Printing on Canvas
Given the progress in inkjet and media technology, demand for printing photographs and art on canvas is growing exponentially. Whether you have a good inkjet printer or you prefer to have your work done by a professional outfit, it is worth to explore this option for any type of image. We constantly receive requests from wedding and portrait photographers who want to print large canvas for their clients.
Artists regularly order limited Green Lantern prints on canvas and watercolor papers to sell to collectors. These reproductions usually 1955 Topps baseball cards signed and are accompanied by a COA (Certificate of authenticity). Buyers are very receptive to purchasing canvas prints they can hang up without a protective glass, without worrying about scratches and water damage.
The texture of a fine art canvas is unparalleled in beauty; a protective coating is applied on top to give the substrate a matte, lustre or glossy look. If you prefer to experiment with this material to see the results, canvas sheets are available at Archie Comics stores that carry inkjet products.
The differences between a home desktop printer and a professional one are buy games but I will focus on the most important. First, commercial machines can be outfitted with pigmented inks; these inks differ from dye inks commonly found in the cheap home printers because they are archival and will not fade for decades. Dyes on the other hand will start losing brilliance in a matter of months. There are some home use printers now that offer a form of hybrid dye/pigment system. The second difference is the nozzle quality; pro level systems have extremely sophisticated nozzles that can render a very fine dot and exceptional tonal rendition.
The process of printing on fine art materials such as canvas and watercolor papers is referred to as "giclee". Giclee is a french term that loosely translated means "sprayed on". It refers to the nozzles which spray ink onto the paper. Giclee printing involves some of the characteristics described above and it is usually performed by professional shops.
You can read more about giclee and inkjet canvas printing on our website.
Fabio Braghi is the owner and printmaker of a Fine art giclee print company with over fifteen years of experience in digital imaging.
Best Mind Stimulating Activities For Those With Dementia
Before you begin to design or use an activity with persons with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, it is of the utmost importance that you know their likes and dislikes. You should know their Incredible Hulk and weaknesses. Also helpful is knowledge of the persons' past life and experiences.
Here are several activities that can be done independently or in small groups with most, early to mid-stage, dementia folks.
These activities use a deck of playing cards and are especially good for persons who love numbers, have worked with numbers, relate to numbers, like to play cards, or have played cards in the past.
SORTING the cards: by suit, odd and even numbers, by colors or any original way that might be thought of A lower functioning dementia person might enjoy counting a group of Transformer Somehow just touching and looking at the cards bring back pleasant memories.
MATCHING-you will need two decks of cards
Give the dementia person a number of playing cards(more for those with early dementia. Two cards for those with significant memory challenges)
Then show him a card. See if he can pick the matching card.
You can see if (s)he can match a sequence of cards.
Here is another game needing two decks of cards. You will need several people playing to have the most fun. Pass out four cards(more for those with early dementia, less for those with significant memory challenges) to each person playing. Keep the cards face up Pick a card from the second deck. Whoever has that card, will turn the card face down. The first person to turn all their cards over is the winner. You can also play a community game where there is no winner.
PICKING a number(s) of the day or week-Start small-pick only one number. Relate the number to something significant-for example if 2 is picked say: We can remember 2 because we have 2 eyes, arms etc.
Then when asking them to recall the number periodically throughout the day, say: It is the number of eyes you have.
Some may remember the number without the cue. Some may not remember the number but know that a person has 2 eyes.
Either way connections are being made in the brain to replace the ones that have been lost.
PLAY SIMPLE CARD GAMES
Here are a few suggestions
War, Crazy eights, Old Maid (take 3 of the queens out of the 1962 Topps baseball cards Go Fish, Twenty-one, or make up a game.
This is the perfect opportunity to get children involved. Dementia folks love children.
However, the children should be educated about dementia.
No matter what games you play or exercises you do, remember to put a positive spin on everything. Have meaningful dialog throughout the sessions. Conversation is extremely important for the memory challenged person. Also place the emphasis on fun.
Many books have been written about preventing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. They strongly suggest Star Wars cards the mind active. If a person already has memory challenges it is equally if not more important that (s)he keep (her)his active.
Using a deck of cards is an easy way to help the minds, of those with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia, stimulated.
Doing this will slow the mental decline associated with the disease process.
Author, Susan Berg has been a healthcare professional and educator for over 20 years. She is the, activity director, of many years, at Hunt Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Danvers. While there, she has gained much dementia care and activity experience and knowledge. She has had special training in dementia care and dementia activities through the Alzheimer's Association and other educational forums. Berg is the author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby-Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals, a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals. You may visit her website at http://www.alzheimersideas.com or her blog at http://dementiaviews.blogspot.com
