Martin Universal Design Watercolor Palette Blue Case & Paint Brush Set Starter Kit 25-Piece Assorted Sizes Bundle Edition

I have several of these for different paint brands and a smaller one for my preferred palette for florals.I've seen reviews with complaints about the hinges and latch, but those all date back several years. The manufacturer must have listened becuase I have no problem at all with hinges and latches. The paints will dry out if they're the type that don't have honey or some other softener in them. Shin-Han sure smells like honey, and the paints come back to life with the first touch of the paint brush. The very large try is excellent for mixing/preparing large amounts of pigment for washes and has a very nice little groove at one corner so that it easily lifts off. As someone else pointed out, it's a good idea to go over the plastic before use with a light scrubber so the paint won't pill up and be hard to mix. But this is also true of metal palettes. It's just part of the process. The staining paints will stain this, but they also stain metal. The only way to avoid that is to use a separate enamal coated tray or a dollar store porcelain plate. I love the way the wells are set out so that conveninence/specialty colors are easily separated in their own place, and the design of the wells is excellent. They're slanted down at an angle which makes it possible to add water to the edge of the paint if you want just a little. No need to get their entire well mushy and end up wasting paint. It also gives a little ridge you can use to drag your brush across it if you've picked up more paint than you want. I, too, got a few pans of Mission Gold and was sold on their quality.

I bought this palette for my water color paints, It has the perfect amount of wells, but I only gave it 4 stars because the removable mixing tray doesn't fit snugly in the case & falls out onto the p[aints when the cover is removed. i attempted to work around it by putting packing foam strips between the tray & the cover. That worked a little, but I had to put some sticky tape under the tray to keep it from falling out.I still like the palette --one plus is that the paint tray is removable for cleaning and there is a lot of room for mixing colors.

I have not used it yet, BUT I immediately tested to see if it is in fact leakproof. It is not. I added some water to it, closed it, and tilted is sideways. The water streamed out easily. If it’s not watertight, then it is certainly not airtight or leakproof.Edit: Changed to 1 star; previously my rating was 3. That was incorrect, since I could not judge other charcteristics since it failed my leak test before I used it.

These palettes are GENIUS! My husband bought me 3 to house my assortment of the 3 primaries. I bought 2 more for my personal color choices, and one for the watercolor assignment I happen to be working on at the time for class. These palettes remind me of a camper: all parts tuck into, fold away, and snap close into a neat and tidy case. They are quality plastic, shallow, slanted wells, and not one iota of waste. I'd give these 100 stars if I could. The bonus was to discover when I was washing the 2 large painting trays, that the tray housing my paints is also removable for another painting surface. Absolutely no waste, and when I'm done painting, I feel it's been a day well-spent. You'll love these if you're a consistent painter of any kind. I am MAD about this little beauties!

I opened this box and, to my surprise, there were 2 half pans of Mission gold watercolor included!The box is very sturdy with 24 slanted Wells, big enough for you to put a lot of paint in. It has a mixing tray added in as well. Granted, this palette stains and the water will bead up, so you should treat it before use.I am very happy with the purchase!

Pros:1. Wells are smooth. Haven't had any issues with paint in them.2. Good tray organization. Had an effective distribution for the wells.Cons:1. Doesn't fit well. The removable tray falls out a lot when I open it. It's a little bit annoying.2. Leaked. Not sure if I got a defective one or not, but had many problems with leaking. Definitely not airtight.3. Clasp. The part that held the palette together was very flimsy and would unlock often.Final thoughts: I would've returned it if I remembered at the time. I just use it as a typical open tray now.

I have the smaller 18-well pan, and I loved it. This pan is a bit bigger because the wells are the exact same width as the 18-well version. I was able to use a palette knife to loosen the hardened pigment to put in this tin. I guess that makes me a thrifty painter! The removable paint pan is completely loose inside the palette. I put some kneaded eraser under it and that keeps it in place until I figure out a permanent solution. I like the two smaller mixing wells because I work small. My at-home palette to go along with my travel tin.

I like everything about this palette EXCEPT that it stained immediately. I put in Mijello Mission Gold watercolors and each well, and the mixing tray stained. I have not been able to remove the color with various methods. I wouldn't mind a little staining over time, but every new mix makes a new stain. I wonder, cumulatively, how bad it will actually get.