Palette Knives

Palette knives are suitable for mixing color, transferring paint, applying impasto and creating sharp edges or scraped textures.

Shape and springiness determine the movement

A long narrow knife creates stripes and edges, a wide teardrop shape moves larger amounts of paint and an offset handle keeps fingers off the wet surface. Flexible steel blades follow the cloth and spring back; stiffer plastic variants are light and useful for mixing or less aggressive surfaces.

Use without damaging the canvas

Glide the flat blade over the paint and avoid a sharp point from catching on the stretched canvas. Remove thick paint immediately and clean according to the medium used. Use separate blades for delicate color mixing and check edges for burrs before working on a smooth surface.

Also explore Palettes · Acrylic Paint · Oil Paint for compatible materials and the next step in your project.