The Apelles Palette Essentials
Confident Color Mixing In Just 14 Days
Do your colors get muddy as soon as your painting begins?
You’re not alone. Most painters:
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Get stuck in endless mixing loops — too much of one color, not enough of another.
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Struggle to mix accurate, believable colors.
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End up with mud instead of harmony.
Why This Happens
Most color mixing advice overwhelms you with dozens of pigments, confusing charts, and theories that are hard to apply in real life. Instead of simplifying painting, it makes your palette chaotic and your results unpredictable.
The truth? More colors = more problems.
The Agitation
When your palette feels out of control:
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Your portraits look flat or lifeless.
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Hours of effort get buried under muddy paint.
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You lose confidence and hesitate with every brushstroke.
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Worst of all, painting stops being joyful — it becomes frustrating.
If this feels familiar, you’re not the problem. Your palette system is.
The Solution:
Apelles Palette Essentials
The Apelles Palette is a proven, four-color system — inspired by the masters of antiquity and still used today by Odd Nerdrum.
Parallel limited palettes have guided painters for centuries: Rembrandt, Velázquez, and Zorn all relied on similar approaches to create harmony and control.
In this structured 14-day program, you’ll learn how to:
✅ Mix the full rainbow from just 4 colors.
✅ Create natural harmony across every painting.
✅ Gain confidence by knowing exactly where to start.
✅ Finally put an end to “muddy mixes.”
Instead of fighting your paints, you’ll be free to focus on storytelling, expression, and the joy of painting.
What You'll Learn
In just 14 days, you’ll know how to:
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Mix a harmonious palette in just 10 minutes (even if you're a beginner).
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Simplify colors into clear, manageable zones using core principles.
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Stop second-guessing your values and mixtures.
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Build a reliable system to mix any color you want — without ending up with mud.
Key Topics
In Apelles Palette Essentials, each lesson is carefully designed to build from simple mixes to a complete, confident color system.
Understanding Color Structure: Master the essential foundation of mixes and learn how to simplify your palette into a set of “anchor” colors.
Four Colors as Building Blocks: Unlock the full rainbow from the four colors of the Apelles Palette.
Color Mapping: Develop a repeatable, step-by-step method so you always know what to add next (no more endless loops).
Complementary Contrast: Use opposites to achieve harmony, vibrancy, and luminosity in your work.
Complex Color Schemes Simplified: Break down advanced palettes into basic components for effortless harmony.
Magic Mud: Learn how to use grays intentionally to enhance atmosphere and avoid dull mixtures.
Sanding and Scraping: Explore transparency and layering techniques that enrich harmony and depth.
Broken Color: Apply strategic layering to create lively, painterly effects that look natural without heavy blending.
By the end, you won’t just “know” the Apelles Palette — you’ll have a repeatable color system you can carry into every painting.
At a Glance — You’ll Learn How To:
🌈 Mix any color from just four pigments.
🎨 Create natural harmony and balance in your palette.
🪣 Avoid mud with a step-by-step color mapping system.
☯️ Use contrast, grays, and broken color for vibrancy and atmosphere.
🖌️ Apply techniques like sanding, scraping, and layering to enrich your work.
Ready to simplify your palette and master confident color mixing?
What Makes This Different?
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Step-by-step strategy—not just vague color theory or endless charts.
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A proven four-color system that simplifies mixing and eliminates overwhelm.
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Fundamental principles that explain why color works, so you can apply them to any palette.
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Designed for painters who want mastery, not just “more colors on the canvas.”
Key Features
14 Days of Structured Lessons: Daily video exercises that build from simple mixes to a complete rainbow.
Downloadable Guides & Diagrams: Color maps, masterwork breakdowns, and strategy flowcharts you can reference anytime.
Reference Image Library: Curated masterworks that train your eye to see color structure clearly
The Apelles Palette Map: A printable step-by-step guide for expanding four basic colors into limitless options.
The Common Color Schemes PDF: Learn how classical palettes combine hues for drama and harmony.
Private Course Portal: Lifetime access to all lessons and future updates.
Self-Testing Toolkit: Checklists, references, and guided prompts to measure your progress.
Optional Online Community: Share your work, ask questions, and stay motivated with peers.
Ready to learn the color strategies used by masters from Rembrandt to Nerdrum?
"I thought it would be intimidating to be here, but it was the opposite. There are so many talented painters, but everyone just wants to help each other. I got to be vulnerable, humble, and focus on the craft—which was amazing."
Emile, Canada
Meet The Instructors
Nic Thurman
Nic is a classical oil painter and educator passionate about reviving the methods of the Old Masters. After studying at the Nerdrum School in Norway, he developed a teaching style that emphasizes simplicity, clarity, and timeless systems like the Apelles Palette.
Through his YouTube channel and Instagram, Nic has helped thousands of students demystify painting by showing how a limited palette creates freedom and harmony.
“Limitation isn’t a restriction — it’s the secret to clarity and confidence with color.”
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Painting by Nic Thurman & Melisa Calabria
Melisa Calabria
Melisa is a classically trained painter known for her luminous handling of color, light, and atmosphere. She trained in Buenos Aires under established masters and later studied with Odd Nerdrum in Norway, deepening her understanding of the power of restricted palettes.
Her paintings have received international recognition, and she has taught in academies and workshops worldwide. Melisa’s teaching blends methodical instruction with intuitive use of color, helping students move from muddy mixtures to vibrant harmony.
As a long-time collaborator with Nic, she brings warmth, insight, and a deep sensitivity to color in every lesson.
“When you understand color structure, confidence follows — and your paintings come alive.”
Our Promise to You
If you go through this course, learn the strategies, do the homework, and you don't come out of it feeling more confident in your color mixing abilities... We'll give you a 100% refund. That's because we know how powerful it is. And that's how confident we are that this course can transform you and your skills.
Who This Is For
Apelles Palette Essentials is designed for painters who are ready to take control of their color — whether you’re just starting out or want to simplify and refine your palette with timeless mastery.
This Course Is For You If:
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You struggle with muddy mixes and your colors rarely look clean or intentional.
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You feel overwhelmed by too many tubes of paint and want to simplify your process.
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You’ve painted for years but never learned a true system for mixing.
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You rely on trial-and-error and wish you could mix any color with confidence.
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You spend more time guessing at mixtures than actually painting.
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You want to understand why colors work together — not just copy recipes.
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You value the classical tradition and want to work with the same type of palette masters like Rembrandt, Velázquez, and Zorn relied on.
This Course Is Not For You If:
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❌ You just want quick tricks or shortcuts instead of building lasting skill.
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❌ You prefer using dozens of random pigments and don’t care about color harmony.
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❌ You’re looking for flashy pastel type colors instead of timeless fundamentals.
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❌ You’re not willing to practice simple daily exercises for 14 days.
What Our Students Are Saying
Choose Your Apelles Palette Essentials Experience
Each tier includes lifetime access to all material — with options for live events, critiques, and personalized mentorship.
3 Options for Enrollment
Essentials — Self-Paced Core Training
Early Bird $199 (Reg. $249)
✅ 14-day structured curriculum with daily lessons + exercises
✅ Downloadable PDFs & guides (cheat sheets, strategy maps, flowcharts)
✅ Curated reference library for practice
✅ Apelles Palette Map & Mixing Guide printables
✅ Lifetime access to all course material
✅ Student chat community (optional)
Essentials + Live — Guided Learning & Live Access
Early Bird $249 (Reg. $299)
🎥 Bonus Mini-Course — Painting a portrait with the full palette
🎙️ 5 Live Q&A sessions to get your questions answered
🖌️ 3 Live Demo sessions (watch the palette in action)
🔁 Replays of all live Q&As & demos
💬 Priority question responses during live events
🎞️ Exclusive bonus video lesson
Full Mentorship — Personal Coaching & Critique
Early Bird $399 (Reg. $499)
🖼️ 5 Live Critique sessions (personal feedback on your work)
👥 Small-group “Mixing Club” mentorship sessions
💬 Direct messaging support with Nic and Melisa for ongoing guidance
🎯 Small group focus — only 9 students accepted
Essentials
Self-Paced Core Training
$249
Early Bird $199
14-day Structured Curriculum
14 Daily Lessons + Exercises
Downloadable PDFs and Guides
References Library for Mixing Exercises
The Apelles Palette Color Map Printable
Apelles Palette Color Mixing Cheat Sheet and Strategy Guide
Lifetime Access to All Course Material
Optional Community Group Chat
Discount ends 9/30/25
Essentials + Live
Guided Learning & Live Access
$299
Early Bird $249
Includes 8 Live Sessions + Bonus Portrait Course:
Bonus Mini Course - Painting a Portrait to Show the Full Range of the Apelles Palette
Access to 5 Live Q&A Sessions
Access to 3 Live Demo Sessions
Replays of all live Q&As and demos
Priority question responses
Exclusive bonus video lesson