7 Simple Changes That'll Make An Enormous Difference To Your Wooden Palette

· 5 min read
7 Simple Changes That'll Make An Enormous Difference To Your Wooden Palette

Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?

For oil painting, wooden palettes are used. They are light and easy to clean. They also look gorgeous.

Many depictions of artists at work have survived. Some depict wooden pallets like the one that Vermeer used.

To prepare a wooden palette, wipe the surface with dry oil, like linseed. It is crucial to keep the palette in good condition by applying an oil-based coating.

Lightweight

A wooden palette is lighter than glass or tear-off pallets and can be easily positioned on the easel. The thickness of the wood makes it strong and stable, which prevents it from breaking under pressure. It can also be stained and sanded to give it the color. A wood palette is more sturdy and resistant to insects and fungi than other materials. Palettes made of wood are ideal for mixing alkyds and acrylics.

The most common kind of wooden palette is made from pine or maple, both of which can resist cracking and warping. It is essential to select the wood that has been treated with heat to keep fungi or insects. This process is essential to the long-term durability and quality of a wooden pallet. Furthermore the surface of a quality wooden palette must be smooth and evenly sanded. It should also have a low moisture content which will minimize the chance of wrinkling or damage to paints.

Another benefit of a wooden palette is that it is easy to keep clean. At the end of each painting session, artist can wipe the palette with a drying oil to prepare it for the next time. Linseed oil is a great choice due to its low cost easily available and quick drying.

The natural brown tone of a wood palette is ideal to mix colors because it is not too dissimilar to the dominant color on the canvas. This will help to make sure that there is no perception that the colors are lighter or darker than what they really are. Vermeer employed the standard wooden palette. In his inventory of 1676 it is noted that "tweeschilders eesels" (two easels for painters) and "drye paletten" (3 wooden palettes) were present. In Pictura, Frans van Meieris painted a Vermeer style palette and Roger de Piles suggested that artists paint flesh tones on a wooden palette that ranged from light to dark.

pallet near me  have been used by artists for centuries since they are sturdy and durable. They are lighter than glass or tear-off pallets, and more sturdy than paper palettes. This makes them more comfortable to hold and use while painting. These palettes are great for mixing alkyds and oil paints. It is important to choose a good wooden palette that has been heated. This eliminates fungi and pests that can harm the palette.

A high-quality wooden palette is well-constructed and smooth which makes it easy for your brushes to glide across. It must be finished with drying oil that shields the wood from solvent and water damage, and helps maintain its shape. There are ready-to-use, pre-finished palettes or make your own from raw wood. If you're using a wooden palette, ensure that you clean it after every painting session. Paint that is wet on a wooden palette could cause it to warp or crack over time.

Wooden Palettes are still popular for artists. They were the first mixing surfaces that could be used to mix oil paints. They are lightweight, sturdy and can hold a large amount of paint without breaking. They are great for mixing thick paints like alkyds, acrylics, and other heavier-bodied ones.

Vermeer's palettes had replaced the older rectangular ones with handles. The thumb was used to support the palette which allowed the painter to use his remaining fingers to paint with brushes and also the mahlstick.


Woods treated with heat, such as spruce and other hardwoods are used to create high-quality palettes. This will eliminate any fungi or bugs. A treatment that heats wood also makes it harder to scratch or sand the surface of the palette. A well-used, conditioned wooden palette will develop a smooth, glass-like surface after many years of use. This is due to the accumulation of thin layers of drying oils that aid the surface retain its shape.

Easy to clean

If you are looking for smooth, easy to clean palette that lasts for years then a wood palette is the way to go. This kind of palette is popular among oil painters and will not break or shatter like a glass one. You can either buy wooden pallets that have been sealed or you can make it yourself. You'll need boiled Linseed Oil purchased from a hardware store. Nitrile gloves, and high-quality paper towels or rags. Sealing a palette with drying oil will fill in the small gaps and create a smooth surface. This will improve with every painting.

After you have your palette cleaned, you'll need to condition it following each painting session. This is important as it will keep paints flowing smoothly on the palette and shield your hands from solvents. Start by lightly sanding the palette using 180-grit paper. This will help open the wood grain and allow it to absorb oil more easily. Put a small amount of linseed onto the palette, and employ a rag or cloth to clean the entire surface. Then let the oil dry for a day or two.

If there is any remaining paint on your palette, a little OMS sprayed onto a rag should eliminate it. It is not recommended to scrape the dried paint off using anything sharp as this could scratch and harm your palette.

If you need to scrape some dried paint off your palette it's best to rub it with a soft brush instead of using knives. If you scrape too hard, you could damage your palette.

Aesthetically pleasing

A wooden palette is a stylish and durable mixing surface. It makes you feel like an artist. It can be used with acrylics, oil paints, and alkyds. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides smoothly across the brush when you mix and take in paint. Wooden palettes can be found in various sizes and are light. They are available in a variety of finishes and styles to suit your preferences.

The wooden palette is one of the oldest mixing surfaces. It has been around since the time of art. The wood has a warm brown hue that doesn't alter the colors of the paints. This is important since the perception of colors is influenced by the dominant tone on which they are mixed. A wooden palette may aid in identifying the hues of your paints as it has a mid-value that displays the hues.

The first palettes were made from tin foil or paper, but the ones Vermeer used were probably made of wood. In a 1676 probate inventories two easels of painters were listed, along with three palettes. In an allegorical image of Pictura Vermeer's contemporary Frans van Meieris and Jan Vermeer used the same type of palette. A traditional wooden palette used for oil painting is generally designed to hold the thumb hole that serves to support the palette. the other fingers hold the brushes and the maulstick to hold the hand against the canvas while painting.

After cleaning the surface, wipe it clean with a drying oil -- Linseed, or another to keep the palette conditioned until the next time you require it. This will fill the pores in the wood grain and provide a smoother surface for your brushes. As time passes, an oiled palette will develop a beautiful patina which adds to its character.