New Watercolor Palette

(C) 2017 Photo Dale DiMauro

This summer I have experimented with different palettes and considered various ways of arranging my paints. Generally speaking, there are metal, plastic and ceramic palettes available. From my experience ceramic is simply too heavy. Plastic is common with many choices available. However, I have not come upon the perfect palette and may not in the future.

Last week I registered for a plein air workshop led by Gary Tucker with the Monadnock Area Artists Association in Walpole, NH. Gary is a watercolor painter from Boston, MA. Reading through his handouts for the workshop I came upon this palette, which he recommends. It seems well conceived with tough plastic, so I figured it was worth trying. It is available on this website: http://www.shysart.com/.

I like this one for plein air because the two covers snap shut creating a tight seal over the paint. This way the pigment cannot run around and make a mess. The paint wells in the middle area are deep and wide for larger brushes. This palette folds down to the size of the two centered sections which makes it convenient for travel. 

Other palettes that I have used are difficult to clean as there are many paint wells with small areas where pigment builds up. For this palette I intend on only using Holbein watercolor paints. I have been informed that Holbein paint does not use ox-gall, which can make paint a bit runny, which can be a challenge when working outside. In addition, other paints may be susceptible to the development of mold in moist conditions, but not this brand's.