IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR DRAWINGS WITH AN ERASER SHIELD

One of the most important tools you can have for making high quality drawings on paper or film is an erasing shield. It is a thin polished piece of metal with geometric shapes and lines of varying sizes cut into it.

On the rare occasion that you make a mistake or want to remove a line, you place the eraser shield over the offending line and line up the appropriate opening in the shield to remove all or a portion of the line with an appropriate eraser (pencil or ink).

The purpose of the eraser shield is to minimize the area of your paper or film that is exposed to the abrasive effect of a pencil or ink eraser. Using the eraser shield also preserves the integrity of existing lines while making changes.

In a pinch, you can also use the eraser shield to create shapes, curves or lines but restrict this use to pencil only as ink may bleed under the shield.

But the proper way to create shapes and curves would be to use any of the numerous templates available. There are templates available for interior design, electricians, architects, plumbers, landscapers, etc. Templates are also available for just about any geometric shape and size that you can think of, not to mention curves and straight lines.

Also, be sure to use the proper eraser for the media you are using. Not only are there many erasers for pencil, but for ink also. You should also pick an eraser based on whether you are drawing on paper, velum, plastic film, etc. In addition erasers can be manual or motorized.

Another helpful hint is after you use the eraser shield and appropriate eraser to alter your drawing, remove everything from on top of your drawing and use a high quality brush to remove all debris from the surface and under your drawing. It is also a good habit to completely clean your drawing surface before even laying down the paper or film. It is also a good idea to brush the front and back of your paper or film to remove any debris that could be attracted by static electricity.

Dust is another item that can compromise the quality of your drawing. Supplies and drawings should be kept in drawers, cabinets or tubes. If you use a pencil, make sure your sharpener is away from your work surface, and wipe the dust off the lead before drawing.