American Flag Trivia – Happy Fourth of July!

 
In the United States, the Fourth of July holiday is upon us. This holiday is special in many ways. On a surface level, it marks a day without work; a time reserved for family and friends to come together and partake in traditions like parades, barbeques and fireworks displays.

Beyond the celebration lies the true reason why people gather. The Fourth of July is a time to remember the sacrifices that were made to ensure America’s independence and honor the men and women who keep the country free.  To symbolize this reality, the vast majority of Americans fly the American flag for all to see. But what exactly does the American flag mean?

The Fourth of July is a holiday most people understand, but when it comes to the American flag, a larger number of people misinterpret its meaning.

How much do you know about the American flag? Test your knowledge with these trivia questions.

1. How many colors are on the American flag?

a. 2        b. 3        c. 4         d. trick question

2. How many stripes are on the American flag?

a. 13      b. 26      d. 50      d. trick question

3. The colors of the American flag were originally taken from England’s flag, the Union Jack.

a. True                b. False                c. trick question

4. In what year was a committee formed to develop the country’s Great Seal?

a. 1782                 b. 1777                 c. 1776                 d. trick question

5. In what year was the Great Seal adopted?

a. 1782                 b. 1777                 c. 1776                 d. trick question

6. What national figurehead claimed the color red in the American flag signified courage?

a. Charles Thomson         b. Ronald Reagan             c. Mike Buss        d. trick question

7. The flag can be flown in any kind of weather.

a. True                 b. False                c. trick question

8. Wearing a t-shirt with the American flag printed on it is okay.

a. True                 b. False                c. trick question

Answer Key:

1. c | 2. a | 3. a | 4. c | 5. a | 6. b |7. a (if the flag is designed for stormy weather) | 8. b (“The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.”)

How did you fair in Segmation’s American flag trivia?

Learn more about America’s flag, the Fourth of July, and good ol’ fashion patriotism.

• Why is the US Flag Red, White and Blue?
• American Flag Etiquette

Also, take time to enjoy fun activities like Segmation’s digital paint-by-number Fourth of July pattern set: http://www.segmation.com/products_online_choosepattern.asp?order=alph&cat=fju.

And here are some additional red, white and blue craft ideas: https://segmation.wordpress.com/2013/06/26/color-the-fourth-of-july-with-red-white-and-blue-crafts/.

 Happy Fourth of July from Segmation!

 

Read more Segmation blog posts about the Fourth of July:

Happy President’s Day!

United States Presidents Were Skilled Musicians

Do you have a Memorial Day Quote?

Be an Artist in 2 minutes with Segmation SegPlay® PC (see more details here)

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Knitting Is More than an Art, It Is a Cause

There are many different ways in which art benefits people. Some visual art is so stunning that it simply lifts a viewer’s spirit. Other art is sold and supports the very livelihood of the artists who create it. Music is a form of art that is not only enjoyable to listen to, it is also therapeutic, and many music therapy recipients are becoming healthier in both body and mind. There’s no doubt that art in general has benefitted humanity in countless ways. During World War One, knitting was an art form that proved itself to be beyond beneficial.

During the first World War, knitting was far more that just an art — it was a cause. Between 1917 and 1918, women and men all over the United States were encouraged to knit garments for U.S. soldiers. These soldiers were often in pitiful condition, stuck in freezing trenches and icy weather with nothing to insulate them. As a result, many soldiers took sick and even died from cold weather-induced illnesses. The efforts of American knitters literally saved the lives of many soldiers.

Since knitting was sweeping the country in the early 20th Century, it was not at all uncommon to see people engaging in the art during church and school. The Red Cross issued a request for knitted garments, and much of the knitted goods collected during the war were produced by Red Cross volunteers. Many people from Seattle and other parts of the country also contributed to the war effort.

The primary knitted garment that was called for by the Red Cross during the first World War was the sock. American soldiers’ boots were neither comfortable nor warm, so wool socks made their job a little more tolerable. Besides knitting socks, Americans spent thousands of hours knitting sweaters, wristlets, and mufflers. The art of knitting was certainly shown to be invaluable during the perilous years of World War One.

In the days of World War One, Americans saw knitting as not only a way to keep soldiers warm and well, but also to make them feel comforted during a very traumatic time. This is an excellent example of the importance of art in society. Furthermore, this proves that a simple art like knitting has the ability to accomplish a great deal of good. Surely art is endowed with powers to lift the soul, comfort the spirit, and even preserve the body.

Sources:

http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5721

Coming soon: Do you know how easy it is to tie die your own garments? If not, you won’t want to miss our upcoming post!

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— Ancient Egypt Arts
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Norman Rockwell’s Artwork Inspired by the Christmas Holiday

Christmas is a holiday that is special to hundreds of thousands of individuals around the world. This holiday is celebrated in many different countries with numerous traditions. Time with family, gifts under the Christmas tree, and contemplation of the important things in life are hallmarks of this wonderful time of year. What is your favorite aspect of Christmas?

Throughout history many artists have been inspired by the Christmas season to create seasonally themed works of art — Norman Rockwell is one of those individuals. Perhaps more so than any other American artist, Norman Rockwell truly was a master at capturing the spirit of Christmas in his art. As ABC news states it, “Norman Rockwell and the Christmas holiday had a deep and lasting relationship.”

Normal Rockwell was born in New York City on February 3, 1894. He was a student at the New York School of Art. Interestingly, Rockwell’s first commissioned art was for Christmas cards when he was only 15 years old. The Christmas card art was just the beginning of the American artist’s journey into holiday themed artwork.

An issue of the Saturday Evening Post that was released on December 25, 1948, featured one of Norman Rockwell’s famed Christmas pictures known as “Christmas Homecoming”.  The image displays over a dozen individuals standing in front of a Christmas tree; two of the people in the image are embracing enthusiastically. While there are “minimal references to Christmas” in this picture, the season is still somehow clearly represented.

Another of Rockwell’s Christmas themed pieces of art is titled “Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas”. The oilpainting was finished in 1967, 10 years after it was begun. It was painted for McCall’s magazine and displays a quaint, picturesque street that is lined by snow-covered automobiles, a church, and other buildings. This image is just another example of the amazing way Norman Rockwell captured the Christmas holiday in his artwork.

Make this Christmas season more memorable by creating your own seasonally themed works of art. Segmation offers a SegPlayPC Christmas pattern “paint-by-numbers” collection that makes it easy and fast to uniquely celebrate your favorite time of year. Learn more about Segmation’s Christmas pattern collection by visiting http://www.segmation.com/products_pc_patternsets.asp#CHR. 

Sources:

http://www.arthistory.net/artists/normanrockwell/normanrockwell1.html

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/slideshow?id=9321605

Coming soon: Thinking about re-painting the exterior of your home? If so, you won’t want to miss our next post!

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https://segmation.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/museum-curator-elevates-prestige-paint-by-number-art/

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Smithsonian Declares Video Games Works of Art

When you think of the word “art”, what comes to your mind? Picassso, painting, drawing, Michelangelo, photography, and….video games? Most people would probably not associate that last term with art. But the truth is, video games are being acknowledged as an art form. In fact, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is so convinced of this that it is currently hosting an exhibit called “The Art of Video Games”.

The Smithsonian’s increasingly popular exhibit features about four decades worth of video games. It displays games created in the 1970’s and 1980’s, such as Space Invaders, Pac Man, Combat, Super Mario, and Pitfall, and later games such as Heavy Rain. The exhibit is interactive, and most people come not to observe, but to play. “The Art of Video Games” has been such a smash success that there are plans for it to move to 10 other cities.

One of the reasons the Smithsonian decided to acknowledge video games as works of art is the sheer prevalence of them in the modern world. Betsy Broun, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, pointed out that up to 6 million copies of a single video game have sold in just one day. Obviously, there is something unique about video games that captures people, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum wanted to find out what that was and expose it.

But what is it about video games that is so artistic? To find the answer to this question, begin by considering the games’ images. “Indeed, when you look at some of the images from games, they can resemble moving paintings, from abstract to figurative to landscapes.” There are probably dozens of artistic features in your favorite video games; it is just a matter of recognizing them.

The intense creative process that must take place for a video game to be born is another validation of a game’s artistic nature. After all, art is always the product of some type of creative work, no matter how simple or intricate. In the case of video games, the process of creation tends to be quite complex.

By creating “The Art of Video Games” exhibit, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is challenging people everywhere to open their minds and hearts to the possibility of new art forms. The droves of people that are visiting the exhibit are proving that they believe video games are works of art — do you?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57399522/the-art-of-video-games/

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