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Mucky palette....
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Message
Posted
No such thing as a dim question. I think the paint would act as a cushion - and a palette knife isn't sharp (a pedantic note follows...) anyway. I've seen painters use a razor blade to scrape unused paint off of glass, and then polish the glass afterwards, just with a cloth. Seemed to work, I don't remember the glass being scratched: what I might find unnerving is the hideous screech should the edge of the blade be dragged along the smooth surface..... but you know me: sensitive...
Pedantic note: A palette knife isn't the same thing as a painting knife, even if many do use them interchangeably - a painting knife blade should be thin, flexible, and sit on a cranked stem. A palette knife was traditionally thicker, entirely blunt, less flexible, and straight. I expect everyone knows this, but just in case....
Posted
Thanks Robert. It was the screeching I was thinking of! I guess I must be sensitive too. Also yes I’ve read discussions re palette and painting knives here before, but I think your reminder is clearer than some. Hmm well I think I’ll try the suggestion of using mdf as I have plenty here for painting on, so might get the hubby roped in to cut one in half.
Posted
Tessa, why not get hubby to have a go at copying the shape of one of the New Wave designs, I’m sure the dimensions are stated on their website!
It needs to be thin though, otherwise it would be too heavy to hold. I’ve got some 3mm here that I use for my paintings, but I’ve decided to buy one in the next week or so!
Edited
by Alan Bickley
Posted
Oh good grief Alan. I just looked. The hubby is known in these parts for growing plants and not for his wood working skills! However the chap next door (retired joiner) is another story entirely, spends his days drilling and making in the garden. He put a very smart little plaque on my pochade box to attach the screw connection for my tripod. Might have to suggest he goes into palette production.....
Posted
Geez, the New Wave palette would have to be very 'posh' for me to spend that kind of money. My glass palette/chopping board is the same size (12x16in), tempered clear glass (not frosted) with rubber feet. It cost me £6.99 on Amazon.
Tessa, it does occasionally screech when scraping off excess paint at the end of the day, but nothing that would set my teeth on edge. I like the fact that it doesn't stain and for mixing skin tones I can sometimes just slip the photo underneath to judge a value. I'm not an advocate for glass over other palettes as I think it is a personal choice and what you feel comfortable using - and cleaning.
Posted
I've just remembered that I have a heavy plastic palette, from the Michael Willcox School of Colour - comes with its own scraper, and lid. I'll give that a try today - I've reached the stage in my painting where I need to squeeze more paint out, and the little art student palette I've been using is really pretty hopeless. Though - I do like wood best, on the whole.
PS - I'm told it's melamine, not plastic!
Edited
by Robert Jones, NAPA
Posted
Hello everyone. Interesting subject, in the past when I first painted with oils, I had the typical wooden palette with thumb hole which I cleaned regularly, then after a while just scraped the paint off and that was it. Then for some years I left oil paints and tried other mediums, such as pastels, acrylics and watercolours. I'm now back to oil painting but using Cobra and Jacksons water miscible oil paints which are fabulous. Like others here I bought a clear glass chopping board from Amazon for about £5 and using some blue tack attached a piece grey foam board to the back to stop it slipping on my work desk. I find this so easy to clean, any bits of paint left I cover with some cling film if I'm still working on a painting, if not and if it's a small amount then its simple wiped off with a piece of kitchen roll and then a quick wipe over with a baby wipe and I have a sparkling clean palette once again.
