When painting, I like to make sure to mix enough of the paint colour I need so that I don’t waste time trying to mix more, but sometimes I’m left with a little too much.
If I know I’ll need the colour later, I use cling film (Saran wrap) over my palette, which I save and reuse. Note that this will only keep the paint fresh for a few hours.
I don’t like to waste gouache if I can help it, so I use a pocket watercolour sketchbook to use leftover paint. Mine is A6, but any size will work; I just find the size tends to work well for the amount of paint I have to use up.
Here are some exercises you can do to get the most out of it:
Paint repeating patterns:
Create pencil drawings in advance so you can flip to one that’s just right for the colour you happen to have:
Loose, experimental tests:
Trying random colour combinations. Either you find a combination you like, or learn what to avoid!
Practising techniques, such as gradients, glows, different paintbrushes:
Go back over a previous page and add more colour
Mindfulness painting or doodling:
Paint swatches or 1×3″ / 25x75mm cards and make a note of the colours used, so if you want to mix it again, you have a good starting point.
Of course, you have full permission not to use up your paint, and you shouldn’t feel bad about it. If you don’t enjoy the process, or feel like you’re now wasting paper as well, sometimes it’s best to accept it. That said, I hope you find some of these prompts useful.
I’d love to know if you have other ideas for using up spare paint, let me know in the comments.
Until next time,
Madeleine
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