Palettes: A Quick Guide to Materials and Function
Palettes are a varied and useful tool for any painter’s toolkit. If you’re having trouble deciding on what type of might work best for your upcoming project, this list will review some basic information about some popular options. There is a section dedicated to both the material of each palette as well as special features that sometimes come with palettes.
Materials
Plastic
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Wider variety of shapes
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More cost effective, but can get scratched easily and typically don’t last as long
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Ideal for water-based paints. Not useful for oils (especially when using solvents)
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Cleaning can vary, as some acrylics stick to certain plastics more than others and don’t peel off as easily.
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Too much water in watercolor paints can make the color “bead up” on the plastic surface, which makes it hard to see what the final color will be.
Glass
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Heavy but can come in various sizes
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Prone to breaking. Ideal for indoor use.
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Easier to clean. Can use a straight blade to clean easily.
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The colors of the glass can be changed, depending on the brand. Useful if you want a palette that is a different color than white.
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Ideal for all paints
Ceramic
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Heavy
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Prone to breaking. Ideal for indoor use.
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Easier to clean
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More variety of shapes and designs, can be highly custom and handmade
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Ideal for all paints, but especially water-based paints that require blending (won’t bead up on surface like plastics can)
Wood
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Lightweight, better for standing/moving with
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Ideal for Oils, but requires different treatment for acrylics to prevent them from drying too quickly or absorbing into the palette
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Harder to clean and requires more maintenance
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Generally, requires pre-treatment before use (sanding and oiling), especially on raw wood
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Various brown woody colors make a nicer base to mix more natural tones on
“Tear Off” or Disposable Palettes
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Weight and size can vary
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Disposable pages or materials makes this option very convenient
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Creates waste and not ideal for those who want to be more environmentally friendly
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Ideal for all paints
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Can be anything from wax paper to paper plates
Palette Features
Flat
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Ideal for mixing with palette knife
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Works better with medium or heavy bodied paints
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Thumb holes make these easier to hold
Wells
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Ideal for keeping specific colors isolated
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Harder to mix with a palette knife in the well itself, brushes tend to be used to mix.
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These are ideal for watercolor or thinner bodied acrylics. Most come with a flat space in the middle to mix but can often be small on cheaper options.
Pots
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Ideal for watercolor, non- acrylic gouache, and oils since the paint can be stored and reactivated later.
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Depending on the paint and material these are made of, these may be harder to clean.
Wet Palettes
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Ideal for acrylics only as it helps to keep the paint workable for longer. Can over saturate other water-based paints and is unnecessary for oils.
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Can be made with items on hand or purchased
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Helps with blending and mixing acrylics