Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?
Traditionally, wooden palettes have been used for oil painting. They are light, durable and easy to clean. They also look beautiful.
Many depictions of artists in their work have survived. Some of these depict wooden pallets like the one that Vermeer employed.
To prepare a palette made of wood clean it using drying oils such as safflower or linseed. It is important to keep the palette in good condition by applying a thin layer of oil.
Lightweight
A wooden pallet is lighter than glass or tear-off pallets and can be easily positioned on the easel. The thickness of the wood makes it strong and solid. This stops it from bending when under pressure. It can also be stained and sanded to add color. A wood palette is more durable than other types of materials and doesn't become damaged by fungi or insects. Wooden palettes are also ideal for mixing alkyds and acrylics.
The most popular wooden palettes are made from maple or pine. Both of these woods are resistant to cracking and warping. However, it is important to look for a wood that has been heat-treated to keep insects and fungi out. This is essential to the durability of a wooden palette. Furthermore, the surface of a good wooden palette must be smooth and evenly sanded. It should also have a low concentration of moisture, which can reduce the chance of paints being damaged or wrinkled.
A wooden palette also has a excellent benefit: it's easy to clean. After each painting session, the painter can clean the palette with a drying oil to prepare it for next time. Linseed oil is an excellent choice due to its low cost, readily available and quick-drying.
The natural brown tone of a palette made of wood is perfect to mix colors because it is not that different to the dominant color on the canvas. This helps to avoid the impression that the colors appear as being darker or lighter than they actually are. Vermeer used the typical wooden palette. In an inventory from 1676 the inventory mentions that "tweeschilders eesels" (two painters' easels) and "drye paletten" (3 wooden palettes) were included. In Pictura, Frans van Meieris painted a Vermeer style palette and Roger de Piles suggested that artists lay out flesh tones on a wooden palette that ranged from light to dark.
Sturdy
Palettes made of wood have been utilized by artists for centuries because they're sturdy and durable. They're lighter than tear-off or glass palettes, and are more durable than paper ones. This makes them more comfortable to hold and use when painting. These palettes are great for mixing alkyds and oil paints. However, it's important to select a high-quality wooden palette that has been treated with heat. This process eliminates the bugs and fungi that can cause damage to the palette.
A good quality wooden palette is well-made and smooth which makes it easy for brushes to glide across. It should be sprayed with drying oil that shields the wood from solvent and water damage and helps it keep its shape. You can buy pre-finished palettes that are ready to use or you can make your own using raw wood. If you use a wooden palette, be sure to wash it every time you paint. Paint that is wet on a wooden palette could cause it to crack or warp over time.
Wooden Palettes were one of the first mixing surfaces for oil paints, and they're still a popular option for many artists. pallet wood for sale , durable and can hold a significant amount of paint without breaking. They are also great to mix alkyds, acrylics and other thick-bodied paints.
In Vermeer's time, the common palette with a hole to accommodate the thumb had replaced the rectangular type with handles. The thumb was used to support the palette, which allowed the painter to use the rest of his fingers to paint with brushes and also the mahlstick.
A high-quality palette is made of wood like spruce or other which has been treated to eliminate any insects or fungi. A heat treatment for wood also makes it harder to scratch or sand the surface of the palette. After a long period of use, a well-used, conditioned wooden pallet will have a smooth, almost glass-like finish. This is due to a buildup of thin layers of drying oil that help the surface maintain its shape.
Easy to clean
If you are looking for an easy-to clean palette that lasts for years then a wood palette is the way to go. This kind of palette is popular among oil painters because it doesn't break or crack like glass palettes. You can either buy wooden pallets that have been sealed, or make it yourself. You'll need boiled Linseed Oil from the hardware store. Nitrile gloves, and 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 improves with each painting you make.
Once you have your palette oily, you'll have to clean it after each painting session. This is important because it will keep your paints mixed smoothly on the palette and shield your hands from solvents. Start by lightly sanding the palette using 180-grit paper. This will open the grain of the wood, allowing it to absorb oils more easily. Then, pour a small amount of linseed oil on the palette and use a rag to apply it evenly to the entire surface. Let the oil dry for a few days.
If any paint remains on your palette, a little OMS spray on a rag should remove it. It is not recommended to scrape off the dried paint with anything sharp, as it can scratch and damage your palette.
If you need to scrape some of the dried paint off your palette it's best to rub it with a soft brush rather than using knives. If you scrape too hard, you may cause damage to your palette.
Aesthetically pleasing
A wooden palette is a stylish and durable mixing surface. It makes you feel like a true artist. It can be used 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 take in paint. Wooden palettes are available in a variety of sizes and are light. They are available in a variety of finishes and styles to suit your preferences.
The wooden palette is one of the oldest mixing surfaces. It has been around since the time of art. They have a natural warm brown tone that doesn't alter the color of the paints that are on it. This is beneficial since the perception of colors is influenced by the dominant tone on which they are mixed. A wooden palette can also help you see the hues of your paints as it has a mid-value that shows the hues.
Vermeer's palettes are likely to have been made of wood. The earliest palettes may be made of paper or tin, but they were most likely wooden. The probate inventory of 1676 included two "twee schilders eesels, " three paletten" (two painters easels and a dry palette). Vermeer's contemporary Frans van Mieris is seen using the same kind of palette in an allegorical painting of Pictura. A traditional wooden oil painting palette is designed with a thumb hole which is used to support it, while the other fingers are used to hold brushes as well as maulsticks for stabilizing the hand while painting.
After cleaning, wipe the surface with a drying oil -- either linseed or another to keep the palette clean until the next time you need it. This will fill the tiny pores of the grain of the wood and create a smooth surface which makes it easier for your brushes to work on. With time, a well oiled palette will develop an attractive patina which adds to its appeal.