Palette Knives and Painting Palettes: How to Choose and Use Them

Every painter needs somewhere to mix colours and something to mix them with. This guide explains the palette knife and the painting palette: which mixing tray or palette suits watercolour, acrylic or oil, how to choose a knife shape, and how to use a knife for clean mixing and textured strokes.

Types of painting palette

• Mixing trays with wells: small cups hold separate colours and keep watery paint from running together. Good for watercolour, gouache and acrylic.
• Flat palettes with a thumb hole: you hold them in one hand while painting at an easel, with space to mix larger amounts.
• Wooden palettes: the traditional choice for oil painting. A smooth wooden surface is pleasant for mixing thick paint with a knife.

Palettes and mixing trays we stock

• Mixing Tray with Thumb Hole (about 22.5 × 17.5cm): our most popular palette, with a thumb hole so you can hold it while you paint.
• Mixing Tray, 14 holes, oval: plenty of wells for watercolour, acrylic and gouache.
• Mont Marte Oval Plastic Palette: an oval palette with wells, easy to clean.
• Wooden palettes in rectangle shapes: 23.5 × 29.5cm and 20 × 30cm, for oil painting and thick paint.

Palette knife shapes and sets

A palette knife has a flexible blade with no sharp edge. Some are flat like a small spatula; others are trowel-shaped, with a bent neck that keeps your hand out of the paint. Different blade shapes make different marks, so a set of five is a good way to start.

• Artist Palette Knife in type A, B or C: a single knife if you know the shape you want.
• Wooden handle Palette Knife Set (5 pcs) and MEEDEN Palette Knife Set with 5 assorted shapes.
• Artist Palette Knife Set, 5 pcs (light set): five knives in a lighter style.
• Small Plastic Palette Knife Set (5 pcs): safer than metal knives, so a good choice for children and classrooms.

Prices change, so see each product page for today’s price. Browse all other artists’ materials.

How to use a palette knife

1. Mixing: put two colours on the palette, then fold them together with the flat of the knife, scraping and pressing until the colour is even. Wipe the blade before picking up the next colour.
2. Spreading: load paint on the underside of the blade and drag it across the canvas for a flat, smooth patch.
3. Texture (impasto): press the knife into thick paint and lift it away to leave ridges and peaks.
4. Fine lines: load a little paint on the edge of the blade and touch it to the canvas for crisp lines, such as branches or grass.
5. Scraping back: scrape wet paint away to reveal the layer underneath.

Palette knife painting works well with acrylic and oil paint. See our acrylic paint guide and our oil colours guide.

Cleaning and care

• Clean acrylic paint off palettes and knives before it dries. Dry acrylic is much harder to remove.
• For oil paint, wipe the palette and knife with a rag, then clean with a little solvent or oil.
• Wipe a knife dry after washing it to keep the blade in good condition.
• Before using a new wooden palette for oils, many painters rub in a thin coat of linseed oil and let it dry, so the wood doesn’t soak up paint.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a palette knife instead of a brush?

Yes. Many artists paint whole pictures with a knife, especially landscapes and textured pieces. Most painters use both.

Which palette is good for watercolour?

A tray with wells, so watery colours stay separate. White plastic also shows your mixes clearly.

Are plastic palette knives any good?

Yes, for mixing and simple texture. They are a safer choice for children; metal knives are thinner and more flexible for fine work.

Do you deliver islandwide?

Yes. We deliver across Sri Lanka in 2–5 working days, with cash on delivery, card or bank transfer. You can also visit our shops in Boralesgamuwa and Horana, open every day from 9 AM to 6 PM.

Not sure what to choose? WhatsApp the Haanz team on 0711 515 515 and we’ll help you pick a palette and knives for the way you paint.

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