Subtractive drawing is a technique in which the drawing surface is covered with
graphite
Graphite () is a Crystallinity, crystalline allotrope (form) of the element carbon. It consists of many stacked Layered materials, layers of graphene, typically in excess of hundreds of layers. Graphite occurs naturally and is the most stable ...
or
charcoal
Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, ca ...
marks and then erased to make the image.
This technique is often used to add texture, establish tonal shapes, or create the appearance of reflected light in a drawing.
Artists commonly use a
kneaded or putty eraser for this type of drawing, due to its ability to absorb pigment and be manipulated into custom shapes, including fine tips.
[South, Helen, ''The Everything Drawing Book'', Adams Media, Avon, MA, 2004, pp. 152-3, ] Charcoal
figure drawing
A figure drawing is a drawing of the human form in any of its various shapes and Human positions, postures, using any of the drawing Drawing#Media, media. The term can also refer to the act of producing such a drawing. The degree of representatio ...
commonly uses a combination of subtractive and additive drawing techniques.
Footnotes
Drawing
Visual arts media
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