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Re the white hairs being drawing with an 'empty .o3' did he mean using the metal tip of the mechanical pencil to actually scratch into the paper?I have read of a similar technique, an Australian wildlife artist who uses a plastic knitting needle to scratch in the long white hairs before adding tone. It seems like an interesting idea, though rather risky - you can't erase them.
I'll ask John about that. I was wondering myself....
I use an incising technique also (if this is what John meant) - much the same as your wildlife artist. In my case I use a blunt needle (actually a sewing-up or darning needle) snapped in half and mounted into an old clutch pencil. You can see it and an example of its use on my "Tools I Use page" at http://www.sibleyfineart.com/tips010.htm.... and you're right - it's risky!
You can remove an error by drawing into the valley but you can't make directional alterations or smooth out unintentional kinks.
By the way - the word "scratch" might give the wrong impression. A scratch implies a rough-edges mark in the paper but what is required is a very smooth incised line impressed into the paper surface so that it leaves a valley with clean-cut parallel sides.
MIKE
www.SibleyFineArt.com
www.Starving-Artists.net