S&A Magazine Issue 5 – Volume 3

December 2022 Issue / Volume 3

This Issue’s Contents

Poem of The Month
Drawing Prompt
Book Review
Empowering Activity
Sustainable Fashion
Main Article
Recipe

Poem Of The Month

Dusk

The sky is an endless blue,

Enveloping the world in warmth and comfort

Somewhere, far away a bird sings

Then a sparrow joins in harmony

The atmosphere is filled with hundreds of birds that spread their delicate wings

As the golden sun slowly descends beneath the trees.

Drawing Prompt

Draw Something With Texture

In this drawing, I mainly focused on the leather gloves by trying to convey their texture. I do not have a lot of experience in drawing very textured items so it was definitely out of my comfort zone. I tried to notice how the parts with more light would be a lighter teal color while the rest of the creases were darker shades of teal. One lesson that I learned from this drawing is that it’s good to use colors that have slightly different hues when shading to make your drawings more visually appealing. In other words, using teal for the gloves rather than gray helped make this drawing more realistic and aesthetically pleasing. You can send us your textured drawings at sandazine@gmail.com!

Book Review

Operatic

Operatic is a kids’ graphic novel, but its vibrant illustrations and positive message can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Filled with gorgeous art, this book tells the story of a girl who falls in love with opera music, hence the title.

Empowering Activity

Make a Comfort Food From Your Childhood

Sometimes in times of stress or exhaustion it’s a good idea to do something that reminds you of happier memories. For so many people food can hold that special place in their hearts. Try making one of your favorite comfort foods to feel nostalgic and happy again, even just for a moment. You can also ask those who made your childhood foods for you how they made them and help them prepare those dishes together.

Sustainable Fashion

An Outfit Styled With Whimsy + Row

Whimsy & Row is a fashion brand that proves sustainability can also be stylish. This dress features a unique square neckline and buttons.

Isla Dress in Fox Cord

Main Article

How to Step Up Your Photography Game

You might think that it’s not possible to take good photos without professional equipment but you can actually take memorable, high-quality photos with just your phone! Here are a few tips from the co-editors (and photographers) of S&A Magazine.

✦ One: Lighting

Lighting is arguably one of the most essential elements in good photography and it can often be difficult to find a balance between too dark and too light. If you’re taking photos outside, indirect sunlight is ideal, however, taking photos inside usually requires direct light. Shadows play an important role in lighting as well and can make a photo visually appealing.

Good Lighting Bad Lighting

✦ Two: Composition

Focal Point – The focal point is the object or person that the photo focuses on. There can also be multiple focal points, but this can be more of a challenge.

The image below has a clear focal point and the background isn’t distracting

Background – Keep in mind the background of your photo. If the background is too chaotic it may be hard to make the focal point stand out.

Texture – A little bit of texture can make a photo eye-catching and unique. Try playing around with different textures until you find something that matches the mood of your photo.

✦ Three: Perspective

Taking note of perspective is very helpful because it can set the tone of your photo and even add elements like contrast and depth. Taking a photo low on the ground can make your photo look bigger, whereas taking a picture from above has a different effect.

✦ Four: Editing

Although editing isn’t necessary, it often helps enhance a photo, especially if the lighting and colors in the image aren’t great. There are numerous free editing apps that have many features. (We recommend Snapseed), but you can also just use your camera app to edit photos.

Taking all of these points into consideration, you can easily take stunning photos with just a phone!

Photo Collage

Orange Crush

Though the winter season often brings dull colors and cold weather, I decided to highlight the color orange with vibrant photos from throughout the year because of its unique look.

Recipe

Vegan Airfried Donuts

This recipe is a perfect, simple take on a classic treat. These donuts are vegan, so you can share them with those who don’t eat eggs, dairy, or any other animal products. Along with being plant-based, these donuts can be made in the air fryer, which makes them very easy to make.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup warm non-dairy milk
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ cup vegan butter melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

In a mug, add the non-dairy milk, sugar, and yeast. Let it set and dissolve. Add in vanilla extract.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour and wet ingredients.
Add in the melted vegan butter and start to slightly knead the dough.
After kneading the dough for a few minutes, let it rest in a covered bowl for an hour.
Punch out the excess air and roll out the dough. Make sure to not roll out the dough too thin. If I could go back and change something, I would make sure to roll the dough out thicker!
Use a donut cutter or two circle cutters to cut out donut shapes.
Let the donuts proof for 45 minutes.
Preheat your air fryer to 345 degrees.
Put in as many donuts as you can fit into your air fryer, leaving some space in between them. Spray on a neutral oil onto the donuts and cook for 5-8 minutes. Make sure to check on your donuts so that they are cooked to your liking.
Make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and non-dairy milk.
Dip the donuts into the glaze and let them set. Enjoy!