What to Do About (Too) Fast Drying Acrylics
Fast drying pigments are a hallmark of acrylic as a medium. That speed can be an advantage. You don’t have to wait very long after you lay down paint to begin working on the next layer. This gives acrylic painters the option of working very quickly without creating mud on their surface.
Sometimes though, that speed is a detriment. You might find your paints keep drying out on your before you’re done mixing.
If that pace is causing you anxiety or frustration, Ep.34 guest Melanie Morris says there's one tool you don’t want to miss.
It’s the Sta-Wet Palette.
The Sta-Wet palette is a palette designed to keep pigments moist.
The palette has a lid that seals (some more air tight than others.) Inside, you have a thin sponge that you wet slightly with water. You then lay it under a special palette paper. On top of that, you put your colors.
Put it to Practice:
You can use your Sta-Wet palette one of two ways.
First, you can use it to hold fresh colors. This is how Melanie Morris uses hers. She lays out fresh paint and then pulls from her Sta-Wet to a second, mixing tray.
Second, you can use your Sta-Wet as a place to mix your colors. This is the approach of Jed Dorsey (Ep.27) and Mark Mehaffey (Ep5).
This palette has a learning curve. Even after you read the instructions, there will be a bit of trial and error in learning how it works.
But if you're painting regularly and keeping an eye on that sponge, the Sta-Wet Palette is a great way to slow down your palette dry time. Giving you the chance to find the right pace for your color mixing.