Painting knives

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	Painting Knives Palette knives:- have a solid blade from handle to tip and the tang/tongue (insert) should extend completely through the handle. The blade is usually forged steel and flexible. The handle is made of hardwood and the blade is usually straight. They are designed to be used for mixing paint and cleaning the palette. (see examples above) Painting knives:- traditionally have a narrow cranked arm to the blade as shown in the examples below, this allows them to be flexible, light in weight and helps to keep the knuckles of the hand, out of the paint, when in use. The blade is forged steel tempered along it's full length giving flexible stiffness, with the tang extending through the handle. The edges of the blade should not be too sharp, a blunt, smooth edge is often the easiest to work with, if it appears too sharp, dull/blunt it by rubbing on fine 'wet and dry' emery paper, then test by picking paint up from a palette, it should cut through the paint with a smooth feel against the palette. Painting knives are used for applying paint to canvas, especially where an impasto effect is required. Very useful where a straight edge is needed or a sharply defined line. It is best to keep the knife clean between applications of paint this helps to reduce muddying the colours. Paint applied without too much mixing is very effective. Try and develop a light touch. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the ones shown below are pear shaped and trowel shaped, probably the most useful to start with is the trowel shape. Knife selection courtesy of Daler-Rowney All manner of other useful types of blades can be tried, a wide selection can be found in the 'clay modelling' section of an art shop, from spatulas to wire tools. Try experimenting with household tools you have on hand, the main thing to remember is that the edge of the blade needs to be blunt, otherwise there is the risk of cutting the canvas. There is a Free E-Book available on my personal site at Art-E-Books
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