2017 Update: learn about the new rust-resistant stainless steel pans!

Over the years my travel palettes have evolved from store bought plastic palettes to modified mint tins, pencil boxes, and card holders. The Pocket Palette and all-in-one Art Toolkit idea was emerged from my 2010 High Latitudes expedition to NE Greenland, where I accompanied Danish biologist Dr. Erik Born to research walruses. Camped out on a small sandy island (indeed, named “Sand Island”), our time was oriented around monitoring walruses, who are somewhat suspicious of humans lurking nearby. In order to approach, observe, and retrieve tissue samples from the animals, we spent many hours crawling on our bellies in the sand, and I struggled to manage my sketch kit, watercolor palette, camera, and audio recorder. As a result, I was inspired to create the Pocket Palette to fit inside my sketch kit, and launched the first Art Toolkit in 2011. I’ve never stopped refining my field kit, and followed with the Art Toolkit 2.0 in 2013, an updated Pocket Palette in 2014, the compact Pocket Art Toolkit in 2015, and am now pleased to announce a much improved Pocket Palette. This new version includes three exciting changes.

pocketpalette2_open

  1. Mixing lid sidewalls: a much requested feature, these provide both a barrier for paint and lend strength to the overall palette case.
  2. Uniform lower case edge: if you have one of my earlier palettes, you may have noticed the lower right and left paints were half-blocked. The problem is now solved!
  3. Engraving: the new palettes feature the Art Toolkit logo etched on the back.

engraving on back

Good news! If you have purchased a palette in the last four months or so, you already have one! If you have an older version and would like to upgrade, email me a photo of your original palette (and I’d love a story about you using it!) and I’ll send you a special code for a $10 discount.

Here’s a peak what’s currently in my palette, all Daniel Smith pigments. Top row is Buff Titanium, Hansa Yellow Light, New Gamboge, Pyrrol Scarlet, Quinacridone Rose, Deep Scarlet, Transparent Red Oxide. Bottom row is Cerulean Blue, Pthalo Blue (green shade), French Ultramarine, Indanthrone Blue, Pthalo Green (blue shade) Raw Sienna, and Neutral Tint. I love playing with color and experimenting with new pigments and mixes!