Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?

For oil painting wooden palettes are employed. They are lightweight, sturdy and easy to clean. They also look stunning.

Many paintings of artists at work have survived. Some of these depict a wooden pallet for sale​ like the one Vermeer used.

To prepare a wooden palette clean it with drying oils like linseed or safflower. This is important because a thin layer oil keeps the palette conditioned.

Lightweight

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

The most commonly used wooden palettes are made from maple or pine. Both of these woods are resistant to cracking and warping. It is crucial to select a wood that's been heat-treated to keep insects or fungi. This process is essential to the longevity and quality pallets for Sale of a wooden pallet buying​. A good wood palette's surface must be smooth and well-finished. It should have a low amount of moisture, which will decrease the chance of paints being damaged or wrinkled.

A wooden palette has another great feature: it's easy to clean. Painters can clean the palette after each painting session using an oil that is drying to make it more sanitary. Linseed oil is a good choice due to its low cost, readily available and quick-drying.

The natural brown color of wooden palettes is ideal for mixing colors, as it is similar to the dominant color of the canvas. This can help avoid the perception that the colors are more light or darker than what they actually are. Vermeer utilized a common wooden palette and in a 1676 probate inventory, there's mention of "twee schilders drye paletten" (two easels for painting and three wooden palettes). In Pictura, Frans van Meieris painted a Vermeer style palette and Roger de Piles suggested that painters put flesh tones on a wooden palette that ranged from light to dark.

Sturdy

Artists have used 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 easier to handle and use while painting. They are also ideal for mixing oil paints and 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 cause damage to the wooden palette.

A good quality wooden palette is made well and smooth and easy for your brushes to glide across. It should be sprayed with dry oil to shield the wood against water and solvent damage, and to help it keep its shape. There are ready-to-use palettes that have been finished or pre-finished. You can also build your own using raw wood. If you're using a wooden palette, ensure that you clean it after each painting session. Paint that is wet on a wooden palette could cause it to crack or warp over time.

Wooden Palettes remain popular among artists. They were the first mixing surfaces that could be used to mix oil paints. They're light and sturdy and can hold large quantities of paint without breaking. They are great for mixing thick paints such as alkyds, acrylics and thick-bodied ones.

Vermeer's palettes were replaced by rectangular ones that were previously used with handles. The thumb was used to support the palette, which allowed the painter to use his remaining fingers to use brushes and the mahlstick.

The heat-treated hardwoods like spruce and other hardwoods are used to create a high-quality palette. This eliminates any bugs or fungi. The treatment process of heating wood makes it more difficult to scratch or sand its surface. After a few years of use a well-used, conditioned wooden pallet will have a smooth, glass-like surface. 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 will give you a smooth, easy-to-clean palette that will last many years. This type of palette is a favorite among oil painters and will not break or shatter as a glass one. You can purchase used pallets wooden pallets that have been sealed or you can do it yourself. You'll need boiled Linseed Oil purchased from a hardware store. Nitrile gloves, as well as High-Quality Factory-Made Pallets paper towels or rags. Sealing a palette using drying oil will fill in the small gaps and smooth the surface. This will get better with every painting.

Once you have your palette oily, you'll need to recondition it after each painting session. This is essential because it will keep your paints mixed smoothly on the palette and protect your hands from solvents. To make your palette more reconditioned, begin by lightly sanding the surface with 180-grit sandpaper. This will open up the grain of the wood, allowing it absorb oils more easily. Place a pool of linseed on the palette, and then use a rag or cloth to clean the entire surface. Let the oil dry for a couple of days.

Once your palette is dry, you can use a paper towel to wipe it off and if you have any leftover paint some OMS on a rag will take it off. Do not attempt to scrape off the dried paint with anything sharp because this will scratch and damage your palette.

If you do need to scrape a bit of dried paint off your palette, it's best to use an easy brush instead of using a knife. If you scrape too hard, you could damage your palette.

Aesthetically pleasing

A wooden palette is a beautiful and sturdy mixing surface that makes you feel like an artist. It can be used with acrylics, oil paints, and alkyds. 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 many sizes to accommodate your hands. They come in various designs and finishes.

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 alter the colors of the paints it houses. This is beneficial since the perception of colors is affected by the dominant tone which they are mixed. A wooden palette can also help you to see the hues of your paints because it has a mid-value which displays the hues against.

Vermeer's palettes are likely to have been made of wood. The earliest palettes might be made from tin or paper, but they were probably made of wood. A 1676 probate inventory included two "twee schilders eesels, three paletten" (two painters easels and a dry palette). Vermeer's contemporary Frans van Mieris can be depicted using the same type of palette in an allegorical painting depicting Pictura. A traditional wooden oil painting palette is designed with a thumb hole which is used to support it, while the remaining fingers are used to hold brushes as well as maulsticks to steady the hand while painting.

After cleaning the surface, wipe it clean with a drying oil -- either linseed or another- to keep the palette clean until the next time you will need it. This will fill the pores in the wood grain, creating a smoother surface for your brushes. Over time, a well oiled palette will develop a beautiful patina which adds to its appearance.