Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?

Traditionally, wooden palettes have been used for oil painting. They are lightweight, sturdy and easy to clean. They also look beautiful.

Many images of painters in action have survived. Some of these depict an unfinished wooden pallet, similar to the one Vermeer employed.

To make a wooden palette wipe the surface with an oil that is drying, such as linseed. This is crucial because a thin coating of oil helps keep the palette in good condition.

Lightweight

A wooden pallet wood for sale is lighter than glass or tear-off pallets near me​ - Click Webpage,, and is able to be held easily at the easel. The thickness of the wood makes it strong and stable, preventing it from bending under pressure. In addition, it can be stained and sanded to give it color. A wood palette is more durable and resistant to insects and fungi than other materials. The wooden palettes are great for mixing acrylics with alkyds.

The most popular wooden palettes are made from maple or pine. Both of these woods are resistant to the effects of warping and crazing. It is essential to select one that has been treated in order to prevent fungi or insects. This process is crucial to the longevity of the wooden palette. In addition the surface of a good wooden palette should be smooth and pallets Of wood for sale​ evenly sanded. It should also have low moisture content, which will minimize the chance of cracks or wrinkling paints.

A wooden palette​ palette has another excellent benefit: it's easy to clean. After each painting session, painter can clean the palette with a drying oil to prepare it for the next. Linseed oil is a great choice because it is inexpensive, readily available and quick-drying.

The natural brown tone of a wood palette is perfect for mixing colors as it is not that different to the dominant color of the canvas. This will help to avoid the perception that the colors are lighter or darker than they really are. Vermeer employed a standard wooden palette and in a 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 painters put flesh tones on a wooden palette that ranged from light to dark.

Sturdy

Palettes made of wood have been used by artists for centuries because they are sturdy and durable. They're light compared to tear-off or glass palettes, and they're more rigid than paper ones. This makes them more comfortable to hold and use when painting. They are also a great option to mix oil paints and alkyds. It is important to select an alkyd palette made of wood of good quality that has been treated. This process kills fungi and pests that can damage the palette.

A good quality wooden palette is well-made and smooth and easy for brushes to glide across. It must be finished with an oil for drying that protects the wood from solvent and pallets near Me​ water damage and helps it keep its shape. You can purchase pre-finished palettes that are ready to use or you can make your own out of raw wood. If you're using a wood palette, make sure to clean it after each painting session. Wet paint left on a wooden palette could cause it to warp or crack over time.

Wooden Palettes remain popular with artists. They were the first mixing surfaces to be used for oil paints. They're lightweight and durable and can hold large amounts of paint without breaking. They are also great for mixing acrylics, alkyds and other heavy-bodied paints.

Vermeer's palettes replaced the older rectangular ones with handles. The artist held the palette with his thumb in the hole, allowing him free his remaining fingers to hold brushes as well as the mahlstick.

The heat-treated hardwoods like spruce and other hardwoods are used in the creation of high-quality palettes. This is a way to eliminate any fungi or bugs. The heat treatment of wood makes it more difficult to scratch or smooth its surface. After a long period of use, a well-used and maintained wooden pallet will have a smooth, glass-like surface. This is due to the build-up of thin layers of dried oils that help the surface retain its shape.

Easy to clean

A wood palette will give you a smooth, easy-to-clean palette that will last for years. This kind of palette is popular with oil painters because it doesn't chip or shatter like a glass palette. You can either buy wooden pallets of wood for sale​ that have been sealed, or do it yourself. To seal it, you'll need boiling linseed oil purchased 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 create a smooth surface. This will get better with every painting.

After you have your palette oily, you'll have to clean it after each painting session. This is essential since it will keep your paints mixed smoothly on the palette and shield your hands from solvents. Start by lightly sanding your palette with 180-grit papers. This will open the grain of the wood and allow it to absorb oils more easily. Place a pool of linseed on the palette, then employ a rag or cloth to wipe it across the entire surface. Then, let the oil dry for a day or two.

If there is any remaining paint on your palette, a tiny OMS spray on the rag should be enough to take it off. Do not use anything sharp to scrape off the dried paint. This could scratch and damage your palette.

If you are required to scrape dried paint off your palette, it's recommended to employ the soft brush instead of a knife. If you scrape too hard, you can damage your palette.

Aesthetically pleasing

A wooden palette is an elegant and sturdy mixing surface. It makes you feel like a true artist. It can be used to mix oil paints, as well as alkyds and acrylics. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides effortlessly across the brush when you mix and take in paint. Wooden palettes can be found in various sizes and are light. They are available in various finishes and styles to suit your preferences.

The wooden palettes have been used as long as art itself and are among the oldest mixing surfaces. The wood has a warm brown color that doesn't affect the colors of the paints. This is important since the perception of colors is affected by the dominant tone which they are mixed. A wooden palette can also help you see the hues of your paints as it has a mid-value that shows the hues.

The earliest palettes were made of tin foil or paper, but the ones Vermeer used were probably wood. A 1676 probate inventory listed two "twee schilders eesels, three paletten" (two easels for painting and a dry palette). Vermeer's contemporary Frans van Mieris can be seen using the same kind of palette in an allegorical painting of Pictura. A traditional wooden oil painting palette is shaped with a thumb hole which is used to support it, while the remaining fingers are used to hold brushes and maulsticks to steady the hand while painting.

After cleaning, wipe the surface with a drying oil -- linseed, or another -- to keep the palette conditioned until the next time you will need it. This will fill the tiny pores in the grain of the wood and create a smooth surface that makes it easier for your brushes to work on. Over time, a well oiled palette will develop an attractive patina, which will add to its appeal.