A malhstick is a long stick with a round resting surface at the end. Painters use this to support their hand holding the brush. But why use one in figurative painting? Because this wonderful instrument prevents your hand from touching the painting surface. That means you are able to paint images and objects with more precision and expertise.
Have you ever tried to paint on a vertical surface at the same time attempting to rest a part of your hand on it. It is hard. You probably had a hard time bending your hand far back enough to provide the details needed in your figurative oil or watercolor.
That’s where that handy mahlstick comes to the rescue. You can rest the padded end of the stick on the canvas while resting your hand on the middle of the stick.
This will change the painting surface of the canvas. Plus you will have more control of your painting/drawing hand. If you read about painters like Jan Vermeer ,Marie Victorie Lemoine, and Ray Horner Jr, ,just to name a few, They were noted for using a mahlstick.
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