Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?
Traditionally wooden palettes have been used to paint oil. They are sturdy, lightweight and easy to clean. They also look beautiful.
Many images of artists at work are still around. Some of these show the same wooden palette as those Vermeer used.
To make a wooden palette, clean the surface with a drying oil like linseed. It is important to keep the palette in good shape by applying an oily layer.
Lightweight
A wooden pallet is lighter than glass or tear-off pallets and is able to be held easily at the easel. Its thickness also makes it rigid and stable, preventing it from bending under pressure. In addition, it can be sanded down and stained to add color. A wooden palette is more durable and resistant to fungi and insects than other materials. The wooden palettes are ideal for mixing alkyds and acrylics.
The most common wooden palettes are made of maple or pine. Both of these woods can resist warping and crazing. However, it is essential to look for the kind of wood that has been treated to keep insects and fungi out. This is essential to the longevity of a wooden palette. Recommended Browsing -quality wood palette's surface should also be smooth and evenly finished. It should have a low level of moisture, which will reduce the risk of paints getting damaged or wrinkling.
Another great feature of a wooden palette is that it is easy to keep clean. The painter can wipe down the palette after each painting session using dry lubricant to make it more sanitary. Linseed oil is a good choice due to its low cost, readily available and fast drying.
The natural brown tone of a wood palette is ideal for mixing colors since it is not that different to the dominant color of the canvas. This helps to make sure that there is no perception that the colors are more light or darker than what they actually are. Vermeer employed a standard wooden palette. In a 1676 probate inventory there is mention of "twee schilders drye paletten" (two easels for painters and three wooden palettes). In Pictura, Frans van Meieris painted a Vermeer style palette and Roger de Piles suggested that painters put flesh tones on a wooden palette that ranged from light to dark.
Sturdy
Artists have used wooden palettes for centuries due to the fact that they're sturdy and durable. They are lighter than glass or tear-off pallets as well as more durable than paper palettes. This makes them much easier to carry and use while painting. They are ideal for mixing alkyds and oil paints. It is essential to choose a wooden palette of high quality that has been treated. This process removes bugs and fungi that could cause damage to the wooden palette.
A good quality wooden palette is made well and smooth which makes it easy for brushes to glide across. It should be sprayed with drying oil that shields the wood from solvent and water damage, and helps it maintain its shape. You can buy pre-finished palettes that are ready for use, or you can build your own from raw wood. If you are using an wooden palette, make sure to clean it every time you paint. The paint that is left wet on a palette may cause it to crack or warp over time.
Wooden Palettes remain popular with artists. They were the first mixing surfaces to be used for oil paints. They're lightweight and durable, and they can hold large amounts of paint without breaking. They are great to mix thick paints, such as alkyds, acrylics and heavier-bodied ones.
Vermeer's palettes had replaced the older rectangular ones with handles. The thumb was used to support the palette, which allowed the painter to use the rest of his fingers for brushes and the mahlstick.
A good quality palette is made of spruce or other hardwood which has been treated to get rid of any insects or fungi. A treatment that heats wood can also make it harder to scratch or scratch the surface of the palette. After a long period of use, a well-used and maintained wooden pallet will have a smooth, almost glass-like finish. This is due a buildup thin layers of dried oil that helps the surface to keep its shape.
Easy to clean
If you want a smooth, easy to clean palette that will last for a long time, then a wooden palette is the way to go. This kind of palette is popular with oil painters because it won't break or crack like a glass palette. You can purchase an unfinished wooden pallet that has been sealed or make it yourself. To do this, you'll require boiled linseed oil from the hardware store, nitrile gloves and high quality paper towels or rags (if it leaves bits don't use it). The process of sealing a palette with drying oil fills in the tiny gaps in the wood and creates an even surface that gets better with each painting you make.
Once you have your palette cleaned, you'll have to clean it after every painting session. This is essential as it will keep paints from mixing in a smooth manner on the palette and shield your hands from solvents. Start by lightly sanding the palette with 180-grit paper. This will help open the grain of the wood which allows it to absorb oil more easily. Next pour a pool of linseed oil onto the palette and then use a rag to spread it evenly across the entire surface. Let the oil dry for one or two days.
If there is any remaining paint on your palette, a tiny OMS sprayed onto a rag will remove it. You should not try to scrape the dried paint off with anything sharp because it can scratch and damage your palette.
If you have to scrape dried paint off your palette, it's recommended to use a soft brush rather than cutting. If you scrape too hard, you could damage your palette.
Aesthetically pleasing
A wooden palette is a stylish and durable mixing surface. It makes you feel like an artist. It can be used with oil paints, acrylics, and alkyds. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides effortlessly across the brush as you mix and pick up paint. Wooden palettes can be found in various sizes and are lightweight. They are available in various styles and finishes to match your preferences.
Palettes made of wood have been in use since the beginning of art and are one of the oldest mixing surfaces. They have natural warm brown tones that doesn't change the colors of the paints on it. This is crucial because the predominant tone affects the perception of color. A wooden palette can aid in identifying the shades of your paints since it has a mid-value which shows the hues.
The earliest palettes were constructed from tin foil or paper However, the ones Vermeer used were probably made of wood. A 1676 probate inventory listed two "twee schilders eesels, " three paletten" (two easels for painters and a dry palette). Vermeer's contemporary Frans van Mieris is seen using the same type of palette in an allegorical painting of Pictura. A traditional wooden oil painting palette is shaped with a thumb hole which is used to support it, while the other fingers are used to hold brushes and maulsticks to steady the hand while painting.
After cleaning the surface, clean it with a drying oil, linseed, or another - to keep the palette clean until the next time you will need it. This will fill in the pores in the wood grain and provide a smoother surface for your brushes. Over time, a well-oiled palette will develop a beautiful patina that will add to its character.