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Don't use A Rubber
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Message
Posted
With the 'rule about drawing skills eliciting much discussion I thought I would post the next topic - the use of a rubber. At the art group where I did the three quick line drawings which I posted a couple of days ago I heard a guest member, who I understand is a fine arts graduate, saying that the rubber was taboo. Well I did my line drawings without the use of one but I do use the rubber when drawing subject matter for a painting - especially my village scenes where architectural accuracy is called for. So, should we all throw our rubbers away, or should we put them to one side when doing practice work or sketching, or is it okay to use them all the time?
Posted
I avoid reaching for my rubber while I'm making a quick sketch or line drawing. I think you should be able to work without doubting or editing yourself, which allows an idea or image to naturally develop. Often, I go over sketches that show potential once the majority of the work is complete. Of course, as you mentioned, detailed work often calls for a more disciplined approach. For me, I try to leave the door open to improvisation as much as possible.
Posted
Well Michael, yes, it's that awful man again, a good question and I will give you my brief answer, hopefully without invoking the wrath of other members when I post an opinion, and I'm not talking about you either. (I'm sure that if I stick around we will end up with mutual respect for each other)
I can't say that I've never used an eraser, because we all did at school, usually stuck on the end of our pencil, but I don't think that they are an absolute necessity. I actually like to see how the drawing progressed and developed and ups the interest level somewhat. Perhaps on a more complicated architectural drawing I probably would. Looking at my 'Sandon Hall' on my gallery I had to draw all that out in pencil first,, as it required total accuracy being a commission, and I would have cleaned up all those pencil lines with a putty rubber at the finished stage, mainly because they wouldn't add anything to the final work.
However, there is no harm done either way in my opinion as long as you don't scrub the hell out of the paper and crease it, we've all seen that I'm sure. I hate working on any support, whatever it be that's not pristine.
My preference is to go directly in with a brush and resolve any problems that may occur on the way, It takes a bit of courage at first but my results show a more spontaneous style of work which is what I am always striving to achieve. After all, the worst thing that can happen is you ruin a piece of paper, but there's always the back to work on.
I'll sit on the fence on this one and go 50/50.
Posted
I am sure we will Alan and I do enjoy your work so please stick around and keep posting. As for the use of pencil I do use it a lot and quite often leave the pencilwork in the finished painting.
Like you, when I'm working on a commission I do usually take a bit more care and delete pencil lines - but not always. In fact often, to add interest to a painting, I will add some rough pen drawing to the finished work allowing the pen to wander a bit if you know what I mean. This often enables me to correct balance and adjust any lines of paint which are clearly wrong from an architectural perspective I do usually go direct in without pencil work when I am doing the minimalist drawings but they are the only exceptions and, yes, I do use a rubber - unlike most I can't be bothered with putty rubbers and use ordinary ones and have never had a problem doing so providing it's done with care (and I do use the pencil very lightly).
In other words I would use a rubber wherever it is of help in cleaning up a painting or correcting any obvious errors - another 'rule' to be ignored!.
Posted
Depends on why you're using it - if it's part of the drawing process, eg lifting out highlights or indicating stems of grass against a dark background, or tidying up a piece when done, it would be sheer masochism to deprive yourself of the putty rubber or even plastic eraser. It can also be quite useful for lightly abrading the surface of watercolour to get or enhance an effect. Anyone who says it's "taboo" has got a bad case of The Rules - and is an idiot.
If you reach for the rubber to remove every misplaced or wobbly line, and spend half your time taking out what you've just put in, there's something a bit adrift with your drawing technique.
Probably we should all use ink occasionally, to train ourselves not to be lazy..... and indeed, I do. But I have to say all these rules that people will come up with are just pettifogging, puritanical, piffle (like those who say you should avoid alliteration in composition....). All that matters is the end result - how you got there should be of interest to yourself but only incidentally to anyone else.
Posted
I don't think use of rubber is wrong because we learn new things after every moment. If you check your Finished painting the next day, you will find a few weak points in it that you have to remove and correct. In that case, rubber will play a vital role. No doubt experienced artist can draw without mistake, but for beginners rubber is a necessary tool.
Posted
Use your rubber when you need to, which probably isn't very often. Beginners need it as a psychological prop. With experience and more confidence, artists tend to use them less and less. If I'm doing a quick, time limited sketch, I never use one as it uses up more time. But just do what you are comfortable with and ignore any rules!
Posted
Much of the above—though not all I acknowledge—seems to be around the use of the rubber as a 'correction' tool. I draw with graphite and will usually be holding the graphite stick in one hand and a plastic eraser in the other; the rubber is, for me, another drawing tool. I use the common type of plastic block erasers and also the shaped erasers. In some of my larger drawings I have used more eraser than graphite and there won't be very much of the paper that has not been worked, rubbed over and reworked. I hesitate to say 'rubbed out' there because that suggests a mistake and that's not how I usually use the rubber. There is a big difference between a mark made heavily and partially erased and a mark made lightly. The rubber extends the mark-making possibilities and the tonal range of the graphite.
Posted
For heaven's sake keep a good putty rubber handy. Not for correcting mistakes but as a creative drawing tool. Use it for lifting out light areas if using soft pencil or charcoal - providing you are not heavy handed. Keep in mind Ruskin's memorable advice: 'All good drawing consists in dirtying the paper delicately.'
Posted
I said that jokingly. I don't know how it can evoke controversy. Of course, prior to this, Matisse had trained at his atelier. I suppose he wanted to draw "in the spirit", because he was creating a spiritual place.
Drawing blindfolded is an interesting idea. Diverse techniques of beginning an artwork by recourse to a randomized method were employed by the Dadaist, Surrealists, and the Cobra movement. Many artists begin with a randomized approach, and then develop a figurative picture from what they find in the randomized pattern.
One interesting method is to use only transparent green and red oil colours, smearing them randomly on the canvas, and then develop the forms that emerge. Light is created by removing some of the paint, allowing the canvas to shine through. It looks like landscape paintings of the old masters.
Mats Winther
Edited
by 9230114