Article: A better understanding of the subculture will help you to be respectful of her beliefs. Understanding will also help you to connect with her and find common ground between her beliefs and your own. What it means to be gothic might change from group to group and region to region, but there are three basic components to goth culture: the social scene, the personality, and the music.   The gothic social scene provides places for like minded individuals, in this case goths, to come together as a community and share ideas. This may include places like gothic coffee shops, clothing stores, thrift stores, clubs, fetish stores, music stores, and more.   The gothic personality is usually identified by a strong sense of individualism that has a strong appreciation for the darker side of things, the supernatural, beauty and dark aesthetics, art, emotion, mystery, and drama.  Gothic music is a very important aspect in goth culture. Music serves as a focal point around which the social scene revolves. Gothic music tends to have an eerie or surreal tone. Gothic bands generally make use of lyrics that focus on gothic themes, such as the grotesque and the mysterious, and may also portray gothic styles, like wearing mostly black clothing. There's no rule book stating you have to wear a certain style of clothing, behave a certain way, or listen to a certain band to identify as a goth. There's no guarantee that all common goth features will apply to your gothic lady friend. However, by learning common goth features, you can prepare yourself to compliment parts of her appearance and personality that she's worked hard to cultivate. You might take note of and compliment her:  Style. This might include the cut, color, or kind of clothing she is wearing. Accessories, especially those that are prominent, should be complimented as well. Take special note of unique articles of clothing, like fishnets, capes, studded/spiked clothing, ankhs, chokers, and more.  Makeup. Goths tend to appreciate the sharp contrast of black and white, and to this end will often wear light colored makeup with dark accents on the lips and eyes. Compliment special flourishes and show interest by asking her how she managed to get her makeup so perfect.  Musical involvement. You might make conversation with her about live music or her favorite bands. You could also show your interest by asking her what features she likes most about her favorite goth musicians. The gothic fascination with darkness and the supernatural make vampire, fantasy, horror, and sci-fi genres popular among goths. These novels will not only give you something to talk about with the goth girl you are trying to attract, but your reading will also give you more background knowledge about popular goth themes. And if novels reading isn't your favorite activity, you might find gothic themed comics more enjoyable.   Gothic Novels:Dracula, by Bram Stoker1984, by George OrwellFrankenstein, by Mary ShelleyThe Inferno, by Dante AlighieriMost novels by Edgar Allen Poe  Gothic Comics and Graphic Novels:The Sandman comics, by Neil GaimanThe Crow comics, by James O'BarrJohnny the Homicidal Maniac, by Jhonen Vasquez Many movie makers and musicians identify with or are held in high opinion by the goth community. Some directors, like Tim Burton, and record labels, like Cleopatra, Projekt, and Anubis, are considered to be more representative of the goth subculture than others. This kind of media is a perfect way for you to gain a better appreciation of the goth aesthetic while learning central gothic themes.   Popular Goth Movies:The HungerThe Rocky Horror Picture ShowDraculaThe CrowEdward ScissorhandsThe Nightmare Before ChristmasBeetlejuiceHellraiserDestiny  Popular Goth Music Groups:BauhausChristian DeathThe Sisters of MercyJoy DivisionDrab Majesty
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Understand what it means to be gothic. Identify common gothic features. Read popular goth literature. Familiarize yourself with goth media.
Article: Take a picture such as a photograph or an image from a magazine and time yourself to see how quickly you can sketch it. The stress of the time constraint will force you to focus on the details of the sketch and will improve your ability to draw quickly.  Set a timer for 10 minutes, then draw the same image with a 5-minute time limit. Then, try drawing it for 2 minutes, and then finally, 1 minute. For a real challenge, try giving yourself 10 seconds to sketch a reference image. Print out a copy of a drawing from an artist with a style that you hope to emulate. Lay a piece of tracing paper over the drawing and trace over it. When you’re finished, put another sheet of tracing paper over the image and trace it again to get better at the line quality that the original artist accomplished.  Practice tracing over the image multiple times with new sheets of tracing paper and using different line quality and thickness to vary it up and challenge yourself. Trace over the entire drawing, not just a section, so you can get a feel for how the lines are incorporated to form a larger piece.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Set a timer for 10 minutes and sketch a photo to force yourself to focus. Trace over drawings from artists that you admire to improve your style.
Article: If you have brought fruit or flowers to offer to the deity, you may do this as you circulate through the temple. Hand each offering to the priest sitting outside the idol’s chamber. Under no circumstances should you enter the inner chamber. The inner chamber or the chamber where the idol is seated is considered the most sacred and private area and no one can go in without previous sanction. If there is no priest outside the chamber, there may be a nearby platform for worshipers to place their offerings on. While you are in the temple, you may notice a priest pouring water over the hands of worshipers. This is a spiritual, purifying gesture: if the priest offers you the water, let him pour it over your hands.  The priests may also give “Prasad:” blessed food (always vegetarian) which is offered to the deities. Prasad is also considered holy, and you should eat it outside the temple. Anything the priest gives you should be accepted with your right hand. Avoid taking or giving anything with the left hand. A single temple can house hundreds of statues—do not attempt to touch any one of them; this will be seen as an inappropriate and disrespectful act. In Hindu faith, only priests are permitted to touch the statues. Keep a respectful distance. Also avoid photography. Taking pictures is restricted or forbidden in many temples. Before taking a photo, look for the temple’s rules. Rules may be written outside on noticeboards, or you may ask someone, including the priest. The temple is a sacred, holy space, and you should exhibit polite, constrained behavior when visiting. You can speak quietly, but avoid loud conversation, laughter, or crying. Do not chew gum loudly—or at all—and throw any trash you have in a trash can. To show your respect for the temple, turn your phone off when you enter, and don’t smoke in or around the temple. A priest may offer to place a small mark on your forehead (usually made from ash or turmeric). You may accept or decline as you feel comfortable; the mark carries no great spiritual significance and does not necessarily indicate a belief in the Hindu religion. As you make your way through the temple, you may see a small donation box. If you feel like donating, fold the bills and put them with your right hand in the donation box. Remember that donations are never required and you do not have to donate. Even if someone coaxes you to donate, you always have the right to refuse. Depending on your location, you may find many beggars outside temples. You don’t have to give them cash if you don’t want to. If you want to help them temporarily, buy them some food. If you are alone, it would be a good idea to not encourage beggars. They can be persistent, and can keep following you or trouble you for more money.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Bring your offerings before individual statues. Accept any items from the priest. Avoid touching shrines or statues. Follow rules of common decency. Provide a donation, if desired. Keep an eye out for beggars.