Watercolor palettes are one of the most underrated tools by both professional and amateur watercolorists. The palette, however, matters a lot because having the right water palette opens the artists’ capacity to develop an incredibly dynamic color range for their artwork. A quality water palette will facilitate the mixing of colors allowing the artists to achieve several color hues while having better control over their artwork.
No palette can claim to be the perfect watercolor palette for an artist, but an artist can decide which palette works best for them. When choosing a watercolor palette, some of the things you should consider are; if the palette is ideal for the studio or if it is portable and ideal for travels. Secondly you need to think about the capacity of pigment wells that the palette has; ideally, the palette should at least have enough wells to hold your “everyday/regular” colors and a couple more. Lastly, your budget also matters as there are numerous prices for different prices. Below is a list that we put together of some watercolor palettes that artists find to be of great value for them.
1. Color Around Aluminum Watercolor Palette
Intro
A palette designed by Color Around, this aluminum palette is constructed of a light metal frame cladding and features a thumbhole, two mixing areas, and slanted wells ideal for professional artists. The palette comes in several sizes and wells ranging from 13, 20, 26, 30, 35, 39 and 65 wells. The 65 well palette is one of the largest well options in the market and on our list. The palette is ideal for both travel and studio use.
Pros
- It is available for purchase in different sizes with the largest size being the palette with a 65 well capacity.
- It is clad with aluminum which makes it durable and but still lightweight.
- The slanted walls facilitate for watercolor pulling especially for artists who want to get that additional color on their artwork.
Cons
- Designed for professional artists, this Color Around palette is not ideal for most beginners
- With only two squares, the mixing area is inadequate.
2. Watercolor Palette by Portable Painter
Intro
Plein air painting with watercolors is not a foreign technique, and this palette by the Portable Painter is ideal for it. This palette is one of the most innovative/ “smart” palettes in the market as there is no other quite like it. The palette features a beautiful design that stores up to twelve half paint pans, three large slanted mixing areas and ten smaller mixing wells and it allows for the palette to side out. Sounds like a lot but all these features are housed in a small black case with dimensions of 5.5” x 3” x 1.2” that makes it extremely portable. By attaching the black casing of the palette to either side of it, you can transform the palette into a stand palette.
Pros
- The black casing of the palette, when converted into a stand, can be used as double baths for cleaning your brushes.
- This portable painter palette is extremely versatile and adaptable for travel.
- It is ideal for plein air painting.
- It is equipped with extra brushes in the package making it the perfect palette for beginners.
- It facilitates additional color pull out thanks to the slanted design.
Cons
- Despite all the fantastic features, this palette is in our opinion quite expensive.
- It is not the best palette for studio use.
3. Round Porcelain Palettes
Round Porcelain Palette is a great space to mix your watercolor paints. The design is heavy and sturdy enough to make it firm and unmoving while mixing the colors in it. Their sturdiness also makes it long-lasting so you can pass it to your generation of artists as an item of sentimental value.
This palette is very easy to clean and store. In fact, because of its porcelain material, it is so easy to wash colors off from its body without too much ceremony. It comes from a variety of shapes and sizes to choose from. Some of the sizes also come with loose-fitting plastic covers.
It is fun to use this palette especially when you have to mix a huge amount of colors. The wells on this palette are as deep as 2 cm down. It is both very smooth and the quality is excellent as compared to other brands available. Several compartments in this porcelain palettes make it convenient to mix different hues of colors at one go.
Pros
- It is heavy and sturdy.
- The porcelain material is long-lasting.
- It is easy to clean.
- It comes in a variety of shapes.
- It comes in different sizes.
- The wells are deep enough.
- Its surface is very smooth, the colors do not cling.
- The quality is excellent.
Cons
- It is breakable.
- The colors slosh out because of its smoothness.
- The wells are too hollow.
4. Schmincke Empty Watercolor Tins and Pans
These tins and pans will make your watercolor paint creation experience both easy and exciting. It is as easy as simply emptying your watercolor tubes on the palettes and giving them time to dry. When you are ready to get to work, all you need to do is to wet them with the right amount of water and mix.
This Empty Watercolor Tins and Pans will allow you to either use the colors straight from the tube or to create your unique shades. They came in various sizes and configurations. They are very sturdy and reusable.
Schmincke Empty Watercolor Tins and Pans have a black enamel exterior with a very interesting white interior. The foldout palette wells are deep enough. The pans, however, are not included with the empty tins. They are highly portable and good for travel.
Pros
- They are highly portable and good for travel.
- The wells are deep enough.
- They come in various sizes and configurations.
- They are sturdy.
- They are reusable.
- They are easy to use.
- The wells give enough mixing spaces.
- The pricing is good enough and affordable.
- The trays can be stacked together without disturbing the paints.
Cons
- It is hard to wash off.
5. Pro Art Large Folding Palette
Intro
If you are a watercolorist who prefers to work while standing, then the Pro Art palette is ideal for you. This is because it features a thumbhole that takes away the hassle of fumbling with the palette and helps you focus on mixing and painting your artwork. The palette is available in three different sizes, with the largest featuring 24 wells and five mixing areas. It also has extra holes for brush storage which makes it great for plein air painting as your supplies are within your reach.
Pros
- It makes for a great beginner’s palette.
- It has brush storage and additional mixing areas which is a rare find for other palette options in the market.
Cons
- The wells on the Pro Art palette are not slanted which makes it difficult for artists to pull out additional colors.
6. Jack Richeson Porcelain Palette
Intro
Made of porcelain, the Jack Richeson palette is perfect for studio work because it does not bead up when mixing colors and it is also easy to clean without leaving any pigment remnants. This means that you can avoid color adulteration when you start mixing colors afresh for you different artworks. The simplicity of this palette should not fool you. The Richeson porcelain palette is very versatile and can work for different mediums such as oil, gouache, and acrylics. This versatility takes away the need to own multiple palettes as this one palette is ideal for various uses.
Pros
- The palette is very versatile, and the cover doubles up as an additional mixing area.
- Both beginners and professionals can use it.
- It is easy to clean and offers precise color mixing capabilities.
Cons
- It is more costly than other watercolors.
- Because it is made of porcelain, it is not ideal for travels as it can break easily.
7. Rigger Art Watercolor Palette
Intro
Dubbed the “travel palette,” this 33 well palette by Rigger Art is perfect for professionals and any other individuals who enjoy plein air painting. The palette is big and has a footprint of 10.2 by 10.2 inches. It features a thumb hole and an additional five holes for brush storage. It also has five oversized mixing areas that facilitate proper color mixing without color deterioration and using other mediums such as acrylic or oil-based paints.
Pros
- It is versatile and can be used with other mediums as well.
- It is excellent for artists who prefer to work while standing.
- It is reasonably priced.
Cons
- Beginners may struggle to use this palette.
Conclusion:
Picking out a palette is not as daunting since the first consideration when deciding on the palette is your comfort. Take some time and test out different palettes before committing to buy a single palette. Other additional things you can consider would be the palette’s construction material, the presence of a lid and how the paint puddles in the wells.