Masterson PALETTE PAINTERS PAL ART

I love this thing.I was using an old tupaware with baking paper for ages and thought I was living the dream. Then bought this and realised how useful a wet pallet is.Turned up on time, seller was very quick to dispatch.Only thing which lost it a star was the trashy pots on the edge. I have had better pots from a takeaway.

SO much easier to use than the big Masterson box, less bulky and awkward, and fits in a much smaller bag. It's got little points on the lid that hold your palette down, so the paints stay where they are even if this gets turned upside down, and the whole thing fits in my freezer. It's already saved me money on paint.(Freezing your paint in between sessions extends the life of your oils by an unbelievable amount. Less so for burnt sienna and viridian and probably some other quicker-drying colors, but it still extends them.)Also the lid comes off and goes on much easier than the big box's lid. And this looks so much better.One weird thing, read on below* for my thoughts on the compartment and the odd paint rack thing that comes with this.The "rest of the story" . . .My teacher has a plastic brush box with a metal strip to fit exactly in it. He squeezes out his paint onto the strip, and brings the box to and from his painting location, keeping it in the freezer at home. When he gets where he's going he takes the little strip out and sets it at the top of his palette and moves colors down to the palette as needed.So I copied him and added little standoffs at each corner that held the strip in place inside the box, so you could throw the whole thing in a bag and the paints remained on the strip even if it went upside down. No need to worry about keeping it upright.Then I found this thing and everything changed. No more little box! I use the small grey "New Wave" palette, which I have some issues with, but it's ok, and it fits perfectly. I no longer have to take time like I used to, to move my colors to the strip and decide what to keep and what to toss. Now they’re all just there as I mixed them on the palette. So great.*This comes with a compartment at the top with a rinky-dink plastic stand with some really stupid little cups in it, but I threw all that in my "whatever" bin. It’ll come in handy for something. I'll probably just start keeping some brushes or palette knives in that compartment.Oh and the cups they give you with the little stand thingy are ridiculous. I got one halfway decent one with a fitted lid that attaches to the cup, which I use to keep my discard paints when I clean off my palette til I can get home and add it to the "torrit grey" container that lives in the freezer. The rest were the smallest size of flimsiest condiment cups like you get for sauces for takeout. They'd last a day or two if you tried to use them for paint. Ridiculous. I think they would probably melt if you use solvent and got it on them. If they were all nice like the one good one I might actually use them.

Works fantastic. Keeps my acrylic palette wet for weeks. Sheets can be used on both sides. Great invention. Will order the smaller one soon for when travelling.

1. Easy to follow instructions, and it does what it claims.2. Immediately extended the work time of the acrylics I am using.3. Allowed me to stop painting, close the box and returning hours later and still be able to use the parts I had mixed4. As a beginner this has allowed me to work at a less rushed pace.5. I hesitated to buy this because it was quite expensive but I'm very glad I did AND I suspect I'll make the money back by wasting less paint within the year.

Recomendo.

I have 2 of the larger Sta-Wet pallets, but they are a bit cumbersome to take to a workshop or Art Club. This pallet works great for this, and is still large enough to be usable. I put acrylic paint in it 2 weeks ago, and it is still quite moist and usable.