A wet palette is one of these tools that I never thought to be that interesting or even useful to me until I tried it and it changed how I paint pretty drastically. But a wet palette is quite expensive so a lot of you might be hesitant to try one. Well, in this guide I will show you how to easily, quickly, and very cheaply make your own wet palette.
As a whole, to make a wet palette simply cut a sponge cloth to size so that it fits inside an airtight container. Cut some parchment paper to the same size and the wet palette is done. Simply dampen the sponge cloth with water, put the sponge inside the container, and place the parchment paper on top of the sponge.
The individual steps to making a wet palette:
- Cut a sponge cloth to size
- Place the sponge cloth in an airtight container
- Cut some parchment paper to the same size
- Place the parchment paper on the sponge
- Make the sponge wet and press down on the paper
- Put the acrylic paint on the parchment paper
It really is just that easy and all of the materials will only cost you around 8 dollars in total.
Materials to Make a Wet Palette
You don´t need many materials to make your own wet palette and non of these materials are especially hard to get or expensive.
You only need a sponge, a container, and some parchment paper.
Sponge
You can use any kind of sponge material you want as long as it is thin and absorbent.
I personally recommend using sponge cloth. You can get sponge cloth in any convenience store or supermarket. and they will usually cost around 2 or 3 dollars each.
Airtight Container
You will need an airtight container for storing the sponge and the paper.
I prefer using a plastic container with a lid but you can use any kind of container that can be closed airtight.
A bonus for convenience is if the container is not very high. This will make it easier for you later on to use the palette and you don´t have to navigate around the edge of the container all the time.
Parchment Paper
You can get parchment paper for artists at arts and crafts stores. While these are great they are also kind of expensive so I usually use parchment baking paper that you can get in any supermarket.
How to Make the Wet Palette
Let´s finally have a look at how to actually assemble everything and make the wet palette.
1. Cut a Sponge Cloth to Size
First, you need to cut the sponge to size. The sponge has to fit inside the bottom of the container and should leave very little room between the sponge and the walls of the container.
2. Place the Sponge Cloth in an Airtight Container
Place the sponge cloth in the airtight container.
Make sure that it fits well and isn´t too short on any of the sites.
3. Cut some parchment paper to the same size
Next, you need to cut the parchment paper to size as well. Make sure that it fits on top of the sponge inside the container.
4. Place the Parchment Paper on the Sponge
Finally, put the sponge inside the container and add some water to the sponge.
The sponge should be damp and not drenched with water.
5. Make the Sponge Wet and Press Down on the Paper
Then put the parchment paper on top of the sponge and press gently down. Use your fingers to gently press the parchment paper down on the sponge until the paper sticks and wrinkles slightly.
6. Put the Acrylic Paint on the Parchment Paper
Now you can add your paints to the surface of the paper and start painting.
If you are done painting simply close the lid of the container and the paint should stay fresh and usable for at least 24 hours.
If you want to know how to properly use a wet palette and why it is such a great tool for acrylic painting then consider reading my guide where I explain what a wet palette is and how to properly use it.
Hi, I am a passionate maker and professional prop maker for the entertainment industry. I use my woodworking, programming, electronics, and illustration know-how to create interactive props and puzzles for Escape Games and marketing agencies. And I share my knowledge and my experience on this blog with you so that you can become a maker yourself.