How to remove dried acrylic paint from plastic palette

Painting is great fun, cleaning up after a session is no fun at all. It's a step in the process that many artists dread and some even avoid until it's necessary. The catch is that cleaning your palette is necessary. Whether you're painting with oil or acrylics, there are a few tips that you will find useful when tackling this chore.

Just Clean It

No matter what style of palette you use or which paint medium you prefer, the best piece of advice you can receive is to clean your palette right away. It's a habit that you may have to force yourself into, but it will save a lot of hassle.

If you leave your paint to dry on the palette, it will make the job more difficult. This is particularly true when using a wood palette because the paint can get stuck in the wood's pores.

Should you dislike cleaning your painting palette, consider switching to disposable palette sheets. Some artists use wax paper and simply tape it to the bottom of their palette while working.

Tip: If you want to save paint for another session--particularly the next day and with oil paints--investing in a palette safe may be a good idea. Many artists choose to cover their palette with plastic wrap and this does a fair job if you get a tight seal.

How to Clean Acrylic Paint Off a Palette

Acrylic paints are rather lenient because they're water-based. They clean up rather well whether wet or dry. However, you should avoid porous palettes like wood. Instead, opt for plastic, glass, or ceramic palettes as these are very easy to clean.

1. Wipe off any wet paint with a paper towel.
2. Use soapy water and a sponge to wash off any excess paint residue.

Did your acrylics dry? Sometimes you can simply lift off entire pieces if it has reached that rubbery stage. Otherwise, soak the palette in window cleaner (some artists suggest fabric softener) for about five minutes. The paint should wipe away nicely.

How to Condition a Wood Palette

Wood palettes are popular among oil painters and the material is more forgiving with oil paints. The nice thing about wood is that you can recondition it periodically. You will also want to 'season' a raw wood palette before using it. The method is the same.

1. If used, clean the palette using the directions below.
2. Lightly sand the wood to give it a fresh, clean surface.
3. Apply a light layer of linseed oil and rub it into the wood with a paper towel.
4. Allow the palette to dry for a day.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 at least once more and again as needed.

How to Clean Oil Paint off a Wood Palette

Oil paints will stain a wood palette if left on it too long. It's best to squeeze out only the amount of paint you need during a session, but that's not entirely realistic.

You can leave your palette paints on the wood, though you should remove any mixed paints after each session. If you're worried about matching paint, take notes and leave a swatch on the paper so you can mix it again.

Tip: Many artists have found that collecting their mixed oils creates some amazing grays. You might want to have a dump jar available and try this for yourself. It can't hurt.

1. To clean your palette, scrape all of the paint off with your palette knife.
2. To remove excess residue, apply a light coat of a solvent and allow this to sit for five minutes or so.
3. Wipe the palette clean with a paper towel. Repeat these two steps if needed.
4. Once the palette is clean, dampen a paper towel with linseed oil, rub it into the wood, and allow the palette to dry.

Painting is a fun activity, but cleaning up your mess after finishing the project is the most challenging part. In fact, the majority of painters do not like cleaning their paint palette after the work has been done. But how to clean a paint palette the right way? Please check out various tips and tricks below.

Tip No. 1: Cleaning the Palette Immediately

Whatever palette you are using or the paint medium you prefer, the most practical way is to clean the palette immediately. Doing this way will prevent the paint from drying into your palette. If you fail to do so and let the paint dry, cleaning the paint will be more difficult as the paint can get stuck on the palette.

Cleaning the palette is a job that most painters hate, but changing your perspective can go a long way. Start by convincing yourself to make it a habit to clean the palette every time the work is done. Another alternative is to use disposable palette sheets if you really do not like cleaning the palette.

Tip No. 2: Removing Acrylic Paint from Palette

Acrylic paint is popular among artists, and it is also a medium that is easy to remove from the palette. Acrylic paint is water-based paint, making it easy to remove from the palette using water. But, if you are using acrylic paint, avoiding porous palettes such as wooden palettes will make your life easier during the cleanup. A Ceramic, plastic, or glass palette is the best to use if you are using acrylic paint.

To clean acrylic paint from a palette, you can use a paper towel to remove the existing wet paint. After that, you can use water with soap and a sponge to wash off all the remaining paint found in the palette. The most important thing is not to allow the paint to dry for you to remove the paint easily.

Tip No. 3: Using an Acrylic Medium to Remove Dried Paint

It can be a challenge to clean the paint if it is already dried up on your palette. But there are things that you can use to help you get the job done effectively. One of which is an acrylic medium that will change the properties of the paint once it is applied.

You can brush a thin layer of acrylic medium to the paint and let it dry completely. Once it is completely dry, you can start peeling off one side of the paint to remove the paint along with the dried acrylic medium effectively. This method is only effective if you use a glass, plastic, or ceramic palette.

Tip No. 4: Cleaning Oil Paint on Wood Palette

Oil paint has the tendency to stain a wooden palette if you allow it to dry and stay longer. Of course, you can control or minimize the use of the paint to reduce the cleaning you will do later. But the truth is, this situation is so unrealistic. It is better to learn how to clean the oil paint from a wood palette.

You will need a palette knife to remove all the paint on the palette. You can scrape it slowly until the majority of the paint will be removed. For those paint residues that remain, you can use a solvent to soften the paint residue.

After five minutes or so, you can use a paper towel to remove the remaining paint residue in the palette effectively. Consider repeating these steps if the remaining paint is not entirely removed. Once the palette is free from paint, you can rub linseed oil on the wood and dry it to finish the cleaning process.

Tip No. 5: Using Acetone to Remove Acrylic Paint in Palette

Many people are probably familiar with acetone as an effective way to remove nail polish. But this polish removal can also be used to remove acrylic paint from your palette effectively. Acetone has the property to thin out the paint on the palette, which effectively removes it from the surface.

However, this method is not as popular compared to the other methods above, but for sure, this can be done if you do not have other choices. I also do not like the strong smell it brings to you. However, for those stubborn paints that are difficult to remove, you can use the acetone by putting it in cotton and rubbing it in the area where you want to remove the paint. Expect the paint to come off quickly the moment you rub the acetone on the surface.

Tip No. 6: Soaking in Water

If you have a palette that has the ability to hold the water quickly, such as ceramics and plastic palettes, then this method can be very effective. What you do is submerge the palette into the water until such time that the paint will be removed. To prevent the palette from floating, you can use any material to put a weight on the palette and keep it submerged under the water.

For acrylic paint, warm water can make the paint peel off easily but make sure that the palette is submerged to be more effective. You will notice that the paint will begin to wrinkle, which is a sign that the paint has softened. You can use a putty knife to peel off the paint away from the palette.

Conclusion

Learning how to clean a paint palette is an essential skill that every aspiring painter must-have. I know a lot of experienced painters hate this job. But with the tips we presented above, cleaning the palette or brushes is easier if you have the habit of cleaning it immediately after your painting job is finished.

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