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Experiences with Holbein palettes???

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03-05-2011, 05:02 PM

Bobar57
Enthusiast
Miami,FL

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#1

Join Date: Feb 2010

Posts: 1,255

Experiences with Holbein palettes???

I just ordered the day before yesterday a Holbein 500 metal folding watercolor palette.
So far all I know from the manufacturer is that is made of baked enamel(not painted enamel)and that they will replace it if
there is a manufacturer defect upon receiving it and initials uses.A bit hazy and/or confusing of a warranty,if you ask
me........
I googled it and also searched here and there were some results of reports of the enamel bubbling in some spots due to
corrosion in the metal underneath.
Others(rare)reports of leakage in between paint wells,mixing them.That's all
What are your experiences,anecdotes,what you have read or a friend told you(who happens to own one) or if you have
received a different response from the manufacturer or your country distributor.?????
Bob
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"Good watercolors are visual poetry;word pictures translated into color images that sing,or sob,as they stir the
emotions of the viewer."
-Robert Wade

03-06-2011, 02:48 PM

watercolourfanatic
Veteran Member
Nr Bath, United Kingdom

#2
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 617

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Bob
Charles Reid used a Holbein for years until Craig Young came along. I don't think he had any complaints about it.
Peter
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`loosening up is a state of the mind not a state of the brush' - Charles Reid
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03-06-2011, 03:17 PM

Marcio C

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Lord of the Arts
Longmont, Colorado

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Mine is the 16 wells model, it's sturdy, yet light and compact and has served me for 11 years. No bubbles, there are a couple
tiny spots where the enamel got chipped. Castagnet used a model with larger wells when I took a workshop with him, but I've
seen in recent DVDs that he now uses the Craig Young. Zbukvic's DVDs still show him using a Holbein. I love mine, just don't
use it that often because I've gotten into using pan paints the last couple of years.
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03-07-2011, 05:09 PM

Bobar57
Enthusiast
Miami,FL

#4
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,255

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Well,I received my Holbein 500 palette today.I'm happy with this one.Light yet sturdy.Excellent work on the baked enamel
finish inside and out.There seems to be no leaks in between wells.All seem perfect.I'll post later when I use it.

Up in that one,the mirror finish catches the reflection of my hands with the camera.

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Experiences with Holbein palettes??? - WetCanvas

Bob
__________________
"Good watercolors are visual poetry;word pictures translated into color images that sing,or sob,as they stir the
emotions of the viewer."
-Robert Wade

03-09-2011, 05:44 AM

Neeman
A WetCanvas! Patron Saint
Northern Galilee Hills, Israel

#5
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 3,698

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/show...81#post9872381
Quote:

Originally Posted by Neeman

I promised Grainne a picture of the Holbein 250 Sketcher
Dimensions open: 170 x 200mm
Closed 85 x 200mm
3 1/2 x 8 inches
This is has 16 wells, but as you see I have schtupped another 9 paints around the mixing well, mainly earths to get
about 25 in all!!
It is great for Plein Air as it is small and holds easily
The wells hold a lot of paint, enough for a weeks painting holiday!

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Experiences with Holbein palettes??? - WetCanvas

03-09-2011, 07:28 PM

gbrinton
New Member

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Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

I heard someone had issues with the paint in the wells on the top of the palette dripping onto the bottom wells when the top
is closed. Is this an issue at all?

03-09-2011, 08:39 PM

Bobar57
Enthusiast
Miami,FL

#7
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,255

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Never heard of such complaint yet.

Bob
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"Good watercolors are visual poetry;word pictures translated into color images that sing,or sob,as they stir the
emotions of the viewer."
-Robert Wade

03-09-2011, 10:00 PM

cgonzaga
Enthusiast
Toronto, Canada

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Posts: 1,019

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gbrinton
I heard someone had issues with the paint in the wells on the top of the palette dripping onto the bottom wells when
the top is closed. Is this an issue at all?

He has a point, after all one of them would be upside down. They have to be fairly dry so as not to drip. If I remember it
right, you (Bob) put glycerin with your paints, may make them more viscous.
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03-09-2011, 10:44 PM

Bobar57
Enthusiast
Miami,FL

#9
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,255

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgonzaga

He has a point, after all one of them would be upside down. They have to be fairly dry so as not to drip. If I
remember it right, you (Bob) put glycerin with your paints, may make them more viscous.
Yes,I did,still no drips.On a Sakura plastic palette ,pretty much the same layout as the Holbein 500.
I spoke to a guy at Kremer Pigments and their Gillot Watercolor Medium(honey,glycerin and gum arabic) used to mix with the
pigments to make watercolor paint,can be used too to prevent tube paints from becoming dry.Their shipping
charge(flat)upped to $15.00,so it won't be now that I'll order some,but I'll definitely will do for the ShinHan colors.
Bob
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"Good watercolors are visual poetry;word pictures translated into color images that sing,or sob,as they stir the
emotions of the viewer."
-Robert Wade

03-09-2011, 11:39 PM

Marcio C
Lord of the Arts
Longmont, Colorado

#10
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,213

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Mine is the same model that Neeman posted. As for dripping from the lid wells, I never had that problem, maybe because I
used those wells for the less used colors, which tend to remain drier. You could use those four wells for your earth colors,
those dry pretty fast.
The colors I have had problem with leakage were Indian yellow by Daler-Rowney, and phthalo green by Maimeri and by
Winsor & Newton (yes, the same color, different brands).
Also, notice that when closed, the lid wells align with the mixing area, so if the paint dripped, it wouldn't drip on top of other
color wells.
Like Neeman, I used to add more colors, but instead of adding them to the palette directly, I used half pans that I stuck to
the palette with blue tack, next to those four wells. I also used to carry a brush inside my holbein palette, I used a piece of
sponge with a groove cut in it to keep the brush from sliding and bending the hairs. I have a photo of that in my blog at
http://marciosart.blogspot.com/search?q=palette
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03-10-2011, 12:07 AM

Bobar57
Enthusiast
Miami,FL

#11
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,255

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Quote:

The colors I have had problem with leakage were Indian yellow by Daler-Rowney, and phthalo green by Maimeri and
by Winsor & Newton (yes, the same color, different brands).

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Marcio,can you elaborate?Leakage?Do you mean into the mixing wells or in between paint wells?
Bob
__________________
"Good watercolors are visual poetry;word pictures translated into color images that sing,or sob,as they stir the
emotions of the viewer."
-Robert Wade

03-10-2011, 02:38 PM

Marcio C
Lord of the Arts
Longmont, Colorado

#12
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,213

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobar57

Marcio,can you elaborate?Leakage?Do you mean into the mixing wells or in between paint wells?

Hi Bob, I meant both into the mixing wells and over the other paint wells... I explain:
I used my Holbein 250 as my outdoor palette. It came with a clear plastic sleeve. After a painting session, I'd wipe any
excess water from the mixing areas or wells, fold the palette, slide it into the plastic cover and place it into my backpack.
Then a handful of times over a few weeks in summer, I would get home and find that paint from a couple of the wells had
melted in the heat (even though I never left the palette or backpack in the sun), and leaked over the other paints and even
out of the palette (disaster being averted by the fact I had the plastic sleep to stop the paint from getting all over my gear).
So part my fault for not carrying the palette horizontally, part the paints fault (always the same colors leaked, whereas
others never did). But it was never a defect of the design or quality of the palette itself. And if I'd avoided the paints that
leaked I'd probably not have changed palettes. But given that I work outdoors a lot and like to travel with my painting gear, I
decided to move to pans and never looked back, that is, until now that you made me nostalgic about my holbein palette (it
was very light and comfortable to use).
Just to close the loop: Nowadays I use a 16 full+half pans paint box for outdoors, a homee 16-well covered plastic palette in
the studio, and a butcher tray for larger paintings. I like them all very well and do not think a CY palette would be worth the
cost for me, even if it lasts a lifetime... I'm be glad to replace my palette every 10 or 20 years, I don't think I need my
palette to last me longer than my teeth
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Last edited by Marcio C : 03-10-2011 at 02:48 PM.

03-10-2011, 02:45 PM

Bobar57
Enthusiast
Miami,FL

#13
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,255

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Yes Marcio,they ligth and comfortable,at least the 500 model is.With this one I don't think I'll have that problem for two main
reasons:
-When closed the paint wells in both sides are opposite positioned,not in top of one other.
-I use M.Graham paints.These tends to get sticky with the honey,yet ready to be moist in seconds.This make them to adhere
to the palette with a good "grip".
Bob
__________________
"Good watercolors are visual poetry;word pictures translated into color images that sing,or sob,as they stir the
emotions of the viewer."
-Robert Wade

11-09-2011, 05:17 PM

Timoat
New Member

#14
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 41

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Hey guys, sorry to resurrect an old thread, I just received my Holbein knock off from Australia, (40 AUD with 20 AUD in
postage) and of course, I got what I paid for. Upon arrival the enamel had splits along most seams, and started to flake off
with the touch of a brush. SO, again I have been trumped by my own meanness!
I wanted to ask if anyone has the time to do some measurements for me, from the Holbein 500. I have the outer dimensions,

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=923766

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but Id like to know the exact dimensions of the paintwells and the mixing areas. If anyone would do that, Id be most grateful!
( I want it to fit in my Soltek, but Im a bit worried that the mixing areas are going to be too small)
Cheers Tim

11-09-2011, 06:01 PM

#15
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,213

Marcio C
Lord of the Arts
Longmont, Colorado

Re: Experiences with Holbein palettes???

Tim, the paint wells are about 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches, and the mixing areas about 3 x 2 1/5 inches. The Holbein 1000 has larger
mixing areas, and better arrangement of the paint wells.

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