Portable Watercolor Palette : R/Urbansketchers

Working on designing a portable watercolor palette, would like to hear what features you guys would want.

Would you want as much mixing area as possible, lots of half pans, water cup holder?

What would be your perfect portable/travel palette?

Thank you!

r/urbansketchers

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1 yr. ago

Tacomixen

Portable watercolor palette

Working on designing a portable watercolor palette, would like to hear what features you guys would want.

Would you want as much mixing area as possible, lots of half pans, water cup holder?

What would be your perfect portable/travel palette?

Thank you!

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Anxiety_Cookie

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1y ago

Oof this is so individual. The one I'm looking for is something like Holbein steel palettes (they are discontinued) but with without the 6 paint wells on the other side, and 'somewhat' leak proof.

So, a slim design with a big mixing areas. I basically only use 12 colours max, but usually only like 7.

Video review of the palette: youtu.be/2RdMC2jNz0Q

One thing that I haven't seen in the market today, is a palette with multiple mixing wells that you can seal tight and save the already mixed paints for later without having to wait for it to dry. This would be really handy for plein air/urban sketching when you walk around a lot.

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Chris_Skecthing

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1y ago

I have an art toolkit portable one. That’s cool for the size but on the other hand when you want a color you can accidentally put it in another pen. So small is cool but too small can be negative What i would like is the capability to fix the palette to the my sketchbook or piece of card board A cup holder is cool but I think that if the holder can be a separate piece and also fix it where i want on my sketchbook or on side that would be perfect. At the end the holder should be attached to the palette For the mixing area i would prefer a small reasonable area with « holes » than a big one I have an art toolkit portable one. That’s cool for the size but on the other hand when you want a color you can accidentally put it in another pen. So small is cool but too small can be negative What i would like is the capability to fix the palette to the my sketchbook or piece of card board A cup holder is cool but I think that if the holder can be a separate piece and also fix it where i want on my sketchbook or on side that would be perfect. At the end the holder should be attached to the palette For the mixing area i would prefer a small reasonable area with « holes » than a big one

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Tacomixen

OP

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1y ago

Created The Modular Palette, only have a few modules so far to create a basic travel mini version, but it is possible to just add bits to expand it.

Trying to figure out how to do a small water container module right now.

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t_reize

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1y ago

I have 20 half pans in my palette (small Meeden tin), but judging by the looks of them I mainly use 9 to 10 of them a lot and barely touch the others.

So basically 2 of each primary colours, Payne's grey, plus a green, an orange, and a purple for quicker access than mixing.

At least 6 mixing areas (1 or 2 big ones + smaller ones) that you can store even if still wet.

No need for water, I use a waterbrush.

Oh, and a spot to keep the colour charts ;-)

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dr_3

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1y ago

I was looking at doing something similar with a 3d printer at some point.

Great idea, and I hope it goes really well for you.

If you look at the most sought after palettes, you can draw some design ideas from them. The ones most people lust after the most are Craig Young style, and the old aluminum Holbein style.

IMO…

It would be nice to have egg-shaped paint wells, so your brush doesn’t get jammed into corners.

A couple of larger mixing areas - either flat or concave.

Foldable - so it’s easier to pack

Thumb holder of some kind.

Non-staining (I don’t use pthalos for that reason)

Maybe some way to hold brushes. Either space inside for travel brushes, or holes for regular brushes so you can swap on the go.

Hope that helps!

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[deleted]

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1y ago

To be honest. There are so many of these on the market. At this point, you can basically find whatever you need. I like lots of mixing space,‘I use full pans and I like them to be easily swapped out. I don’t like 3D printed palettes because the paint sticks in the grooves and stains like crazy.

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CraftWithCarrie

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1y ago

I use several now which are mostly various small tin boxes and I shift around half pans with magnets and tiny color swatches with magnets.

I also have an art toolkit palette that I really like for handy small use because I can just keep it in my pencil pouch or clip it to my book.

You'll be sorry you asked for ideas after this .... I've been trying to find or create one I'm happy with (haven't fully achieved it yet), so have thought a lot about what ilId want it to do.

Not plastic (though I'd make exceptions if it fits into #9 and catches my fancy!!)

Able to hold magnets (such as pans with magnets under them)

Ability to be held by magnets, such as if you want to clip it to your sketchbook or clipboard or wrist or anything else with a magnet attached to it without having to add on more things to the palette itself.

Example: This clip can be clipped to your book upside down so the magnet is at the top and then a palette could sit on it. I like that it isn't permanently attached to the palette and that it sits next to the book not taking up page space. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X11C1SQ

Here it is in use: m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61lBPkwDQdL.AC_SL1000.jpg

4. Built in space for mixing colors. Space should be white coating that cleans easily and doesn't stain. Paint doesn't bead up. Oh and preferably 3 different spots/sections. Would be extra cool if this mixing surface was magnetic and could be removed to swap out or scrub.

5. Can be easily cleaned ... Such as remove the pans and rinse the holder under water 6. Won't leak 7. Can swap paints easily (such as holding pans .. ideally standard size, that is one thing I don't like about the art toolkit those pans don't fit anything else I have ... If it does require unique pans, I'd want an option to easily store other pans I've swapped out of active rotation .. like a larger holder to keep at home) 8. Thin and portable, durable, won't rust. I'm thinking something in the range of 3-6" long, 2-4" wide, and .75" tall (can hold a regular half pan with magnet under it and still close). 9. Bonus: something that looks cute and original or novelty... shaped like a tiny toolbox or lunchbox or suitcase or boombox or book replica .. in a few color options (also so you can tell them apart if you have multiple) 5. Can be easily cleaned ... Such as remove the pans and rinse the holder under water 6. Won't leak 7. Can swap paints easily (such as holding pans .. ideally standard size, that is one thing I don't like about the art toolkit those pans don't fit anything else I have ... If it does require unique pans, I'd want an option to easily store other pans I've swapped out of active rotation .. like a larger holder to keep at home) 8. Thin and portable, durable, won't rust. I'm thinking something in the range of 3 to 6" long, 2 to 4" wide, and .75" tall (can hold a regular half pan with magnet under it and still close). 9. Bonus: something that looks cute and original or novelty... shaped like a tiny toolbox or lunchbox or suitcase or boombox or book replica .. in a few color options (also so you can tell them apart if you have multiple)

Or something that looks really fancy like replicating a silver plated makeup compact or cigarette case.

Examples: www.amazon.com/Framendino-Suitcase-Cartoon-Rectangular-Co... www.amazon.com/Odoria-Miniature-Old-Fashion-Decoration-Ac... www.personalizationmall.com/Personalized-LEGO-Pencil-Box-... m.shein.com/us/3pcs-Slogan-Graphic-Book-Shaped-Gift-Box-M...

10. Opens completely flat so it could be clipped with a binder clip to something 11. Allows for space between colors/pans ... I don't like having things so close that one drop too much water and the whole row blends together. 12. Flexible in size of pans and how many. I would like up to 12 colors but sometimes might only use 6. Also, I like to use larger pans but only fill them halfway so I have plenty of room for water and to swish my brush to decide how much pigment to pick up. 13. Bonus: holds a small dropper bottle to drop water onto the colors to rewet them. 14. Bonus: holds small water brush 15. Bonus: holds a small sponge or cloth piece to wipe off the brush. (I use wrist sweatbands often .. not so much on my wrist, but I put them around my waterbottle or pencil pouch and use them to wipe the brush on) 16. Not wood (I keep seeing wood ones and wonder how those don't rot or look awful once they get wet) 17. Has a way to have a small swatch card to know what colors are where. It needs to have some sort of protection such as a clear sleeve to put it in. It needs to not be permanently attached to the bottom side of the palette because then you can't see it when you need it. 10. Opens completely flat so it could be clipped with a binder clip to something 11. Allows for space between colors/pans ... I don't like having things so close that one drop too much water and the whole row blends together. 12. Flexible in size of pans and how many. I would like up to 12 colors but sometimes might only use 6. Also, I like to use larger pans but only fill them halfway so I have plenty of room for water and to swish my brush to decide how much pigment to pick up. 13. Bonus: holds a small dropper bottle to drop water onto the colors to rewet them. 14. Bonus: holds small water brush 15. Bonus: holds a small sponge or cloth piece to wipe off the brush. (I use wrist sweatbands often .. not so much on my wrist, but I put them around my waterbottle or pencil pouch and use them to wipe the brush on) 16. Not wood (I keep seeing wood ones and wonder how those don't rot or look awful once they get wet) 17. Has a way to have a small swatch card to know what colors are where. It needs to have some sort of protection such as a clear sleeve to put it in. It needs to not be permanently attached to the bottom side of the palette because then you can't see it when you need it.

Ok ... I think I'm done. Haha now you can see why I haven't found the perfect solution for myself yet!!

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