TIPS AND TRICKS

Blending Stump: A solid stick of soft paper with pointed ends used for blending and shading pencil, charcoal, and pastel. It is also useful in working some types of colored pencils. It can be cleaned and sharpened with a sanding paddle.

Sometimes you just can't get the effect you want only using a pencil.  So it's a great idea to try experimenting with some other tools meant to assist in drawing.  Enter the stump, or tortillon.  These are rolled up papers in the shape of pencils.  Stumps are generally sharpened on both ends, while the tortillon is more 'pencil' like in appearance. A blending stump is similar to a tortillon, but it is longer and more tightly wrapped. It produces a slightly different texture than a tortillon when blending. Blending stumps are typically made with paper, but can also be felt or leather. They are used to blend pencil lead that has already been applied, or can be used to apply your medium from outside the worked area.  You'll see an illustration to the left of graphite before and after using a blending tool.  And here's a nifty trick: Once your stump or tortillon has enough residue lead on it, you can actually use it to "paint" graphite onto your paper.  Doing this creates an incredibly soft effect.  I'd suggest staying away from blending with your fingers as they have naturally occurring oils that can really ruin an otherwise beautiful peice. 

There are two distinct heavyweights when it comes to this issue..."to stump or not to stump"...There are certain artists that feel that using a stump, tortillon, cotton ball, chamois, whatever to blend with is cheating. Then there are others who use it wholeheartedly. Personally, I use it with glee. As I am creating my drawings and I start to use the stump, my work starts to come to life. And that folks, is what its all about.

Experiment with a stump and see how it feels! There are even uses for stumps and turpentine for colored pencils, but thats for another time... ;)

DISCLAIMER: These tips and tricks are my personal observations and attempts from over the years. I am sure that some may have better/different views in their own work and from their experiences. These tips and tricks are by no means meant to be hard and fast rules, but simple guidelines and suggestions to assist, and possibly give you some ideas of your own...