Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?

Traditionally wooden palettes have been used for oil painting. They are light and easy to clean. They also look gorgeous.

Many depictions of painters in action are still around. Some of these depict a wooden pallet like the one that Vermeer used.

To prepare a wooden palette, wipe the surface clean with dry oil, such as linseed. It is crucial to keep the palette in good condition by applying an oil-based coating.

Lightweight

In contrast to glass or tear-off ones, a wooden palette is lightweight and can be easily held at the easel. Its thickness also makes it strong and stable, preventing it from bending under pressure. It can also be stained and sanded to add color. A wood palette is also more durable than other kinds of materials, and it doesn’t get damaged by fungi and insects. The wooden palettes are ideal for mixing acrylics with alkyds.

The most commonly used wooden palettes are made of pine or maple. Both of these woods can resist warping and crazing. However, it is important to choose the kind of wood that has been heat-treated to keep insects and fungi out. This is vital to the longevity of the wooden palette. A quality wooden palette’s surface must be smooth and well-finished. It should also have low moisture content, which reduces the chance of cracks or wrinkling paints.

A wooden palette also has a excellent benefit: it’s easy to clean. At the end of each painting session, artist can wipe the palette with drying oil to condition it for next time. Linseed oil is a great option because it’s cheap and readily available, as well as quick drying.

The natural brown tone of a wood palette is perfect for mixing colors since it isn’t too different to the dominant color on the canvas. This helps to keep from the impression that the colors are lighter or darker than they actually are. Vermeer utilized a common wooden palette, and in his 1676 probate inventory, there’s mention of “twee schilders eesels, drye paletten” (two painters easels and three wooden palettes). In Pictura, Frans van Meieris painted a Vermeer style palette. Roger de Piles suggested that the painters paint flesh tones on a wooden palette ranging from light to dark.

Sturdy

Artists have been using wooden palettes for centuries because they’re durable and sturdy. They are lighter than glass or tear-off pallets as well as more rigid than paper palettes. This makes them much easier to carry and use when painting. They are ideal for mixing oil paints and alkyds. But, it’s essential to select a high-quality wooden palette that has been heat-treated. This process gets rid of bugs and fungi that could damage the wooden palette.

A high-quality wooden palette is made well and smooth, making it easy for brushes to glide across. It should be sprayed with an oil for drying that protects the wood from solvent and water damage and helps it keep its shape. There are ready-to-use, pre-finished palettes or build your own using raw wood. If you choose to use a wooden palette, be sure you clean it each time you paint. Wet paint left on a wood palette can cause it to warp or crack over time.

Wooden Palettes are still popular with artists. They were the first mixing surfaces that could be used to mix oil paints. They’re lightweight, strong and can hold a lot of paint without breaking. They are also great to mix alkyds, acrylics, and any other thick-bodied paints.

In the days of Vermeer, a common palette with a hole to accommodate the thumb had replaced the older rectangular kind with handles. The artist held the palette by putting his thumb in the hole, which allowed him to free his other fingers to hold brushes and the mahlstick.

Heat-treated hardwoods such as spruce and other hardwoods are used to make high-quality palettes. This eliminates any bugs or fungi. The heat treatment of wood makes it harder to scratch or sand its surface. A well-used and maintained wooden palette will acquire an even, glass-like appearance after years of use. This is due a buildup thin layers of dried oil that help the surface to keep its shape.

Easy to clean

If you want an easy-to clean palette that will last for a long time, then a wooden palette is the way to go. This type of palette is a favorite among oil artists because it won’t break or shatter like a glass palette. You can buy a wooden Pallet reseller that has been sealed or do it yourself. To do this, you’ll require boiled linseed oil from the hardware store, nitrile gloves, and high-quality paper towels or rags (if it has bits, don’t use it). Sealing a palette with drying oil will fill in the tiny gaps and smooth the surface. This will improve with every painting.

Once your palette is oiled you will need to recondition it after each painting session. This is important since it will keep your paints mixed smoothly on the palette and shield your hands from solvents. To recondition your palette start by lightly sanding the surface with 180-grit sandpaper. This will help to open the grain of the wood and allow it to absorb oil more easily. Put a small amount of linseed onto the palette, then use a rag or cloth to clean the entire surface. Allow the oil to dry for a few days.

Once your palette is dry, you can use a paper towel to wipe it clean and if there is any remaining paint some OMS on a rag will take it off. You should not try to scrape off the dried paint using anything sharp as it can scratch and damage your palette.

If you have to scrape a bit of dried paint off your palette it’s recommended to do it with a soft brush instead of using a knife. If you scrape it too hard you will splinter the wood and ruin the palette.

Aesthetically pleasing

A wooden palette is a stylish and sturdy mixing surface that makes you feel like an artist. It can be used to mix oil paints, as well as acrylics and alkyds. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides smoothly over the brush when mixing and mix paint. Wooden palettes can be found in a variety of sizes and are light. They are available in a variety of styles and finishes to match your preferences.

Palettes made of wood have been in use for as long as art itself and are among the oldest mixing surfaces. The wood has a warm brown hue that doesn’t alter the colors of the paints. This is beneficial since the perception of colors is affected by the dominant tone which they are mixed. A wooden palette may aid in identifying the colors of your paints because it has a mid-value that shows the hues.

The palettes of Vermeer are likely to be made from wood. The earliest palettes might be made of paper or tin, but they were most likely wooden. In the 1676 probate inventories, two painters easels were listed, along with three palettes. Vermeer’s contemporary Frans van Mieris can be seen using the same kind of palette in an allegorical painting depicting Pictura. A traditional wooden oil painting palette is shaped with a thumb hole which is used to support it. the remaining fingers are used to hold brushes as well as maulsticks for stabilizing the hand while painting.

After cleaning the surface, clean it with a drying oil - Linseed, or another to keep the palette clean until the next time you require it. This will help to fill in the pores in the wood grain and provide an even surface for your brushes. Over time a well-oiled palette will develop a beautiful patina, which adds to its appeal.