7 Small Changes That Will Make A Big Difference In Your Wooden Palette
Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?
For oil painting wooden palettes are employed. They are light and easy to clean. They also look beautiful.
Many paintings of painters in action are still around. Some of them show a wooden palette similar to the ones Vermeer employed.
To prepare a wooden palette, wipe the surface clean with dry oil, such as linseed. It is important to keep the palette in good condition by applying a thin layer of oil.
Lightweight
Unlike glass palettes or tear-off palettes wooden palette is lightweight and can be carried easily on the easel. Its thickness also makes it strong and stable, preventing it from bending under pressure. In addition, it can be sanded down and stained to give it the color. A wood palette is also more durable than other types of materials and doesn't be damaged by fungi or insects. Palettes made of wood are ideal for mixing alkyds and acrylics.
The most commonly used wooden palettes are made from pine or maple. Both of these woods are resistant to cracking and warping. However, it is essential to select the kind of wood that has been treated with heat to stop the growth of fungi and insects. This process is essential to the long-term durability and quality of a wooden pallet. A quality wood palette's surface should also be smooth and evenly finished. It should also have a low concentration of moisture, which will decrease the chance of paints being damaged or wrinkling.
Another great feature of a wooden palette is that it is easy to keep clean. The painter can wipe down the palette after each painting session with a drying lubricant to maintain it. Linseed oil makes a great choice because it's inexpensive, readily-available and quick-drying.
The natural brown tone of a wood palette is perfect for mixing colors as it isn't too different to the dominant color of the canvas. This helps to avoid the perception of the colors as being darker or lighter than they actually are. Vermeer utilized a common wooden palette. In a 1676 probate inventory there is mention of "twee schilders eesels, drye paletten" (two painters easels and three wooden palettes). Frans van Mieris depicted the painted version of a palette modeled after Vermeer in his allegorical representation in Pictura and Roger de Piles recommended painters to lay out the flesh tones from light to dark on a wood palette.
Sturdy
Palettes made of wood have been used by artists for centuries since they are sturdy and durable. They're lightweight compared to glass or tear-off palettes, and they're more rigid than paper ones. This makes them easier for you to use and handle while painting. They are also a great option for mixing oil paints as well as alkyds. It is essential to choose a wooden palette of high quality that has been heat treated. This process eliminates the fungi and insects that can harm the wooden palette.
A high-quality wooden palette will be smooth and well-made, allowing your brushes to glide easily across it. It should be sprayed with dry oil to shield the wood from water and solvent damage and keep its shape. You can buy pre-finished palettes that are ready to use or you can make your own from raw wood. If you're using a wood palette, ensure that you clean it after each painting session. If you leave wet paint on a palette could cause it to cause it to crack or warp over time.
Wooden Palettes remain popular with artists. They were the first mixing surfaces to be used to mix oil paints. They're light, durable and can hold a large amount of paint without breaking. They are also great for mixing acrylics, alkyds and other heavy-bodied paints.
In the days of Vermeer, a common palette with a hole to accommodate the thumb had replaced the older rectangular kind with a handle. The painter held the palette using his thumb in the hole, which allowed him to free the remaining fingers for holding brushes and the mahlstick.
A good quality palette is made from wood like spruce or other that has been heat-treated to get rid of any fungi or insects. The treatment process of heating wood makes it harder to scratch or smooth its surface. A well-used and maintained wooden palette will develop a smooth, glass-like surface after years of usage. This is due to the buildup of thin layers of drying oil that helps the surface retain its shape.
Easy to clean
A wood palette gives you a smooth, easy-to-clean palette that lasts for many years. This type of pallet is popular with oil painters because it doesn't break or shatter like a glass palette. You can purchase an unfinished wooden pallet that has been sealed or you can make it yourself. To do this, you'll require boiling linseed oil from the hardware store, nitrile gloves, and high quality paper towels or rags (if it has bits, don't use it). The process of sealing a palette with drying oil will fill in the small gaps and smooth the surface. This will get better with each painting.
After you have coated your palette with oil and sprayed it with oil, you'll need to refresh the surface after each painting session. This is crucial because it will keep your paints mixed smoothly on the palette, and also protect your hands from solvents. Start by lightly sanding the palette with 180-grit paper. This will open the grain of the wood and allow it to absorb oils more easily. Place a pool of linseed on the palette, and then use a rag or cloth to wipe it over the entire surface. Let the oil dry for a few days.
If there is purchase used pallets remaining paint on your palette, a little OMS spray on the rag should be enough to take it off. It is not recommended to use any sharp object to scrape off the dried paint. This will scratch and damage your palette.
If you are required to scrape dried paint from your palette, it's recommended to use a soft brush instead of a knife. If you scrape too hard, you may cause damage to your palette.
Aesthetically pleasing
A wooden palette is a stylish and durable mixing surface. It makes you feel like a true artist. It is suitable for oil paints, as well as alkyds and acrylics. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides smoothly across the brush when you pick up and mix paint. Wooden palettes are also lightweight and come in various sizes to accommodate your hands. They come in a variety of finishes and styles.
The wooden palette is among the oldest mixing surfaces. It's been in use since art was created. They have natural warm brown tones that doesn't change the colors of the paints it houses. This is important since the predominant tone affects the perception of color. A wooden palette also helps you to determine the colors of your paints since it has a mid-value that displays the hues against.
Vermeer's palettes are likely to have been made of wood. The first palettes could be made from paper or tin, but they are most likely made of wood. The probate inventory of 1676 recorded two "twee schilders eesels" and three paletten" (two easels for painting and a dry palette). In an allegorical picture of Pictura, Vermeer's contemporaries Frans van Meieris and Jan Vermeer used the same type of palette. A traditional wooden oil painting palette is shaped with a thumb hole that is used to support it, while the other fingers are used to hold brushes as well as maulsticks to steady the hand while painting.
After a cleaning session After a cleaning session, clean the wood's surface palette with drying oils like linseed, or any otherto keep it in good condition for the next time you work with it. This will help to fill in the pores in the wood grain, creating an easier surface for your brushes. As time passes, an oiled palette will develop an attractive patina, which will add to its appearance.