Testing Masterson Sta-Wet Palette - My first impressions and how to use! 

I hope you will come to really like the Sta-wet (stay-wet) palette. Several of us really favor the Masterson's stay wet palette over anything! Tips I've learned are to * Use distilled water in the stay wet palette so there is no concern of mold growing. * Don't have too much water in the palette that it can pour out when tipped. Pour off any extra water that will run off the sponge when the plastic stay-wet tray is tipped on it's edge. *I pour the excess into my brush washing little pail. *Set up the colors on the stay wet palette paper in your own favorite order that you like your color values. *Don't do the mixing in the stay-wet pallet unless it is a color you need to make and have a blob of. **When ready to paint on your project do the mixing on a piece of palette paper like the one by Master's Touch. I place this next to my stay-wet palette. This is *not the stay wet paper. Mine is in a tablet of 40 sheets $6.99. * Then with a palette knife scoop up the mixed paint and place it on the wet palette to keep it good for a long time. *If I only need a little bit of a mixed color I just mix it on the paper palette and paint with it from there. *Anytime you stop painting for any length of time just snap the cover on the stay-wet palette. I have had my acrylic paints last for several weeks maybe even 3 months in the sta-wet palette. When a color on the wet palette is gone I just add more of the same color right on that same spot. *Every so often I wash the stay wet paper and sponge and start all over. *If someone's does get any sign of mold just soak the sponge in clean water with a tiny bit of bleach. Then rinse well. Enjoy!

I love the Sta-Wet pallette! They literally pay for themselves with all the money you save on paint. I'd recommend using parchment paper instead of the paper that comes in the box though. Parchment paper is more porous so your paints stay wet for days. Also, it makes cleaning up super easy!

Great video, thanks for breaking it down and that was a great idea to compare vs the regular palette. I got the larger version of the Sta Wet and haven’t used it yet. Looking forward to having my paints last overnight so I can keep working on a project.

If you use parchment paper as the top layer, when you've finished with the paint just throw the parchment paper away, then replace it with another. Before I bought the Handy Palette I used Daler Rowney's paper in a stay wet palette I purchased from a bargain bin outside an art shop. The Daler Rowney system uses two sheets of paper, one like blotting paper, the other like parchment paper. These are useful to use on top of the Masterston sponge.

Thanks for doing this review, I just got one and didn’t realize I needed to prep the paper.

Thanks for posting!

Thank you for this review i am thinkin about buying this pallet for my acrylic paint from arteza.

I use this palette, or a larger size, for table top role playing game miniature painting, like Dungeons & Dragons. It’s been pretty good, but I’m not constantly painting, and I’m using a pretty small amount of paint each time. It seems like you really gave it a fair shake.

i pour out the excess water before using. i also use parchment.

I feel like this is more for heavy body paints. Fluid paints are just going to fan out like yours did.

You didn't smooth off the surface water before depositing the paint. Also probably had too much water in the sponge.

I wonder if one of those silicone spreaders for face cream would be a good mixing tool on the paper surface.

The only problem is my acrylic paints liquefies ..if I put the lid on … sper thick paints, fare a bit better but most they turn into liquid and therefore end up, wasting them anyway, because they start to drip over the sides I do not ovesaturate the sponge or anything else the only other solution I’ve found is to actually not put the lid on completely ,..is there any other solution to this cause I’m sick of wasting Paint ?

The bigger One is better because you habe more Space to blend.

Thanks! (it’s pronounced ‘stay’ )