10 Things You Learned In Kindergarden That'll Help You With Wooden Palette
Why Use large pallets For Oil Painting?
For oil painting wooden palettes are employed. They are light and easy to clean. They also look beautiful.
Many paintings of artists working have survived. Some of these show a wooden palette similar to the ones Vermeer employed.
To prepare a wooden palette clean it with drying oils like linseed or safflower. It is essential 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 can be easily held at the easel. Its thickness makes it rigid and sturdy. This stops it from bending when under pressure. It can also be sanded and stained to give it color. A wood palette is more durable than other kinds of materials, and it doesn't become damaged by fungi or insects. The wooden palettes are great for mixing alkyds and acrylics.
The most popular wooden palettes are made of pine or maple. Both of these woods are resistant to the effects of warping and crazing. However, it is essential to select a wood that has been heat-treated to stop the growth of fungi and insects. This is crucial to the long-term durability and quality of a pallet made from wood. A high-quality wooden palette's surface must be smooth and evenly finished. It should also have a low amount of moisture, which will decrease the chance of paints being damaged or wrinkled.
A wooden palette also has a wonderful benefit: it's simple to clean. At the end of each painting session, painter can clean the palette with drying oil to prepare it for next time. Linseed oil is an excellent option because it is cheap easily available and quick drying.
The natural brown hue of the wooden palette is ideal for mixing colors, as it is a similar color to the predominant color of the canvas. This can help avoid the perception that the colors are lighter or darker than they really are. Vermeer utilized a common wooden palette and in a 1676 probate inventory, there's mention of "twee schilders eesels, drye paletten" (two easels for painters and three wooden palettes). Frans van Mieris illustrated an image of a Vermeer-styled palette in his allegorical figure in Pictura and Roger de Piles recommended painters to lay out the flesh tones from light to dark on a wooden palette.
Sturdy
Wooden palettes have been used by artists for centuries since they're sturdy and durable. They're lighter than glass or tear-off palettes, and they're more rigid than paper ones. This makes them more comfortable to hold and use while painting. They also make a great option to mix oil paints and alkyds. It is crucial to choose a wooden palette of high quality that has been treated. This eliminates bugs and fungi that can damage the palette.
A good wooden palette will be well-made and smooth which allows your brushes to glide easily across it. It should be sprayed with an oil for drying that protects the wood from solvent and water damage, and helps it maintain its shape. There are pre-finished, ready-to-use palettes or create your own using raw wood. If you choose to use a wooden palette, make sure to clean it every time you paint. If you leave wet paint on a palette can warp or crack it over time.
Wooden Palettes were one of the first mixing surfaces that were used for oil paints. They're still a favorite option for many artists. They're lightweight, strong and can hold a significant amount of paint without breaking. They are ideal for mixing thick paints like alkyds, acrylics, and other heavier-bodied ones.
In Vermeer's time, the popular palette with a hole for the thumb was replaced by the rectangular type with a handle. The painter held the palette by putting his thumb inside the hole, which allowed him to free his remaining fingers to hold brushes as well as the mahlstick.
A good quality palette is made from wood like spruce or other which has been treated to eliminate any insects or fungi. The treatment process of heating wood makes it more difficult to scratch or sand its surface. A well-used, conditioned wooden palette will develop a smooth, glass-like surface after many years of use. This is due to the buildup of thin layers of dried oil that helps 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 type of palette is popular among oil artists and will not break or shatter as a glass one. You can buy a wooden palette pre-oiled or seal it yourself. You'll need boiled Linseed Oil, which you can purchase from the hardware store. Nitrile gloves, as well as high-quality paper towels or rags. Sealing a palette with drying oil will fill in the tiny gaps and create a smooth surface. This will get better with every painting.
Once you have your palette cleaned, you'll have to clean 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 recondition your palette start by lightly sanding the surface with 180-grit sandpaper. This will open up the grain of the wood, allowing it absorb oils more easily. Pour a pool linseed on the palette, and then use a rag or a cloth to wipe it over the entire surface. Let the oil dry for a few days.
If any paint remains on your palette, a little OMS sprayed onto the rag should be enough to remove it. It is not recommended to scrape off the dried paint with anything sharp because this will scratch and damage your palette.
If you need to scrape a bit of dried paint off your palette, it's best to use an easy brush instead of using the knife. If you scrape too hard, you could damage your palette.
Aesthetically pleasing
A wooden palette is a stylish and durable mixing surface that lets you feel like an artist. It is suitable for oil paints, as well as acrylics and alkyds. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides effortlessly across the brush when you mix and pick up paint. Palettes made of wood are also light and come in various sizes to fit your hands. They are available in different styles and finishes to meet your preferences.
The wooden palettes have been used since the beginning of art and are among the oldest mixing surfaces. They have a natural warm brown tone that doesn't alter the color of the paints on it. This is important since the dominant tone is what influences the perception of color. A wooden palette may aid in identifying the colors of your paints because it has a mid-value that displays the hues.
Vermeer's palettes are likely to be made from wood. The earliest palettes may be made from paper or tin, however they were most likely wooden. A probate inventory from 1676 recorded two "twee schilders eesels" and three paletten" (two painters easels and a dry palette). In an allegorical image of Pictura Vermeer's peers Frans van Meieris and Jan Vermeer utilized the same type of palette. A traditional wooden oil painting palette is made with a thumb hole that is used to support it. the other fingers are used to hold brushes as well as maulsticks to steady the hand while painting.
After a cleaning session, wipe the wood's surface palette with drying oils such as linseed or another- to keep it conditioned for the next time you use it. This will fill the tiny pores in the grain of the wood and create a smooth surface that is easier for your brushes to work on. Over the years a well-oiled palette will develop a beautiful patina, which adds to its appearance.