In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: If you keep your marks relatively light, then they won't be noticeable even under the lightest of paint. Some people prefer to go over their pencil outline with a fine brush or fine tip marker as well. Before you finalize your drawing with marker, make sure that the design is symmetrical, if that is what you are going for. Check that the toes, heels, and sides are mirror images. Before you start painting, find a flat, steady table and cover it entirely with craft paper or newspaper. This will keep you from ruining your work surface in the event that you have a few paint drips or spills. You can also cut open brown paper grocery bags and secure them around the top and edges of the table. Be careful using newspaper if you are working with white or light fabric shoes. The newsprint can leave black smudges on the fabric. This isn't always an option, but if you have a cheap pair of shoes lying around then practice your technique on them. This gives you a chance to see if the paint is the right texture and color for what you want. You can even buy a pair of thrift store shoes to use as your practice pair. For natural leather shoes, soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and gently rub this over the surface of the shoes. For manmade leather shoes, soak a cotton ball in acetone and wipe the shoes down. If you are painting cloth shoes that are a bit dirty, wipe them down with a rag soaked in warm water and soap. This should remove any debris from the surface of the shoe and help the paint to adhere. Let your shoes thoroughly dry after cleaning before attempting to paint. Make sure that you use 100% acetone for cleaning, not a mixed nail polish remover. Patent leather shoes are known for their shiny appearance, but it's difficult for paint to stick to this surface. Get a fine grade sandpaper and rub over the surface of the shoe, moving in small circles. Continue until the shoe takes on a dull appearance. Look over your shoes and make sure that your sanding is even from all angles. Otherwise, you may get an uneven appearance after painting. Apply thin strips of painters' tape to all of the shoe's surfaces that you don't want to paint. This means you'll need to go around the soles of the shoes as well. Some people also stuff newspaper into the inside of the shoes to help them keep their shape while wet.
Summary: Outline your design in pencil on the shoe's surface. Cover your workspace with paper. Practice painting on an old pair of shoes. Clean the surface of the shoes. Sand away the finish if your shoes are shiny leather. Cover the inside and sole with tape.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Most lovebirds can't be sexed based on a visual examination. In fact, the most common type kept as a pet, the peach-faced lovebird, has to be DNA tested to truly determine the sex. Some people argue that female lovebirds are generally smaller than male lovebirds. This is only visible in certain breeds of lovebirds. Some people also assert that a female lovebird's feet are perched wider apart than a male's feet. This has to do with the assumption that a female's pelvis is wider than a male's.This depends on the species. Unlike many other types of birds, most types of lovebird coloring does not differ based on sex. There are some exceptions, however, such as the Madagascar lovebird. The male Madagascar lovebird has grey on its head, while the females are solidly colored green. In general, when lovebirds are interested in mating they tend to shred paper, whether they are male or female. This seems to be true across species, with Fischer's and peach-faced lovebirds, for example, exhibiting the same behavior regardless of sex. While some argue that females are better at paper shredding, and so can be spotted by their skill and precision, this seems to be a difficult way of determining sex. Some suggest that birds that tuck the paper into their tail feathers are likely to be females. If lovebirds are kept in a pair, they tend to form an intense bond. It does not matter what the sex of the birds are. Birds kept together will become a unit. Bonded pairs of the same sex are even known to work on nesting together.
Summary:
Determine if you have a breed of lovebird that has unique sex characteristics. Do not rely on paper shredding and nest-building behavior to sex your bird. Don't assume that a bonded pair of lovebirds are male and female.