you can do dumbell curls just like barbell curls. stand up straight and place your elbow between your abdomen and obliques. flex your abs, flex your forearm, and lift the dumbell to shoulder height without moving your elbow but an inch. rinse and repeat! it's the same only i can put more intensity into it because it's one arm at a time (completely up to you, though).
two tricks: (1) always keep forearm flexed (wrist curled up); this allows for flexion over full range of motion. (2) place your thumb "accross" your fist-- place it on your ring finger if you can. this helps flex the umm brachialis (sp?) which, when trained, pushes the tri's and bi's apart and makes for larger arms. i love the thumb maneuver-- you get a beefed up looking arm when it's permi-flexed after workout
other routines that are important are the preacher curl and the umm.. "incline curl" which hits your errrr brachialis and your brachiadorialis- geez what a mouthful. the incline curl starts with your palms facing in. the brachiabrontasaurus rex thing is a cool helper muscle.