Urban Colours in Feng Shui

An new issue of Hollandse Nieuwe is out. I loved this magazine’s theme: Urban Colours. So many bright, colorful images and initiatives that take place in Hong Kong. It made me work on the lay-out with a big smile:).

One of the articles that I liked most was the interview with Thierry Chow, Hong Kongs’ most creative, young Feng Shui master. Truly a brave lady that tries to modernize this traditional Chinese area of industry. She explained a lot about the the role of colours in Feng Shui. Read the interview here.

Orange, the Dutch national colour, apparently has a lot of positive qualities: warmth (it’s the colour of summer), compassion, positivity etc. If you use it in your house it can improve the relationships between family-members and it increases chances for financial succes. I can use some of that so will put this orange magazine on top of my magazine-pile:).

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Introducing Dutch Landscapes to Koreans

One of the cool things about the project in Shanghai was that I could catch up with some old clients again. Finally we were able to have coffee over this book that I made for DVP China last year (did the lay-out, cover-design).

It was done for the World Expo in S.Korea to introduce Koreans to Dutch landscapes in all their facets. But… I heard from my friends at DVP that the Dutch consulate in S.Korea is still using the book today as a gift for networking purposes:). It has beautiful pictures in it from Paul Ridderhof, one of my favorite photographers!

Does China ‘Get’ Dutch Design?

The new Hollandse Nieuwe is out, (a magazine for the Dutch community in Hong Kong). Again I did the design for this special issue about… design:). We featured a lot of interviews  and articles about Dutch Design and the one-million-dollar question: do Chinese get the highly conceptual style of Dutch designers? I’m very curious… what do you think?

Neighborhood Insights

A new issue of Hollandse Nieuwe is out (magazine for Dutch community in Hong Kong), themed: images of neighborhoods. It was such a delight to work with great, colorful photo material this time. The cover-photo for example, is shot by Kees Metselaar a Hong Kong based photo journalist. He led a fascinating professional life portraying wars, uprisings and cultural changes in (South-East) Asia. Check out his other work here.

Fresh Lay-out

The new issue of Hollandse Nieuwe is out!. The magazine of the Dutch Community in Hong Kong has been printed and I got my issue yesterday. Since last winter I’m doing the lay-out and design of this magazine and I slowly started to change the look bit by bit (don’t want to shock the readers too much;-)).

This time I worked on the table of contents… to make it more visual. Also the cover and banners started to look more glossy and fresh. Do you like it so far;-)?

Chinese Year of the Snake

Kung Hei Fat Choy, Happy Chinese New Year! The Year of the Snake started last week according to the lunar calendar. We have to wait and see if it’s a good thing though, because many Chinese predict that a Snake Year will bring unexpected changes, instability and volatility. A threat to harmony and stability, the key-values of Chinese culture.

One success strategy of snakes themselves to cope with change: a couple of times a year, snakes shed their skin to be able to grow more. Maybe it’s the same thing for people, we have to change skins sometime. Because the minds that are not open to change, can’t grow either;-). My Chinese New Years resolution is to try and be more flexible and open-minded in this unpredictable Year of the Snake.

Pic: Since last issue, I’m doing the lay-out and design for ‘Hollandse Nieuwe’, magazine of the Nederlandse Vereniging in Hong Kong. The theme of this winter-issue was ‘Snake’;-). 

Characters Kids Book

Meet the characters of the new kids book I’m working on with (and for) Marianne Timmer. It’s going to become a book in which kids can contribute to the story as well. I’m very curious what kind of adventures we’re gonna experience with these two;-). I’ll keep you posted!

Co-created Report Economic Affairs

Summer has arrived and that means: time to evaluate the first half of 2012. When I flipped trough my projects I realized that co-creation is one of the things that I love about this work. I did the design-part of this book for the Ministry of Economic Affairs in The Hague in close collaboration with the editor and project leader. Although the project started slow, eventually there was such a positive vibe!

The report is about how to manage a shopping street and cope with safety issues, diversity, economic downfall, internet shopping. The illustrations consisted of an ongoing shopping street on every page. The topics that were discussed in the text, kind of ‘happened’ on the street below. Also the charts were fully integrated in the street.

Book Presentation South Korea

Last week this Korean book on Dutch Landscapes was presented in the Netherlands Pavillion of the Expo in Yoesu. DVP hired me to do the lay-out and illustrations. And I had the privilege of working with excellent photo material shot by Paul Ridderhof.

The landscapes, Dutch skies and light made me almost feel homesick;-).