I spent my first three painting sessions fighting my paints. They’d dry on the brush mid-stroke. I’d mix a colour, turn away, turn back to find it had skinned over.
Then I got a wet palette, and all of that stopped.
What It Is
A shallow tray, a reservoir of water (usually a sponge), and a sheet of semi-permeable paper on top. Paint stays workable for hours because moisture wicks up through the paper.
You can buy one for about £10, or make one: a sandwich box, kitchen sponge, baking parchment.
What It Does
Consistency. Mix once, work for a whole session with the same colour.
Blending. Wet-on-wet blending becomes possible — push two colours into each other on the paper before applying.
Patience. Without the pressure of watching paint dry, you slow down. The work improves.
Tips
Change the paper every few days (mould). Don’t oversaturate the sponge. Keep the lid on overnight. Don’t use it for metallics — the particles separate on wet surfaces.
It’s a small thing. It made a big difference.