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The surprising reason commercial planes are painted white

Up until the middle of the last century, airplanes would fly through the sky unpainted as shiny silver tubes. But now, we are so used to seeing plane bodies being painted white, with the exception of the airline’s logo and a splash of colour on the plane’s tail. But this drastic look isn’t just about style and uniformity, as there is a simple reason why plane bodies are left plain. First of all, white paint jobs will show wear and tear a lot quicker on huge commercial planes and while this might not be ideal for a car or house, it's perfect for planes. From takeoff to landing, a plane goes through a lot. While the aircrafts are always deemed safe for flying, it'll likely suffer minor cosmetic damages as it hurtles through the sky at 900 kilometres per hour. Due to the frequent minor chips and scratches a plane has inflicted, using the white paint helps engineers and maintenance teams to spot any of these issues with ease. Another reason that white is uniform in the skies is because white paint is going to fade at a much slower rate than a darker shade. As planes fly above the clouds, they're exposed to a lot of UV rays which speeds up the process of the paint fading. Lastly, it's been found that birds can spot planes against the sky easier when they're painted all-white, as sometimes in rare occasions, birds can pose a safety risk. It wasn’t until 50 years ago that airlines started painting their planes, with Air France being credited for starting the movement in the 1970s. "Since Air France introduced the first 'Euro-white' livery in 1976, the all-white fuselage look has become increasingly standard for the world's airlines," aviation historian Shea Oakley told Travel + Leisure. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

“I paint the world as I see it": Artist responds to Gina Rinehart's demand

Acclaimed Aboriginal artist Vincent Namatjira has found himself at the centre of controversy following criticism from mining magnate Gina Rinehart over his portrait of her displayed at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. Rinehart reportedly <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/gina-rinehart-demands-for-national-gallery-to-remove-her-portrait" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded the removal of the painting</a>, which she deemed unflattering, sparking a debate on artistic expression and the portrayal of power in contemporary art. Namatjira's artistic style is characterised by caricatures that border on the cartoonish, portraying influential figures such as Queen Elizabeth II, AFL player Adam Goodes and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. His work challenges viewers to question the societal constructs surrounding power and influence, inviting them to delve deeper into the underlying messages within his art. In response to the removal request from Rinehart, Namatjira released a statement saying: “I paint the world as I see it. People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’" "I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.” Through his art, Namatjira confronts the complexities of privilege, wealth and authority, presenting a perspective that may not always align with mainstream perceptions. Despite objections raised by some, the National Gallery of Australia has stood by its decision to retain the painting, reaffirming its commitment to fostering dialogue and engagement with art in all its forms. Reports of complaints, including accusations linking the portrayal to political agendas, underscore the broader societal divisions that art can sometimes expose. However, the NGA's refusal to yield to external pressure reaffirms the institution's role as a custodian of artistic expression, providing a platform for diverse voices to be heard and interpreted. Namatjira's exhibition, "Australia in Colour", serves as a testament to the power of art to provoke, challenge and inspire. Through his unique lens, he invites audiences to reconsider notions of power and influence, urging them to look beyond the surface and engage with the deeper narratives embedded within his work. In a world where influence is often wielded unequally, his paintings serve as a catalyst for reflection, inviting viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and embrace the diversity of perspectives that define our collective experience. Images: Getty \ X (Twitter) \ National Gallery of Australia

Art

Painting by four-legged Van Gogh sells for five figures

A very good boy named Van Gogh has raised a hefty sum of money for a good cause. The one-eared four-legged artist has used his extraordinary talents to create his own rendition of his namesake’s masterpiece Starry Night. At an online benefit auction for the <a href="https://www.happilyfureverafter.org/">Happily Furever After Rescue</a> in Connecticut, USA, pet food company Pedigree paid $10,000 for the artwork. The rescue home was the one that found Van Gogh his new forever home, after sharing his artistic talents online. All the proceeds of Van Gogh the dog’s auction will benefit the rescue efforts of Happily Furever After, which specialises in rehoming dogs like pit bulls, who can sometimes have a hard time finding homes. The paintings in the current auction, titled “Van Gogh Reimagined,” are all based on compositions by the original Van Gogh. However, unlike a painting by the Dutch master, the dog’s art starts the bidding at just $25 a piece. “Having Van Gogh create some of history’s most famous paintings felt like big shoes to fill,” founder Jaclyn Gartner told <a href="https://news.artnet.com/market/van-gogh-rescue-dog-charity-auction-2264707">Artnet News</a>. “There was a lot more attention to detail this time around to make sure to incorporate all the colours and try to recreate the pieces as closely as possible.” Since finding his new home, Van Gogh has created more than 150 new works of art. To make each masterpiece, a person applies blobs of colours of paint to a canvas placed inside a plastic bag. The talented dog then completes the artwork by licking off a coating of peanut butter or other dog-friendly treats from the outside of the bag, making the artwork inside. “The most exciting part about Van Gogh painting is never really knowing what it’s going to come out to look like as it depends on how his tongue slides across the peanut butter coated bag,” Gartner said. “Since we did the art gallery in October, Van Gogh has explored more tasty toppings,” she added. “We have begun incorporating other things like ground up liverwurst, pumpkin puree, and goat whip. Painting has become an even more delicious hobby for Van Gogh!“ Image credits: Happily Furever After Rescue

Art

COVID nasal sprays may one day prevent and treat infection

We have vaccines to boost our immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. We have medicines you can take at home (and in hospital) to treat COVID. Now researchers are trialling something new. They want to develop drugs that stop the virus getting into the body in the first place. That includes nasal sprays that stop the virus attaching to cells in the nose. Other researchers are looking at the potential for nasal sprays to stop the virus replicating in the nose, or to make the nose a hostile place to enter the body. Here’s where the science is up to and what we can expect next. <h2>How could we block the virus?</h2> “Viral blockade”, as the name suggests, is a simple premise based on blocking SARS-CoV-2. In other words, if something gets in its way, the virus cannot attach to a cell and it can’t infect you. As SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus, it makes sense to deliver this type of medicine where the virus mainly enters the body – via the nose, in a nasal spray. There are various groups around the world working on this concept. Some research is still being conducted in the lab. Some agents have progressed to preliminary human trials. None are yet available for widespread use. Heparin Heparin is a common medicine that’s been used for decades to thin the blood. Studies in mice show that when heparin is delivered via the nose, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11095-022-03191-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it’s safe</a> and <a href="https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/JVI.01987-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">effective</a> in preventing the virus binding to nose cells. Researchers believe heparin binds to the virus itself and stops the virus attaching to the cells it’s trying to infect. A <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05204550" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clinical trial</a> is being <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/covid-nasal-spray-treatment-clinical-trials-begin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conducted in Victoria</a> in collaboration between multiple Melbourne-based research centres and the University of Oxford. Covixyl-V Covixyl-V (ethyl lauroyl arginine hydrochloride) is another nasal spray <a href="https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-911449/v1/0577f1f1-56f8-476f-97f6-d27d332ea9ca.pdf?c=1643375660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">under development</a>. It aims to prevent COVID by blocking or modifying the cell surface to prevent the virus from infecting. This compound has been explored for use in various viral infections, and <a href="https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-911449/v1/0577f1f1-56f8-476f-97f6-d27d332ea9ca.pdf?c=1643375660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">early studies</a> in cells and small animals has shown it can prevent attachment of SARS-CoV-2 and reduce the overall viral load. Iota-carrageenan This molecule, which is extracted from seaweed, acts by blocking virus entry into <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fviro.2021.746824/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">airway cells</a>. One study of about 400 health-care workers suggests a nasal spray may reduce the incidence of COVID <a href="https://www.dovepress.com/efficacy-of-a-nasal-spray-containing-iota-carrageenan-in-the-postexpos-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJGM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by up to 80%</a>. IGM-6268 This is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03673-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an engineered antibody</a> that binds to SARS-CoV-2, <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210603171306.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blocking</a> the virus from attaching to cells in the nose. A nasal and oral (mouth) spray are in a clinical trial <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05184218?term=IGM-6268&draw=2&rank=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to assess safety</a>. Cold atmospheric plasma This is a gas that contains charged particles. At cold temperatures, it can <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0165322" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alter the surface</a> of a cell. A <a href="https://www.thno.org/v12p2811.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lab-based study</a> shows the gas changes expression of receptors on the skin that would normally allow the virus to attach. This results in less SARS-CoV-2 attachment and infection. Scientists now think this technology could be adapted to a nasal spray to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. <h2>How could we stop the virus replicating?</h2> Another tactic is to develop nasal sprays that stop the virus replicating in the nose. Researchers are designing genetic fragments that bind to the viral RNA. These fragments – known as “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32216-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">locked nucleic acid antisense oligonucleotides</a>” (or LNA ASOs for short) – put a proverbial spanner in the works and stop the virus from replicating. A spray of these genetic fragments delivered into the nose <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32216-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduced virus replication in the nose</a> and prevented disease in small animals. <h2>How could we change the nose?</h2> A third strategy is to change the nose environment to make it less hospitable for the virus. That could be by using a nasal spray to change moisture levels (with saline), alter the pH (making the nose more acidic or alkaline), or adding a virus-killing agent (iodine). Saline can reduce the amount of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2768627" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SARS-CoV-2 in the nose</a> by simply washing away the virus. One study has even found that saline nasal irrigation <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01455613221123737" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can lessen COVID disease</a> severity. But we would need further research into saline sprays. An Australian-led study has found that an iodine-based nasal spray <a href="https://www.theajo.com/article/view/4466/html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduced the viral load</a> in the nose. Further <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/news/Article/2022/February/Study-finds-nasal-spray-could-aid-battle-against-COVID" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clinical trials</a> are planned. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1386653222001809#!" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One study</a> used a test spray – containing ingredients including eucalyptus and clove oils, potassium chloride and glycerol. The aim was to kill the virus and change the acidity of the nose to prevent the virus attaching. This novel formulation has been tested in the lab and in a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1386653222001809#!" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clinical trial</a> showing it to be safe and to reduce infection rate from about 34% to 13% when compared to placebo controls. <h2>Barriers ahead</h2> Despite promising data so far on nasal sprays for COVID, one of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-03341-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">major barriers</a> is keeping the sprays in the nose. To overcome this, most sprays need multiple applications a day, sometimes every few hours. So based on what we know so far, nasal sprays will not singlehandedly beat COVID. But if they are shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials, and receive regulatory approval, they might be another tool to help prevent it. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-nasal-sprays-may-one-day-prevent-and-treat-infection-heres-where-the-science-is-up-to-193840" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Queen Elizabeth II mural painted over

A mural of Queen Elizabeth II has been painted over with the Aboriginal Flag a few days after the monarch was laid to rest. Queen Elizabeth died on September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and was buried on September 19 at King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel. The day of her death saw local Sydney artist Stuart Sale paint the mural in the inner-west suburb of Marrickville. Bobby, another local member of the community, told OverSixty that Mr Sale had painted the mural at night, and had then come back the next morning to touch it up. “There was quite a crowd around him as he finalised the mural,” he said. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiZohGyPHkA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiZohGyPHkA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Stuart Sale (@stuartsale)</a> </div> </blockquote> The mural was left untouched for almost two weeks until Australia’s National Day of Mourning when it was painted over with the Aboriginal Flag. “It’s a very sensitive issue,” Bobby told OverSixty. Mr Sale shared an update to his Instagram of the altered mural with the caption, “Art can be so powerful”, along with three hearts in the Aboriginal Flag colours. He explained that the mural belonged to the people and that he did not have any plans on fixing it. “It belongs to the people in a way and that’s why I’m torn. I’ve painted this and given it to the street. I might let it stay for now.” Images: Sahar Mourad

Art

Russian guard sentenced after doodling eyes on exhibit painting

A Russian security guard has been found guilty of vandalism after doodling eyes on an abstract painting by avant-garde artist Anna Leporskaya last December. According to the <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/08/29/russian-museum-guard-yeltsin-centre-doodles-sentenced">Art Newspaper</a>, he must serve 180 hours of “compulsory labour” and undergo “psychiatric evaluation”. The painting, titled Three Figures (1932–34), was on loan to the Yeltsin Centre from Moscow’s State Tretyakov Gallery and valued at 75 million rubles (US$1.2 million). News of the vandalism broke when visitors alerted gallery staff of two crude eyes drawn on the painting’s faceless figures in a ballpoint pen. A police investigation revealed the culprit was 64-year-old Aleksandr Vasiliev, a security guard employed by a private company who was on his first day on the job. After the damage was deemed “insignificant”, it was restored and has since been returned to the Tretyakov Gallery. Vasiliev’s lawyer, Aleskei Bushmakov, shared a letter on his Facebook page that he sent to Zelfira Tregulova, the general director of the Tretyakov Gallery. He wrote that “taking into account the circumstances of the criminal case, the damage inflicted to the painting Three Figures” and “the high level of public attention in connection with the incident,” the museum considered closing the case “via reconciliation” but ultimately decided that it “does not regard it as possible to take such an appeal to the magistrate.” In an interview with Russian news site E1, Vasiliev said he believed the 20th-century work by Leporskaya was a “children’s drawing” and claimed he was goaded by teenagers to deface it. “I’m a fool, what have I done,” he said. Image credits: State Tretyakov Gallery / The Art Newspaper Russia

Art

Male artists dominate galleries. Our research explored if it’s because ‘women don’t paint very well’ – or just discrimination

In the art world, there is a gaping gender imbalance when it comes to male and female artists. In the National Gallery of Australia, <a href="https://nga.gov.au/knowmyname/about/">only 25%</a> of the Australian art collection is work by women. This is far better than the international standard where <a href="https://nmwa.org/support/advocacy/get-facts/">roughly 90%</a> of all artworks exhibited in major collections are by men. The <a href="https://www.artsy.net/artwork/georgia-okeeffe-jimson-weed-slash-white-flower-no-1">most expensive</a> painting by a female artist – Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 – does not even rank among the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_expensive_paintings#List_of_highest_prices_paid">100 most expensive paintings</a> ever sold. Why is women’s art valued so much less than art by men? Some economists <a href="https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2005/02/why_do_women_su.html">have suggested</a> the greater burden of child rearing and other domestic duties means women have had fewer opportunities to succeed in the art world. Others have blamed the “<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/report-names-laggers-as-women-artists-win-parity-20191029-p534vy.html">quality</a>” of women’s art. In 2013, German painter <a href="https://observer.com/2013/01/georg-baselitz-says-women-dont-paint-very-well/">Georg Baselitz said</a> “Women don’t paint very well. It’s a fact. The market doesn’t lie.” We wanted to know: is work by women generally valued differently to work by men because it is of a lower artistic quality, or is it just discrimination? <h2>Which painting do you like better?</h2> In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268122002669?dgcid=author">our new research</a> we showed average Americans pairs of paintings, painted between 1625 and 1979, side by side. Each of the pairs are similar in style, motif and period, but one work was by a male artist and the other by a female artist. Participants were in two groups. One group saw the artists’ names and the other didn’t. We wanted to see whether more people among those who saw artist names preferred the male painting. If seeing the names – and thereby inferring artist gender – causes more people to prefer male paintings, then there is gender discrimination. Before we tell you the results, think about what you would have expected. And <a href="https://rmit.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e4JBs0wxKeftYF0">take a look</a> at our actual painting pairs and see if you can guess which is the male one (hint: you can’t). We were pleasantly surprised to find our participants did not give a hoot about artist gender. In both groups, 54% preferred the painting from a woman. We repeated this experiment, this time rewarding participants if they could accurately guess the preferences of others – the people in the first experiment. Again, 54% of the people in each group picked the female paintings. <h2>Which painting do you think is worth more?</h2> Next we wanted to find out if people picked male paintings for reasons other than personal taste. Art isn’t just bought and sold on aesthetic value: it is a speculative market, where art is treated as an investment. We conducted two more experiments. In one, participants were rewarded if they picked the more expensive painting. In the other, they were rewarded to pick the one painted by the more famous artist. Gender discrimination emerged in both these experiments. When asked to predict the value of and creator fame of paintings, people suddenly swung towards picking male artists. Preference for female paintings fell by 10% and 9% in these two new experiments. Gender discrimination in art comes not from personal aesthetic preference – Baselitz’ argument that women “don’t paint very well” – but people thinking paintings are more valuable and famous when painted by male artists. <h2>A question of fame</h2> In our fifth experiment, we again rewarded participants who could correctly guess which painting would be preferred by others. This time everyone saw the names of the artists. But only one group was told which of the two artists was objectively more famous – the male artist in 90% of cases. The group with that information was 14% more likely to pick male paintings. People used fame information to predict the painting others liked better. If women artists were discriminated against just because of their gender we would have seen a higher premium put on the male artists even in questions of aesthetics. Here, discrimination only occured when our participants were asked to assign a monetary value to the art works, or when they were given information about the level of fame of the painter. This means our art appreciators discriminated not on gender, but on something closely associated with gender: fame. And because male artists have, historically, been given <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1574067606010234">more opportunities</a> to become artists – and therefore become famous – artwork by men is perceived as having a higher value. Policy is slowly starting to recognise and target institutional factors that perpetuate male dominance because of historical notions of fame, like the National Gallery of Australia’s <a href="https://knowmyname.nga.gov.au/">Know my Name</a> initiative. Discrimination in the arts exists, but it often comes from people’s beliefs about what others care to discriminate about. The task ahead is to change perceptions of people and institutions who do not discriminate – but merely conform to others’ discrimination. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/male-artists-dominate-galleries-our-research-explored-if-its-because-women-dont-paint-very-well-or-just-discrimination-189221" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Art

How to choose colours at home

Haven’t we all agonised over how to choose colour, especially when it comes to our homes? Feeling blue? In rage with red? Both psychologists and theorists have long explored the relationship between colour and mood. Certain colours trigger particular feelings and memories. And while choosing what colour top to wear is one thing, when it comes to our homes, we often second-guess our every step. Should we go for greys everywhere? Incorporate our favourite baby blue? Or shun punchy colours for tried-and-true neutrals? Whatever your decorative inclination, colour can inspire a look and feel that suits both the dimensions of your home and your tastes. Colour allows you to create a welcoming and engaging environment that’s an extension of your personal style. Don’t be afraid of it, but remember to establish your colour scheme before you start. <ul> <li>Start from the top down. In terms of a single point of colour reference, your roof and or ceiling are usually the largest and most obvious feature. The general rule to stick by is look up to lead your choices on the ground.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Be yourself! Unless you're looking to make a bold statement with a stand-out feature, harmony should be the key when looking to introduce colour into any room in the home. You want to choose colours that blend and harmonise with both your built and natural environments.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Observe your environment. Be sure to take into consideration what happens with the light at your house as different times of the day. For example, if you were thinking of trying a dark colour palette of navys and greys, you’ll want to consider how much natural light your home gets. If it doesn’t get much, this colour scheme might be a bit dark for your interiors.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Mood manager. Think about what type of ambience you want to create in your home. Warmer colours can create the feeling of nearness, while cooler colours make things appear further away. It is a good idea to keep this in mind in case you want to highlight particular building features.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Less is more. Too much of a good thing usually takes the good out of something. When it comes to complex designs, bright colours may cause sensory overload. Softer colours and complementary accents can help create a more classic look and style.</li> </ul> Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Update your home interior with these stylish tips

If your home needs a revamp, it’s reasonable to think a major change is needed to see any difference - but you might be surprised to find that even the smallest of changes can add some new life into your home’s interiors. Andrea Lucena-Orr, Dulux’s Colour and Communications Manager, says making your home reflect your unique style that just a couple cans of paint could be all you need. “People often underestimate the power of paint as a cost-effective and impactful way to jazz up your space,” she says. “Additionally, colour can be introduced in a number of ways to help tailor and refresh interiors, all whilst keeping the structure and integrity of the home intact!” Paint can be a particularly helpful tool in revitalising your space if you’re renting and can’t knock down walls to your heart’s content, or if you’re looking for change that won’t cost an arm and a leg. To prove just how effective painting can be at revitalising your space, Dulux Trend Forecaster and Stylist, Bree Leech, took to her own rental home with a paintbrush or two. “Our dining room had a feature that didn’t work for us and I’d wanted to fix it for some time!” Bree explains. “It was a neutral space that had a cut-out in the wall so you could look through the adjoining room. The cut-out feature was serving no real purpose and the dining area just felt a bit flat.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/home-interiors1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Before and after Bree Leech revamped her dining room with a lick of paint and some simple changes. She solved this problem with fluted wall panels that covered the cut-out feature, which she then painted with bright colours that were fun, joyful, and reflected her personal style. Those wanting to achieve something similar won’t have to work it all out on their own either, thanks to these tips from Bree herself. Colour isn’t just for walls Bree says: “Painting dining chairs or a table is also a great way to achieve this look whilst renting. Add artwork that references your colour scheme to bring it all together.” But, Bree adds that having an overall mood or style is critical for selecting colours. “When selecting colours, always have an overall mood or style in mind and select colours that help bring this idea to life. It’s helpful to have a visual you can refer to like a mood board, materials board or a Pinterest board,” she explains. “This helps keep your colour scheme cohesive and gives you a reference point to work out your proportions as this can dramatically change the mood of the space.” Small changes work just as well as going bold “When it comes to scheming, going bold with colour can really pay off but equally, small changes can make a big difference,” Bree says. “If you want to introduce smaller pops of colour, choose furniture items or highlight small areas of a wall, door or even your ceiling.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/home-interiors2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Work with what you have If you’re renting or following a strict budget, you may need to work with the existing fittings and features - but that doesn’t mean you’ll need to compromise on your style. “Working with existing fittings and fixtures can often mean a clash in colourways,” Bree adds. “While you may not be able to pull up the carpet or replace the kitchen benchtop, you can always add rugs for a tonal effect to get you closer to your desired palette. Dulux also offers a wet room coatings range (Renovation Range) which allows you to paint over existing benchtops, cabinetry and tiles for a bespoke, premium look.” Test your colours with this simple trick Since the colours you see in-store might look different in your home (or even at different parts of the day), it’s worth testing how the colour will look before you decide using this hack from Bree. “Paint a cardboard slip or piece of paper and leave the painted swatch up on the walls for a few days,” she says. “Move it around the room at different times of the day to ensure you love the colours(s) under different lighting conditions – both natural and artificial.” Images: Dulux Colour Forecast 2022 - Wonder Palette, Bree Leech (Dulux Colour Forecaster & Stylist), Mike Baker (Photography), Wall Panel: Colour -DULUX Harmonious, Product - DULUX Wash&Wear, Supplied by Surround by Laminex; Chairs: Colour - DULUX Plunder, Product - DULUX Aquanamel; Rug supplied by Halcyon Lake (Supplied)

Home Hints & Tips

101-year-old reunited with painting looted by Nazis

A Nazi-looted painting has been returned to its owner after being lost for 75 years. 101-year-old Dutch woman Charlotte Bischoff van Heemskerck was reunited with the 1638 portrait of the Dutch merchant Steven Wolters, which was stolen by the Nazis during the occupation of The Netherlands in World War II. The painting had once hung in Charlotte’s childhood bedroom and was a much-loved possession of her father, who went into hiding after refusing to accept Nazi orders. Charlotte’s father had stored the painting in the Amsterdam Bank to protect it, where it was later stolen, along with countless other works, by Nazi invaders. The portrait was then lost for decades before being acquired by a private collector in Germany in 1971, where negotiations with the collector led to the painting being returned to Bischoff van Heemskerck in 2021. Recalling the moment that she saw it again, she told the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/12/i-am-amazed-101-year-old-dutch-woman-reunited-with-painting-looted-by-nazis?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other&fbclid=IwAR1Xn3-h5Nt_HwsEJ3yE8S-HXjc1A0iw5paSLZEQ2JUEp3h1P7pMSWi3JC4">Guardian</a>, “I was amazed.” Charlotte’s father died in 1969, but she said he would have been “so happy that it came back”. After treasuring the painting in her possession for six months, the family have decided to sell the portrait at Sotheby’s auction house in London, where it is expected to sell for between $50,000 and $90,000. She said: “I had five brothers and sisters. There are 20 offspring and they are very sweet, so I never had the feeling that it was mine. It’s from the family.” Image credits: Getty Images

Art

Witness accused of painting Chris Dawson in “most monstrous” way possible

A witness has claimed that Chris Dawson allegedly pushed his wife Lynette against a trampoline and screamed at her before she disappeared. Lynette Dawson disappeared from the family home in Bayview in Sydney’s northern beaches, leaving behind her two children in January 1982. The 33-year-old has not been heard from since then and her remains have not yet been found. Dawson, a former professional rugby league player and teacher is accused of killing his wife Lynette. He appeared in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday where he claimed he was in fact the victim of improper police investigations following the disappearance of his wife. In the judge-alone trial, witness and former neighbour Julie Andrew alleged that Dawson was “shaking” his wife moments leading up to her death. "He was screaming at her and she was crying. He was towering over her … he was roaring at her,” she said in court, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-16/witness-tells-court-she-saw-chris-dawson-screaming-at-lynette/101069734" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> reported. A few hours after the alleged incident, Julie went to check in on Lynette who informed her that Dawson was going to make room for the babysitter to move in because he was infatuated with her. Julie told the court that she tried to explain to Lynette that it was her house and she should not allow that to happen. She also recalled the moment Lynette revealed that she came home from work one day to find Dawson and the babysitter in bed together. "She said, 'I'm sure she just wasn't feeling well and he was looking after her'," Julie said. She noted that that was the last time she saw Lynette and would try calling the home phone to which no one responded. Julie only spotted Dawson, the babysitter, and the two children in the house - claiming she was too scared to go to the house and check on the situation. Defence barrister Pauline David accused Julie of painting Dawson in the "most monstrous" way possible. Julie denied the accusation saying she was there to tell the truth and said she didn’t go to the house after noticing bruises on Lynette’s arm, ABC reported. Dawson continues to claim his innocence after being arrested for the murder of Lynette. The trial continues. Image: Nine News

Legal

Banksy the dog recreates paintings of his namesake

A rescue dog named after the elusive street artist Banksy has recreated his famous works to raise $1,000 for charity. Seven works were created by Banksy the dog, who uses his nose and paws to recreate the iconic pieces. The money raised is going to the Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, which Banksy has called home since August 2021. Spokeswoman Gina Jones said, "We're absolutely thrilled. The money will make a big difference to the lives of vulnerable animals in our care."As well as helping to raise money for the rescue centre, Banksy’s art has been part of an appeal to find his forever home.The seven artworks were auctioned off on the centre’s Facebook page, with the dog’s recreation of Good Panda drawing in the biggest bid of $230.<img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/banksy-dog-1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />Image credit: Bristol Animal Rescue CentreMs Jones said that even though Banksy the dog’s works have been auctioned off, he just keeps painting. "He just keeps going and going, he loves spreading the paint around," she said."I think he secretly really enjoys the attention," she said. "When we had some cameras in, he's like 'yes, you may film me'. He's really come out of his shell."Staff at the rescue centre said that with all the attention his art is getting, they hope he will be able to find a new home after being at the centre for an “unusually long amount of time”."We've had a few expressions of interests and we are still going through the adoption process with everybody," Ms Jones said. "Obviously we do check for everyone who applies that it is a suitable home for him... and we are really hopefully we will find somebody great and get him that forever home."Image credits: Bristol Animal Rescue Centre

Art

13 genius ways to use cooking spray that go way beyond the kitchen

Bet you didn’t have a clue cooking spray was so versatile. Grating cheese Put less elbow grease into grating cheese by using a non-stick cooking spray on your cheese grater for smoother grating. The spray also makes for easier and faster clean-up. Prevent tomato sauce stains Sick of those hard-to-clean tomato sauce stains on your plastic containers? To prevent them, apply a light coating of non-stick cooking spray on the inside of the container before you pour in the tomato sauce. Keep car wheels clean You know that fine black stuff that collects on the wheels of your car and is so hard to clean off? That’s brake dust – it’s produced every time you apply your brakes and the pads wear against the brake disks or cylinders. The next time you invest the elbow grease to get your wheels shiny, give them a light coating of cooking spray. The brake dust will wipe right off. Lubricate your bicycle chain Bike chain a bit creaky and you don’t have any lubricating oil handy? Give it a shot of non-stick cooking spray instead. Don’t use too much – the chain shouldn’t look wet. Wipe off the excess with a clean rag. Cure door squeaks Heard that door squeak just one time too many? Hit the hinge with some non-stick cooking spray. Have paper towels handy to wipe up the drips. Remove paint and grease Forget smelly solvents to remove paint and grease from your hands. Instead, use cooking spray to do the job. Work it in well and rinse. Wash again with soap and water. Dry nail polish Need your nail polish to dry in a hurry? Spray it with a coat of cooking spray and let dry. The spray is also a great moisturiser for your hands. Quick casting Pack a can of cooking spray when you go fishing. Spray it on your fishing line and the line will cast easier and further. Prevent grass sticking Mowing the lawn should be easy, but cleaning cut grass from the mower is tedious. Prevent grass from sticking on mower blades and the underside of the housing by spraying them with cooking oil before you begin mowing. Lubricate your locks Tired of jiggling your keys in your locks? If you deal with a tough lock interior or sticky keys, try using a few sprays of cooking oil. The oil will help slide your key in and get you through the door much easier. Say bye to soap scum Spray your shower door with cooking oil and stubborn soap scum will come right off when you wipe it with a towel. Oil breaks down lime deposits so that’s why it removes easily. After a few swipes with a towel, clean the surface to maximise the cleanliness. Coat measuring cups The next time a recipe calls for a sticky ingredient such as honey, coat your measuring cups with oil so your quantity is exact and will slide right out when pouring it into your mixture. Remove gum from your hair Having gum in your hair is a nightmare. Before you start freaking out or think you need scissors to chop it out, try spraying the gum with cooking spray. It should loosen it up enough to the point where it will slide right out. Written by Christina Farah. This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/diy-tips/13-genius-ways-to-use-cooking-spray-that-go-way-beyond-the-kitchen" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Getty Images <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Home Hints & Tips

Woman's spray tan disaster goes viral

UK woman has gone viral after she shares photos of her pre-wedding fake tan disaster. Derrie Matthews, aged 36 from the UK, had asked a beautician to spray her twice in the darkest tan shade, admitting this “seemed like a good idea at the time”. However, when she got home following her appointment, her partner and daughter couldn’t stop laughing. “Dolly was nearly crying in case any of her friends saw me. I thought they were overacting,” Derrie wrote on Facebook, alongside a series of snaps showing off her new tan. “I woke up this morning and absolutely shat my pants. Thank the Lord a shower sorted me but RIP bed sheets.” Derrie says she was going to a wedding and wanted to add some colour to her “super pale” complexion. “So, I just asked the girl if she would do it twice, so much darker,” she said. The beautician told her to leave it on for eight hours and then wash it off but Derrie didn’t want to, out of fear it would stop developing. Derrie’s post has since attracted more than 3000 comments and 18,000 likes since sharing snaps of her fake tan disaster over the weekend.

Body

Revolutionary nasal spray helping to treat depression

A first-of-its-kind nasal spray that is helping people who live with treatment-resistant depression is now available for use in Australia. The spray, called Spravato, has shown promising results overseas as its helps excite the brain, according to experts. It is available for use by patients with treatment-resistant depression, which affected about a third of those in Australia who live with depression. The esketamine spray is administered through the nose and must be taken in conjunction with oral antidepressants and under the close observation of a mental health professional. The combination of oral medication and the spray has been proven to work more quickly than most existing treatments. Professor Mal Hopwood from the University of Melbourne and Albert Road Clinic said the spray works by generally exciting the brain. "It works amending a transmitter system called glutamate that none of our treatments target," he said. The spray was approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in March and has since been become available in 20 treatment centres. The spray will not be available over the counter at a pharmacy, but will instead be available to patients who have a referral from a GP or psychiatrist. Image credits: Nine / Janseen Australia

Mind

Self-taught 14-year-old artist offered thousands for paintings

During lockdown, it was not uncommon for most people to try a new hobby they had been putting off. But for 14-year-old Makenzy, it was a starting point for incredible success. During a period of self-isolation in Wales, Makenzy Beard found some old acrylic paints and an easel that once belonged to her mother, and decided to try her hand at painting. Her first piece, an incredible portrait of her farming neighbour John Tucker, went viral on social media. She told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-57670603">BBC</a> that the portrait took about 20 hours to complete over a three-week period. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/COGXvlHH1Ax/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COGXvlHH1Ax/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Makenzy Beard (@makenzy_beard)</a> </div> </blockquote> "I was very busy at the time I decided to do this one, so I was taking five minutes before school, an hour after school before sport. It was all broken down, I never spent one long extended period of time on it", she said. Makezny said her subject John “is a wonderful person and has a really lovely, kind and friendly demeanour," and thought he would be the perfect person to paint. The post racked up thousands of likes online, as she was encouraged by art fans around the world to keep up her extraordinary talent. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSpfvXipcmU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSpfvXipcmU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Makenzy Beard (@makenzy_beard)</a> </div> </blockquote> After adding more works to her collection, Makenzy has had her works displayed in a gallery in Cardiff. Some pieces have captured the attention of international art dealers, with one of her paintings selling for $18,000AUD. One of the pieces in her showcase is a portrait of her grandfather Bernard Davis, but Makenzy said she will be keeping the artwork due to its sentimental value. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUid6kGo0n6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUid6kGo0n6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Makenzy Beard (@makenzy_beard)</a> </div> </blockquote> Despite having international offers on her artwork, Makenzy is still keeping her options open in regards to her future. While she is passionate about art, the 14-year-old is happy just keeping her talents as a hobby as she focuses on school. Director of Blackwater Gallery, Kimberley Lewis, said, "I think anyone can be a good portrait artist, but I think it takes a lot to show real personality and the soul of a person through their pieces and I think for someone so young, Makenzy does this brilliantly." Image credits: Instagram @makenzy_beard

Art

The offence of a child possessing spray paint without a lawful purpose in NSW

Image: Getty Once just an American holiday that Australians would see on the big screen in movies like ET, Halloween has slowly, but steadily made its way to our shores. And every year it just seems to get bigger here. The shops have been full of decorations and paraphernalia for weeks, and now that Sydney, and most of New South Wales, are no longer under lockdown restrictions, it’s likely that many families are looking forward to participating on 31 October 2021, taking the opportunity to get together with the neighbours, have some fun and feel a sense of ‘normalcy’. But what’s it going to be like to celebrate Halloween in the time of Covid? Well, it’s undoubtedly going to be an event that puts health and safety first. Health Advice Families are being encouraged to check in with the NSW Health website to check on any restrictions in their local area. These are likely to include using hand sanitiser and face covering, only handing out and accepting individually wrapped treats, keeping group and visiting sizes down, and exercising physical distancing. Stay on the right side of the law! Of course, children should always be supervised by a responsible adult who can oversee their personal safety. Anyone driving should remember that Halloween tends to be a night that kids rule the streets, so drivers need to be wary, particularly at dusk when visibility is reduced. Pedestrians should stick to footpaths and designated crossings, and also be aware of road safety. Unfortunately, this is also a night where the kids can get out of control! ‘Sugar highs’, peer pressure and the false confidence provided by a superhero costume can lead to some kids and teens behaving badly – potentially even finding themselves on the wrong side of the law by engaging in activities like egging houses and cars, damaging plants and foliage, and other acts of vandalism and graffiti. The offence of graffiti in NSW Section 4 of the Graffiti Control Act 2008 (NSW), a person who marks a premises or property can face a penalty of up to 12 months in prison and/or a $2,200 fine if the prosecution is able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that: <ol> <li>The marking was done intentionally,</li> <li>There was no consent from the owner of the premises or property that was marked on;, and</li> <li>Either:</li> </ol> <ul> <li>A graffiti implement was used for marking the premises or property. This includes, spray paint, maker pen, or anything designed to produce a mark that’s not readily removable by wiping it (or by use of water or detergent); or</li> <li>The marking was done in such a manner that it isn’t readily removable by wiping it (or by using water or detergent).</li> </ul> The offence of a child possessing spray paint in NSW Section 8B of the Act makes it an offence for a person under the age of 18 years to possess spray paint in a public place. The maximum penalty for this offence is 6 months in prison and/or an $1,100 fine. A ‘public place’ is defined as a place (whether or not covered by water), or a part of premises, that is open to the public, or is used by the public whether or not on payment of money or other consideration, whether or not the place or part is ordinarily so open or used and whether or not the public to whom it is open consists only of a limited class of persons, but does not include the premises of a school or other educational establishment. The defences to this particular offence are where: (a) the spray paint was intended for a defined lawful purpose, being the lawful pursuit of an occupation, education or training, or (b) the spray paint was for another defined lawful purpose and was at or in the immediate vicinity of the place where the spray paint can was being used or intended to be used for that defined lawful purpose. The offence of intentionally or recklessly damaging a property in NSW Graffiti vandalism by way of marking surfaces can also result in criminal charges of intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property, which is an offence under section 195 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) and comes with a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. Intentionally means wilfully or purposely, while recklessly means foreseeing the possibility of damage or destruction but proceeding regardless. Courts have found that property is considered to have been damaged where: <ul> <li>There is permanent damage,</li> <li>There is temporary functional derangement,</li> <li>There is temporary impairment of usefulness,</li> <li>The physical integrity of the property is altered, or</li> <li>The property is rendered imperfect or inoperative.</li> </ul> Some examples of conduct found by the courts to constitute damage include: <ul> <li>Placing a blanket in a toilet and flushing,</li> <li>Letting down the tyres of a car,</li> <li>Painting graffiti on walls or floors, and</li> <li>Breaking a raw egg on the windscreen of a car.</li> </ul> The offence of trespassing in NSW Trick or treaters should also be aware that not everyone participates in Halloween and for some it can be a real nuisance, and if you’re on someone’s property and they don’t want you there, you can also be charged with trespassing. Trespassing – which is also known as entering inclosed lands without permission – is an offence under section 4 of the Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901 (NSW), which makes it an offence to enter inclosed lands without permission which carries a maximum fine of $550. Section 4A of the Act imposes steeper penalties for remaining on the premises after the owner or occupier directs you to leave. In such a case, the maximum fine is $2,200 where the land is a ‘prescribed premises’ such as a school, hospital, child care centre or nursing home, or $1,100 in all other cases. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/the-offence-of-a-child-possessing-spray-paint-without-a-lawful-purpose-in-nsw/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a>

Legal

Artificial intelligence recreates destroyed paintings

A new interactive hub founded by <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/gustav-klimt/m03869?hl=en">Google Arts & Culture</a> is showcasing an exclusive Gustav Klimt exhibition that offers insight into Klimt’s biography, artistic inspiration and legacy. As part of the initiative, Google has digitally recreated three iconic Klimt works that were previously lost to a fire in 1899. By utilising artificial intelligence, technology has colourised the black and white photographs of the artworks. The three paintings, titled Medicine, Philosophy, and Jurisprudence, collectively form the “Faculty Paintings,” which were commissioned by the University of Vienna. Officials at the university originally deemed the works “pornographic” and “perverse” upon their unveiling, before ultimately being sold to a private buyer. The paintings were lost in a fire during the final days of World War II in 1945, and only survived in a series of photographs. AI researchers and Klimt scholars were supported by those at Google to bring colour to these enigmatic paintings and give them a second opportunity in the spotlight. After much back and forth to make the recreation as accurate as possible, the AI-coloured images provide what might be the closest we will ever get to seeing a complete image of those lost paintings. In a statement from Franz Smola, curator at the Belvedere museum, he said “The result for me was surprising because we were able to colour it even in the places where we had no knowledge, with machine learning we have good assumptions that Klimt used certain colours.” The use of this revolutionary technology shows hope for the future of famous painting recreations that would have otherwise been lost forever. Image credit: Google Arts & Culture

Art

"Get off my lawn!": Man cops spray for hose-based deterrent

A man has gone viral on TikTok for showing his controversial way of preventing people from cutting across his front lawn. Thomas Lyons' house is located on the corner of two streets, with many using his unfenced front yard as a shortcut to the adjoining street. Thomas was sick of people trespassing on his property and trampling all over his perfect grass, so he devised a cunning plan to stop people using it as a thoroughfare. Thomas has repeatedly asked those who frequently cut across his lawn to stop and use the footpath, but his warnings have since gone unheeded. Taking matters into his own hands, Thomas installed sprinklers that go off whenever they detect any motion, leaving trespassers soaking wet and having to run to the footpath as quickly as possible. Thomas shared a video of his unique methods to his TikTok account, after also posting videos of people trampling on his perfectly maintained lawn at all hours of the day and night. Many people have divided opinions on his tactics, as the video has quickly racked up an impressive 40 million views. Many of his followers have praised his efforts, with one person commenting, "There's a sidewalk 10 feet away... constantly walking over the grass will kill it." "I was always taught not to walk on people's grass but I never knew why," another person says. "Also, if they tripped and fell on the grass and broke their leg, I'm assuming they would sue the owner," says another understanding user. While many commenters were quick to praise Thomas' efforts, there were also a lot of comments wondering why he went to such extremes to install a sprinkler system when he could've built a fence around his property instead. "The level of petty," says one person. "These are school kids," comments another. "You could just put a stone path. It's just grass, kindness means so much more." Image credits: TikTok @tgunz81

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