My Paint Palette

Setting up a palette is troublesome for some painters. Should I use this or use that? My theory is to put as many paint colors on the palette that will fit. I’m asked often what colors I use. That’s a difficult question because I dip and dab all over the place and with all these choices I’m never really sure what combination I’ve put together.

The palette itself is a large piece of polyethylene plastic that I had cut at Tap Plastics. They have stores and are online and can be ordered. It has a slick surface and can be cleaned easily. I’ve used it for so long that some of those slick properties are a little compromised so after thoroughly cleaning it I wipe on a thin coat of silicone, WD40, or something like that. Let that soak in then wipe with a clean cloth or paper towels, keep wiping it until the cloth comes clean.

As you might notice I have about 40 colors from which to choose. I lay them out in similar color groups and do it this every time. Since I work on several paintings at a time, due to drying time, and don’t clean my palette in between, I like to have lots of options. Each painting is different so having the paint on hand and ready is very convenient for me. These choices give me the opportunity to try different combinations too. They don’t always work but they just might and it is a little adventure added to your day. At the end of my work time I spritz the palette with water, cover with two rectangular plastic lids from storage bins, cover that with old bath towels then cover that with a plastic bag. The paint stays fresh for several days.

The photos below are examples of what it starts out as and then where it ends up.

One of my latest YouTube videos is featured to the right. If you tap on the “See More” section of the YouTube video you’ll find a list of many of the paints I use.