#Paint Masks for 1/72 Zero

[thecraftingwell]

A6M Zero (Tora)

Scale Model Paint Masks for the A6M Zero (Tora)

[lovemesomesurveys]

1. Do you like having your picture taken? No.

2. Have you ever done a photo shoot, professional or non? I’ve had pictures taken at photo studios and I have a cousin who’s a photographer that did my college graduation photos.

3. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why? I mean, nowhere right now. BUT, there’s a lot of places I’d love to visit one day. Various countries and places here in the US. I just want to be able to travel a lot one day.

4. Who would you take with you on this little adventure? My family.

5. What would you say is the most daring thing to do in a lifetime? That’s going to be different for everyone of course, but basically something that pushes you out of your comfort zone. Conquering a fear.

6. Would you ever do that? I don’t know. 

7. Have you ever done crossword puzzles? Yeah. I much prefer word searches, though.

8. Ever actually completed one? Yeah.

9. Pick up the closest book and write a sentence at random from it. There isn’t a book near me.

10. Do the same with a lyric from either a cd or the radio. Nah.

11. Have you ever tried to analyze your own dreams? Yeah, many times. I’ve tried to look up what some things symbolize and what it might mean for me. 

12. Would you put up posters in your room? Yeah. I have some things hung up. 

13. Can you sing? I can’t sing well at all. I wish.

14. Do you ever sing to yourself while doing everyday tasks? Yes.

15. What's your favorite color of post-it note? Pink.

16. How many cassette tapes do you own? Zero.

17. How many cd's do you own? I don’t have any CDs anymore.

18. Ever bought a cd for just one song? I probably have. 

19. What would your perfect day consist of? Beach days are nice. Or since it’s winter, renting a cozy cabin in the snow sounds lovely.

20. Have you ever lied to get off the phone or out of talking to someone online? Yes.

21. Have you ever written a survey? Once. It was several years ago during the Xanga days. I wish I still had it saved.

22. How about a song? If so share it. No.

23. Or maybe a poem? If so share it or one of them. I dabbled with poetry when I was 16. I am definitely not sharing one, they’re super cringey.

24. Is your vcr flashing 12:00 all the time? I don’t have a VCR. Wow, cassette tapes and VCRs how old is this survey?

25. Do you read your horoscope? No.

26. If so, do you base your day on it? No, I’ve never been into astrology. I used to read it when I was younger like in an magazine, but it was always just for fun.

27. Would you rather chew gum or use mouthwash and why? Chew gum. Mouthwash is way too strong to me and I find it irritating for my mouth and yeah it’s just not a pleasant experience.

28. Do you floss? No. :X

29. Are you addicted to napster like me? Okay, now you’ve mentioned Napster so this survey is super old. Napster was like late 90s and early 2000s. 

30. How many times a year about are you sick? I rarely get things like a cold, which I find interesting because I feel like my immune system is crap, but I feel sick and crappy often for other reasons.

31. Ever been in an airplane? Yes, a few times.

32. If so where were you flying to? Georgia and back and to Disneyland and back.

33. What radio station to you listen to most? It’s been a few years since I’ve listened to the radio.

34. What color are your shoes? I wear my black Adidas the most.

35. Was fuzzy wuzzy a bear? He was. He had no hair, though, so he wasn’t actually fuzzy.

36. Do you know how to play dominos? I’ve never really played.

37. Or do you think I just mean pizza by that? No, I know what dominos are.

38. Speaking of pizza, what's your favorite kind? (toppings and/or place to get it from) My favorite is from this local place. I like to get white sauce, feta and ricotta cheese, crumbled meatballs, garlic, spinach, and pesto and olive oil drizzles. I’ve been really craving that lately.

39. What color are your eyes? Brown.

40. How many surveys have you filled out this lifetime? Oh pffffft, I am not even going to attempt to figure that out. There’s no way I could. I’ve been doing surveys for so long and sadly so many of them are gone because they were done on Myspace and Xanga. :(

41. Describe your bedroom, include all details. Okay, you want details? Here we go...

It’s small and has way too much stuff. For one thing, there’s giraffe stuffed animals all over, including a 4 ft one in the corner. There’s a dresser by the window that has my TV and Christmas decorations on it. To the right of that is a 6-cube shelf with some of the aforementioned giraffe stuffed animals as well as giraffe knickknacks, some coloring books and coloring supplies, a mini Christmas tree on top, a few more giraffe stuffed animals, a nice picture frame with my dog, Brandie, who passed away, and my BB8 droid I made at Disneyland. Above the shelf is an I Love Lucy wall clock. My closest is nearby and is full of medical supplies, 3-drawer file thing with random stuff I insist on holding onto, my shoes, and all my jackets and sweatshirts. To the left of my dresser is my bookshelf with a lot of books and other figurines and knickknacks of various things I like and hey surprise, surprise, more giraffe stuffed animals! Across from the bookshelf and dresser is my bed, which is also my desk cause I keep my laptop on it, my chargers, my phone, a coloring book, a couple packs of colored pencils, my Bible study stuff, my remotes, and my Nintendo Switch. I have a pile of clothes, too, cause dresser and closet are too full. I have like 8 throw pillows, a body pillow, a back pillow, and a couple actual pillows. I have a few stuffed animals that sit on my bed as well, which are a huge squishmallow giraffe, a small squishmallow pug, a small squishmallow Dumbo, a small squishmallow Baby Yoda/Grogu, and a Baby Yoda/Grogu plushie. To the right of my bed is a TV tray that has my bottles of water, my medicine and pill crusher, a box of straws, a glass, a Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink, chapstick, my wallet, a Zip-loc bag with half a glazed donut and half a chocolate one, and a small bag of shortbread cookies. Behind the TV tray is my 3-drawer bedside table, which has a makeup storage thing on it that I plan on cleaning out and getting rid of cause I don’t wear makeup anymore and could use that space for something else, a bottle of lotion, a couple little room sprays from B&BW, and a jewelry tray. Hung up on my walls around the room are a few giraffe framed paintings, a couple beachy canvas paintings, two Alexander Skarsgard calendars, a bulletin board with various stuff pinned to it, and a marker board. There’s also a hamper in here, a floor lamp, a ceiling fan/light, two fans, and an ottoman.

42. Name one person your life is made better by. My mom. She’s my best friend. 

44. How about someone else's? Huh?

45. Can you do math with ease? Ha, noooo. Me and math never got along.

46. What size is your computer screen? It’s 13.3 inches.

47. If you could only talk to one person online who would that be? Someone from the survey community on here.

48. Name your favorite type of music and why. I like a variety of music--various genres and decades.

49. Are you a vegetarian? No.

50. How about an aspiring actor/actress? Not at all.

51. What famous person dead or alive would you interview if you had the chance? Alexander Skarsgard.

52. Which movie can you watch and say the lines along with the actors? There’s a lot of movies I could do that with. I try not to cause it gets annoying, but it happens.

53. Name one of your passions in life. I don’t know. :/

54. What's your least favorite time of day? Evening time.

55. Who's your favorite member in a band, singer, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and why? The singer, typically.

56. Do you use hairspray or gel? I use neither.

57. Describe your favorite meal. Wingstop’s boneless garlic parm and lemon pepper wings. I also really enjoy my nightly bowl of ramen.

58. What color is the inside of your head when you close your eyes? Black.

59. Ever listen to classical music? Not typically, but it is nice.

60. Have you ever said lol in real life without thinking about it? No.

61. Do you find you use internet language when writing notes irl? I use “wtf, “wth”, “omg”, and “lol.” 

62. What songs would be on your ideal cd? Like I said, I like variety, so a mix of songs.

63. Say one thing you've learned today. Nothing, really.

64. What is the best present you've ever given someone else? I don’t know.

65. What is the best present someone else has ever given to you? I’ve been given many nice gifts throughout my life. I’m appreciative of all the gifts I’ve received.

66. So hey, what's your full name? Stephanie is all you need to know.

67. Describe yourself while drunk. I was chatty and annoying.

68. How big are the windows in your house? Regular, common size? .

69. Do you wear a watch? Nope.

70. What's the kinkiest thing you've ever done with someone else? Nothing.

71. What's the largest age difference between you and someone you've dated? Just a year.

72. How many mirrors do you have? Just one in my room.

73. Write one sentence stating what you want people to say about you after you've passed on. I don’t know, man.

74. Have you ever sailed? Nope.

75. How fast can you run? I used to be able to go pretty fast, but not now. I don’t have the upper body strength or energy I used to have.

76. What do you believe in? I believe in God.

77. How long does it take you to get ready to go out? Not long at all. I just change clothes, quickly do something with my hair, brush my teeth, put on deodorant, put on my shoes, and then grab my bag and mask and go. And a coat if needed.

78. Do you shower daily? If not how often? No, I shower 3-4 times a week.

79. What one thing would you change in your life if you had the power to do so? I’d make it so I had good health.

80. Describe the ideal superpower and what you would do if you had it. Teleportation. I’d travel all over.

81. Are candles romantic or a fire hazard? They can be both.

82. Name something you've done in the last 24hrs no matter how big or small. I had coffee and donuts. Exciting stuff.

83. Do you wear necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings, rings? I haven’t worn any in awhile.

84. What colors are you wearing right now? Just black.

85. How often do you change the sheets on your bed? Twice a month.

86. Have you ever gotten lost? Not alone, thankfully, but yeah.

87. What's on your computer desk? I mentioned in the question about my room that my bed is also my desk and I listed the things on it.

88. How many folders are on your desktop at the present moment? Zero.

89. When your talking do you ever use your hands to do quotation marks in the air when saying certain words? Sometimes, if I find it necessary to do so.

90. Which landmark would you climb if you could? None.

91. Do you own or have you read, or thought of reading any self-help books? I read the Chicken Soup For The Soul books when I was younger but that's it. <<< Same.

92. Ever seriously questioned your sanity? Yes. 93. Can you breakdance? No.

94. What's in your fridge right now? Food and drinks. I’m tired from listing everything in that room description question lol.

95. How many people do you live with? I live with 3 people and a doggo.

96. Have you or would you ever do anything more than kiss in a public area? No.

97. What is the strangest thing you've ever done? Uhhh. I don’t know.

98. Name an instrument you've never played but would like to. Guitar.

99. Have you ever been on tv or the radio? Myself, as well as my story, was on TV after my accident happened. 

100. What is the worst thing anyone could ever do to you? Physically hurt me.

101. Are you a fast typer? Yes.

102. How high have you counted before getting bored? I don’t know, but probably not very high. I probably would get to 100 and be over it.

103. Describe how you sleep. (ie. your position and/or how you fall asleep) I sleep slightly propped up and turned to my left side. I have indigestion and post-nasal drip issues, so I can’t sleep flat. I have a whole nighttime routine consists of scrolling through Tumblr, doing surveys, and listening to ASMR until I feel tired enough to fall asleep.

104. Are you straight, bi, gay? I’m straight.

105. Do you ever do something else while on the computer? If so what? Sometimes I’m watching TV.

106. What is the most expensive item you own? My MacBook Air.

107. How about the least expensive? My little knickknacks.

109. What do you do online? Check my social medias, watch YouTube, scroll through Tumblr, and do surveys.

110. Name some stores you've bought clothes in before. Boxlunch, Hot Topic, Kohl’s, JCP, Target, H&M, Macy’s, Forever 21... those are a few that come to mind.

111. Have you ever read a book and not understood it? If so which one? I struggled with mythology. I just couldn’t get into it, so that definitely didn’t help, and it was hard to follow.

112. Have you ever watched a movie and not understood it? If so which one? Yeah. Whenever that happens I jump on Google and read up on it afterwards. 

113. Do people pick up your slang language more than you pick up theirs? I pick up lingo from others most often. 

114. Are you easily influenced by other people, or current trends? No, I wouldn’t say that.

115. What makes you unique in your own opinion? I don’t feel very unique.

116. Name your worst quality. Where to start... .

117. Name your best. I like that I’m open-minded.

118. What would you like to do with your life? I need to get myself together and figure that out.

119. Do you blowdry your hair? Nah.

120. How many clocks are in your house? We have like 3 wall clocks and there’s digital clocks throughout the house on appliances and electronics.

121. Are they all set on the same time? The phones and electronics are. The others are a few minutes fast. My parents set their digital clock like 15 minutes fast.

122. Have you ever intentionally set a clock ahead or behind the actual time? Like I said, we set some of them a few minutes ahead.

123. What do you think about when you first wake up in the morning? "What time is it?"

124. Which browser do you use? Google Chrome.

125. Do you bite your nails? Ugh, I don’t bite them but I pick and clip at them with clippers constantly. 

126. Would you ever leave little notes to your gf/bf? Sure, I think that’s cute.

127. Ever been to a farm? Yes.

128. Tell me about your dream last night. I don't remember. I rarely ever do. What typically happens is I’ll remember when I first get up, but then it like vanishes. My dreams are like Snapchat. If only there was an option to save or screenshot them like Snapchat.

129. Ever seen a shooting star? No, actually.

130. Say one thing about yourself you've never told anyone. Uhhhh. I’m so boring, I can’t think of something interesting to share.

131. Do your days fly by or seem to last forever? It often seems like the days go by slow, but then before I know it it’s already been a whole week again and I’m like wtf it was just Monday? That’s how the years tend to feel, too. There’s definitely some days that just really seem draaaaag, though. And there’s something about January that always feels super long. 

132. Have you ever stayed in a fancy high class rich hotel? Yes. 133. Have you ever stayed in a rent-by-the-hour motel? No.

134. What in your opinion is the best advertising slogan out there? If they get stuck in your head then they’re doing something right. It’s gotta be catchy. Jingles work well.

135. When they start sending rockets to the moon for us civilians, will you be on the list to go? Noooo, absolutely not.

136. How are you feeling right now? Tired, kinda hungry, and lonely.

137. Have you ever written anything on your skin? Yeah.

138. If so what? Random stuff. That was something a lot of people seemed to do in like middle school and high school for some reason.

139. Which website do you frequent most often? Tumblr and YouTube.

140. What color are most of your clothes? Black.

141. Do you own any plants? Nope.

142. Are things as bad as they seem? They sure seem bad to me.

143. Describe the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you. My mom is amazing. She’s sacrificed so much. I’m 31 years old and require aid with some things and here she is still taking care of me and doing so much for me on top of working a full-time job, being a caregiver for a family friend as well, taking care of us as a family and of things at home, and she very rarely has anytime for herself. She’s spread very thin and works so hard and yeah I just could never thank her enough. She’s the absolute best and I would be so lost without her. I couldn’t keep going if it weren’t for her.

144. Ever looked directly at the sun? Yes.

145. Have you ever made a pin hole camera to watch the eclipse? No.

146. What's your favorite cereal? All the main sugary ones, ha.

147. Who do you miss? My loved ones who have passed away.

148. Name something you just can't forget no matter how hard you try. Uh, a lot of things. My mind doesn’t like me to forget things like that. It likes to remind me of them often. Things like that hit at random times as well, like my brain will be like, ‘hey remember when...’ and I’m like, ‘ugh, yes I remember you won’t let me forget.’

149. Describe the worst fight you've ever been in whether physical or verbal. I’ve never been in a physical fight, but there were some verbal ones. I don’t want to get into them right now.

150. Say something else about yourself you've never told anyone before. Noooo. 

[charlottecollerson]

The Many Faces of Picasso: Social and cultural influence on an artist

Pablo Picasso is well known for his artistic style and the ways it evolved over his career. This evolution is not something that occured purely from within, instead, it was influenced heavily by the the events in the world around him. Picasso began with his Impressionist works, presenting themselves in Blue and Rose periods, but was then influenced by the African art being imported into Europe at the time. This manifested in simplified, angular figures and ultimately led to his endeavour to entirely reinvent art as it was known to him. From this Cubism was born, soon becoming a significant part of his career, influenced by both his own want for change and the changes occuring in how art was made worldwide. His new style was used to depict the anguish of war, having been a constant in the lives of those in the early 20th century. In this essay, each of these key socio-cultural elements will be discussed in relation to the influence on Picasso’s works and key pieces examined for their representation of transformation in each of the periods of his life. Through this discussion the strong influence of society throughout Picasso’s life on his work will be understood.  

Picasso began painting during the Impressionist period and his works reflected this movement heavily, focussing on colour and mood more than the image itself. His personal style at this time focussed first on strong blue tones. He was influenced by a deep depression which began in 1901, then coinciding with his friend Casagemas’ suicide (Warncke and Ingo 1997). As he began to paint depressing portraits of his deceased friend (see Figure 2), the public became disinterested with his works, not wanting to use the works decoratively in their homes. During this period he made little money, was living in poverty like many in Europe at that time (Kaplan 1993) and seeing few of his friends (Solomon 1995). He continued to paint moody works, now depicting loneliness and poverty (see Figure 1). This aesthetic choice still aligned itself with the Impressionists, allowing mood to be strongly conveyed through colour and brush strokes. Throughout his career, he held onto these values of colour, shape and brush stroke to create a mood. His focus on shape and angles that began during this period followed him into his African period and further into Cubism.  

Picasso began his transition into proto-Cubism in 1906, lasting until 1908. This was spurred by the French imperialist expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa and the works from the people in Sub-Saharan Africa being brought back to France (Gikandi 2003). It was in this climate of African interest that Henri Matisse showed him a mask that had been taken from the Dan people. From these works, Picasso began to form a new idea of the way in which art could or should be created. “Men had made those masks and other objects for a sacred purpose, a magic purpose, as a kind of mediation between themselves and the unknown hostile forces that surrounded them, in order to overcome fear and horror by giving it form and an image. At that moment I realised that this was what painting was all about. Painting isn't an aesthetic operation; it's a form of magic designed as mediation between this strange, hostile world and us, a way of seizing power by giving form to our terrors as well as our desires. When I came to that realisation, I knew I had found my way ” (Warncke and Ingo 1997).  This ‘realisation’ was evident in his works from the time, such as Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery) (1907) (Figure 3). In this work, the head has more angular, simplified features than seen before in Picasso’s work. The heavy eye rounding and indentation can be seen as a strong influence, as well as, elongated face shapes (Nuttall 2006). This influence was carried on into the Cubist period, for which he is so well known.

Following the African period, Picasso had found his new understanding of art and its creation and began to manifest an idea to relearn what art was to him. He spent years with this focus of retraining his brain, abandoning the Naturalist way of painting, creating new fragmented images in a drastic move away from classical painting (Apollinaire and Eimert 2012). On the creation of Cubism, he said, ‘I saw that everything had been done. One had to break, to make one’s revolution and to start at zero’ (Apollinaire and Eimert 2012). Cubism thus rejected all tradition that had come before it. Picasso was undoubtedly influenced by the revolution in the art world, as well as the African art influence at the time. This social and artistic revolution was happening all around him, Braque working on the idea of Cubism with him, Dadaists creating anti-art (Dickie 1984), Surrealists depicting taboo (Frey 1936), Cubism became a step in the abandonment of tradition in line with the movements without them. The understanding of different reasons to create art coming from the colonization of Africa and the cultural influence that had on the European world lead to Western artists creating new works based upon values from other cultures (Brooks 1956). Picasso’s newfound, more worldly, understanding pushed the creation of new works based on world issues later on in his career.

During the course of Picasso’s life, war was a constant. From World War I, to the Spanish Civil War, to World War II, the ongoing turmoil in the world around him likely influenced him to create darker, more chaotic pieces. One of these is Guernica (1937), (see Figure 6) commissioned by Spanish Nationalists, based on the bombing of the Basque town by Nazi Germany (Clark 2013). However, after exhibiting Guernica in 1937, Picasso said he had not explicitly painted about war, ‘because I am not the kind of painter who goes out like a photographer for something to depict. I have no doubt that the war is in these paintings I have done. Later on perhaps the historians will find them and show that my style has changed under the war's influence’ (Kimmelman 1999). His opinion of himself as an artist had changed by the end of WWII, saying ‘What do you think an artist is? An imbecile who has only eyes, if he is a painter… Far, far from it: at the same time, he is also a political being, constantly aware of the heartbreaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world, shaping himself completely in their image... No, painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war for attack and defense against the enemy’ (Téry 1945). It seems evident that he had developed new views about war and the importance of art as a tool for expression. Europe had suffered greatly during the war and Picasso was not immune to the reality of war and suffering. In his works during WWII, the chaotic violence and despair seemed to seep out of his works, abandoning the vibrant colours and emphasising abstraction more heavily than ever.  

Throughout history, artists have always taken inspiration from the world around them and their situation. Colonialism, war, mental health issues, and the artistic community all played key roles in the evolution of the work Picasso produced. During his lifetime the world around him impacted both what he depicted and the way in which it was depicted. Through this essay, the transformation throughout his career can be understood through the changes in the world around Picasso and the way in which he saw this world. From an examination of the socio-cultural influences in Europe in the early 20th century, each period of his artistic endeavours can be understood. The Blue Period was caused by his depression and a friend’s suicide, the African period was by the imperialism into Africa by the French,  Cubism was spurred by the general distaste for traditional techniques and, ultimately, influenced heavily by his African period, and finally, the ongoing wars in the 20th century influenced the final period of his works. Picasso’s career illustrates the influence of socio-cultural events on an artist’s life and by understanding this, other artists trajectories can be further understood.

REFERENCES

Apollinaire, Guillaume, and Eimert, Dorothea. 2012. Cubism. New York: Parkstone International. Accessed July 5, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central.

Brooks, Dorothy. 1956. "The Influence Of African Art On Contemporary European Art". African Affairs 55 (218): 51-59. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a094367.

Clark, Timothy J. 2013. Picasso And Truth: From Cubism To Guernica. Princeton (N.J.): Princeton University Press.

Dickie, George. 1997. The Art Circle: A Theory Of Art. Evanston, Ill.: Chicago Spectrum Press.

Frey, John G. 1936. "From Dada To Surrealism". Parnassus 8 (7): 12. doi:10.2307/771260.

Gikandi, Simon. 2003. "Picasso, Africa, and the Schemata of Difference." Modernism/Modernity 10 (3): 455-480.

Kaplan, Temma. 1993. Red City, Blue Period. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Kimmelman, Michael. 1999. "ART REVIEW; Occupied Paris And The Politics Of Picasso". New York Times, , 1999. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/05/arts/art-review-occupied-paris-and-the-politics-of-picasso.html.

Leighten, Patricia. 1990. "The White Peril and L'Art nègre: Picasso, Primitivism, and Anticolonialism." The Art Bulletin 72 (4): 609-630.

Nuttall, Sarah. 2006. African And Diaspora Aesthetics. Durham: Duke University Press.

Solomon, Barbara. 1995. "Callow Young Genius". New York Times, , 1995.

Téry, Simone. 1945. "Picasso N'est Pas Officier Dans L'armée Française". Les Lettres Françaises, , 1945.

Warncke, Carsten-Peter, and Walther Ingo. 1997. Pablo Picasso: 1881-1973. Taschen.

[vendrholics-blog]

How To Go Blonde Without Destroying Your Hair

Remember when Selena Gomez arrived at the 2017 American Music Awards with a brand new platinum blonde bob? In a matter of hours, the superstar had traded in her signature, deep brunette color for a shade of rooty, icy white that was eventually dubbed "Nirvana blonde." Twitter was clogged with tweets and your local salon's phone was blowing up because, suddenly, everyone wanted to bleach their hair — and expected to do so overnight. Turns out, going that blonde isn't as simple as it seems.Still, we get the misconception. With stars like Gomez, Khloé Kardashian, Solange, Zoë Kravitz, Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff, Lucy Liu, Leighton Meester, Karlie Kloss, and Lady Gaga hopping from dark to blonde quicker than you can blink an eye, it seems that the process is a lot easier than it looks. Of course, if you've ever followed in their footsteps, you know that it definitely is not. It requires hours in a salon chair, hundreds of dollars, bottles of purple shampoo, and getting used to seeing strands of broken hair coating your floors on a regular basis.In reality, Gomez's new platinum bob took nine hours to complete. Celebrity hairstylists Riawna Capri and Nikki Lee from Nine Zero One salon revealed on Instagram that the singer's stellar new color was the result of a painstakingly-long process — and, celebrity or not, you should expect the same when looking for similar results. Still, that shouldn't deter you. If you have the itch to go platinum (we’re talking Ansel-Elgort -courtside-at-a-Knicks-game platinum), then go for it. Sure, it's a lot of work, but there's a reason why so many people love the experience — if only for a few months.We consulted Hollywood hair color experts — Kristin Ess, Aura Friedman, and Rita Hazan — to find out everything the average person needs to know before going platinum. Their insider tips, ahead.

Is there anyone who shouldn't go platinum? The best thing to keep in mind is your hair type and texture. If you have naturally dry or fragile hair, or if you've chemically treated your strands with perms or relaxers, then forcing it to cook underneath bleach and heat will most likely contribute to fast damage, says Hazan. If your hair is healthy and not prone to breakage, then find a good colorist (this isn’t something you’ll want to buy off Groupon or do at home) and book a consultation to discuss your expectations and the most realistic results, then go home and sleep on it before jumping in.Will I feel different with platinum hair? Going blonde — any blonde — is a big life change. Roxie Darling, NYC hair colorist, put it best: “Dramatically changing your color is life-changing. As a platinum blonde, you become a beacon. People's eyes are drawn to light, so you can expect people to be more attracted to you."How many rounds of bleach will it take to get platinum hair? There are several ways to take someone platinum, so the consult is key. Some colorists, like Friedman, prefer to take most clients platinum in one round of bleach. (That means the peroxide mix won’t touch the same piece of hair more than once.) If your hair has naturally red or orange undertones, a colorist might paint your hair over two to three appointments to lift the color evenly. And others, like Ess, prefer micro-highlighting the hair in a longer, more precise process to avoid flat results.Still, how your colorist bleaches your hair depends on a few variables, like the volume developer, the bleaching agents, how thick or fine your hair is, and whether or not they use a bond-strengthening product, like Olaplex (but more on that later). All of this will ultimately gauge how long the bleach stays on your hair, how many rounds of bleach you'll need, and how many appointments it could take.My hair isn’t the silvery platinum I want. Why? Everyone’s hair is different, which means you won’t know how well your hair color will lift until you get the bleach on it. If you leave the salon after the first appointment and aren’t Daenerys-Targaryen white yet, then your colorist will likely recommend you come back in about a month (no sooner to avoid damage) for another round of bleaching. “This will require much less processing than the first time," says Ess. "But don’t go more than four weeks before your second appointment in order to avoid getting yellow-y, blonde bands. If the root gets too long you run the risk of inconsistent processing.”Photo: SAV/GC Images.

Will my hair break? Yes, chances are good you will have at least a little breakage. Ess always tells her clients to be prepared for some, but hope for minimal damage. "I just like to be realistic and it’s always a great surprise if there’s no breakage when you’re done," she explains. "When you’re trying to get that much pigment out of the hair, typically you can expect at least a little, no matter how much bond-building or pre-deep conditioning you do to prep the hair.”I keep hearing about Olaplex — what is it and do I need it? The more you bleach your hair, the more the hair’s protein bonds break down. If you hear the name Olaplex it’s probably your colorist referring to Olaplex’s in-salon system that, essentially, glues broken protein bonds back together to make the bleaching process a bit safer on the hair shaft.However, not every colorists uses Olaplex or its many bond-repairing alternatives. The use of Olaplex No. 1 can slow down the cooking process of the bleach, potentially leaving you in the chair a lot longer or affecting your final color. But ask if it's something you're interested in trying.Will my colorist tone my hair? Yes, toner manipulates the color of the blonde to suit your skin tone and hair texture. It’s also the portion of the coloring process that could include a gloss (tinted or clear) to enhance shine or create a smudged, shadow root to soften the overall look.How long will it take to bleach my hair? Your coloring appointment will definitely vary on how quickly your natural color lifts underneath the bleach, the condition of your hair, and whether or not it’s bleached already. A color appointment, from root touch-up to a full process, could take anywhere between two to ten hours — or more.Photo: Mireya Acierto/Getty Images.

How often should I book a root touch-up appointment after I go platinum? “Book an appointment with your colorist every five to seven weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows," says Friedman. "Coming too soon or too late can result in overlapping and breakage.” However, if your hair grows fast or slow, this could take you to four or eight weeks — timing your appointments will have a slight learning curve.Should I wash my hair before my appointment? No, but check with your colorist for exact timing — some prefer a client shampoos 24 hours before and others say up to 72 or more. However, as a rule of thumb, avoid washing your hair for a day or so before a color appointment. This allows your hair's natural oils to build up on the scalp, which helps create a barrier to protect your skin from the bleach.Does the bleach burn as bad as people say? Depending on your scalp's sensitivity and the last time you shampooed your hair, it's possible for the bleach to burn pretty bad — or feel fine. Some say it's unbearable and some say it's no biggie, so communicate with your colorist and prepare for at least a little stinging.How soon can I wash my hair after bleaching it? Wait between three to seven days, at least, so the natural oils on the scalp will build up, protecting it from going brittle and drying out.Photo: Bauer-Griffin/GC Images.

Can I use Olaplex at home? Yes, you can buy Olaplex No. 3 for at-home use. Essentially, it's the retail-friendly version of the in-salon formula. It rebuilds broken bonds and protects hair from future damage prior to the next color appointment. Want to go a step further? Olaplex now makes its own shampoo and conditioner. If you're not looking to splurge on Olaplex, there are alternative, bond-rebuilding systems you can use at home.Should I be using a weekly hair mask? Yes, in fact, Friedman even suggests swapping out your regular conditioner altogether for a deep conditioning mask instead. “A mask is going to be much more concentrated and nourishing," she explains. "Clients only need a small amount of this instead of a handful of regular conditioner. Leave on for at least five minutes after cleansing the hair, or hang out with it for a few hours at home for extra conditioning." Here are some of our favorite hair masks for every budget.What other hair product swaps will I need to make? First things first: Get a purple shampoo. If you notice your hair turning a little orange or red, wash it with a tinted shampoo or hair mask to instantly correct the brassy color. Friedman also suggests using a cleansing milk instead of shampoo after your first platinum appointment. “A detergent- and sulfate-free product will clean hair of any excess dirt, oil, and product without leaving it overly stripped and dry like normal shampoo does,” she explains. “Make sure to distribute this product evenly over the scalp as it does not produce as many suds as a regular shampoo.” Friedman also says to keep in mind how you wash your hair. For example, use the palm of your hands instead of your fingertips to gently massage the scalp.Are there other products I can swap into my routine that will reduce frizz and breakage? You'll need a comb or brush that won't tug while detangling since hair is most prone to breakage when wet. Regular bath towels can cause frizz, so Friedman suggests using a microfiber hair towel, like the Aquis Hair Towel — or just use an old, soft T-shirt. “It’s important not to scrub or be aggressive with towel drying, as this will cause breakage," she explains.Photo: Robert Kamau/GC Images.

How long can I realistically keep my platinum hair without risking permanent damage? “Realistically, you can stay platinum for a year,” Hazan says. Going platinum long-term is never a good idea because it can be very damaging. Hazan suggests if you are going to stay platinum for years, consider keeping your hair regularly trimmed into a shorter style to avoid excessive breakage.How do you I know if it’s time to cut my losses? If you’ve been bleaching your hair for years, you might notice strands appearing translucent — this means the shaft is weakened and dangerously close to breaking off. Got a lot of those? It’s time to call your colorist for a color overhaul.I’m ready to quit a life of platinum hair — now what? Good news: It’s much easier to go darker than it is to go lighter. However, it will take a few sessions. Why? Continuous bleaching causes the hair to become extremely porous and lack moisture retention, that’s why anyone who dyes their hair with demi-permanent glosses, like pink, purple, or blue, will have to visit their colorist for frequent touch-ups. In short, the hair shaft is so bloated it doesn’t hold moisture or color all that well. Because of this, Hazan recommends using a semi-permanent dye to cover platinum because it’s much less harsh on hair that’s already in such a fragile state and it tends to last longer on bleached hair.Photo: Marc Piasecki/GC Images. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?7 Hairstyles That Make Growing Out A Bob Easy The Cheapest Way To Heal Damaged Hair — Without Leaving Your HouseThe International Hair Trends You Won't See On Instagram Read the full article

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Surrender To Daniel’s Top 250 Tracks Of 2017ish (Just The List, Please)

It’s a busy world out there and you could do with a version of this list without all the jackass commentary. Below are my Top 250 Tracks of 2017ish in countdown form. Thanks for hanging out. I look forward to listening to your list.

250. Kelly Clarkson - Love So Soft (Cash Cash Remix)

249. Trinidad Cardona - Jennifer

248. Arcade Fire - Electric Blue

247. Valerie June - Shakedown

246. Rozwell Fitzroy - Block Game

245. Fickle Friends - Hard To Be Myself

244. Katy Perry featuring Migos - Bon Appetit

243. Chip - Snap Snap

242. Borussia - Kinda Love

241. Lady Gaga - The Cure

240. Sonamoo - I (Knew It)

239. Taylor Swift - …Ready For It

238. Joyride - Aunty Tracey’s Cookies

237. Carly Pearce - Every Little Thing

236. Eves Karydas - There For You

235. Vic Mensa featuring Pusha T - OMG

234. Tigertown - Warriors (St. Lucia Remix)

233. Lady Leshurr - Juice

232. Frank Ocean - Chanel

231. DYGL - Let It Out

230. Old Dominion - No Such Thing As A Broken Heart

229. Super Junior - Black Suit

228. Barenaked Ladies & The Persuasions - The Old Apartment

227. Ayo & Teo - Lit Right Now

226. LCD Soundsystem - Tonite

225. Pip Blom - Babies Are A Lie

224. Shay Lia - What’s Your Problem

223. Lauren Alaina - Doin’ Fine

222. Jachary - Yellow Vision

221. Cende - Bed

220. Waju featuring Phantom Thrett - If U Wanna

219. AOBeats & Annabel Jones - Strangers

218. CupcakKe - Barcodes

217. Aly & AJ - Take Me

216. Tyler, The Creator featuring A$AP Rocky - Who Dat Boy

215. Joe Goddard - Music Is The Answer

214. Gabrielle - Nye Joggesko

213. Amber Coffman - No Coffee

212. Diamond Platnumz, Harmonize, Rich Mavoko & Rayvanny – Zilipendwa

211. Ugly God - Fuck Ugly God

210. Royal Canoe featuring Begonia - Fussin’

209. Ah Mer Ah Su - Meg Ryan

208. Wesley Gonzalez - Piece of Mind

207. Smino - Anita

206. Hannah Jane Lewis - Raincheck

205. Mollie King - Hair Down

204. Ten Fé - Twist Your Arm

203. Charlie Worsham - Cut Your Groove

202. iLoveMakonnen featuring Rae Sremmurd - Love

201. Allison Crutchfield - I Don’t Ever Wanna Leave California

200. Drezus - Get Up

199. Aimee Mann - Patient Zero

198. Fekky x Ghetts - Call Me Again

197. Slow Dancer - Don’t Believe

196. Kiesza - Dearly Beloved

195. Cam’ron - 10,000 Miles

194. Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott - I Gotta Praise

193. THANKS featuring Sam Sparro - Your Man

192. Desiigner- Outlet

191. Maya Killtron - Whiplash

190. Maty Noyes - Say It To My Face

189. Tee Grizzley featuring Lil’ Yachty - From The D To The A

188. Bhad Bhabie - These Heaux

187. Sean Nicolas Savage - Opposing Truths

186. 2 Chainz - Trap Check

185. Evening Glow - Love Tonight

184. Liv Dawson - Searching

183. Bruno Mars - Versace On The Floor

182. Paramore - Hard Times

181. Ghost Twin - Plastic Ghost

180. Lao Ra featuring Konshens - Boby Bounce

179. SOB X RBE - Lane Changing

178. PIXEY - Hometown

177. Feltworth - Forget This Feeling

176. Twice - Likey

175. Craig Finn - God In Chicago

174. Axolotes Mexicanos - Trececatorce

173. Charli XCX - Boys

172. Lil Uzi Vert - XO Tour Llif3

171. Steven Wilson - Permanating

170. Promiseland - Take Down The House

169. Estrons - Strobe Lights

168. Future Islands - Ran

167. Shamir - Straight Boy

166. St. Vincent - Los Ageless

165. Maluma - Felices los 4

164. John Maus - Touchdown

163. Sharon Needles - Battle Axe

162. Stormzy - 4PM In London

161. Adult Mom - Full Screen

160. Luke Combs - When It Rains

159. HAIM - Want You Back

158. RVIVR - The Tide

157. Torres - Helen In The Woods

156. Partner - Play The Field

155. Manuel Turizo - Una Lady Como Tú

154. The Moonlandingz featuring Rebecca Lucy Taylor - The Strangle Of Anna

153. April - Mayday

152. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie - Drowning

151. Cassius - Ibifornia (Myd Remix)

150. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - Harajuku Iyahoi

149. Goodbye Honolulu - Typical

148. Electric Six - I’ll Be In Touch

147. DJ Khaled featuring Beyoncé and Jay-Z - Shining

146. Sløtface - Empire Records

145. Tank - When We

144. Jerry Williams - I’m Not In Love With You

143. Gothic Tropic - How Life Works

142. Girl Ray - Don’t Go Back To Ten

141. Ski Mask The Slump God - Babywipe

140. Mike WiLL Made-It featuring Big Sean - On The Come Up

139. Pkew Pkew Pkew - Before We Go Out Drinking

138. Brockhampton - Star

137. The Perfect Kiss - Broadcast (From You To Me)

136. Fishbach - Un Autre Que Moi

135. Surfbort - Back To Reaction

134. Highlight - Can Be Better

133. Dagny - Wearing Nothing

132. First Hate - The One

131. Sorority Noise - No Halo

130. Playboi Carti - Magnolia

129. Alex Cameron & Angel Olsen - Stranger’s Kiss

128. Real Numbers - Frank Infatuation

127. Rejjie Snow featuring Pell - Virgo

126. YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Untouchable

125. Kesha - Learn To Let Go

124. LOONA Odd Eye Circle - Girl Front

123. Middle Kids - Never Start

122. Kelela - LMK

121. Hey Violet - Break My Heart

120. Sean Paul featuring Dua Lipa - No Lie

119. Papooz - Trampoline

118. Lab Coast - Back To Your Future

117. Mise en Scene - Waster

116. Weaves - Walkaway

115. Aymee Nuviola - Rumba de la Buena

114. Plaitum - Ovation

113. New Swears - Dance With The Devil

112. The Regrettes - Seashore

111. Kane Strang - My Smile Is Extinct

110. Red Velvet - Red Flavor

109. Lovely Bad Things - Hiding to Nothing

108. Century Palm - King of John Street

107. Jessie Reyez - Gatekeeper

106. Jay Som - Baybee

105. YBN Nahmir - Rubbin’ Off The Paint

104. Milk Teeth - Owning Your Okayness

103. Bakermat featuring Kiesza - Don’t Want You Back

102. Jimmie Allen - Blue Jean Baby

101. FAUX - Take Back Time

100. Joey Bada$$ - Land of the Free

99. Tove Styrke - Mistakes

98. A$AP Ferg - Plain Jane

97. Astrid S - Such A Boy

96. Wax Idols - Everybody Gets What They Want

95. DeJ Loaf - No Fear

94. Hamell On Trial - Safe

93. Tay-K - The Race

92. Fazerdaze - Lucky

91. Jax Jones featuring Demi Lovato & Stefflon Don - Instruction

90. Jon Pardi - Heartache on the Dancefloor

89. Heart Attack Man - Taking Sides

88. RaeLynn - Lonely Call

87. Young Guv - Traumatic

86. Baka Not Nice - Live Up To My Name

85. John Moreland - It Don’t Suit Me (Like Before)

84. Lil Yachty - Bring It Back

83. The Drums - Blood Under My Belt

82. Amaal Mallik - Maine Tujhko Dekha

81. Jillian Jacqueline - Hate Me

80. Lizzo - Water Me

79. Joy Again - Kim

78. Yaeji - Last Breath

77. Daniela Spalla - Prometí

76. Peach Pit - Seventeen

75. Baio - Man of the World

74. Rostam - Bike Dream

73. Juiceboxxx - Freaking Out

72. Mabel - Begging

71. Bleachers - I Miss Those Days

70. The Killers - The Man

69. Dude York - Love Is

68. Pale Waves - There’s A Honey

67. TYSM - Honeymoon Phase

66. Artificial Pleasure - All I Got

65. Tei Shi - Keep Running

64. vivienxo - TTYN

63. Lanikai - Motor Inn

62. Midland - Drinkin’ Problem

61. Sam Coffey & The Iron Lungs - Talk 2 Her

60. Thundercat featuring Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins - Show You The Way

59. Rozwell Kid - Wendy’s Trash Can

58. Jazz Cartier - Tempted

57. BØRNS - Faded Heart

56. Sigrid - Don’t Kill My Vibe

55. Leikeli47 - 2nd Fiddle

54. QTY - Rodeo

53. The Big Moon - Formidable

52. Kenshi Yonezu - Peace Sign

51. Ski Mask The Slump God - Catch Me Outside

50. Sampha - (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano

49. Danny L Harle - 1UL

48. Sälen - Heartbreak Diet

47. Iron Chic - My Best Friend (Is A Nihilist)

46. Phoenix - J Boy

45. Carly Rae Jepsen - Cut To The Feeling

44. Mozart’s Sister - Moment 2 Moment

43. Peter Perrett - An Epic Story

42. Miguel featuring Travis Scott - Sky Walker

41. Demi Lovato - Sorry Not Sorry

40. Cathedrals - Try to Fight

39. Janitor Scum & The Scums - Shopping Cart

38. ARY - Childhood Dreams

37. HMLTD - To The Door

36. KWAYE - Little Ones

35. Fitness Forever - Canadian Ranger

34. The Cornshed Sisters - The Message

33. BETSY - Little White Lies

32. Rae Morris - Do It

31. The Steves - I Feel Like Dying

30. Future featuring Kendrick Lamar - Mask Off (Remix)

29. Rita Ora - Anywhere

28. Needles//Pins - Miracle

27. Dream Wife - Fire

26. Ralph - Tease** **

25. Hall N Nash - Machine Gun Black

24. Pixx - I Bow Down

23. Starley - Call On Me (Ryan Riback Remix)

22. Dave x J Hus - Samantha

21. Charlotte OC - Shell

20. Slow Leaves - Enough About Me

19. PRETTYMUCH - Would You Mind

18. Kendrick Lamar - Humble

17. Amber Mark featuring Mia Mark - Monsoon

16. Denzel Curry - This Life

15. Breakfast Muff - RU a Feminist

14. Deem Spencer - Soap

13. ionnalee - Samaritan

12. Pristin - Wee Woo

11. Quay Dash - Decline Him

10. Confidence Man - Boyfriend (Repeat)

9. Dance Movie - Penny

8. Clairmont The Second - The Ave In You

7. MUNA - I Know A Place

6. Tierra Whack - Mumbo Jumbo

5. IU - Last Night Story

4. Tove Lo - Disco Tits

3. IU featuring G-Dragon - Palette

2. Dua Lipa - New Rules

1. Lorde - Green Light