The clean up

I've posted before about other methods for cleaning the oil painting palette -  and here's another one, which actually I have found the most effective.

Here's a short video showing the process and what I use, just click the image below

The nearest I get to Abstract art!

 

Clean up time....

The palette I use for Oil painting is excellent, but not intended originally as a palette at all.

It is in fact an Ikea glass shelf with a grey toned back.  This works perfectly for mixing paint, as it gives a mid-tone and allows me to choose how the mixing goes, either darker or lighter.  

The best part, is the clean up of this palette.  I can leave Oil paint on there for days/weeks and when it comes to cleaning, scrape some with a wide-scraper, or use some methylated spirit which successfully dissolves the oil paint.

As you see, this time I had a Very Messy Palette!

If you click on the photo, you'll see my Clean Up with a difference.

Clean palette

Having completed some small paintings over the weekend, I decided that perhaps it was time to clean up my palette....

You can understand why, there was no more room to mix paint.

So the clean up began, using a large scraper to scoop up the mess and put it onto some kitchen paper.

I have to say that I’m not a Abstract artist, my brain doesn’t work that way, but today when I looked at the messy kitchen paper, I was sure I could see a large seascape wave with a partial boat! 

Can anyone else see it?

Acrylics - Cleaning your palette

When painting with acrylics I use large white wall tiles as my palette, that way I get to see the colours clearly, and can also mix easily and see the shades needed.  The problem comes when they are covered  in paint and they need to be cleaned up.   I know,  you just use soap and water - and yes I accept that, BUT you do get large blobs of dried colour heading down the drain (not a good idea) plus the paint (having been softened with warm water) then spreads ALL OVER THE PLACE....

 Even then you do get some paint that refuses to budge, as this photograph shows...

My solution is to cover the tile with Cling film.  Easily accessible, and easy to put over the tile...

 

Plus you still see your colours clearly, BUT the added advantage is that you just lift off the cling film, roll it up and chuck it away!

Now, how easy is that!

Plus I have updated my 

On the Easel : Work in Progress

Step 4 The Sea

Check out the Link under the Header photo