@@mkompan alas, the power of magnets is over…the time of epoxy is here lol. I got the high-strength neodymium magnets but they were getting knocked off periodically by other stuff in the bag.
Thanks for the review video Marc! I don’t paint outside that much but needed some portable palettes too since my painting space is cramped. I have something similar to that Meedan palettes but medium size, the side didn’t flop and it’s all flat under the palette so i can put magnetic tape pans without pans shakiness (it’s also colored in pink too lol). I wish i could have that FOME palettes now since i didn’t use many colors more than -+ 20colors 😭 i’ll get them later.
Marc, thanks for this. After viewing, I reconfigured my small, also red, Whiskey Painter palette. Wish I could fit half pans in the center row. My hands will not allow holding a palette and a sketch book (joint issues) but with benches for the palette or sometimes a tripod for the surface with palette in hand, I am ready to go with a compact kit.
You can fit extra pans in this little box (I have 7 full pans + 1 half pan) if you carefully pull out the welded metal insert to leave a completely flat base - then use a blob of blu-tack to hold your pans (various configurations possible)
Considering you as an artist and an art professor, it is great see your way of practical/analitical thinking. I would love to see more palettes and hacks in the future. I don't paint outdoors but I'm still interested in portable and limited palette opitons because the lack of space in my room. I also did some diy plattes, it is really fun. Great video, I will certainly watch it again. By the way, Winsor Newton has some options for portability, they are mostyl plastic though. White sponges (sold as magic-melamine sponge/eraser sometimes I guess) are great for removing stains. Lastly, film canisters and pill bottles can be used as small water containers, for those who are looking for some idea on that.
I will definitely be doing more things on palettes, and portable set ups in the future. I actually have nothing against plastic palettes, and used one for decades. One I don’t have but think might be ideal is the Cotman sketchers box.
Great cpmparision of lovely pallets… i am quiet obsessed bay the the Frazer mini. But I cannot find anything in web about it. Do you have a link where to buy it?
Hi Marc ! :) The Holbein palettes no matter of what metal are made off lack a catch on the lid that would allow them to snap close firmly. The Talens one is a very old model and now discontinued. I haven't seen this model in any European store. Where did you get this? :) You can remove the inner lid from the Meeden palette to lighten it up a bit. The way it is attached on the box doesn't serve any mixing purposes either way. The second Meeden palette is a bit heavy. Portable but not actually portable because you don't carry only the watercolor box in your kit. The faux Fraser Price looks decent. Rub the stained enamel with a bit of toothpaste and it will look bright white again! The red little box looks great also but it is a bit overpriced. Same applies for the Schminke with the flask that goes for up to 80 dollars, euros, pounds and the Portable painter that is sold for 30+ euros but is actually an over engineered plastic little box. I'm using a tiny tin ( like the Altoids ones) that holds two full pans and two half pans. I've figured eventually out the ultra minimalistic colour "triad" that is actually made of four colours and can mix 99,9% of hues, which I pair with a light metal pencil case ( generic school one ) that its lid doubles for mixing space too. I've modified it by spraying it in the inside with white enamel paint. As both are made of metal can be attached anywhere ( a drawing board, sketchbook etc) with magnetic clips. And that is the lightest and simpler setup I could get after years of experimentation with different setups, boxes palettes etc. The best small water containers are the plastic or glass jars that come with women's cosmetics. Creams and such things that you can attach them the way you showed on your video. They are available in all possible sizes and they have also a lid. I also use these containers that are used for measuring cat's food. Those that you can take for free from pet stores and are made of very lightweight plastic and also have a lid. The lid is necessary as you don't have to dry the water container before throwing everything back in your bag. And in order to save space I put the tiny metal paint box into the plastic pet food pot along with some paper towels and this way I end up having only three things in my bag. The pencil case, the plastic container and my sketchbook instead of a mess of things clinging inside my bag.
Thanks for your detailed comments and tips!. The Holbein palettes should have been designed to close more firmly, I agree, but a rubber band solves that issue. I found that steel palette a few years ago in a little art-supply shop in Madrid. Things get lost in such places, and I don't think they knew what they had. You can still find them on Ebay on occasion. Portability is subjective. As a former plein air oil painter who used to carry tubes of paint and a folding wooden easel, watercolor supplies seem like a sinch to carry. :)
@@mkompan I agree that everything is subjective. The Holbein palettes are way too expensive to end up securing their lid with a rubber band or a string! Or to phrase it differently why the cheap Altoids like tin ( there are no Altoids in Europe- it is of another brand) can close firmly but the super expensive and over engineered palette box can't? My point is that most of these paint boxes are overpriced for what they offer and that artists are victims of extreme exploitation or regard of the tools that are needed for their trade. Something that doesn't happen that much and so often in other professions. Companies exploit artists' passion and obsessions!
Hmmmm, I have a bit of a collection of palettes. Very interesting to see how you use yours. My most used out and about is an Art Toolkit business card case palette. I have small hands, and arthritic thumbs, its the only comfortable solution I have found. That doesn’t stop me from buying every nifty palette I see though. I dont have a problem with plastic palettes either, they can be made to not bead up with a glue wash (takes off the release agent) and a magic eraser.
Thanks for your great review of a wide variety of options, Marc. After trying a several travel palettes, my current favourite is the Portable Painter Micro. I like it because it's very small, light and includes several useable mixing spaces. With careful colour selection, its 6 half pans can be used to mix most things. It's ample for my travel usage, which is just to add a bit of colour to my sketchbooks and small (max A5) pictures. My problem is always keeping things simple and light. I find that it's all too easy to carry an excess of 'stuff', most of which contributes little to the end result. Thanks again for the video 🙂
@@daveh3339 you’re welcome! I tried out the portable painter several times, but just couldn’t get it to work for me. As mentioned in the video, I like holding my sketchbook at a tilt, so any method involves clipping the palette into the sketchbook, or onto the same board isn’t optimal.
1. Great info, especially the hacks and how-to stuff. Thanks. 2. I'm not convinced of the need for so much miniaturization, but I guess it makes sense if your paper is also quite small. My respect to those who can make something smaller than A5 that is worth looking at. 3. I originally gave up on watercolor field work because I was defeated by the quick drying due to wind and sun, along with the changing light. My respect to those who have overcome these potholes.
@@ichirofakename 1. You’re welcome! 2. I don’t think creating something worth looking at should always be the impetus for creating something. Little studies can be a way to explore color and composition, to explore and experiment in ways that would be too risky in a larger format. Plus, small format work can be done quickly, and is a great way to get in some painting when you’re pressed for time. And if it ends up horrible, at least it’s only small affront to art. 3. Working outdoors is indeed challenging, but the rule is to limit your expectations. Masterpieces are mostly studio creations. Field work is for training purposes and for of course for fun.
I have the larger brass FP box. It IS heavier and clunkier. Still very cool. My only issue is that the little rivet that the latch grabs to to hold the box closed popped off of mine after about a week. So a rubber band or keeping it in the little velvet bag that it came with are a necessity to keep it closed. This is a clone of the original design that Windsor and Newton later copied for their plastic field box with the integrated water bottle and clip on cup (which is also a phenomenal pocket box, and much lighter than the brass!)
It is a neat little design, but I just don't need everything in the same place. This is the main reason why I never bought the plastic field box. That said, there is a very cool vintage Windsor and Newton box with a build in flask that I would love to get my hands on. It actually looks like a bottle, and opens up to reveal a palette.
Thanks for this quite diverse review. I personally prefer the metal ones (notice the plural form, haha) as my pochades (once again plural) have magnets that they easily attach to. Personal fave is the French brand Stablo because it has a lot of great features and light as air! ❤ Schminke (pronounced shmink-ah btw) has different sized palettes as well and I agree quite gimmicky but adorable. Have you heard of the company Art Toolkit?Their mini palettes come in several sizes and they have magnetic pans that come in different sizes so you can customize it. For the micro palette you showed, I'm guessing the finger wedge is supposed to slide between your fingers unlike the usual finger holes. I also have a mini porcelain mixing tray which I prefer because it's easy to clean and doesn't stain. Love your hacks btw! ❤
Thanks for the detailed comment and advice! The palettes are oddly addictive to collect, and I was actually surprised how many I have amassed over the years. I've seen the artist tool kit palettes, and will eventually grab one. I've tried every possible grip variation for that Portable Palette Micro and everything feels super awkward.
Great reviews nd also the ideas at the end.
@@bucketofbarnacles thank you!
What adhesive did you use to fix the magnet to the piece of angled metal at 19:24? If you mentioned it, then I must have missed it.
@@mountaintownnaturalist2646 no adhesive needed, just the magical power of magnets.
@@mkompan alas, the power of magnets is over…the time of epoxy is here lol. I got the high-strength neodymium magnets but they were getting knocked off periodically by other stuff in the bag.
This is one of the most useful and informative videos on portable palettes that I’ve ever seen!! Great job! Thank you!!
You're very welcome! I'm glad you found this tutorial useful.
Thanks for the review video Marc! I don’t paint outside that much but needed some portable palettes too since my painting space is cramped. I have something similar to that Meedan palettes but medium size, the side didn’t flop and it’s all flat under the palette so i can put magnetic tape pans without pans shakiness (it’s also colored in pink too lol). I wish i could have that FOME palettes now since i didn’t use many colors more than -+ 20colors 😭 i’ll get them later.
You're very welcome! Glad you enjoy this video.
Marc, thanks for this. After viewing, I reconfigured my small, also red, Whiskey Painter palette. Wish I could fit half pans in the center row. My hands will not allow holding a palette and a sketch book (joint issues) but with benches for the palette or sometimes a tripod for the surface with palette in hand, I am ready to go with a compact kit.
But you can fit half pans in the center row. The bars holding the half pans pull out, allowing you to do it.
You can fit extra pans in this little box (I have 7 full pans + 1 half pan) if you carefully pull out the welded metal insert to leave a completely flat base - then use a blob of blu-tack to hold your pans (various configurations possible)
Considering you as an artist and an art professor, it is great see your way of practical/analitical thinking. I would love to see more palettes and hacks in the future. I don't paint outdoors but I'm still interested in portable and limited palette opitons because the lack of space in my room. I also did some diy plattes, it is really fun. Great video, I will certainly watch it again.
By the way, Winsor Newton has some options for portability, they are mostyl plastic though. White sponges (sold as magic-melamine sponge/eraser sometimes I guess) are great for removing stains. Lastly, film canisters and pill bottles can be used as small water containers, for those who are looking for some idea on that.
I will definitely be doing more things on palettes, and portable set ups in the future. I actually have nothing against plastic palettes, and used one for decades. One I don’t have but think might be ideal is the Cotman sketchers box.
The regular Portable Painter is my favorite! I've added the extra pans and love it so much.
@@lynnephelps2370 I came so close
to getting one just for this review, but as you may have noticed, I don’t have room for more palettes.
Great cpmparision of lovely pallets… i am quiet obsessed bay the the Frazer mini. But I cannot find anything in web about it. Do you have a link where to buy it?
Thanks. That one is sold under a few different names. Here's an Amazon link: amzn.to/4hSWHqH
Hi Marc ! :)
The Holbein palettes no matter of what metal are made off lack a catch on the lid that would allow them to snap close firmly.
The Talens one is a very old model and now discontinued. I haven't seen this model in any European store. Where did you get this? :)
You can remove the inner lid from the Meeden palette to lighten it up a bit. The way it is attached on the box doesn't serve any mixing purposes either way. The second Meeden palette is a bit heavy. Portable but not actually portable because you don't carry only the watercolor box in your kit.
The faux Fraser Price looks decent. Rub the stained enamel with a bit of toothpaste and it will look bright white again!
The red little box looks great also but it is a bit overpriced.
Same applies for the Schminke with the flask that goes for up to 80 dollars, euros, pounds and the Portable painter that is sold for 30+ euros but is actually an over engineered plastic little box.
I'm using a tiny tin ( like the Altoids ones) that holds two full pans and two half pans. I've figured eventually out the ultra minimalistic colour "triad" that is actually made of four colours and can mix 99,9% of hues, which I pair with a light metal pencil case ( generic school one ) that its lid doubles for mixing space too. I've modified it by spraying it in the inside with white enamel paint.
As both are made of metal can be attached anywhere ( a drawing board, sketchbook etc) with magnetic clips.
And that is the lightest and simpler setup I could get after years of experimentation with different setups, boxes palettes etc.
The best small water containers are the plastic or glass jars that come with women's cosmetics. Creams and such things that you can attach them the way you showed on your video. They are available in all possible sizes and they have also a lid.
I also use these containers that are used for measuring cat's food. Those that you can take for free from pet stores and are made of very lightweight plastic and also have a lid. The lid is necessary as you don't have to dry the water container before throwing everything back in your bag. And in order to save space I put the tiny metal paint box into the plastic pet food pot along with some paper towels and this way I end up having only three things in my bag. The pencil case, the plastic container and my sketchbook instead of a mess of things clinging inside my bag.
thanks for sharing
Thanks for your detailed comments and tips!. The Holbein palettes should have been designed to close more firmly, I agree, but a rubber band solves that issue. I found that steel palette a few years ago in a little art-supply shop in Madrid. Things get lost in such places, and I don't think they knew what they had. You can still find them on Ebay on occasion.
Portability is subjective. As a former plein air oil painter who used to carry tubes of paint and a folding wooden easel, watercolor supplies seem like a sinch to carry. :)
@@mkompan I agree that everything is subjective.
The Holbein palettes are way too expensive to end up securing their lid with a rubber band or a string! Or to phrase it differently why the cheap Altoids like tin ( there are no Altoids in Europe- it is of another brand) can close firmly but the super expensive and over engineered palette box can't?
My point is that most of these paint boxes are overpriced for what they offer and that artists are victims of extreme exploitation or regard of the tools that are needed for their trade.
Something that doesn't happen that much and so often in other professions.
Companies exploit artists' passion and obsessions!
Hmmmm, I have a bit of a collection of palettes. Very interesting to see how you use yours. My most used out and about is an Art Toolkit business card case palette. I have small hands, and arthritic thumbs, its the only comfortable solution I have found. That doesn’t stop me from buying every nifty palette I see though. I dont have a problem with plastic palettes either, they can be made to not bead up with a glue wash (takes off the release agent) and a magic eraser.
Thanks for the tips! That's the second time Art Toolkit palette as been mentioned. I'll have to get one.
Thanks for your great review of a wide variety of options, Marc. After trying a several travel palettes, my current favourite is the Portable Painter Micro. I like it because it's very small, light and includes several useable mixing spaces. With careful colour selection, its 6 half pans can be used to mix most things. It's ample for my travel usage, which is just to add a bit of colour to my sketchbooks and small (max A5) pictures.
My problem is always keeping things simple and light. I find that it's all too easy to carry an excess of 'stuff', most of which contributes little to the end result. Thanks again for the video 🙂
@@daveh3339 you’re welcome! I tried out the portable painter several times, but just couldn’t get it to work for me. As mentioned in the video, I like holding my sketchbook at a tilt, so any method involves clipping the palette into the sketchbook, or onto the same board isn’t optimal.
1. Great info, especially the hacks and how-to stuff. Thanks.
2. I'm not convinced of the need for so much miniaturization, but I guess it makes sense if your paper is also quite small. My respect to those who can make something smaller than A5 that is worth looking at.
3. I originally gave up on watercolor field work because I was defeated by the quick drying due to wind and sun, along with the changing light. My respect to those who have overcome these potholes.
@@ichirofakename 1. You’re welcome!
2. I don’t think creating something worth looking at should always be the impetus for creating something. Little studies can be a way to explore color and composition, to explore and experiment in ways that would be too risky in a larger format. Plus, small format work can be done quickly, and is a great way to get in some painting when you’re pressed for time. And if it ends up horrible, at least it’s only small affront to art.
3. Working outdoors is indeed challenging, but the rule is to limit your expectations. Masterpieces are mostly studio creations. Field work is for training purposes and for of course for fun.
@@mkompan Yeah, I shouldn't take myself so seriously.
Muchas Gracias por la excelente comparación de palettes, muy útil para tomar decisiones sobre cual comprar.
De nada, me alegra que este video te haya resultado útil.
Have you covered which colors you use on your most used palettes? Im curious to know your preference
I have two videos on mixing watercolors that discuss palette selection. Search my channel for them.
No "house of hoffman" ???🎉🎉🎉 Very helpful... Thank you ii do have a small Santa Fe brass.. and smile when ever I use it... but so much money.
@@wmbriggz do you take baths in Don Perignon? :) It’s funny, I’ve spent hundreds on pens, but with palettes I’m not quite there yet.
@@mkompan see a rabbit hole....go down a rabbit hole....sigh
I have the larger brass FP box. It IS heavier and clunkier. Still very cool. My only issue is that the little rivet that the latch grabs to to hold the box closed popped off of mine after about a week. So a rubber band or keeping it in the little velvet bag that it came with are a necessity to keep it closed. This is a clone of the original design that Windsor and Newton later copied for their plastic field box with the integrated water bottle and clip on cup (which is also a phenomenal pocket box, and much lighter than the brass!)
It is a neat little design, but I just don't need everything in the same place. This is the main reason why I never bought the plastic field box. That said, there is a very cool vintage Windsor and Newton box with a build in flask that I would love to get my hands on. It actually looks like a bottle, and opens up to reveal a palette.
Thanks for this quite diverse review. I personally prefer the metal ones (notice the plural form, haha) as my pochades (once again plural) have magnets that they easily attach to. Personal fave is the French brand Stablo because it has a lot of great features and light as air! ❤ Schminke (pronounced shmink-ah btw) has different sized palettes as well and I agree quite gimmicky but adorable. Have you heard of the company Art Toolkit?Their mini palettes come in several sizes and they have magnetic pans that come in different sizes so you can customize it. For the micro palette you showed, I'm guessing the finger wedge is supposed to slide between your fingers unlike the usual finger holes. I also have a mini porcelain mixing tray which I prefer because it's easy to clean and doesn't stain. Love your hacks btw! ❤
Thanks for the detailed comment and advice! The palettes are oddly addictive to collect, and I was actually surprised how many I have amassed over the years. I've seen the artist tool kit palettes, and will eventually grab one. I've tried every possible grip variation for that Portable Palette Micro and everything feels super awkward.
Perhaps you can buy a cellphone ring holder and stick them on your palette for more stability.
@@kennethnoh4227 that’s worth looking into!
You can get rid of the paint stain using a rubber eraser 😊
@@laurasantos6126 thanks for the tip!