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Palette knife painting

The painting knife, or palette knife, as it is often called, has been a part of painter's tools for many centuries. Originally, it wasn't used to apply paint or to produce impastos but to mix pigments, to superimpose one layer of paint over another to modify it appearance or to remove excess paint from the canvas. Consisting of a curved handle and a flexible steel blade, its shape is comparable to that of a small trowel. It was during the Renaissance that the palette knife began to be used for something other than its original purpose and that artists started to use it to paint. Before that, painters sought to create a realistic and therefore smooth result. But artists such as Rembrandt, Titian or Fragonard noticed that scraping paint to create impasto helped to create eye-catching texture, relief and light.

Gustave Courbet is well-known for having brought palette knives back into fashion in the 19th century, a pivotal period when the art of painting, and art in general, underwent many changes and transformations. He was followed by the Impressionists and the modern painters (Monet, Van Gogh, Turner, etc) who used it to create thick impastos. Impressionists were particularly keen on this tool which was well-suited to the way in which they sought to represent light realistically, as our eyes see it. The invention of the easel and paint tubes allowed them to leave their workshops and to paint outside, enabling them to depict the shimmering reflections of water and the ever changing nature. They applied paint quickly in small thin strokes on the canvas and created texture using the knife. To create this effect, they used oil paint and acrylic, working them as little as possible so as to ensure their thick, dense appearance.

On Artsper, find works by Aude Herlédan and Judith HM, amongst others who have transcribed the use of the palette knife in unique ways in their contemporary practice!

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Painting, La régate, Frank De Blok

La régate

Frank De Blok

Painting - 15 x 25 x 2 cm Painting - 5.9 x 9.8 x 0.8 inch

$308

Painting, La Nature, ShuJie Wang

La Nature

ShuJie Wang

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$534

Painting, NYC, Daniel Castan

NYC

Daniel Castan

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

$4,152

Painting, Sans titre 89, Guntduth

Sans titre 89

Guntduth

Painting - 65 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$475 $332

Painting, Les mats, Frank De Blok

Les mats

Frank De Blok

Painting - 25 x 15 x 2 cm Painting - 9.8 x 5.9 x 0.8 inch

$297

Painting, Coquelicot N°1, SAB

Coquelicot N°1

SAB

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,780

Painting, Coquelicots N°6 rose, SAB

Coquelicots N°6 rose

SAB

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,780

Painting, Coquelicots N°8, SAB

Coquelicots N°8

SAB

Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$2,373

Painting, Coquelicots N°10, SAB

Coquelicots N°10

SAB

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,780

Painting, Coquelicots N°5, SAB

Coquelicots N°5

SAB

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,780

Painting, Coquelicots N°8 rose, SAB

Coquelicots N°8 rose

SAB

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,780

Painting, In my world, Gillian Brin

In my world

Gillian Brin

Painting - 80 x 80 x 5 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 2 inch

$534

Painting, le cri, Lucie Emmanuelle

le cri

Lucie Emmanuelle

Painting - 160 x 130 x 1 cm Painting - 63 x 51.2 x 0.4 inch

$5,339

Painting, Lianes 4, Corinne Foucouin

Lianes 4

Corinne Foucouin

Painting - 55 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 21.7 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch

$1,186

Painting, Passage, Corinne Foucouin

Passage

Corinne Foucouin

Painting - 38 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 15 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch

$949

Painting, Bocage, Agnès Cellérier

Bocage

Agnès Cellérier

Painting - 27 x 41 x 2 cm Painting - 10.6 x 16.1 x 0.8 inch

$400

Painting, Arbres, Agnès Cellérier

Arbres

Agnès Cellérier

Painting - 35 x 24 x 2 cm Painting - 13.8 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch

$299

Painting, Ouessant, Corinne Foucouin

Ouessant

Corinne Foucouin

Painting - 46 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,186

Painting, Escapade, Corinne Foucouin

Escapade

Corinne Foucouin

Painting - 54 x 81 x 2 cm Painting - 21.3 x 31.9 x 0.8 inch

$1,957

Painting, PLUMES, Khatis

PLUMES

Khatis

Painting - 60 x 60 x 4.5 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.8 inch

$949

Painting, Hameau, Corinne Foucouin

Hameau

Corinne Foucouin

Painting - 46 x 55 x 2 cm Painting - 18.1 x 21.7 x 0.8 inch

$1,186

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