Tillie Doyle
Filling empty watercolor half-pans is a great way to create a customizable and economical palette for your watercolor art. By purchasing empty half-pans and filling them with watercolor tubes, you can save money and choose the exact colors you want. This method also allows you to create a portable and convenient setup for your painting needs. When filling the half-pans, it is important to consider the shrinkage that occurs during the drying process. To avoid cracks and gaps, it is recommended to fill the pans in multiple layers, allowing each layer to dry before adding more paint. Additionally, ensuring proper ventilation and avoiding humidity can help prevent mold from forming. With these tips in mind, artists can successfully create their own watercolor half-pans and enjoy the benefits of a personalized and cost-effective painting experience.
Characteristics and Values Table for Filling Empty Watercolor Half Pans
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Watercolor tube brands | QoR, Schmincke, Daniel Smith, Sennelier, W&N, M. Graham, Cotman, Art Spectrum |
| Watercolor pan brands | Schmincke, QoR, Meeden, Daniel Smith, Sennelier, Winsor & Newton |
| Watercolor palette brands | Meeden, Amazon, Jacksons, Schleiper |
| Tools | Tiny stick, bent paper clip, toothpick, needle, small pointy brush, palette, tissue, rubber cement |
| Techniques | Filling pans in layers, tapping pans, stirring paint, adding glycerine, adding distilled water, drying in the sun, drying in the oven, drying with a hairdryer, freezing |
| Benefits | Cost-effective, customisable, convenient, easy to use, portable |
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What You'll Learn
Filling half pans with tube watercolours
Filling empty half pans with tube watercolours is a cost-effective and convenient way to create a custom watercolour palette. The process is simple and can be done by squeezing the paint directly from the tube into the pan. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure the best results.
First, it is important to note that not all tube watercolours are suitable for filling half pans. Some brands, such as Daniel Smith, offer paints that can be used directly from the tube but may not reconstitute well when dried in a pan. It is always a good idea to test how the paint re-wets before adding it to your palette. This can be done by allowing some paint to dry on a disposable palette paper and then testing how it reconstitutes with water. Additionally, some paints may dry harder than others and may not reactivate easily, so it is recommended to add a drop of glycerin to help with reactivation.
When filling the half pans, it is best to fill them only halfway to allow for the paint to be spread and smoothed into the corners with a toothpick or skewer. This ensures that the paint adheres to the inside of the pan as it dries. Tapping the pan on a tabletop can also help to level the paint and remove any air bubbles. It is important to let the paint dry naturally for at least 24 to 48 hours, and the drying time may vary depending on temperature and humidity. Avoid using heat to speed up the process, as it may melt plastic pans or create a mess with a hairdryer.
By creating your own half pans with tube watercolours, you can customise your palette with the exact colours you desire. This allows for flexibility and the ability to change colours as needed. Additionally, tube watercolours can be more vibrant than pre-filled pans, providing brighter colours for your artwork. Overall, filling empty half pans with tube watercolours is a great way to create a personalised and economical watercolour palette.
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How to prevent mould
Filling your own half pans with watercolour tubes can save you money, but it can be a complex process. Here are some tips to prevent mould when filling empty watercolour half pans:
Choose the Right Paint
Avoid watercolour paints that contain honey, as they will never dry properly. Instead, opt for brands like Schmincke, Holbein, and Old Graham, which dry out beautifully on the pan.
Prepare Your Workspace
Before you begin, gather the necessary tools: a tiny stick (such as a bent paper clip, toothpick, needle, or small pointy brush), tissue, a palette to hold residual paint, and your half pans. Have your pans nearby before opening the tube, as paint may start gushing out due to built-up gas inside.
Fill the Pans in Layers
Instead of filling the pans to the brim, fill each pan no more than halfway. Start by squeezing the paint into the corners of the pan and stirring with your stick to avoid air bubbles. Tap the pans on a tabletop to bring any remaining bubbles to the surface. Repeat this process in layers, allowing each layer to dry before adding more paint. This will help prevent mould by ensuring the paint dries thoroughly.
Speed Up Drying Time
Drying times can vary depending on temperature and humidity. To speed up the drying process, leave a small gap in your watercolour box and place it in the sun. This will heat up the box and help the paint dry faster. However, avoid using artificial heat sources like ovens or hairdryers, as they can melt plastic pans or create a mess.
Prevent Mould
Proper ventilation and drying are crucial to preventing mould. If mould develops, clean the affected area with a pen knife, and consider throwing away the pan if the mould is extensive.
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Layering paint for optimal results
Layering paint, also known as glazing, is a fundamental technique in watercolour painting. It involves building up multiple layers of paint, with each layer drying before the next is applied. This method harnesses the transparent nature of watercolour paints, allowing the layers to combine and create new colours and effects.
To achieve optimal results when layering watercolours, there are several key considerations. Firstly, it is essential to select transparent or semi-transparent paints, as these have smaller pigment particles that allow light to pass through, creating a luminous effect. Opaque paints can subdue or obscure the layers beneath, diminishing the impact of your glazing technique.
The second consideration is the pigment-to-water ratio. By adjusting the amount of water in your mix, you can control the transparency and intensity of each layer. A higher ratio of pigment to water will yield more vibrant and concentrated colours, while adding more water will create softer, more subtle tones.
Additionally, it is crucial to plan and test your colour combinations. Each layer of paint interacts with the previous one, creating a new colour. Understanding colour theory and how your chosen colours will mix is vital to achieving the desired results. Creating swatches and testing your colours before applying them to your final piece will help you predict and control the outcome.
The glazing technique is particularly effective for adding shading and correcting tones. By gradually building up thin layers of transparent colour, you can darken specific areas or adjust the overall value of your painting. This method ensures a smooth transition between light and dark areas, creating depth and interest in your artwork.
Finally, when layering watercolours, it is essential to allow each layer to dry completely before applying the next. This gives you a stable base to work on and prevents the layers from mixing unintentionally, ensuring that each colour retains its integrity and the desired effect is achieved.
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Drying times and methods
The drying time of the paint in the half pans varies depending on the paint's thickness, temperature, humidity, and environmental conditions. If the paint is thicker, it will take longer to dry. Similarly, higher humidity will increase the drying time. In a low humidity situation of 20% or less, a full half pan may dry enough for use in a couple of days. When the humidity rises above 50%, the drying time may increase to a week or more.
To speed up the drying process, you can leave the palette open, lower the humidity, and increase the airflow. You can also use multiple thin layers to fill the pan, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next. This method may result in a dry half pan more quickly.
It is important to note that the paint should be allowed to dry naturally. Using an oven or a hairdryer to speed up the process may be risky and messy, respectively. If the paint does not dry after several days, there may be an ingredient in the paint preventing this, and you may need to try a different brand.
Some paints may shrink or crack when they dry, and it is recommended to fill the pans multiple times to avoid gaps caused by shrinkage. Additionally, stirring the paint with a stick or a toothpick can help remove air bubbles and ensure that the paint adheres to the inside of the pan as it dries. Tapping the pan on a tabletop can also help remove air bubbles.
Proper ventilation is essential to prevent mold growth during the drying process. If mold develops, it can be cleaned out using a pen knife to cut out the affected area.
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Where to buy empty half pans
Empty half pans are available on Amazon, eBay, and Aliexpress. Amazon offers a wide range of options, including the highly-rated Creative Mark Empty Watercolor Pans, which are exclusive to Jerry's Artarama and come in both half and whole pan sizes. They are small, easy to store, and their bright white colour helps artists differentiate paint shades. Amazon also has Meeden palettes, which some users have criticised for being too thick.
Ebay is another option, with one user reporting that they purchased 50 half pans for $2.29, although they noted that there was a discrepancy in the measurements and the shade of white was only approximate.
Aliexpress is a good option for those seeking uniformity in their half pans, as one user reported that they were able to purchase 100 empty half pans of the same size at a low price.
Other options include Jackson's, which offers both half and whole pans, and Jacksons Art in London, England. Pearl Paints in New York also sells empty half pans.
For those in the UK, a user has suggested checking out Jacksons for reduced postage rates on lightweight items.
Finally, for those seeking empty half pans for a specific brand, it is worth checking that brand's website or store. For example, one user reported that they were able to purchase empty half pans for their Van Gogh plastic palette from the same brand.
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Frequently asked questions
Filling your own half pans is a great way to save money and create a palette tailored to your desired colours. To fill a half pan, squeeze the paint into the corners first and then fill the rest of the pan. Avoid filling the pan to the brim as the paint may shrink as it dries, causing it to crack and fall out. Instead, fill the pan halfway, let it dry, and then fill it again. This process may need to be repeated several times.
The drying time for paint in a half pan varies depending on temperature and humidity. In general, it takes at least 24 to 48 hours for the paint to dry, but it can take several days or even up to a week or more. Do not try to speed up the drying process by using a heater, oven, or hairdryer, as this may damage the paint or the pan.
If your paint cracks or falls out of the pan, you can fix it by adding a drop or two of distilled water to the pan and then pressing the paint back into place. You can also add a drop of glycerin to the pan to help the paint adhere better. If there is a lot of cracking, you may need to add more paint to the pan.
