Types of palette knives: how to choose?

For both novice and experienced artists, a palette knife can be a vital tool in the artistic toolbox. This straightforward tool’s versatility lets you add texture, blend colors, and produce original effects on canvas. However, did you know that palette knives come in a variety of styles, each intended for a particular purpose?

Your painting experience can be greatly impacted by selecting the appropriate palette knife. Knowing the different types of palette knives available can help you achieve the desired results in your artwork, whether your goal is to create delicate details or bold strokes.

This guide will examine the various kinds of palette knives, their distinguishing characteristics, and advice on how to choose the best one to improve your creative process. Let’s get started and determine which palette knife will work best for you.

Features

The term "palette knife" originates from an Italian word meaning "spatula," as this type of artistic instrument resembles a tiny spatula or even a knife. Professionals typically actively use this tool when working with oil or acrylic paints, but watercolorists have recently shown a slight interest in palette knives. Such a spatula serves a variety of purposes, including blending paints on the palette, cleaning it of pigment, scraping extra paint off the canvas, and painting without the need for a brush at all.

It should be noted that the latter technique is becoming increasingly popular, since the result is quite different from classical painting. Of course, the shape of the design does not imply the painting of fine details, but due to the absence of inevitable blurring of paints when using a brush, the palette knife gives a strikingly bright and saturated color. Another characteristic feature of paintings done with a palette knife is their expressive texture, which traditionally turns two-dimensional painting into a three-dimensional picture a little. Of course, professionals do not paint a serious picture in any one technique and use a palette knife in combination with classic brush strokes. An artistic spatula is used for large forms in the foreground or middle ground with an emphasized, pronounced texture. This includes architectural objects, waves on the water, rocky landscapes and other relevant topics.

It is possible that palette knives were widely used by artists back in the Renaissance, but then they were perceived more as an auxiliary tool for working with a palette, rather than as a substitute for a brush. The modern understanding of the role of a spatula in painting spread only in the last century, when literally everyone began to paint with it, but even earlier, some famous artists gradually used it to apply paint to canvas. Among the outstanding masters who at least occasionally used this technique, we should highlight Titian, Francisco Goya, Gustave Courbet and Paul Cezanne. The artists themselves note that learning to paint with a spatula is not so difficult, and it can be used both in combination with a brush and independently of it.

The new painting technique may initially seem inconvenient to individuals who have long been used to working only with a brush, but the possibilities it offers are worthwhile to explore.

It’s crucial to comprehend the various types of palette knives and their functions when selecting one for your kids’ art projects. Palette knives are available in a variety of sizes and shapes, and each is ideal for a particular painting technique, such as applying thick layers of paint or blending colors. You can encourage your child’s creativity and make sure they have the appropriate tool for their artistic needs by making the right choice.

Types of artistic spatulas

Like most modern products, palette knives are divided into several types according to certain qualities. A professional artist, first of all, is concerned with the classification by the method of application, since it plays a huge role in the choice of tool. Initially, spatulas of this type were intended for working with a palette, and these days they, of course, have not gone anywhere. Mastikhin for the palette is a flat tool that has no bend near the handle. The edge of such a spatula is necessarily sharpened, because with its help the artist removes dried paint from the palette. This shape is also convenient for mixing paints on the surface of the palette, and for removing excess oil from the canvas.

Palette knives directly for painting are distinguished by a special curve, which increases the accuracy of working with the canvas. The blade of such a tool is usually elastic, which contributes to a softer application of paint to the base. The variety of spatulas of the actual artistic direction is quite large: first of all, they differ in size, which makes it easier to adapt to different canvas sizes. The width of the blade also varies: a narrow tip is distinguished by increased flexibility and is closer in essence to a brush, while wide tools are better suited for giving relief to large objects. At the same time, the exact shape of the spatula can represent the most unexpected figures to achieve the complex goals facing the master. Palette knives can also vary in the material they are made from. Handles are made from any convenient materials, including ordinary wood and plastic, as well as more exotic ones – bone and glass.

The anticipated metal and the somewhat unexpected plastic are the only materials appropriate for the blade. Metal spatula blades are standard and traditional; they bend well, but occasionally their quality may be compromised by specific alloys that cause oil paints to oxidize. Stainless steel palette knives are particularly well-liked among metal palette knives because moisture does not affect them.

The only use for artistic spatulas made of plastic is in painting mixing; they break easily and are not worth the money in the long run. Only choose them if you want to give this painting technique a try.

Selection criteria

Professional artists with ample drawing experience, who can consult with other artists for guidance, typically select a palette knife on their own; however, a novice will undoubtedly require guidance on selecting an appropriate spatula. Purchasing a plastic version is a better option for a sort of "test run" because it is less expensive, and the novice may not be certain that he will enjoy using this method. A beginner may also find it difficult to choose a blade shape because there are so many artistically produced variations available.

Experts advise trying on a teardrop-shaped, geometrically correct blade (on both, not just one), and then deciding on more unusual options only after that.

• to protect the canvas from mechanical damage, it is worth choosing rounded blades;
• removing excess paint, which in itself is a separate technique, allows a sharpened blade;
• the texture is best conveyed if a palette knife with an oval blade was used to create it;
• if there is a need to draw clear lines, you cannot do without a geometrically correct blade;
• palette knives with a particularly complex blade shape are needed only by professionals who have already mastered the principles of working with simpler options.

In addition, consider the product’s quality and handle’s everyday convenience when selecting a tool, in addition to the intended creative impact. Despite the product’s apparent simplicity, there are a few factors that set superior products apart from inferior ones:

• The blade of a palette knife will never be as elastic as the bristles of a brush, but a springy tip is considered a sign of a good artistic tool.
• The spatula consists of only two parts – a handle and a blade, and it is very important for the artist that they are connected to each other as securely as possible. The slightest wobble or, even worse, scrolling can ruin a real masterpiece, and as we know, it is difficult to fix an oil painting.
• An artist"s tool should be an extension of his hand – it should fit comfortably in the palm of his hand. The presence of any defects in the handle is unacceptable, and wood processing blots in the form of potential splinters are a real shame for the manufacturer of such a product.

Making the correct palette knife choice can have a significant impact on your creative process, regardless of whether you’re painting or baking. With so many varieties available, choosing the best one for your needs is made easier by being aware of their unique applications.

Select a form and material that best suit your intended use for the palette knife based on whether it will be used for spreading, mixing, or adding texture. While bakers might prefer a sturdy, wide option for smoother finishes, artists will often find that a flexible metal blade is the most versatile.

In the end, experimenting with the distinct qualities of various palette knives will help you identify the ideal tool for your projects and personal style.

Video on the topic

6 basic techniques for working with a palette knife.

Painting with a palette knife – How to choose a palette knife. Georgy Kharchenko

Top 5 techniques with a palette knife

Which palette knife to buy?

How to choose the right palette knife

You DO NOT NEED THESE PALETTE KINS. Artist Alexandra Chernaya

Palette knife. Which one to choose?

How to choose a palette knife, what shapes there are and what to look for when choosing?