Best Wet Palette for Miniature Painting

The best wet palette is the Redgrass Games Studio XL for serious painters, or a DIY wet palette (tupperware + sponge + baking paper) for budget-conscious hobbyists. The Masterson Sta-Wet is a solid mid-range option. A wet palette keeps your paints workable for hours or even days, prevents waste, and makes blending and glazing dramatically easier. If you paint miniatures regularly, it’s the single most impactful tool upgrade you can make.

If you’ve been painting miniatures using a dry palette — a plastic or ceramic surface where you squeeze out paint — you’ve been working harder than you need to. Paint on a dry palette dries within minutes, forcing you to constantly remix colours and waste paint. A wet palette keeps paint usable for hours during a session and days between sessions, transforming your painting workflow.

This guide compares the best wet palettes on the market, teaches you how to build a DIY alternative for under £5, and explains how to get the most out of whichever option you choose. For related painting technique guides, see our complete wet palette guide.

What Is a Wet Palette and How Does It Work?

A wet palette is a painting surface that keeps acrylic paint wet through a simple mechanism:

A sponge or absorbent pad sits in a shallow container, soaked with water
A sheet of semi-permeable paper sits on top of the sponge
You place your paint on top of the paper
Water slowly wicks up through the paper via capillary action, keeping the paint hydrated from below
When you close the lid, humidity inside the container prevents the paint from drying

The result: paint that stays workable for hours during a session, and paints that are still usable days later when you reopen the palette. This eliminates the constant remixing, colour-matching, and paint waste that plagues dry palette users.

Best Wet Palettes Compared

Wet Palette	Price	Size	Paper Quality	Best For	Rating
Redgrass Games Studio XL	£35-40	Large (A4)	Excellent — included	Serious/competition painters	★★★★★
Redgrass Games Studio v2	£25-30	Medium (A5)	Excellent — included	Regular painters	★★★★★
Masterson Sta-Wet Premier	£15-20	Large (12×16″)	Good — included	Budget-conscious painters	★★★★
Army Painter Wet Palette	£18-22	Medium	Good — included	Hobby store convenience	★★★★
DIY (Tupperware)	£2-5	Any size	Varies (baking paper)	Budget/testing	★★★

Top Wet Palettes — Detailed Reviews

Redgrass Games Studio XL — Best Overall

The Redgrass Studio XL is the gold standard for miniature painting wet palettes. It’s a purpose-designed, high-quality palette with features that no competitor matches:

Hydration foam — The proprietary hydration foam holds water evenly and doesn’t develop dry spots. It lasts months before needing replacement.
Premium paper — Redgrass’s included paper is specifically designed for miniature painting. It’s semi-permeable at the perfect rate — enough water wicks through to keep paint wet but not so much that the paint becomes watery. The paper lies flat without curling.
Elastic seal — The lid has an elastic strap that seals the palette, maintaining humidity. Paints last 3-5 days between sessions without drying out.
Size — The XL version (roughly A4) gives you ample mixing space. The standard v2 is A5-sized and better for smaller desks.
Build quality — Sturdy plastic construction with a low profile that stays stable on the desk. The lid doubles as a dry palette surface.

Drawbacks: The most expensive option. Replacement paper and foam refills add ongoing cost (roughly £8-10 per refill pack). Overkill if you only paint occasionally.

Masterson Sta-Wet Premier — Best Value

The Masterson Sta-Wet is an art supply staple that’s been used by traditional painters for decades. It wasn’t designed specifically for miniatures but works excellently:

Large working area — The Premier size (12×16 inches) is enormous, giving you more mixing space than you’ll ever need. Excellent for batch painting or when mixing many custom colours.
Included sponge and paper — Comes with a quality sponge and palette paper refill. The paper is thicker than Redgrass paper and slightly less permeable, which some painters prefer (less risk of over-hydrating thin paints).
Affordable refills — Masterson refill paper packs are cheaper than Redgrass and widely available from art supply stores.
Airtight lid — Snaps shut for a good seal. Paints last 2-3 days between sessions.

Drawbacks: The large size takes up significant desk space. The sponge can develop mould if not dried between extended breaks. Build quality is functional but not premium. The paper is slightly more prone to curling than Redgrass paper.

Army Painter Wet Palette — Best for Hobby Store Buyers

If you buy your hobby supplies from a gaming store rather than online, the Army Painter wet palette is likely the most accessible option:

Available at most hobby stores — Stocked wherever Army Painter products are sold, which is most gaming stores.
Decent quality paper — The included paper works well for standard miniature painting. Not as refined as Redgrass but perfectly functional.
Medium size — A good compromise between working area and desk space.
Integrated design — Clean, purpose-built for miniatures with a good seal.

Drawbacks: More expensive than the Masterson for a smaller palette. Paper refills are pricier per sheet than competitors. The sponge is thinner and holds less water, requiring more frequent re-wetting during long sessions.

How to Make a DIY Wet Palette

A DIY wet palette works on exactly the same principle as commercial options. Here’s how to build one in five minutes:

Materials

A shallow container with a lid (tupperware, takeaway container, or a shallow food storage box) — any size works
A sponge (kitchen sponge, makeup sponge, or paper towels folded to 1cm thickness)
Baking parchment (greaseproof paper) — NOT wax paper, which is too waterproof

Assembly

Cut the sponge to fit flat inside the container.
Soak the sponge with water until fully saturated. Pour off excess — the sponge should be wet but not swimming.
Cut a piece of baking parchment to fit on top of the sponge.
Place the parchment on the wet sponge and press gently to ensure contact. The paper should darken slightly as it absorbs moisture.
Place your paint on the parchment surface. Close the lid between sessions.

DIY Paper Options

Baking parchment is the classic DIY option, but its permeability varies by brand. Some brands are too waterproof (paint dries); others are too permeable (paint becomes soupy). Test your parchment before committing — put a drop of water on it and see how quickly it wicks through. You want slow but visible wicking over 30-60 seconds.

Alternatives to baking parchment:

Tracing paper — More permeable than parchment, better for thick paints that need more hydration
Palette paper refills — Buy Masterson or Redgrass refill paper and use it in your DIY container. Best of both worlds: premium paper at DIY container prices
Printer paper (in a pinch) — Regular paper works temporarily but deteriorates quickly, becoming pulpy within an hour

How Long Does Paint Stay Wet on a Wet Palette?

Paint longevity depends on the palette quality, humidity, and paint type:

During a Painting Session (Lid Open)

Commercial wet palette: 2-4 hours before paint starts to thicken at the edges
DIY wet palette: 1-3 hours depending on parchment quality
Dry palette (comparison): 5-15 minutes before paint becomes unusable

Between Sessions (Lid Closed)

Redgrass (with elastic seal): 3-5 days. Some painters report usable paint after a week.
Masterson (snap lid): 2-3 days reliably, sometimes longer
DIY (tupperware lid): 1-2 days, depending on how airtight the container is

Tips for Maximum Paint Longevity

Add a damp paper towel inside the lid for extra humidity
Don’t use too little water in the sponge — a dry sponge defeats the purpose
Keep the palette out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources
Re-wet the sponge every 2-3 hours during long sessions

How to Maintain Your Wet Palette

Paper Replacement

Replace the paper when it becomes stained, wrinkled, or develops colour bleed between paint spots. For most painters, this is every 1-3 sessions (roughly weekly). Don’t try to reuse paper indefinitely — old paper loses its permeability and can contaminate fresh colours with dried residue.

Sponge Care

Rinse the sponge with clean water every time you change the paper. If you won’t use the palette for more than a week, remove the sponge and let it dry completely to prevent mould. Mould growth is the most common wet palette problem — a sponge left damp in a sealed container for weeks will grow mould. If mould appears, discard the sponge and replace it.

Preventing Mould

Add a tiny drop of white vinegar or mouthwash to the sponge water — this inhibits mould growth without affecting paint
Let the sponge dry between extended breaks (more than 5 days)
Replace the sponge every 2-3 months regardless of appearance
Clean the container with soapy water monthly

Travel Wet Palettes

If you paint at a club, store, or gaming events, a travel wet palette is invaluable:

Redgrass Games Everlasting Wet Palette — Painter Lite

A compact version of the Redgrass palette designed for travel. Fits in a backpack, comes with a wavy mixing surface and hydration foam. Excellent quality in a small package. About £15-18.

DIY Travel Option

Use a small, shallow tupperware container (the kind used for sandwiches) with a sponge and parchment. Cheap, disposable if lost, and works perfectly. Total cost: £1-2.

Wet Palette Techniques for Better Painting

Thin Paints More Consistently

The wet palette naturally thins your paint slightly over time. Use this to your advantage — place paint on the palette 5-10 minutes before you need it, and it will reach an ideal thin consistency for smooth, even coats without manually thinning with water.

Mix Custom Colours

Wet palettes are ideal for mixing custom colours because the paint stays wet long enough to test, adjust, and apply without rushing. Mix a colour, test it on the model, adjust if needed — the original mix is still workable on the palette.

Create Gradients

Place two colours next to each other on the wet palette and blend between them with a brush to create a smooth gradient of intermediate colours. The long working time means you can paint an entire gradient across a model using a single palette setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a wet palette worth it for beginners?

Absolutely. Beginners benefit the most from a wet palette because it solves the most common beginner problem: paint drying too quickly, leading to thick application. A wet palette naturally keeps paint at a workable consistency. Start with a DIY version to test the concept, then upgrade to a Redgrass or Masterson if you enjoy it.

Can I use Citadel paints on a wet palette?

Yes, all acrylic miniature paints (Citadel, Vallejo, Army Painter, Scale75, ProAcryl) work on a wet palette. Citadel paints in particular benefit because their pot design causes them to dry out quickly — the wet palette solves this. Note that Citadel Contrast paints and washes are already very thin and may become too watery on a wet palette. Use these directly from the pot or on a dry palette.

Why does my paint get too watery on the wet palette?

Three possible causes: too much water in the sponge (pour some out), paper that’s too permeable (try a different brand of parchment), or paint sitting too long (after several hours, paint absorbs too much water). If your paint is consistently too thin, switch to a less permeable paper or reduce sponge hydration.

Can I use a wet palette for oil paints?

No. Wet palettes are designed for water-based acrylic paints. Oil paints are not water-soluble and don’t benefit from the hydration mechanism. Oil paints stay workable for days on any surface anyway, so they don’t need a wet palette.

How much should I spend on a wet palette?

If you paint weekly or more, invest in a Redgrass (£25-40). The paper quality and seal make a genuine difference. If you paint monthly or less, a Masterson (£15-20) or DIY version is perfectly adequate. Don’t spend more than £40 — beyond that, you’re paying for aesthetics, not function.

Do professional miniature painters use wet palettes?

Almost universally, yes. The vast majority of competition painters, commission painters, and GW studio painters use wet palettes. The ability to maintain consistent paint consistency, keep custom colours workable, and reduce waste makes it an essential tool for anyone painting more than casually. Among professional painters, Redgrass is the most common brand.

Best Wet Palette for Miniature Painting — Comparison