Cooking & Lifestyle Blog

Our new book How to Draw Manga: Made Easy is landing later this month, so before the release we wanted to make sur everyone actually knows what Manga is. Whilst the book is mainly focussed on helping readers develop or improve their manga art skills, there is also some insightful information on the art form for relative newcomers to the genre.

To enjoy a bird you do not need to know its name, but for most bird watchers, putting a name to what they are looking at is very important. Honing this skill isn't as easy as it might seem at first glance; to work out what the bird is you must find out more about it. Bird identification is about detective work. Collect as many clues as possible and come to a conclusion – an identification that is ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.

The fresh scent of Spring is in the air, the birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, and it is time to start that container garden! We've talked about choosing the proper container and picking the right compost and today it's time to discuss arranging your pots and choosing the right colour scheme.

As the days grow longer and the sun warms the air, it is a welcome sign that spring is here! What better way to spend your extra time than outside in your garden? Today, with the help of some expert advice from our fantastic book Grow Your Own Vegetables, we look at the merits of growing your own vegetables.

Digital art is becoming more and more popular. Fantastical worlds and realistic images are now being created through photoshop and other digital programs. As with any form of art, it is important to get the lighting just right. To do this, you must get a solid background on lighting and the physics behind it. Today we will look at different types of lighting made easy to help you perfect your art!

Finale is an amazing piece of software for anyone looking to write their own music, be it a pop song or classical score. However, complex pieces of kit such as this can be a little hard to get to grips with, especially for those eager to get stuck in and note their music. Our upcoming book Finale Music App: Everyday Guides Made Easy makes it simple for musicians at any level to use the software at a basic level, all the way up to advanced techniques.

Spring is fast approaching and it's time to start thinking about your garden. As the days grow longer and the air warms, plants are beginning to grow. A good garden can brighten up your space and add a splash of colour to your day. Container gardening is a delightful way to experiment with many different types of plants and, since containers can be moveable, you can even bring your home to life! We've already talked about the different kinds of containers you can use, and it is the first step in creating your own container garden. Read our previous blog post here. Today we discuss the next important step in container gardening: potting compost.

Spring is in the air and beekeepers everywhere are beginning preparations for the start of the active season. Bees have been dormant throughout winter and beekeepers have been able to sit back and relax a bit. Beekeeping is an important and engaging hobby, and with a little time and research, you can do it too!

Spring is almost here!

In today's blog we continue to look at how to make the most out of your Samsug Androind Phone. If you missed part 1, just click here. One of the most useful features you can find on smartphones and tablets is the ability to use GPS satellite signals – much like the sat navs you use in a car – to help you find your way around. However, using this service can sometimes be a little unituitive. So let us walk you around the Google Maps app, our expert advice courtesy of our new book Samsung Android Basics, which is available here.