# Do You stump?



## Darksouth (Dec 29, 2012)

I was just wondering how many of you use or don't use a blending stub. I personally don't. I would rather feel it out and put heavy to light pressure on my pencil when shading.


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## George924 (Oct 8, 2012)

When first learning how to draw 40years ago, I used everything imaginable to smear and blend the graphite. Even though the results back then were satisfactory I learned that your artwork is much better rendered without the aid of such tools. Although the use of a paintbrush when blending hair comes in quite handy it does not give you that smeared look to a piece. 

Darrel Tanks Five Pencil method is a great tool to learn from for blending with graphite.


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## chanda95 (Apr 6, 2011)

I do a mixture of everything. It all depends on what I am doing and my mood at the moment. On some things yes I will use a tortillion and others I won't.


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## Darksouth (Dec 29, 2012)

I've tried the Five Pencil method back in school,but man am I lazy! Guess that's what got me down to one pencil. I have a book on Sketching at the telescope, And they use them a lot. That has got too be one of the most challenging things ever. Trying to pull detail out of something you can barley see. Dust lanes in galaxies light years away.


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