Knife Painting

What is painting with a palette knife called? Palette knife painting is a term used to describe the impasto technique of applying paint to canvas using a painting knife. 19th-century master painter Vincent van Gogh is one artist who was known to use the method.

A painting knife is an artist’s tool with a flexible steel blade used to apply paint to the canvas. It has a pointed tip, lowered or “cranked” like a trowel, suited for painting on canvas.

The blade can be of different lengths and shapes : triangular, rectangular or more diamond like.

A painting knife is different from a palette knife which has a straight wide blade and a rounded tip, better suited for mixing paints on the palette.

What is the difference between palette knife and painting knife?

The purpose of the palette knife is to mix colors or clean the surface of the palette. On the other hand, a painting knife has a deep bend in the handle that keeps the artist’s knuckles out of the paint. As its name indicates, a painting knife is used for actual painting.

Below you can see 3 of my paintings using this technique
 

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