Oli Paints...?

Question

when cleaning the palette afterwards, what is the best thing to use to get rid of all the paint?

Answer 1

Scrape as much off as you can, I use my metal painters’ knife, (sometimes the big one sometimes the small one.)

I then grab some odorless paint thinner and use my knife to rub down the pallet. When it gets gooey I pick up the paint with the knife and wipe the knife off. After it is visually clean I take some thinner and use a little bit of clean paper towel and rub the pallet down to clean it. The LAST step, take a little 409 and spray the pallet, rub it around to clean it better then wash with soap and water.

If you were looking to get out of cleaning your pallets with less effort, nope. Well, there is a way... Sometimes I hire the neighborhood kids to clean my pallets... lol, but true. $10.00...


I hate paper pallets, cant stand wood ones.

The best pallet you can find is go to the hardware store.. Buy some plexiglass and have it cut to meet your needs. I like them to be 22” long x 12” deep (That fits in my freezer). If you have a smaller freezer.. Have them cut smaller…

I use a piece of natural wood under my pallet so the colours don’t look off… I spray painted a couple of the pallets on the bottom white or off white, (outdoor painting or “En plein air”), you don’t want your pallet to pick up to many colours through the bottom.

BEWARE of any OPEN FLAMES. Pilot lights from furnaces, water heaters, stoves… Fumes can explode or combust. Dispose of RAGS or cleaning materials PROPERLY. DO NOT use inside or indoor trash cans.

When cleaning pallets I wear medical gloves... Pharmacies sell a box of 100 for about $10.00..

Answer 2

In my experience, the best way to clean a palette after use is to first scrape off the bulk of the paint with a plastic painters spatula. Followed by using old fashioned elbow grease and either turpentine(depending on the palette material) or mineral spirits or regular paint thinner. Follow that with a hot soapy water wash and allow to air dry overnight should get it all clean and fresh for the next day.

Answer 3

You should use a spare rag and scrape the extra paint off before anything else. Then use Mineral Spirits or Turpentine. Just be careful not to get it on your skin or inhale it because it is extremely toxic. Mineral Spirits is always what I have used to clean everything off and it is great for brushes.

Answer 4

Turpenoid/Turpentine (let it soak for a bit if it's very hard) and a razor blade (to scrape it off). I use a mirror as my palette when painting with oils because it comes clean using this method very easily.

Answer 5

Scrape it off and clean it with brush cleaner (it says on the web - under "cleaning a palette" ) ... but it is nice to use those parchment- like papers that you just throw away, even for watercolors

Answer 6

I use the parchment type paper palettes..they really are very convienent..however, if you prefer the plastic/ wooden ones...well for plastic at least..and I can hear my former art professors wincing....I use Dawn..it is made to cut through grease..and oil paint is full of "grease"...scrap off as much as you can and with an sponge JUST for this purpose. use hot water and Dawn...rinse well..and dry well..only use when completely dry....and this is where my professors wince..I clean most of my brushes with it...it works great..and then I condition the brushes with linseed oil....hasnt failed me yet...

Answer 7

Scape with old card first and rub it with a rag with Turps where gloves because it very mess, and damaging to your hands.
Or you can just leave the paint on. Rub hands with a moisture after because your hand dry out

Acyclic paints are just as good and wash in water.

Answer 8

It depends on what the palette is made of.
If it is acrylic, You can scrape it with a palette knife the wipe it with generous amounts of turpentine.
Wood, scrape then wipe with lacquer thinner.

Masonite and/or plastic, scrape (put turps on rag and wipe)

Answer 9

I let the dog lick it off.
He loves it... especially the paints that contain lead, cadmium etc.

Answer 10

you kno what i'd clean the palate then ditch it and use the plastic styrofomy plasic plates instead you can just throw them away afterward and they work great!