Painting knife

Painting knives

A painting knife is an artist's tool with a flexible steel blade used to apply and manipulate paint directly on the canvas. They are manufactured in a variety of styles and sizes. Blades can be long and thin, triangular, rectangular or diamond shaped. Handles are either straight or offset like a trowel.[1]

A painting knife differs from a palette knife which is used for mixing paint on a pallet, sheet of glass or slab. Their slender and limber blades usually have either a tapered or rounded tip. Tangs are straight or angled to keep fingers from touching the paint.[1]

Mixing paints on the palette
Painting knife
Still life painted with painting knife
  1. ^ a b "Mayer, Ralph. "The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques." London: Faber, 1991. p 546".