Erasing Techniques

Here is a 2 minute video on a few very simple techniques and tools for good erasing..

Neatness

A basic part of the TGF assignment is neatness. Keeping your work area clean and free from greasy foods, toddlers, and the occasional muddy paw prints is a start. Others are drawing with a light touch, and learning to use an eraser to clean things up.

I require you to have a quality eraser during this project. An old eraser is worse than no eraser at all if it leaves colored smudges when you use it. Get rid of old erasers, especially those that fit over the ends of regular pencils. A quality eraser will stay fresh for years.

If you are into drawing with graphite or charcoal as an artist, an eraser is a great drawing tool in itself. You "draw" highlights with it over a darkened paper. Beautiful images can be produced by completely filling in an entire sheet of paper with rich black charcoal, then using the eraser to magically bring out the scene.

Simple Techniques

During the TGF Project, there are two simple erasing techniques I want you to learn:

Draw lines lightly because they erase almost flawlessly compared to heavy lines. Make an erasing shield from a scrap of paper. You can then use a big clunky eraser to remove graphite precisely and aggressively in seconds. You can also buy specialized metal erasing shields and fancy pen-like eraser tools if you want, though they are not necessary for class. Below are images of a few non-required erasing tools that you may find useful. The metal erasing shield is less than $2, and the refillable eraser is about $4.