How to Make an Oil Painting Palette Cover
In this post, I’ll share 15 tips you can use to create an oil painting palette cover to keep your paints wet longer.
For thirty years I painted so regularly I didn’t worry about my paints drying out. My habit was to start a painting and work on it 10 or so hours each day until it was finished – from a day to a few weeks. Even when a painting took weeks to finish, I would generally use up the paint on my palette before it had time to dry out much.
Now that I spend so much time teaching online there can be days between painting sessions, or I may only get a couple of hours to paint. I’m now discovering why so many artists from our community have asked how I keep my paints from drying out.
With such limited painting time, I was getting tired of wasting any of it with scraping and replacing paint on my palette. So, I decided it was time to buy or create something that will help my paints stay fresh longer.
Ideas that Failed
In the early ‘90s, I tried using an enamel butcher tray palette and putting it in the freezer overnight. That lasted about a week. It took longer to wait for the paints to thaw than to de-skin them each day. Freezing the paints also made them sticky and less workable.
In the early ‘90s, I tried using an enamel butcher tray palette and putting it in the freezer overnight. That lasted about a week. It took longer to wait for the paints to thaw than to de-skin them each day.
When I decided recently that I needed to slow down the drying of my paints, the first idea that came to me was to use plastic wrap. I thought if I was going to cover my paints I may as well cover the entire paint mixing surface. That meant that I needed plastic wrap that was wider than the typical kitchen roll.
So, I started by purchasing plastic wrap slide cutters and figuring out ways to attach a roll of plastic to the end of my palette. That way I could pull some plastic over the entire palette each night and cut it cleanly without too much hassle.
After buying different materials, I saw a convenient plastic wrap holder and cutter all-in-one and bought that.
A plastic wrap holder and cutter all-in-one with other plastic wrap slide cutters and an 18-inch roll of plastic wrap
That’s when I realized I didn’t like the idea of disposing of plastic any more than is necessary. I also realized that a lot of paint would be lost from the paint sticking to the plastic. I began thinking of ways to protect the paint without something touching the paint.
Camille Przewodek created a fun paint saver palette for plein air painting. The palette slides into a cover and you place a drop or two of clove oil on the end to keep the paints fresher. It has never been practical for me because I like bigger piles of paint than will work reasonably with her paint saver. But, that idea combined with my recent research into the pros and cons (mostly cons) of clove oil sent me in a better direction.
We should stay away from clove oil mixed into our paints. Clove oil will greatly soften the final dried paint film and makes conservation a nightmare for museums. But, some drops of clove oil on my palette under a cover of some sort will slow down the oxidation of the paint without affecting the paint itself – theoretically.
My Oil Painting Palette Cover
What did I want in an oil painting palette cover?
- A clear view of my paint and mixing area so I wouldn’t disturb either
- The cover needed to seal well without getting sticky or being difficult to remove
- It had to cover the entire paint and mixing area while leaving space for my palette knife holder (there’s a blog post about that), mixing oils, and Turpenoid Natural brush cleaning pots
- The cover had to be durable enough to remove and replace on a daily basis for years to come
I came up with a wooden structure covered in plexiglass with four flush-mounted magnets that would hold it firmly on my enamel table palette. I place Q-Tips broken in half and dipped in clove oil in several spots near the paint and mixing area.
A wooden frame covered with a sheet of plexiglass with four flush-mounted magnets underneath to hold it firmly on my enamel table palette. I place Q-Tips broken in half and dipped in clove oil in several spots near the paint and mixing area.
I’ve only used it for a couple of weeks, but so far it has definitely slowed the drying process. How much it’s slowing it and whether it will have a negative impact on the paints themselves I’m not sure about. So, with that caveat, if you would like to know the tools and materials I used, then keep reading.
Tools, Materials, and Process to Make a Palette Cover
The list is pretty simple, but I did use a lot of clamps.
- Tape measure
- Hand or power saw
- Pen or pencil
- Drill
- Plexiglass cutter (I used a utility knife to score the plastic and then snapped it at the score lines – not recommended)
- Bolt cutters (to remove 1/8th inch off the end of the magnet screws)
- Gloves
- Strong glue (I used Loctite PL Max Premium from Lowes)
- Glue dispenser gun
- Magnets (4 or more 60 lb. pull magnets – mine came in a pack of 12 for $14.99) – they come with screws and have a hole in the middle to screw them to your board
- A 1-inch Forstner bit ($12.48 at Lowes) to flush-mount the magnets
- Clamps
- 1×2 inch boards (something that will not rot or warp easily – mine are cedar)
Some of the tools I used for making an oil painting palette cover
Some more tools I used for making an oil painting palette cover
Tips to Think About
It’s pretty self-explanatory, but here are some things to think about when putting it all together.
- For those with a table like mine, the boards were 21 inches and 28 inches in length
- The plexiglass sheet on my cover is 21×30. It is a half-inch short on the two ends because I ordered a 24×30 sheet which was big enough to cover the area of my paints and palette, but not big enough to compensate for the added board width
- One tool I did not have was a plexiglass cutter which you will want. I forgot that plexiglass won’t cut easily with a utility knife like ABS plastic does
- Keep the cover as low as possible without it touching the paint so there is less oxygen to remove with the clove oil
- Use glue that will hold everything together forever and that will not be affected by solvents or oils over time
- Drill the holes and attach the magnets first. I used some PL-Max as well as the screws to ensure the magnets would never work loose. I let the glue under the magnets dry for 24 hours before putting together the rest of the cover. Start with the magnets, because if something goes wrong it’s much easier to replace a board than to repair one after everything is glued to the plexiglass
- Get the magnets as flush with the boards as possible so they won’t hold the boards up above the palette surface. At the same time, you don’t want the magnets set too deep or they won’t connect strongly enough to hold the cover in place.
- Use gloves when applying the glue – it will not wash or scrub off for days after
- The screws that come with the magnets are a bit too long and will come through the other side. So, use bolt cutters to snip off the end. Be careful because that end piece will shoot off like a bullet. I suggest covering the screw with a rag when you cut it
- Sand or rough up one inch of the plexiglass all the way around so the glue will hold on well
You can see the array of clamps I used to squish the glue under the plexiglass so it would seal the lid tight
- I did not attach the boards to one another. Instead, I dispensed a thick bead of glue around the plexiglass perimeter and then clamped each board one at a time to the plexiglass. I clamped tight enough that the glue squeezed out around the edges so it would seal everything. I didn’t care about how it looked and didn’t clean up the overspill. I figured the extra glue would make it stronger
- The amount of clamping I did might be overkill – use your best judgment
- I used boards under the clamps to help distribute their force. If you do that, be aware that the glue will squeeze out. You don’t want that glue sticking to your clamps or whatever you use under the clamps
- Once the glue had dried for 24 hours I removed the clamps and placed the cover on my palette. I then set weights on it for a couple of days to make sure the glue dried thoroughly without bending the boards as it cured
- I will probably add an extra magnet to the middle of each board because there is now a slight gap in those areas
I used weights on each corner to hold the palette flat while the glue cured completely
Conclusion
That’s it. I hope that gives you some ideas to keep your paint fresh between painting sessions.
It’s not foolproof, but hopefully, it will save some time that can then be used for actual painting.
Many of you are probably much better at this sort of thing than me. Give us some tips and ideas in the comments below.
Happy Painting!
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I have been placing a small piece of sponge (I just snip off a corner of a regular kitchen-type sponge) on the sheet of Plexiglas that I have in my En Plein Air Pro palette. I glue the sponge on with a dot of Crazy Glue. I put several drops of clove oil on the sponge, and when I cover my palette with the Plein Air Pro cover, the clove oil seems to keep the paint workable for several days. It has the added benefit of drawing little sweat bees wherever I am painting – they are smaller than regular bees, brilliant metallic green, and have never stung me – they get a free meal.
I change out the sheet of plexi every few months as it gets scratched up. I get that at the hardware store and they are nice enough to cut it to the size I need, so I get 2 or 3 usable pieces out of every sheet I buy.
In a pinch, I have gotten those pill-a-day holders at the Dollar store and used that to put some paint in that I can easily carry to/from a plein air venue. (That has the added benefit of forcing me to paint with a limited palette because there are only 7 compartments.) It beats carrying full tubes of paint with me.
Great tips Susan, thanks! Plexiglass is a lot harder to get a hold of right now though, due to Covid. I plan to use a couple cotton balls or a sponge as well – easier than the Q-tips.
Hi, I enjoyed the read. I have something similar to seal my paint pallet that’s 14×17 and an inch deep. I was freezing my palette, but like you, I found it was tacky and harder to move without additives.
My question is the clove oil. Are there any other options? What makes clove oil more appealing than linseed oil, or lavender stand oil? Would they be as effective? Does clove oil evaporate more into the air inside?
Thank you.
Great question Suzanne. Clove oil is an antioxidant. Drying oils like stand, linseed, and walnut oil harden by oxidation. That’s why an ‘anti’ oxidant like clove oil slows down the drying process. It essentially pulls oxygen out of the air (as well as doing other more complicated chemical reaction stuff). I don’t add the clove oil to my paints because many conservators have found that it makes the paint film softer, even decades later. It is regarded as nontoxic and safe to breathe and eat in small amounts in the food industry, so I don’t have concerns about using it in my studio. Linseed, or stand oil are not antioxidants – they are drying oils only. Now, stand oil used as a medium will slow the drying process, but not in the same way that clove oil does. Stand oil is simply a different form of linseed oil and will dry as hard as linseed oil in paints. It dries more slowly because it is thicker, not because it has any antioxidant effects. You mentioned Lavender (also called Spike oil). Spike oil is toxic to breathe in the amounts we would use for thinning paints. Spike oil speeds up the drying process because it is a solvent like mineral spirits or turpentine. It evaporates more slowly than mineral spirits, but it is still a quick-drying solvent. I would not recommend it for the studio if you value your health.
My tutor made a container out of PVC pipe and the caps on each end. It held a tempered glass strip to hold the paint. It fir in the freezer door.
This design was too cumbersome for me, so my husband got creative with a container used for welders to keep their rods in…under $20 at Lowe’s. I have a plexiglass strip inside. It just takes a minute or two to thaw, and feels fresh unless it has not been used for several weeks.
Excellent idea Vicki – I will look into the welder’s box. Also, a strip of plexiglass in plein air palette that I could slide into a holder when done painting could work out very conveniently. Thanks for the tips!
Most of us have smaller palettes. I think one of those clear, one-piece acrylic picture frames might serve, with something placed on top to hold it down.
That sounds like a fantastic experiment Richard. Please let me know what you come up with!
Years ago I made a cover for my paints by gluing and screwing a thin sheet of wood to stretcher bars that would fit over my glass palette. Helps keep my paints fresh as long as I remember to put it on !
Awesome idea Toni. Do you have a pic you could share?
Thank you so much for this information. I’m headed out to the shop to make me one right now!!
You’re very welcome Carol! Let me know how it goes.
what if clove oil causes a severe headache. Are there other anti oxidant oils that could be used?