pa
lette
Plural
palettes
1
a thin oval board that a painter uses to mix colors and hold pigments on, with a hole for the thumb to go through
A palette is a flat surface used by artists to mix and hold paints. It can be made from materials such as wood, plastic, or glass and typically has a smooth, sometimes slightly textured area where artists blend colors. Some palettes also have sections to keep different colors separate. The purpose of the palette is to help artists create the desired color mixtures and manage their paints efficiently while working on a painting. Palettes come in various shapes and sizes to suit different artistic needs.
- The artist's palette was covered in a colorful array of oil paints, each hue carefully mixed to capture the essence of the sunset.
- She held the palette in one hand and a brush in the other, blending shades of blue and green to create the ocean waves on the canvas.
- The painter's palette featured compartments for different colors of acrylic paint, ensuring easy access and organization during the artwork.
- He cleaned his palette between painting sessions, scraping off dried paint to prepare it for new color mixtures.
- The art student learned how to hold the palette comfortably while practicing color theory and painting techniques in class.
Synonyms:
2
the selection or range of colors characteristic of a particular artist, artwork, or artistic movement
- The Impressionist palette teemed with pastel pinks, light greens, and shimmering blues.
- Renaissance masters honed their palette by grinding minerals to achieve the perfect flesh tones.
- The film's costume designer chose a muted palette of grays and browns to evoke postwar austerity.
- Modern digital artists often limit their palette to three complementary hues for a cohesive look.
- The desert landscape painting featured a warm palette of ochres, siennas, and burnt umbers.
Synonyms:
3
a small, curved armor plate positioned beneath the armpit of a suit of armor to protect the joint
- The knight struggled to raise his arm until the armorer trimmed the palette for a better fit.
- During restoration, conservators polished each palette to reveal the original etching beneath centuries of rust.
- He felt a sharp pinch at his side when the left palette caught on his chainmail.
- The reenactor tested the armor's flexibility by swinging his sword and noting how the palettes shifted.
- A tiny dent in the right palette showed where the cuirass had scraped the castle wall during siege drills.
Synonyms: