Where can I find info on house construction that favours simplicity over clever extras? Think "LEGO". I often think about the idea of a modern, long-lasting, reasonably-efficient and simple house. Something unlike anything I've seen here in the U.S. My hope is that somewhere out there is a school of thought that describes what I'm looking for, but I haven't found anything yet.

When I say I'm looking for a simple house, I mean that in a few ways. One way is in the sense of "modular", where the more LEGO-like the better. I'd love to see some system where one section of the structure -- such as a section of roof, wall or floor -- could be non-destructively decoupled from the rest, and possibly re-used later on.

Simple also means each element serving its purpose in a straightforward, non-overloaded fashion. So for example, the walls would be solid, without any of this crazy idea of hiding water-wires-pipes inside them. The walls should keep the roof up and the wind out, and that's pretty much it. Getting clever and tucking all this other stuff into the walls just makes things complicated down the line.

The house should also be "mend-able" by an average person. So if I damage the floor by dropping a toaster oven, or crash my moped into the front door, the damage shouldn't extend to other systems that then have to be opened up and also repaired. In a sense, the simplicity and modularity of the structure would isolate the pieces from each other.

I also mean "simple" in the sense of preferring to use no small/fragile/"band-aid"-type parts. For example, I'd like to find some way for the design of the house itself to almost entirely keep the rain and wind out (and the comfortable temperatures in). I'd gladly take a smaller house built with thick concrete walls and enormous eaves, if it meant that the house wasn't relying on goofy things like caulk and expanding foam and rubber-backed-siding to keep the elements out.

I understand that in some ways I'm almost describing primitive buildings like castles, tepees, igloos, etc., but I'm looking for something much more modern and efficient than those. I'd still like all the things you'd expect in a house (a nice kitchen, comfortable living room, etc.). I'd just prefer to trade many of the normal "extravagances" (like drywall or hidden water pipes) for something simpler, cleaner and more logical.

If you've ever seen or heard of any buildings or schools of thought like this, please contribute. Thank you very much.

Is this cartoon boiling?

mariokrat — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:50:44 -0800

Calling all animators. What do you call it in animation when the lines are all wobbly? I see it a lot in hand-drawn animation such as this but I'd like to know if this is something that has a name that is recognizable among animators. On this page it's called "boiling" or line boil but is that the right term? Bonus points if you can provide citations to books or articles that talk about this in academic literature.

Listen to me and I'll write it down

parmanparman — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:24:00 -0800

I write like I talk and so my writing is not great but my spoken stories are magnetic. Help me put these stories to paper! I have been challenged to write a very short book of true tales of the last 16 months of my life. But, whenever I sit down to write I get terrible writer's block. However, I can go into a room and use my voice and body language to be an amazing storyteller.

I am thinking maybe the way to do this book would be to be interviewed and then transcribe the interviews. But, how and where can I find someone in the Washington, DC-area who would want to interview me and could, theoretically, draw my stories out into the open. I guess I could always be drunk when I do it! Seriously, suggestions are welcome for ideas and alternatives.

How to deal with classical guitar nails and piano playing?

invitapriore — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:46:23 -0800

How do I manage my nails for playing both classical guitar and piano? Is it possible? I play both classical guitar and piano, and have the requisite long nails on my right hand for proper playing of the former. The problem I run into is that long nails on the right hand force me into a suboptimal technique on the piano -- I know this by feel and by comparison, because recently my nails broke on my right hand and everything felt much better on the piano.

I've tried making my nails shorter, but my experiments have essentially revealed to me that making my nails short enough to not be a hindrance on the piano results in problems in my guitar playing.

I guess what my question boils down to is: is there any sort of removable nail system that will allow me to play classical guitar when I need to and piano when I need to? Or am I just going to have to deal with problems on the instrument I choose to favor?

Smooch mechanics

prefpara — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:48:04 -0800

How do you kiss? I would be surprised to learn that any real study of this has ever been performed, so I resort to polling the MeFi population.

When two people kiss, generally, one person kisses the other one's bottom lip and the second person is kissing the first person's top lip. Sort of. If that doesn't make sense, here is a... diagram:

p1.top.lip
(p2.top.lip)
(p1.bottom.lip)
p2.bottom.lip

So, in my limited experience, the guy kisses the girl's bottom lip and the girl kisses the guy's top lip.

Heterosexual MeFites: does this comport with your experience?
Other MeFites: do you observe any relationship between who kisses which lip and who is more "butch"?
Or am I weird, and everyone else just switches a lot?

I apologize if this makes no sense.

just like a baby's butt

kidsleepy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:43:31 -0800

What can I do now, as a young woman, to ensure I have beautiful skin when I'm older? At lunch today, I noticed a woman who appeared to be in her fifties, but with beautiful skin - barely any wrinkles, smooth, and a healthy glow.

I'm 23, use Tazorac for some acne flare-ups, and always use sunscreen if I'm spending time outside. What products or techniques can I use now or in the near future to keep my skin healthy and youthful looking? Do I really need to worry about "anti-aging" and wrinkle creams, or are they a crock? Or am I too young to be worrying about this stuff?

Jack and Heath have Buzzed for great effect

stavx — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:37:20 -0800

Is there a term in Cinema/Film school for that slow build humming/buzz sound effect that heightens tension in certain scenes that I think I've only seen in Stanley Kubrick films? Offhand I remember it's presence in 2001, The Shining and, I think, Eyes Wide Shut.
While watching Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight this weekend I noticed that during the Heath Ledger scenes this was used to great effect and I was wondering if Kubrick was the originator for that technique.

A new medium?

owtytrof — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:30:02 -0800

Can you kindly recommend to me watercolor and/or acrylic paint resources? My wife wants to learn watercolor and acrylic paint. We saw this question, but she was hoping specifically for books. Naturally, web resources or even some pointers would also be appreciated.

She can already work with pastel and gouache, so she doesn't need something in the "...for dummies" vein. Particularly, recommended brushes and techniques are of interest.

Thanks!

Plucking strings?

Korou — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:05:13 -0800

What songs feature the pizzicato technique? I've always liked pizzicato music (as in Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony, Op. 4: II and Andrew Bird's Skin is, My). What classical and non-classical songs feature the pizzicato technique?

Help me become a (real) Guitar Hero

davey_darling — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:20:52 -0800

What do I need to be doing in order to transition from being a strictly open chords style guitar player to a lead/riff oriented player? I have been playing the guitar for about 12 years now. Throughout this time, I have rarely ventured past the acoustic open chord type stuff. I began playing the guitar to accompany myself when singing. I've played tons of open mics/shows with bands/innumerable campfires and house parties. I really think that being a decent singer has taken away the impetus to improve my lead technique.

Now I'm in a situation where being able to play some more advanced lead stuff would really open up some possibilities as far as playing out. A good friend is a drummer, and we have been playing with a few bassists. We're doing fine, but it'd be nice to strap on an electric guitar for a lot of the music we'd like to do (my dreaming of rock stardom days are long past - I'd be perfectly happy churning out music for folks to dance to at bars and weddings)

I need help with understanding the hows and whys of what to play when - I have fiddled around with some basic blues scales over the past decade, but nothing has really stuck.

Would switching to a straight electric guitar approach help me get the sound and feel that would move me along to mastering some lead technique?

Is there a canonical band or style of music that I should start learning that will set me down the right path?

My hands are reasonably agile - I can pick out random riffs all day long. I just need to know how to learn to know what to play and when to play it. A guitar teacher where I am right now is unfortunately not an option for me.

Any advice/personal stories/tips are welcome.

I don't do ad hominem attacks, unlike you.

suedehead — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:16:17 -0800

What's the word for saying something without saying it? Ahh! This is deluding me, and I can't use Google to find out!
There's a word, I believe starting with 'a' and vaguely sounding like 'apotheosis' that means a debate/oratorial technique to mention something without proclaiming not to mention it. Here's an example in action:

(while in debate) "I think X candidate is bad, and I want to talk about the bad foreign policy issues X has instead of debating the fact that X secretly has chronic explosive diarrhea."

Do you know anything like this? Anything similar to this? Thanks!

And man is my kick drum leg sore!

hector horace — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:11:56 -0800

Drummers! Give me some tips on how to practice without a kit at home. I've recently taken over drumming duties in my band (After years of guitaring I finally get to play a good instrument!)
Unfortunately I only have access to the kit on practice days, (twice a week), and don't have a kit at home.

Any tips/suggestions/advice on how to stay sharp/ work on shit between jams? I'm looking more for advice for the legs, since I can practice rolls etc on my practice pad.

thanks

In the blink of an eye.

mullingitover — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:29:01 -0800

Teach me the ways of high speed photography. I'd like to shoot cool pictures of glasses shattering, things blowing up, and droplets/splashes hanging in mid-air. What are some sanely priced and practical ways of doing this? How special equipment would work best to trigger the lights and shutter to capture split-second events?

Relevant: I'm working with a Canon 400D, and for lenses I have a 16-35 f/2.8, a 50mm f/1.4, and a 70-200mm f/2.8 IS.

what is the most efficient hankerchief use method?

lgyre — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 13:55:27 -0800

because i hate disposables, i use a hankerchief. my current method is sloppy, and mostly inolves scrunching it up a lot... i've noted in the past that some "gentleman"-types have a method of folding hankerchiefs to allow for many blows while avoiding ever having to accidentally touch (or even see) snot. any of you have a great method for getting the most blows out of one hankerchief?

How does this photographer do skycam shots? (NSFW)

cheero — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 19:32:51 -0800

How does this photographer do skycam shots? (NSFW) http://www.flickr.com/photos/merkley/sets/72157594158034215/

I'm very intrigued by this photographer but I cannot figure out how he does his 'skycam' shots with model. No one thinks he's using a ladder, is it some other trick?

Is the O'Connor technique all it's cracked up to be?

Rc — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 19:07:00 -0800

Has anyone had experience with the O'Connor Technique for treating back pain? (Any good stretches for the upper back would be a bonus) Last night I "displaced a vertebrae" in my upper back as the result of a heavy fall. After googling for some stretches I came across the O'Connor technique and was intrigued.

The stretches I found / know just aren't cutting it either. My current options for stretching mu upper back are:

1) Reaching both arms in front of me and pulling one with the other.
2) Hands behind head and squeeze shoulder blades together.
3) Bridging (but I can't do this right now because of the pain and my right arm giving way).

Thanks!

Name of popular note-taking technique discussed here before

lyam — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:56:17 -0800

OK, I'm looking for the name of a modern technique popularly used to organize notes, tasks and projects. It's been discussed many times here and there are a couple of popular books that discuss the techniques. I believe it may be known by an acronym or initials. Yes, I searched. Yes, I suck. I'm sure this will be answered in less than 10 minutes.

Thanks!