The Artyfect Blog Information for Artist's

As much as you may try to keep your palette clean, it's easy to forget and end up with a palette covered in rock hard dried oil paints.

Dried oil paint is never easy to clean, but with some turpentine and a razor blade you can get it back to a usable state again.

Step 1

Wipe the palette clean after each painting session to prevent oil paint from crusting onto the palette in the first place. You can use some turpentine or linseed oil and a rag to remove all paint residue.

Step 2

Start with a well ventilated room. Open windows in the room and set up a window fan, if you have one. Breathing in turpentine fumes is hazardous to your health.

Step 3

Wipe up any excess paint that hasn't yet dried onto the palette.

Step 4

Use a clean rag to dab turpentine onto the dried oil paint.

Step 5

Allow the turpentine to soak into the dried oil paint for about 30 minutes.

Step 6

Scrape the softened dried paint off the palette with a razor blade.

Step 7

Consider using disposable palettes, if you find that you often forget to clean up well after a painting session. Plastic palettes can be purchased from Artyfect, or you can cover a wooden palette with plastic wrap. You could also try a pad of palette paper.

 Step 8

Soak a paint palette covered in dried acrylic paint in fabric softener. The paint will soften and come off very easily.