Painters, Try This for a Palette

For years I've used the most typical painter's palette board to mix my paints-- you know, the ones with the thumb hole so that you can hold your pallet as you work. Or maybe just a big piece of Masonite board (also known as "hardboard" sold at your local hardware store). But most recently I have found it more efficient to use stretched canvases to mix my paints on. Why? Read on.

If you buy store-bought canvases from your local art store, which I so often do when I am on a time limit to get a painting done, you may notice that if you hold the canvas up to the light that it is somewhat translucent. This isn't necessarily a good thing. The white gesso (primer) that has already been painted on for you is meant to be a strong base that is going to help add body and strength to the painting. It also gives you a stiffer and more durable surface when you are applying heavy elements. Some painters put 5 coats of gesso on before they start their painting. The store bought canvases typically apply the thinnest coats of gesso, probably to save on money. When you paint a picture on these canvases without considering the durability, it can be really tacky when someone holds your painting up and sees that light is getting through the canvas. I learned this the hard way when I entered a show where the paintings were on glass windows instead of walls. What I'm getting to is that it doesn't hurt to prepare your store bought canvas with another coat of gesso or paint before you begin a painting on it.

SO why not build up your canvas this way: Start mixing your color pallet on a store-bought stretched canvas or one that you have already stretched and gessoed yourself. Ultimately, you will be able to use this canvas again later on down the road. Use it as a pallet until you have covered all of the white gesso base. Hold it up to the light and see how translucent your base painting is now. This can add a lot of texture to your n=base as well as some great under-paint that can add a whole different feel and quality to your next painting. If there are just too many colors for you and it is feels too busy as a base, then just paint over it with one solid color. Now you've got a really strong base that is ready to be painted on. Or maybe, you enjoy all of the different colors on your pallet and your palette might just work as a decorative painting for your house. I've got one of mine hanging up in the bathroom.

Sometimes I use old paintings that I just don't care for as a palette board. I take a picture of the painting for keepsake and then I cover the ugly thing up with rich colors. Eventually, this too will be used as a base to a new painting. Also, if you're not one to paint on canvases and prefer wood or hardboard, it doesn't hurt to use it as a pallet first either.


Here I have my palette standing upright. This works sometimes, depending on the consistency of the paint. This palette is in the process of covering up an old painting I didn't care for.

Capturing Paintings in Progress

In the past two years I find myself more interested in documenting the progress of my paintings, because I have begun to appreciate the process as a journey that it worth reflecting back on. To me the underpainting, or the work in progress, can often stand alone just as strong as the finished painting. Most recently, I started taking professional photos of the work in progress to sell as prints. There is an entirely different feel to the work in the first sessions in my work, often appearing more sketchy and illustrative than the finished image. Some people might actually prefer this style over the finished look.

So, why bother finishing the painting if it seems to be at a finished state already? Sometimes it is fun to do quick paintings that have a loose feel to them, but often times I enjoy spending time with my oils and really getting detailed in my conceptual portrait paintings. Usually I have a vision of how I want the final product to look and the work in progress is usually a pleasant surprise that I run into along the way. I’ll be honest, sometimes I want to just be done, but once I have spent time mixing up a colorful pallet of oils, the show must go on. In other words, I have to continue the painting because I have a strong desire to paint the figure and capture all of the colors in someone’s face. To me, the skin tones can be the most challenging but also the most rewarding. I like to emphasize the subtle colors in one’s face that we don’t always notice. For example, your shirt may be lightly reflecting onto your jaw line, so I might enhance those colors to create more relationships between the colors throughout the painting. So all in all, following through with the original plans of a painting is often the route I like to choose and documenting the process can also tell a story about how I got there.

Here is one example of some sessions I did on a commissioned painting for a couple:






This is my most recent documented work that I am just finishing up on. First i sketched out the boy on an old painting of mine that I didn't care for.

A New Painting for a New Year

I'm excited to have finished my first painting of the year. I hope you enjoy!

New Year Painting