Wet Palettes, how much water?

[CMDR_Welles]

Been watching some video and reading on how to make your own wet palette. The thing is, none of them seem to go into how much water to have in the bowl... I've got the P3 Wet Palette (had it since it came out), but never used it and I want to start using one as I'll be using GW paints.

 

Is there any way to tell how much water you need? How much is too much?

 

I'm really confused right now.

[Bryan Blaire]

Honestly, each time I make a new set-up, I have to experiment, because different containers with different lids, different sponges, and different paper all seem to have different properties and react differently to different amounts of water.

 

I usually start by adding half of the sponge's height in water to the full container and seeing how everything reacts to that. If it isn't wet enough, I'll add another 1/8 or so of the height. Most wet palettes I make myself seem to take about 5/8 to 3/4 of the sponge's height in water to get to the proper level without the paint washing out into the water around it overnight, usually 5/8.

[Subtle Discord]

I use a homemade wet pallet, so it has a pad made from a folded over cloth (reusable cloth-like towels you can get from a hardware store) and I place Parchment Paper over top of that. I mention this specifically because I'm not sure how this setup might compare to using a sponge or another medium to hold the water. In my case I use a large syringe to saturate the pad until it's sopping wet, but not puddling; if you tilt the wet pallet and a large pool of water is collecting at the lower edge there's too much water and simply pour off the excess. Once you place the parchment (give it a quick soak before laying it down, to avoid curling) there should be enough moisture to have the paper cling to the pad with surface tension because of the water. As the pad dries out just add water to it by carefully pouring some down the wall of the pallet and it will be pulled under the Parchment Paper by capillary action; this is where the syringe is really helpful to make the process easier. Again, add water until the Parchment Paper is sitting on a nice layer of moisture, and if you tilt the pallet it shouldn't pool up too deeply to the lower side if you've got the right amount of water. It's not an exact science, you just want to the paper to stay nicely damp underneath to let a bit of water through via osmosis.

 

The wet pallet really is one of those simple things that can have a surprisingly significant effect on painting considering just how simple it is. Saving paint since you can actually use it all before it dries, along with keeping the paint a nice consistency as you work is a real win-win.

[Arkhanist]

As a rule of thumb, you want the top layer of paper damp but not sopping wet, i.e. if you press it lightly you get a slightly damp finger but not a mini pool of water.

 

I've used both a home-made sponge palette and my current artist one with a couple of layers of blotting paper as the reservoir. I basically clean and fill it at the same time in the sink - I fill it up with some water, wash off left over paint, then pour out all the remaining water. I try to remember to clean when I'm not going to use it for a few days!

 

A bigger reservoir i.e. sponge will store a lot more water and avoid it drying out for a lot longer. However, you can then get mold in the sponge eventually - it starts to smell, then you get literal black spots. I used to add a drop of washing-up liquid to try and stop it, but that's the main reason I switched to a paper-based one.

[Guiltysparc]

I just put enough water in it to keep the towel wet.  No need to overthink this one.  

[CMDR_Welles]

Thanks all, I'll keep playing with it.

[Arkhanist]

Just as an extra for the P3 palette - this video suggests adding a layer of kitchen towel between the sponge and paper which helps keep the paper damp longer.

[CMDR_Welles]

Just as an extra for the P3 palette - this video suggests adding a layer of kitchen towel between the sponge and paper which helps keep the paper damp longer.

Wow, thanks man. This actually explains some of my frustration with the P3 Palette. That looks like a simple fix. I was even thinking of replacing that sponge, it didnt seem to want to soak up water at all.

[olcottr]

I thoroughly soak the sponge in cold water, then squeeze about half of it out. Then I put it in the bottom of the tray.  Next I take the palette paper and submerge it in hot water for at least 15 minutes.  Finally I put the palette paper on top of the sponge. I find it lasts for a couple of weeks as long as I put the cover on after I'm done with it.

[Major_Gilbear]

I use the P3 wet palette myself, and how much water you need depends on a few things:

 

- How warm it is where you paint

- How dry it is where you paint

- How thick and/or absorbent the sponge you use is

- How wet you like your palette to be (this is preference thing)

- How much paint you put on your palette

 

I like my palette to be fairly wet, and I don't use much paint. This means that I don't need to thin my paints as much, and they stay wet for a long time (as I'm a slow painter and my painting sessions may last several hours).

 

I saturate the sponge with as much water as it will take, and then add about a teaspoon extra to sit in the bottom of the container. Then, I wet the paper under the tap, and then lay this over the sponge. Finally, I smooth it out after few seconds so that it's flat, and use a piece of kitchen paper to gently remove any big pools of water laying on the parchment.

 

I always use cold water from the tap, and I run the tap for a couple of minutes first. This is because the water is chlorinated, and I don't want to use any water that may have been "standing" in the pipework - this therefore minimises the amount of bacteria in the water to start with, and means that your palette won't smell if you need to leave it for a day or two.

 

I also always rinse out my palette with fresh cold water as soon as I know I'm done with it, and then use a little bleach-free multi-surface cleaner in the sponge - just squeeze it through, and then squeeze it as dry as you can (reasonably). Finally, let the sponge dry somewhere warm until you need it next, and don't put it back into the box damp. This keeps everything sterile, and avoids any nasty smells (or worse, mould). Don't use bleach on the sponge though, as it will cause it to degrade and crumble.

 

One final comment if you make your own wet palette: if you are not using artist's palette paper, do experiment with different baking parchments to see what works best for you. In recent years, manufacturers have changed how they make the stuff, and the differences between greaseproof paper and baking parchment have narrowed to the point that many products are just too impervious to be any use in this role.

[Stoic Raptor]

The best thing to clean the sponge is white vinegar.  It'll kill mold and mildew as well as any chemical cleaner and it's much easier on your skin and the sponge. I use distilled water - it's inexpensive and free from any contamination.  These two things allow me to keep my palette damp and ready for weeks without any issues.

As for saturation, that's the trickiest part to using a wet palette - I'm using the Masterson's palette and I've found I want to have just what the sponge will hold, but no extra.  But that depends on a lot of factors and will differ from product to product - Major Gilbear has already covered those matters pretty well.

Edited January 16, 2018 by Ulfgrim Alvsbane