# How much time do you spend erasing...



## NeroFox1989 (Oct 25, 2009)

I started drawing another picture and was bothered at how often I was erasing the mistakes I make.  I'll often erase one figure on a character several times before finally getting it right.  In Photoshop i do lots of re-adjusting, moving, and warping to make the image closer to what I had in mind.  I'm concearned and would like to know generally if people have the same issue (or not), so I ask:  How much time do you spend erasing your lineart?
If it helps put things into perspective, I spend more time doing that than actually putting down the lines.


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## Wastedwings (Oct 25, 2009)

heh. i erase a lot (or just refine something on a different layer and erase the old). digital makes me do that. i'm much more careful when working traditionally and honestly.. i tend to draw out my stuff traditionally first and then go in digitally.

edit: the eraser is just another tool. don't think poorly of yourself for using it.


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## HidesHisFace (Oct 25, 2009)

Well, I try to correct as many mistakes as possible on sketch level, before I start real drawing. Thanks to this method, I do not have to erase that much, or at least, mistakes are easy to remove and correct. Unfortunately I still have to erase hands and feet, sometimes faces - these parts were always difficult to me. However, when all is correct, eraser still comes in handy - I use it to make highlights when drawing smoke or clouds.


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## krisCrash (Oct 25, 2009)

Varies. Once I get to  inking I make few mistakes if the sketch is solid enough.

inb4 you can't erase ink; PHOTOSHOP.


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## Arshes Nei (Oct 25, 2009)

Half of my studies are in ink so I can work on accuracy and keep from erasing so much. It makes me think about the lines I'm gonna put down on paper. Photoshop doesn't come with a scanner so  !


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## onewingedweasel (Oct 25, 2009)

A lot. But i usually make a messy sketch first, then rework it to death til its what i want it to be. I lightbox all my work from the super erased sketch onto clean nice paper.


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## Saphire_Raptor (Oct 25, 2009)

i erase quite a bit  so no worries


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## Shark_the_raptor (Oct 26, 2009)

Often.  Especially when I can't seem to get the pose right.  Hell, I go through a couple sheets of paper when I can't seem to get the base pose right.


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## Smelge (Oct 26, 2009)

I erase everything.

I always work digitally, so I start with a stick figure of the pose I want, with balls for the joints. Then I refine it on a layer above to get proportions right erasing the altered stuff and keeping the good stuff, then merging layers.

After doing that, many times until it's the right shape/size, I'll start blocking it out, which involves lots of refining using layers. Each layer has a different colour, so I can keep track.

essentially, I just refine over and over again until it starts to look how I want it to.

So yes, erasing isn't something to be ashamed of. Every step of my drawing process, I'll be erasing shit.


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## TopazThunder (Oct 28, 2009)

I only have a tendency to erase a lot if I'm a) Not using a reference for the pose/texture/background, or b) Am having one of my artistic bad days. I also erase fairly a lot right at the beginning, when I'm sketching in the different forms of the pose, or the "wireframe." And the other time that I erase often is when I'm finished inking and I'm getting rid of those stray pencil marks, but I guess that doesn't really count for what you're talking about.

To the OP: there is really nothing wrong with erasing, adjusting, and tweaking the sketch a lot; I mean, why would you want to settle for something that you can easily fix and make even better? Erasing is as important as the act of creating the sketch.


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## Donryu (Oct 29, 2009)

I don't erase.  I like seeing my mistakes.. I can find the lines that work, and then my drawing will be a lot more solid.  Well that and I sketch, xerox, color, then ink.


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## Teshia (Oct 29, 2009)

Lol, I use ctrl+z as much as I use my paintbrush.  My Cousin used to say that the eraser is not for erasing, it is for drawing.  He's one of the best artists I know.


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## TopazThunder (Oct 30, 2009)

Teshia said:


> Lol, I use ctrl+z as much as I use my paintbrush.  My Cousin used to say that the eraser is not for erasing, it is for drawing.  He's one of the best artists I know.



He certainly knows what he's talking about then, lol. I can't see myself making any decent piece of work without erasing.

Hm, actually that would be an interesting challenge; try to draw something without erasing any of the lines. See how well you do or how long you last before throwing your hands up in frustration. XD


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## NeroFox1989 (Oct 31, 2009)

Clafier said:


> He certainly knows what he's talking about then, lol. I can't see myself making any decent piece of work without erasing.
> 
> Hm, actually that would be an interesting challenge; try to draw something without erasing any of the lines. See how well you do or how long you last before throwing your hands up in frustration. XD



lol i gotta try this some time :}~


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## krisCrash (Nov 2, 2009)

Just start with light lines, you'll be alright without erasing
I tend to keep my sketch layer alive for a while since it tends to have a lot of "notes" for the shadows (as it contains lines of things I'd never ink in).

I heard you have more control when drawing lighter, as well.


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## TopazThunder (Nov 2, 2009)

NeroFox1989 said:


> lol i gotta try this some time :}~



I might be doing it in the near future too, lol. Make sure to post what you come up with; I'm curious. 



krisCrash said:


> Just start with light lines, you'll be alright without erasing
> I tend to keep my sketch layer alive for a while since it tends to have a lot of "notes" for the shadows (as it contains lines of things I'd never ink in).
> 
> I heard you have more control when drawing lighter, as well.



I do that sometimes as well; sketch in with 6H and then go over the prelim sketch with either 4H or 2H, but I try to make sure I can erase as much of the sketch as I can afterwards so I don't have stray marks and so my colors and/or linework is as clean as possible.


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## Jynxkat (Nov 3, 2009)

I agree that there's nothing wrong with erasing a lot if thats the way you work- 
but there's also a lot to learn from your mistakes. I always keep sketchbooks just for rough drawings and I often draw in pen- or if I don't like the way something is going I just move over a few inches and start again. you can see your progression as you work- and what's surprising is sometimes you go back and that first one doesn't look so bad once you've given it some time. Problems happen when you try too hard to get the drawing in your mind to happen in real life and get frustrated. Don't get in the habit of thinking everything you make has to be perfect- no one is going to judge you on drawings you keep to yourself. And if you feel frustrated with pencil I'd say change it- try hard charcoal- try pastel- try a stick dipped in ink- try kids chalk on the sidewalk- whatever you think is something scary or unfamiliar just go do that thing. 
Here's my art blog where I post works in progress pics of my paintings- as you can see they go through a lot of changes as I work- and I don't mind that- it's part of the process- and yeah sometimes mistakes are AWESOME and I keep them like that 
http://jynxkatthree.blogspot.com/


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## krisCrash (Nov 3, 2009)

Clafier said:


> I do that sometimes as well; sketch in with 6H and then go over the prelim sketch with either 4H or 2H, but I try to make sure I can erase as much of the sketch as I can afterwards so I don't have stray marks and so my colors and/or linework is as clean as possible.



Turn it into shading!


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## TopazThunder (Nov 3, 2009)

krisCrash said:


> Turn it into shading!



I've actually tried that a couple times with mixed results, but then again I also wasn't that serious with those pieces. I might try working it into a technique in the future though.


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## krimv (Nov 25, 2009)

I use the eraser as much as I need to.  Sometimes the sketch comes easy and sometimes it doesn't.  I rarely use it after I've completed a sketch as I try to avoid muddling it by fixing little details as I adjust those in the inking process.


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## Kittsy (Nov 29, 2009)

I erase a lot.
I easily draw anywhere from twice to ten times as much as appears finally (i.e., if you add up the total length of line I've drawn->erased/undo'd, and length in the final piece).
Especially with inking, as I have !@#$ for hand control. Currently experimenting like crazy to try to find an inking method that works well for me, as otherwise inking can take me days or weeks, and less than an hour for a coloured, shaded sketch.

Also, for anyone wanting to try to draw without eraser or ctrl+z, look up Alchemy. ;3 Awesome graphics program, even though it's not meant for actually producing drawings but rather abstract chaos for inspiration.
Still works great for rough digital sketchy-painting-stuff. Also comes with blind drawing settings, if one wants to get into that.


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## sakket (Nov 30, 2009)

sometimes i restart a drawing from scratch if it isnt turning out right, but other than with photoshop i barely use erasers at all.


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## PanzerschreckLeopard (Dec 8, 2009)

I do much erasing...but I almost always have an HB pencil, so the line stays there... >.<


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## Unsilenced (Dec 8, 2009)

Every part of a character I draw has likely been drawn in at least 3-5 places before finding it's final position, and that's not counting shape re-adjustments.


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## Kuraggo (Dec 8, 2009)

Pfff i erase sketches, arms, legs, heads, lineart, color, etc etc. I sketch with light lines and colors but sometimes it gets very messy and i erase and delete if required. Yes i do erase a lot. >8/


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## Alekz (Dec 11, 2009)

I'll erase quite a bit, sometimes so much it's annoying.  And every once in a while I'll pull out my big sketch book and smear charcoal across a page and do a drawing by erasing out highlights.  Think I'll do that later tonight, maybe.


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## outward (Dec 11, 2009)

About 90% of my drawings are erased.

Of course, my best drawings are always the ones where I erase the least.

Try practicing drawing with a pen, either to loosen up or concentrate more. : )


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