My Little Palette by Charlie O'Shields
Art Supply Reviews

My Little Palette

Written by Charlie O'Shields

Guest Doodlewasher, Carol Jurcsak, asked me if I would sketch and share my current palette. Since this tiny little stainless steel box I use has become one of my favorite things in the world (after Philippe and Phineas of course!), I figured it definitely deserved to be doodlewashed and have a place in my Cabinet of Curiosities.

This travel palette was part of my Cheap Joe’s travel watercolor set which now also holds my new Escoda Versatil travel brushes, Moleskine, Platinum Carbon Fountain Pen and Micron Pens (now 2 sepia instead of 3 black), tube of Titanium White Gouache, and light-weight metal mixing palette (I didn’t like the way water beads up on plastic palettes and this one works great!). That’s my entire Doodlewash Studio and it all fits in a little bag that’s just 6 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ x 2″.

All of my paints are now M. Graham tube watercolor paints and with the little mod I made to the travel palette, I have a total of 18 colors. Starting at the top left in the doodlewash of my actual palette above, here they are:

FIRST ROW: Azo Yellow, Gamboge, Nickel Quinacridone Gold, Azo Orange, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, Pyrrol Red

SECOND ROW: Dioxazine Purple, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Teal, Cobalt Blue, Sap Green, Phthlocyanine Green

THIRD ROW: Azo Green, Burnt Sienna, Nuetral Tint, Raw Umber, Quinacridone Rust, Peyrelene Maroon

There’s a little white sponge, but I’ve never used it, preferring paper towels instead (these, along with WATER, of course, the primary and most important ingredient to make a doodlewash!) I also have to admit to stealing Permanent Green Pale from Philippe’s palette on occasion, but this is my current primary palette!

I love that everything is so small and compact. I’ve been like this ever since I was a child, when I would collect little things and put them in little bags or boxes. My grandparents used to take me fishing as a kid and even though the fishing part was supposed to be the main event, I was more enamored with my tackle box.

I loved going to a bait & tackle shop to pick out lures (shop names were always simple three-letter names like Flo’s or Don’s except the obvious overachiever who would double down and call his Jim Bob’s) . I always wanted to choose them by color and how they might look in my little box, much to my grandfather’s dismay.

Since we were trout fishing, he wanted me to select the lures made to look like flies. “But they’re so ugly!” I whined, imagining how they would mess up the composition of my trays. “That’s the point!” he said, “they look like fish food!”

When I pointed out the colorful worms and asked for those instead he said, “we’re not fishing for bass, trouts like flies better.” These trout were going to ruin everything! I pouted a bit and took the ugly flies, but I still didn’t catch anything that day, so I was pretty sure the trout agreed with me.

The next day we were more successful and my grandmother tried to show me how to gut and clean a fish. “I can’t,” I said, “It’s staring at me.” She just looked at me for a moment, sighed, and then took the knife, and popped out its eye. I nearly fainted. Clearly I wasn’t meant to be a fisherman, which was sad, because I was really going to miss that beautifully organized little tackle box.

So today, I finally have my new tackle box! This one suits me better. As much as I loved spending time with my grandparents, I’m pretty sure they always knew I was better suited to be a painter. They’re both gone now, but each time I reach for my new tackle I always think of them. I think they’d be happy to know that I still enjoy the outdoors, even if I’m now happily choosing colors just because I like them, and carefully drawing animals instead of gutting them.

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

See author's posts

Recommended1 recommendationPublished in Art Supply Reviews, By Charlie

57 Comments

0 Shares

57 thoughts on “My Little Palette”

  2. Oh Charlie….Love your painting, great reflection and enjoyed seeing what you travel with. As for your story, I laughed till my eyes watered. Delightful. It also reminded me of my own fishing trips with my father. His tackle box with all its mysterious bits and bobs held my interest while fishing did not,( being more of a ‘release’ kind of kid). Thank you for the laughs, and visit to yesteryear.

    Reply

  5. Your story cracked me up (again!)! I know what you mean about the tackle box though! I think that the little organizer boxes and chests are the reasons why I make jewelry…not because I actually like making jewelry. 😀

    Okay, fess up: did you photoshop some of your paints in because like Megan said, the paints look real! Love it!

    Reply

    1. Thanks Teresa! ❤️😃Haha…nope! No photoshop…I don’t have the patience. But I did have to use some of the other colors to make the colors look the way they look to me in my palette. It’s really just the white gouache, I think. It’s awesome…and why I’ll never be a only the white of the paper purist! Lol 😊And so happy you liked the doodlewash and the story! 😃😃

      Reply

  6. Oh, Charlie! Thank you for the chuckle!!! 😃 Love the part where your grandma cut out the fish’s eye! I wasn’t much for gutting fish either but I did like catching and eating them as a child! I don’t fish now but I still have my tackle box! Hehe! And when I was beading, I beaded around a fishing lure for a necklace which I’m sure would make a fisherman shake his head. 🐠 I enjoyed seeing the your palette and your colors you use! 🎨 And FABULOUS Doodlewash! 🌟🌟🌟

    Reply

  8. You are a joy! And though I don’t share your love tackle boxes, I understand why that would would appeal to you. I love little containers. I love to sort things and resort things. 😊

    Your palette is so yummy! I really want some quin gold.. Amazing doodlewash, by the way.. ❤️

    Reply

  10. I too was all “hold the phone, are they real paints?” …they look great! And awesome reflections all round, though I would have been mortified if my grandmother flicked the eye of a fish out in front of me… no stomach for that kind of thing!

    Reply

  12. I’m curious about the white gouache. Is there not a white watercolor?

    Your painting of your painting paints is wonderful :-). I really like the way you handle watercolors. I remember you mentioning a Craftsy course by Shari Blaukopf. Is this where you learned most of your technique or have you picked up a few things from other places as well?

    Reply

    1. Gouache is semi-opaque or fully opaque so you can actually add white highlights. Watercolor white is sometimes used to lighten colors but is still transparent, but I prefer to use more water or let the paper do the adding of white for washes. I use gouache at the end. And Shari’s course is the first one I’ve ever tried back when I started! It’s awesome!!! And was my initial inspiration to paint!! But I’ve picked up many tricks along the way from other videos and from many of the fabulous Guest Doodlewashers I host here! 😃

      Reply

      1. Thanks for explaining the white gouache. Makes sense :-). I’ve been following Shari’s blog for a few weeks. I’m originally from Montreal and my parents still live there. I love the way she captures the architecture. It reminds me of walking around in those neighborhoods. I think I will check out her course.

        Reply

  16. I laughed out loud when I read about your grandma and the fish eye! It’s so nice to read about all the lovely (lol eyeball) memories attached to your palette. In a way, I like to think that you’re creating new art with something that’s very much infused with your being. Art really is a great medium for expression isn’t it! 😀 (ps. I’m in love with that little watercolor set from Joe’s..time to up my hint dropping game 😉 )

    Reply

  17. Dang, this is a show stopper Mr. Doodler! And a fantastic and hilarious story to go along with the brilliant paint box. I love the endless excitement of a box…what could I do with a box! Sometime I just keep a box because you never know!

    Reply

  19. I truly love watercolor sketches of just about ANY single or set of art supplies! I guess that officially make me an art supply junkie–which I was already quite aware of being and admit to being without shame! Heehee! Very nice! Love the reflection!

    Reply

  21. Gosh, what a great job you did with this painting, Charlie! And you’ve inspired me to make my own little travel palette. My first palette ever purchased is a Cotman travel palette, which I really like, but I’d like to use my tube paints to create my own little travel kit, kind of like the one you have here. I was thinking of an Altoids tin? And I was going to buy some empty individual half pans and go from there. Maybe if they don’t fit just right, I could custom-cut a little sponge so they don’t all jiggle around. I think the Altoids tin has rounded edges though, so not sure this will work but I figure it’s at least worth a try. Thx for the inspiration, bro!

    Reply

    1. Thanks Sis!! 💕💕I saw the Altoids tins and yeah, they work but the rounded edges lose some space. Also they’re slightly thicker than the one I have. I highly recommend the one I got…it’s only $12.99 at Cheap Joes and you can “mod” it with Whiskey Painter empty half pans to add 6 more slots! It’s not as airtight as some I think, but it’s super compact. And if you’re using M. Graham it doesn’t matter as much. 😉

      Reply

      1. Of course, M. Graham 😀 … The one at Cheap Joe’s is on backorder, but I may wind up going that route….by the time I order the individual pans and that, I may as well pay the $13 and get the palette into the bargain! Thanks for your help, Charlie!

        Reply

  24. M.Graham, I love the stuff, haha. I am
    The saw way about boxes. I’ve bought some little tin ones for small palettes and painted the inside of the lids white. I collect little boxes, haha.
    No one does shiny like you, Charlie!

    Reply

Leave Me A Comment!

%d bloggers like this: