Problems with a wet palette

[MClimbin]

Hello all,

I was having problems with my paints drying on my palette too quickly, so I went to Michael\'s and found some paper for a wet palette, and a plastic palette that has a lid that seals. I was excited by all this (new gear!:flip::bouncy, until I started using it. The paints ended up on the mini very grainy, even chunky. This is disappointing, especially since I always do faces first...

Anyway, has anyone else had this problem? I\'m thinking that it may be caused by the paper: since it is porous, so the moisture from the wet paper below can keep the paint wet, maybe the small particles of paint also soak through the to the bottom? I don\'t know, I just know that I had to stop using the wet palette...

 

[Klute]

Ive never used one and dont think I ever will.I find that plenty water and maybe some extender works well for my painting sessions.
I said the same for spray primer though and even the dog now is covered in skull white.

 

[airhead]

OK, time for me to ask a few dumb questions:

1. you have a sponge under the pallet that is WET?

2. the paint is not on the sponge paper, but on a piece of parchment type paper? (bakers parchment comes in rolls and works)

3. you put a drop of paint on the paper and a drop of your extender and mixed them? extenders can be anything from water to glazing medium, airbrush medium and they may be further enhanced with flow improvers and/or retarders.

I use the glad sandwich boxes (3 or 4 for a couple of bucks) put a piece of cello sponge cut to fit the bottom, piece of butcher paper or bakers parchment on top.

 

[slidedog]

Dang MC, I thought it was just me. I\'ve been using one for a while and use a lot of water but I have noticed some of the effect you have. Maybe I better go back to my old style....

 

[Ritual]

I have a plastic palette with a lot of small cups in it. I mix paint with extender and water (and sometimes flow improver) and that\'s it! That works really well and my paint stays wet long enough. When it starts to get thicker I can add some water and some more extender and I never have problems with chunkiness.

 

[Legacy Account]

My wet palette is made from a Rackham blister and the sponge from the pack, with some Daler wet palette papers. It\'s great (when I can be bothered to use it!) I last watered it 3 months ago, and it\'s still good! Bit smelly though

 

[MClimbin]

Airhead:

1. Yes. To be more precise, I got a pack of replacement papers from W&N at Michael\'s, which includes 4 thick sheets of vellum like stuff that is very absorbant, and 20 sheets of parchment type paper.

2. Yes.

3. Yes.

The problem has become moot as the weather changed. Since the weather is not so hot, I can use my regular palette, which is exactly the one that Ritual described.

Just wondered if the palette was the problem..sounds like it is, but maybe it depends on the paper? I might check out the Daler paper. Slidedog, what brand of paper did you use, where you got a similar result?

mc

 

[airhead]

Hmmm, OK, more dumb questions.

Does your paper get wet? Moisture from the sponge should be keeping the paper limp and wet.

I am suspecting that your paper is too pourus. The moisture is wicking into the paper away from the paint. Which is exactly the opposite of what should happen. the bakers parchment is treated with silicone so it doesn\'t act like a wick. A roll of it at a grocery store is only a couple of bucks.

 

[MClimbin]

Thanks Airhead, I\'ll give it a try.

Maybe the W&N parchment is made for watercolors? I wonder if that is what is causing the problem.

mc