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| Use a painting knife to scrape off excess pastel |
Wait—aren't you confusing the medium? No, I'm not. Most people think a knife is used only for oil or acrylic painting, but I also use one when I'm working in pastel. For me, it's just another tool, like an eraser or blender.
In fact, I use it for both purposes. I use it to:
- Scrape off pastel that is too thick (with the edge or tip)
- Blend pastel (with the flat side)
- Push pastel into the surface so it sticks better (with the flat side)
- Add textural marks (with the edge or tip)
Painting knives come in many forms—long, short, fat, wide, tapered, straight. I prefer a small, trowel-shaped one. You might find a different shape suited to your style.
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| Use a painting knife to push pastel into the surface |
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| Use a painting knife to add textural marks |
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| Use a painting knife to blend pastel |