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Insight Horizon Media

How to set up a watercolor palette?

Author

Michael Henderson

Published Mar 15, 2026

How to set up a watercolor palette?

You don’t need a lot of colors. At the end of the day,you will probably be happy with 12 to 18 colors in your palette.

  • Get to know your paints and your painting habits first before you invest in new ones. Think about the subjects you paint most.
  • Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of different pigments. They can have a similar color (hue),but look quite different on the page. Some are opaque,some are transparent.
  • Pre-made sets usually come in student quality,which has more filler and makes the paints slightly duller.
  • Think about the layout of your paints in the palette. Group similar colors together.
  • A lot of pre-made sets have white and black. While I like to have white around (I bring a small set of gouache with white in it,or a gel
  • I really like filling small pan sets with tube color,it’s an economic and lightweight way to fill your palette.
  • Also think about how practical a particular palette will be when you take it with you outside.
  • How to create a color palette?

    Familiarize Yourself With Color Theory. A little knowledge will make color pairing a lot less intimidating.

  • Pick Three Colors.
  • Consider Color Meanings.
  • Brighter is Usually Better.
  • Look at Colors on Light and Dark Backgrounds.
  • Use White and Black for Subtle Adjustments.
  • Pay Attention to Trends.
  • Color Palette Tools.
  • Conclusion.
  • Are Watercolor palettes allowed on the plane?

    Though watercolor paints are relatively easy to carry, related items may be subject to more restrictions. Any sharp or pointed palette knives must be packed in checked bags. Flammable liquids, such as varnish, may not be carried on airplanes at all.

    What does it mean to paint with a limited palette?

    What does painting with a limited palette mean? Well essentially, it means limiting the amount of colors you use in the painting to the bare essentials. Painting with a limited palette is touted by many of the great masters, including John Singer Sargent, Anders Zorn and Claude Monet. Some of the reasons a limited palette may be preferred: