How to Use a Wet Palette for Acrylics (Easy DIY Setup)

Steps

1. 1. Line a Tray With Blue Shop Towels for a Wet Palette

   Start with a shallow tray. Pamela uses a 14 x 17 inch cafeteria tray.

   Tip: Cut a stack of towels and paper to size ahead of time so a fresh setup takes a minute.

   

2. 2. Flood the Wet Palette Shop Towels With Water

   Pour water over the towels until they are completely soaked. Pamela uses a small container and keeps going until the towels look like a pond.

   Tip: Room temperature tap water is fine.

   

3. 3. Tip the Wet Palette Tray to Drain the Extra Water

   Hold the tray over a bucket, bowl or sink and tip it onto one corner. Let the extra water run off.

   Tip: Press the towels flat with your palm after draining so the paper lies smooth.

   

4. 4. Lay Tracing Paper Over the Damp Wet Palette Towels

   Lay one sheet of tracing paper on top of the damp towels and smooth it flat from the center out. The paper lets moisture rise up into the paint without letting the paint soak into the towels.

   Tip: Make sure it is tracing paper. Regular printer paper falls apart when wet.

   

5. 5. Squeeze Acrylic Paint Onto the Wet Palette Paper

   Squeeze your colors onto the paper around the edges, leaving the middle free for mixing. Keep the top of the paper dry when you start.

   Tip: Use the same layout every time so your hand knows where each color is.

   

6. 6. Set Out Acrylic Colors and Rest Your Brush on the Wet Palette

   Add the rest of your colors. Pamela puts white and black in the middle row for value studies, with blues, purple and green on the far side.

   Tip: Rinse brushes over the palette if you like. A little water on top does no harm.

   

7. 7. Check the Acrylic Paint Is Still Wet the Next Morning

   At the end of the day, leave the palette as it is. Pamela came back about 15 hours later and her black, green and yellow piles were still soft and glossy.

   Tip: Swap in fresh towels and paper when the paper is full of dried mixes.