Supernatural Harmony

They may look like pin-sharp photographs - but these amazing pictures are actually drawings created with the humble ballpoint pen. The stunning pictures, measuring up to 10ft high, were drawn by a rising star of the art world, Juan Francisco Casas.

Casas, 31, can use up to four 14p ballpoint pens for a canvas and his works are already a sell-out at exhibitions.

Formerly a traditional painter, Juan began the drawings three years ago based on photographs of nights out with his friends.

Speaking from Rome yesterday, he said he admires the “simplicity” of the ballpoint pen, invented in 1938 by Hungarian Laszlo Biro.

Casas said: “I guess it started off as a joke, to try and make something so realistic that people would think is a photo.

“I also wanted to create it with something that everyone has - a Biro. I don’t think it has ever been done before.

“For me it’s not that different from painting. I was trying to show that it doesn’t matter what material you use, it’s what you do with it.”

Casas only uses blue Bics and can get through several to make one drawing.

He has just spent two weeks drawing his largest piece, which is 10ft high by 3ft wide.

The only drawback is that he can’t erase any errors. He said: “Mistakes are the main problem. It’s better if I make them at the beginning.”

Casas studied Fine Art at the University of Granada, in southern Spain, and then worked there as a teacher for six years.

He submitted a ballpoint-pen drawing to a national art competition in Spain in 2004 - and was shocked to be awarded the second prize.

He said: “It’s a very serious, and academic sort of competition, and I knew they would think my entry was a joke. It was just on a normal piece of paper in biro.

“I had previously done painting - oil on canvas - and this was something new. But they liked it, and it went from there.”

He has exhibited in Chicago and in his native Spain, and is preparing an exhibition in Rome where he now lives.

At an exhibition in Madrid last week he sold 60 works for between 1,000 and 5,000 euros apiece (£750 to £3,750).

He said: “It was a real shock that it was so successful. I would love to come to England, but at the moment I haven’t got a lot of work, as I’ve sold everything.”

A British firm took over the ballpoint pen patent to make them for the RAF shortly after their invention, and the first ones went on sale in the UK in 1946. The Bic pen, a variation on Biro’s original design, went on sale in France in 1950.

Want to master a new computer language? Brush up on your calculus? Learn how to fix your car? No sweat. With the vast array of college courses and podcasts available online, the apple of knowledge is ripe for the clicking. Here, we’ve narrowed the options to our favorites—the best of the geeky best, from free podcasts and lectures to accredited distance-learning programs from major universities. UNIVERSITY EXTENSION PROGRAMS:

MIT OpenCourseWare

What Is It? Similar in philosophy to open-source software, OpenCourseWare offers anyone free access to course materials for virtually all of MIT’s undergraduate and graduate courses. Once upon a time, you needed at least a library card to get a free education. But with this site, you can get rocket-scientist smart without even paying late fees.

Why’s It Cool? This is a site for people who enjoy the pure pleasure of learning. You won’t get credit for any of the course work—in fact, you won’t even have access to teachers—but if you’re a self-starter and curious, you can dabble in any of the subjects that MIT offers.

Can’t Miss? The sheer volume of subjects available is stunning. The site offers course materials in everything from aeronautics to biological engineering to linguistics.

Harvard Extension School

What Is It? The Harvard Extension School provides access to roughly 100 online courses in art, science, math and technology, all from the comfort of your couch. Upcoming fall courses range from an introduction to Greek literature to a variety of Web-development classes.

Why’s It Cool? These courses bring students right into the classroom with video lectures that are posted along with the other course materials. Bonus: Distance learners are always welcome to drop in on the real lecture if they happen to be passing through campus.

Can’t Miss? For a sneak peek of what these courses are like, a few sample lectures are available online.

Stanford Center for Professional Development

What Is It? The school offers more than 250 courses in subjects ranging from bioengineering to nanotechnology. Coursework is delivered through a variety of mediums, including the Internet, television broadcast, videotapes and two-way video. Scientists and engineers flock to this program to enhance their professional skills.

Why’s It Cool? The classes fit a wide variety of educational needs. Students can enroll in short courses and seminars aimed at improving skills in specific areas, or they can sign up for the long haul with certificate programs and even graduate-degree programs.

Can’t Miss? Instructors include some of the crème de la crème of Stanford’s school of engineering.

SINGLE-SUBJECT COURSES:

O’Reilly School of Technology

What Is It? Whether you’re a coding novice or an open-source enthusiast, the O’Reilly School of Technology has a class in Web development to suit your needs, including HTML, Linux/Unix, Java and XML, to name just a few. The school also offers certificate programs in a variety of subjects like Linux/Unix system administration and .NET programming. Students gain credits through the University of Illinois Office of Continuing Education.

Why’s It Cool? Course materials dispense with convoluted tech-speak and instead go for a casual, fun tone that makes the information easier to retain.

Can’t Miss? Anyone who uses the Internet regularly could benefit from learning HTML. The “Introduction to HTML and CSS” course fits that bill perfectly and provides a great base for moving on to more complicated classes.

The NetMath Program through the University of Illinois

What Is It? This granddaddy of online math programs has been helping home-schoolers, university kids and professionals put two and two together since 1991. The school’s offerings include algebra and trigonometry, analytic geometry, and calculus for business. Students receive credits from the University of Illinois, an accredited Big Ten university.

Why’s It Cool? With a holistic learning approach that engages the whole brain (including the part that likes to have fun), NetMath takes the “I want to jump out the window” out of math class. Each course incorporates interactive software that gives students a more exciting and memorable way to learn than old-school, one-dimensional textbooks.

Can’t Miss? The program uses Mathematica software to help students visualize abstract algebraic concepts.

Auto Mechanic program at Ashworth University

What Is It? You can become your own grease monkey with this professional-level auto repair course. The program offers a series of 20 lessons that teach everything from engine assembly to fixing a car’s heating and air conditioning systems.

Why’s It Cool? The lessons are just as well suited to the auto enthusiast who wants to tinker in his own garage as it is to pre-professional mechanics.

Can’t Miss? The tools—this course comes with lots of ‘em. Included in the cost of the class is a wrench set, socket wrench set, screwdrivers and tire gauge.

PC Repair at Penn Foster Career School

What Is It? Penn Foster offers a sequence of classes designed for people who want to become PC-repair technicians. The courses will teach you how to repair PCs, printers and PDAs, as well as cover PC operating systems and data recovery. Sick of calling in the professionals every time your PC crashes? Complete this program, and you’ll be able to do it yourself.

Why’s It Cool? You don’t need to be a computer whiz to take these classes. The first lessons teach the basics of computer language and the fundamental elements of hardware and software—all at a pace you can set yourself.

Can’t Miss? If you’re actually looking to switch careers and become a full-fledged PC repair technician, the Penn Foster Career School will help you find a job.

Haruo Suekichi is a steampunk watch maker. Not having any formal education in making watches, Suekichi learned how to make watches by becoming friends with a watch maker whose store was located across from the toy store Suekichi was working. Because he began making ’strange’ watches, his watch maker friend kicked him out. Haruo Suekichi has made thousands of watches, each with an individual name. And to think it all started with a one-armed man at a flea market in Japan.

Spanish hotels to cash in on siestas - by the hour

The siesta is making a comeback, recycled for the modern world as “Iberian yoga”. Far from the afternoon snooze that consumes valuable working time, Spain’s siesta is being rebranded as essential for spiritual wellbeing and a balanced life.

Long hailed as the country’s greatest contribution to civilisation, the siesta - “Spain’s secret weapon”, according to this weekend’s ABC newspaper - is being relaunched in Seville.

Hoteliers in the southern hotspot are trying to lure visitors back from the beach by offering rooms between 3pm and 7pm at 30 per cent of the normal rate, to slumber through the hottest hours. The idea is that you emerge refreshed to enjoy the late afternoon, sunset and after dark, which Spaniards savour as the best time of the day.

As part of the campaign, which has adopted the slogan: “After eating I sleep”, you can even book your afternoon snooze from the very restaurant where you enjoy your leisurely, wine-soaked lunch.

That way you don’t hit the road in an alcoholic haze - a disproportionate number of Spanish motoring accidents take place after lunch - or stumble back to the office half asleep.

Experts believe the optimal siesta is around 20 minutes long. Shorter and you don’t disconnect sufficiently, longer and you emerge groggy and bad-tempered. Even companies recognise their workforce performs better after the break. Many, including the nationwide courier service MRW, have set aside soothing siesta zones with reclining chairs for their employees to snatch 40 winks.

The best siesta is recognised to be “in pyjamas” and with a companion, but that remains for most a weekend luxury.

The Tribeca Film Festival starts today with a slew of films dealing with politics and other topical social issues. The festival aims to be a celebration of music and culture, with special events including street fairs and drive-in movie screenings. The Tribeca Film Festival caters to every film niche during the 11 day event.

This year there has been a modest reduction in screenings. The films being presented vary from edgy indie works and obscure non-English language pictures to mass-market populist fare. The Drive-in series held at World Financial Plaza kicks off tomorrow with a screening of “Dirty Dancing” and is free for the general public to attend.

One of the unique features of the film festival is large plethora of events that cater to the general public. Anyone can purchase tickets to see over 400 films being shown at the festival. This is unique considering that most top level film festivals are invitation only. The Tribeca Film festival will be hosting several film technology workshops which will be open to the public free of charge.

Read the rest of this entry »