New Year: Palette Refresh, My Plan
Happy New Year Folks! Let’s start 2026 fresh, palette fresh.
In case you missed the news last year, I’m on a mission. A mission to replace all the commercial paints in my studio palette with my handmade versions.
I thought it would be good to have a check-in while I clean up my palette.
Clean Up Crew To Isle 5!
First, let’s clean up the palette.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to use what you have and reuse paint mixes. But when starting a new project or, in this case, a new year, I like to have a little tidy up.
I use a big brush to rewet all of my dried paint mixes. Get them nice and wet, we need to lift all of that paint. Then I go in with a kitchen towel and soak up the mixes.
Time to continue the NYE party with alcohol! No, not to drink 😂. I use Isopropyl alcohol and a cotton bud to remove any staining colours. Nothing will get rid of all stains but the alcohol makes a good effort.
I also like to use a cotton bud to tidy up the edges of the palette and the paint wells. Go carefully here. Don’t make the cotton bud too wet and don’t fuss too much. Sometimes overdoing it will just make more mess.
Time to Pour!
Now that our palette is nice and clean, we can restock it with the juicy paint.
You can use tube paints you got for Christmas, but I will be using my handmade paints.
Part of why I believe my paints are so good is that I made them for me. Not many handmade brands out there can say they are made for artists the way I can.
I make paints I want to use. In the past I’ve opted for commercial paints for convenience, but no more.
While I haven’t made every colour on my palette just yet, I’ve made a lot. Why use a commercial brand when mine do a much better job?
Squeeze!
Go gentle and squeeze your paint tubes from the end to deposit the paint into your pans or wells. I personally use a palette with wells, they are bigger and easier to fill.
Go slow. You don’t want a big mess by exploding paint everywhere. No one likes to clean twice.
Don’t overfill your pan or well. I find it best to leave some room, it makes it easier when going in with your brush.
Use a cocktail stick to coax the paint into each corner and make it nice and level. The wells on my palette are naturally slanted which makes it easier to use. If you are using traditional pans, put them on a tilt to create a slant. This is also why it’s important not to overfill.
Patience is key here. Give your freshly filled pans time to dry properly before using them. If you’re impatient like me, you’ll dip your brush in too soon and end up with a paint soup mess. Let them set for a few hours or overnight and you’ll be rewarded with a smooth, ready-to-go palette.
Choices, Choices, Choices!
We’ve talked about cleaning and filling but the big question is “Which Colours Do I Choose?”
This is really hard to answer because everyone is individual. Most palette choices from commercial brands are fairly generic and designed to paint a range of subjects. Personally I like this, but if you specialise like me, you might prefer a more focused palette.
First off, ditch the white and black. White in my opinion is pointless in a watercolour palette. Black, unless you plan on doing a lot of black and white monochrome paintings, is also a little redundant.
Choose what is practical but also what sparks joy. Maybe you have a favourite colour that has to be in every painting, maybe you’re less fussy. I find I enjoy painting more if I actually like my colours.
What do you paint? If you paint portraits, having a rainbow might not be super helpful. Pick colours that fit what you like to paint. I paint a lot of botanicals so a rainbow is perfect for me. If you paint faces, you’ll want colours that make a range of skin tones, maybe even a premixed flesh tint. As we are all individual in what we like to paint, our choices will also be individual.
Still stuck? If you don’t have a niche or want some inspiration, I’ve put together a playlist of videos that will help you choose which colours to have in your palette. These are generic palettes aimed at covering a variety of subjects. If you’re unsure, it’s a good place to start.
Some Homework!
Tell me, tell me, tell me!
What colours are a must-have in your palette? Are there any that make others go “huh?!”
Do you have colours that you love but others cannot stand?
Any rare pigments that are your precious and used only when painting for the Queen?