Why Use a Wooden Palette For Oil Painting?
For oil painting wooden palettes are utilized. They are light, durable and easy to clean. They also look gorgeous.
Many paintings of artists working have survived. Some depict an unfinished wooden palette similar to the ones Vermeer used.
To make a wooden palette wipe the surface clean with a drying oil like linseed. This is essential because a thin layer oil keeps the palette conditioned.
Lightweight
A wooden palette is lighter than glass or tear-off pallets, and can be easily held at the easel. Its thickness also makes it sturdy and stable, which prevents it from bending under pressure. It can also be sanded and stained to add the color. A wood palette is more durable and resistant to fungi and insects than other materials. The wooden palettes are ideal for mixing alkyds and acrylics.
The most commonly used type of wooden palette is made of pine or maple, both of which are able to resist cracking and warping. It is essential to select a wood that's been heat-treated to keep fungi or insects. This process is crucial to the durability of a wooden palette. A high-quality wood palette's surface should also be smooth and well-finished. It should be free of amount of moisture, which will reduce the possibility of paints becoming damaged or wrinkling.
Another advantage of a wooden palette is that it is easy to keep clean. The painter can wipe down the palette after each painting session with a drying lubricant to make it more sanitary. Linseed oil makes a great choice because it's inexpensive and easily available. It also has a quick drying time.
The natural brown hue of the wooden palette is ideal for mixing colors because it is a similar color to the dominant color of the canvas. This helps to avoid the perception of the colors as being darker or lighter than they actually are. Vermeer utilized a common wooden palette, Agronytradingllc and in his 1676 probate inventory there is mention of "twee schilders drye paletten" (two painters easels and three wooden palettes). In Pictura, Frans van Meieris painted a Vermeer style palette. Roger de Piles suggested that the painters paint flesh tones on a wooden palette ranging from light to dark.
Sturdy
Artists have used wooden palettes for centuries because they're sturdy and durable. They are lighter than glass or tear-off pallets and more sturdy than paper palettes. This makes them easier to hold and use while painting. They are ideal for mixing oil paints and alkyds. It is important to select a wooden palette of high quality that has been treated. This process removes fungi and pests which can cause damage to the wooden palette.
A high-quality wooden palette is well-made and smooth which makes it easy for brushes to glide across. It should be sprayed with a drying oil that protects the wood from water and solvent damage, and helps keep its shape. You can purchase pre-finished palettes that are ready for use, or you can create your own using raw wood. If you're using a wooden palette, make sure to clean it after every painting session. Wet paint left on a wooden palette could cause it to crack or warp over time.
Wooden Palettes were among the first mixing surfaces for oil paints. They're still a popular choice for a lot of artists. They're light and sturdy, and they can hold large amounts of paint without breaking. They are also ideal to mix alkyds, acrylics and other thick-bodied paints.
Vermeer's palettes replaced the rectangular ones that were previously used with handles. The thumb was used to support the palette, which allowed the artist to use the rest of his fingers to use brushes and the mahlstick.
Heat-treated hardwoods such as spruce and other hardwoods are used in the creation of a high-quality palette. This is a way to eliminate any fungi or bugs. A treatment that heats wood makes it more difficult to scratch or scratch the surface of the palette. A well-used, conditioned wooden palette will develop a smooth, glass-like finish after years of usage. This is due to the buildup of thin layers of dried oil that help the surface to keep its shape.
Easy to clean
A wood palette gives you a smooth, easy-to-clean palette that will last for years. This type of pallet is popular with oil painters because it won't break or shatter like a glass palette. You can purchase a wooden pallet that has been sealed, or make it yourself. To do this, you'll require boiling linseed oil purchased from the hardware store, nitrile gloves, and high-quality paper towels or rags (if it has bits, don't use it). The process of sealing a palette with drying oil will fill in the tiny gaps and create a smooth surface. This will get better with every painting.
Once your palette is oiled you will need to recondition it after every painting session. This is essential since it will keep paints from mixing in a smooth manner on the pallet and also protect your hand from solvents. Begin by lightly sanding your palette with 180-grit paper. This will open the grain of the wood and allow it to absorb oils more easily. Place a pool of linseed on the palette, and use a rag or cloth to clean the entire surface. Let the oil dry for one or two days.
If any paint remains on your palette, a little OMS spray on the rag should be enough to eliminate it. You should not use any sharp object to scrape off the dried paint. This will scratch and damage your palette.
If you have to scrape a bit of dried paint off your palette, it's recommended to do it with a soft brush rather than using the knife. If you scrape too hard, you can harm your palette.
Aesthetically pleasing
A wooden palette is an elegant and durable mixing surface. It makes you feel like an artist. It is suitable for oil paints, as well as alkyds and acrylics. Its smooth surface is easy to clean and glides effortlessly across the brush as you mix and pick up paint. Wooden palettes are available in various sizes and are lightweight. They come in different styles and finishes.
Wooden palettes have been around since the beginning of art and are one of the oldest mixing surfaces. They have natural warm brown tones that doesn't change the colors of the paints on it. This is beneficial since the perception of colors is affected by the dominant tone on which they are mixed. A wooden palette helps you to see the colors of your paints as it has a mid-value which shows the hues against.
The palettes of Vermeer are likely to have been made of wood. The first palettes could be made of paper or tin, but they were most likely wooden. The probate inventory of 1676 listed two "twee schilders eesels, three paletten" (two easels for painting and a dry palette). In an allegorical painting of Pictura, Vermeer's contemporaries Frans van Meieris and Jan Vermeer employed the same kind of palette. A traditional wooden palette used for oil painting is generally designed to hold the thumb hole, which is used to support the palette, while the other fingers hold the brushes and the maulstick to hold the hand on 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 require it. This will fill the pores in the wood grain and create an even surface for your brushes. Over time an oil-based palette will develop a gorgeous patina that will add to its appeal.