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    • I love to copy things. If you were talking about art, you could say “the creator of this painting is Rembrandt van Rijn.” If I were to copy the painting, I wouldn’t be the creator, but a copier. ‘Copying’ has a negative connotation – and we need to change that. Copying is good. When you copy something, you learn the process involved in creating it.

      The following question was asked of me during my Universiteit van Nederland lecture: “I don’t see myself as someone who’d just pick up a soldering iron and make something myself. It seems cool, but I wouldn’t know where to start. Can you help me?”  My answer?

      Copy stuff.

      Did you flip for the Expedit shelves-turned-bar on IKEA Hackers? Copy it.

      A LEGO Strandbeest? Copy It.

      Tasty flatbreads? Copy it.

      When you’ve copied enough, you’ll start creating your own variations and combinations. I followed the flatbread recipe to the letter twice, but last time I decided to add some fennel. After I copied a number of Arduino projects, I noticed that I could combine the various ‘ingredients’ into a whole new project. All of a sudden I went from being a copier to a creator!

      Here’s a list of websites that creators-in-training can find interesting projects to copy:

      • On instructables.com you can find step-by-step instructions to make anything, from apple pie to a rocket car. If you want to make something but don’t know what, always check Instructables for inspiration.
      • Cooking websites: Jamie Oliver, 24Kitchen, Epicurious.
      • Curious about Arduino? Find lots of fun projects here.
      • Want to make your own rain gauge from a picture frame? Download these instructions!

      Have an afternoon with nothing to do? Copy something!

      Too much empty wall space? Copy something!

      Want to become a creator? Copy something!!!

      P.S. - This blog first appeared on my website in dutch, read it here. This English version was translated by my good friend and artist Kiki, see her website. She makes superb cross-over t-shirt designs like this one!

      Hello Unikitty t-shirt design by Kiki

      P.S 2. – It’s no coincidence that this blog takes after this fantastic commencement speech by Neil Gaiman (at least a little bit).

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikAb-NYkseI