The best palettes for painting. How to choose the best palettes for painting? If you have asked yourself this question, you are most likely taking your first steps in the world of painting and drawing ideas. Or maybe you’ve been painting for months or even years, but until now, you’ve never wondered what the best palettes were. Well, this is a question that absolutely must be asked, for the simple fact that the wrong – or unsuitable – palette can make the very act of painting more difficult. But do not worry: from today, thanks to this post, you will certainly discover how to choose the palettes based on their shapes and their dimensions, not before, mind you, having clarified what the palettes are for. And no, they don’t just serve to give the painter a more artistic air.
What are palettes used for?
You don’t need to be a painter to understand what brushes, canvases, and paint tubes are for. On the other hand, the discourse about palettes is different: these are not equally immediate accessories for art. For example, it should be said that if the brushes, the colors, and the support are required to paint, the palette is not at all: it is possible to paint even without it.
So why do almost all painters use it? And why is everyone looking for the best palette to paint? Because it is convenient, it allows you to have all the colors at your fingertips, without having to go back to the table, even when the table is not there at all (like when painting outdoors). It allows you to mix colors, create new ones, modify them: in fact, and the palette is the passage – almost obligatory – between the colors as they come out of the tube and the colors that must be deposited by the brush on the canvas or paper.
The best palettes for painting: the material
Palettes for painting exist in many different materials. The classic palette for oil colors is the wooden one, even better if in solid wood. The best ones, such as those made with good beech wood, can be used directly, without treatment. In other cases, to make sure that the wooden palette does not absorb the color, it is recommended to do a sealing treatment. Then there are the plastic palettes, a material not absorbent and easy to clean, and the ceramic palettes, which, given the peculiarities of this material, are very good for very light colors: it is no coincidence that these palettes are used very often for watercolor paints.
The best palettes for painting: shapes and sizes
Let’s try to recognize which are the best palettes from the point of view of shapes and sizes. Let’s start with this second feature: obviously, the larger the size of the palettes, the greater the number of colors that can prepare at the same time, and the greater the quantity of color present in the palette. But larger palettes are not exceptionally comfortable, especially for novice painters, who have yet to measure up with these painting accessories. It is better to opt for small palettes for the first time not to have a too bulky object in hand.
As for the shapes, there are generally rectangular palettes and oval or rounded palettes. The former, with the same size, allows having more surfaces available. The latter, however, having no corners, are more comfortable on the left forearm (for those who paint with the right hand) and are more comfortable to handle. In all cases, it is good to opt for palettes equipped with a handle, which is usually summed up in a hole near an edge in which to insert the thumb: this is more than enough to have a stable grip.
The best palette for painting: color
Another factor to consider before choosing the best palette is its color. Starting from the assumption that this accessory serves to mix the various colors to create new colors for our paintings, it is good to choose a color that does not alter our sensations, leading us to mistake the colors. Better to avoid plastic palettes of bright colors and stick to light and neutral colors. As for wooden pallets, some of these, when new, may have a reddish-brown color that could be misleading. However, it should be emphasized that, in general, the original color of the wooden palette ends up changing and fading, use after use, cleaning after cleaning.
The palette for watercolor paints
The classic palettes for oil paints, acrylic paints, and tempera paints are perfectly flat: wooden boards or other materials. The case is different, of course, about the palettes for watercolor colors, which are far more liquid than their colleagues. A matte palette for watercolors is inadvisable. It is no coincidence that the same sets of watercolors are classically sold with a segmented “cup” lid, with areas specially dedicated to receiving the light colors.
The palettes for watercolor colors, usually in ceramic (heavier) or plastic (lighter), have small compartments, usually along the sides, to use the watercolors without the risk of losing color – and dirtying the floor and the shoes. There are, therefore, several factors to consider when choosing a palette. Have you figured out which is the best palette to paint according to your actual needs?
