3 Ways To Make a DIY Stay Wet Palette

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Last Updated on March 15, 2024 by Masha Eretnova

Do you want to keep your paint wet, but without spending money on a fancy palette or retarder?

Here are general guidelines on how to make your own, DIY stay wet palette.

All of them generally will not require you to buy anything, you probably have all the needed materials in your kitchen.

Homemade wet palette #1

You will need:

  • plastic container
  • paper towels

Directions:

  1. Put 7-10 paper towels in layers in a plastic container
  2. Spray them with water thoroughly.
  3. Squeeze a small amount of paint onto the wet paper towels.
  4. Spray paints to keep them moist from the top.
  5. If you need to mix colors make it on a separate palette with a palette knife.
  6. When you finish painting close the container.

If you don’t have an airtight container or just don’t want to keep wet paint in the container, you can use a plate or a tray instead.

Homemade wet palette #2

You need:

  • large sponge or paper towels
  • wax paper
  • plastic container

Directions

  1. Place a large sponge or a pile of towels at the base of the plastic container.
  2. Soak the sponge with water
  3. Cut the wax paper and place it on the sponge.
  4. Squeeze a small amount of paint and start painting.
  5. When you finish painting close the container. You can spray the lid with water to keep more moisture inside.

Precautions:

  • change towels to avoid mold
  • don’t add too much water to avoid damaging paint quality

I would prefer to use other methods than water to make acrylic paint dry slower. Water destroys paint quality and affects its longevity, but you should try any method you find appropriate.

DIY Stay Wet Palette #3

  • something flat
  • Cling wrap

Directions:

  1. Get a flat wooden or plastic panel (or a flat lid or something like that)
  2. Wrap it with Cling wrap
  3. Squeeze paint for your painting and paint.
  4. Once done, spray paint with water and wrap another layer of clingy over the paint

This method will only be good for a few days and yet will work better with added retarder or gesso.

I honestly think while a professional sta-wet palette is very good, as a beginner and even a pro painter, we don’t need to spend extra money on something we can’t DIY.

What do you use? A professional palette or a homemade one?