Artists’ Tools

Knives for Artwork

In many artistic endeavors there is a need to cut precisely and easily.  In each media there is a knife that will lend a helping hand.  All you have to know is which knife is best designed to do a specific task.  Following are some informal guidelines on knives and their uses.  You will see that some knives are multi-purpose while others have very special applications.

Probably the most commonly used knife and one of the most important tools in an artists’ cache is an X-Acto knife with a sharp pointed blade and simple handle.  This tool can be useful in dozens of important ways.  Because the blade is interchangeable, it represents a media-crossing tool, being very helpful in everything from painting to mat cutting to framing.  The common pointed blade is excellent for sizing art materials of all kinds.  With care, an X-Acto knife can cut through thick, dense materials like backing board, illustration board and the like.  With multiple passes and pressure, you can even cut through lightweight Masonite.  This is particularly helpful to panel artists who wish to size and shape their own materials. 

The point on any blade can be useful in the removal of an “oops” or unwanted line or paint stroke.  Watercolorists, acrylic and pen and ink artists all benefit from having a sharp blade in their paint box.  When working on paper, a blade (sharp new razor blade, X-Acto, snap blade cutter, even box cutter) works great to lightly abrade the surface of the paper.  After gentle scraping with the tip of the blade, use an eraser to remove the disturbed fibers from the paper and then repair the area.  Printmakers also use this technique but usually to pick away tiny specs of ink inadvertently left behind on prints.

Printmaking is done from a master “plate” in some techniques.  This plate can be made of wood, foam, rubber, wax, eraser, linoleum or a variety of other materials.  The knife you use greatly depends on the material from which you wish to create your master.  Lino knives are specially designed tips that fit into a handle, each creating different shapes in the carving process.  These same tips are great for eraser and rubber.  In the case of wood, you can use one of the special knife tips from a wood carving set.  You might also consider using lino knives on a wood master if the wood is soft or the carving is limited.  Special carving blades with sturdy handles are important tools for printmakers.  They value their collections and keep the blades clean, sharpening them often. 

Mat cutting can be done with almost any sharp blade that has an attached handle.  Use pressure and repeated cuts in the same “track” to cut clean edges in the window of your mats.  Straight cuts are the easiest, although with practice you can learn ways to create beveled windows, even with simple handheld cutting knives.  Never avoid mat cutting because you don’t have special expensive equipment.  It is very possible to cut beautiful straight-cut windows with a $2 knife and a metal straight edge.  Be brave; do it.

Crafting often calls for precision cutting and a good handheld cutter is very useful.  Paper can be cut into shapes, templates can be cut around and string, ribbon or yarns can be cut with a blade.  Leathers often need cutting with blades because of their hard, thick nature.  When cutting thick materials, one should use repeated passes with the blade, rather than attempting to cut through in one pass.  The resulting cut will be clean and easy if you use a bit of care in how you hold and use the blade.

Scrapbook and collage artisans can benefit from careful use of a sharp blade when cutting the multitudes of papers they work with.  The edges of paper cut with a knife are not ragged or deckled; they are clean and precise.  Long strips, ribbon shapes and exact duplicates (created with a stack and cut technique) are easy when you employ a sharp blade.

You have noticed that the word “sharp” is often mentioned in the description of the blade recommended for all the art methods.   Even though these blades represent a possible danger to the user, the sharper the blade, the easier it is to do the job you are attempting.  A dull blade will mean you must use more pressure and more cuts to achieve the quicker results of a sharp one.  There is a much higher chance of a slip with a dull blade and that could mean an injury.

Rolling cutters are great for straight paper cutting.  They are round blades, either on a handle or in a tabletop cutter.  As you draw the wheel across the paper, the cutter rolls and cuts it—very safe and very easy.  They are, however, limited to paper cutting.  Thick materials such as mat board or cardboard will ruin the blade.

Whether you choose safety razor blades, an X-Acto knife, a snap-blade knife, special printmaker carving blades, rolling cutters or another cutting device, there is one you will learn to love.  The wide spectrum of applications makes blades invaluable to all creative people.  Explore the cutter aisle in your local art supply store and you will discover one just right for you.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 17 No. 6 — April 2007