Forget Wooden Palette: 10 Reasons That You No Longer Need It
Why Paint on a Wooden Palette? A wooden palette is light, rigid and has an even surface. It also has a warm tone that helps painters to perceive colors accurately when painting. To seal a palette made of wood make use of boiled linseed oil as well as a lint-free rag or a high quality paper towel. Rub the oil onto the surface of the wood palette. Repeat every day, front and back. Wooden Palettes for Oil Painters Oil paints are available when you use a wooden palette. This makes it easier to mix colors and move the paints across your canvas or board. It's also a great way to keep your brushes close at the ready. This palette has helped me to reduce the amount of time I spend turning around my body to reach my brushes to reload them. I've noticed that it also improves my accuracy and consistency. You can purchase wooden palettes that have been stained and sealed to withstand water and standard solvents for artists, or you can buy them unfinished and stain them yourself. Sealing the wood prior painting will help it absorb less oil from your oil paints. To do this simply pour a small pool of linseed oil on the palette and rub it in with a lint free sponge until it is completely fully saturated. Then wipe off any excess and your palette is ready to use. I prefer to tone my palette prior using it by adding the smallest amount of brown medium (such as burnt sienna or yellow orange) to the linseed oil. This helps me visualize how my shadows will appear on the wood. Tone also helps me to distinguish the shades of light and dark in my artwork. A wooden palette that has been well-used will develop an exquisite patina over time. It will get more opaque and smooth, thanks to the oil you used in your paints staining it bit and the pigments merging together to form a varnish-like coating. It's an amazing thing to behold. Some artists use a clear acrylic varnish to seal their palettes made of wood. This will protect the wood and also give it a stunning shine. I prefer the traditional method of applying several thin layers of Linseed oils. It takes a bit more time than using polyurethane but it's worth it because you can apply a coat every time you clean your palette. And it will only improve with time. Wooden Palettes for Acrylic Painters A wooden palette is the most popular option for acrylic and oil painting. It offers a wide solid surface that is resistant to pigment absorption and encourages optimal mixing of colors. It also makes cleaning easy and simple by simply wiping a paper towel or cloth after each use. Palettes made of wood are also affordable and can be found in most arts and crafts stores. For the modern acrylic painter there are numerous palette options. Plastic palettes are a lighter option that resist damage from solvents and also have an anti-stick coating. They can be cleaned with warm soapy tap water and can be used with acrylics, among other materials. They are available in a variety of sizes and come with deep wells that allow mixing colors. Another option for acrylic painting is a styrofoam plate. They are cheap and disposable, which means they can be used for only one painting session, making them a great option for plein air painting. They could take in some paint though, which can be difficult to clean. One of the most effective alternatives for a permanent acrylic paint palette is a piece of sanded wood such as spruce or pine that has a thumb hole. This lets the artist hold the palette using the thumb placed inside the hole, leaving the other fingers for holding brushes and the mahlstick. The thumb hole helps prevent fingers from becoming too dirty when using the palette. Some artists prefer to build their own homemade wooden palettes using household items. An old aluminum or plastic foil covered dish can be an ideal place to begin. You can also pick up old glass or ceramic dishes. They are available at yard sales and thrift shops and are usually quite attractive. You could also try an tin foil piece that will ward off the absorption of paint and will be easy to clean. A palette made of stay-wet is a substitute for the traditional palette that is very well-known. They're basically a plastic box with a secure lid. You place a sponge in the bottom and dampen with water, then add a sheet of specialty paper on top to keep the paint moist. The box can be closed and the sponge and paper will stay damp for several days. You can always add water to the palette in case the paper gets dry. Wooden Palettes for Watercolor Painters When you're painting watercolors or oil paints, an wooden palette is the best option. These palettes are lighter than other options like glass or paper and are strong enough to handle easily. They also have internal cut-outs for the thumb and other fingers, making them more comfortable to hold for long periods of time while you work. They feature a satin-finished finish that allows paint to sit on top without being absorbed. Furthermore, they are easy to clean for years of use. The wooden palette was one of the earliest mixing surfaces utilized by artists. They are still an integral part of many studios. They offer an elegant, professional appearance and are ideal to mix acrylics, oils and alkyds. In addition, they are often made from sustainable forest practices. This makes a wooden pallet a green option for contemporary artists. Regular cleaning and re-oiling is most important factor in a wooden pallet's longevity. Reapplying linseed oils or a special wood conditioner can prevent excessive absorption and extend the lifespan of the palette. Depending on the type of wood, re-oiling a palette can be as simple as pouring a small amount of oil into the center of the palette, then wiping it off with a lint-free, clean cloth. Some artists opt to personalize wooden palettes with initials or decorative elements. This is a wonderful option to make your palette feel like a part of your art and give a sense of history to your tool. Some of these palettes can be customized with lids that lock into the place. This is an excellent feature to take with you when traveling. Instagram has also played a part in the popularity of wooden palettes. Artists share pictures of their beautiful setups on Instagram to inspire others. These visual cues are a wonderful reminder that painting using a wooden palette can be a rewarding and artistically satisfying experience. As you continue to use your wooden palette, it will grow into an item that you will treasure and an enduring reminder of your artistic journey. Wooden Palettes for Mixed Media Painters When we think of a palette for painting the first thing that comes to mind is one made of wood that was used by masters of the past. While still used by a few artists, these palettes are not suitable to use with watercolors or acrylics since the surface is too porous and absorbs paint too much. A new palette for painting was invented to solve this problem. The new palettes are constructed of tempered glass, which is robust and won't break should you drop it. They also come in a variety of sizes and shapes and sizes, so you can choose one that is comfortable to hold and fit into your hand while working. These new palettes are known as “stay wet” palettes because they keep your paints hydrated and able to work for a long time after you've finished painting. To make a “stay wet” palette, put your preferred oil painting medium to the back of the palette. Rub it into the wood until the paint looks tacky (like butter). Then you can use an old towel or lint-free cloth to clean any excess, making sure to get it into all the tiny grooves in the wood grain. This process, called seasoning, allows the palette to retain oil and pigment while allowing hairs of the brush to move through the wood easily. Another method to prepare a wooden palette is applying a drying oil – such as linseed, safflower or walnut – and rubbing it to the surface of the palette with an abrasive. This will help to seal the wood and make it resistant to water and solvents. This also stops the paint from sticking to the surface of your palette when wet. Some painters like to use disposable palettes such as paper plates or styrofoam cups. This is a great choice because it doesn't absorb paint too much, and it's easy-to-clean. sell pallets near me prefer a wooden palette because it's more sturdy and feels more comfortable in my hands. I love the idea of continuing the tradition of the older masters.