How to prolong the life of acrylic paints?

I have some colors already mixed in a palette, and I just want to know how I can [inexpensively] keep them for the longest period of time between painting sessions? Thanks!How to prolong the life of acrylic paints?
Get an air-tight palette. These can be expensive ($15 for a large one), or you could also get a flat tupperware container, so long as it's got short walls and an air-tight lid.


Next, get some paper towels and soak them with water. Make sure that they're in the base of your ';palette'; (container) when you do this. You want them really wet, but you can still drain excess water.


Finally, here's the last of the art supplies you'll need: at art stores you can buy Design Vellum-- get the bright-orange pad made by Clearprint. MUST BE 100% NEW COTTON FIBER! Use this as your palette. When you put a sheet of this vellum paper on (which this is expensive too, but it will last you a LONG TIME, so what money you're spending on this you're saving on paints)-- place it on your wet paper towels and make sure that when you squish them down, they become damp from water seeping THROUGH them (not necessarily over the edges, that means you have too much water if it's overflowing). Now... use this as your paint palette, and whenever you're done painting, seal it up. Every week or so (or when it's not feeling very damp anymore) pick up the corners and add a little more water until it's good and moist again.


One downfall to this? The longer you keep your paints this way, the moldier they'll get. Yes, it'll get moldy. I suggest cutting off all excess edges of the vellum so that only the paper towels are covered, without any extra flapping onto the walls of your palette/container. Don't add water every day, it'll only mold faster-- yes, you'll have to change out your palette eventually because if you're like me, it will become completely caked in paint... but, they'll last weeks, maybe months if you make your palettes this way... good luck :DHow to prolong the life of acrylic paints?
One thing to add to all the above; Acrylic paint stored in a small sealed one oz container will stay fresh and usable longer than that same amount of paint spread out on a palette where there is more surface exposed to the air. 35 mm.film cans were so good to store mixed up paint but now they are almost as rare as buggy whips. Keep a spray mister bottle on hand and use liberally while painting.
I put my acrylics in containers with snap lids and also mix in a ';retarder medium'; which will keep it from setting for a while, but you should use it the next day or mmmmaybe 2 days. Acrylic is unforgivable and will set very fast.
I've got a stay wet palette. It works for me, paint stays wet for 2 or 3 days. Try one . Good Luck
The best thing you can do is to stop any air from hitting it. If its in a pan cover it with saran wrap or something.
Saran wrap them right on the pallet. It will help to put a wet paper towel over the paints under the plastic wrap if you can.