Colour Theory for Colour Mixing – Learn to Mix Colours Like a Pro (18 July ’26)
Red, blue, and yellow are not the primary colours you need!
Which is why you often get muddy results when you want to mix bright, vibrant colours. This workshop will teach you a framework for understanding colour mixing – one built around
Colour theory 101. We’ll also cover colour combinations and how to harmonise them to create a cohesive colour selection.
Date: Sat 18 July 2026
Time: 9:00am – 12.00pm
Place: The Deckle Edge @ 13 Brickfield Road, Salt River
Workshops space limited booking essential
What attendees will learn:
In this workshop, we’ll use a 6-colour primary set of watercolours to learn how to mix a full range of colours. We’ll talk about what makes the standard red, blue and yellow primary set so confusing to use, what we can use instead to get beautiful, vibrant colour mixes and why mixes sometimes turn out muted or muddy. Students will get a chance to complete two colour wheels to see the theory in action.
Materials supplied by facilitator:
- Colour theory workbook with notes on the workshop will be shared with students digitally after the workshop
- All materials will be supplied but if you’d like to practice with your own watercolours it’s recommended you bring them along.
What you need to bring: An apron and your own materials if you already have them and want to practice with them rather.
For beginners, I recommend the PrimeArt Iris watercolour 12 colour set or the Aquafine Travel Set. If a student can afford more, I usually recommend the Daniel Smith Primary Mixing Set or individual colours from the W & N Cotman, Daler-Rowney Aquafine and Schmincke watercolour ranges as they are more pigmented and artist quality.
* Each attendee will get a 10% Deckle shopping coupon to use on the day and refreshments.
Recommended age: All welcome from 13 years and up.
About the facilitatior:
Fair warning: Mareli Basson will talk about colour for as long as you let her. Ask anyone who’s seen her work – vibrant is the word that comes up most. But the thing she loves most isn’t the result. It’s the moment someone discovers what they can do with it.
Her watercolour workshops are an invitation into that discovery. Armed with a BA in Applied Design and years of collecting knowledge across mediums, she goes deep, and her students feel it. Several have already come back for more.
The medium is the doorway – accessible, playful, and just unpredictable enough to keep you honest. What’s on the other side looks different for everyone. Some find a new practice. Some find colour itself. Some just find a moment that feels like breathing.
No experience necessary. Curiosity is strongly encouraged. Nerdy tangents included at no extra cost.
If you need to cancel your workshop booking, please let us know by 11 a.m the weekday before the workshop. To help us support the facilitator, late cancellations will not be refunded. A credit for future events could be granted at our discretion.
R575.00
In stock
Product Description
Red, blue, and yellow are not the primary colours you need!
Which is why you often get muddy results when you want to mix bright, vibrant colours. This workshop will teach you a framework for understanding colour mixing – one built around
Colour theory 101. We’ll also cover colour combinations and how to harmonise them to create a cohesive colour selection.
Date: Sat 18 July 2026
Time: 9:00am – 12.00pm
Place: The Deckle Edge @ 13 Brickfield Road, Salt River
Workshops space limited booking essential
What attendees will learn:
In this workshop, we’ll use a 6-colour primary set of watercolours to learn how to mix a full range of colours. We’ll talk about what makes the standard red, blue and yellow primary set so confusing to use, what we can use instead to get beautiful, vibrant colour mixes and why mixes sometimes turn out muted or muddy. Students will get a chance to complete two colour wheels to see the theory in action.
Materials supplied by facilitator:
- Colour theory workbook with notes on the workshop will be shared with students digitally after the workshop
- All materials will be supplied but if you’d like to practice with your own watercolours it’s recommended you bring them along.
What you need to bring: An apron and your own materials if you already have them and want to practice with them rather.
For beginners, I recommend the PrimeArt Iris watercolour 12 colour set or the Aquafine Travel Set. If a student can afford more, I usually recommend the Daniel Smith Primary Mixing Set or individual colours from the W & N Cotman, Daler-Rowney Aquafine and Schmincke watercolour ranges as they are more pigmented and artist quality.
* Each attendee will get a 10% Deckle shopping coupon to use on the day and refreshments.
Recommended age: All welcome from 13 years and up.
About the facilitatior:
Fair warning: Mareli Basson will talk about colour for as long as you let her. Ask anyone who’s seen her work – vibrant is the word that comes up most. But the thing she loves most isn’t the result. It’s the moment someone discovers what they can do with it.
Her watercolour workshops are an invitation into that discovery. Armed with a BA in Applied Design and years of collecting knowledge across mediums, she goes deep, and her students feel it. Several have already come back for more.
The medium is the doorway – accessible, playful, and just unpredictable enough to keep you honest. What’s on the other side looks different for everyone. Some find a new practice. Some find colour itself. Some just find a moment that feels like breathing.
No experience necessary. Curiosity is strongly encouraged. Nerdy tangents included at no extra cost.
If you need to cancel your workshop booking, please let us know by 11 a.m the weekday before the workshop. To help us support the facilitator, late cancellations will not be refunded. A credit for future events could be granted at our discretion.
Marga Bezuidenhout (verified owner) –
I was privileged to have a sneak preview of this course, and immediately booked my place. The info shared by Mareli is “next level” color theory, well researched and extremely informative. I really would recommend this workshop, even for seasoned watercolor artists