Lets take a look at the difference between a painting knife and a palette knife.
The top three knives are painting knives and the bottom knife is a palette knife.
How do you recognise the difference?
Look at their blades and you will notice that the painting knives (top) have sharper points to enable the artist to paint detail. The palette knife (bottom) has a much broader blade and is normally used for mixing your paints.
Painting knife painting produces a unique freshness in a painting. In order to keep this "freshness" you need to:
1. Clean and wipe the blade carefully between applications and before picking up the colour you need next.
2. Apply the paint with the minimum of strokes. Don't be tempted to go over the previously applied strokes as this will only muddy your picture. Be decisive when placing the knife to the canvas!
3. Always mix your colours on the palette first before applying the paint to the canvas. Once applied it is not easily corrected.
4. Apply light (thin) layers of paint in the beginning and then leave the thick (heavy, impasto) until the last.
No brush strokes can equal the smooth application of the knife. Although it is not possible (for most) to paint relatively fine detail by knife it is, nevertheless, possible to give the impression of detail, especially if viewed from the correct viewing distance.
Once the knack of painting knife painting is grasped it is amazing just what can be achieved. An expert with the knife, and colour mixing, is able to produce stunning effects.
One thing the painting knife painting teaches us is "loose" painting. In many of our teaching videos we demonstrate the various knife painting techniques.
You may find it difficult at first, but he who perseveres to the end will definitely come out the winner!
Here is a close-up of a flower still life painted using the painting knife. Notice how the thickness of the petals forms it's own highlight and shadow.
