Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?
Traditionally, wooden palettes have been used to paint oil. They are lightweight, sturdy and easy to clean. They also look gorgeous.
Many images of artists at work have survived. Some of these depict a wooden pallet similar to the one that Vermeer employed.
To make a wooden palette wipe the surface clean with an oil that is drying, such as linseed. This is important because a thin coating of oil keeps the palette conditioned.
Lightweight
In contrast to glass or tear-off palettes, a wooden palette is lightweight and can be easily held at ease. Its thickness makes it sturdy and stable. This prevents it from bending under pressure. It can also be sanded and stained to add colour. A wood palette is more durable and resistant to insects and fungi than other materials. The wooden palettes are ideal to mix alkyds and acrylics.
The most common type of wooden palette is constructed from pine or maple both of which can resist cracking and warping. It is essential to select one that has been treated to stop the growth of fungi or insects. This is vital to the longevity of the wooden palette. In addition, the surface of a quality wooden palette must be smooth and evenly sanded. It should also have a low amount of moisture, which will decrease the chance of paints being damaged or wrinkled.
A wooden palette has another excellent benefit: it's easy to clean. At pallet wood for sale of each painting session, painter can clean the palette with drying oil to prepare it for next time. click this makes a great option because it's cheap, readily-available and quick-drying.
The natural brown tone of a palette made of wood is ideal for mixing colors since it is not too dissimilar to the dominant color of the canvas. This will help to avoid the perception that the colors are lighter or darker than what they actually are. Vermeer utilized the traditional wooden palette. In a 1676 inventory the inventory mentions that "tweeschilders eesels" (two painters' easels) 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 painters put flesh tones on a wooden palette that ranged from light to dark.
Sturdy
Artists have been using wooden palettes for centuries due to the fact that they're strong and durable. They're lightweight compared to tear-off or glass palettes, and they're more rigid than paper ones. This makes them easier to use and handle while painting. They are also ideal to mix oil paints and alkyds. It is important to select a high-quality wooden palette that has been heat-treated. This process eliminates bugs and fungi that could harm the wooden palette.
A good quality wooden palette is made well and smooth which makes it easy for your brushes to glide across. It should be finished with drying oil that shields the wood from solvent and water damage, and helps it keep its shape. You can purchase ready-to-use palettes that have been finished or pre-finished. You can also build your own using raw wood. If you're using a wooden palette, ensure that you clean it after each painting session. Paint that's wet on a wooden palette could cause it to warp or crack over time.
Wooden Palettes were among the first mixing surfaces for oil paints, and they're still a favorite choice for a lot of artists. They are lightweight, sturdy and can hold a significant amount of paint without breaking. They are also ideal to mix alkyds, acrylics, and any other thick-bodied paints.
In Vermeer's time, the common palette with a hole to accommodate the thumb had replaced the rectangular type that had a handle. The artist held the palette using his thumb in the hole, allowing him to free his remaining fingers to hold brushes as well as the mahlstick.
Heat-treated hardwoods such as spruce and other hardwoods are used to create high-quality palettes. This is a way to eliminate any fungi or bugs. The heat treatment of wood makes it more difficult to scratch or smooth its surface. After a few years of use a well-used and maintained wooden pallet will have a smooth, almost glass-like surface. This is due a buildup thin layers of dried oil that helps the surface retain its shape.
Easy to clean
If you want an easy-to clean palette that lasts for a long time, then a wooden palette is the way to go. This type of palette is popular with oil painters and will not scratch or break like glass ones. You can purchase a wood palette pre-oiled, or seal it yourself. You'll need boiled Linseed Oil purchased from a hardware store. Nitrile gloves, as well as high-quality paper towels or rags. Sealing a palette with drying oil will fill in the small gaps and smooth the surface. This will get better with every painting.
After you have your palette oiled you will need to recondition it after each painting session. This is essential because it keeps your paints in a smooth and even mix on the palette, and also protect your hands from solvents. To restore your palette, start by lightly sanding it using 180-grit sandpaper. This will help to open up the wood grain which allows it to absorb oil more easily. Place a pool of linseed on the palette, and employ a rag or cloth to wipe it over the entire surface. Allow the oil to dry for one or two days.
After your palette has dried you can use a paper towel to clean it off, and if you have any leftover paint just a tiny OMS on a rag will take it off. It is not recommended to use any sharp object to scrape off the dried paint. This could scratch and damage your pallet.
If you have to scrape some dried paint off your palette, it's best to rub it with a soft brush instead of using the knife. If you scrape too hard, you may damage your palette.
Aesthetically pleasing
A wooden palette is a beautiful and durable mixing surface that makes you feel like an artist. It can be used to mix oil paints, as well as alkyds and acrylics. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides easily across the brush when you pick up and mix paint. Wooden palettes are also light and come in a variety of sizes to suit your hands. They come in different styles and finishes.
The wooden palette is among the oldest mixing surfaces. It has been used since the time of art. They have natural warm brown tones that doesn't alter the color of the paints it houses. This is important since the perception of colors is affected by the dominant tone which they are mixed. A wooden palette can help you see the colors of your paints because it has a mid value which shows the hues.
The first palettes were made of paper or tin foil however the ones Vermeer used were probably made of wood. In the 1676 probate inventories, two painters easels were listed, along with three palettes. In an allegorical painting of Pictura Vermeer's time, his peers Frans van Meieris and Jan Vermeer employed the same kind of palette. A traditional wooden palette used for oil painting is typically shaped to hold the thumb hole that serves to support the palette, while the remaining fingers hold the brushes and the maulstick to steady the hand over the canvas while painting.
After cleaning, wipe the surface with a drying oil - linseed, or another - to keep the palette conditioned until the next time you will need it. This will help to fill in the pores in the wood grain, creating an easier surface for your brushes. As time passes, an oiled palette will develop a beautiful patina which adds to its appeal.