Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Painting in Oil: The Palette

As for how to hold the palette, there seems to be some confusion about this. The thumbhole in the palette is a carryover from oldfashioned techniques of painting. It serves no real purpose in present-day work. The most convenient way of painting is to place the palette on some box or cabinet of about table height. Then the hands are free to occupy themselves with brushes, knife, and paint rag. And it generally makes for more comfortable work.

Some people, however, like the feel of holding the palette in the traditional way. If it will make the beginner feel better about his work, then there's no harm in it. The palette is balanced on the left forearm (assuming the painter is righthanded) with the thumb jutting through the hole from underneath. Brushes, knife, and cloth are clutched loosely together in the fist so that any of them can be withdrawn as needed.

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