I've have my old "John Pike" palette for eons. I can't even remember how many years. The top photo is the cover for it with the color chart I have made. Diane Maxwell, all those many years ago, showed me that is how to keep the colors in order. The white sheet is from a master sheet and I made a dozen of them and keep in a folder...just a black and white drawing of the palette. I tape a plastic "sheet protector" on top of the palette cover with one end open.
Then when I change a color I can just pull the sheet out, cross it off and make the change and slide it back in. Today I changed a number of the colors in preparation for my class with Sandy Maudlin starting on the 13th. So I pulled it out and started over.
It's good to be able to check at any time and see what color and brand you are dipping into...especially since some colors are similar on the palette.
Basically the organization is the same but I have changed a few colors to try out some of her palette but also keeping my own favorites. The initials tell what brand the paint is which can make quite a difference. WN = Winsor Newton, QOR means Golden, H=Holbein, Graham paints are made with honey as a binder, and DS = Daniel Smith paints.
It's good to wash up and organize your palette from time to time. Putting fresh paint in is a good idea. Lordy my hands were stained with paint by the time I was done. I'd say it took a good two hours.
This is a "studio palette". I have several smaller ones that I take on location.
This was my very first palette ever purchased for watercolor. That was back in 1992 or 1993. Mine is packed away in a box somewhere along with probably another half dozen or more I haven't used since I went to the folding ones. I have a beautiful ceramic palette too which is a dream to work on only it just takes up too much space and heavy to move around. About the same size as the Pike Palette.
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