A drawing technique using a rolled paper or leather tool (stump) to blend and soften charcoal, graphite, or pastel marks, creating smooth gradations and subtle tonal effects.
From the noun 'stump,' referring to the blending tool made from tightly rolled paper or leather. The technique name derives from the tool itself, which resembles a small stump.
Stumping transformed drawing from mere line work into something approaching painting—18th-century portraitists like Rosalba Carriera used stumping with pastels to create incredibly lifelike skin tones that rivaled oil paintings! The technique was so associated with feminine accomplishment that 'stumping' became a polite drawing skill taught to upper-class ladies.
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