How to Clean a Drawing Blending Stump

Do you like to draw? Shading as you draw with graphite pencils and charcoal is often created by using a blending stump, or tortillion. The tortillion is a tightly twisted paper with a sharp point at one end. A blending stump, or blending stomp, is generally a bit thicker and is made of paper, felt, or even leather. Blending stumps are thicker and longer with the paper winded more tightly than tortillions and they create a softer shading texture. These are relatively inexpensive drawing tools and make a nice addition to your drawing materials and art supplies.

What to do when the blending stump tip gets dirty with smudged graphite or charcoal?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Blending stump
• Kneader eraser
• sandpaper
• emery board
• graphite pencils or
• charcoal drawing sticks

1. 
    

   Clean drawing stumps in two methods. The first cleaning methods is to use a kneaded eraser. After softening the eraser up, by kneading it between your fingers, twist it around the tip of the stump to clean off the graphite pencil - or charcoal dust.

2. 
    

   Secondly, as the stump gets dirtier or worn down, use fine sandpaper or emery boards handy to sand off the surface and reshape the stump. Sand in one direction - outward toward the tip of the stump. If you sand toward the main section, the edges of the paper gets rough.

3. 
    

   Blending stumps are great tools for your drawing supply kit and a variety of sizes is recommended for having a wide range of blending options. Using narrow stumps for tight spots and wider stumps for broad areas will help you achieve the effects you want when blending pencil and charcoal drawings.

Tips & Warnings

• When using colored pencils or pastels, dedicate a blending stump for each color family to avoid mixing colors
• Keep one end sharp and the other rounded to give you a range of blending options
• Cotton swabs and cotton balls make good alternatives as blenders
• Avoid getting your blending stump wet as the graphite or charcoal will smear.

Resources

• Dick Blick Art Supplies
• How to Draw a Cube in 1 Point Perspective
• How to Draw in 2 Point Perspective
• Create a Successful Web Site

[cdclocks]

on 7/10/2009 Cool! I've seen these, but never really understood how they were used. 5*

[kristara]

on 6/16/2009 Great advice! Will pass this on to my daughter. 5*

[omghow]

on 6/13/2009 Thanks for sharing. I will give it a try. Cheers

[melly1143]

on 6/12/2009 I never actually ever tried to clean these. 5* plus a rec

[athome]

on 6/11/2009 What a wonderful technique. 5*