Creating Blurry Background Using Electric Eraser

by Eva Mariaca

There are various possibilities how to draw blurry background on a film. One of them is to use an electric eraser, especially while drawing a background looking like a lot of dark and light small circles. This handy helper enables really smooth and blurry look of the background on this particular surface. Let's take a look how we can achieve this effect on the picture of trees.


Reference photo for drawing the background using electric eraser.

The first step is to prepare the background with colour pencils, and then using the electric eraser. We start with blue colour pencils, Skyblue and Cobalt Blue, making small round pencil strokes with very light pressure. It is better to use blunt pencils to avoid strong lines. Draw small round shapes in places where the sky is shining through leaves. When having the lighter parts of the sky, then use the Phthalo blue and Cobalt blue greenish for darker parts. Some lighter blue spots cover with darker ones. Don't follow the picture too strictly. Just drop a hint. Nothing more.

When all blue parts are done, use yellow colour pencils. Use Cream and Cadmium yellow lemon on parts where yellow colour appears. Now start with the green ones—first with lighter ones. Use Light green and Grass green on lighter leave parts, and start to fill free spaces within blue ones. Then add some more values with darker greens. Make small circle pencil strokes with Permanent green and Hooker's green in free spaces, and also add some more layers on top of greens and yellows in places. The pressure is very light all the time.

To add more depth, use other darker greens as Permanent green olive and Chrome oxide green. Fill the rest of free spaces and add other layer on the greens to increase the depth. Chrome oxide green is brownish green, great for shadow parts of the leaves. Use it as well for shadows on the tree trunk and branches with very light pressure not to make sharp lines on the trunk. To increase the depth and shadows more, use Black on the top of the dark greens in places. Use light pressure all the time and blunt pencils to avoid strong pencil strokes, so the background is smooth. When the colour pencil drawing is done, the electric eraser comes into play.


When preparation of background with colour pencils is done, the electric eraser comes into play.

As in case of pencils, light pressure is necessary not to take off all the pigment. Make small round eraser strokes to make the light circles or spots. Try to make them soft without sharp borders so it looks like blurry trees in the background.

The eraser takes away the pigment from the film easily, and it stays on the tip of the eraser. I recommend not to remove it from the top because then the eraser takes too much of pigment from the film. Moreover, all the circles will be smoother. If you need lighter circle or lighter spot, increase your pressure so the eraser will take more pigment. If there is too much pigment on the tip of the eraser, it could get the surface dirty. Then increase the pressure a little bit so the eraser cleans the dirty parts.
Use the eraser on the whole drawing. Overlap the rubbed circles and create the feeling of blurry background. Don't hurry, work slowly.

After taking the pigment out with electric eraser, add some more colour to shadows using Chrome oxide green and Black. Add as well another layer of Permanent green and Cadmium yellow lemon to lighter parts. You have to use stronger pressure as there are already few layers. Then use electric eraser again to adjust the circles to be smoother and more blurry. If needed, repeat all these steps.

If you use double matt film you can add some more depth by turning the film over and adding Chrome oxide green or Black in places where shadow and darker parts are. Be careful not to draw over the light parts as you would darker the light in the background. The last check and the background is finished.


Finished background using electric eraser.

List of Materials:
Surface: Duralar, Polydraw or Drafting film

Faber-Castell Polychromos: Skyblue, Phthalo Blue, Cobalt Blue Greenish, Cobalt Blue, Cream, Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Light Green, Grass Green, Permanent Green, Hooker'S Green, Permanent Green Olive, Chrome Oxide Green, Black

Tool: Electric eraser

EVA MARIACA:

Eva Mariaca is a Czech artist living in the Czech Republic. The passion for creation, mainly watercolour painting and graphite drawing has been accompanying her since the childhood. But two years ago she discovered the magic of colour pencils. She totally fell in love with them, and primary hobby and passion turned into full-time job as a colour pencil artist quickly.

Facebook: Eva Mariaca