My Hilarious Use of A Fancy Frame - To Save Paint!
Hello friends, have I got a tip for you today - only if you like to save time and money though! A couple of years ago I received some sage advice from a fellow-painter. He came to my studio and took a long look at my painting "set-up" and suggested that I take some action against wasting paint. I guess I must have had a whole lot of dried paint on my palette at the time - how embarrassing! He advised that I swtich to using something like a tray and cover it with plastic, a similar set-up to what he was using. This saves on time and money: I wouldn't have to waste time at the beginning of each painting session by carefully remixing the colours I was using the last time I was working on my painting and the paint wouldn't get dried up and thrown out causing me to have to run out to the art supply store to buy more.
I couldn't argue with his logic. It would be so much better if I could just keep all the paint on my palette wet between painting sessions. I like to use artist quality paint and it is kinda expensive and money doesn't ( to my knowledge) grow on trees soooo....... I came up with a few techniques for keeping my paint wet and here is one of the funniest.
*I prefer my flat palette so I didn't go with the tray. The lip of the tray just got in my way when I was painting so I only use it it I am mixing a large amount of colour for a background.
1. Measure your palette size that you like to use. Then it's time to go shopping! You can find frames second hand for practically nothing.
2. Go get yourself some clear plastic! Wrap the plastic around the outside of the frame and then tape the plastic just inside the frame.
3. I like to spritz my palette a few times with a spray bottle set to mist and then cover with my fancy home-made palette cover. You can purchase palette-wetting spray instead of spritzing with water...this adds a little acrylic medium.
However, if you hate to D.I.Y. and would like more of a tray style palette you can use the Sta-Wet palette which you can order from Opus or other art supply stores.
Enjoy saving time and money!