Red-Cowled Cardinal

This tropical bird is the latest subject on the Facebook `Painting Colorful Birds for Fun' page. Here are my efforts.

I have to confess these two are cropped from the original painting. 

red-cowled Cardinals. 16" x 12" Gerstaeker No.3 200gsm Not.

I painted the heads first as I felt they were the main attraction and stood out from all else. They were the easy bit. Several reds involved. Cadmium Red Light, Permanent Rose, Permanent Magenta and Ivory Black with touches of Cerulean for the beaks, and suggestions of shadows on the white parts. I used three brushes, the two Isabey retractables size 4 & 6 and the normal Isabey size 6. About forty minutes.

The Eagle `Corrected' plus Work-in-Progress.

I have tweaked the eagle painting, not a great deal but specifically three small areas suggested  by Yvonne, Jan and Mick. I darkened the branch, removing as much of the green as I could. There is still a little but it is much lighter, and erased some of the pencil marks on the tail. That was all as resisting over painting and too much fiddling is something  I have to constantly be on guard against.  

18" x 12" Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140lb (300gsm) Not

Bullfinch - Work in Progress

Another bird - not sure what species -Work in Progress.

Here are two other bird paintings I'm working on. I do like birds and animals and will certainly be painting  a number from now on - but I'm not intent on becoming just a wildlife artist. For those who are not keen on such subjects I will be also painting portraits, still lifes and flowers. Landscapes and buildings I'm not so enthused about although I will force myself to tackle a few and cover these subjects with other posts. There will continue to be a goodly number - approximately half - of other matters related to watercolour as I'm sure these are of more interest to many than my paintings. 

Mandarin Duck

Having joined the small group on Facebook headed by Gerard Hendriks and Robin Berry, the latest subject is a Mandarin Duck.  This is a really colourful bird and makes for a very colour conscious painting. I would have liked it to be a little looser!

12" x 9" Fontenay 140lb (300gsm) Not

The Mandarin Duck is such a striking bird that my colourist instincts were given full reign. The orange colours are mainly Schminke Translucent Orange (PO71). The blues are Cerulean, Ultramarine and Cobalt. There is both Raw and Burnt Umber, some Raw Sienna and Ivory Black (Maimeri).. I first masked parts of the bird where it appeared white - mostly just narrow lines - using Pebeo Drawing Gum applied with an SAA ruling pen.

The initial drawing with masking fluid applied.

The next subject - one a week - is the Caribbean Flamingo. This will be a test as they are mostly pink and white.

The great thing is that we are painting - about eight at the moment - the same subject, although not with the same reference. One of the things that constantly vexes me  is to wonder how artists like Charles Reid and Gerard Hendriks would tackle the painting I happen to be working on? In the case of Gerard and Robin I can now see. This is great.

Another Indian.

Actually I've done this fellow before, an Apsorake Indian called Bull Goes Hunting. I know little about him nor could I find out anything.

16" x 12" Waterford 140lb (300gsm) Not

I  messed this painting up by overworking the hair and  almost binned it. That's where it will probably end up in any case but I was originally pleased with the face, so decided to try a `rescue'. This involved washing out much of the colour in the hair. I then let it dry and put in a few darks framing the face. It still isn't as I would have really liked it but enough is enough!.

The main difference in this painting was the use of the Schminke Translucent Brown (PBr41) to try and get a more authentic skin colour, something my friend Hap regularly pulls me up about. This was mixed with Cadmium Red Light and Yellow Ochre, plus Cerulean, in various proportions. There are probably small touches of other colours but I've forgotten which. Some Acrylic white was added at the end for highlights.

My usual brushes all Isabey except the Da Vinci Artissimo 44 No2.

Fishers Lovebirds

On Facebook the well-known artists Gerard Hendriks and Robin Berry have instituted a modest painting competition where each posts paintings of the same subject - various small birds. There have been several so far and anyone who was interested was invited to join in. I don't know if they were serious but I've had a shot at one. The most recent  was of `Fishers Lovebirds' and here is my take on it, although my reference is a different one. Gerard calls this series something like `splashes, sploshes and scribbles'. It's a fun thing and mine was completed in about 30 - 40 minutes.

`Fishers Lovebirds' 10" x 9" Fontenay 140lb (300gsm) Not

I used two brushes, both Isabey. The No.8 Kolinsky and the No 6 retractable. Colours are Transparent Orange (Schminke PO71), Cadmium Orange (Maimeri PO20), Indian Yellow (Rowney PY153), Sap Green (Graham), Quinacridone Rose (Graham PV19), some Raw Umber, Ivory Black for the eyes,. The background is Cobalt Teal Blue (Daniel Smith PG50). There may have been slight touches of  Cerulean and Burnt Umber. 

Turquoise PB16 (Pigment Blue 16)

A few months ago I purchased a few of the German Lukas paints to try. I had read some good reports about them and  they are very well priced, although the standard tube size, a large 24ml, might put some artists off - but they also have pans.  Great Art are currently running a `special' on the pans. With quality watercolour paints now excruciatingly expensive, a more economical alternative is welcome.  This is the price situation with Lukas in Europe but prices may be higher elsewhere, certainly in Australia, according to my friend John Softly.  I did cover the Lukas range in general recently (January 2013) so if interested you might  refer to that. There are certainly colours worth buying as you can mix paints from several manufacturers whatever may be said to the contrary.

 PB16 is one of the phthalocyanine pigments epitomised by the popular PB15, which appears in all ranges and comes in several versions. PB16 is described by Handprint as "a lightfast, transparent, heavily staining pigment, moderately dark to very dark valued".  Bruce also rates it as a `Top Forty' pigment.  It has been slowly gaining popularity and is available from seven manufacturers. Winsor & Newton call it `Phthalo Turquoise', Maimeri `Turquoise Green', Lukas `Turquoise', Old Holland `Caribbean Blue', Schminke `Helio Turquoise' , Holbein `Marine Blue' and Da Vinci `Phthalo Turquoise'. When Winsor & Newton introduced it Bruce McEvoy said Daniel Smith were sure to follow. So far they haven't but do have the superb Cobalt Teal Blue (PG50) which many prefer. A criticism of the Phalo pigments is that they are heavily staining and the colours can appear harsh and unnatural. On the plus side they are very lightfast and transparent. I used to think the colours were harsh but have changed my mind somewhat. They are also excellent for mixing with several other paints

The top left and middle paint are both PB16, the Lukas and Maimeri versions. I don't see much difference, the Maimeri perhaps slightly darker but that may be down to my mixing not the paint. For comparison purposes I have added the Maimeri  Primary Blue Cyan PB15:3  (Green Shade) which looks very similar and is the PB15 version most often offered. When you do swatches like this it does make one think and perhaps alter the existing perceptions you have. For example is there any point in not just having the PB15:3? Incidentally Lukas have several versions of PB15  (PB15:1 to PB15:6) in different blues as well as PB16.  Names vary with Phalo Blue, Cyan Blue as examples. I recommend always check pigments numbers and don't be seduced by names.

I gave both Yvonne Harry and Jan Weeks of Avon Valley Artists blobs of the Lukas colour to try. Yvonne liked it but is resisting buying any more colours as she has so many, and dreads me coming along - again - saying try this one! Jan much prefers Cobalt Teal Blue from Daniel Smith. I think there is room for both as the shades are distinct but certainly only in an extended palette of 20 plus colours. Look however at the W & N Cobalt Turquoise and compare it to the Daniel Smith Cobalt Teal Blue.

Just out of interest I have included a swatch of Rowney Cobalt Magenta (PV14) more for my friend John as anything else. He has been trying to find one that suits him and appears to be settling on the Graham version. John has tried Rowney, but his is the old version called Cobalt Violet while that above is from the current Rowney range. It granulates beautifully, although a rather weak colour which is a feature of PV14. I did have some little trouble with it which I related in the piece I wrote on the problems with the Graham Mineral Violet PV16  (October 2012 Problem Pigments). Compared to most other PV14 paints the Rowney and Lukas are the most economical price wise, but they are not consistent across makes, as a swatch John put on Wetcanvas of  several PV14s showed  a wide variation.

The compliment to PB16 Turquoise is orange, Handprint say Perinone Orange (PO43). I think it  great with the Schminke Transparent Orange or Lukas Permanent Orange, both PO71. 

Lukas is available from Atlantis Art in London who do mail order www.atlantisart.co.uk/ but the website  seems well out of date, Great Art www.greatart.co.uk/ and W.E Lawrence www.lawrence.co.uk/. In the USA and Canada it appears Jerry's Artarama www.lukasamerica.com/ have the franchise  If anyone has any information to add to the above or  other comments I'd be pleased to hear them.

Another Bird

I recently did two small paintings of Robins. I rather enjoyed it and inspired by Gerard Hendriks quick, colourful, and impressionistic current series of bird sketches off I went. Mine aren't as loose as Gerards, not deliberately just how they work out. They don't take that long, an hour at most including the drawing (and breaks). I'm not sure what the bird is. It looks like some sort of Finch but not a UK species.

`Pensive' - 24 x 32cm Cold Press Fontenay 140lb.

I first made a careful drawing, paying particular attention to the head. I then started to paint from the bill with Ivory Black (Maimeri). I then moved to the yellow on his head using Indian Yellow (Rowney PY153) and then to the red areas with Quinacridone Deep Gold (Daniel Smith PO48). The green/yellows were Green-Gold (Rowney PY129) and Sap Green (Graham). There is some Cerulean in the shadow area under his breast and a little Burnt Umber. The branches are also Deep Gold, sometimes with a little Burnt Umber.  

Brushes used were all Isabey. The retractable Nos 4 & 6, which are quite small and slim for their respective sizes and the No 6 Kolinsky.which is more like a normal size 6.

Tree Studies

At the most recent Avon Valley Artists meeting the subject was `Trees'. Once again I failed to take my camera so can not show other members paintings. However prior to the meeting I decided to do some tree studies, an attempt to try new things and improve an area of weakness. The first two were painted in my `studio' and the other two at the AVA Thursday session. 

This was No.1 - the left hand one based on a photograph 

No.2 Again based on a photograph

No.3 from my imagination

No.4 again imaginary

The first was more orthodox as far as the left hand tree is concerned but I varied the colours and let them run together.

The second one was an attempt to achieve a more textural result with spattering and sponges brought into play.

The third study involved the use of very strong colour - which I let run riot - in the trio of trees at the front. There are reds, blues and oranges with the background trees reduced in intensity.

The 4th and final one (for the moment) was purely imaginary using Transparent Orange (Schminke PO71) and Turquoise (Lukas PB16)  as strong colourful contrasts in the trunk. The foliage was blues and greens  with water first spattered on to give a blurred effect. 

I used my normal brushes but included a Rosemary Moongoose fan brush for both foliage and ground in Nos 3 & 4.

None took very long 20 -30 mins, No.1 slightly longer, but the one I like the best, number 4, the least of all at 10 -15 minutes.

Palette Update

Amongst the most popular posts since I started the blog are those on palettes. It amazes me that most reads even today are the palette ones. Much of the information is still relevant but things do move on so, as I'm not intending to repeat what has gone before, the relevant posts are as follows:

Palettes Pt.1 - August 2010
Palettes Pt.2 - August 2010
Palettes Pt.3 - March 2011
The Craig Young Experience - Mar 2011

To confirm interest in this subject - obsessional almost it seems with some artists - Wetcanvas have a thread still going strong under Watercolors (Palette Talk) called `Palette addicts' started in August 2012. As of 26th August 307 comments and 29713 reads! By today 24 July these figures are 475 and 54661 respectively! There is a lot of good stuff there if you are willing to wade through  it. My wife says I'm obsessional with my hobbies but some of the contributors leave me in the slow lane.

Just to summarize there are numerous types of palettes. At one extreme, used by some high profile artists, are dinner plates, butchers trays and various other receptacles made of either metal, china or plastic. Ron Ranson used the Stewart plastic trays sold at kitchen shops. It is really up to the ingenuity of the user and the way they paint. If you squeeze out a few colours onto the palette then the above solutions are fine. Some artists have an array of studio palettes which they lay out on a table, but if you paint outdoors then something more portable and compact is necessary. To my mind the John Pike (two versions) is hard to beat as a studio palette. The artist Mel Stabin uses his for all types of painting.

The most common palettes are plastic ones because they tend to be cheapest and are easier to manufacture. Plastic comes in two basic sorts, the more fragile vacuformed palette like the Robert Wade and Zoltan Szabo ones, and the harder, more durable John Pike and Herring palettes. No more are the days when Winsor & Newton and others produced metal palettes like the Roberson, Binning Monroe and De Wint. We do have some custom made palettes but more on that later.

Plastic palettes exist in numerous shapes and sizes. They are generally - but not always - much cheaper than metal, although there are metal palettes of moderate price. Since I wrote the original articles I have become aware of the Mijello range and very recently the extraordinary new $100 palette. Added 11/03/13: Apparently this palette is available on E-Bay for just under $70 so it has already dropped in price.

The Mijello - from Martin Universal Design - come in a range of shapes, sizes and prices. I have seen some classified under the `toy' section. Prices vary from around £10 to just over £40. I rather like the look of the second from last which has twenty four wells. In fact I was tempted to buy one when placing a Jacksons order for the AVA group last week. It is just over £16. I've seen some smaller Mijello palettes in a local art shop but didn't handle them and have no knowledge of how well they are made.  They do have a wide range and probably one to suit most needs. Plastic palettes are criticized for staining but I find the product Cif cleans them quite well. Some are less prone to staining than others. They are freely available from Amazon, several from Jacksons and if you `Google' `Mijello' watercolour (or watercolor) palettes various suppliers are listed. In the USA Dick Blick, Jerrys and others seem to carry them. It appears they are American but may be made elsewhere. What reviews I've seen are generally positive and they certainly have a range. ADDED 09/04/13. Mijello are Korean and also make Mission Gold Watercolour paints. 

The latest Ken Bromley e-mail introduces two new palettes. They appear to be vacuformed so will be less sturdy than the John Pike or Herring-designed palettes.

The `Ultimate' Palette

This palette is 14" x 10" x 2" and has 12 separate internal palettes plus a separate mixing tray. It is £18.95p.

The `Premier' Palette

Also 14" x 10" but 1.7" deep , this palette has 20 wells and a separate mixing tray. It costs £14.95p. Both studio palettes I would suggest, not suitable for outdoor work If you go to Ken Bromley's website www.artsupplies.co.uk and type in `palettes' both are listed and clicking on them will bring up a video of each one which give comprehensive views.

Another from Ken Bromley.Added 12/07/13. This is the latest palette from Bromley.

The Clover Palette - See website listed above for full details. Quite expensive  (very) for a plastic palette. Added 23/07/13. The cost of this palette is £38.75p.. However my friend John Softly has already purchased one and is full of praise for it saying ..."without doubt the best plastic palette on the market and extremely well made."... He has some slight criticism over the thumb rest which reduces the number of wells to 13 (otherwise 15). On the Bromley site are ample illustrations plus a short video. Bearing in mind I've not handled one I'm not yet convinced.

I now come to the latest sensation. A plastic palette at $100 (plus shipping). This is being advertised via a Youtube video www.youtube.com/user/SHYsart?feature=Guide  You can stand on it  as demonstrated in the video - but why would I want to be able to stand on a palette? If you want a solid plastic, smallish palette then those designed and made by the Herring Bros, including a plastic version of the Roberson, are a much cheaper option. Herring do mail order but Ken Bromley also sell them www.artsupplies.co.uk/ 

The $100 palette a sort of variation on the Roberson.

There is also a Korean company called Shinhanart selling a range of Heung IL aluminium paint boxes on Ebay. They offer 13, 20, 26, 30, 35. 39 and 65 paint divisions! They are various prices based on size but nothing like as expensive as the brass ones, but obviously aluminium won't be the same quality as brass or heavy duty metal like the Fome boxes. It looks as if this is tied up with the company who sell Shin Han watercolour paints. I don't like boxes where the paint wells are on both sides, as when they are closed  one lot are upside down and leakage might well happen with those colours that remain moist. The only one that isn't like that is the palette at bottom right. 

Prices range from around $16 to $35 with - oddly - the sterling figure quoted for all the boxes identical at £10.90p. There is also free International economy shipping If you Google `Heung il Ebay' it takes you straight to a link so it is easy to access. They claim 100% positive feedback.

I now come to the cream of palettes, those made by Craig Young in the UK. The article listed earlier gives a detailed history of Craig and his palettes and they have been bought World-Wide by famous artists and other famous people as well as lesser mortals like me. He offers several types, the most popular being the Paint Box and the Palette Box, replicas of the original Roberson and Binning Monro boxes. Craig has also made a number of `specials' to the design of some well-known artists. Craig commands a very high price and there is mostly a long waiting time so he has never seen the need to increase the number he produces, all by hand. I have often thought that a small, specialist, metal working company might have gone into production with similar products at a lower price but this hasn't happened. (so far).

Craig has had this market to himself for some years but things are changing. There has been speculation that he might retire in the not too distant future although his son Robert is helping him. This may be just an unsubstantiated rumour as I've no information one way or the other. Added 7/03. I'm told by John of Little Brass Box that Craig doesn't have a son called Robert (he has a Basset Hound) and is not planning retirement for a while yet! John says  he also makes a small hand palette and a copy of the Fletcher Watson but has not been able - due to pressure of work - to update his website. John is completely inundated with orders for his Roberson type.

The first contender is a company called The Little Brass Box Company  also in the UK www.littlebrassbox.com/product.html  They are making a copy of the Roberson with three different models and several colour options.

Prices are up around the £200 mark and the approach appears to mirror Craig Young in that it is a small (one man?) operation hand making the boxes. This is a fairly recent development and I have no feedback on how good they are but it appears he already has a healthy order book. Added 25/07/13 See comment below from Jane Blundell who has two Little Brass Box palettes.

At least two other contenders have also sprung up, one in the UK, one American. 

The  Classic

The Artisan

The Petite

The above illustrates the boxes made by  Classic Paint Boxes www.classicpaintboxes.com   They are designed and made by David Cooper, an artist himself, in the UK. Both the little Brass Box and Classic Paintbox appear to be one man bands, which means they are expensive and waiting times will be a factor. This Classic design doesn't appeal to me and the artist producer justifies the 15 wells by saying you shouldn't use too many colours in a painting. Although a large number will agree it remains a matter of opinion. Added 03/07/13: David Cooper has contacted me to say he has added two new designs to his range, both can be viewed on his website. One the `Artisan' is a multi-fold palette, the other the `Petite'  quote:

"is incredibly small yet still a fully functioning palette".  Illustrations above. Full details and more photographs on the website. Added 25/07/13 See comment by Jane Blundell. David Cooper is apparently open to making customized boxes to individual requirements.

These boxes are made by IBA-CO PALETTES www.iba-copalettes.com/ The website says that `IBA-CO brushes are `coming soon' so is this a larger operation?

Also posted on Wetcanvas was the following by someone called `Effers', all said to be in brass. It seems this is the individual behind IBA-Co.

Who makes these palettes? This appears on the IBA-Co site and all the products above are listed with names for each one. They actually look different and although the poster on WC was asked who makes them has not so far replied. There appears to be some differences between some of these and those in the first photograph. Look at the shape of the wells for example. Added 8/3: If you look down to the comment section you will see that the owner of IBA-Co palettes has posted various explanations and much useful information in response  to my piece. This is most helpful.

It is never a bad thing to have competition. It is interesting that these new sources of hand made palettes have sprung up and time will tell how good they are, and whether they make a success of it. Obviously being so new there is yet  little feedback from purchasers. The prices are lower than Craig Young and my guess is that, providing user feedback is positive, they will eat into his sales in America.

I asked my friend John Softly his views on the new entrants into the hand-made palette market. John has tried numerous palettes and has strong views on the subject. They are entirely his and I print them without  (much) comment.

"..From what I see Craig has little to worry about although the newcomers are considerably cheaper (my italics)... there will be obviously others coming..... in the not too distant future but design is everything"....  the one thing Craig has above all others is that he is a watercolourist and knows about art history and traditional design"

John feels, from studying the photographs of these new palettes, that there are  deficiencies in design due to lack of understanding of what is required. John's opinion is that the best are any of Craig's plus the Holbein if you are right handed. He has experienced rust problems with heavy duty Winsor & Newton boxes (made by Fome) and does not like the aluminium type at all as in his experience they flex and the joints give. A small 20 year old Holbein has lost some enamel but shows no sign of rust. John doesn't like plastic but thinks the Herring the best of the bunch.

There you have it  - strong opinions from someone who has considerable experience with different types of palettes. I probably take a more relaxed view of things. In my opinion price has to be considered and good plastic palettes are perfectly acceptable for many artists. As I've said earlier some fantastic artists use all sorts of odd receptacles. In the end you pay your money and take your chances. I own three Craig Young palettes, various plastic ones including a John Pike, and some of the small metal palettes you can buy empty and fill with half or full pans, which can also be bought empty. My most used palette is the Paintbox (Roberson design), and a small cheap supplementary metal one filled with a dozen or so empty half pans, which I fill with paint. I have adapted the Paintbox by sticking some half pans into a few wells so I have 24 colours compared to the standard 16. Craig produces a `large' paintbox with additional mixing wells and 20 smaller wells for paint. I have a pristine Binning Monro, in British Racing Green  from Craig, yet to be christened even though I have had it quite a while.  It's No.165. When will this happen? I just enjoy handling it! As for outdoors I have a small Sketchers paintbox made by Craig. I've rather gone off it to be blunt even though I got Craig to make me a  four pan clip on extension. I think it too small but Charles Reid uses it without difficulty, and Judi Whitton has a slightly larger custom-made version with twenty wells. Against these fine artists who am I to argue! Having just received the details for the Charles Reid workshop at Stow on the Wold in May I think I'll have to resurrect the Sketchers box for the outdoor sessions, assuming the weather allows us to paint outdoors. Added 14/04/2013. See the piece in `This and That' April 2013. Another Craig Young `lookalike', although a somewhat curious one(s)

And still they come! Added 11/08/2013. My friend John Softly recently attended a workshop by the artist Malcolm Carver www.carverstudio.com/ This artist, as well as having a distinctly original (and controversial ?) way of painting  also markets several products of his own design. One is this very strange looking palette which John, and most of the other participants, purchased at the workshop. John regards it as a sketching palette.

Also added 11/08/2013. And would you believe another `hand-made palette has emerged, although in this case as John says `resembling an upmarket Holbein'. Added 17/01/2016: The House of Hoffman now offer several types of these magnificent hand made palettes in various sizes. They are very expensive, starting at something like $400 but could be described as the Rolls Royce of palettes.

You really need to look at the website if interested, which stated `only one available' but goes on to say palettes can be made to order.  Delivery is from Saginaw in America only within America. The price, shown in sterling, exceeded £300. www.etsy.com/listing/126094124/handmade-brass-watercolor-palette?ref=shop_home_active  Alternatively search for `House of Hoffman` .

Also added 11/08/2013. The next outfit was originally listed in a post I made called this and that. However as that might be missed I've added it here. This is a strange one calling itself `The Watercolor Prototipes (!) Company. 

As you can see they show two Craig Young `lookalikes' and also feature the `Piera' and Holbein palettes. This site appears to be Chinese (?) but has had very few visitors and  I personally would keep well clear of it without a good deal more information about who they are - we have been making palettes for 25 years etc etc - and whether these illustrations  represent  actual product. www.watercolorpaintbox.wordpress.com/

Added 03/09/13. Kevin Franklin has supplied the following photograph. It shows the John Hurtely (Little Brass Box) and Craig Young small travel palettes. Craig's is the larger one. See their websites for full details.

I know I'm open to criticism by those who say you should limit your palette to many fewer colours. Each to his own as I  paint several different subjects and don't normally use more than a dozen colours in a single  painting, often less. With the fabulous range of colours available it seems silly to restrict oneself to 10 or fewer in total. As an amateur artist I don't have any pressures on me to conform (or make a living from painting). I like to experiment.

From the Wetcanvas experience it is obvious palettes cause much excitement and interest from users. Many other artists will wonder what all the fuss is about.  You may be enlightened or even more confused by  the above, and information in the previous posts. Remember when push comes to shove the important thing is getting paint on to paper.

Update on the `Spanish Palette' (see Palettes Pt.3). A good friend , who purchased one, has this to say: 

`The Spanish Palette is the worst buy I have ever made, looked good initially but rust got to the wells when a year old. It is what it is. A cheap (13 Euros) Chinese-made metal palette which, basically puts it at the bottom of the metal palette types....'

Added 03/05/2014: John Softly has sent me details of the latest palette from the artist Malcolm Carver:]

Apparently this is credit card size(!) and is sold with Daniel |Smith paints installed but the amounts are small. If you are interested the link is: http://www.carverstudio.com/online-store/ Sorry about the blurred image but that's how it came out.

This is a better photograph but again `credit card' size!

Personally I find the Craig Young Sketchers box on the small size and it is much bigger than this. A link to an American site selling this palette is http://expeditionaryart.com/shop/product/pocket-palette/

Added 07/07/2014: My friend John Softly has recently managed to find an original De Wint palette and purchase it. Expensive but nothing like as much as some of the current hand-made palettes.  Wesson used a De Wint until  production ceased then switched to a Binning Munro. When that also ceased production  he moved to a Holbein 1000.

Note the price - roughly £2.00 in todays money but obviously converting this to today's equivalent would be a lot more. The condition of John's example is generally good with only a slight amount of rust in one of the paint wells which can be easily dealt with.

All information and photographs courtesy John Softly.

Added 23/11/2014; The following shows the palette recently made by David Cooper of Classic Paint boxes for the fine Dutch artist, and charming man Gerard Hendriks.It certainly looks an excellent example of David Coopers workmanship

I recently received an e -mail from a company calling itself Rigger Art. They offered to send me for review a palette they are selling on Amazon. This palette is 'lightweight' yet sturdy plastic with 28 wells and 5 mixing areas. They say it is larger than similar palettes. I declined as I remain completely independent and the palette appears generally similar to some other palettes on the market. I don't use plastic palettes as a rule and couldn't see the point but here is an illustration for those who might be interested. You can contact them at Service@riggerarts.com