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 beautiful.
Many images of artists at work have survived. Some of these depict a wooden pallet similar to the one that Vermeer employed.
To prepare a wood palette clean it with drying oils like safflower or linseed. This is crucial because a thin layer of oil helps to keep the palette clean.
Lightweight
Contrary to glass or tear-off ones, a wooden palette is lighter and can be easily held on the easel. Its thickness makes it rigid and stable, which prevents it from bending under pressure. It can also be sanded down and stained to give it color. A wood palette is more durable than other types of materials, and it doesn't be damaged by fungi or insects. The wooden palettes are ideal for mixing alkyds and acrylics.
The most popular type of wooden palette is made from pine or maple both of which can resist warping and cracking. It is important to choose the wood that has been treated with heat to keep fungi or insects. This is crucial to the long-term durability and quality of a pallet made from wood. In addition, the surface of a good wooden palette must be smooth and evenly sanded. It should also have a low amount of moisture, which will decrease the possibility of paints becoming damaged or wrinkled.
Another great feature of a wooden palette is that it is easy to keep clean. Painters can clean the palette after each painting session with an oil that is drying to maintain it. Linseed oil is a good choice due to its low cost and easily available. It also has a quick drying time.
The natural brown tone of a wood palette is ideal to mix colors because it isn't too different to the dominant color of the canvas. This can help keep from the impression that the colors are more light or darker than they actually are. Vermeer utilized a common wooden palette. In a 1676 probate inventory, there is mention of "twee schilders drye paletten" (two easels for painters and three wooden palettes). Frans van Mieris illustrated the painted version of a Vermeer-styled 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 wood palette.
Sturdy
Wooden palettes have been used by artists for centuries because 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. These palettes are great for mixing oil paints and alkyds. But, it's essential to choose a quality wooden palette that has been treated with heat. This process gets rid of the fungi and insects that can cause damage to the wooden palette.
A good quality wooden palette is well-constructed and smooth and easy for your brushes to glide across. It must be finished with a drying oil that protects the wood from water and solvent damage and helps it keep its shape. There are pre-finished, ready-to-use palettes or make your own from raw wood. If you're using a wood palette, make sure to clean it after each painting session. The paint that is left wet on a palette may cause it to crack or warp over time.
Wooden Palettes were among the first mixing surfaces for oil paints. They're still a favorite choice for many artists. They're lightweight and durable and can hold large amounts of paint without breaking. They are ideal to mix thick paints, such as alkyds, acrylics and heavy-bodied ones.
Vermeer's palettes replaced the older rectangular ones with handles. The painter held the palette using his thumb inside the hole, allowing him free his other fingers to hold brushes and the mahlstick.
A high-quality palette is made of spruce or another hardwood that has been treated with heat to get rid of any insects or fungi. The heat treatment of wood makes it more difficult to scratch or sand its surface. pallets near me -used and maintained wooden palette will develop an even, glass-like appearance after years of use. This is due to a buildup of thin layers of drying oils that allow the surface to retain its shape.
Easy to clean
If you want an easy-to clean palette that will last for years then a wood palette is the best way to go. This type of palette is popular with oil painters and will not scratch or break as a glass one. You can buy an unfinished wooden pallet that has been sealed or do it yourself. To do this, you'll require boiling 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 a drying oil fills the tiny gaps in the wood and creates a smooth surface that gets better with each painting you do.
After you have coated your palette with oil, you will need to clean the surface after every painting session. This is crucial because it will keep your paints mixed smoothly on the palette and protect your hands from solvents. Begin by lightly sanding your palette with 180-grit papers. This will help open the grain of the wood which allows it to absorb oil more easily. Put a small amount of linseed onto the palette, then employ a rag or cloth to wipe it across the entire surface. Let the oil dry for a couple of days.
If there is any remaining paint on your palette, a small amount of OMS applied to a rag will eliminate it. It is not recommended to scrape off the dried paint using anything sharp as it can scratch and damage your palette.
If you do need to scrape some dried paint off your palette, it's best to use a soft brush rather than using a knife. If you scrape too hard, you may cause damage to your palette.
Aesthetically pleasing
A wooden palette is a beautiful and durable mixing surface. It makes you feel like a true artist. It can be used with oil paints, acrylics and alkyds. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides smoothly across the brush as you pick up and mix paint. Wooden palettes are also lightweight and come in many sizes to accommodate your hands. They are available in a variety of styles and finishes to meet your preferences.
Palettes made of wood have been in use as long as art itself and are one of the oldest mixing surfaces. 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 affected by the dominant tone which they are mixed. A wooden palette can aid in identifying the hues of your paints as it has a mid value that shows the hues.
Vermeer's palettes are likely to be made from wood. The earliest palettes may be made of paper or tin, but they are most likely made of wood. A 1676 probate inventory recorded two "twee schilders eesels" and three paletten" (two painters easels and a dry palette). Vermeer's contemporary Frans van Mieris can be seen using the same type of palette in an allegorical painting of Pictura. A traditional wooden palette for oil painting is usually designed to hold the thumb hole that serves to support the palette, while the other fingers hold the brushes and the maulstick to steady the hand against the canvas while painting.
After cleaning the surface, clean it with a drying oil - Linseed, or another to keep the palette conditioned until the next time you need it. This will help to fill in the pores in the wood grain and provide an even surface for your brushes. With time, a well oiled palette will develop a beautiful patina that adds to its appearance.