How to Organize an Oil Painting Palette

Having an organized paint palette is an essential part of the oil painting process. Having your paints laid out on the palette correctly, cleaning up properly and salvaging unused paints saves time and money, and can greatly improve your results.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start with a limited number of colors so you won't end up with a palette full of overmixed, muddy colors. Yellow Ochre, Ivory Black, Titanium White, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow, Pthalo Blue, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna and Pthalo Green make a nice limited palette.

2. Squeeze out a line of each color on the edge of the palette, leaving the middle open for mixing.

3. Squeeze out more quantities of Titanium White than any other color; most artists use a lot of it while painting.

4. Lay out the colors in the same order on the palette each time you paint to keep the painting process efficient. Arrange them from light to dark, with black and white on the opposite side of your palette.

5. Wipe up wet paint as you're finished with it, before it can dry on the palette. You could also roll out a sheet of wax paper on a tray or side table and tape down the edges, discarding it once it's full.

6. Scrape unused paints into plastic tubs for re-use later, or cover the palette with plastic wrap.