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Small palettes cause a specific kind of frustration. You mix a sky color, need a lighter version, then a warmer one, and suddenly every puddle is touching and the whole palette turns gray. A large mixing palette fixes that by giving each mix its own territory. The best large mixing palette for you depends on whether you mix on an open flat field, as oil and acrylic painters usually do, or in wells and lanes, as watercolorists and classroom painters do.
This guide compares six palettes measuring roughly 11 to 16 inches across, from a big clear oval you can hold at the easel to 20-well and 24-well trays for wet media.
Quick answer: For open mixing with oils or acrylics, the DUGATO clear oval palette 2-pack is the best large mixing palette here, at 15.7 x 11.8 inches with a thumb hole. For watercolor, gouache or classroom use, the DUGATO 20-well 10×13 two-pack gives the most organized space, and the Junreox 24-well folding palette is the pick if you need a lid and brush storage.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
- DUGATO Clear Acrylic Oval Palette, 2-Pack, 15.7 x 11.8 in — Best large flat palette for oil and acrylic
- DUGATO 20-Well Plastic Palette, 2-Pack, 10 x 13 in — Best large well palette
- Sweaty Pony 20-Well Square Palette, 13 x 10 in — Best single large well tray on a budget
- Junreox 24-Well Folding Palette with Lid — Best large palette with lid
- SEONHOKEEN 3-Piece Clear Palette Set — Best variety of sizes
- Tamaki 2-Pack Clear Palettes, 11.8 x 7.9 in — Best low-cost handheld pair
| Product | Best For | Key Spec | Key Strength | Price Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUGATO Clear Oval 2-Pack | Oil and acrylic mixing | 15.7 x 11.8 in, thumb hole | Largest open surface | $ |
| DUGATO 20-Well 2-Pack | Watercolor, gouache, classes | 10 x 13 in, 20 wells each | Two big well trays | $ |
| Sweaty Pony 20-Well | Budget well palette | 13 x 10 in, 8 square + 12 round wells | Light at 0.35 lb | $ |
| Junreox 24-Well with Lid | Watercolor travel and storage | Opens to 11.8 x 10.63 in, 24 wells, 5 mixing areas | Lid and brush compartment | $ |
| SEONHOKEEN 3-Piece | Families, multiple sizes | 11.8 x 9.8, 11.8 x 7.9, 9.8 x 5.9 in | Three palettes | $ |
| Tamaki 2-Pack | Beginners, handheld | 2 x 11.8 x 7.9 in | Rectangle and oval | $ |
How We Chose
We have not mixed paint on these palettes. Our picks are based on the Amazon listing details and specifications checked in October 2026, how well each palette’s dimensions, layout and material suit large-scale mixing, and how widely each product is reviewed by Amazon buyers.
Our criteria:
- Real size: at least about 11 inches on the long side; we left out a 6.7-inch round tray set that did not qualify as large.
- Usable mixing area: open fields for thick paint, or many wells plus mixing zones for fluid paint.
- Handling: thumb holes and light weight for easel painters; stable footprint for table painters.
- Surface: smooth, non-stick plastic or acrylic that rinses clean.
- Extras that matter: lids, brush storage and multi-packs for classrooms.
Flat Field or Wells: Which Large Palette Do You Need?
Oil and heavy-body acrylic hold their shape, so painters squeeze piles around the edge and mix with a knife or brush in the open center. For that, a large flat palette like the DUGATO oval or a clear rectangle gives the most room, and extra size means you can keep separate mixing zones for lights, darks and middle values.
Watercolor, gouache, fluid acrylic and tempera run. They need wells to keep colors apart and deeper mixing areas to hold washes. A large well palette keeps 20 or more colors separate while still providing room for big mixes. If you paint with both, many artists keep one of each.
Best Large Mixing Palettes Reviewed
1. DUGATO Clear Acrylic Oval Paint Palette, 2-Pack — Best Large Flat Palette for Oil and Acrylic
DUGATO’s oval measures 15.7 x 11.8 inches, the largest open mixing surface in this roundup. It is made of clear acrylic that the listing describes as lightweight, durable and not easy to scratch, with a polished curved thumb hole for holding it at the easel.
Transparency is useful: place a white or gray sheet underneath to match your canvas tone, or hold it near the painting to compare mixes. The listing says dried pigment comes off with hot water and a firm wipe. Remove the protective film from both sides first. Two palettes per pack lets you keep one for warm and one for cool mixes, or one clean for the next session.
Best suited for: Oil and acrylic painters who mix with a knife or brush, easel painters, and anyone who needs room for value-separated mixes.
Key features:
- Two oval palettes, 15.7 x 11.8 inches each
- Clear acrylic
- Polished curved thumb hole
- Non-stick surface per listing
- Protective film on both sides
Pros:
- Largest flat mixing area in this list
- Clear surface can be backed with any tone
- Two palettes per pack
Cons and limitations:
- No wells for fluid paints
- Acrylic plastic can scratch under metal knives with heavy use
- Large size is awkward on a small desk
Buying consideration: If you paint mostly oils or heavy-body acrylics, this is the palette to buy. Use a plastic or rounded knife to protect the surface.
2. DUGATO 20-Well Plastic Paint Palette, 2-Pack, 10 x 13 — Best Large Well Palette
The 20-well DUGATO tray is the well-based counterpart to the oval. Each palette is 10 x 13 inches with 20 individual wells, made of non-toxic white plastic that the listing says resists scratching and breaking while staying light enough to hold.
The brand lists it for acrylics, oils, watercolor, gouache and tempera, and says most paints rinse off under water. White plastic shows color accurately, and two trays per pack suit a home studio plus a classroom or group session.
Best suited for: Watercolor and gouache painters, art teachers, and acrylic painters who prefer separate wells.
Key features:
- Two palettes, 10 x 13 inches each
- 20 wells per palette
- Non-toxic white plastic
- Rinses clean with water per listing
Pros:
- Lots of wells for many colors
- Two palettes per pack
- White surface shows true color
Cons and limitations:
- Less open mixing area than a flat palette
- Plastic can stain with strong pigments
- No lid
Buying consideration: Best for painters who want everything organized. If you mix mostly thick paint, pair it with a flat palette.
3. Sweaty Pony 20-Well Square Palette, 13 x 10 — Best Single Large Well Tray on a Budget
Sweaty Pony’s palette is slightly larger than A4 at 13 x 10 inches and weighs only about 0.35 lb. Its 20 wells are a mix of 8 squares, 4 large circles and 8 small circles, which gives you small cups for pure color and bigger round spaces for mixing.
It is a single palette in the lowest price tier, a sensible way to try a large well layout before buying a multi-pack. The listing describes sturdy white plastic that washes clean quickly.
Best suited for: Students, hobby watercolorists, and anyone who wants a large well palette at low cost.
Key features:
- 13 x 10 inches
- 20 wells: 8 square, 4 large round, 8 small round
- About 0.35 lb
- White plastic, reusable
Pros:
- Low price tier
- Mixed well sizes for color and mixing
- Lightweight for holding
Cons and limitations:
- Single palette only
- Light weight can slide on a table
- Listing material field says acrylic while text says plastic
Buying consideration: A low-risk way to test whether you like a large well palette.
4. Junreox Large Watercolor Palette with Lid, 24 Wells — Best Large Palette with Lid
Junreox’s palette folds closed to 11.8 x 5.35 inches and opens flat to 11.8 x 10.63 inches. Inside are 24 deep wells, five mixing areas of different sizes, a compartment for travel-size brushes, five brush holes and a thumb hole.
The listing is clear that it is not airtight, so empty liquid paint or let it dry before packing. That makes it best for watercolor and gouache, which can dry in the wells and be rewetted later.
Best suited for: Watercolorists who squeeze tube paint into wells, gouache painters, and anyone who needs a large palette that closes.
Key features:
- 24 deep wells
- 5 mixing areas
- Opens to 11.8 x 10.63 inches, folds to 11.8 x 5.35
- Brush compartment, brush holes and thumb hole
- Not airtight
Pros:
- Lid protects dried paint between sessions
- Brush storage built in
- Most wells in this list
Cons and limitations:
- Not airtight; liquid paint can leak in transit
- Mixing areas smaller than a flat palette
- Best suited to water-based media
Buying consideration: Choose this if your large palette also needs to travel or store neatly.
5. SEONHOKEEN 3-Piece Clear Acrylic Palette Set — Best Variety of Sizes
SEONHOKEEN sells three transparent acrylic palettes: an 11.8 x 9.8 inch rectangle, an 11.8 x 7.9 inch oval and a 9.8 x 5.9 inch oval. The largest is a good size for most canvas work, while the smaller ones suit quick studies or a second painter.
Like other clear palettes, the protective paper must be peeled off both sides first. The listing describes a smooth, non-toxic surface that is easy to clean and reusable, and suggests it for oil, gouache, acrylic and watercolor mixing.
Best suited for: Families, parent-and-child painting, and painters who want a large palette plus smaller backups.
Key features:
- 3 palettes: 11.8 x 9.8, 11.8 x 7.9, 9.8 x 5.9 inches
- Clear acrylic
- Protective paper on both sides
- Listed for oil, acrylic, gouache and watercolor
Pros:
- Three sizes in one set
- Rectangle offers good flat mixing area
- Low price tier
Cons and limitations:
- Largest piece is smaller than the DUGATO oval
- No wells for runny paint
- Clear surface needs a backing for accurate color
Buying consideration: A flexible starter set. Serious oil painters will want the larger DUGATO oval as their main palette.
6. Tamaki 2-Pack Clear Acrylic Palettes, 11.8 x 7.9 — Best Low-Cost Handheld Pair
Tamaki’s pack includes one rectangular and one oval clear palette, each 11.8 x 7.9 inches with a thumb hole. They are made of transparent acrylic described as safe, non-toxic and smooth-edged.
They sit at the small end of “large,” but for canvases up to about 16 x 20 inches they offer enough open space for a limited palette. They are also light enough to toss in a bag for outdoor painting.
Best suited for: Beginners, outdoor painters and anyone who wants a bigger-than-standard palette for very little money.
Key features:
- 2 palettes, 11.8 x 7.9 inches each
- Rectangle and oval
- Thumb hole
- Clear acrylic, reusable
Pros:
- Lowest cost option
- Two shapes to try
- Portable
Cons and limitations:
- Smallest palettes in this list
- No wells
- Can scratch over time
Buying consideration: A good entry point. If you find yourself out of room, step up to the DUGATO oval.
Buying Guide: How to Choose a Large Mixing Palette
Bigger is not automatically better. These six factors decide whether a large palette makes your painting easier.
Match Size to Canvas and Habits
A palette around 12 x 9 inches suits canvases up to roughly 16 x 20. For larger canvases, big backgrounds, or painters who keep many piles of color, 13 x 10 to 16 x 12 inches gives room for separate mixing zones without crowding.
Flat Versus Well Layout
Thick paint suits an open field. Fluid paint suits wells. If you use both, buy one of each rather than compromising on a palette that does neither well.
Material: Clear Acrylic or White Plastic
Clear acrylic is rigid and lets you place a tone underneath, but it can scratch. White plastic shows color against a white ground and is less likely to crack, but strong pigments can stain it. Both clean with soap and water when paint is still wet.
Thumb Hole and Weight
If you stand at an easel, a thumb hole and light weight matter a lot. A 15-inch palette that is heavy or unbalanced will tire your arm. Table painters can ignore this and prioritize stability.
Lid and Storage
Watercolorists often leave paint to dry in wells for future sessions, so a lid like the Junreox design keeps dust off. Oil painters can cover a flat palette with plastic wrap or store it in the freezer to slow drying between sessions.
Multi-Packs
Two or three palettes let you separate warm and cool mixes, keep one clean for the next session, or share with a student. For classrooms, multi-packs reduce cost per painter.
Keep Your Large Palette Working
A large palette holds more paint, so it pays to keep that paint usable. See our guide on how to keep a paint palette from drying out, and when the session is over, how to clean a painting palette covers acrylic, plastic and glass surfaces.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying a huge palette for a small desk where it overhangs the edge.
- Choosing a flat palette for runny watercolor, which spreads everywhere.
- Scraping clear acrylic palettes with sharp metal knives.
- Leaving acrylic to dry on white plastic for days, which makes it harder to remove.
- Squeezing out too much paint because there is room for it, then wasting it.
- Packing a non-airtight palette with wet paint for travel.
FAQs
What size should a large mixing palette be?
Roughly 12 x 9 inches is a practical minimum for “large,” and 13 x 10 to 16 x 12 inches suits most studio painters. Choose bigger if you paint large canvases or mix many separate values.
Is a clear or white palette better for mixing?
White palettes show color accurately against a white canvas. Clear palettes are flexible because you can put white, gray or a toned sheet underneath to match your ground.
Can I use a large plastic palette for oil paint?
Yes. Plastic and acrylic palettes work with oils. Clean them with a rag and a solvent-free cleaner or soap, and avoid harsh solvents that can cloud acrylic plastic.
How do I keep paint from drying on a large palette?
For acrylic, mist regularly or use a wet palette. For oil, cover the palette with plastic wrap or a lid. Watercolor can simply dry and be rewetted later.
Do I need a palette with wells for watercolor?
Yes, in most cases. Watercolor is fluid, and wells keep colors separate while mixing areas hold washes.
How do I clean dried acrylic from a plastic palette?
Soak it in warm water, then peel or wipe off the softened paint. A plastic scraper helps on stubborn spots without scratching the surface.
Final Recommendation
For oil and acrylic painters who need space, the DUGATO clear oval 2-pack provides the most room to mix and hold at the easel. For watercolor, gouache and classrooms, the DUGATO 20-well trays are the most organized large option, with the Sweaty Pony 20-well as a lower-cost single.
Need a lid? The Junreox 24-well palette adds brush storage and a cover. For a mix of sizes, the SEONHOKEEN set is a flexible starter kit, and the Tamaki pair is the budget step up from a small palette.
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