Dutch Mills, Fascinating Technique And Some Sign Language

Dutch Mills, Fascinating Technique And Some Sign Language

Usually, if I write about art (architecture, sculpture, painting), it is about modern art. Medieval churches and Renaissance castles, impressive as they are, are for me less interesting to write about.

I am making an exception for mills. Fueled by the interest of Australian family and American friends, I find the technology and function of mills as fascinating as the design of modern architecture.

Since the Middle Ages, the low countries have fought against the water and Dutch windmills played a major role in this. 

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Creative Playing on the Beach for Grown-ups

Creative Playing on the Beach for Grown-ups

Isn’t it a pity that we tend to forget how to play? What do you think about playing on the beach for grown-ups? I can assure you that it is fun! 

Years ago my former colleagues and I went to a beach house once a year to get creative inspiration. 

We were all creative souls and we gave ourselves assignments to develop our creative skills even further. There I discovered again what fun it is to play on the beach.

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The Art of Being Creative Sparked by Mutual Inspiration, 7 Tips

The Art of Being Creative Sparked by Mutual Inspiration

There is a beautiful story about sharing food or ideas: if I have 2 potatoes and share them with a friend, we both have 1 potato. If I share 2 ideas with a friend, we both have 2 ideas.

Mutual inspiration is extremely nourishing and satisfying. An activity together with someone else, whether it is walking, doing crafts or talking, gives such a good feeling. After all, a human being is a social being and we better exploit that.

It doesn’t just happen out of the blue. If we want to do something together with someone, we have to take action. In this article, I explain how I do that.

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30 Tips to Spend Free Time Finding Inspiration for Creative Projects

30 Tips to Spend Free Time Finding Inspiration for Creative Projects

At most of the exhibitions where I showed my work, I tried to be present to talk to the visitors. The most frequently asked question was: where do you find the inspiration for your subjects? To which my answer was that I had some tricks for that.

Developing inspiration is a conscious process. Or at least it could be. It also depends on our character what our favourite method is.

In this article, I give you 30 tips to spend your free time finding inspiration and spark your creativity. It is a random list of all kinds of things I occasionally do. Get inspired.

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7 Creative Ideas with Waste Materials to DIY or Together with the Kids

7 Creative Ideas with Waste Materials to DIY or Together with the Kids

The best waste is of course no waste, but as long as that is a utopia, there is nothing better than coming up with creative ideas with waste materials.

One of the most beautiful sayings I ever saw was: Waste is only waste if you waste it.

And once you get used to thinking in terms of reusing and not wasting stuff, a huge flow of ideas will start, I can assure you.

In this article, I list a number of ideas for inspiration or imitation.

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How to Choose the Right Font for a Website?

How to Choose the Right Font for a Website?

Why can you read these lines? It is because you recognise the combination of the letters in the words used. The fact that you are able to read these letters and words at all is because a professional typographer designed them.

He or she not only designed the letters but also decided how much space is required between the letters and the words. Horizontally between each letter and word, but also vertically, between the lines.

Not being aware of typographical rules makes it very difficult to use the right font for a website.

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How to Use Typography in Web Design? 7 Proven Do’s and Don’ts

How to Use Typography in Web Design? 7 Proven Do’s and Don’ts

The guidelines for typography in web design are not that different from the guidelines for text in any use. Whether on a screen or on paper, on a truck or on the facade of an office, always ask yourself: “Can people read this in an easy and clear way?”

Almost half of all websites worldwide are made with WordPress, including this website. While WordPress simplifies a lot of typographic decisions, it is still important to have a basic understanding of how typography works.

The following tips apply to both using HTML and CSS, as well as WordPress or any other CMS (Content Management System) website.

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Photo Festival Rencontres 2023 in Arles from a Viewer’s Perspective

Photo Festival Rencontres 2023 in Arles from a Viewer’s Perspective

In 2022 we were in Arles, France for the first time. We wanted to visit the new Museum of Modern Art LUMA.

Because we were there in June, we saw announcements for that year’s photo festival Rencontres, but unfortunately, we were too early. The festival is in July, August and September and already exists since 1970.

Luckily, in 2023 we were able to go in September. This time, we were too late for some locations, because they only exhibited in July and August, but there was so much to see that we didn’t mind that much.

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7 Ways to Use Colour in Photography Creatively and Differently

7 Ways to Use Colour in Photography Creatively and Differently

Most people see the world in colour and although it’s also great to take pictures in black and white, colour can add a layer of inspiration and possibility.

When we use colour in photography in a conscious way, we can guide the emotions of the viewer. Colour can create a dramatic atmosphere or a quiet one. Colour can also evoke approval or dislike.

In this article, I describe some of Itten’s colour contrasts applied in photography and I supplement it with a couple of other ways of using colour.

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