How do you all go about cleaning the palette after a painting? I usually do mine in the sink and it looks like a toddler just had a paint-filled temper tantrum after, and so I have to clean up the clean up. Looking for tips! LOL
Cleaning the Palette
ironchefmitty My first step in cleaning up is always mechanical removal. Try to scrape and wipe as much paint of as you can and only then move to the wet stuff
I use a glass palette.. so scrape it clean then wipe it down with OMS
My wooden palettes (I have two with different sizes but rarely use the bigger one) have five layers of boat varnish on them. So after painting, I simply scrape off most of the paint (goes really smoothly) with a palette knife and then wipe off any remains with some paper towels. After a while, it can leave a bit of a colouring shade on the varnish but the palette remains clean and smooth, even after over 200 uses.
I use the Bob Ross acrylic palettes and I scrape off excess with the knife and wipe down with a sheet or two of "blue shop towels" which seem to work better for me than regular paper towels. Would love to try glass! Might have to look in to that. Seems it would be much easier to clean up if you're not interested in actually holding the palette.
Now keep in mind I am a newbie. I saw this on youtube. Scrape, paper towel off, then use huggies baby wipes for sensitive skin and get it back to regular. So far, so great....takes it right off and cleans off your hands
I don't hold mine.. it's on the bench next to me or on an 2nd easel facing me next to the painting. Depends on what I'm doing. The glass is sold as a clear tempered glass cutting board for 15 dollars USD. The same piece of glass in the at store is 30+
I have a color palette I drew on poster board and set it up under the glass. Its patterned on MazArt's palette with some tweaks for me. I happen to like to use Payne's grey in a lot of what I do for example. So there is a spot for it.
I bought a paper palette pad and it has been a total game changer. Just tear the top sheet off and throw it away.
I recommend this one - the grey helps you see the colors much better than white. https://www.dickblick.com/products/new-wave-grey-pad-disposable-palettes/
- Edited
I use old piece of marble that I found in the yard, it is small. 15 by 30 cm appx. I scrape first, then old rag wipe, then a bit of solvent. Marble is porous so color is quite grey-blue-orange-pink-etc. It does not bother me at all. Main that it does not move and sits well on the table when I paint. My wooden pallet was wiped with linseed oil while it was new. So oil adsorbed and polymerized. I did it couple of times and not it is quite easy to clean. Also scratch and wipe method. Main criteria it does not stain things around when i am done with painting. Sometimes color sit on the pallet for a week or so ( in the freezer) they dry out a bit and scratching part becomes a challenge, but still fun as I see such wonderful abstract paintings there, the ones i cannot create in the conscious way
Disposable all the way for me, tear it off and throw it in the bin....job done!
I wrapped my "palette" (a used food platter tray) with tin foil. I just throw it away after.
I never try to rinse oil‘s down the sink so I normally get my pallet and a scraper and put it in a paper towel and throw the trash
I had picked up a palette at Hobby Lobby but didn't like the way it got scratched up so I took a piece of glass from a frame. It's not tempered glass so I taped the bottom & sides with a thick clear packing tape in case it breaks or shatters. So far it's been working great! I just scrape off the residue paint and wipe with the used paper towels that have paint thinner on them from cleaning the brushes. I then do a final wipe using a clean paper towel. Easy peasy!
I used to use throw away pads.. but I bought a glass cutting board.. errr.. "palette" for under 15 USB and never looked back
I use a 150 sq. ft. box of Reynolds plastic coated freezer paper and it lasts forever. I tear off a large piece and tape the corners to my art table beside the easel. It works wonderfully with no knife tears or oil leaks and the bonus of mixing colors on white so I can see what I have. It’s likely similar to the pallet pads but provides a larger mixing area.
wybnormal If you keep paint for a week there, will it easily scrape off? I keep it on pallet as it preserves areas of mixed color from previous times as reference and my pallet is a mess and it takes a lot of energy to remove the mountains of dried paint. Last painting took 3 or 4 weeks and i wonder if glass would allow me to scratch it fully. Otherwise the residual paint does not disturb at all.
I start with scraping and salvaging as much as I can. Then I use scent free baby wipes. Residue comes right off with no effort. Then wipe with a dry paper towel.
I've left paint there for some weeks. ( I was very distracted and lost track of it).. single edge razor blade and the paint came right off the glass. No mess. .no fuss