Secrets Behind the ShavingsBricelys Ramirez PichardoAward: Top 100
School: sleepy hollow high school Traditional erasers rely on friction to do their job. They leave tons of pesky shavings all over the page which we always brush away without much thought. In this piece I've worked on, I let those shavings sit on the paper instead. Rubbing an eraser on paper generates heat and causes the abrasives within the material to loosen thin fibers on the paper's surface. The heat makes the material sticky, allowing graphite to adhere to the eraser bits. The paper may become too thin and tear. Erasers are made up of different components, primarily rubber but include abrasives and softeners. The softener, usually vegetable oil, helps make the eraser flexible and smooth. The abrasives, usually pumice, help scratch off the thin layer of paper. Over time, erasers wear down and shrink. The pieces left on the paper are a combination of graphite and worn eraser. For this drawing I also used a kneaded eraser, which works differently. These erasers rely on adhesion and absorption to remove graphite. They don't wear down but absorb graphite and attract dust and small particles, similar to slime or putty. Artists often use them to lighten sketches before adding color by dabbing or rolling it on a sketch, allowing for more control with the intensity of the eraser. Kneading the eraser transfers energy from a person to heat up the eraser and make it stickier and more flexible. This process also helps clean the eraser as it blends the graphite into it. 
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