In this helpful guide, I’ll share the different types of palettes available, compare their advantages and disadvantages, and offer my picks for the best oil paint palettes. Whether you’re a professional artist or a beginner just starting out, choosing the right palette can help make your work much more enjoyable, so let’s have a look!
Best Art Palettes for Oil Painting
Join Evolve Artist Program, the world’s simplest art training method with results guaranteed!
Best Glass Painting Palette for Oils
12 x 16 inches, Paint Palette, Painting Palette, Glass Palette, for Use with All Art Media, Oil Paint Palette
Great for keeping paints on your palette for subsequent painting sessions, and keeping them nicely wet and usable
Best Wooden Painting Palette for Oils
Best Wooden Tabletop Palette / Studio Palette
Fits in Masterson Sta-Wet Premier and Artist Palette Seal
Best Affordable Wooden Palette
12 x 16"
Different sizes available
Best Glass Painting Palette for Oils
Best Glass Painting Palette for Oils
12 x 16 inches, Paint Palette, Painting Palette, Glass Palette, for Use with All Art Media, Oil Paint Palette
If you want the best glass palette for oil painting, the New Wave Posh is it.
Made of durable tempered glass with silicone-protected corners, it’s easy to clean, built to last, and perfect for mixing oils (or any paint). It comes in three finishes (white, gray, clear) and three sizes to suit any style, studio, travel, or plein air.
Gray large for studio, clear medium for travel—that’s my setup.
Bonus tip: Pair it with the Masterson Palette Seal (12×16) to keep your paints fresh between sessions.
Great for keeping paints on your palette for subsequent painting sessions, and keeping them nicely wet and usable
Best Wood Painting Palettes for Oils
Best Wooden Palette Overall / Best Handheld Wooden Palette
When it comes to wooden palettes, the New Wave Grand View Confidant is my top pick.
Handcrafted from rigid maple and finished in neutral gray, it’s lightweight, beautifully balanced, and features a three-point grip system that makes it easy to hold for long sessions.
With its satin, non-porous finish and elegant design, it’s both a joy to use and built to last.
The best wooden palette for oil painting
Best Wooden Tabletop Palette / Studio Palette
Fits in Masterson Sta-Wet Premier and Artist Palette Seal
If you paint at a table or in the studio, the New Wave Posh wooden palette is an ideal choice.
Made from hard, non-warping maple with a smooth, non-absorptive finish, it’s perfect for oils and available in three sizes and a neutral gray tone for accurate color mixing.
Beautifully made and built to last, it’s the best studio wooden palette I’ve used.
Best Affordable Wooden Palette
Best Affordable Wooden Palette
12 x 16"
Most cheap wooden palettes are usable but unfinished, which makes them absorbent, hard to clean, and less than ideal for oils, unless you take the time to seal them yourself.
That’s why I recommend the Creative Mark Feather’s Touch palette. It’s fully finished, lightweight, durable, and ready for oil painting right out of the box. Made in Italy from poplar, it’s easy to hold, smooth to use, and much more practical than cheaper unfinished options.
Best Plastic Painting Palettes
-
Check Latest Price9" x 11.8" Clear Oval-Shaped Acrylic & Oil Painting Palette (Pack of 2) - Transparent Plastic Artist Paint Color Mixing Trays - Non-Stick, Easy Clean, Mix Acrylic, Oil
Plastic palettes are popular, but not ideal for oil painting; they’re often too soft, porous, and hard to clean, and they lack the durability serious oil painters need.
That said, they’re light, inexpensive, and often clear, which can be useful for checking color against your canvas.
A large but very light plastic palette that is strong and durable, and also nicely neutral and transparent, and with a very smooth surface that’s great to work on and less absorptive than most.
9" x 11.8" Clear Oval-Shaped Acrylic & Oil Painting Palette (Pack of 2) - Transparent Plastic Artist Paint Color Mixing Trays - Non-Stick, Easy Clean, Mix Acrylic, Oil
Not as strong or stable as the more premium Jack Richeson palette above, these are still very usable, and light and easy to hold, and available in 3 sizes.
Best Disposable Painting Palettes
Disposable palette pads are a smart, convenient option; tear off a sheet when you’re done and toss it.
They’re lightweight and easy to use, though less stable than solid palettes, and may shift when mixing or scraping. They’re also a bit pricey and not the most eco-friendly, but for quick setup and cleanup, they’re hard to beat. Use them on the pad, or tape a sheet down on a table or old palette for extra stability.
The best white palette paper pads I’ve found are from Strathmore, because they have a nice weight and a beautiful surface to mix on, and they keep oils and other paints nice and wet while I’m working.
And the best gray paper palettes I know are from Jack Richeson, whose Gray Matters pads are a perfectly neutral shade, and again have a wonderfully smooth and non-absorptive working surface which, like the Strathmore paper, helps keep oils nice and wet during even long painting sessions.
Evolve Artist Program
Join Evolve Artist Program, the world’s simplest art training method with results guaranteed!
How to Choose the Best Oil Paint Palette
Pick a palette that matches your workflow (handheld vs. tabletop), surface feel, and cleanup routine. The goal is a neutral, durable mixing surface with enough space to work cleanly.
Format & Workflow
Handheld, tabletop, or box/pochade—choose what supports how you paint.
- Handheld (traditional “kidney”): great for standing at the easel, quick color checks.
- Tabletop/flat boards: biggest mixing area; ideal for studio sessions and palette knives.
- Box/pochade with lid: portable, protects wet piles between sessions.
Surface Material & Feel
The surface changes how paint spreads, mixes, and cleans.
- Tempered glass: ultra-smooth, razor-scrape clean, place neutral grey paper beneath; heavy but top-tier.
- Sealed wood (mahogany/birch): classic feel, warm tone; must be sealed to prevent oil absorption.
- Acrylic/plexi: light, inexpensive; can scratch and haze with solvents.
- Disposable palette paper: convenient, tear-off cleanup; recurring cost and less eco-friendly.
- Metal/enamel/ceramic: durable, solvent-resistant; can feel cold/heavy.
Surface Color & Value
A neutral middle value helps you judge mixes accurately.
- Look for: mid-grey mixing field (glass over grey, or toned wood).
- Watch out for: bright white (makes mixes read darker) or very warm woods (warms every mix).
Size, Weight & Ergonomics
You need room for strings, tints, and clean edges.
- Studio: 12×16″ (30×40 cm) or larger.
- Plein air: compact but still long enough for gradients.
- Handheld: comfortable thumbhole, balanced weight, rounded edges.
Edge Design, Wells & Layout
Keep mixes organized and on the palette.
- Flat vs. lipped edges: lips prevent runoff with fluid mediums.
- Medium cups: clip-on, sealable; avoid spills.
- Layout: keep a consistent color order (light → dark, warm → cool) with a large neutral mixing zone.
Cleanup, Sealing & Durability
Easy maintenance keeps you painting more.
- Glass: razor-scrape, then wipe—fastest.
- Wood: seal with shellac/poly; wipe with a touch of oil, then soap.
- Paper: tear off and bin (dispose rags safely).
- Watch out for: unsealed wood (dries paint, stains), sharp glass edges (use tempered with finished edges).
Portability & Paint Preservation
Stretch sessions without wrecking mixes.
- Lids/boxes: slow skinning; tape edges for a better seal.
- Cold storage: placing a covered palette in a cool area slows drying (mind condensation on return).
- Small jars: store key piles (flesh tones, neutrals) short-term.
Solvent, Medium & Knife Compatibility
Match the palette to your materials.
- Solvent-free workflows: favor glass or sealed wood; cleans with oil + soap.
- Heavy knife mixing: choose scratch-resistant surfaces (glass/ceramic/metal over acrylic).
Budget & Long-Term Value
Buy once or buy often—your call.
- One-time investment: tempered glass or sealed hardwood.
- Low upfront, ongoing cost: disposable paper.
Safety & Studio Practicalities
Stay safe around oils and solvents.
- Tempered glass only, rounded corners; secure hinges on box palettes.
- Rags: store in a sealed metal container (spontaneous combustion risk).
- Ventilation: especially with OMS/alkyds.
2-Minute Store (or At-Home) Palette Test
- Mix a 5-step grey string—check value readability on the surface.
- Pull a long blend with a knife—surface should be smooth, not grabby.
- Do a wipe/razor scrape—should clean fast without ghosting or scratches.
- Place a warm and cool pile—ensure the surface color doesn’t skew your perception.
Quick pick: If you stand at the easel, get a balanced handheld, sealed wood or tempered glass sheaf that docks on your easel shelf. If you mix big with a knife, a tempered glass tabletop over grey is hard to beat.
Other articles in this series on oil painting:
- Essential Oil Painting Supplies for Artists
- Artist’s Guide to Oil Painting for Beginners
- Best Oil Paints and Oil Paint Set
- Choosing the Best Oil Paint Brushes
- Choosing the Best Canvas for Oil Painting
- Best Palette Knives and Palette Knife Set
- Choosing the Best Painting Easel
- Best Oil Pastels for Artists
Hi, I am Iva (rhymes with “viva”). I am a full-time self-taught artist behind Art Side of Life® and a Top Teacher on Skillshare. I have 15 years of experience in the creative field as a concept designer, illustrator, art director, and now freelance artist, content creator, and art instructor. My goal is to help you get your creative groove on with Procreate and make awesome art through practical classes, tutorials, Procreate brushes, and guides on art tools, supplies and resources. About me »
