Weighted palette resource
 

After performing a search, I did not find any results for a "weighted" wood palette. I know that some of you found a resource through Peggy

I did not get any reponse to this search for weighted, balanced palettes, so I thought I would post my own research.

This place has a version called the "Starving Artist" which is the same as the very expensive one except for a slip and patina, it is the one I purchased and it is great. They were very nice and shipping was under $9.00

http://www.willowwispfarmstudios.com...ets/frame.html

Lee Boyton makes his own palettes which are just about the same design as the ones above. They are priced like the upper end one but the shipping was $20.00.
http://www.leeboynton.com/

Bill Whitaker has also created his own palette based on an English design he found the original in London. He likes his smaller than the ones above, and they are huge. I am sure he would share his design with you or give me permission to share it for him.

I never heard the term "weighted palette," can you tell me what the advantages of this would be? When I have held my palette all day, I am glad that it is a lightweight one.

I've got three of Bill's palettes traced directly off of his. I can highly recommend them.

Karin: Usually a typical kidney shaped arm palette when loaded with paint is off balance. So some people put weights into the opposite end so that the palette will balance better on your arm.

Bill's palette design does not require weights as it has a horn on the other side which balances everything out nicely and still keeps the weight down.

Here is my small palette based on Bill's design:

Interesting...beveled thumb hole too? Can you give me the measurements?

Sure,

My medium palette fits inside a rectangle that is 18 inches by 10.5 inches, and my small one fits inside a rectangle that is 15.5 inches by 10 inches. Using those measurements and the picture, you should be able to come pretty close to duplicating the proper shape.I used a dremel tool to bevel the thumb holes. I also have a large palette and a little baby one.

Wood I love you
 

I found this site. Their largest size is weighted. They have what looks to be a rubber gasket in the thumb hole and the craftsmanship is awesome. here's the url: http://www.artisan-wood.com/MainIndex.html

Michael- do you have a particular finish you place over the wood. What type of wood did you use. Lee Boynton uses polyurethane on marine grade plywood.

Marvin, where were you 3 weeks ago?

Bill's palette is made of 1/8" birch plywood. His horn design does take care of the balance since it is smaller.

Mike Taylor's (from North Carolina) is very light, Karin, but it has extra wood added to the beveled thumb area around the cut. He does not use the lead. It measures 24 x 16. This size is hard to do the freezer trick!

Marvin can you post an image of your palette? I think the rubber in the thumb hole could be help to my dreaded arthritis.

Marvin: I used 1/8th birch plywood I bought at a hobby store. It's pretty fine stuff - cabinet grade - made for modeling. I cut them out, sanded them very smooth with sand paper and my dremel for the thumbhole and the edges. I stained them with some tung oil mixed with Burnt Sienna oil paint. When it dried, I put on about 6 coats of straight tung oil sanding inbetween coats with 600 grit auto sandpaper. At the end of each day, I clean it with odorless turps and hand rub a coat of walnut oil into it and hang it on the wall till the next day.

I love them.

Here are the images of what $50.00 can buy you. I figured if I can't keep paint off the floor there was no way I could make my own palette!

The front:

This shows the bevel of the thumb hole.

The following are the back showing how they "weighted" the palette with extra layers of the thin wood for balance.

The second view.

I think they added 3 extra layers of the wood for the weight, I think it makes the thumb hole a little more comfortable so it isn't a thinner cutting feeling. I may be wrong about that, maybe it is actually the reverse. Ignorance is bliss.

I just took a look at those palettes on-line, my goodness, they are huge!

I started off with a 13.5" x 9.5" oval and a 11.75" x 8.5", hardwood ply, but over the years I have shrunk to an 8" circle.

Now, I'm using a 9.25 x 7.25" oval, and I am painting around 4' x 6' canvas on panels. Must be something in the air.

Boynton palette
 

I used the Lee Boynton (even though I'm left handed) palette at Peggy Baumgaertner's workshop this past summer. I had never held a palette before, as I lay my palette down while I paint. To watch Peggy paint with her palette is as if they are one. To watch me paint with that very large palette and everything else around me is like watching a bull in a china shop.

I really wish I would /could stand and hold a palette for the "quickness" and seemingly "one with the paint" experience that so many painters seem to have. I just don't feel comfortable holding all that paint, choosing brushes, cleaning constantly and referring back to my notes (hehe) like I do.

Back to the Boynton. It was very nice - the feel, the fit to your body is amazing. The hole for thumb was very nice as well. I didn't pay that much attention to the weighted quality. Probably because I was trying not to whack the person beside me or drop it into a container of mineral spirits.

Good luck with your decisions! Just wanted to share my experience with a beautiful palette I cannot use.

Boynton palette website update
 

For anyone interested in the Lee Boynton weighted palette, his website for these products has been changed to www.artpalettes.com

I think it was Chris Saper who posted a picture of Lee Boynton's palette, and I believe it was wood with a shine to the surface.

Does anyone use this? I was going to ask if the finish makes it easier to clean when one isn't attentive enough and the paint is left on for a day.

I need something that is a bit forgiving with out a surface that glares.

The links above do not work or will not take you to the palettes.

Beth,

No, I don't have an image of the Boynton palette. I use the Artisan palette, mentioned by Marvin earlier in the thread.

Mel Gibson
 

Lee looks like Mel.

I'm still using the Lee Boynton palette. I sanded off the polyurethane finish on the top surface and painted it gray, using oils. I clean it off using CP linseed oil and it has a nice satin sheen to it. I also bought an unfinished one and painted it gray, but was too busy to oil it. It sat in the corner for about a year and I just checked it the other day. Unfortunately it had warped, something that Lee had warned me about.

Lee is currently trying to arrive at a paint mixture, in accordance with my specifications, so my students or anyone else who was interested, would be able to order a Boynton palette with a Mattelson approved gray surface. Can it get any better than this? Just kidding!

The great thing about Lee's palettes is that the main piece is made from 1/16 " marine grade plywood which makes it very light, like holding nothing. It is also perfectly balanced so it tilts toward you and requires no effort to keep it tilted at the right angle. So your arm stays relaxed and there is no tension whatsoever.

I posted an illustrated page about my palettes on my website here.

http://www.williamwhitaker.com/B_HTM...s/palettes.htm

I'd like to make tracing patterns of them and post them on my site. But then I'd like to do a lot of things, even answer my emails!

The horn keeps them nicely balanced, and the fine 1/8" thick birch plywood makes them very light in weight. I'm most fond of them.

By the way Beth, I'm so clumsy I can't even butter bread. I had a charitable friend with a garage full of high tech power tools cut them out. I did the sanding, staining and sealing. You can do it girl! Make your own.

I'll have to take some recent pictures and post them here. They get better and better with age.

Has anyone heard from Brian A.?