JOURNALISM DEMYSTIFIED @ LSR

A sunny Saturday morning, a bunch of enthusiastic and intrigued students, three powerhouse panellists – the perfect recipe for a great workshop! And that’s exactly what Journalism Demystified at Lady Shri Ram College turned out to be!

Armed with their years of experience and their love for their field, three eminent journalists – Avalok Langer from Tehelka, Parikshit Luthra from CNN-IBN and Appu E Suresh from Indian Express – delivered three layered and interactive talks on filtering fact from opinion, sensationalism, and the ethics of investigative journalism, respectively.

Mr. Langer gave the students an overview of one of his worst experiences as a journalist, as he faced some life-threatening and terrifying experiences in Manipur. He then went on to demonstrate, through an interesting experiment, how journalists must collate different versions of stories, gauge the reliability of their sources and come up with coherent and strongly backed arguments to present the version closest to the truth.

Mr. Luthra, by making use of some viral newscasts and high-coverage cases, showed the students the inherent flaw in sensationalism. A very important point he elucidated was that of giving one’s credibility as a journalist more weight than the speed with which one must deliver the “facts” of the case. Using his own experiences as a broadcast journalist and by showing a video example of the best way to tackle emergency situations, Mr. Luthra highlighted the level-headedness a journalist needs to have when dealing with pressing issues in the field.

Mr. Suresh, a notable columnist with Indian Express, shared his views on the ethical code one should develop when approaching investigative journalism. Using his experience with corporate cases, he illustrated the ways and means through which journalists must respect reputations, timings and situational concerns, while being equally committed to getting to the heart of the matter and bringing the truth of an investigation into the public eye.

A lot of pertinent questions were raised in the panel discussion that followed, where our speakers further highlighted their views on commitment to the field, the quest for truth and the importance of being clear, level headed, well researched and well informed, and their importance.

Overall, it was quite a thrilling session where a lot of essential ground rules of being a journalist were spelled out. We are only too glad that the session was a success and that each participant went home a little more enriched, thanks to our dedicated professionals who are all leaders in their area of expertise.

PENCIL SKETCHING IN 4 WEEKS for those who are just beginning!

Pencil drawing is a skill that needs a good foundation on theories because pencil drawing is a blend of theory and proper execution of these theories.

Practice makes drawing perfect but foundation on the theories and techniques in drawing paves the way for better drawings.

So here is a guide which will help you to master the art of pencil drawing!
Before we get started you need to be fully equiped , so here is all that you will need:

• Pencil- Pencil drawing requires the following types of pencil

            H- for hardness
            B- for blackness
            HB- for combined of hardness and blackness
            F- for fine points

• Eraser
• Drawing pad
• Pencil sharper
• Ruler

Lesson one:

How to draw lines:

There are so many kinds of lines and these lines vary in terms of length, width, value and in many other ways. In form, there can be straight, curved, wavy, jagged and many others. The range of values of lines from light to dark is a product of pressure placed while drawing these lines. Here are some of the basic lines used in pencil drawing.

Flat lines, also commonly known as the straight lines, are helpful in expressing emotional states and evoking emotional responses and providing illusion on the viewers’ eyes

Horizontal and Vertical lines come under flat lines

Horizontal lines- Generally, the horizontal approach gives your image a wider look while the vertical direction gives your image a leaner and thinner look.In terms of emotions, horizontal lines invoke serenity and stability and vertical lines invokes poise and stillness.

Vertical lines- vertical lines are used to show strength and dignity is  depicted with the use of height often reflected through vertical lines.

Diagonal lines, on the other hand, invoke movement, unrest, change, instability and variation.

Accent lines find significance in putting certain emphasis or accent in some portions of your drawing. It, specifically gives special emphasis on   your certain portion through changes and variations in your lines.

Contour lines One of the striking characteristics of contour lines is  the purity of the line, which even without the use of color,distinctively  display shape and beauty of the image.

Basic perspectives

An Introduction on Perspectives
One can see realism in a drawing with the application of perspectives in drawing. The idea or concept of perspectives came with the idea of having sets of images that appear coherent and consistent in one piece of art.

Linear Perspective

Linear perspective is a realistic
method of portraying objects with a visual depth. The rule of the thumb though is that the farther the object is, the smaller it becomes and conversely, the nearer the object is,the bigger it becomes. In linear perspective, there are parallel lines receding into a particular distance where the lines seem to converge until these parallel lines meet at a point in a horizon where they disappear, called the vanishing point.

One Point Perspective
One-point perspective drawings refer to those with
only one vanishing point that are often than not directly opposite to the eye of the
viewer. In one-point perspective, parallel lines,
parallel to the eye of the viewer, retreat towards a
certain point in the space called a vanishing point. This often illustrated by
illustrations of roads and railway tracks, and hallways that recede at a vanishing point as
illustrated.
 Sample drawing of a box with the use of one point perspective.

1. Draw a horizon line or that line in the plane where the sky meets the earth.
2. From your horizon line, choose a vanishing point that can be the center, near right or near left.
3. From your vanishing point, draw one top line and one bottom line with the top line much longer than your bottom line and this would create the illusion of depth later on. These lines will form the sides of the box.
4. Draw two vertical lines that would connect your top line and your bottom line.
5. Then draw the front of the box by drawing two horizontal lines of same length from the top to the bottom to the closest wall to it.
6. Then connect these two horizontal lines by dropping a vertical line on the other side.

Two-Point Perspective

1. Draw your horizon line on the plane.
2. Instead of one point, mark two points, which
will serve as your vanishing points on the horizon
line preferably on the right and the left side of
the horizon line.
3. Draw your construction grid by finding below
your horizon line the middle. The middle is the
point where all the lines coming from the
vanishing points meet.
4. Draw six lines coming from each of the
vanishing points passing the middle.
5. Draw your middle vertical line that is at 90-
degree angle with your horizon line, which will
serve as the corner of your box.
6. Draw the top and the bottom lines connecting
your middle vertical line to each of your vanishing
points.
7. From your middle vertical line, draw one vertical
line to the right and another to the left depending
on how you want your box to look, as these would
determine the length and width of your box.
8. From your vanishing points, draw the line connecting your right vanishing point to the left vertical line and your left vanishing point to the right vertical line.


By now, you figure out the two-point perspective box. You may now start shading your two-point perspective box and erase grid lines passing inside the box.



Three Point Perspective
Three-Point Perspective is often used in architectural drawing using lines parallel to the Cartesian axes x, y, and z. This perspective finds relevance in drawing buildings.



Isometric Perspective
This refers to a perspective where distant objects and figures become smaller but the parallel lines do not converge. What happens to be that lines that are perpendicular to the plane become sharp diagonals as drawn thus turning the squares or rectangles into parallelogram.

Atmospheric Perspective
Atmospheric perspective or aerial perspective expresses nature in their distance. It simply stated, objects perceived to often appear as blurred, misty looking, and in distinctive or
hazy looking to the eye.

As shown in landscape drawings, distant objects appear in purple or bluish color and the same is true with respect to the color of the sky. Color pencil drawings and watercolor
pencil drawings often use this kind of perspective.



For the rest of the guide follow the blog next Thursday!

Hire is on for a literary genius!

SkillHippo is looking to hire!

Who are we looking for:


A literary genius whose idea of fun is writing a crazy, quirky 400 word blog post for breakfast and who can toggle between one social media platform to the next while sipping her or his morning coffee. Along with being absolutely brilliant at driving content with an understanding of social media from a business perspective.






What do we expect from from you:

• Must thrive on passion, strive for perfection
• Should have an ability to take ownership of tasks
• Willingness to lead and delegate
• Communicate road blocks for quicker resolution

Sounds interesting? 

mail in your resumes at contact@skillhippo.com

SPECIALLY CURATED SUNDAY WORKSHOPS

DRUMRRRRRROLL PLEASE!

Introducing our spectacular Sunday Workshops Series! Our main aim is to help you strike off as many items as you can from your bucket list. Oh, we all have one .... Those fun, quirky things that we've always wanted to, just for the heck of it. Like Bartending or, say scuba-diving. Only we don’t have the time for it. And where the hell do you find an expert who is ready to teach you the tricks to those trades? 

Well, now is the time to ditch all those excuses. Presenting a series of fun and quirky workshops EVERY Sunday!

Workshops specially curated to add a spark to your Sundays. Spend a few hours making that Sunday worth it by learning to beat box, juggle, steam delicate dim-sums and making your canvas shoes or t-shirts a piece of art! For the outdoor enthusiasts we have scuba diving, zumba,or you could even take action up a notch by indulging your body in some hardcore mixed martial arts!

If you've had a completely exhausting week and just want to reward yourself , how about you learnt to make your own signature Sangria at Chez Moi in Mumbai (yes, the best place to have a Sangria, with a killer view of the Bandra Worli Sealink), 

Kick back your shoes and end your Sundays on a (learning) high note. Visit www.skillhippo.com/featured to see all the classes available for Sundays this August. 

You can stalk us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or just drop us a missed call on +91 9899705030, to keep getting a constant stream of information and updates. 

Looking forward to see you all there!! Leave queries if any in the comments section below.

Ciao!

            

CREATING COUTURE

We are VERY excited to have the quirky and creative Little Black Book, Delhi listed on SkillHippo! Kicking off this fantastic relationship is a day-long workshop with designer Abhijeet Khanna. 

You will find a write-up of the workshop, Creating Couture, below.

More details on this LINK. Sign up HERE!

________________________________

We’ve grown up on couture! What is a privilege in most parts of the World, is something that comes inherently to the Delhiwaala- the histrionics of a local tailor coming to our home, taking measurements, and creating something bespoke to fit our shape and size. We, at {LBBD}, love what made-to-measure and couture has to offer- and the best part is, it doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag! Explore the basics of design, discover one of the hot-spots for fabrics and accessories in Delhi, and create something beautiful for yourself with the help of the incredibly talented designer Abhijeet Khanna.

The session will include a fun and interactive 101 on the basics of design; what fabrics work for which season? What size and fit suits you body-type? Where do you buy good quality fabric from and how do you turn it into a gorgeous garment, made just for you?  You don’t have to know how to work a sewing machine, or know the A-Z of design to create couture!

***

Date & Time |  2nd of March, 2013 {Saturday}, 10.45am to 3pm

The plan for the day:

10.30 am | We assemble at Abhijeet’s studio. F 12A Lado Sarai

10.45 am | A fun and interactive session on different types of fabrics, designs, and an introduction to the basics of couture and the things one should be mindful of.

11.20 am-12.30 pm | Sketching & personalized designing; Abhijeet helps us ideate and create {on paper} what we have in mind for ourselves- it could be a dress, shirt, tunic, anything!

12.30 pm | We leave for Lajpat Nagar; one of the best places for fabrics and trims in Delhi

1 pm- 2 pm | Let the shopping begin! Pick up beautiful fabrics and accents from the streets and stores of Lajpat Nagar.

2.30 pm | Lunch followed by a final round of discussions

Price | INR 1750 per head* {including tea,coffee and snacks and lunch}

*Cost of fabric and tailoring is not included, and depends on your discretion

To Register | Email us on contactus@littleblackbookdelhi.com; please mark the subject as ‘CREATING COUTURE’

Once you’ve signed up, you’ll get a detailed email with other relevant information. Limited seats, so please sign up at the soonest!

By the end of your afternoon, you’ll be all set to take your design and fabrics of choice to your local tailor, or those recommended by us, and wear something couture, made by you, for you. Boys, we know you love fussing about clothes too so please join in for this one!

Who said you need to spend a fortune to create couture?

About Abhijeet | Abhijeet Khanna debuted his collection in 2007. Colors are his thing, and ‘playful with an urbane approach’ is how he describes his work. After graduating from NIFT Delhi in 2003, with the best design collection laurels, Abhijeet spent 4 years in the design trench at Manish Arora. Basic approach towards patterns and flashes of color on silks to give a youthful feel is explored at Abhijeet Khanna. Having showed at London Fashion Week and WLIFW, the label has its presence felt at International stores to the likes of Harrods in London; Tahiti in France; Lorenz Bach in Switzerland; Allamanda in Spain; Moda In in Kuwait; Rocco in Bahrain.

The label can be aptly described as fashion forward. The designs are eclectic and are a synthesis of the best of the east and the west. It reflects strong Indian influences in terms of techniques like hand embroidery and block prints even as it exudes global appeal with its silhouettes and palette. His focus is on easy to wear silhouettes, with emphasis on bright colors. All-year comfort fabrics like cottons & cotton-silks have been used in his collections.

He’s going to be our mentor for this session!

GIRL WITH KALEIDOSCOPE EYES

Niyati Bhat

I love storytelling! When I was a kid, it was difficult for my mother to put me to sleep without a narrating a captivating story. I grew up with stories, drawing life lessons from staple texts like Panchtantra and Amar Chitra Katha. Over time, storytelling seeped into everything I did and finally lead me to discover my passion, photography.

Photographs are memories. Photographs are stories. Photographs are life and the camera is the medium that lets us freeze those moments. It wasn’t until I was 9 that I got to handle the camera for the first time. Before that, it was always a plastic camera with miniatures of celebrities popping into the viewfinder.

Once I took my first photograph, no one could stop me until I used up the complete film roll. Naturally, I was back to the plastic camera and was never allowed to touch the film camera again. But it was in college that my passion for photography ignited again. The happy hormones were back to remind me the utter excitement of my childhood encounter with the camera.

After much pestering, some good grades and a bank account that matured when I turned 18, I finally got a DSLR camera. I delved into the world of photography with no experience and no technical knowledge at all! But tons of help from my professor I got to know my camera much better.

I now wanted to capture the world through my camera. I wanted to travel everywhere and tell stories of people and what better way than to put my stories into photographs! I discovered the medium of photo-stories and made it my focus.

Photographs speak for themselves. Whether it is a ‘good’ photograph or a ‘bad’ photograph, each captures a moment that was important to the photographer. Your photographs become the medium of your creativity and you learn to express yourself through them.

My love for photography has fuelled my passion for travelling and story-telling as well. I am in love with the world and love to wander aimlessly and meet interesting people. Photography is an extension of this love and helps me discover more each day.  

KEEP CALM AND PRACTICE YOGA

Sudha Malik

Seeking inner peace? Try Yoga

Everyone wants to be fit and healthy. People join the gym in their pursuit for fitness, but it is not the answer for those who, like ‘Po’, are seeking inner peace.

Yoga is the age old answer to those looking for health and peace. It heals and balances your body holistically by distilling the wisdom of ages into practice. The benefits of yoga are very well known but like most things healthy it is difficult to adapt to. No one wants to make a public spectacle by playing imaginary Twister in the park, but we all need to start somewhere.

I started realising the benefits of Vivekananda Yoga in Bangalore. The asanas don’t vary substantially across most forms of Yoga, but it's the smooth transition and sequence of asanas that leaves you relaxed and rejuvenated. A typical Yoga session starts with the surya namasker to activate your energy, moves one to relaxing pranyama and ends with meditation, charging one up for the day ahead.

After a few years of practicing Yoga I wanted to spread my knowledge and experience. I started teaching Yoga, and over the last 17 years have hopefully enriched the lives of many. I have helped students deal with their anger, insomnia and other lifestyle issues through Yoga. In all cases, the students continued to learn regularly because Yoga made a positive impact on their lives.

Personally, yoga has helped me channel strength to navigate emotional storms. I found solid ground to balance myself in turbulent times and come out with a smile on my face. This is why I absolutely love practicing Yoga and hope it remains a part of my life always.

For everyone who’s reading this, I’d suggest you get off the internet and get on a Yoga mat to attain perfect balance for your body and mind. 

TICK TOCK, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY'S CLOCK

Sneha Rai

Biological timekeeping is the core of life

Phrases like ‘Early to bed and early to rise’ and ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ now sound like old-wives tales to many. Today nutrition receives very low priority when we plan our meals. A wholesome meal has been replaced by fast food and natural sources of vitamins by multi-coloured pills. Little attention is paid to how all this impacts our digestive system, blood ph levels and metabolism.

Biological timekeeping is the core of life and if tampered with can affect functioning of the various bodily systems. Body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, the release of hormones, alertness, energy, mood, and weight gain are all affected by our body’s rhythmic clock. The solution to this is very simple; eating on time.

Chronobiotic Nutrition is about eating foods at precise times of day for specific health results. Each human organ has a 'timing' relationship in its function. The connection between the human bio-rhythm and the environment is fascinating but often neglected. Imagine life could be ailment free if we stick to the discipline of our body’s clock and listen to its needs and demands.

For example, the peak period for the lungs is 3:00-5:00 am, which is why most deaths from lung ailments are recorded during this time. Clinical trials on mice have revealed that simply changing the time of the day at which a drug was administered to leukemic mice increased their survival rate three fold. This further confirms the belief that there lies a strong connection between food’s timing and the body’s response to it.

From a slimming perspective, day time has been identified as a catabolic phase when most of our fat and waste elimination takes place and night time as a fat storing phase. For an effective slimming regime, it is therefore best to avoid rich meals in the evening. We need to stimulate fat elimination and detoxification in the daytime and slow down during the nocturnal storage phase.

Without synchronization of all the physiological processes in the body, nutrients are locked up and they need protocols based on the time specific traffic laws of nutrient flow, absorption and assimilation. When this system of eating is followed, it results in optimum digestion, nutritional efficiency and high-level of wellness.

MY TRYST WITH MARTIAL ARTS

Ishita Asija

Having harboured a lifelong
fascination with Jackie Chan
and Bruce Lee, I took this as
my chance to learn some swift moves.

My dread of becoming a couch potato this winter break led me to search for an activity that would keep me productively occupied. I don’t know whether it was a co-incidence or destiny, but I found a brochure of the newly opened Martial Arts classes nearby. 

Having harboured a lifelong fascination with Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, I took this as my chance to learn some swift moves. I had naively assumed that some rudimentary lessons would make me look cool (knocking down people surely brings on this air!) and also serve as self-defence tool. Being a single-girl in Delhi, I felt self-defence will help me feel safe and be more confident.

I opted to learn Karate and in a few short weeks, my perception of this Japanese form changed completely. I was a little depressed when I learnt that I couldn’t kick people around after few days of training. As a beginner, I was not going to kick any ass for a very long time. But as it turned out, even though I could barely hit a punch bag, I felt like Superwoman anyway.

The second myth that took some time to shatter was that ‘Martial Arts’ is all about self-defence. After a month of intensive training, I discovered that Karate was much more than physical defence. Karate is art which helps you discover yourself and find inner peace. It disciplines our lives and helps us develop a positive attitude. Every time, I entered the arena as a warrior; willing to fight till the end and unwilling to give up easily. Karate helped me channel this philosophy in my daily life and deal with everyday stress. Once we start living life the Martial way, we overcome our fear of failure. It’s all about learning, the more we learn the better we get.

One month was too short to learn even the basics of Karate. So I went on a long journey before kicking ass with Chudan Zuk (middle punch) or Haito uke (reverse knife hand block). But when I did kick ass, it was well worth the wait. If you want to experience the exhilarating power and serene peace, my recommendation would be to learn Karate.

FOR THE LOVE OF ASTRONOMY

Abha Nirula

Astronomy! It may sound a little unusual to talk about the stars in the middle of the day, but ask yourself, don’t you just love gazing at the sky on clear summer nights with the stars twinkling down? Or maybe you often wonder at what makes up the endless expanse of the universe. Or maybe all you want to see is a shooting start that will carry your wish to the heavens. Well, that’s the beauty of astronomy; it has most of us hooked at some level or another.

It seems I am as fascinated with the stars as Van Gogh was! 

I am not an astronomer and I have never studied physics, but that didn’t stop me from learning more about what lies out there. My introduction to astronomy happened when I joined an amateur club in school. The club had around 30-40 members, ready to venture out and explore the universe with sky maps and planispheres. With each session we would unravel some phenomenon or the other, learn the fables behind the constellations and became ever more eager to gain knowledge. I still remember the awe I felt when I saw the Orion Nebula through a telescope for the first time. I even learnt how to hunt asteroids from my backyard!  (Not literally!)

The best part of the programme was the post-session discussion. We would discuss the perils of global catastrophic events or tally how many planets we had spotted or just mention the breathtaking sight of the Milky Way. My list of such experiences is very long. Though I was part of the club very long time ago,  the memories still remain vivid. Even today, I am hooked to Astronomy, and whenever I see a clear sky (which is rare now because of light pollution) I pull out my sky map and try to see how many constellations I remember.

Astronomy has enriched me with knowledge and made me more aware of our surroundings. For those of you who are fascinated with the universe, it’s never late! Stars are better than TV stars any day!

MY CHOCOLATE FACTORY (MINUS CHARLIE)

Anisha Gulati
The Sweet Life

I was very little when I first saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I was not interested in the brats’ adventures, but was utterly fascinated by the Oompa Loompas, those adorable under-appreciated folks who had the best job in the world! I was always jealous of how they were lucky enough to make and eat all the chocolate in the world. While my friends wanted to grow up and become lawyers, doctors and other boring things, I wanted to grow up and become an Oompa Loompa.

After completing school, the first thing I did was to enroll in a chocolate making course, which led me to starting ‘The Sweet Life’. This way, I could pursue my interest and make money! 

When it’s chocolate making time start by playing my favorite music very loudly, oblivious to everyone around me. The sweet essence and luscious brown color make me fall in love with chocolates every single time.

The best part about chocolate making is that I can mould them according to my imagination. Be it Winnie the Pooh for little kids, double hearts for budding lovers, footballs for sports freaks or even a simple square. The colorful wrappers, the love chocolate baskets, the birthday trays, the teddy chairs, each and every material put into chocolate making and wrapping is special and unique.

People say that there comes a time when you get bored of what you are doing. But I disagree. I have been making chocolates for nearly two and a half years and I still love it. After all the hard work, the expression of delight on my customers’ faces is an ecstatic feeling. Those smiles make it all worthwhile and encourage me to delve deeper into the world of chocolates.

GETTING HOMESAFE

Shiven Madan 

Co-Founder, HOMESAFE

Don't ignore the signs!

In today’s environment, ensuring safety and comfort of our family, friends and colleagues is of prime importance. India loses more than 100,000 lives due to traffic accidents every year; the sad part is that the lives of many have become just a statistic. We hear about a road accident almost on a daily basis in India. 

Given that urban planning is apathetic to modes of transport beyond cars, it is not surprising that motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists are the most vulnerable road users. Regulations on speed limits, passenger safety and drunk-driving are ignored, most glaringly by traffic officials responsible for enforcing them. But it isn’t always the treacherous roads or the non-functional street lights that cause accidents, it’s also the DRIVER!

This is why HOMESAFE came up with a Road Safety training programme for individual and company employed chauffeurs. We know that you trust your employee; maybe he’s been like family for years now. But it doesn’t mean that he has the knowledge and training to take on rash and abusive drivers, a common sight in Delhi. The Home Safe programme entails both theoretical and practical implementation of various road safety and defensive driving scenarios. This knowledge reduces driving risks by anticipating situations and enabling chauffeurs to make a safe well-informed decision.

Being a chauffeur doesn’t mean only picking and dropping clients to their venues but catering to them with etiquettes, making their ride stress-free and making driving a better as well as a safe experience. The programme uses a combination of various audio visual aids to increase adoption of the lessons imparted. It focuses on topics like soft skills, safety & first aid training, vehicle handling and language training. Making Delhi hassle free and completely safe is the responsibility of every individual, so drive safe and be safe!

Know more about HOMESAFE and sign up for the Road Training on SkillHippo.