Abstract: A painter's palette is disclosed having a mixing area large enough to support the artist's color mixing needs with recessed paint troughs formed or attached to either side of the mixing area to store the various daubs of artist paint, separate the daubs from the main mixing surface, facilitate clean up of the mixing area, minimize the surface area of paint exposed to air, protect the user's sleeves and hands from paint daub contact, add structural integrity to the palette and support the palette at a reasonable distance above a flat surface to facilitate handling of the palette. Trough end caps or closed trough ends facilitate submerging paint daubs in the troughs in water. A centralized opening for the thumb or finger makes left and right hand use possible. The palette preferably has a medium color value or is white to allow the user to judge and facilitate the mixing of paint colors.