Erasers can be used to correct mistakes; however, they can also be used as a drawing tool.
Erasers can lift highlights, blend existing marks from the drawing surface, or can be used to create textural effects. Erasers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Kneadable, gum and plastic vinyl erasers are the three most common types.
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| Kneaded Eraser |
Kneaded Erasers
Have a plastic consistency and are familiar to most artists' standard toolkits. Great for removing graphite, pencil, charcoal, or pastel pencils in subtractive drawing techniques
Kneaded erasers can be shaped for precision erasing and creating highlights. They can be pulled into a point for erasing small areas and tight detail erasing, molded into a textured surface and used like a reverse stamp to give texture, or used in a "blotting" manner to lighten lines or shading without completely erasing them.
Over time, they gradually lose their efficacy and resilience as they become infused with particles picked up from erasing and their environment. Clean them by simply stretching them over and over.
Videos
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| Gum Erasers |
Gum Erasers
Gum erasers are great for graphite. They keep the graphite from smearing on the paper. However, they do break up a bit and leave behind some dust.
They are less expensive than most erasers because they are made from synthetic rubber, and some from synthetic soy-based gum. However, they are more costly than specialized erasers made from vinyl, plastic, or gum-like materials.
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| Vinyl |
Vinyl Erasers
For erasing pencils from paper and vellum and drafting film. White vinyl or quality plasticized vinyl or other "plastic" erasers, originally trademarked Mylar in the mid-20th century, are softer, non-abrasive, and cleaner than standard rubber erasers.
This was because the removed graphite did not remain on the eraser as much as rubber erasers but was absorbed into the discarded vinyl scraps. They were softer and non-abrasive and less likely to damage canvas or paper. They often come in white and can be found in various shapes.
In Tube or Small Format
Protect your work and erase only what you need with a precision refillable eraser. They come in block or round shapes.
