Things You'll Need:
- Art supply store
- Artwork
- Patience
-
Step 1
Assess your work methods and the materials that you use most often, particularly media and the type of paper that you prefer. Although this article is geared for eraser use with pencil, it's best to also take into consideration all the media that you’ll be using for your finished work. For example, if you’re using pen and ink, you’ll need an eraser that will pick up pencil lines but won’t damage your inked line.
-
Step 2
Know that while a common No. 2 pencil eraser comes cheap, it’s prone to smearing pencil graphite and damaging paper surfaces.
-
Step 3
Realize that a gum eraser won’t damage paper surfaces and it is ideal for erasing large graphite areas. It leaves behind a residue of “crumbs” and offers no advantage for more precise areas.
-
Step 4
While a kneaded eraser can be molded to remove pencil and charcoal from more precise areas of your drawing, it’s prone to smearing when erasing large areas due to heat from your hand. While an electric eraser offers precision, it can damage a paper’s surface when held in one spot too long. While a vinyl eraser is very gentle on more delicate drawing surfaces like tracing paper, it doesn’t have the precision of a kneaded eraser.
-
Step 5
Take one of your works in progress to your friendly neighborhood art supply store. Make sure that they are indeed “friendly” and will allow you to sample eraser types on your artwork. Always try before you buy. Don't order anything online until you know what you want.
-
Step 6
As with all artist materials, ease of use and compatibility with your style will be proven over time with trial and error. This could mean that what seems right for your artistic tastes now may not mesh with any personal style changes down the road. Expect your style to evolve.
