KHaas

toc = Wiki Organization = The York School Personal Project Student Handbook information is written in brown.

**Action items (due dates, forms etc.) are written in red.**

YOUR PROCESS JOURNAL ENTRIES SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN BLACK. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT EACH ENTRY IS PROPERLY DATED.

= Process Journal = = = Maintain a process journal containing all your thoughts, decisions and actions. This document allows you to record your progress as you work on the project. It should be completed honestly and regularly to show how your project is developing. The process journal will also help you as you write the various sections of the report.

* //Adapted from MYP Personal Project Guidelines, Jan 2004// The process journal should be written in each of the following stages of your personal project: Investigate, Design, Plan, Create and Evaluate. **The process journal will be collected along with your written report on the due date for submission: December 11, 2009.** The process journal is your account of the progress you make with the personal project. It is about:

a) What you are doing at that moment. b) What you are thinking c) What you are accomplishing d) How you are coping with each of the different stages of your project e) How well you are dealing with problems and what you are learning about yourself as a result f) What makes you happy, annoyed, angry, nervous, disappointed, proud g) It needs not contain only written material, you can use pictures, photos, sketches, checklists, recordings, anything which provides evidence of your planning and progress

For example:


 * Date || Thoughts/plans/challenges/decisions/accomplishments || Materials/Sources consulted ||

=Guiding Question (Big Idea)=

=I. Investigation=

**Part I: Brainstorming:**

[|Investigate_Brainstorming.pdf]

**Part II: Some questions to consider**

Is there anything that you want to learn more about? That you’ve always wondered about? Are fascinated by? Is there anything that you’ve always wanted to learn to do? What are you interested in finding out about yourself? What challenge would you be willing to take? Have you traveled anywhere that changed your view of life? Where did you go? Have you ever experienced anything that changed your view of life? What was that experience? If you could go anywhere (country, city, building, behind the scenes) where would it be? If you could meet anyone, who would it be? Is there any deceased person that you wish that you had met? Who and why? Is there something in your culture/heritage to investigate, bring attention to, celebrate?

Do you have future aspirations? Describe them. Do you have any hobbies? What are they? Do you play any sports? Which ones? Do you participate in any competitive activities? What are they? Do you play any musical instruments? Which ones? If you don’t play any musical instruments, would you like to play any? Which ones? Have you developed any skills that you could use in your personal project? What are they? What are your major personal accomplishments? Why do you consider them accomplishments? Do you belong to any clubs, community organizations etc. that could be incorporated into your personal project? Which ones?
 * Part III:** **Questions to consider**

**NOW READ ALL THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN AND SEE IF YOU CAN MAKE MORE PROGRESS IN FINDING A SPECIFIC TOPIC FOR YOUR PERSONAL PROJECT. YOU MAY WANT TO DO THIS BY:

1. USING A MIND MAP VIA INSPIRATION OR BY HAND. YOUR MIND MAP** **WILL NEED TO BE SCANNED AND INSERTED INTO YOUR WIKI.**
 * 2. WRITE OUT ANSWERS ON LAPTOP OR BY HAND.**

1. Eliminate (cross out) any repetitive ideas 2. Eliminate any ideas that you really are NOT interested in pursuing 3. Put together any similar ideas 4. How can you relate your ideas to an Area of Interaction? Which one? Or two 5. Consider how relevant the ideas are to real life (are they doable?) 6. Consider the ideas most meaningful to you. Consider what, of yourself, you can bring to your ideas. 7. Can you formulate any questions about your ideas? Take a point of view? 8. Is your idea “researchable, interesting, realistic?


 * BY NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE A MORE DIRECTED TOPIC FOR YOUR PERSONAL PROJECT. DO YOU HAVE ONE? WHAT IS IT?**

1b) Areas of interaction [[image:tyspersonalproject:AoI.png caption="AoI.png"]]
[|Areas of interaction as lenses.doc]

1c) Focusing to a guiding question
**WRITING THE GUIDING QUESTION**

A good guiding question is characterized by the following:

i) that prompts students to ask more questions ii) has multiple answers iii) ensures students learn content and do research iv) promotes deep thinking about an area of interaction v) not easily answered

Examples:


 * **Topic** || **Guiding Question** ||
 * Safety || ‘How can I better design traffic flow around my school?’ ||
 * Poverty || ‘How can I help reduce poverty in my city?’ ||
 * Sport Violence || ‘How can I bring awareness to soccer violence and how can this be reduced?’ ||
 * THROUGH YOUR PERSONAL PROJECT YOU MUST ANSWER THE GUIDING QUESTION YOU CHOOSE ****.**

__ ** MYP PERSONAL PROJECT 2009 PROPOSED TOPIC ** __ ** THIS MUST BE COMPLETED BY Feb 25th ** 1. My topic/area of interest is:

2. Briefly explain what inspired you to choose this topic.

3. Highlight applicable AOI

Environment Health and Social Education Community and Service Human Ingenuity

4. My guiding question is: (be as clear as possible).

5. Briefly explain how the above AOI(s) will be the focus of your project and how your guiding question is connected.

Ask yourself the following questions: 1. What kind of information do I need to research? 2. Who has information about my topic? How do I contact people? 3. Where do I find the necessary material? 4. Do I need to interview individuals? 5. Do I have to carry out my own experiments? 6. Do I need to prepare, circulate and analyze surveys/questionnaires? 7. Do I need to visit a museum? Gallery? Gathering the Necessary Material and Research ** When you have found a source of information and/or inspiration, you will have to decide how useful it is. The list of sources in your report should only include those you have actually used. Write an annotated bibliography for each resource in the section below. Remember to keep your personal project goal in mind. This will help you to select what is useful and relevant.
 * A book, journal, internet site: see **Bibliographic Resource tab** to the left.
 * An interview: record date of interview, name, address, title of person
 * A work of art: record name, artist, location of gallery/museum
 * An experiment: apparatus, circumstances

__1d) COLLECTING RESOURCES__ Fill out this table below as you go... (at least 1 print source, 1 website, 1 interview) //List below:// || || ||
 * **Questions:** || **Y/N** || **Which resource addresses my guiding question, AoI,** ||
 * Have I collected a variety of resources?
 * Are the resources enough to answer my question? || || ||
 * Do the resources support the area of interaction(s) || || ||
 * What changes could I make in my design(planning) and research to attain better results? || || ||

=II. Design=

**STAGE 2 DESIGNING THE PERSONAL PROJECT** After collecting and analyzing resources you are now in a position to make decisions about the best way to carry out your personal project.

Consider a table weighing out the different options you could take evaluating the pros and cons of each design option.

__** CHOOSING and APPLYING TECHNIQUES **__ Decide which design/technique you will use and write an explanation why you chose it.
 * Design/Technique || Pros || Cons ||
 * 1 || || ||
 * 2 || || ||
 * 3 || || ||

What will my ideal Personal Project look like/be when it is completed?

= =

=III. Planning=

**STAGE 3 Planning the Personal Project **

After your research you are ready to plan how you will carry out your Personal Project.


 * Step 1:** Make a chronological list of steps you will take


 * Step 2:** Prepare a list of materials/resources needed and where and how you attain them (consider associated costs, people to consult and scheduling challenges if applicable).


 * Step 3:** Prepare a time line showing what you will do at each step (ie. A calendar or table itemizing action plans/anticipated results).


 * Step 4:** Include back up plans/alternatives should changes need to be made.

Planning and Development Worksheet:
__Due Date:__ April 29

//This is the first step of your project – to plan and to make a goal. Your goals and timelines may change throughout the project somewhat, but it is important to state and explain clearly the reasons for the changes in your process journal.//
 * You must complete this worksheet and share it with your supervisor at the your first meeting. At the end of the meeting both you and your supervisor will sign this sheet.**

Topic:

Focused Guiding Question/goal:

Area of Interaction (AoI): Justify and explain how your chosen personal project fits into the above stated AoI and guiding question. D escribe the process you will carry out to address your personal project guiding question Outline a detailed plan and timeline of what you hope to achieve. (Recognize plans can change, but only if there is a plan). You will want to take into account the deadlines that have already been set by the school (see page 2 of this guide)
 * Plans || Approximate Deadline ||

List __all__ the resources needed to carry out your personal project (this includes print sources, people, organizations, community services).

= = = = = =

= = = = =IV. Creation= **STAGE 4 CREATING the PERSONAL PROJECT** After research, choosing the best technique and planning you are now ready to create your personal project.

Ask yourself the following:

Have I written in my process journal regularly? Have I taken photographs (if applicable) at various steps? Have I attained all the materials that I need?

= =

= =

= = = = = = =V. Evaluation and Reflection= ** Writing the Personal Project Report FIRST DRAFT DUE DATE: November 6th
 * STAGE 5 EVALUATING and REFLECTING
 * **CONTENTS** || Yes or No ||
 * I have a contents page written with sections labeled introduction, description of research, process, analysis of process, conclusion, bibliography, appendices (if applicable). ||  ||
 * **INTRODUCTION** //Written in future tense approximately 1-1.5 pages// ||  ||
 * I have clearly identified my goal within its context (i.e. WHY it is important), and some background on my inspiration towards the chosen project. || ||
 * I have justified my choice of AoI focus. ||  ||
 * I have written a detailed outline of the steps taken to achieve my guiding questions, this includes a variety of resources (at least 1 print, 1 website, 1 interview). ||  ||
 * **DESCRIPTION OF PROCESS** //Written in past tense approximately 1.5-2 pages// ||  ||
 * I have described the possible techniques suitable to answering my guiding question and have justified my choice/technique. ||  ||
 * I have described my process clearly (all production steps/components) referring to my plan in the introduction. ||  ||
 * **ANALYSIS** //Divide into 2 sections research analysis and process analysis// ||  ||
 * I have reflected on the resources collected (design stage) to attain my project goal and the AoI chosen: emphasizing the value of the resources. ||  ||
 * I have considered if the AoI is well connected to the resources. ||  ||
 * I have supported my arguments thoughtfully with evidence. ||  ||
 * I have reviewed my goal: challenges and achievements. ||  ||
 * I have reviewed the process (plan and doing phase): considered the timelines, ease/challenge of 'doing': reliance upon others/experts, materials/equipment. ||  ||
 * Review if your chosen AoI is effective in your project process. ||  ||
 * //*Analysis is not description which is telling. Rather identifying factors that shaped the idea/point. It can be comparing and contrasting. It may also be understanding the significance.// ||  ||
 * **CONCLUSION** ||  ||
 * I have analysed the outcome: the strengths or weaknesses in my final outcome/project? ||  ||
 * I have considered how to improve upon the project. ||  ||
 * I have shared new insights gained about the project. ||  ||
 * **BIBLIOGRAPHY** ||  ||
 * I have completed an annotated bibliography following a format outlined in the Bibliographic Resources tab. ||  ||
 * I have correctly cited borrowed ideas in the text of my report. ||  ||
 * **PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT** ||  ||
 * I have organized my work logically and clearly. ||  ||
 * I have met deadlines and made use of my process journal. ||  ||
 * I have shown enthusiasm and commitment. ||  ||
 * I have correctly cited borrowed ideas in the text of my report. ||  ||
 * **PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT** ||  ||
 * I have organized my work logically and clearly. ||  ||
 * I have met deadlines and made use of my process journal. ||  ||
 * I have shown enthusiasm and commitment. ||  ||
 * I have shown enthusiasm and commitment. ||  ||

WRITING the SECOND DRAFT and SUBSEQUENT DRAFTS

Do not expect your first written version to suffice. Check your project with the ASSESSMENT CRITERIA and YOUR MENTOR.

Have the first draft read by, for example, a peer, a parent, or your mentor and ask for feedback. After consulting with one or all of the above persons you are ready to edit your draft. Remember that this draft should be as complete as possible and follow the structure outlined in section B of this booklet. The more editing the closer your report will likely meet the assessment rubric. FINAL COPY - DUE DECEMBER 12, 2008

The written piece should not exceed 4000 words.

My topic/area of interest is:** My topic is to create art and sell the art to raise money for the Crohn’s and Colitis research at The Hospital for Sick Children.
 * STAGE 1: INVESTIGATE** **

I chose this as my topic because I love art, and I love to do art but it is hard for me to find time when I can do it. By doing this project I will be able to further engage in an activity that I enjoy and will also allow me to improve my skills and techniques. I chose to sell the paintings that I create to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis research because Crohn’s is a disease that not only affects me but also other members in my family. Because of this, by raising money I am contributing to research that will benefit those of today, those in the future, and my family. Because I am affected by this disease I am very engaged in learning more about it so I can understand the effects that it has on the body and how to maintain it so I can lead a normal and healthy life. I have also been willing to participate in studies with both of my parents that will help researchers in The Hospital for Sick Children determine what causes Crohn’s and Colitis and will hopefully help find a cure. Raising money for Crohn’s and Colitis research means that I myself am helping make one step forward in finding a cure for not only myself and my family, but for those whose lives are affected by Crohn’s and Colitis all around the world. Health and Social education and Community and Service.   How can I successfully raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis research through creating art?
 * Briefly explain what inspired you to choose this topic.**
 * Check applicable AOI**
 * My guiding question is: (be as clear as possible).**

Community and Service relates to my project because by raising money for the research I am donating money that The Hospital for Sick Children could use for studies, materials or other necessities needed while researching the disease. By doing this I am also helping the community because if I contribute anyway to the research for Crohn’s and Colitis I am helping the community around me who have it or those whose lives are affected by it. I also chose Health and Social Education because I will be raising awareness about this disease to my school community by selling my paintings. This will enable people to become aware of Crohn’s and Colitis if they were not before and hopefully encourage them to take action and donate money as well.
 * Briefly explain how the above AOI(s) will be the focus of your project and how your guiding question is connected.**


 * Research:

What makes good abstract art?** - Using acrylic is best - Let your brush take control - ‘Spontaneity’ - You can go back and add to your painting and/or fix it - You can plan designs which are abstract in your mind at the time but can later be used for the actual painting itself - Using canvases is usually more expensive but it’s better quality and looks more professional - [] - DeSerres art strore - Convenient because it is close to my home - Cost efficiante o Isn’t over the top expensive o Has good quality products - Good service o There will be people working there who will be able to assist me if/when I need help finding things o Can help by giving me advice for which product is better suited for my needs - Can get all of my materials there o They have a wide selection of materials and products that I can use for the creation of my product - []
 * Where can I get my materials?**

- My dad o He has a lot of experience with pricing items o He is an industrial auctioneer so he knows what the products are valued for and how much they can sell for o He also used to paint and sell some so he knows how to price paintings o He can also give me good business advice on how I can raise a lot of money - My mom o She can help me by giving me the buyers perspective on how much they would want to pay for the particular paintings
 * Who will help me price my finished paintings? **

Make a coffee table books of my photography and sell them || - I love photography - Fun to do - Can do over the summer and anywhere I go - Camera is small and convenient - Can hold hundreds of pictures - Has different color settings - Has different image settings for different times of day || - Could take a while to make the book - Costs a lot of money to make the books - Need to rely on the book making company - The camera could stop working and I could lose my pictures || Creating abstract paintings then selling them || - I love to paint - Is free and expressive - Abstract doesn’t require a lot of detail - Can paint whenever and wherever I want - Easy to document - Fun to do || - Supplies could be expensive - May not produce enough paintings to raise a lot of money - Getting all of the supplies - Getting inspiration for the paintings || Creating T-Shirts for Crohn’s and Colitis then selling them || - People love t-shirts and will buy them - An everyday item - If people wear them then other people will notice when they walk by - Is like a walking ad for the research of Crohn’s and Colitis - Functional - T-shirts are not expensive - It can be adopted by companies and be recognized around the country like ‘Save our Women’ || - The printing of the design on the t-shirts may be expensive - Have to rely on the manufacturer to get the shirts in on time and done well - Would be hard to order the right amount of shirts in the various sizes - Have to make sure that the design is simple so when people pass by they can clearly see what they are looking at || I decided to choose Design 2 because I felt that it would be the design that would be a more hands on activity. Design 3 would have been my second choice but I feel like I would have to rely on manufacturers more than on myself. I would have to order in the shirts, then once I finished making the designs for them I would have to send them away again to get the designs printed on. Also Design 1 involved relying on the manufacturer. I would prefer if I did most of the work on my project so I feel like I have really made a difference and created something effective. Another reason why I chose Design 2 was because I feel like I will be able to express myself better through the art of abstract painting. This is because I can paint whatever I like. If I was doing Design 1 I would have to make sure that my photos are clear so that the viewer can see what is in the picture, also in Design 3 I would have to make sure that the design on the T-shirts was clear so that they could see them. By painting I don’t have to worry about any of that which is what I really liked. After I’m done my personal project I am going to keep all of my painting materials so that I can do it in my free time as painting is a big interest of mine.
 * Design: **
 * **//Design/Technique//** || **//Pros//** || **//Cons//** ||
 * **Design #1:**
 * **Design #2:**
 * **Design #3:**
 * Decide Which design/technique you will use and write an explanation why you chose it. **

At the end of my personal project I will hope to have completed around 10-12 paintings all together, all in a variety of sizes. Once I have finished painting I will be able to start selling them to friends, family and family friends; maybe even strangers. I am going to sell my paintings privately through my mom and dad. I am doing this because I feel like I will get a better result by selling the paintings through direct contact. Also my mom and dad know many people in the work and social life who would like to help towards the research for Crohn’s and Colitis.
 * What will my ideal Personal Project look like/be when it is completed?**


 * Plan **


 * **Plan:** || **Deadline:** ||
 * Get all materials || April 18 ||
 * ** Will be at camp from June 26 - August 19 ** ||
 * Start painting || August 30 ||
 * Let paintings dry/continue painting || August 30-31 ||
 * Continue painting || September 5-6 ||
 * Let paintings dry/continue painting || September 5-6 ||
 * Continue painting || September 12-13 ||
 * Let paintings dry/continue painting || September 12-13 ||
 * Continue painting || September 19-20 ||
 * Let paintings dry/continue painting || September 19-20 ||
 * Continue painting || September 26-27 ||
 * Let paintings dry/continue painting || September 26-27 ||
 * Finish painting || October 1 ||
 * Ask mom and dad if they can help me sell the paintings through their co-workers, friends and family || October 1 ||
 * Consult with Hospital for Sick Children staff on how to deliver donations and information that I need to know about it || October 7 ||
 * Sell all paintings || October 16 ||
 * Deliver donation check || When at hospital next ||

Today I went to DeSerres art store to pick up all of my supplies. I chose to go there because they have the best selection of art supplies, they aren’t expensive and they’re right by my house. Since it’s only roughly a seven minute drive it was convenient to go to and my mom didn’t mind taking me. The person assisting me was very helpful. She told me which ones were the best items to use for my project, what I should get and what I didn’t need. She also helped me find everything in the store. It was really helpful because if I hadn’t had any help I could’ve bought the wrong materials and possibly not even find any. I bought a table easel, two 16x16 canvases, two 12x12 canvases, two 8x8 canvases, 4 acrylic brushes, a 36 basic acrylic paint set, canvas tape and wax paper to put the paint onto. I’m very happy that I was able to buy my materials early on so that whenever I wanted to start my project I was able to.
 * Process Journals: **
 * April 18 2009: **

Today I started painting. In my opinion I think that I worked very well and accomplished a lot. I was able to finish 1 painting. I dedicated a whole Sunday afternoon to make these paintings so I had almost no distractions. It took me a while to set up my working area because I firstly had to figure out where I was going to paint and how I would set it all up so it was functional. I decided on painting in my backyard on our patio table so just in case I did, I wouldn’t get any paint in the house. It was nice out today so it made for great painting conditions. Since it was so nice out it won't take too long for my painting to dry. Today painting was easy for me because the idea just came to me. In the end though, it didn't quite turn out how I thought it would. This made it a bit frustrating but i just decided to leave it as it is.
 * August 30 2009: **

Today I was able to complete one painting and start another. I feel that I was very efficient today because I woke up early in the morning so that I could finish as much as possible. I started by doing a large canvas. I put lines of special canvas tape all of the canvas so that it would create lines. This made for a really good effect. in each shape that was made from the tape I painted a different color. I found this particular painting really fun to make. I let the paint dry for about 30 minutes before I took the tape off. I made sure that I went slow for this process because I didn't want to rip off any paint or damage the painting. Taking off the tape was surprisingly really hard to do. It took me about 15 minutes. Because I made lines of tape all over the canvas all of them were overlapping each other. I had to start taking off one piece to figure out which other pieces needed to be taken off so that that one could come off and it was really frustrating. Though once I finished, I was really happy with the final product. I then lay the painting out in the sun so that it could fully dry. Today I was also able to start another painting. It was also on a large canvas. I mixed a dark green and a bunch of white onto the wax paint paper which I made the background color for the painting. It was fairly easy because all I had to do was paint the background. I lay that with the other painting in the sun as well so that it could dry for tomorrow.
 * September 5 2009: **

Today I was able to finish the painting that I started yesterday. Last night I drew a sketch of what I wanted the painting to look like so painting today was pretty easy. I set up my work station outside again and made sure that the painting was fully dry; which it was. I then took a pencil and outlined my sketch onto the canvas. It was hard to do that because the pencil didn’t really show up that well on the canvas so I had to press down hard, but I had to make sure that I didn’t make any mistakes because if I did then it would show. Once I finished doing that I started painting the edges of the objects with black with one of the finer/smaller paintbrushes. It was very tedious and it really hurt my back but it was worth it. I also had to trace the lines very carefully. This wasn’t necessarily my favorite part but it was something that had to be done so I did it. I finished painting in all of the sketches and lay the painting out in the sun to dry. The next time I paint I will go over all of the big areas that I did in black to make the black more pronounced. The coat that I did today wasn’t very strong and it had stroke marks in it and you could faintly make out the background.
 * September 6 2009: **

Today I finished the painting that I did last time. I was working at my dads this weekend so I had to make a new routine and new workspace. I usually wake up later and have a slower routine when I’m at my dads but I made sure that I woke up early and worked efficiently today. It took me about 30 minutes to finish the painting by going over all of the black. It was kind of boring because all I had to do was repaint the black areas so it wasn’t anything new. Luckily I finished that and laid it out to dry so that I could start on another painting. I used one of the medium size paintings this time. I created a light blue colored paint by mixing dark blue and some white and used that as a background. I lathered on the paint so that it would make a nice solid background. It was hard to work in the weather conditions because it was so hot that the paint that I was using was starting to harden. It was hard because I had to keep mixing the paint and adding water in it so that it would stay soft enough to paint with. It took me about 20 minutes to paint the background because I had to make sure that the paint was even and that you couldn't see my brush strokes. I then lay it out to dry with the other painting. I went inside and had something to eat and by an hour later both of the paintings were dry. I brought both inside because I had to go run some errands with my dad. I also cleaned up my workspace so that I can continue painting tomorrow.
 * September 12 2009: **

Today I finished the painting that I started yesterday. Like the first painting that I did, this one didn't quite turn out the way that I thought it would. I imagined having a sun in the middle of the canvas with rays coming out of it, but when i finished it on the canvas it looked very plain and almost childish. For now I am just going to leave it until I come up with an idea on how i can improve/fix it. Today was a short day because I slept in and had to go for an early dinner with the family.
 * September 13 2009: **

Today I was able to start my favorite painting. I am making a triptik painting with three 8x8 canvases. I'm making the background a light rose pink that I am not only going to paint on the front with, but also on the sides. I have to paint all of the sides of the canvases because if they are being hung up on a wall most likely without a frame then you will be able to see the sides so it will be good if they are painted. I had a sketch of what I wanted to do with this painting that I made at camp. I think that it's a really neat and unique idea. I found it really hard to mix the exact same color for all of the canvases. Because I was making three canvases I had to mix the pink color so that I had enough to fill each canvas. It was hard to do but I seemed to get the right color for all of them. Luckily the weather was nice this weekend again so I was able to lay the canvases out on the porch so that they would dry by the afternoon so I could start sketching the design onto them. An hour and a half later I went to check on the paintings to see how much they dried and they were fully dry! I started right away on sketching the design because I knew that this particular painting will take a while to make. I took my sketch that I made at camp and followed it very carefully onto the canvases. I had to press hard just like on the other painting so that the pencil would show through against the paint. The whole drawing process took me about an hour and a bit, but that was all that I could do today because it started getting dark outside.
 * September 19 2009: **

Today I was able to continue with the triptik painting. Today I had to make sure that I was fully focused because this painting requires a lot of detail so I couldn't afford to mess up; especially since it was black on pink and the mistakes would show up. I did each canvas at a time so I was focused on what i was doing. I started out by outlining each thing in black with the smallest/finest paintbrush that i had. I worked with a very steady hand so that I didn't mess up on anything. Once I finished outlining I took the next size up paintbrush and filled in the bigger parts in black, the smaller spaces which needed to be filled I just did with the smaller brush. I found that method a lot easier. Then once I finished one cavas I laid it out in the sun to dry and moved on to the other ones. Once I finished all three I let them lay in the sun for a little while more. The whole outlining and painting part took at least 2 and a half hours; it also took them a good hour and a half to dry as well. Once they were fully dry it was time that I should pack up for the day because it was starting to get dark and dinner was in a few minutes. So I packed everything up and I will continue with the second coat of black next weekend.
 * September 20 2009: **

** October 7 2009: ** Today I went to Sick Kids for a check-up and when I was there I asked one of the nurses there who I could ask for information about donating to the research that they are doing. She gave me the name of one of the heads of the foundation and her phone number so that I could call her to ask how to make a donation and when people buy my paintings how they should pay; whether they make a check out to the research or to the hospital and how I could it all in. The nurse was very helpful because she said that she would call me the next day to give me all of this information which she did. It was good because I didn’t have to wait a long time to get the information that I needed so I could start selling my paintings soon. Today I fixed up one of the two paintings that I didn’t like. I drew out a design on a piece of paper of what I wanted to do and it was like a vine floral design. Then once I figured out the design that I wanted I drew it onto the painting in pencil first then went over it with sharpie. I used sharpie instead of paint because it would’ve taken a long time to do it in paint and it was just easier to do it with sharpie. It turned out very well and I am happy with the end result.
 * October 12 2009:**

=Resources and Bibliography=