Kis for kiln.
A kiln is a special oven or furnace that can reach very high temperatures. It is used to bake, or fireclay. Kilns can be electric, gas, coal, oil, propane, or wood-fired.
Kilns can also be used to fire metals.
L is for Louvre.
The Louvre is a beautiful building in Paris with very distinct architectural design. It has dominated central Paris since the late 12th century; built on the city's western edge. The dark fortress of the early days was transformed into the modernized dwelling of François I and, later, the spectacular palace of the Sun King, Louis XIV. The museum has occupied the Louvre since 1793.
With the Revolution, the Louvre entered a phase of intensive transformation. For three years, Louis XVI lived in the Tuileries palace, alongside the Convention Nationale. In 1793 the Museum Central des Arts opened to the public in the Grande Galerie and the Salon Carré. Anne of Austria’s apartments housed the antique sculpture galleries, and further rooms and exhibition spaces were opened under Charles X.
M is for mosaic.
A mosaic is a picture or design made of tiny pieces (called tesserae) of coloredstone, glass, tile, or paperadhered to a surface. It is typically decorative work for walls, vaults, ceilings or floors. The pieces of tesserae are set in plaster or concrete.
This technique was used by the Romans in regularly shaped pieces of marble in its natural colors to decorate their villas. It was later adopted by Byzantine Artists, using pieces of glass with irregular surfaces to tell the Christian story on the walls of their churches.
Mosaics are among the ten classes of patterns.
N is for neutral colors.
The neutral colors are black, white, ivory, beige, silver, gray, and brown. They make often stand alone as the only or primary focus of a design. They also help create unity in art.
Neutral colors help to put the focus on other colors or serve to tone down colors that might otherwise be overpowering on their own. To some extent blacks, browns, tans, golds, and beige colors are considered warm. While white, ivory, silver, and gray are somewhat cooler colors. Yet these warm and cool attributes are flexible and more subtle than that of reds or blues.
Black: Ultimate dark;considered the negation of color, black is conservative, goes well with almost any color except the very dark. It also has conflicting connotations. It can be serious and conventional. The color black can also be mysteriousand sophisticated.
Nature of Black:Black is the absence of color. Black can make other colors appear brighter.
Gray:Elegant Neutral:Gray is a neutral, balanced color. It is a cool, conservative color that seldom evokes strong emotion although it can be seen as a cloudy or moody color.
Nature of Gray:The lighter side of black, gray is a cool color seen in storm clouds and some metals.
White: Ultimate Light:White is purity, cleanliness, and innocence. Like black, white goes well with almost any color.
Nature of White:To the human eye, white is a brilliant color that can cause headaches for some. Too much bright white can be blinding.
Ivory: Relaxing Neutral:Ivory is a soft neutral color that isn't quite white and has some of the earthiness of light browns. Ivory represents quiet, pleasantness with a touch of luster.
Nature of Ivory:As a neutral, ivory is a calming color. It carries some of the same pureness, softness, and cleanliness of white but is slightly richer, a touch warmer.
Brown: Down-to-Earth:Brown is a natural, down-to-earth neutral color. It is found in earth, wood, and stone.
Nature of Brown:Brown is a warm neutral color that can stimulate the appetite. It is found extensively in nature in both living and non-living materials.
Beige: Dependable and Flexible:Beige is a chameleon, taking on some of the attributes of stronger warm or cool colors it accompanies. On its own, the color beige is a calm neutral background.
Nature of Beige:Beige is a neutral color with a bit of the warmth of brown and the crisp, coolness of white. It is sometimes seen as dull and boring unless coupled with other colors. It can be a relaxing color for a room.
O is for origami.
Origami is the craft or technique of foldingpaper into shapes, representing animals, plants, and lots of other subjects. It is adecorativeobject made by folding paper. Instructions for origami designs are generally called diagrams. Numerous collections of diagrams have been published in book form.Also,a great many of diagrams havebeen presented and can be found online.Washi, a unique and distinct type of Japanese paper,is used to create origami.
The technique of paper making, which was introduced into Japan from China during the early seventh century, underwent considerable changes in its manufacturing process in Japan giving rise to a type of paper possessing dual qualities of resilient sturdiness and softness which prevents tearing when it is handled; it is called Washi.