Making a Watercolor Palette Chart

My slapped-together watercolor chart was driving me crazy, so I decided to make a new one. That said, the math of making color charts using my traditional method (link in profile for tutorial) just wasn’t going to work in my short time frame. So, I turned to Photoshop. I made a square outline that reflected the dimensions of my chart, plus 28 tiny black ovals to represent colors. I finished up with some guidelines for writing tiny color names and room at the top to label the palette with delicate calligraphy.
As you can see, the black ovals shone through the watercolor paper beautifully! The only really challenging part was finding a pen that was fine enough and had a quick enough flow to write color names; but I solved that problem with a Pilot Falcon pen with an extra fine nib.
Since I know I’ll get questions about it: this incredible palette, lamentably, isn’t available for purchase. Jess of Greenleaf & Blueberry made it for me, partially because photos of it will show up in a book that I’m in the process of writing. Book or not, Jess is always very generous in making time to create any watercolors that I might need - we were university roommates, so we go way back and have many shared memories (like the time we decided to try a multi-day boiled leek diet, which lasted all of three hours before we got too “hangry” to function; or when I gave a class presentation over Caravaggio and Jess sat there and cheered me on with several smiles and thumbs-ups because she knew I was petrified of public speaking). 16 years later, our friendship is as strong as ever. Here’s to gorgeous watercolors and beautiful friendships!

[@momopeachies]

The tiny writing is something else! I love having watercolor charts that fit inside the case like that, and this looks so clean and fancy

[@LindseyBugbeeTPK]

The tiny writing wasn't easy -- but definitely worth the visual effect!

[@bonniemacgregor8340]

Love this!!! Thank you!

[@LindseyBugbeeTPK]

It's my pleasure; thank you for watching!

[@Dinosaur-hd2ms]

Cool

[@LindseyBugbeeTPK]

Thank you!

[@ericalesley-thigpen2095]

What kind of paper did you use?

[@LindseyBugbeeTPK]

Watercolor paper! Strathmore 120#. :)