DIY Palette Table

The painters palette is a classic symbol of art and creativity. You can make a tabletop in the shape of a painters palette as a whimsical feature within a room. This type of table is ideal for a child's room or play room. A painter's palette table can be used as a table for arts and crafts projects. The curved asymmetrical shape of the palette tabletop with splashes of mixed colors will free your children to explore their artistic talents and creativity. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Place the plywood panel on a work surface. Draw the shape of a painters palette on a the 24-by-48-inch side of the plywood that is facing up using a flexible curve ruler and pencil. A palette is circular or oval shaped with a thumb hole and curved cut out on one side so that it can be comfortably held in one hand. It resembles a stack of cards that is fanned out in a circular shape.

2

Draw an 8-inch diameter thumb hole circle for the palette design onto the surface of the plywood using a compass.

3

Saw around the pencil line on the plywood panel using a jigsaw. Guide the saw along the pencil line just fast enough to allow the blade to cut through the plywood until the cut is complete.

4

Drill a 1/2-inch diameter hole through the drawn thumb hole using a drill equipped with a 1/2-inch bit. Slide the jigsaw blade through the hole in the plywood and saw out the circle with the jigsaw.

5

Sand the cut edges of the plywood panel with a fine-grit sanding pad until they are smooth.

6

Wipe off the surface of the plywood with a tack cloth to clean off the sanding dust. Paint a few dabs of color randomly onto the palette with craft paint using a craft paintbrush to make it look like a real painters palette filled with paint colors ready to apply to the canvas. Partially mix some of the colors together as you brush them on to simulate a painter's mixing work in progress. There is no wrong way to place the colors onto the palette since each artist uses her palette differently. Allow the craft paint to dry for 24 hours.

7

Spray the plywood palette tabletop with an even coat of spray lacquer and allow it to dry for four hours. Apply a second coat and wait 24 hours before continuing with the project.

8

Turn the plywood palette tabletop over so that the painted dabs of color are facing down. Place one table leg in each approximate corner of the palette shape. Since the a painters palette isnt a symmetrical shape, you will need to space the legs where the approximate corners would be for an aesthetically pleasing and balanced table.

9

Drive the screws that were included with the table legs through the mounting holes into the bottom of the tabletop with a screw gun. Turn the table over and stand it upright.