wet palette usage.. tips anyone?

[farseerlum]

well i just found the only wet palette in queesland it seems. it\'s a bit big but will do nicely anyway.

so now i need some tips!
how thin can i go without making a mess?
how long will the paints last practically?
any pitfalls to avoid?

any help appreciated!

 

[Oxygenthief]

I\'ve been using wet palette\'s since before they became super popular. So here\'s some tips. They might seem like common sense but here goes.

1. The paint will go through the paper onto the sponge, most common with Blues and Browns. No worries It is normal.

2. Keep the lid on it all the time when not in use, some of my papers last days up to a week but I\'m a heavy painter (every day usage). Somebody else I know has had one stay good for 30 days +.

3. Watch the sponge for mold, They last about 4-5 months maybe 6 and then its best to replace it if possible other wise it will mold.

4. Microwaving the paper for 7 minutes on high in a water filled bowl helps it last a little longer than just running water on it.
don\'t worry about folding the paper up the folds will come out when you place the paper back in the tray.

5. Getting the water in the tray is hard at first. Too little allows the sponge to absorb it all too much allows the paint to run all over the paper. I try to fill the tray with the paper and let the water stand just a little below the top of the water logged sponge. I will also run a paper towel over the paper to remove any excess water floating on the paper. Otherwise the paint you add to the paper will run all over the box.

Hope that helps you out.

 

[G-nome]

I have been using a wet palette for a while now and had no worries getting one in NZ.
I\'ve not really had any probs with paint going through the paper at all except for metalics which I still use a normal palette for at the moment as it screws the sponge up a bit.
As for mould I may not have had it long enough but so far a wash out when I change the paper has worked. Not tried the microwave thing yet and will bear bare .....keep it in mind. And as for filling it....what Oxygenthief said is spot on.

One thing I did discover was that vallejos slo-dri seems to work pretty well if you put a glob on the paper and let is absorb a little water and then add that into the paint later.

I must say that my painting has got much better with the help of a wet palette the paint behaves its self much better and I dont have to shake any pointy sticks at it to get it to do what I want. Not quite as much fun though <sigh>

 

[airhead]

Just recently started using one. Bought the refill for the letter sized (8-1/2\" x 11\") wet pallet. Cut out what I needed to fit a much smaller, sealable box (electrical tape - about 4\" round).

Try using more than one layer of paper. When the top layer is covered in paint that is done, peel it up and your next layer is ready to go.

Try filling it with distilled water. This may help with the mold/mildew. I don\'t think I would add bleach as it may affect the paint. But boiling it in the microwave should kill off that black slime.

I put a few drops of Liquitex or Createx airbrush medium down on the paper first. This is mixed in with the paints to thin them. Around the large drop of reducer, I place the 2 or 3 colors I am working with or blending to.

 

[Temperance]

The one I have is made using Scott\'s article:

http://www.coolminiornot.com/go.php?go=articlephp&aid=198

I haven\'t used it much recently, but then I haven\'t done a lot of painting in the last few months.

 

[farseerlum]

thanks for the help guys!

thanks on the micrwave tip esp. oxygenthief! do you think regular microwaving of the spong might inhibit the mold?

 

[Wren]

I heard somewhere once to try putting a penny under the sponge to inhibit mould, but I haven\'t as yet tried it. I might try next time I change my paper and rewet my sponge, as I have noticed a mild funky smell the past few weeks, although I haven\'t seen any visible mould.

 

[Oxygenthief]

The Microwave thing might help the mold, Everybody\'s experience seems to be a little different. My paper seems to last longer when I micro wave it. The bleeding that I get is with the Dark Browns and Blues. My brand is a Masterson and the outside of the paper package says that bleed through on dark colors is normal. Most of mine occurs with Prussian Blue or a Dark Brown. I use my palette every day and I have found that I am constantly changing the water and the paper and the sponge in that order. I have not ever seen the mold but I have seen its effects the sponge will fall apart. I tried the distilled water, and you might have better luck than I did, I just found that buying a special jug of water got to be a pain, no slam on people who can manage this lol I\'m just forgetfull so I switched back to tap water. The best thing about the Palette has already been said. It helps! My blending, mixing, and general paint waste has all been improved. I wouldn\'t switch back to not using one for anything.

 

[Cerridwyn1st]

Dry paper

What do you guys do you do when the paper starts to dry and curl up on the edges.

Rewet it, I know, but what\'s the best way to rewet the paper without messing the rest of the stuff up?

I usually drip water around the edge with an eye dropper, and gently press the paper into the rewetted sponge, but if anyone has a better method, I\'d love to hear it.