Mijello Airtight Watercolor 18-Well Blue Palette

This is one of the cooler art boxes. I do not use it for watercolors--I use it for gouache. Either way, I like how it seals closed. There is a gasket around the edge and it pretty much keeps liquid from leaking out--so it functions well. There are plenty of wells for various colors of paint, and an extra mixing tray--I never use it, but it is there if I ever run out of space. It is one of the sturdiest palettes you can get and is extremely well made. I like the size. it is light weight, so easy to carry. By the way, this is my second one of these, so I believe, for the price, it is a good investment for what you get.

NOT airtight but it is a very nice case. (I put gouache in my case when it clearly is called a watercolor pallette. So it on me if I am not 5 star happy because I did not follow directions.) It would be ok for watercolors if you just want an 18 color palette. I put a Holbein gouache set in my palette because I thought it would be good for the paint not to dry out. It all dried up solid as rocks and some colors cracked into little pieces. I can rewet it because it is gouache.The case looks sturdy. It is a nice color. It was delivered in great shape. It has a clear flat tray to use to mix paints on. It is a nice size to carry in a bag, but will wet colors run together inside the palette? I do not know and I am not planning to travel with it. It is not tiny but it is flat. I doubt it is watertight because it is not airtight, but I have not tested that.

I love these pallets. They're just the right size to travel with or keep at home. This is the second I've ordered, having the fuscia one already. Was pleasantly surprised to get a sample of the Mission Gold watercolor in Burnt Sienna, 7ml tube.The wells are generous in size, holding about 5ml of paint. They're a kind of rounded square space that's slanted down giving you a little extra "work space" to dab out the color. The rounded shape with the open end is a lot easier on your brushes as well. There are three areas for mixing; where the paints are, the clear plastic removable tray and the underside of the lid. I used that space under the lid for storing the swatch of my current colors. The plastic is very smooth and I'd advise scuffing up the mixing areas so the paint doesn't bead up.They are leak proof, now that means that the colors won't leak outside the pallet and into your bag. What this also mean is that the colors in their little wells, if still wet, can and will run around inside the pallet. So I'd suggest that you put your paints in with enough time for them to "dry" prior to traveling. I use the Mission Gold colors and those don't really dry out. Even after a year and a half in this pallet the majority of them are moist/gel-like to the touch, but they're dry enough that they don't run and are easily re-wet.I've not had any problems with mildew/mold so it may be the quality of the paints used for ppl who have experienced that.These are nice, fairly inexpensive pallets. And seems a cheaper option to buying a pallet with removable pans. Getting ready to buy a third one for a class in taking. I'd recommend any of these in this line.

Pros: I love this palette so far! It was such a treat to get a proper travel palette for my paints. I use M. Graham and although those paints don't harden like other watercolors, I don't have any issues with the paints moving or liquid traversing the palette as longs as I let it sit for just a bit before closing it. If things are still a little wet or if I've just put some fresh paint in, I try to keep it horizontal until I feel the paints have solidified enough. I love how well the palette seals and that it clamps shut securely. I also LOVE how much room there is for mixing and that you can easily take the clear insert out to wash if necessary.Con: The one con I've identified and this is the only reason for my downgrade to a 4 star, is that the clear insert was ever so slightly warped. It's really not a big deal, and I didn't notice it at first, but it might be worth a double check before you start using it if you are very particular.Tip: I think a few reviewers were quick to cite this as a con, but really it is just a downfall of plastic palettes in general, and that is the "slick" nature of plastic. If you don't "prime" your plastic palette before using, your watercolors are GOING to bead up. Its unavoidable and is not indicative of an inferior plastic palette. If you don't want that, don't go with plastic! BUT, rather than leave you hanging, I want you to know HOW to "prime" your palette. I have watched a number of videos on different methods, some of which included applying another material to the plastic. Well I certainly didn't want to have anything mucking up my paints (like residues from glue or toothpaste...yuck!), so I chose the "physically abrasive route". I simply used a mildly abrasive sponge and scrubbed the areas where I mix paint (not the individual wells). It works perfectly and my paints never bead up.

Opens up to two mixing surfaces. Remove the clear insert for a third. Can use with both tube and pan watercolor paint.For pans, just pop the paint out of the pan (need to use new paint pans for this), put a couple drops of water in the paint wells and press the paint cube in. Paint will adhere once dry. Some paints will stain the palette a little. The seal is secure and haven't had any spillage. The wells are deep enough to hold plenty of tube paint or an entire half pan. Can swatch paints on watercolor paper and put behind clear insert for easy reference. Lightweight but sturdy.

I don’t know that this is waterproof, but I haven’t checked. It’s nice and sturdy. I use it for watercolor so I do want the paint to actually dry out. It’s a nice color sits flat on a surface. Not hard to clean. The perfect size for keeping a basic watercolor set. The more you work with it, the less water repellent the mixing areas are You can also use a little bit of high-number sandpaper to help with that. I really like it. I’ve purchased a couple just like this.