Soften transitions in a charcoal or pastel drawing with Royal & Langnickel RD88. This set contains three paper blending stumps in different sizes. Use the point for small shadows and the side for a broader area, reducing the need to rub the drawing with your fingers.
What is included?
- Three paper blending stumps with pointed ends.
- One each in 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch sizes.
- Model RD88. Choose paper and drawing materials separately.
Which size suits your drawing?
Choose RD88 to compare different sizes or work on both details and wider shadows. The narrower stump makes a smaller contact area; the wider one provides more surface for softening a tone. Keep a clean point for light areas.
How to use a blending stump
- First apply charcoal, pencil or pastel that can be smudged on your paper. Test on a scrap of the same paper.
- Move the point through the tone with light pressure. Use the side for a wider area and work from lighter towards darker areas.
- Stop before all lines and paper texture disappear. Add more drawing material where needed: a stump redistributes existing pigment and is not an eraser.
Care and suitable materials
Keep separate points for light and dark colours: absorbed pigment can be deposited again. Royal & Langnickel also lists oil pastels and oil paints as uses. Keep separate stumps for these and test your own material; a point used with wet paint should not be treated as a clean point for dry drawing.
The effect depends on the drawing material, amount of pigment and paper texture. Heavy pressure can damage the surface. Do not expect every coloured-pencil layer, dried paint or permanent ink to blend.
Explore charcoal and graphite · Explore drawing materials · Compare the other Royal blending stumps
