Blades
STIFFNESS
ACRYLIC
WATERCOLOR
OIL
Catalyst™ by Princeton • Tools that move paint
Not quite a brush. Not quite a palette knife. Catalyst™ tools are crafted from flexible silicone to allow artists a new form of expression. Available in two unique styles: Catalyst™ Wedges are ergonomically designed to fit in your hand allowing a direct interaction with your work. Catalyst™ Blades are mounted on artist brush handles offering a blend of tradition and innovation.
Designed for use with heavy-bodied paints, Catalyst™ is at home with oils, acrylics, and water-miscible oils. Because they are heat-resistant, they excel with encaustics. Artists are using them with plaster, clay, and even frosting. Made of FDA-approved silicone, Catalyst™ Blades and Wedges are great for food crafting.
Clean-up is a breeze with Catalyst™ Blades and Wedges. The silicone is easy to wipe clean and is solvent resistant. Clean up in most cases can be done with mild soap and water. Dried paint can be peeled off the silicone surface. Catalyst™ blades can even be separated from their wood handles for cleaning and easily replaced when dry.
Catalyst™ Features
- Works well with all mediums
- Use for painting, encaustics, ceramics, and food crafting
- Solvent-resistant, heat-resistant, and easy to clean
The Catalyst Wedges are definitely something that I recommend all artists to try,regardless of medium or style. They are the best tool invented for artists since the painting knife! I use painting knives quite a lot in my work but have found Princeton’s Wedges to be a favorite. Their silicone construction makes them more responsive to pressure than metal knives. They are designed ergonomically to fit the hand, and they feel good to hold — very secure. And you can use any side of the wedge you want; in contrast, a painting knife has only one edge.
I can use the sharp edge to either cut through layers of paint or scrape back passages with ease. I use them to drag color across the surface of the canvas to create bold blocks of color, especially where I don’t want the hair texture of a brush to show. It’s a great tool for tree trunks! For me, Catalyst Wedges provide another tool for mark-making, which is a big signature of my work. I work in watercolor sometimes when developing a study for one of my paintings, and I use them to scrape back through the watercolor to provide texture and drama. My favorite shapes are number 1 and number 6.
