Despite their roughhewn appearance, the resourceful rag dolls in "9" obviously were crafted with great love and care, both by the scientist who made them in the film and the mastermind behind them in real life, director Shane Acker.
If only as much complex thought had gone into the script.
The animation is so breathtaking in its originality, so weird and wondrous in its detail, you wish there were more meat to the screenplay from Pamela Pettler, who previously wrote "Monster House."
Based on Acker's animated short of the same name, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2006, "9" follows a group of creatures who represent the last vestige of humanity in a post-apocalyptic world. It's set in the future after a war between mankind and machines but eerily resembles Europe after World War II, with its sepia tones blanketing the decimated surroundings in danger and fear. (Parents, don't be fooled: It may look like a cute and clever cartoon, but "9" is genuinely frightening.)
9 (voiced by Elijah Wood) awakens to find no people are left, but there are a few others like him: tiny, fabric dolls stitched together coarsely but sturdily, with lenses for eyes. (As in "WALL-E," the eyes convey a lot more emotion than you might imagine.) It's easy to see why Tim Burton was drawn to "9" and wanted to help get it made as a producer, along with "Wanted" director Timur Bekmambetov: the mixture of darkness and whimsy, the childlike and the fantastic, is reminiscent of Burton's signature aesthetic. And yet, Acker has a vision all his own.
The dolls have numbers on their backs signifying who they are and the order in which they were created. They include 1 (Christopher Plummer), the priestly, rigid leader; 2 (Martin Landau), an aging but feisty inventor; 5 (John C. Reilly), who's loyal but afraid of everything; and 7 (Jennifer Connelly), a brave and butt-kicking warrior. Appropriately, Crispin Glover provides the voice of the group's misfit artist, 6. There are also 3 and 4, mute twins who are experts on history, and the brutish 8 (Fred Tatasciore), who looks like the Michelin Man and serves as 1's enforcer.
From there, "9" follows an episodic, almost video game-like format. The curious 9 picks up an ornate piece of metal, sticks it in a corresponding hole and inadvertently jump-starts a villainous contraption composed of a giant red eye at the center and myriad metal tentacles. He and the other dolls must then scurry for their lives — even though they don't yet know the whole story of their purpose on this planet — as a series of equally menacing monsters tries to pick them off, one by one.
About halfway in, you realize how thin this expanded story really is, even though it's always dazzling to watch. It's intense and nearly relentless, except for a brief respite in which "9" pays a lovely homage to "The Wizard of Oz."
Acker isn't taking us over the rainbow, but he has brought us someplace daring and new, and he makes you anxious to see what other destinations he has in mind.
"9," a Focus Features release, is rated PG-13 for violence and scary images. Running time: 79 minutes. Three stars out of four.
The land found somewhere over the rainbow is a mere dream. The godlike wizard is a fraud. In the "real", sepia-toned world, the wealthy Elmira Gulch uses the state apparatus to oppress poor Henry and Emma Gale. Probably within 48 hours of the last scene of the film, the Sheriff puts Toto down.
The poster named "Why?": Do your questions on the R&S section of Yahoo Answers indicate that you have a life?
With traditional photography and photo processing the idea of customizing your pictures after taking them seemed really far-fetched. You were basically stuck with the photo you took with your camera and there was almost nothing to do to change it. Even professional photographers often takes faulty pictures. For us amateurs, especially if we don't have ultra-performant camera, most pictures are far from perfect. Fortunately, digital photography and photo storage available online for free come in handy as they allow you to change a photo as much as you want, even until it has nothing to do with the original. If you would like to get more out of your photos, this article can help you do that. However, in order to follow this technique, you need to have a photo editing application installed on your computer. There are many free applications you can download online or you can purchase a higher-end one.
1. Basic editing
If you don't want anything sophisticated, you can easily learn to use some basic functions of your photo editing application to make some small changes to your photos. These include cropping, resizing or rotating the picture until you get what you want. They can be done in a few minutes and can help you be more satisfied with the image.
2. Add some special effects
If you want to go a little further, your photo editor has a lot of functions that add special effects to your photo, such as a windy background and a bunch of other interesting stuff. Each application has a different way of doing this so there are no standard steps to follow, but you can find many tutorials online for any particular software. It only takes a few minutes and can help you change the original image at a great extent.
3. Apply filters
Your image may look more interesting after applying a filter. Filters are generally add-ons that can be downloaded for free for any photo editing software. Just to give you an idea, you can use a certain filter to make your photo look like it's been oil painted. Again, each application has its own filters, but you can find step-by-step tutorials for any of them. This also takes no more than a few minutes if you have the right tools.
4. Play with colors
Some tools allow you to change the color of your photo. You can make it lighter or darker or even change a certain part of it to a different color. For example, you can customize a portrait to make the eyes of the person green. Playing with colors can help you express more with a common picture and even make some changes to improve an original that is really bad.
5. Put borders and clip-arts
If you want to make your picture more interesting or funnier you can add some fun clip-arts or borders. There tons of such elements available online. Make some experiments on an image to see what it looks like.
Mr. Alex Don has been writing in the field of photo resizing at Reshade. Reshade is specialized in photo applications and offers an online image resizer software
As a plus it makes available a image resizer program.
Where is the button Filter on Paint ?
I'm trying to make something on Paint on my computer. But i wanna add some special effects on it, but i cant find the button filter. Does anyone knows where is it located ? Thank You.
oh . since paint doesnt have filter.
Light rays which are reflected by any surface become polarised and polarising filters are used to select which light rays enter your camara lens. They allow you to remove unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as water, glass etc. They also saturate colors and increase contrast....
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I have a neighbor who has a custom aluminum yard sign in his front yard at all times. No, he's not having a garage sale or trying to sell his home in this crazy housing market. His custom sign actually lists the Ten Commandments, of all things. This sign is not only a reflection of his beliefs but an expression of something he can't display just anywhere. Does anyone stop to read his yard sign? Probably not word for word, as there are a lot of words in the Ten Commandments and he lives on a busy road. His white lettering on a dark green background gets attention and the large lettering at the top stating, "The Ten Commandments" is really all anyone needs to see to know how this man feels, which is his point. And the beauty of this sign is that this neighbor has the full protection of the law in displaying it.
Everyone in town knows this man for his yard sign, which is exactly how he wants it. There is another woman in town who has 'God Bless America' printed onto a cardboard sign and posted on her fence. She also has a similar sign hanging in a window of the retail business she owns. Can anyone stop her from hanging her custom signs? Would anybody want to? Her signage is all modestly displayed on her own property.
I bet you've seen similar signs of personal expression, if not in someone's yard, then on cars, t-shirts, even billboards. If you're not shy about stating your beliefs, then a custom sign is a fun way of drawing attention to the things that are important to you.
Custom Signs Of Expression Can Be Subtle
Maybe you're not interested in displaying a sign in your front yard or business window stating your beliefs, but you do want others to know that your thoughts are to be counted. I see custom magnetic car signs everyday that say 'Support Our Troops', 'Support Alzheimer's Research', or similar custom magnetic car signs that get your personal message across in a smaller, yet equally effective way. For example, let's say you agree with my neighbor and his "Ten Commandments" sign, but don't want one of your own in your yard. Imagine a simple custom magnetic car sign that simply says, "The Ten Commandments" in white lettering on a dark color. Your custom car sign would have the same effect as the man's yard sign in stating your beliefs, only a custom car sign is likely to get more visibility. Simple, subtle, effective.
Do you support a cause or political candidate that is virtually unknown in your area and you want to change that with your custom car sign or other type of custom sign? Don't feel like you are stuck with the pre-made signs you see already available for purchase. Create your own custom sign, much like my two neighbors did. It is an inexpensive way of getting your message across, and when other people see your sign, they will be generally curious about it and may invite an opportunity for you discuss your beliefs with them.
How Do I Create A Custom Sign?
The production of custom signs has never been easier or more cost efficient. Thanks to the marvels of full color digital printing, any image you can create can be printed onto adhesive material and bonded onto your sign, be it an aluminum yard sign, a vinyl banner sign, or a custom magnetic car sign. Even full color digital photographs can be transferred onto your new sign, and the quality is amazing. And market research has proven over and over that signs bearing full color photographs get more attention and a higher rate of memory than other styles of custom signs.
Simply contact a high quality sign company and let the professionals know what kind of sign you're interested in ordering. Digital printing also has reduced the labor costs of sign making, so ordering a custom sign is more affordable than you might think. And getting what you want for less is a statement that everyone can believe in!
Like The First Amendment, Custom Signs Are Here To Stay
Aren't you glad that no one can stop you from expressing yourself with a custom sign? Whether displayed in your yard, window, or car, whether you are promoting a political candidate or simply stating your thoughts, nothing says it better and for longer than a custom sign. So celebrate your freedoms by creating a sign that speaks for you!
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Kara M. Klein invites you to check out http://www.TheSignChef.com, where "Flawless Sign Recipes are Guaranteed." TheSignChef is constantly developing free-to-use sign design software, custom sign decision-making tools, and How-To videos to make your sign buying experience efficient and your new custom signs effective.
Does anyone know where you can get custom clear round spice labels with white print for spice bottles?
Contact a printer, print company or a graphic designer.
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The Calligraphy pens can be traced back to the ancient civilization. The ancient civilization used a stylus on the clay tablets; these were generally used by the Sumerians and the Babylonians. The Ancient Romans also used a tool for writing which was the stylus with the wax tablets. The Chinese Calligraphy was complex and renowned in those times; they used a brush instead of a tool for the Calligraphy pen. Reed pens and quills were also used as a calligraphy pen by monks and saints in the middle age era.
As years went by the Calligraphy pens also went through a few changes. The reed pens actually used inks in them, bamboo or bulrushes were used by the middle age people. Quills replaced the reed pens in the medieval age till steel tips were, they could be shaped often when it blunts off. Metal nibbed calligraphy pens were used in ancient Rome, the metal stylus was scribed into thin wax sheets. Glass Calligraphy pens were used in the 16th century in Venice; they were used to create a steady monocline mark. They were deemed a delicate and fine tool.
The Chinese Calligraphy pen was nothing similar to their western contemporaries; they followed a complex and intricate form of Calligraphy and the tools used were also unique. They use Calligraphy brush instead of a pen; the brush looks simple for a person who is unaware of its detailed methods of manufacturing, it is made either from goat’s hair or wolfs hair. The brush itself is made of two or more layers, the first layer being an inner core which consists of a string of short hairs; they are surrounded by an outer layer of long hairs that end at the tip of the brush. These brush are stiff and strong producing sharp strokes.
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Is it better to get liquid eyeliner with pen tip or brush?
It's my first time using liquid eyeliner for my eyelids. So i wounder which do people think is better pen tip or brush tip? Also and if you can recomend a good brand that would be great. One u can buy at target perhaps...
well, liquid eyeliner is very difficult to change. If you have an unsteady hand, I would not recommend a pen tip. So I would get a brush tip, like MAC's eye liner brushes are very good. I not sure if you can find them at target though, try go to ULTA or Sephora hope that helps!
Create fine to broad lines with a single brush stroke. Ideal for painting cartooning detailing etc. Portable and refillable with permanent pigment ink. Pen comes with two refill cartridges of black ink. The ink is water and fade resistant when dry. The pen tip is made from man made bristles and comes to a fine brush tip. Made in Japan....
COPIC Multiliner- Set of 9 Pens (7 Fine Tips plus 2 Brush Tips)...COPIC Multiliner pens are made with pigmented black ink. This ink is both waterproof and COPIC marker proof. Drawings that have been done using COPIC Multiliner Pens can be colored with COPIC Markers without smearing or smudging the line drawing. You can also use them for drawings that will be colored in with watercolor. COPIC Multi...
New professional blower brush. Essential dust removal tool for any serious photographer. Great for cleaning lenses and camera components. Use the ultra-fine anti-static brush or remove the brush to use the special blower tool to blast away dust and particles. Every photographer should own one...
New professional blower brush. Essential dust removal tool for any serious photographer. Great for cleaning lenses and camera components. Use the ultra-fine anti-static brush or remove the brush to use the special blower tool to blast away dust and particles. Every photographer should own one...
Unique double ended fabric marker features a ball point tip at one end and a brush tip at the other. Writes with a quick drying, acid-free, nontoxic, water resistant and chlorine resistant permanent pigmented ink. Ideal for marking, drawing and writing on most fabrics. Also good for paper crafts. Requires no ironing. Marker conforms to ASTM D4236....
Keep your favorite shaving soap fresh and dust-free in this handsome lidded shave bowl. Made from beautiful dark wood, this quality piece will blend nicely with any decorating style. Perfect for the man who appreciates the finer things in life. Measures 2.75" tall and 3.75" in diameter....
SpaCific Essentials presents to you our natural boar bristle bath brush. This is the perfect brush to exfoliate your skin and great for those hard to reach places. Has a string to hang to dry after use. Brush head comes off to use with your hand to massage your skin....
This long handled wooden scrub brush makes it easy to reach your back without twisting or stretching.
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SAKURA KOI WATER BRUSH - The self-contained water reservoir inside the handle delivers water conveniently and directly to the brush tip. The fine flexible nylon brush tip provides excellent dilution and can produce fine lines or bold broad strokes. Available in 3 sizes....
Also known as the October Birthstone and the 14th and 18th anniversary stone, the opal is one of nature's greatest splendors. The colors can vary in any color of the rainbow. The most striking quality of opal is its ability to refract and reflect specific wavelengths of light. The interplay of different wavelengths of light gives opal its unique visual appeal, and makes it one of the most sought-after gemstones in the world. It is definitely one of the world's most beautiful and precious gemstone. The word opal derives from various languages: in Sanskrit upala, meaning "precious stone", in Latin, the opalus and Greek opallios, both meaning "to see color change".
Opal: History
The earliest known opal artifacts was discovered back from 4000 BC in Ethiopia. These artifacts were discovered later in a cave in Kenya by famous archeologist, Louis Leakey. Opal was stated to have magical qualities and also to aid its wearer in seeing unlimited possibilities. It was also thought to loosen inhibitions and promote impulsiveness. Opal has been said in medieval times to be a cure for diseases of the eye. Opal is also stated to be cure for blood disorders, depression, apathy, helpful with reproductive organs, filter red and white corpuscles, and brain disorders.
Opals: How are they formed?
Opal is formed from silica-bearing waters and can be found inside any type of rock. Opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water (SiO2 + nH2O). As water runs down through the earth, it picks up silica from sandstone, and carries this silica-rich solution into cracks and voids, caused by natural faults or decomposing fossils. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind a silica deposit. This cycle repeats over very long periods of time, and eventually opal is formed. Though the water evaporates, the opal gemstone still contains 13% water.
Opal: Color
The Opal can come in many different colors. In its fundamental form the opal is colorless, but this is rarely found. The difference in color comes from the formation process of the water forming tiny spheres, all of which are usually uniform in size and order diffracting light within the stone thus creating various colors of the rainbow. The more uniform the size of the spheres, the more intense, brilliant, and defined the color will be. If the spheres are random in shape and arrangement, common or colorless opal is formed.
The color of the opal depends solely on the uniformity of the tiny spheres. In smaller spheres, the spectrum of blues and violets would show. In larger spheres the colors of orange and red will show more on stone. These stones are highly valued since they show more "play of color" or spectral colors when rotated.
Opal: Different types
The opal can be found in many varieties and types. Fine quality opal surprisingly, is more rare to find than that of rare rubies and emeralds. Below are different types of Opal that can be found:
Black Opal - These types of opal are the most rare and most valuable of all opals. These opals usually come in bar form. Despite the name, these types of opals have the complete colors of the rainbow but the body is of dark colors of black, brown, blue or gray.
Boulder Opal - These types of opals are usually found in the mining fields of Queensland, Australia. This type of opal is often cut with the ironstone left on the back, as the opal seam is usually quite thin. They can be found in many different forms and colors: its surface can be smooth or uneven, with the opal occurring as a solid piece on top of the ironstone or showing as flashing flecks of color throughout the ironstone.
Common Opal - These types of Opal does not display any "play of color" and are classified as non-gem quality Opal. These types of opals are inexpensive and hold very little value.
Synthetic Opal
Synthetic opals are created in laboratories and are hard to tell apart from natural ones without use of laboratory. The first synthetic opals were created by Pierre Gilson in 1974. He used a synthesizing method which is called flocculation method. This method involves producing colloidal silica and separating and eliminating spheres using sedimentation process. This process takes the course of some months to produce.
There are also man-made stones such as doublets and triplets. Doublet Opal is made of thin slices which are glued onto silica material, glass or iron stone. The dark blackening gives the opal a more enhanced color. Triplet opal are made from three pieces, which consist firstly of a flat thin slice of precious opal, secondly a layer of common opal, glass or porcelain that has been darkened and thirdly a layer of quartz. Triplet opals are usually cheaper than doublet opals due to the fact that doublet carries a higher content of precious opal.
What colour is visible when light passes through a red filter and a green filter?
The RAF man is right in theory, you should not get any light at all passing through both filters. However in practice there is no such thing as a perfect filter and you proably will get a little light coming through. It is impossible to predict the colour because it will dpend on the imperfections in the filters.
the color red - Sore Throat - Promo Only Modern Rock July
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hope that helps!
The Jerky Boys "TV Spot"; 9) Scarce "All Sideways"; 10) Filter "Jurassitol"; 11) Tracy Bonham "The One" Island; 1...