Thank you so much for making this video. I bought my first palette a while back and had no idea I was "supposed to" prep it first, and started doubting myself and wondering if I should clean it completely and start over. I wasn't sure WHAT watercolor beading looked like (yes, rank newbie here!!) I started looking for videos, and lots of them do talk about palette prep but not what the problem looks like. Seeing your testing makes me feel so much better. Now that I see what everyone's talking about, I realize my $4 palette from Wal-Mart doesn't bead at all... and now I'm sure that's just through use.
Hi Megan, I’m glad my video helped to answer your questions about watercolor palettes and beading. The palette in this video no longer beads up and the only thing I did was mix colors on it!
I’m not patient and do not paint everyday. I’ve been using a tiny bit of “Soft Scrub” All Purpose Cleaner (w/out bleach), for several years. Do not go at your palette like you’re cleaning something with stuck-on food. Rinse well after, of course. No issues with scratches. It’s inexpensive and a bottle will last forever, unless you start using it to clean your home.
Thank you Chris for being so honest. Glad I didnt go down that route on my new palette. I love ceramic every time , but when you go out you need something light.
I like the tiny plastic palette that comes with Cotman pan watercolors for painting outdoors. It’s small enough to fit in your pocket! I refill the pans with Qor watercolor paint.
I bought a mijelello 30 pan pallet and fill the pans from tubes but I use a ceramic dish for mixing mixing and it works out well. I do botanical painting, and this arrangement fits in with the area I have to paint in.
Also, I agree with just using your pallette...I have an inexpensive one from Hobby Lobby and it's been doing fine, since being broken in. I do leave paint on it, because I will reset it later, so that's probably helped:)
Thanks Chris, an excellent video, and really helpful and HONEST so many of the others on here as with man RU-vids is more to do with just getting a video on RU-vid as oppose wanting to help people.
I’m not sure why that is.. The plastic is hydrophobic for some reason. I don’t think it’s a coating because washing it and even sanding it doesn’t help that much.
I used 1500 grit and it was still abrasive enough to help a lot, while being even more nuanced than the 600 (i think you said?) in the video. I'm sure you could get away with only just rouge or polishing compound too (which is effectively even higher grit than 1500)
There's no better advice for me than doing nothing and waiting, I find it too problematic to do all that when I can just use my pallette. The beading doesn't really bother me, I've found the way to use my watercolors despite the colors beading.
Just found out tonight (just started practicing much more) & was just getting more & more paint on my brush! Thought me but misted each square, had wet brush (not sure if should be very wet or medium)? Now feel it’s didn’t know to “prep” & thank ppl who do these videos as these days hard to take classes 🙁. Would be so great to have person next to us who says, If do it this way makes it better & easier! So think “prep” on back lil bit but not sandpaper!! Good luck on your journey 💖!
Thanks! I'm not sure what the science is behind it. I would guess that it's a combination of fine scratches and left over traces of paint that helps make the palette more receptive to water.
Just started using my plastic water color pallet & seems just keep getting more paint on my brushes than the pallet due to (now know beading)? Mist the little square & not sure how much water should be on brush when putting on pallet from misted squares (super wet or a medium amount)? Just started using it more & heard sand paper but thought of “destroying” it not ok! Does tin work better as ceramic to heavy? Tyvm & so much to practice but enjoying & admiring how talented you & others are at painting!!!
Thanks! Just keep using the palette and the beading problem should eventually improve. Breaking in a new palette is always kind of annoying! It sounds like you’re using pan watercolors (the dry squares of paint). It does help to mist those before you start painting, in order to soften them up a little . Once they soak up some water they become softer and you can pick some of it up with a damp brush and add it to the mixing area. The mixing area is where I add larger amounts of water if I need a lighter color. You don’t want to get tons of water on the pans of paint because they will take a long time to dry. Another tip is to allow the pans to dry out before closing the lid or cover. The paints can go moldy if you trap the water inside.
The way the paint beads up is frustrating!😂 I usually notice a difference after two or three uses. You just have to power through it. And it helps if you’re lazy and let the paint dry up on the mixing areas of the palette. Somehow that makes it more receptive to water.
@@ChrisBreier Ohhh only 2 or 3 uses!!!!???? That's nothing!!! I thought we were talking about loooonggg weeks or even months!!! 😅 Days? That's totally doable! Then, if is just that short period, why do people complain so much!!!??? 🤔 Anyway, thank you so much for answering so quickly! 😊 I mix on a porcelain plate, but my daughter gifted me, (it arrives tomorrow) a mixing plastic palette with a lid (I was commenting how frustrating it was to have to cover the palette I was using), so she went ahead a bought me one, but is plastic. I wouldn't have bought that one, but I am so grateful she bought it for me, I'm going to use it! Happy and all but I really needed to know how to deal with the beading issue! SOOOO THANK UUUU!!! 🥰🥰🥰
What about adding a few drops of water, letting it sit for 5-10 min. Then moving it around? The use the pallet thing sounds like a saturation matter to me.
Chris Breier I used a 120 grit to begin😬, finishing with a 400 grit sandblock in both directions until it felt smooth. I then washed with soap and water, dried, cleaned up with alcohol, allowing it to air dry. The paint beaded up, but became more smooth after adding more paint. It was also easy to clean up. I can use it. 👍🏼
