Palette to prevent paint drying

[MaximumJpeg]

Despite not being a wargamer I paint using oils and acrylic and waterbased paint can dry out really quickly.  I found this palette idea a while ago to prevent water based paints from drying out, hopefully it'll help people make the most of their paint.  You can buy expensive offical palettes and paper but this DIY version works just as well.

Get a dish (preferably old!) with upturned sides, like a plate.
Along the surface of the plate lay out some pieces of kitchen paper.
Wet the kitchen paper enough so it is soggy but when you tip the plate on its side no water drips off.
Finally, lay a single piece of greaseproof paper over the top of the kitchen paper so the wet kitchen paper is completely covered.  Make sure no water from the kitchen paper can run on to the top surface of the greaseproof.
You can now use this as your palette applying the paint on top of the greaseproof paper.

The greaseproof paper allows enough water through to prevent paint from drying and don't worry, it won't dilute the paint or interfer with its consistency.  When I use this with acrylics they stay wet for a whole day, instead of 5 mins and apparantly if you cover the palette the paint can last for a fortnight.

Hope this helps, let me know if it works for you and for how long!

[Timbo1974]

Does this work with the Tamiya paints?  They dry so quickly on a normal pallete that I usually resort to... wait for it... painting from the pot. 

[Megamatman]

It should do. Tamiya paints are waterbased (I think) so it should work.

MaximumJpeg should know though.

Matt

[nikharwood]

That's a nice tip Jenna - going to have to try that...

I usually use giveaway CDs as palettes which are used one-time [so that I can remix colours if I paint more of that type of figure...] - but keeping paints useable beyond a few minutes would be really useful.

[MaximumJpeg]

Thanks Nik, tell me if it works!

I've only used this with tube acrylics so far, it only occured to me to use it with wargaming paint when I painted my first ever figure last weekend and found the paint kept drying.  I haven't had any direct experience with Tamiya paints but they are water-soluble acrylics so the theory behind the palette should work with them.

[nikharwood]

Cool will do...

Now then:

I painted my first ever figure last weekend

Pics please...

[Pruneau]

Been using a wet palette for quite some time now, and I confirm it keeps paint fresh for hours.  Whenever I use a CD again I'm always annoyed at how quickly it dries up.

Just make sure the towel underneath the paper is well wet.

[MaximumJpeg]

Cool will do...

Now then:

I painted my first ever figure last weekend

Pics please...

Here it is! In all it's close-up glory 

[Nicofig]

In french but a easy to understand  

and here :

http://usagi3.free.fr/spip.php?article417

[nikharwood]

Very nice Jenna: so for your first pic, you chose Dave in full regalia eh?