color Archives - CLEVERcreating

30 Tips to Spend Free Time Finding Inspiration for Creative Projects

January 5, 2024January 5, 2024 by Hannie Mommers

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.

7 Ways to Use Colour in Photography Creatively and Differently

November 9, 2023November 9, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

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.

How to Stay Inspired in Photography? Of these 7 Tips, I Particularly Like #6

October 26, 2023October 26, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

There has been a period in my life I didn’t take any pictures at all, making me regret that later, because I don’t have any pictures of my son aged 6 to 9. The reason was that I wasn’t inspired anymore and didn’t feel up to the effort of taking the camera and shooting.

Nowadays I have found several ways to get inspired and to develop my creativity. And to stay inspired because, in the end, it’s all about keeping on going and pushing ourselves forward. Don’t settle for a result too soon.

I will share my tips on how to stay inspired in photography with you in this article and I hope you will add tips of your own at the end of this article.

What Are the Symbolic Values of Red and Blue?

October 16, 2023October 16, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Years ago I was watching the elections in the States and I noticed that red and blue had a symbolic value for the political parties.

So they have in the Netherlands, but the funny thing is it has an opposite meaning. The US Democrats are blue and the Conservatives red. The Dutch right wing is blue and the left one loves red.

As I am interested in every aspect of colour, I decided to look more closely into the symbolic values of red and blue in general, not just in politics.

What is a Great Theme Photography Idea for a Holiday Abroad?

October 13, 2023October 13, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Of course, we should take pictures of the highlights when we are visiting an unknown region or country. Yet, it is also fun to restrict yourself by taking pictures according to a theme.

It is important for a photographer, or any creative person in general, to always try to improve. However strange it may seem, limiting ourselves is a major contributor to betterment.

I do it often, assigning myself to photograph only round objects, or movement, just vertical lines, S-like shapes, contrasts in thick-thin or big-small, and so on. I can assure you, you will see different subjects to take pictures of.

How to Improve the Colour Quality of your Printed Pictures

June 12, 2023June 12, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

The quality of the printers is improving fast. Nowadays a lot of colour printers have more than four cartridges, making sure all the tones are printed.

Yet, the extra cartridges are grey or black, never a colour, which means there are still colours you see on the screen that can’t be printed on paper.

Taking pictures and printing them on your colour printer can be disappointing. Sometimes the result is NOT what you expected. I’ll give you the reasons for that disappointing result and whether you can improve the colour quality of your precious photographs.

How Do Colours Affect Each Other and What Can We Do with this Information?

July 7, 2023June 5, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

One of the best books in my private library is “The Art of Colour: The Subjective Experience and Objective Rationale of Colour” by Johannes Itten, a teacher at the Bauhaus who I admire so much.

Of course, Itten’s notions are only one way of looking at colours. Many researchers, artists and scientists have constructed a colour theory as well. But logically, as a designer and artist, I have a strong affinity with a fellow artist.

Itten explains the reality of colour and the way we as humans perceive colours. Colours affect each other. That influence is an action of our brain. “Eye and mind can only by comparison or contrast come to a clear perception.”

Why Is Colour Important in Graphic Design? What Are Practical Applications?

March 13, 2023March 13, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Colour has a big influence on us. Colour sets our mood and is a way to express ourselves. Colour has a symbolic value, which can be different per culture.

We are warned by colour. Red means beware of danger, while green stands for safety. Fire trucks are red. Sustainable companies often have green as their main colour.

Especially because of its recognizability and emotional value is colour important in graphic design and advertising. As a designer, you can deviate from generally accepted colours, just make sure you have a good reason for it.

An Optical Illusion Plays Tricks with our Eyes

March 6, 2023March 6, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

In 32 tips to get ideas to spend your free time is a pencil drawing of a shape, giving the optical illusion that the inner circle is much whiter than the surrounding white outside the circle.

A former colleague even made an airbrush in which the inside of such a form was darker than the environment, and still, it seemed lighter.

So I wanted to examine that. How much black can I add until the inner shape seems darker than the outer space?