Pencil smudges used to be my worst enemy, now they're part of the look

Back in 2009 I'd spend 40 minutes erasing every grey streak on a 2 a.m. sketch, but these days I just smear my finger through it and call it shading, has anyone else given up on clean lines for speed?

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anthony_lane5518d ago

God yes, I'm right there with you! I remember carrying around like three different kneaded erasers and a battery-powered one that made this weird whirring noise, all just to get that perfect white page. Now I'll catch myself smearing graphite with my thumb and thinking it looks way better than anything I used to slave over. The funny thing is that smudges add this organic texture that makes a drawing feel alive, you know? Like mistakes suddenly have personality instead of being these sterile perfect lines. My old self would be horrified but honestly I get more compliments on my quick sketchy stuff than the hours-long polished pieces. It's liberating once you stop fighting the medium and just let it do what it wants.