To understand the essence of watercolor painting, one must delve into the finer aspects of color mixing and palette selection. The proper palette permits you to control your colors, create unique shades, and express your artistic vision solely. Thorough consideration and understanding of characteristics, features, and quality of different watercolor mixing palettes are integral to facilitating the painting process.
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Standard Palettes for Watercolor Mixing
When you commence your journey as a watercolorist, the usual route is to invest in a standard watercolor palette. These palettes usually have a flat mixing area and small wells around the rim for individual colors. Suggestions here include the Mijello Fusion 18-Well Airtight/Leakproof Palette or Martin Mijello Airtight Leak Proof Fusion Watercolor 33-Well Palette, which provide sufficient wells for a basic palette and have ample flat space for mixing. Their seamless plastic material makes them durable and easy to clean.
Folding Watercolor Palettes
Those with space constraints or on-the-move might prefer a folding palette. These palettes pack multiple wells and ample mixing space into a compact, easily transportable format. Their foldable design protects your colors when not in use. The Sakura Koi Watercolor Palette, for example, has 24 wells and several large mixing areas within its foldable structure.
The Porcelain Palette
If budget allows, a porcelain palette can be a worthwhile investment. Porcelain palettes, like the Jack Richeson Porcelain Palette, are a preference for many professional artists due to their weight, stability, and their capacity to keep the colors moist for a longer time compared to plastic. Their white color also allows for more accurate color mixing. Porcelain, however, is more fragile than plastic and therefore needs to be handled with care.
Metal Box Palettes
Ideal for outdoor and plein-air painters are the tin-based, metal box palettes. It is compact, sturdy, and sometimes includes a thumb ring for easiness to hold while painting standing. A good choice is the MEEDEN Empty Watercolor Tins Palette, which can house up to 48 half pans. Its construction shields the colors and is sturdy enough to resist wear and damage.
Wooden Palettes
For the traditional painter, a wooden palette, such as the Heritage Arts Wooden Palette, may be the palette of choice. The organic feel and aesthetic appeal of these palettes offer a pleasurable painting experience. However, they do require treatment to prevent the wood from absorbing the watercolors.
The Color Mixing Palette
These palettes are designed with a unique composition to aid the process of color mixing. An excellent example is the Stephen Quiller Palette, with a circular design that mimics the color wheel. It assists artists in creating accurate mixes of tertiary, secondary, and primary colors, thereby teaching color theory while you paint.
Palette with Cover
A palette with a cover protects the paints from dust and other elements when not in use. Some such palettes, like the Darice 20-Well Palette, come with a lid that can also provide additional space for mixing colors.
Glass Palettes
For those looking for a cost-effective, DIY palette option, a sheet of white-backed glass makes for a perfect mixing surface. It’s easy to clean, allows for excellent color visibility, and doesn’t stain.
The mixing palette is a critical part of your watercolor art toolkit. Your palette choice influences your painting pace, color harmony, and overall creative process. Spend time weighing the features and benefits of each palette type, align it with your technique and practice, and then make a selection. Trying out different options in your artistic journey could also give you an understanding of what suits you the most. Remember, the palette should aid your process, not hinder it. Whether you’re a beginner or an accomplished artist, choosing the right palette will significantly impact your journey with watercolors.
