Problem with tubes in wells?

[robbrauen]

Quick question for anyone who can respond.

I've always used my watercolors straight from the tube (Winsor & Newton). For ease of use...I finally decided to start using a closable palette as well (the "bullet-proof" flip-cover)...so I can access and travel with all my colors when needed and still have my tubes when I want to go that route.

I added them all to the palette last night...by color and all worked well. My only concern was whether any of them would run out of the wells with the cover closed...since they were fresh from the tubes. After testing for an hour or so with no issues....i decided to close them for the night and find out what happens. This morning when I flipped open up the cover...all was fine...except two colors (Cobalt Deep Blue and Hookers Green)....and those two colors had completely run out of their wells and into the mixing area. Not a big deal...I scooped them up and placed them back. However...now I can't close the lid until I get some thoughts on it.

Do I need to let the entire palette sit open and air-dry for a few days before closing? Since I'm new to using the tubes in wells...I'm not familiar with how to proceed.

Thanks for any thoughts you can provide!!

[Yorky]

Yes, I would let them form a skin before closing the palette.#

I have the opposite problem, some pigments dry out, crack and fall out of the wells. Burnt Umber is the main culprit.

I have a folding palette with a rubber seal.

Doug

[juneto]

Oh yeah ! Let dry for a few days or if you should tip the palette ,you have a huge mess . Leave it opened for several days. You are safe then . Rewetting is Easy.
June

[Rod]

I agree. let it dry first, rewet mine using a glass eye dropper,

[Brindle]

I always let mine dry in the open air for a few days as well before using or traveling with them. I rewet with a little sprayer when I go to use them. Seems to work best if you let the spray sit on the paint for a few minutes before use.

It's worth nothing that if you're using M. Graham paints, they can take extra long to set up due to their honey-based formulation...and by "extra long" I have had mine sitting out for two weeks before I felt comfortable that they wouldn't ooze out of the palette well or little jars I keep my paints in for use in my Possum Palette! Also if you rewet them heavily they can get gooey again to the point they might ooze out of the wells. Just something to be aware of; worth dealing with because that brand of paints is so pigment rich and nice to work with.

In the open palette that sits on my worktable, my paints are kept pretty moist because I paint almost every day. Even in the heat and humidity of Virginia summers I have never had any issues with mold on my m graham or any other brands of paint. Perhaps this is because we have a ranch house where the back side of the lower level is underground so it always stays cool in the studio without air conditioning even on horrible hot days.

[sashntash]

After I add new paint to my wells, I leave it open for several days so the paints can dry. To re-wet, I spritz with a fine mist spray bottle....

Also.... after painting, I leave the palette open to give any leftover water time to dry before closing the palette. That means I leave it to dry overnight and if I'm painting again the next day, it never gets closed.

I don't like to leave moist paint in the palette for a long time.... too easy to get mold.... so I always make sure the paints are dry before closing the palette.

[frodron]

I agree with Sashntash, closing the palette when the paint is still moist can result in mold forming on the paints.
I learnt that from bitter experience & had to come to this site to find the remedy, make sure the paints are dry before closing the lid !
I don't know if this is caused by my tap water or if it is a general problem.
I have tried distilled water but it seemed to make no difference.

[baeserj]

Someone had suggested putting a paper towel in the palette when traveling. I also have a sealing/folding palette.
So the last few times I was painting in a class, which is what I did. Then when I got home I took it out to allow the paint to dry.

[Cyntada]

I have more issues with needing to fold up freshly wetted paints because my lunch break is over. That makes a giant mess, so I just don't bother. Coworkers have gotten used to me walking back to my desk with an open palette in the afternoons.

If it's desperately important to close the box before it's dry, I'll lay a paper towel in there to soak up th puddles first. My palette does not seal, so runny/drippy paint can be a real problem!

The only paints I have that don't dry to "close-able" consistency overnight are the M. Grahams with their honey base. Those take a couple days, everything else stays in place by the following morning after a refill.

[robbrauen]

Thank you so much everyone for your thoughts here! All were extremely helpful!!

[wcartistsr]

Sometimes you need to travel wet, for example if you are in a class, or if you are painting on location. Even though I have a seal-able palette, the paint can still run into each other and make a mess The only solution for me is to not tip the palette, but to carry it flat on the bottom of a bag and don't tip it. Usually this works for me. The paper towel idea might work.

Shirley

[DKB444]

Originally Posted by wcartistsr

Sometimes you need to travel wet, for example if you are in a class, or if you are painting on location. Even though I have a seal-able palette, the paint can still run into each other and make a mess The only solution for me is to not tip the palette, but to carry it flat on the bottom of a bag and don't tip it. Usually this works for me. The paper towel idea might work.

Shirley

Here is a link to a palette carrier that is very handy for helping to carry a palette that can't be closed immediately! I have this, and it really helps when traveling from a workshop, class, plein aire, etc.

http://www.cheapjoes.com/art-supply/...te-carrier.asp

I imagine one could make something like this quite easily, but it is so helpful.