Glasses, also known as eyeglasses or spectacles, were first recorded in the annals of history in the year 1268 A.D. According to scientist Roger Bacon, magnifying lenses set in frames that were used for reading were already common in both Europe and China... Read more
Human hands are unique appendages. We have a prehensile thumb, for example, set at an angle that allows us to grasp objects and expertly operate tools... Read more
Headphones are a pair of small loudspeakers that are held to the ears by a wire headband that passes over the head. Headphones are also called earphones, earspeakers, or cans. Headphones with a built-in microphone are often called headsets... Read more
Seashells are the exoskeleton, or hard protective covering, of marine animals like snails and mollusks. Crabs also use the discarded shells of other animals in this way. Shells come in many shapes and colors... Read more
Volleyball is a sport played by two teams of six players, in which a ball is batted back and forth over a net. The aim of the game is to keep the ball from touching the ground when on your side of the net... Read more
Beds are pieces of furniture used for sleeping. Different types of beds have been used throughout history, many very unlike the beds we know today. Some were simple piles of rugs or sacks stuffed with straw, while others were huge and elaborately carved... Read more
The first modern computer was built in 1937. Early computers, however, had little in common with the devices we know today. For example, one computer built in 1946 "weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 vacuum tubes" which were used for processing. When it was first turned on, it used so much electricity that it dimmed the lights in parts of Philadelphia. Yet, it could only perform one task... Read more
Cartoon stars such as those in this drawing guide have been made popular by publications such as Highlights for Children and are commonly seen on classroom reward stickers. In fact, children seem to start looking for eyes and faces in inanimate objects from a young age... Read more
Knives have a long history. Ancient stone, bronze, and iron knives have been discovered at archeological sites. Historically and today, there are many different types of knives. Some have been used for weapons, others for preparing food... Read more
The llama was domesticated by the Incas of South America hundreds or perhaps thousands of years ago. Today, it is still used as a pack animal, and its wool is used to make cloth... Read more
Creak! Does the idea of a creaky door send chills up your spine? Or does an open door remind you of the colorfully painted rowhouses of your favorite childhood television series? In literature, doors are often used to represent choices and the outcomes the character must face... Read more
The human form is an early assignment in most drawing classes. According to BBC, "the human figure offers all the complexities an artist needs to learn in order to be able to conquer any drawing subject."... Read more
Deadpool began life in Canada as Wade Wilson. He is known as the Merc with a Mouth, "one of the most relentlessly wisecracking heroes in the universe." He is famous for 'breaking the fourth wall,' or speaking directly to the audience, aware that he is a character in a story. He wears a mask to cover his scarred appearance and he contains a rapid healing factor... Read more
Chibi refers to a style of "super deformed" Japanese art and animation in which a character's proportions are altered for a cute effect. This can also be done to show or emphasize certain emotions, like anger or love... Read more
Bulls or oxen have been depicted in art since time immemorial. This is likely due to both their impressive strength and their proximity to humans. Cattle were among the first animals to be domesticated, and they were soon put to use pulling carts and plows and turning millstones... Read more
There are about 30 species of iguana that live in tropical regions of the Americas and surrounding islands. Iguanas live on land, burrow underground, climb trees, and even swim in the ocean. The largest can get well over six feet in length and weigh nearly 15 pounds. They can live for 20 years in the wild... Read more
Bearded dragon is the common name of a group of eight lizard species. They are named for the spikey "beard" beneath their necks which can turn black due to stress... Read more
Mortal Kombat is an early video game that debuted in 1992. It is a fantasy-themed fighting game. It takes place in a fictional universe of eighteen realms created by the Elder Gods. The inhabitants of one realm can only conquer another through a series of Mortal Kombat tournaments, in which each realm's greatest warriors battle one another... Read more
The children's book The Lorax was released in 1971. The small, furry Lorax is the title character. He "speaks for the trees" in the face of environmental destruction... Read more
Charlie Brown is a classic character of American comic strips. He was written to be a "lovable loser," a caricature of the average person or Everyman. Throughout the stories, he ranges in age from four to eight years old... Read more