Category: 12 colors in 12 months

TWELVTY-ONE: yellow-ish

Mixy presents TWELVTY 2024, a year-long color exploration through watercolor and mixed media.

In my year full of color, I usually begin with Yellow, then trip clockwise around this color wheel a month and a color at a time.

What’s happening in TWELVTY 2024?

I dug out this lovely little square watercolour sketchbook from my stash.

It has about 30 pages, just right for 2 spreads per month/per colour. 

I like to break the ice by noodling some sort of title on the front cover, I can go back and add more as and when the whims of fate decide.

My “This Color: This Month” rule has loosey-goosey-ed up as I’m in Color/Month 1 and we’re well into February.

Also I don’t think it’s ‘finished’, so I’m open to adding some more bits in the future.

Already the whole thing feels way more relaxed!!

Up to now Yellow has been a vivid array of sunflower, egg yolk and banana yellow, this time I’m looking at the subtler edges of what I call YELLOWISH, with ochre, Naples yellow, gold and cream. 

That’s the plan today, watch this space to see if I can keep this far out from my loudest-colored-comfort-zone! 

BIG bold yellows from yester year!

+ Contrast!

I also relaxed the just one colour  aspect this time. This time I’m experimenting with each color being accompanied with flashes of something from way over the other side of the color wheel.

Here’s how I kicked off this year’s 12 color project!

Yellow-ish Page 1

This watercolour paper is handmade and heavily textured, it takes wet media like a dream.

  • Starting out with water soluble markers (Tombow, Ecoline) 
  • Then water soluble pastels (Neocolor II), then water to blend
  • Followed by gouache (white, Naples Yellow, Yellow Ochre).
  • For a bit of darker contrast I used a fountain pen with a mix of black ink and water.
  • Water soluble pencil, then some collage pieces.
  • Finally highlighting squiggles in gold & yellow marker pen.

More updates soon!

Be first to see where this project leads me next by signing up to my monthly newsletter.

Hi – I’m Mixy!

This is Mixy 🙂

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Join Me!

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TWELVE years since TWELVTY!

Well, can we have a big “YIKES” to acknowledge that 12 years have elapsed since my very first 12 colours in 12 months project?!?!

I had to double check my numbers, but it’s for real. TWELVE years indeed!

What is TWELVTY?

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, 2012 was a tough year for me…

my home life had been turned upside down, and creativity kept me afloat.

At the time I’d recently discovered fibre artist Marlene Glickman

Her piece “Day by Day” appealed to every part of my colour-hungry soul.

Making color and design decisions is sometimes difficult so I challenge myself to use only one color from the color wheel each month during my daily design exercises. A box sits on my worktable containing all the supplies I collected at the beginning of the month in one color.

From this I choose bits and pieces creating a 5″ x 5″ design/collage/drawing. The small format offers me the chance to explore a design and decide whether or not to enlarge it or expand on an idea. I also keep a journal for sketches, fabric swatches and working out future ideas and larger pieces. 

Marlene Glickman 1948-2023

A Year Full of Colour

On Marlene’s advice, I decided to dedicate a sketchbook to single colour experiments, with one colour each month for a year. This is how it turned out (excuse the wonky video – this was new to me!)

the original 12 colors in 12 months art journal from 2012

Over the years I revisited this idea, and reimaging the monthly format. For a few years I ran a year long class sharing my process and guiding other creatives in their own 12 colour projects.

3d mixed media sculpture of a color wheel

TWELVTY 2024

I can’t let this 12 year marker go uncelebrated, so this year I’ve got a new twist on the old idea in mind. Catch this month’s studio newsletter to see what I’ve been making, and find out how this year will be a wee bit different!

Is this something you’d like to join in with?
Comment below to LMK, I’ve got so many ideas to share!

Hi – I’m Mixy!

This is Mixy 🙂

I’m a mixed media & textile artist from London, UK.

I love to share what I’m making, and I hope it brings some inspiration to your creative time.

You can see what I’m making on this blog, and in these places too

Join Me!

Get monthly-ish Studio Musings Newsletter.

You can unsubscribe at any time.

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Success! You're on the list.

Happy New Blog!

Swept up in all that new year – new decade – new beginnings energy I suddenly got it in my head to begin a new blog.

My colorful adventures are moving to Mixy.Art.Blog

Do come on over, we’ve got another TWELVTY going on 😉

Swept up in all that new year – new decade – new beginnings energy (and even a new moon today) I suddenly got it in my head to begin a new blog.

As you good folks who’ve been with me since the early days know, Ephemeral Gecko began as a place I documented my early mixed media experiments. I never expected anyone to read it, let alone follow along with me over these last eight (crikey!) years.

For a start, would I have chosen such a peculiar name?

(maybe I would)

Anyhoozles.

Having meandered to where I am now, I’m ready to be more purposeful in my online voice. I’m in no rush to remove or delete anything over here, but will be retiring this site.

So join me, will you —

My colorful adventures are moving to Mixy.Art.Blog

This is where I’ll be sharing all my makings and doings in my colorful world.

Beginning with a new year full of color.

YES! TWELVTY is back!!

This year I’m not running it as a formal course, but as an open invitation to anyone who would like to play along. No cost, no commitment – the more the merrier – so do spread the word!

If you get my newsletter you’ll have already seen the TWELVTY Guide (and if you join up here you can get it delivered straight to your inbox now!)

I send out Studio Musings Newsletters just once a month. You can unsubscribe any time 🙂

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I look forward to seeing you over at Mixy.Art.Blog where our colorful adventures continue!

A Spin of Colors

I’m here to bring a little bit of spinning bright colorfulness to your Friday, and to remind you today is the LAST DAY of the 21 Secrets Flashback Sale 🙂

Hello lovely friends!

I’m here to bring a little bit of spinning bright colorfulness to your Friday. Here’s a 3D view of the color wheels I made in Twelvty 2018

If this inspires you to play with more color, more mixed media, more art journaling: don’t forget today is your last chance to grab $21 OFF these 21 SECRETS online courses

‘Color, Color, Color!’
‘Tell Your Story’
‘Tools & Techniques’
‘Embody’
+ The Best of 2014 & 2015

Quickety-Hop-Click yourself over to 21 Secrets and grab a bundle of inspiration. Use COUPON CODE FLASHBACK at checkout to save $21 😀 

21 Secrets flashback sale 14-16 November

Happy weekend all X

Keep up to date with all I’m doing and making with my newsletter. Once a month or so I’ll drop into your inbox with the inside stories behind the colorful things I’ve been playing with and what’s inspired me this month.

Your email is quite safe with me.I will not trade it for magic beans. I promise.

Full Circle

We’ve just arrived full circle on the latest trip around the color wheel that is TWELVTY, and I’m so excited how this project turned out!

Catch my newsletter this weekend to be first to see the completed 3D color wheel

In previous years of TWELVTY, my year long trip around the color wheel, I’ve created an art journal to document the process (you can see them  here & here)

2018 is the third time I’ve repeated the experiment. It never ceases to amaze me how much deeper this color exploration can take me into a creative flow. 

This year I wanted to make something new – something more dynamic. So this year my 12 color project took the form of part art journal, part 3d mixed media sculptures.

12T2018_7921

We’ve just arrived full circle on our trip around the color wheel, and I’m so excited how this project turned out!

 

Catch my newsletter this weekend to be first to see the completed 3D color wheel in all its 3D-ness!

 

wanna see what a year full of color looks like?

Over the last 12 days I’ve shared the individual colors – this is the whole book

Over the last 12 days I’ve shared the individual colors – this is the whole book

In case you missed them – these are the colors one at a time: Yellow – Yellow-Green – Green – Blue-Green – Blue – Blue-Violet – Violet – Red-Violet – Red – Red-Orange – Orange – Yellow-Orange

If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:

YearFullOfColorbyPennGregoryR2017_Page_01

Your email is utterly safe to me. It will be guarded by the deity of your choice and a small dragon.

TWELVTY is adventure you can join too.

By exploring the color wheel and each of the 12 colors, I share my creative process plus a feast of resources about color I’ve collected for you.

You’ll learn about the history of how color has been used, not just by artists, but as part of different cultures around the world. You’ll discover the meanings linked to the colors, how there are connections through the ages and around the world.

There are even playlists of songs and music relating to each of the colors! (I said it was thorough, right?)

In 2018 I’m introducing a new element to TWELVTY – a shared creative project that we’ll work on together as we traverse the color wheel.

Find out more here

penngregoryTwelvty1200x574Registration for TWELVTY 2018 is open now!
Find out more & join here

 

 

day 12: 12 days of Twelvty

The 12 colors: 12 months project of 2017 plays back in the last 12 days of the year. Today:Yellow-Orange

Twelvty-Twelve: Yellow-Orange

The Gorgeous Golden Glow of Yellow-Orange, Ochres, Ginger, Saffron & Spice

 

“All that glitters is not gold.”
~ Shakespeare

yellow-orange in the color wheel

All through 2017 I’ve been exploring the subject of color in a year long visual adventure: one color each month. Over the last 12 days of the year I’ve shared a little insight into what I made through the year, and today we reach the end of the journey, the circle is complete.

Each month I continued adding more single color doodles and collaged ephemera to the pages to this art journal, these are the closing pages.

If you missed the previous posts, you can catch up here: Starting out in  Yellow, then Yellow-Green, Green, Blue-Green, Blue and Blue-Violet, next Violet, then Red-Violet, Red then Red-Orange and finally Orange. Now we’ve arrived full circle! Yikes what a trip!! 

Wishing you a fabulously colorful new year! Much love to you X

If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:

YearFullOfColorbyPennGregoryR2017_Page_01

Your email is utterly safe to me. It will be guarded by the deity of your choice and a small dragon.

TWELVTY is adventure you can join too.

By exploring the color wheel and each of the 12 colors, I share my creative process plus a feast of resources about color I’ve collected for you.

You’ll learn about the history of how color has been used, not just by artists, but as part of different cultures around the world. You’ll discover the meanings linked to the colors, how there are connections through the ages and around the world.

There are even playlists of songs and music relating to each of the colors! (I said it was thorough, right?)

In 2018 I’m introducing a new element to TWELVTY – a shared creative project that we’ll work on together as we traverse the color wheel.

Find out more here

penngregoryTwelvty1200x574Registration for TWELVTY 2018 is open now!
Find out more & join here

 

day 11: 12 days of Twelvty

The 12 colors: 12 months project of 2017 plays back in the last 12 days of the year. Today: Orange

Twelvty-Eleven: Orange

Juicy citrus shades of marigold, maple & mango

“Orange is the happiest color.”
~ Frank Sinatra

orange the color wheelColor is an integral part to all types of creativity, it influences our moods and emotions, it’s linked with memories. Colors have been assigned meanings and connections throughout history and around the world.

When we tune our eyes in to notice the colors around us, life becomes brighter and more vibrant.

Through 2017 I’ve been exploring these aspects of color in a year long visual adventure: one color each month.

Each month I continued adding more single color pages to this mixed media art journal.

Over the last 12 days of the year I want to show you a glimpse of this project.

Starting out in  Yellow, then Yellow-Green, Green, Blue-Green, Blue and Blue-Violet, next Violet, then Red-Violet, Red then Red-Orange. Tomorrow we’ll take the final step bringing us full circle to Twelvty-Twelve: Yellow-Orange. 

If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:

YearFullOfColorbyPennGregoryR2017_Page_01

Your email is utterly safe to me. I’ll bring it tea if it wakes up, then sing it back to sleep.

TWELVTY is adventure you can join too.

By exploring the color wheel and each of the 12 colors, I share my creative process plus a feast of resources about color I’ve collected for you.

You’ll learn about the history of how color has been used, not just by artists, but as part of different cultures around the world. You’ll discover the meanings linked to the colors, how there are connections through the ages and around the world.

There are even playlists of songs and music relating to each of the colors! (I said it was thorough, right?)

In 2018 I’m introducing a new element to TWELVTY – a shared creative project that we’ll work on together as we traverse the color wheel.

Find out more here

penngregoryTwelvty1200x574Registration for TWELVTY 2018 is open now!
Find out more & join here

 

day 10: 12 days of Twelvty

The 12 colors: 12 months project of 2017 plays back in the last 12 days of the year. Today: Red-Orange

Twelvty-Ten: Red-Orange

From auburn to brick, rusty rouge, browns & burnt orange.

 

“The sky takes on shades of orange during sunrise and sunset, the colour that gives you hope that the sun will set only to rise again.”
~ Ram Charan

red-orange in the color wheelColor is an integral part to all types of creativity, it influences our moods and emotions, it’s linked with memories. Colors have been assigned meanings and connections throughout history and around the world.

When we tune our eyes in to notice the colors around us, life becomes brighter and more vibrant.

Through 2017 I’ve been exploring these aspects of color in a year long visual adventure: one color each month.

Each month I continued adding more single color pages to this mixed media art journal.

Over the last 12 days of the year I want to show you a glimpse of this project.

Starting out in  Yellow, then Yellow-Green, Green, Blue-Green, Blue and Blue-Violet, next Violet, then Red-Violet and Red. Tomorrow we’ll step around to Twelvty-Eleven: Orange 

If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:

YearFullOfColorbyPennGregoryR2017_Page_01

Your email is utterly safe to me. I’ll bring it tea if it wakes up, then sing it back to sleep.

TWELVTY is adventure you can join too.

By exploring the color wheel and each of the 12 colors, I share my creative process plus a feast of resources about color I’ve collected for you.

You’ll learn about the history of how color has been used, not just by artists, but as part of different cultures around the world. You’ll discover the meanings linked to the colors, how there are connections through the ages and around the world.

There are even playlists of songs and music relating to each of the colors! (I said it was thorough, right?)

In 2018 I’m introducing a new element to TWELVTY – a shared creative project that we’ll work on together as we traverse the color wheel.

Find out more here

penngregoryTwelvty1200x574Registration for TWELVTY 2018 is open now!
Find out more & join here

 

day 9: 12 days of Twelvty

The 12 colors:12 months project of 2017 plays back in the last 12 days of the year. Today: Red

 

Twelvty-Nine: Red

Rich reds, ruby, raspberry, crimson, claret and cherry

 

 

“Red is the ultimate cure for sadness”.
~ Bill Blass

red in the color wheelColor is an integral part to all types of creativity, it influences our moods and emotions, it’s linked with memories. Colors have been assigned meanings and connections throughout history and around the world.

When we tune our eyes in to notice the colors around us, life becomes brighter and more vibrant.

Through 2017 I’ve been exploring these aspects of color in a year long visual adventure: one color each month.

This month I played with some paper sculpture ideas (still a work in progress), and I explored digital collage from found objects (wow there’s a lot of red things out there!)

And each month I continued adding more single color pages to this mixed media art journal.

Over the last 12 days of the year I want to show you a glimpse of this project.

Starting out in  Yellow, then Yellow-Green, Green, Blue-Green, Blue and Blue-Violet, next Violet, then Red-Violet. Tomorrow we’ll step around to Twelvty-Ten: Red-Orange. 

If you’re interested in understanding more about color, get my ebook A Year full of Color as well as regular monthly updates on my latest colorful antics, delivered right to your inbox:

YearFullOfColorbyPennGregoryR2017_Page_01

Your email is utterly safe to me. I’ll bring it tea if it wakes up, then sing it back to sleep.

TWELVTY is adventure you can join too.

By exploring the color wheel and each of the 12 colors, I share my creative process plus a feast of resources about color I’ve collected for you.

You’ll learn about the history of how color has been used, not just by artists, but as part of different cultures around the world. You’ll discover the meanings linked to the colors, how there are connections through the ages and around the world.

There are even playlists of songs and music relating to each of the colors! (I said it was thorough, right?)

In 2018 I’m introducing a new element to TWELVTY – a shared creative project that we’ll work on together as we traverse the color wheel.

Find out more here

penngregoryTwelvty1200x574Registration for TWELVTY 2018 is open now!
Find out more & join here

 

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