The Sketch Glove
Sketch artists: Don’t yah just HATE when this happens:
You’re really in “the zone” with your latest pencil or charcoal project, but the same hand that is putting out the great work is ruining your illustration at the same time with SMUDGES!
Well, for the past year I’ve noticed that my friend and fellow artist Mel Rivera conquered that scenario. At first I thought it was some high tech digital drawing apparatus connecting his hand with a mobile device or computer screen…but, Mel was just eliminating those pesky smudges while looking quite cool at the same time!
Following Mel’s example, all I did was find a pair of the new styled work gloves you can find in many hardware or regular discount stores. Not the traditional bulky work gloves we’ve come to know, but the new light weight, form-fitting ones (usually with the rubber-like palm made to increase grip).
Once you’ve found a glove of your choosing, follow these easy steps:
1. Put the glove on your drawing hand.
2. Make a fist.
3. With your fist facing you, punch yourself—KIDDING! Lol!
..No, really, with your fist facing you, draw a line just below the second joint of your index and middle fingers.
4. Now draw a line below the first joint of your thumb.
5. Remove the glove and cut the thumb, index, and middle fingers with scissors.
6. Done!
Now, I’ve seen similar gloves that do the same, but they may cost a few dollars more than the $3.50- $4.00 of doing it yourself as Mel did.
So tell us what you think about the idea?
I follow your page on FB n I’ve seen pictures and I think this is a really amazing idea! I would love to know where I can get one.
Thanks, Jay for following my FB page and for checking us out here as well!
You get a pair of the same style gloves I use by going here, then following my tips in the post for cutting the fingers: http://www.amazon.com/Products25053-26-Grease-Monkey-Gorilla-Glove/dp/B007Z35Y56/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352859454&sr=8-2&keywords=gorilla+glove
Haha! That title threw me off at first! I thought “hate smudge? There’s a hateful thing of smudging?’ *sigh*
But YES I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM! I paint with chalk/powder pastels and so you can imagine it’s one of my biggest irritations! This glove idea is so GREAT!!!!! Thank you for posting about this! Yay!!!!
Thanks, Stacy! Show us if you decide to use one yourself!
Tony-
So…how does the glove not also cause smudging???
Great question, Robert!
I think the natural oils in our skin help the smudging take place. Makes a mess on the paper and the hand.
The glove is a dry surface just like the napkin I used to put on the paper and rest my hand on to eliminate smudging.
The dry-to-dry contact seems to far outweigh the oily contact of my bare hand.
I endorse the tip! I didn’t know about those stylish-looking gloves but for many years I’ve used cheap, white cotton gloves, cutting the fingers as you’ve described. It reduces smudging, keeps oils from the skin off the paper, and helps the hand glide more easily over the surface. I actually use the glove with my graphics tablet as well, for those second two reasons.
Thanks, Ben! And Yes, I have heard of many people using a glove for their digital work, too.
Tony-