How to Use Erasers as a Drawing Tool: Subtractive Drawing Techniques

How to Use Erasers as a Drawing Tool: Subtractive Drawing Techniques

If you think of an eraser, probably, by definition, you think of its use for correcting mistakes. However, in the world of art, erasers can be mighty drawing instruments on their own. More especially, this is so in the use of subtractive drawing techniques, where instead of adding marks to create an image, you remove material to reveal your subject. It's really quite unique in that it uses light and shadow to function as sculpture, but as two-dimensional pieces, it gives something new to your art.

What is Subtractive Drawing?
Here, subtractive drawing starts with a totally shaded surface and then employs an eraser to simply take away parts of that shading for high lighting, shapes, and the overall picture. It is almost the opposite of adding dark tones to a sheet of white paper; instead, you withdraw the medium to let lighter areas shine through. This technique gives artists strong emphasis on contrast and light sources, shadows, and reflections.

Types of Erasers to Use
Kneaded Eraser: The kneaded eraser is one of the most useful tools in subtractive drawing. It is soft and pliable, which helps mold it to create fine details or large highlights, and then dab and lift the medium off the paper to create subtle transitions between light and dark.

There is a more structured, vinyl, or plastic eraser which makes finer, crisper lines. This is ideal for sharp definition highlights, defined edges, and other crisp features.

For really small features, like individual strands of hair, highlights in the eyes, or reflective surfaces, you will need a precision eraser, such as Tombow's Mono Eraser. Its fine tip may erase very small areas with incredible accuracy. With any eraser, look at your initial rough sketch and determine what you want to keep and what you want to subtract. Transfer the elements you want to keep onto your final paper. Take the marker and start erasing parts of the image from this new layer of transferred drawing.
Prepare the surface: Tint all the paper with your medium-charcoal, graphite or pastel. Be careful not to tint too dark at this stage, so that you can erase it up with your eraser.

Sketch the composition: Before actually erasing with your eraser, lightly sketch the outline of your basic composition. It will guide you as you're starting to erase and give you a kind of rough idea of where your highlights and shadows will fall.

Erase to Reveal the Image: First erase the highlights using a kneaded eraser. Gradually erase the areas where light would fall on the subject. You can continue to refine and add image by switching back and forth between erasers for broader strokes or details.

Refine and Add Contrast: Once you have developed your initial highlights, use a darker medium, such as charcoal or a pencil, to add deeper shadows; this will heighten the contrast in your overall drawing. This combination of erasure and addition helps to create a dynamic balance between light and dark.

Benefits of Subtractive Drawing
Subtractive drawing would bring freshness to the approach taken by artists toward their work. It makes you think in reverse-like a circle, out of lines and outlines and into the element of light and form. This technique is good for giving impact and depth and can add a sense of drama and atmosphere, especially in portraits and landscapes as well as in still life.

Whether you are a beginner looking to discover new ways of doing things or you are an old artist hoping to stretch your limits, using erasers as drawing tools opens up a whole new world of creativity. The next time you reach for the eraser, think beyond correction. Begin making your art by revealing the light within.