How to Make a Stay Wet Palette to Keep Your Paints Wet

[@irnbrurocks2]

I know you probably don't check the comments on this video anymore but I tried this out and it truly worked! This is gonna help me save my paints and some money! Thanks!

[@alansartlog]

I try to at least read all my comments :) Glad it helped!

[@heloneida.Toronto]

Tip: when using a spray wet palette, put a couple Penny's under the wet sponge. The copper keeps them from getting moldy and smelly

[@YoungDymisty]

He did mention this in the video ☺️

[@msclark024]

Way more information than I expected and now I know why my paint is watery and why the paper isn't holding up. Thank you! Peeped your IG. Awesome stuff over there. You seem to have a good hold on learning the foundations of art creation and putting in the mileage - as professional artists like to say. Thank you again!

[@alicecoates1179]

Thank you, a great help, and a real eye-opener. I now won't have to spend a ridiculous amount of money buying a 'Stay Wet' palette!

[@Finkeldinken]

Thank you, this was very thorough which is exactly what I hoped for. I am a pretty slow painter, but I think maybe a combination of the Golden Open paints and a wet palette is the perfect solution for me.

[@muskndusk]

The stay wet palette paper is very cheap to buy on Amazon. For the sponge you can either use a few layers of blotting paper or a couple of disposable kitchen cloths.

[@roach7017]

your videos are always so encompassing and succinct. Very helpful and informative. Thank you.

[@gilbertnellis4840]

Excellent research and thoroughly well presented. Great stuff!

[@shannongreenlaw88]

thank you for giving examples of different types of paper! I am a very literal person & this helped me from having to google the difference between parchment paper and other paper lol

[@jazw4649]

2 cafeteria trays clam shelled together, 2 layers wet paper towels, waxed paper on top. Throw away paper towel and waxed paper when you are done, or make a new palette in the lid side of the cafeteria tray first and transfer over the paint you want to keep for a fresh palette and then throw the old one away. Paint lasts about a week or longer depending on the weather.

[@rrmm2644]

And how do you keep the tow trays air tight to prevent air from coming through ?😢

[@lisafred1362]

@@rrmm2644 It isn't air tight but my friends who do this say that it is not a problem if you work the water just right. Better for people at home.. if you lug the palette to and from a class you are better with an air tight container.

[@EmmaMorgan09]

I used a synthetic chamois cloth from the Auto department in the Range. It is a buttery yellow colour but I’m hoping it will work. It holds a lot of water.

[@alansartlog]

Should work fine. You might get some peeling around the edges if it holds so much water the surface is no longer wet, but eventually happens with all materials as the water starts to evaporate, just some more than others.

[@wulfseig1864]

Thank you from 2022. Very helpful and thorough.

[@showmeyourdrills5490]

Thanks for the idea.

[@timothyandrewausten]

Wow, this is brilliant. Thanks!

[@flipperdale51]

Good information. Question: Where did you buy the two containers? Particularly the larger (pink) one?

[@alansartlog]

One is an old ferrer rocher box, it's pretty good, as good as a container without a silicone seal because of the way it closes. The pink one I bought it at a store that just sells plastic items (for food, for storage, etc). It's not a particular brand or anything. Amazon doesn't exist in my country and brand named containers at big supermarkets are very expensive. Instead it's common for there to be specialized stores like these that just sell rebranded chinese imports. I just got lucky finding this one. It's unlikely even I'd find the same one again. It's very common to find the small squarer ones for keeping food, but I'm not sure what this one was supposed to even be for... keeping a pie or something maybe? idk. it's huge.

[@alansartlog]

One is an old ferrer rocher box, it's pretty good, as good as a container without a silicone seal because of the way it closes. The pink one I bought it at a store that just sells plastic items (for food, for storage, etc). It's not a particular brand or anything. Amazon doesn't exist in my country and brand named containers at big supermarkets are very expensive. Instead it's common for there to be specialized stores like these that just sell rebranded chinese imports. I just got lucky finding this one. It's unlikely even I'd find the same one again. It's very common to find the small squarer ones for keeping food, but I'm not sure what this one was supposed to even be for... keeping a pie or something maybe? idk. it's huge.

[@flipperdale51]

@@alansartlog Thanks for the information. I've looked all over for the right size. I'll check Ferrer Rocher. Sorry to hear you don't have Amazon where you live. They don't have everything, but it does come in handy. Have a great day.

[@edmundyarrow4560]

The pink style ones do sell on Amazon but not in that size😂 Look under Really Useful storage boxes and that clip handle style shows up but mostly too deep. So I wonder where yours can be found because that is the ideal size for me.

[@flipperdale51]

@@edmundyarrow4560 I'll check it out. Thanks for the Information 🖌🙂.

[@margoegol1253]

What can you add to the water to avoid mold?

[@alansartlog]

I think I mentioned it but you can add pennies. You can also change out the water and sponge.

[@lisafred1362]

@@alansartlog I have heard a drop of vinegar helping with mold but my friend said it didn't work for a gouache palette. Gouache got mold.

[@lisafred1362]

Drop of vinegar added to water in sponge. .sorry I didn't say it before

[@justinguidry6782]

What about a shammy. That's what I'm gonna use. Thanks bud

[@alansartlog]

Almost anything will work for the sponge layer, it's the sheet on top that's important to get right. I mean the wrong one will work but there's a world of difference.

[@mborsey1]

Could you use Jack Richeson Grey Matters Paper instead of parchment paper? I was looking to make a stay wet palette with gray tones

[@alansartlog]

The palette paper? Probably not. I've never tried palette paper but I can't imagine it being water permeable properly. I tried all sorts of papers and things, but only the parchment paper works because of the way the silicone coating holds it together, it does not tear yet lets water through. If you want a lighter gray than what I got you could try varying the color of the fabric and try to use a smoother fabric as the paper will stick to it with less water. Or you could try something like: Parchment Paper Thin Gray Cotton Fabric Sponge Just remember the water darkens the fabric quite a bit and the parchment paper lightens it back up but not as much.

[@mborsey1]

Thank you for the ideas!

[@chiptenor]

The 'Sta-Wet' is really the best overall deal, and worth every penny. I have four of them, used for years. BTW, my computer is fine (speakers and all), but your sound is not great on this video- way too muted. Perhaps I'm the only one who has mentioned this, but I finally quit listening well before the video ended. Thought I'd let you know.

[@jessicamoreno1303]

Thanks for this! 🖤🖤🖤

[@McQuizzical]

In the UK its known as Baking paper.

[@jmcmontanheiro]

Question: have you tried using watercolor paper?

[@alansartlog]

No, I tried thick tracing paper (does not work) and a few other similar ones I had around. Any type of uncoated paper will eventually break apart/pill up. 100% cotton watercolor paper might work and not do that, but it will probably not be easy to mix paints on it will absorb the colors / be un-washable. Are you having trouble finding the right paper?

[@yusef5717]

Is it useable without changing the inside

[@alansartlog]

I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean the sponge/cloth? The paints won't keep forever and it will start to smell eventually and the absorbent layer and the silicone paper will need to get washed, and the paper eventually replaced once it gets too dirty or starts getting holes in it.

[@yusef5717]

@@alansartlog I meant the parchment paper

[@YoungDymisty]

I would try and help but I'm not sure what you mean either. What do you mean about the paper?

[@Mohamed_Sherif]

If you want the same sponge that comes with most WET PALETTES Look for polyvinyl alcohol (pva) sponge cloth Not cellulose sponge

[@alansartlog]

Oh, thanks for the tip, didn't know. Is there a noticeable difference? Will try to find some.

[@angelapeardon1119]

A good tiny splash of viniger on the sponge will prevent mold from forming in your wet palette.

[@alansartlog]

Sorry, but although it would stop the mold it's a terrible idea. Acrylic paints need an alkaline environment with a high ph, and vinegar is the exact opposite of that. The method by which copper gets rid of bacteria isn't known (see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_properties_of_copper), but it shouldn't change the ph. I have not gotten around to testing the pennies thoroughly yet because I've not had to keep the stay wet palette for more than a few days and the pennies at the edges caused the paper to dry there first and lift more so I took them out. But when I did have them in I saw no mold in palettes, but I only kept them less than a week and I forgot to test leaving one for more than that, but it should work, the question is really for how long, how much copper is needed, and does adding things like retarders to the water make a difference.

[@rickb6029]

I use hydrogen peroxide 3% in a spray bottle, but I also heard about using a few drops of rubbing alcohol will prevent mold. I don't know it would affect the paint, but in my case, I use a gray glass palette inside the stay wet palette, so my paints do not get liquid from the sponge in them, instead relying on the evaporation of the water inside the closed up palette. In some cases I've resumed painting after 2 months of sealing the palette. The microfiber cloth made from plastic is not affected by mold unlike sponges that get eaten away. But, if you rinse out the inside of your palette every few days, you do not need to worry about the mold getting very far... you could also switch to using only distilled water which does not contain mold spores.

[@kielia727]

I mix a couple of drops of tea tree or clove oil into a mister bottle of distilled water to wet my sponges. I have never had a mold growth and as a plus I love the smell of both oils. LOL!!!

[@heloneida.Toronto]

@@kielia727 Tip: when using a spray wet palette, put a couple Penny's under the wet sponge. The copper keeps them from getting moldy and smelly

[@kielia727]

@@alansartlog , that is why I said a tiny amount of vinegar and to mix it in with water. It works well for me. I have never had mold and the paint preforms as intended. If you do not like the idea of putting a bit of tea tree oil on the pallet perhaps putting it on the inside of your wet pallets lid would work ? I tried the copper penny idea in my homemade ink pads. The ones without the penny molded and the ones with it never did. It does dry your paint out faster though.

[@rrmm2644]

Why don't you just use masterson stay wet pallette ?!🤔 Isn't that way easier from going through all this ???!!

[@TheErikaShow]

In my situation, I am in the middle of a project. Didn’t plan very well because it’s my first one like this. I definitely plan on getting that wet palette…it’s GENIUS…but it won’t arrive in time. I’ll be better prepared next time, though!😬