Gettin' Wet....Palettes

Over the last couple of years, I've focused most of my hobby time on actively increasing my ability as a painter. Sometimes, this has involved a new technique or a different kind of paint and, sometimes, it involved introducing a new tool into the mix. Amidst the airbrushes and fancy paint brushes, the one tool that has made the most difference to me is a wet palette.

For many years, I worked with a more typically 'palette,' something like a piece of plastic sheet, or a ceramic tile. For a while, I was set on using a simple piece of wax paper. This was primarily because those items were available and wet palettes were just another thing to spend money on. 

Rather than go the route of commercially made palettes, I fashioned my own wet palette out of items I already had available. I am not, by any means, the first person to come up with this idea and I'm sure many blogs have already written a similar post, but I wanted to get mine out there as well, if to convince more people to switch to a far superior wet palette.

Here is what you need:

• 1 Plano Tray (all you really need is the lid. Get a size you can use to store your painting tools)
• 2 Paper Towels (warning: hyperlink is of questionable usefulness)
• A roll of Wax Paper (warning: hyperlink has been deemed completely unnecessary)

Step 1: Remove the lid from the Plano Tray and remove the latches from the lid.

Step 2: Line the bottom of the upturned lid with the paper towels, layering until you have between 4 and 6 layers. Add some water to help the paper towels stick in place.

Step 3: Once you have your paper towels folded to the size of the upturned tray, hold the tray under the tap until the paper towel is completely soaked. 

Step 4: Remove the paper towel and squeeze the majority of the water out of it. Ideally, the paper towel should be soaked, but not dripping.

Step 5: Put the paper towels back into the upturned tray lid, and mold the paper towel into the correct shape.

Step 6: Cut a piece of wax paper to fit the upturned tray and apply it to the top of the paper towel. You will know the paper towel is wet enough when the wax paper starts to stick. The paper towel if the water begins soaking through the wax paper.

And that's it. Seriously though...everyone should be painting using a wet palette and if you're not already doing so, give it a try. You will quickly be convinced there is no other way to go.

More to Come.

-Nick