Forget what you’ve learned about red, yellow, and blue being the “primary colors.” In this eye-opening talk, artist and educator Peter Donahue walks you through a more accurate, science-based way to understand how paints really mix.

Begin by defining three key dimensions of color (hue, lightness, and chroma), and how they relate to form a color space, a three-dimensional map of color perception that we can navigate to understand and predict paint mixture. With the help of simple visualizations, tools like a spectrophotometer (don’t worry, he’ll explain!) and a free app called The Artist’s Helper, Peter shows you how paints behave in the real world – not just in theory.

See why some complementary pairs of paints (like cadmium red and cobalt turquoise) create neutral grays, while others (like yellow ochre and cobalt blue) don’t at all! Learn how the transparency or opacity of pigments influence your results, and why knowing a bit about how paints interact with light can make your painting process less frustrating.

In the end, you leave the session with practical tips for predicting how your paints will mix based on their hue, chroma, and transparency.

Special Program Information

• The instructor is Peter Donahue.
• This program includes one 1.5-hour session.
• Note: No supplies are needed for this lecture.
• NOTE: Registration will close for this program at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, September 19, 2025.

General Information

• This studio arts program is a Zoom Webinar.
• All Studio Arts programs require an online registration for each participant.
• This program will be recorded. Please see our FAQ for recording terms and conditions.
• Please refer to the "Materials for this program" section for any applicable supply list information and/or special documents for this program.
• View Common FAQs and Policies about our Online Programs on Zoom.