Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?
For oil painting, wooden palettes are used. They are sturdy, lightweight and easy to clean. They also look gorgeous.
Many paintings of artists at work have survived. Some depict wooden pallets similar to the one Vermeer employed.
To prepare a wooden palette, wipe it with drying oils such as safflower or linseed. It is essential to keep the palette in good condition by applying an oily layer.
Lightweight
A wooden pallet is lighter than glass or tear-off pallets, and can be easily positioned on the easel. Its thickness also makes it rigid and stable, preventing it from bending under pressure. It can also be stained and sanded to give it color. A wood palette is more sturdy and resistant to fungi and insects than other materials. Palettes made of wood are also great for mixing alkyds and acrylics.
The most commonly used wooden palettes are made of pine or maple. Both of these woods can resist warping and crazing. It is crucial to select the wood that has been treated with heat to keep insects or fungi. This is essential to the longevity of the wooden palette. In addition the surface of a high-quality wooden palette must be smooth and evenly sanded. It should be free of concentration of moisture, which will decrease the chance of paints being damaged or wrinkling.
Another great feature of a wooden palette is that it's easy to keep clean. The painter can clean the palette after each painting session with an oil that is drying to condition it. Linseed oil is a great choice due to its low cost, readily-available and quick-drying.
The natural brown hue of a wooden palette is perfect 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 more light or darker than what they really are. Vermeer employed a standard wooden palette. In a 1676 probate inventory, there's mention of "twee schilders drye paletten" (two painters easels and three wooden palettes). Frans van Mieris illustrated a painted version of a Vermeer-style palette in his allegorical character 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 because they're durable and sturdy. They're lighter than tear-off or glass palettes and they're more rigid than paper ones. This makes them easier to handle and use when painting. They are also a great option for mixing oil paints as well as alkyds. However, it's important to choose a quality wooden palette that has been heated. This process gets rid of the fungi and insects that can cause damage to the wooden palette.
A high-quality wooden palette is made well and smooth, making it 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 keep its shape. You can purchase pre-finished palettes that are ready to use, or you can build your own out of raw wood. If you're using a wood palette, ensure that you clean it after every painting session. If where to get pallets leave wet paint on a palette could cause it to cause it to crack or warp over time.
Wooden Palettes remain popular with artists. They were the first mixing surfaces that could be used for oil paints. They're lightweight and durable and can hold large quantities of paint without breaking. They are also ideal for mixing alkyds, acrylics and other heavy-bodied paints.
Vermeer's palettes had replaced the rectangular ones that were previously used with handles. The thumb was used to support the palette which allowed the artist to use his remaining fingers to use brushes and the mahlstick.
The heat-treated hardwoods like spruce and other hardwoods are used in the creation of high-quality palettes. This will eliminate any fungi or bugs. A heat treatment for wood also makes it harder to scratch or scratch the surface of the palette. After a few years of use a well-used and maintained wooden pallet will have a smooth, almost glass-like finish. This is due to a buildup of thin layers of dried oils that allow the surface to retain its shape.
Easy to clean
A wood palette will give you a smooth, easy-to-clean palette that lasts for many years. This kind of palette is popular with oil painters and will not chip or splinter like glass ones. You can purchase a wood palette that has been 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. The process of sealing a palette with drying oil fills in the tiny gaps in the wood and creates a smooth surface that gets better with each painting you make.
After you have lubricated your palette, you will need to refresh the surface after each painting session. This is important as it will keep paints mixing smoothly on the pallet and protect your hand from solvents. Start by lightly sanding the palette using 180-grit paper. This will open the wood grain and help it absorb oils more easily. Pour a pool linseed on the palette, and use a rag or cloth to wipe it across the entire surface. Let the oil dry for a day or two.
When your palette is dry you can use a paper towel to clean it off, and if there is any remaining paint some OMS on the rag will get rid of it. You should not try to scrape off the dried paint using anything sharp as this could scratch and harm your palette.
If you do need to scrape some of the dried paint off your palette, it's best to rub it with a soft brush rather than using a knife. If you scrape it too hard, you can break the wood and ruin the 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 over the brush when you mix and apply paint. Wooden palettes are also light and come in many sizes to suit your hands. They are available in different finishes and styles to suit your preferences.
The wooden palette is one of the oldest mixing surfaces. It has been around since the beginning of art. The wood has a warm brown color that doesn't alter the hues of the paints. This is beneficial since the perception of colors is influenced by the dominant tone which they are mixed. A wooden palette may aid in identifying the colors of your paints because it has a mid-value which shows the hues.
Vermeer's palettes are likely to be made of wood. The earliest palettes may be made from paper or tin, but they were probably made of wood. A probate inventory from 1676 recorded two "twee schilders eesels" and three paletten" (two easels for painters and a dry palette). Vermeer's contemporary Frans van Mieris can be depicted using the same type of palette in an allegorical painting of Pictura. A traditional wooden oil painting palette is made with a thumb hole that is used to support it. the remaining fingers are used to hold brushes as well as maulsticks for stabilizing the hand while painting.
After cleaning the surface, wipe it clean with a drying oil -- linseed, or another - to keep the palette conditioned until the next time you need it. This will fill in the tiny pores of the grain of the wood and create a smooth surface which makes it easier for your brushes to work on. Over the years, a well-oiled palette will develop a beautiful patina, which adds to its character.