I bought my first watercolor palette about 15 years ago… Since then i kept buying (or receiving them as gift) from time to time. Now i have 6 palettes, which is way too much for just one artiste ! It’s too much but at the same time each palette has it’s purpose. And today, i’ll present you my last palette i’ve bought and the one i’m using almost all the time now : my Mijello palette.
Features of the Mijello palette
It’s a plastic palette and seems to be very basic, but in fact it is well-thought. With 18 holes for colors, it’s more than enough to get a nice choice of colors. The Mijello palette has also two big mixing areas on the same side as the colors and two even bigger areas in the lid (the lid contains a removable tray so the surface is doubled). The color holes are big enough to fit my biggest brushes and therefore are easy to use. The biggest plus in this palette is the the entire lid has a joint which seals the palette once closed. So that the colors won’t dry (or at least not as fast) in the closed palette. It’s a very interesting feature for those who paint regularly : the paint stays at the right consistency every time.
The plastic of this Mijello palette has been worked to offer the best mixing area possible. The water lies on the top of it nicely in order to have a good sens of the color and consistency. Usually on plastic surface, water can lay a bit funny, like if it doesn’t want to leave the brush. Here it’s not the case : it’s quite the same result as enamelled metal palette.
The only negative point i can see with this palette is the inability to change the colors easily. I’m used to change the colors in my palettes quickly thanks to pans. But here the colors lays directly in the palette and if i want to change one i have to used it first !
A dirty palette ?
You can see on the picture that my palette is quite dirty. I’ve choose to not clean it. What’s left from a previous painting, will be used in the next one. This way i can break my colors easily (break : not using the color straight from the tube) and get some interesting colors. It’s weird at first, i had to force myself not to clean it. But with some time, i got it and it’s very practical. Greys are even easier to mix !
The colors in my palette
Right now my palette is filled with this colors (they may change over time) :
- Ultramarine blue, Daniel Smith
- Cobalt blue, Schmincke
- Cerulean blue, Daniel Smith
- Viridian, Schmincke
- Verona gold ochre, Daniel Smith
- Winsor yellow deep, Winsor & Newton
- Scarlet lake, Winsor & Newton
- Winsor red, Winsor & Newton
- Permanent alizarin crimson, Daniel Smith
- Burnt sienna, Schmincke
- White gouache, Winsor & Newton
- Lavander, Daniel Smith
- Neutral tint, Winsor & Newton
