Palette Knife Painting: Deep Impasto

GETTING STARTED

PALETTE & PAINTING KNIVES

Palette Knife or Painting Knife? Which One Do I Need?

Let’s start at the beginning and distinguish between a palette knife and a painting knife. A palette knife is more like a spatula, or a baker’s knife, with a long, large blade that attaches to a handle. Palette knives are used mostly for spreading larger areas of paint.

A painting knife has a skinny, cranked neck where it attaches to the handle, to help keep paint off your fingers and to allow more maneuverability. It’s also usually smaller than a palette knife. Painting knives are used for more detailed work and are my main tool. The better-known term palette knife is often used for both.

TYPES & CARE

Purchase a knife with a flexible but sturdy ...