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Perspective Drawing Of Chatham Synagogue Building

by Zamali

I made this architectural perspective drawing of the Chatham Synagogue, during a regular art event day out with Rochester and West Kent Art Society, UK – (A great art society with regular exhibitions and events, if you are in the areas of Medway and West Kent).

I have always been fascinated by historic architecture and drawings of buildings. It’s one of my favourite topics to draw and the one subject that I’ve probably sketched the most in my artistic life.

In this post, I share with you a few pictures taken on that day while I was drawing this magnificent building. You can see more of my process and inspiration for drawing buildings here and my portfolio of Architectural Drawings

Step-by-step process of Drawing the Chatham Synagogue Building

chatham-synagogue
drawing the building of chatham-synagogue
drawing the building of chatham-synagogue
drawing the building of chatham-synagogue
perspective drawing of chatham synagogue building
perspective drawing of chatham synagogue building
Stages of the drawing of chatham synagogue

Chatham Synagogue was built in 1869, this is a grade 2 listed building in the baroque style by Hyman Collins.

chatham synagogue featuring drawing by nab zamali
Drawing featured on The Chatham Synagogue Website (August 2022)

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Pencil Drawing – Learn 5 Tips and Techniques of Theodore Kautzky

by Zamali

On this day I will share with you a few tips and some advanced techniques from the master of Pencil Mr Theodore Kautzky. Author of two of the greatest art book on the art of Pencil drawings: The Ted Kautzky Pencil Book and Pencil Broadsides. This is a follow-up to this post on Drawing Life ART Page.

Theodore "Ted" Kautzky (1896–1953) was a Budapest-born architect, painter, teacher, and author of books on painting techniques. He emigrated to New York, United States in 1923.... Kautzky began drawing with a pencil and then advanced to black-and-white tones. He then learnt the use of brushes and watercolors to create realistic pictorial effects. Early on, he made use of the many tints and hues readily available in the stores at the time, but over the years began to simplify his color palette by being selective of the color pigments he would use to match his style and temperament. He espoused the same idea of being restrictive in color mixing to his students during his career as a teacher later in his life. 
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Kautzky

Pencil Drawing Tips from Pencil Broadsides book by Ted Kautzky

From the fundamentals of pencil strokes to composition, texture and architecture, to learn more about any of those techniques I recommend you get a copy of or both of his books The Ted Kautzky Pencil Book and Pencil Broadsides

1 – Get your Strokes right – Fundamental Strokes

Keep it simple and use 2B and 4B only, using a knife to expose the lead then rub it against the sandpaper to create a wedge, like in the image (below). Drawing with the flat side of the wedge is what created the broad strokes, the signature style of Ted Kautzky.
Here are some more Drawing Tips and Techniques to Improve your Skills

pencil drawing technique of broadside

2 – Architectural Bricks and Stones – Diagonal strokes give the impression of falling light

Do a fast and light sketch of the stone pattern, keep variety in lines, shapes and values in drawing stones and bricks and use diagonal broadside strokes to simulate the direction of light. Here are some more tips on how to draw buildings and urban scenes

drawing bricks in pencil

3 – Pencil Drawing of Trees Tips

Study the tree structure, and make a light sketch of the shape. Realise that trees are three-dimensional objects. When some foliage is behind the trunk, that part of the trunk will appear lighter.

drawing trees pencil broadside
pencil drawing - learn 5 tips and techniques of theodore kautzky
pencil drawing - learn 5 tips and techniques of theodore kautzky
tree drawing

In rendering the foliage of these trees, I have used short broad strokes for the most part, with narrower radiating strokes, made with the narrower side of the broad-pointed pencil, around the edges of each mass. This treatment makes a clean, sharp silhouette against the sky, which is
left white, and suggests, without being too literal, the needles which make up the foliage.

– Theodore Kautzky

4 – Drawing Garden Scenes, flowers and greens

Go outdoor and observe subjects in nature, pay special attention to silhouettes of shrubs and flowers. To sketch these well, use multiple types of strokes. Long and curvy strokes are best for interpreting the general form, while shorter multi-directional ones are better for the textures and contrast. Keep your rendering varied in tone to show the play of direct light, reflected light and shadow. Leave the highlights of foliage on the white paper for contrast.

5 – Composition tips in Pencil Drawing of outdoor scenes

According to Kautzky, Composition is “the most difficult thing for the new artist”. To create a striking composition, sometimes you have to forget what you see. Remember, it’s the artist who creates the composition. Altering the scene and shifting a few elements around to achieve a better balance in your interpretation is what makes an interesting composition.

Here are a few tips on how to achieve that;

  • Avoid strong horizontal (or vertical) scenes – in those cases, try to add accented vertical item in your frame
  • A strong contrast to one side of the artwork creates an imbalance, shifting some values around the secondary objects to create balance in the composition.
  • You can change the direction of the light to bring attention to the right subject in your composition.
  • Adding a mid-tone can improve a composition

Conclusion

Theodore “Ted” Kautzky was, without a doubt, a master and one of the best artists in the work of pencil drawing. His books are an excellent source of knowledge, not only in the art of drawing but also in art generally, values, light, compositions and much more.

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Perspective Drawing Basics for Beginners

by Zamali

To improve your Perspective drawing, The best tip I have for you is this; practice drawing perspective lines on a photo (like the one below) I’m sure at some point in life you looked at railways or at some street view. You may have noticed how rows of houses, walls, and rail tracks that you know are constructed in parallel lines, seem to converge in the distance and come together in a away. That point where all lines seem to converge is usually at your eye level that is One point perspective and is the most basic and best demonstration of perspective. 

one-point perspective demo
One-point perspective practice (vanishing point)

What is Perspective Drawing?

In short, perspective is your relative point of view; but when we talk about perspective drawing, it’s more about the spatial aspect. When you start to draw perspective as a novice, you instantly recognize how important it is. It all comes down to the way the human eye views the world. Perspective drawing adds a sense of three-dimensionality to things on a two-dimensional surface.

The method of perspective drawing is used to generate an illusion of depth. Objects appear to shrink in size at a consistent pace as they move away from the viewer. Because of the use of perspective, the box in the sketch below appears solid and three-dimensional.

1 and 2 point perspective drawing
One-point perspective and two-point perspective drawing by @asrionpractices

Terminologies used in Perspective Drawing

Linear perspective, as well as the use of colour, is used to enhance visual depth. Depth is created using lines as well as the scale and orientation of shapes. While compositions can vary in degree, the key terminology and definitions discussed below are fundamental to linear perspective drawings.

  • Vanishing Point

The apparent intersection of parallel lines in the distance on the horizon line.

  • Horizon Line

The line that connects the sky to the ground or sea below. The vanishing point(s) and the eye level of the picture are both affected by the height of the horizon.

The eye level of the observer is always at the horizon line. However, as viewers are likely to be of varying heights, the height of the horizon line changes accordingly. As a result, three separate views are distinguished: the bird’s-eye view, the typical perspective (based on ourselves), and the worm’s-eye view.

  • Ground Plane

The horizontal surface below the horizon is known as the ground plane. It could be either land or water.

  • Orthogonal Lines

Lines that are oriented to a vanishing point, such as train tracks, are examples of orthogonal lines or parallel lines. The term “orthogonal” really refers to a right angle. It indicates the right angles produced by converging lines, such as the perspective corner of a cube.

  • Vantage Point

The vantage point, not to be confused with the vanishing point, is the location from which a scene is observed. The location of the horizon and vanishing points influences the vantage point.

What are the 3 common types of perspective drawing?

One-Point Perspective

Consider looking at a straight road as one of the finest examples of a one-point perspective. The road will appear to converge at a single point on the horizon line, as will all of the sections within a one-point perspective composition.

All vanishing lines meet at a single point, while the horizontal and vertical lines remain parallel.

one point perspective drawing
One-Point Perspective drawing by @artistsoflabms

Two-Point Perspective

A two-point perspective, similar to a one-point perspective, introduces a second vanishing point. These two points are often placed on opposing sides of the composition, such as on the far left and far right.

two point perspective drawing
Two-Point Perspective drawing by @joshuuu_0w0

Three-Point Perspective

A three-point perspective, often known as a multi-point perspective, is a type of perspective employing more than two vanishing points. This is often used when the subject becomes more complicated.

The three-point perspective is similar to a two-point perspective in that it has vanishing points on the horizon to the left and right. There is then an additional vanishing point that is either below or above the horizon.

This gives a bird’s eye view of the subject. If the third point were to be placed above the two vanishing points, it would produce an extreme upwards view.

three point perspective drawing
Three-point Perspective drawing by @reenaganesh14

Perspective Drawing in Portraits and Human Form

Althought less visible in portraits and figure but the rules of perspective in your drawings should still apply. I recommend you study this fine example by Leonardo Davinci this is a sketch of Head of a Young Woman (Study for the Angel inThe Virgin of the Rocks), 1483-1485 LEONARDO DA VINCI. Notice the perspective lines highlighted in the photo for you.

davinci-perspective-drawing-portrait
483-1485 leonardo da vinci

Drawing Characters in Perspective

In character design and comics artists often exaggerate the perspectives to add dramas to scenes

Are you interested in more drawing tips and tutorials? Check our other posts.

For daily inspiration follow our Instagram page.

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Shading Techniques of Hatching and Cross Hatching

by Zamali

By learning and incorporating hatching and cross-hatching techniques in your art, you will be able to draw fast. You can sketch anywhere and it will give you a headstart to the understanding of values, tones and eventually painting.

There are different Shading techniques in drawing and this post is about what is known as hatching.
Hatching; is when lines that suggest tone, texture, and shade within a sketch. Hatching involves filling in the relevant areas using a series of thin parallel lines of varying lengths. The number of lines applied and their closeness determine the strength of the shadow. This also gives the illusion of different degrees of shadows. While it’s most commonly employed in pencil and pen-and-ink drawings, painters also sometimes utilise this technique in painting for shading and to achieve texture.

Hatching (French: hachure) is an artistic technique used to create tonal or shading effects by drawing (or painting or scribing) closely spaced parallel lines. (It is also used in monochromatic representations of heraldry to indicate what the tincture of a “full-colour” emblazon would be.) When lines are placed at an angle to one another, it is called cross-hatching.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatching
anders zorn hatching technique
Fine Example of Anders Zorn Hatching Technique

Let’s have a look at some of the different hatching techniques.

1. Parallel or Linear Hatching

Despite its simplicity, hatching is nevertheless a very efficient method to demonstrate values (light and dark) in a drawing. For this technique, parallel lines are arranged in tight rows. The area with hatching will be a darker or shadowed region in a drawing, while the remaining area will be lighter. To create value changes, increasing the density of a collection of hatch marks will make the region look darker.

Another tip with hatching is to consider leaving small, irregular gaps between the strokes. Irregularly spaced gaps and strokes that overlap create interesting patterns. The lighter and closer together the ‘lines’ are; when viewed as a whole, they will be overlooked and instead considered as an area of shade in the drawing.

linear hatching techniques
Linear Hatching Techniques

2. Cross-Hatching Shading Techniques

Values can be accentuated by using cross-hatching. This method has a few nuances that are commonly missed. Keep an eye out for right-angled cross lines, as well as those with more acute angles.

Cross-hatching can be done by creating an additional layer of lines drawn in the opposite direction to the linear hatching strokes. After applying the first layer of hatching lines, the second layer is placed at a right angle above the first, covering the same surface area. When sketching with ink, crosshatching creates the appearance of deeper tones using fewer lines.

cross-hatching shading techniques
Cross Hatching Sketch by @nikkhopkar

3. Contour Hatching

Rather than drawing parallel lines, contour hatching involves wrapping the lines around a surface to create the illusion of curvature. In other words; using lines to trace the contours of the subject. This technique helps with enhancing the impression of volume and three-dimensionality of the object you are creating.

contour hatching
Contour Hatching Sketch by @hilmi_khairullah

4. Scribble Hatching

Scribble hatching – or scribbling – involves making groups of small, overlapping circles or squiggles to create a rough texture. Scribbles can be layered on top of one another to darken a particular area.

Scribbling is an excellent way to add values and texture when drawing certain objects, such as trees or hair. Practice scribble hatching to create the leaves on trees and surrounding grass.

scribble hatching technique
Scribble Hatching art by @aula.sketchart

5. Woven or Basket Hatching

When used correctly, this type of hatching creates a highly dramatic visual effect. Small sets of markings in one direction are used, followed by a group of parallel markings roughly perpendicular to the first. A carefully executed weave appearance is achieved by crosshatching the lines, which creates extra density.

woven hatching
Woven Hatching Sketch by @senior.zeichner

Are you interested in more drawing tips and tutorials? Check our other posts.

For daily inspiration follow our Instagram page.

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Watercolour Basics Tutorial for Beginners : 4 Important Techniques

by Zamali

Watercolour Basics Tutorial for Beginners.

Watercolours are tough to work with. Even for experts and seasoned artists, watercolours can be difficult as they work differently compared to acrylic or oil paints. Without a doubt, they have been a favourite yet tricky medium among artists and enthusiasts alike. Knowing the basic techniques as well as technicalities concerning watercolours, you will learn that watercolour painting can be pretty adaptable and versatile.

With the help of our Watercolour Basics Tutorial for Beginners, you will gain an understanding of how watercolours truly work. You will learn about the main watercolour techniques so you can start thinking up your own creative ideas.

Let’s begin!

The Wet on Wet Application

The wet-on-wet technique produces a very fluid impression.

Start off by wetting the watercolour paper with a fair amount of clean water using a flat brush. After that, mix a moderate amount of water into your paint and drop paint on the wet surface using the wet brush. Take your time practicing this step. You can opt for different colours if you like.

For areas that are large or areas where you require a soft layer of paint, the wet on wet technique is a good technique to use. After you’re done adding the final layer of paint, tilt the board to allow the paint to flow and blend itself.

Wet-on-wet technique by @artbybianca

The Wet on Dry Application

The wet-on-dry technique tends to produce more well-defined forms.

For this, mix any colour with some water. Right after that, begin painting on the dry surface. This technique allows for a more controlled form of work where you achieve high precision; as unlike the wet on wet application, the paint only follows the brush.

wet on wet and wet on dry comparison
Watercolour Basics Tutorial for Beginners: Wet on Wet and Wet on Dry

Before going on to the next practice page, make sure that the paint has dried thoroughly.

Colour Mixing

The interesting element about watercolours is the water itself. Mixing paint by simply adding water can create a variety of beautiful colours. With just a little touch of water, or when mixed with other colours, the dry pigment will loosen up to produce new colours and shades.

Through water, you can also mix colours that are sitting side by side. For example, you can use a water brush to create a green shade by combining the yellow and blue present in that area.

The key here is to remember that adding more water will result in a lighter shade, and the less water the darker the shade.

  • watercolor swatches : watercolor basics tutorial for beginners
    Colour swatches by @art.watanabe
  • watercolor gradient tutorial
    Colour swatches by @art.watanabe
  • watercolor swatches and techniques
    Colour swatches by @art.watanabe

Forming Gradient

Watercolours are highly transparent so it is important to start painting with the lightest colours first, unlike acrylic and oil paints. With each application, the paint will build-up, resulting in darker shades.

The best way to master this technique is to begin with the lighter shades first and slowly building up to the darker ones by layering paint of the same – or different – colours; however you like.

Make sure you always plan ahead and ensure that the lighter colours stay exactly where you need them. Continue like this on the entire piece. To finish off, add fine details with a small brush.

watercolor gradient
Gradient techniques by @thatcolourblindartist

More Resources:

  • Watercolour painting, Comparing WET ON WET vs WET ON DRY Technique -Tutorial Step by Step by Paintinghyun

Are you interested in more drawing tips and tutorials? Check our other posts.

For daily inspirations follow our Instagram page.

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7 Top Drawing Tips and Techniques to Improve your Skills

by Zamali

“Drawing is the basis of art. A bad painter cannot draw. But one who draws well can always paint.”
— Arshile Gorky

7 top drawing tips and techniques to improve your skills
The oldest-known drawing (45000y)

Drawing has been indispensable to humanity. Everything you own was first a design and every good design starts with a drawing. Humans have been drawing on walls of caves long before we can write.

Drawing is not just is the foundation of visual art; it is also a fundamental aspect of art in all its forms. No matter what route you take, be it architecture, painting, design, fashion, or even film, capturing your ideas in drawings is a critical step of any creative process. Therefore, learning to draw well, will lead to a better understanding and better work in all kinds of mediums and creative works.

Whether new to drawing or an expert. Learning to draw well and is something we can all take advantage of. This doesn’t only consist of having excellent ideas; it also requires technical skill.

In this guide, we will help you with our hand-picked 7 top tips and techniques to improve your skills in drawing in a short amount of time.

1. Pencil Types – Know Your Pencil Grades

Choosing the right pencil will save you from a lot of frustration and has a huge impact on your artwork as the right pencil will affect the techniques you use, and the final look of your drawing. Different pencil types are used to achieve different results.

But context and so you understand the difference – The scale is hardness, with Hard is Lighter on paper and Soft is Darker. The traditional graphite pencils go from 9H (hard, pale) to 9B (soft, dark), with HB and F in between. Usually, B grade pencils are ideal to make sketches while H grades are more suited for technical drawings. A safe way to start general pencil drawings is to use a 2B or a 3B pencil which falls under the category of soft graphite. Personally, I use 2B mostly for quick sketches, about 90% of the time, occasionally though I add 4B and HB).

This is a great Youtube demo about graphite pencils, and their respective tonal variations.

Then you will need to think about a type of pencil suitable for what you want to draw. Traditional graphite pencils tend to wear out quickly. They also require constant sharpening to produce the right-sized tip. The softer the pencil you use, the more sharpening it will need, but they perform best for shading larger areas.

Another option is the mechanical pencil. This offers crisp, clean edges while sustaining uniform lines; without the need for continuous sharpening.

pencil hardness chart
Pencil grades by @civilengineeringsecrets (Instagram)

2. How To Hold A Pencil Like A Pro

This will require some time to get used to, but a very important step when learning how to draw is the correct way to hold a pencil. It is recommended to hold a pencil in a way that the side of the lead draws rather than the tip. This method also retains the sharp pencil lead for longer.

While treating larger areas, shade with the pencil perpendicular to the line you are drawing to achieve soft, wide lines. For adding details to your drawing, hold the pencil parallel to the lines to get crisp, fine lines. The tip should be used for intricate details.

It is also essential to analyse where you are marking the pencil from – shoulders, wrist, or fingers. In order to help with pencil grip, watch this video and practice the various ways to hold a pencil.

Since pencils are prone to smudging and making the drawing untidy, it is important to know where to begin drawing from. You don’t want to rest your hand on the areas you’ve already drawn, so it is best to work from top to bottom. Those that are left-handed should move from right to left, and right-handers should go from left to right.

penil holding techniques for drawing
Pencil holding techniques @artistleonardo (Instagram)

3. Shading and Hatching Basics

Shading comes with varied drawing techniques. One way is to create shades with all lines running in a parallel direction, also known as hatching. This method cohesively intensifies the shading and creates even shading depending on how close together the lines are. The details in the drawing are enhanced through the linear work.

The second approach is known as cross-hatching, comprising of a set of intersecting lines in order to define the shape. The lines criss-cross one another at various angles and can be circular, straight, or scribbled. This technique works best for backgrounds in addition to creating textures, as the patches of lines go about the form to generate perspective.

Another approach is called stumping, which involves creating various tones by smudging the applied shading. This can be done by pressing and smearing the applied graphite with a soft cloth, your finger, or a ‘stump’.

The fourth type of shading is known as stippling, also known as ‘pointillism’. This technique creates shades through a series of dots. The closer the dots, the darker the shade and vice versa.

  • shading techniques
    Different shading techniques by @art_insanely
  • sketching and shading technique
    Shading art by @art_insanely
  • different shades in shading
    Shading light to dark by @jess.karp
  • shading block
    Basic shading technique in block by @jess.karp
  • shading pyramid
    Basic shading technique in pyramid by @jess.karp
  • shading sphere
    Basic shading technique in a ball by @jess.karp
  • basic shading tutorial
    Basic shading techniques by @jess.karp
  • unfinished sketch of dog - whitstable
    Sketch of a dog in process by @by.zamali

4. Get Your Lines Right

The varying line thickness in drawings guide the viewer through the drawing. For instance, the thicker lines may portray the objects’ importance. Perhaps it indicates to the viewer that something is at the forefront of the view. Thicker lines also differentiate between two separate objects, overlapping one another. Different line weights can also produce different effects in the drawing. For example, if you combine a set of varied line weights, the form may appear three-dimensional.

Creating consistent, clean, and crisp lines is very important while working on a detailed area. Here, you should be aware of the line quality as well as the pressure you’re applying on the pencil. To add perspective, vary the line weight throughout the drawing rather than keeping it consistent.

An important point to learn in drawing is that lines are just an illusion – they do not exist in the real world. Therefore, shading is used to produce the tonal contrast between objects. Stimulate the line through the lightness of an object in contrast to the dimness of another. By drawing thin lines for objects in the background and thick lines for objects in the foreground, this also creates an illusion for the viewer.

5. Strokes & Directions

An interesting thing about strokes is that you only require one pencil for them. To get fine strokes, use the sharp tip, and for wide strokes, use the side of the tip. When it comes to strokes; the intensity, direction, and width matter a lot. These factors combined can impact the drawing drastically.

Strokes help to depict the texture of the object, its shape and form, as well as its dark and light areas. The most basic technique for creating strokes are one-directional strokes. Depending on the object, you can determine the stroke that best suits you. For instance, to create smoke you can use a circular stroke, and for rounded objects, you could opt for a curved crosshatch stroke.

As mentioned earlier, lines don’t exist in the real world. Therefore, the strokes should be able to explain the object on their own.

6. Sketching

Drawing begins with inspiration. This could be something you saw or something entirely from imagination. Once you feel inspired, you need to determine the medium you want to work with. All of this is the planning phase of your drawing – the sketching phase. Sketching allows you to plan out and explore various ideas before you move on to the final drawing. Instead of jumping right into the drawing, make sketches and try out different compositions, sizes, light sources, and more.

Sketching is all about creative play. It also allows you to study figures, features and expressions, as well as the anatomy of both living and non-living things. The fun thing about sketching is that it does not have to be neat and organised. In fact, it is an open field where you can let your creativity and imagination run wild.

top drawing tips to improve your sketching skills
Stepwise sketching tutorial by @tajijoseph

7. Composition

Composition is an essential aspect of drawing. This is the arrangement or positioning of the components in the scenic space; a workspace. All artworks have a composition, either created by accident or consciously. It is what gives form to a drawing while shaping the perspective of the viewer.

There are various rules of composition that you should keep in mind while drawing:

  • Focal Point – The central part of your drawing; the object where the eye lands first.
  • Contrast – The tonal variations within the drawing (light and dark) that enhance the forms, shapes, and shadows.
  • Lines – The element that directs the viewer’s gaze from one object to another. For example, the line of one object should be able to draw the viewer’s attention to the line of another.
  • Negative Space – The space that is not used by any component of your drawing. It is also known as the breathing space.
  • Overlapping – This adds visual depth and unity within the drawing. Overlap or layer the objects instead of placing them side by side.
  • Proportion – The size of an object in comparison to another object. An oversized banana with an orange the size of a pea is surely disproportionate!

Experiment with these rules of composition yourself. For instance, make an object the focal point of your drawing by making it larger in comparison to the others. You can also place the focal point with darker tones in the foreground, while keeping the other objects lighter in tone and positioned in the background.

Check out this video to learn more about the fundamentals of composition.

There are many ways to play with compositions, but try following some of these principles, and – of course – have fun!

Are you interested in more drawing tips and tutorials? Check our other posts.

For daily inspirations follow our Instagram page.

Did you like our article: “7 Top Drawing Tips and Techniques to Improve your Skills”? Do let us know your thoughts below!

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What’s a Kneaded Eraser – Everything You Need To Know

by Zamali

What is a Kneaded Eraser?

A kneaded eraser is a tool used by artists. It is also known as a putty rubber and is made out of a soft, flexible material; usually rubber. It may be said that it resembles chewing gum. It is usually available in shades of grey or white, but it can be found in several other colors such as hot pinks, blue, yellow, green, and many others.

kneaded eraser for sketching
Sheep sketch using pencils and kneaded eraser by @ran_art_blog (Instagram)

Watch this informative video to learn about the history of the kneaded eraser and how it came into existence. It also serves as a useful guide for beginners on how to use a kneaded eraser. Here is another helpful drawing guide for beginners

Kneaded Erasers : A Beginners Guide DIY

The kneaded eraser is one of a kind in its field. It functions by ‘picking up’ and absorbing particles of graphite or charcoal without destroying the paper. It can also be used if you are working with colored pencils, carbon, or pastel markers. Additionally, it does not leave any kind of eraser residue behind (we all know how annoying and messy that can be). Therefore, it lasts much longer than other erasers.

Moreover, a fresh straight-out-of-the-pack kneaded eraser can be molded or shaped by hand for more exact erasing; for instance, while creating highlights or adding intricate details to your sketch. It can be compressed or stretched easily to change to the desired form and texture. The precision of this unique eraser makes it commonly used for removing light graphite or charcoal marks for drawings that come under the subtractive technique.

On the flip side, removing large areas does not work well with the kneaded eraser as it may smear or stick to your drawing.

How to make a Kneaded Eraser?

Another quite interesting thing about kneaded erasers is that you can easily make them at home. All you need are some regular erasers. Have a look at this video to learn how to make the perfect kneaded eraser:

How to make a Kneaded Eraser

As mentioned earlier, the kneaded eraser does not wear off as quickly as other erasers tend to; but sometimes they can become saturated, making them unable to absorb particles of charcoal or graphite. If the kneaded eraser reaches this stage, make sure to discard it as it can leave marks on the paper instead of erasing them.

The kneaded eraser is a tool that is simple and easy to clean. It carries exceptional plasticity. Its versatility means it can be shaped into different forms – depending on how you intend to use it – making it an essential erasing as well as a drawing tool.

kneaded eraser for drawing
Sketch on the process w/ pencils and kneaded eraser. Image by @taylahbradford.art (Instagram)

Are you interested in more drawing tips and tutorials? Check our other posts.

Featured Image Credit : @samantha_messias_art (Instagram)

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