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

December 15, 2023December 15, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

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.

12 Tips to Find Inspiration to Make Art when We Are Stuck

September 29, 2023September 29, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Usually, we find inspiration to make art when we are not looking for it. We are in the shower or preparing dinner and ideas pop into our heads. We walk through nature or in a city and are inspired by what we see or experience.

Then we are so in the flow that we do not need extra inspiration. At other times we have to consciously search for it because we want to create but just don’t know how and what. We’re stuck.

To get the inspiration process going, I’ll give you 12 tips in this article.

Simple Printing Techniques for the Best Relaxing Hobby

July 31, 2023July 31, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Printing is to multiply images and/or texts by making several identical prints of a master form.

Printing had everything to do with my past profession as a graphic designer and still is a joy as a relaxing activity in my present life.

In this article, I will list an overview of several techniques emphasising simple printing techniques that can easily be practised at home.

For the sake of completeness, I will also mention professional printing techniques.

Dyeing with Plants, a Natural Way of Colouring Fabric or Paper

January 16, 2023January 16, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Botanical colouring, natural colouring, or plant colouring are different names for dyeing with plants. All with the objective of having a toxic-free or almost toxic-free dyeing process.

When I was a ceramicist, I was very interested in the way colours are produced.

I made my own coloured slips for years and when I wrote my article about the different colours of clay my interest in natural colouring, in general, was aroused once again.

How to Smooth the Surface of your Clay Object – 3 Affordable Tips

January 9, 2023January 9, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Ceramics can be produced in several ways. Each method will result in a different surface.

You can press the clay in moulds, hand-build an object, or merge slabs.

Depending on completion or decoration it can be necessary to smooth the surface as best as possible.

How to smooth the surface of your clay object? I’ll explain my methods in this article.

How to Make Perfect Slabs of Clay for Hand Building Ceramics

December 23, 2022April 6, 2022 by Hannie Mommers

Handbuilt ceramics, composed of clay slabs, ensures a lot of creative freedom. With slabs of clay, you can make vases, pots, and free work of all shapes and sizes.

For a professional ceramist, it is not a question of how to make perfect slabs of clay. He or she uses a slab roller. Such a device is very similar to a printing press and makes perfect slabs that are the same thickness everywhere.

It is impossible for a hobbyist to purchase such a device. It takes up too much space and is too expensive. Hence my tip, which gives just as good results.

Attractive Combining Handmade Frames with Photoshop Editing

May 9, 2022March 19, 2022 by Hannie Mommers

Combining Handmade Frames with Photoshop Skills

In this article, I explain how to make a handmade frame and combine it with layers in Photoshop in an easy way. The end result appears to be the outcome of masking, but it is actually the result of selecting and deleting.

In the starting years of the availability of computers for everyone, I met a professional illustrator who said he had bought a computer and some illustration programs because he was sick and tired of getting dirty hands while drawing.

Start Making Ceramics Now with Clay Tools from the Kitchen Drawer

March 21, 2022March 10, 2022 by Hannie Mommers

Working with your hands, and especially with clay, is a great way to relax. It is also a way to develop your creativity and is very satisfying. And it does not have to be expensive at all.

Over the years I had collected a lot of professional tools for my clay processing – wire tools, knives, hole cutters, kidneys. Some were bought new, others in a secondhand shop, and some came from my kitchen drawer.

You can start making ceramics right away because most of these utensils you have in your house anyway. Buy some clay and you’re ready to go.