Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?
Traditionally, wooden palettes have been used for oil painting. They are sturdy, lightweight and easy to clean. They also look stunning.
Many depictions of artists at work have survived. Some depict wooden pallets like the one Vermeer employed.
To make a wooden palette, clean the surface with dry oil, such as linseed. This is essential because a thin coating of oil helps keep the palette in good condition.
Lightweight
A wooden palette is lighter than glass or tear-off pallets, and can be easily positioned on the easel. Its thickness makes it strong and stable, which prevents it from breaking under pressure. It can also be sanded or stained to give it color. A wood palette is more durable and resistant to fungi and insects than other materials. The wooden palettes are great for mixing acrylics with alkyds.
The most common wooden palettes are made from either pine or maple. Both of these woods can resist the effects of warping and crazing. It is crucial to select a wood that's been heat-treated to stop the growth of fungi or insects. This is vital to the durability of the wooden palette. Furthermore purchase used pallets of a quality wood palette should be smooth and evenly sanded. It should be free of amount of moisture, which will decrease the risk of paints getting damaged or wrinkled.
Another great feature of a wooden palette is that it's easy to keep clean. At the end of every painting session, the painter can wipe the palette with a drying oil to prepare it for the next. Linseed oil is a good choice due to its low cost and easily available. It also has a quick drying time.
The natural brown tone of a wood palette is ideal to mix colors because it is not too dissimilar to the dominant color on the canvas. This can help avoid the perception that the colors are lighter or darker than what they really are. Vermeer employed the standard wooden palette. In his inventory of 1676 the inventory mentions that "tweeschilders eesels" (two easels for painting) and "drye paletten" (3 wooden palettes) were in the inventory. In Pictura, Frans van Meieris painted a Vermeer style palette and Roger de Piles suggested that the painters put flesh tones on a wooden palette that ranged from light to dark.
Sturdy
Wooden palettes have been used by artists for centuries due to the fact that they are sturdy and durable. They're lighter than tear-off or glass palettes, and are more durable than paper ones. This makes them easier to hold and use while painting. They are also a great option to mix oil paints and alkyds. It is important to select a high-quality wooden palette that has been heat-treated. This process gets rid of bugs and fungi that could damage the wooden palette.
A good quality wooden palette is well-made and smooth and easy for your brushes to glide across. It should be finished with an oil for drying that protects the wood from solvent and 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, be sure to clean it after each painting session. Leaving wet paint on a palette may cause it to crack or warp over time.
Wooden Palettes are still popular with artists. They were the first mixing surfaces that could be used for oil paints. They're lightweight, strong and can hold a lot of paint without breaking. They are ideal for mixing thick paints such as alkyds, acrylics and heavy-bodied ones.
In the days of Vermeer, a common palette with a hole for the thumb was replaced by the earlier rectangular model that had an handle. The painter held the palette using his thumb inside the hole, which allowed him to free the remaining fingers to hold brushes as well as the mahlstick.
A good quality palette is made of spruce or other hardwood that has been treated with heat to eliminate any fungi or insects. The heat treatment of wood makes it harder to scratch or sand its surface. After years of use, a well-used and conditioned wooden pallet will have a smooth, almost glass-like finish. This is due a buildup thin layers of dried oil that help the surface maintain its shape.
Easy to clean
A wood palette will give you an easy-to-clean, smooth palette that will last many years. This kind of palette is popular among oil artists and will not break or shatter like a glass one. You can purchase a wooden palette pre-oiled or seal it yourself. To do this you'll need boiling linseed oil from the hardware store, nitrile gloves and high-quality paper towels or rags (if it has bits, don't use it). Sealing a palette using drying oil will fill in the tiny gaps and smooth the surface. This will improve with every painting.
After you have oiled your palette and sprayed it with oil, you'll need to clean the surface after each painting session. This is important because it will keep your paints in a smooth and even mix on the palette and shield your hands from solvents. To recondition your palette start by lightly sanding it with 180-grit sandpaper. This will help open up the wood grain, allowing it to absorb oil more easily. Next pour a pool of linseed oil onto your palette and use a rag to spread it evenly across the entire surface. Let the oil dry for one or two days.
If any paint remains on your palette, a tiny OMS sprayed onto a rag will take it off. It is not recommended to scrape the dried paint off using anything sharp as it can scratch and damage your palette.
If you need to scrape some dried paint off your palette, it's recommended to do it with an easy brush instead of using a knife. If you scrape it too vigorously, you can break the wood and ruin your palette.
Aesthetically pleasing
A wooden palette is a classy and sturdy mixing surface that lets you feel like an artist. It can be used with oil paints, acrylics, and alkyds. Its smooth surface is easy-to-clean and glides smoothly over the brush when you mix and pick up paint. Wooden palettes are available in different sizes and are light. They are available in different designs and finishes.
The wooden palette is among the oldest mixing surfaces. It has been used since the time of art. The wood has a warm brown color which doesn't affect the hues of the paints. This is important because the predominant tone determines the perception of color. A wooden palette may aid in identifying the hues of your paints as it has a mid value that displays the hues.
large pallets are likely to have been made of wood. The earliest palettes may be made from paper or tin, however they were most likely wooden. In a 1676 probate inventories, two painters easels were listed along with three palettes. Vermeer's contemporary Frans van Mieris can be seen using the same kind of palette in an allegorical painting of Pictura. A traditional wooden palette used for oil painting is typically shaped to hold the thumb hole that serves to support the palette. the other fingers hold brushes and the maulstick for securing the hand over the canvas while painting.
After a cleaning session Clean the wood's surface palette with drying oils such as linseed or anotherto ensure it is conditioned for the next time you use it. This will fill the tiny pores of the grain of the wood and create a smooth surface which makes it easier for your brushes to work on. With time, a well oiled palette will develop an attractive patina, which will add to its appearance.