When does making become research? How to document the intangible? And what is research without a public? The book Hands On Research for Artists, Designers & Educators (Set Margins’, 2024) provides an accessible model for anyone interested in doing research. It presents the research process through six actions: research by making, research of context, participatory research, reflecting on research, documenting research and making public. Each action is equally important and can be the starting point of a research project.
The guide introduces the circular model of doing research visually, with many examples, images and practical tools. It highlights the unique and rich aspects of practice-based research, while being accessible and applicable to different disciplines.
Developed at the Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam by Miriam Rasch, Jojanneke Gijsen and Harma Staal, Hands On Research is a resource for collective learning, teaching and self-education. The book is for sale online and in bookstores.
Watch the video below to go behind the scenes of the Hands-On Research book launch at Nieuwe Instituut that took place on April 2nd, 2025. In this video, authors and WdKA educators Harma Staal, Miriam Rasch and Jojanneke Gijsen share what makes this publication unique, why research matters in art and design, and how the book can inspire students, educators, and creatives alike.
