What Is A Mahl Stick Used For

They are one of those iconic artistic props akin to a floppy beret and painter s smock both i blushingly admit to owning myself.

What is a mahl stick used for.

What is a mahl stick. In this article you will learn how to build your own mahl stick. But don t underestimate this ubiquitous little branch of cliché. The art of painting by johannes vermeer portrait of eva gonzalez by edouard manet self portrait by sofonisba anguissola utilizing a mahl stick.

Painting on an easel the vertical position of the canvas makes it difficult to paint small details. The resting end of the mahl stick is padded so as to ensure there is no damage to the glass or canvas which is being used to create the painting. The mahl stick is an essential tool for the professional painter. Rest the soft ball end of the stick on the edge of the canvas some artists even have a ledge for their mahl stick to slide along or on a part of the painting.

Mahlstick definition a stick with a padded tip used to support an artist s working hand. This is useful for both right and left handed people. It is used as an aid in painting particularly in oil painting because it takes so long to dry. Users appreciate that the wood comes pre oiled hence lasting for a long time without any worries.

This is because the hand is not used to being suspended in the air. A mahl stick is a stick or thin pole that is about 1 meter 3 feet in length with a ball shaped pad at one end. Using a mahl stick can be somewhat tricky but with practice it can be a helpful tool. Loxley mahl stick painters rest at amazon for 16 99.