ONYX - The translucent colour

In November we are celebrating Colour of the Month #15, Onyx - The translucent colour. I will go through the origin, chemical composition, varieties and colours, and uses and applications. I had the chance to experiment with a green variety of the Onyx stone during my residency/teaching experience in Argentina. 

COURSE IN DESIGN, COLOUR THEORY, ALCHEMY

 

I will like to share my experience of teaching in Argentina about Design and Colour. I taught a course on Design, Colour Theory and Alchemy to locals with no design or colour formation whatsoever. It was a fulfilling, heart-centered experience of sharing my knowledge and wisdom with others. 

PINK RHODOCHROSITE - ROSA DEL INCA

We are celebrating colour of the month #14. Rhodochrosite is a pink manganese carbonate mineral used as an ore, a gemstone and a crystal specimen. 

BURNT SIENNA: Colour of the month #10

The earth colour pigments known as Raw and Burnt Sienna are traditional colours, which consist mostly of iron oxides, hematite and goethite. One pigment is yellowish-brown and the other is reddish-brown, which differentiate in the thermal processing of the raw material.

Colour Alchimia at Bota Fogo in Milan

Super excited and inspired after my latest workshop in Milan. I met really interesting people and creatives; it was a multicultural group mainly Italians, a New Yorker and a Lebanese. Most of them colour designers for the automotive and fashion industry, art directors and industrial designers. 

ULTRAMARINE BLUE : Colour of the month #9

Throughout history, blue colour was unobtainable or rare. Humans took many years to discover, understand and work with this colour.  It wasn’t easily found in nature making it quite difficult to extract. One of the most expensive blue colours in history, even more than gold is Ultramarine Blue due to its extensive production process and its origin.

M U M M Y BROWN: Colour of the month #7

Photo: Studio Laura Daza

While studying Egyptian history and historical pigments I found an incredible and scary story behind one of these pigments.  Mummy brown, Egyptian mummy or caput mortuum, which means dead head in latin, was a pigment favoured by Pre-Raphaelite painters.

Colour Alchimia at FIUHouse Barcelona

Photo: @ard_hez Moodboard by Héctor Noguera

Colour craft was considered one of the most valuable crafts in Ancient times because colour was the most expensive commodity there existed. Today this craft is largely neglected been replaced by digital technology and synthetic alternatives. 

M a l a c h i t e green : Colour of the Month #6

Green has been used since Antiquity, in the form of green earths and minerals such as malachite. Malachite is perhaps the oldest known green pigment, discovered by Egyptians about 3000 BC. Malachite is a copper carbonate natural occurring mineral, which is also found along with a blue colour mineral called azurite.

N A T U R A M O R T A / A still life at Abadir

'Colour is important in our daily lives, yet it is often taken for granted or little understood. 

Few are taught about colour, but many seem to possess an innate sense of it and are aware 

when colours are used in a harmonious way'  - The Anatomy of Colour Book by Patrick Baty

A journey into EDNA VOLCANO

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Since ancient times humans have wanted to enhance their lives with colours, whether worn as ornamentation, stained onto our bodies as symbolic rituals and tattoos, in painting or applied to clothing. Colour denoted social status, most importantly, a source of pleasure and desire.

COLOUR ALCHIMIA WORKSHOP AT SOF

Hey colour lovers,

It's been a while, I know!

I've been a little bit disconnected recharging myself and meditating about new workshops and projects. 

I want to share with you what happened during our Colour Alchimia workshop held at School of Form in Poland last year in November. 
A 4-day intensive workshop with super talented students from Domestic Design course. 

Colour Alchimia at PAW . CHEW . GO

Hey colour lovers!

This is what happened during our Colour Alchimia workshop held in Milan during the Pawchewgo Festival from October 14th – 15th. 

C o l o u r A l c h i m i a workshop at ABADIR

What a beautiful experience of sharing colour with colour lovers!
This is what happened during the Colour Alchimia workshop at ABADIR - Accademia di Design e Arti Visive in Catania, Sicily, which took place from the 20 - 21 July, 2017. I am thrilled to share my story and the experience of teaching this workshop in the beautiful island, which makes it a unique place to be. It has this summer vibe near the Edna volcano.

V E R D I G R I S / Colour of the Month #5

We are celebrating Colour of the Month #5!

While living in London and traveling abroad, I have always been curious about the pale green colour seen on rooftops and domes of various churches and traditional buildings. It creates a beautiful contrast with the architecture and city landscape. 

D I Y COLOUR RECIPE BOOK

The DIY Colour Recipe Book tells the story and shares the recipes for making the Colour Provenance palette, made up of 8 ancient colours such as: Whiteshell, Saffron, Ochre, Verdigris, Malachite, Azurite, Mummy Brown and Lamp Black, colours that have been long lost and forgotten over time and replaced by synthetic alternatives.

W h i t e s h e l l / Colour of the Month #4

In March we're celebrating Whiteshell colour made from disposed eggshells! It's fascinating to know that eggshells were used for multiple purposes in Antiquity.  In Egypt, ostriches were quite used animals; the feathers for decoration, the eggs for food and the shells for ornamentation and pigment. I can say that holding an ostrich eggshell is a fascinating experience; admiring its colour, size, texture and hardness makes you think about the beauty in nature.

C O L O U R P R O V E N A N C E / Colour of the Month #3

We are CELEBRATING colour and each month I will introduce a different colour palette and story. I will be presenting my project Colour Provenance, which is palette made up of eight ancient colours from the animal, plant and mineral world including Saffron: a golden colour; cave and primitive colours such as natural Ochres; first ever used green Malachite and blue Azurite and so many other fascinating stories and origins behind natural materials and colours. 

O C H R E / Colour of the Month #2

As we start the new year here is an update on new colour vibes! This month we are celebrating the deep-warm and vibrant Ochre colour. Also known as natural earth, soil and terra, which still is a big trend today. You may find inspiration and insight on how to apply this colour today, creating smart colour swatches and inspirational mood-boards! 

S A F F R O N / Colour of the Month #1

The waters of the Mediterranean Sea have witnessed the most fascinating trade routes of spices and colour. Saffron is a spice that is extracted from the dried stigmas of thecrocus sativus, and has always been one of the world’s most costly substances.

Read more about the fascinating story behind this magnificent colour and a bonus recipe for you to try at home.