The Best Disposable Palettes for Mixing and Blending Paints


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The least enjoyable part of painting? Our vote is the cleanup process. One way to make it snappier: Get yourself a disposable palette. These specialized pads of poly-coated sheets allow you to mix and blend paint freely without disintegrating the palette’s fibers. Once you’re done with a painting session, you simply rip off the sheet and throw it in the trash. Of course, disposable palettes are not the most eco-friendly material, so you might not want to use one every single time you paint. But they can be a convenient alternative to carrying a weighty palette to class or to the field or running sink water as you attempt to scrub out stubborn stains. Plus, you won’t be contributing to water pollution by washing paint down the drain. Browse our favorite disposable palettes below.

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ARTnews RECOMMENDS
Strathmore 300 Series Palette Paper
Strathmore’s paper is uniformly smooth, provides a durable surface for mixing, and is affordable enough for you to use and toss without a care. The rectangular white sheets measure 9 by 12 inches, providing enough space to mix multiple colors while keeping them separated. The 41-pound paper resists warping and leaking and doesn’t curl at the edges, partly because this 40-page pad is tape-bound on two sides—which also means your sheets won’t budge if you’re painting outdoors.

Buy: Strathmore 300 Series Palette Paper $8.50

WE ALSO LIKE
Canson XL Disposable Palette
A bit more expensive than Strathmore’s paper, Canson’s palette pad is what we’d call an upgrade pick. The coated sheets tolerate a lot of fluid without seepage and are tough—you can work a palette knife on them without leaving damage. They are also bound on two sides to present a perfectly taut and secure work surface. We find that they actually help you conserve materials, as leftover paint is exceedingly easy to scrape off and save for future sessions. You can even reuse the paper and continue to rewet it (though that kind of defeats the purpose of a disposable). Each pad holds 40 sheets of white paper, and you can choose from either 9 by 12 inches or 12 by 16 inches.

ECO-FRIENDLY
Toss Paint Plates Disposable Palettes
If the word “disposable” is holding you back from using one-time-use palettes, consider using these, which are made of 100 percent recycled paper. Shaped like a traditional painter’s palette, the plate features 10 paint wells and two mixing areas, plus a hole for your finger. Measuring about 6.5 by 9 inches, they are lightweight and comfortable to hold, and the paper is sturdy to prevent leaking.

EDUCATORS’ CHOICE
Richeson Disposable Palette Paper Bulk Packs
Richeson’s palettes are as no-frills as you can get. White andrectangular with a  good weight, a stack resembles a pile of picnic napkins. But this is the best option if you need to load up on palette paper, with sheets sold in packs of 1,250, 1,400, and 2,500. You can also choose from four sizes, from 9 by 12 inches to 18 by 24 inches. The 41-pound paper is decently strong for the price, tolerating oils and acrylics, and the surface is a bright white.

ALSO CONSIDER
New Wave Grey Pad Disposable Palettes
This modern-looking, 50-sheet paper pad is smartly designed for comfort. Each sheet features a hole for a thumb as well as an irregular shape to rest lightly against hand and arm, so artists can hold the entire pad as they would a traditional palette. (Not into this look? You can also purchase normal rectangular ones.) At about 11 by 16 inches, it offers plenty of space for mixing color on each page. The papers are glued along three edges to maximize stability and protect the sheet below, and they are thick to prevent bleed-through. Notably, they present a neutral gray surface to help you perceive true colors; this shade is also less harsh on the eyes than white when you’re out in the field painting under direct sunlight.

Source: artnews.com

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