What's the best way to set up your palette?

Answer 1

Every artist is different... I use a very limited palette with one red, one yellow, one blue, and either a green or a brown. I set them up in a circle with the white in the middle, that way I can grab a bit of white for each colour without contaminating anything else.

Another painter I know sets up his palette in order of VALUE - the lightest to the darkest starting with white, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow deep, cadmium red, sap green, etc with raw umber last. Personally, I don't get that, but it works for him.

Most painters go in order like the rainbow - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown/black, white.

Answer 2

I fully agree with krikita s but if I may add something, don't forget transparency! Once you have drawn your lines and finished your background ("fond") only use transparent colours. Otherwise your colours will soon look "dirty" because they won't combine each other.
Oh yes, and always mix your colours on your palette, never on the frame.

Answer 3

Group your colors according to hue (reds, blues, for example), temperature (warm or cool), intensity (bright or earth colors) or in the order of the spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet). The main thing is to be consistent.