How to make a ceramic paint palette


A simple and inexpensive DIY clay paint palette tutorial

I've been admiring ceramic paint palettes for artists for some time now. So, I had a go at making one myself. It was easy to make, not to mention a very enjoyable and relaxing experience to work with air-dry clay. I shared some process photos and videos on Instagram and so many of my followers said they also want to try the DIY project. So, as promised to my creative community, here's the template that I used to create my paint palette, plus a few other sizes and designs.
You can use this link to download my 150 x 200mm template, plus a few other designs and sizes. Choose the palette design that suits your art practice best and print onto an A4 piece of paper. If you'd like a really large paint palette, you can scale up to print onto an A3 sheet.

The tutorial

 What you'll need
  • Air dry clay, any brand is fine but I used a white Das one 
  • Clay tools for shaping
  • Sponge if you'd like to smooth the clay, fingers also works
  • Mod Podge to seal
  • You could also use a roller but I used an empty glass bottle

How to make the paint palette
  1. Print a template and cut out
  2. Roll out clay
  3. Place template on top of clay, cut around it and score the paint wells
  4. Use one of the metal tools to dig out the paint wells
  5. Use some water with a sponge or your fingers to smooth
  6. Add a signature if you wish
  7. Allow to dry for a few days
  8. Glaze with Mod Podge, I applied 4 coats with half hour drying between
I'd love to see your DIY artist paint palette, so please tag @noama.art in your posts
Here's some of the art I've created using my paint palette.