Altoids Tin Pocket-Sized Watercolor Box

Step 2 Color-Mixing Plate

The mixing plate is the surface where you'll mix your colors while painting. I decided to get mine from a plastic palette I got for a few dollars at my local art supplies store. If you're having a hard time finding something similar, you have a few options: spray the interior of the top lid with white enamel paint or use any thin, white plastic part which has ridges and can fit into the Altoids tin.

Option A) using the plastic palette
- Make sure the section you chose fits in the Altoids tin (the bottom part)
- Using the Dremel, cut slightly larger than the area of interest (see picture).
- Once you've cut it down to shape, clean up the edges with the 80 grit sandpaper. The plastic should be fairly easy to sand away in a few minutes.

The palette I used was made of (I think) polystyrene. This material, when heated, melts but solidifies immediately and the burrs area easy to scratch away. If you use a palette made of other plastics, you might run into problems. Try cutting with a utility knife if you run into that situation

Option B) painting the interior lid with white paint
- Read the instructions on the paint can
- Cover up the other parts of the tin
- Spray

Option C) make your own tray
- Stick to options A or B if you need further instructions ;)

Comments

[BitternBright]

Another option on the lid-palette? If you take a pair of needle-nose pliers you can actually pry back the metal prongs holding the lid to the container, spray the lid seperately and then put it back on after it dries.

[peapeam]

When I have spray painted metal, I always heat my oven to 100 degrees Celsius, put the item in the oven, then let it sit until the oven is cold (or over night). That leaves a real nice and durable surface (don't know the word in English, directly translated we call it "hot-painted", like you normally have to have professionals with special hot painting chambers to do). Even did that to the top plate on a high end (custom built) amplifier I used to have, as the top plate was just thick steel, while the front was nice and black. I used matte spray paint like you use on cars (on the part at the bottom of the car, between the wheels) and it produced an unbelievably beautiful surface. You would never know it was painted at home by somebody who had never done it before. Since that I've been sold on that method, it just works so great! I think that method makes a much more durable surface than when you just spray paint it, a surface much less likely to peel as it is used over time.

[jpmartineau]

Yeah, good idea although I've always been reluctant to bend 'white iron" (don't know how it's called in english, sorry) as it's likely to break. Maybe with a little practice!