We can learn a lot about an artist by looking at his or her working palette.
The daubs of paint, stubs of pastel, or puddles of color left behind on the palette are an intriguing trace of the working methods and psyche of the artist.
Some painters prefer to organize their palette from light to dark pigments, while others place their paints from cool to warm. Many methodically arrange their paints in the same working order each time they paint. But, of course there are those who lay out their colors in a haphazard manner. (If you are perplexed at how organize your paints on a palette, check out this helpful post, “Palette Tips: Organize Your Paints” - or, watch the video at the end of this post.)
The persevered palettes of legendary artists help with valuable insight into the psychology and techniques of the old masters. Below you can see some famous artists’ palettes. Notice how different they look…
Renoir's palette
Seurat's palette
Delacroix's palette
Degas' palette
Moreau's palette
- Gaughin’s palette
After reading the interesting article, ‘Why Preserve Van Gogh’s Palette” , I was inspired to engage my Facebook readers into this topic. To do this I recently posted on my Fine Art Tips Facebook wall, “Show me YOUR Palette.” It has been fun and interesting to see everyone’s different palettes and working habits. Here are a few samples of their palettes with a little explanation by each artist, enjoy.
*The featured palette in the post is by Jessica Pisano Fine Art (glass palette in need of cleaning…)
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Suzanne Frazier (This is the pallet I am using for a commission that I just finished yesterday. It’s a painting of sunlight and clouds. But here is the raw paint, ready to be applied to my concept.)
Ria Krishnan Fine Art ( I use a wooden palette that came with the french box easel. This is how I organize my paints each time I paint. I clean it after every painting session and save my left over paints on the left most corner. Left overs constitute valuable grays)
Cathleen Waldrop’s Art Studio (I use an old muffin tin to organize my pastel sticks that I am using. Many times I will group the colors based on where I am using them in the painting rather than by color family.)
Karen Hyams (glass palette made of large slab of bullet proof glass from an old bank.)
Diana O’Hara Van Baale (Here is what’s on my disposable palette! Wish it was more organized. It is what it is!)
Ardith Goodwin (Here is my working palette for my watercolors. Lots and lots of options!)
Judy Hemmerling-Schafers (You asked for it! Judy Leila Schafers palette….just before a cleaning.)
Molten Creativity (This is a close up of my electric griddle. I love drawing in the medium with a silicone tool as it cooling.)
Feel free to join in the fun at Fine Art Tips Facebook Fan Page, I also hope we can meet on Pinterest, Twitter, and on Google Plus! ~Lori 
About Lori McNee
I think I want to introduce Naples. Additionally, I love using Indian Yellow, Phthalo Turquoise, Permanent Rose and Magenta. Aren’t Viva towels wonderful. I am going to use your alcohol idea as well. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Janet,
It is fun seeing you here again. Yes, Naples really is a nice color especially for studio works. I use it a lot in my still life paintings. The alcohol trick is great!
Lori
My most colourful item is my water jar…dabs of spare acrylics all over it!
I bet it looks cool! Thanks Phil.
Lori
Thanks for the wonderful views of artist’s palettes, Lori. I find it fascinating. For specific colors artist use, Aron B Miller has a great blog dedicated to oil painters palettes at http://oilcolorpalettes.blogspot.com/
Hello Jean,
You are welcome. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. This was a fun post to write. Thank you for sharing the link.
Lori
Palettes are like our hand writing! Thanks for collecting these examples. It is really interesting and fun to look at.
Wow! I can’t believe I missed this post until now. I just posted my photo of Claude Monet’s palette on my website today! Have a look – it is just breathtaking.
http://www.lindarossostudio.com/news-from-the-studio.html
Hello Linda, thanks for sharing your link…I will check it out. This post was interesting to write, and I also enjoyed seeing everyone’s palettes, they really are beautiful.
Lori
Hello Lori, your site is really amazing! I’am reading a book about social web that point your site!
Gretings from Germany.
Ariel
Thank you for letting me know Ariel! What book? I’d love to know the name of it. I hope to visit Germany someday…
Cheers,
Lori
For a while I collected and took photos of my “finished” art palettes. See some here: http://www.charleskaufman.com/palettes.html
Charles! What a great idea. Thanks for sharing your palettes with us here.
Happy painting,
Lori