How to Erase Colored Pencil without damaging paper

Drawing with colored pencils is one of the most enjoyable activities you can do. And it is easy to do. But sometimes it is not so easy especially when you’ve made a mistake. Then, you’ll have to learn how to erase colored pencils without damaging the paper. And that can be pretty difficult.

Don’t worry, though. We’re going to help you with that.

If you love drawing with colored pencils and getting the most out of your drawings, then you’ve probably missed a trace at least once. And that probably made you want to quit the drawing at once.

Luckily, you can always erase mistakes when drawing with colored pencils. It doesn’t matter how bad the problem is – you can always fix at least part of it.

We’re going to show you a few of these ways to erase colored pencils in this article. And we’re also explaining how it is all done in the best possible way.

Interested in learning more? Then keep reading!

How Do You Erase Pencil?

Well, this is a difficult question to answer because it can be done in many ways. But overall, the focus should be on getting as many color pigments off the paper as possible.

Still, erasing colored pencils is one of the most challenging tasks of an artist. That’s why it is essential to avoid mistakes as an artist.

In fact, erasing colored pencils entirely is almost impossible. But following the right methods and steps, lightening up mistakes is always possible. In some cases, you may leave a blank paper as if never happened.

How to Erase Colored Pencil

If you want to jump over the method below, you can learn an excellent method to erase colored pencil from paper with this video:

5 Different Methods of Erasing Colored Pencils

Now that you’re aware of one effective way to erase colored pencils, here are a few additional ways to do so. Read up:

01. Erasing with a Colored Pencil Eraser

This is probably the most accessible tool you can use – an eraser. It is just like any other eraser you will find, but this one has a colored appearance, usually blue or yellow, explaining it works for colored pencils.

The Boao Colored Pencil Eraser will probably be enough for your needs.

Using it is also a piece of cake, and it delivers excellent results. Here’s how:

  1. First, test it on a small area on the paper. Make sure it doesn’t damage the paper you’re using before getting it to work over the color pigment.
  2. Then, if it doesn’t look too damaging, you can start rubbing it off gently on the area you want to erase the color from. Try to do it from a peripheral position, so you can be gentle but also effective at doing so.
  3. Rub the eraser softly until you can barely see the color or not see it at all. We recommend being patient and spending at least two minutes rubbing it off softly until the color comes off.

These colored-pencil erasers are pretty useful, but they still take some work and time to deliver results. If you’re not careful and don’t take precautions, you may end up damaging the paper and/or the drawing itself.

02. Erasing with Vinyl Eraser

This is a standard vinyl eraser you would use for regular pencils. It is also pretty useful, yet it requires a little more work.

The Prismacolor Magic Rub would be an ideal option as a Vinyl Eraser.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

  1. Find a vinyl eraser that fits your needs. There are many designs & shapes out there. Focus on the one that makes it easy for you or simply looks comfier to use.
  2. Again, test on a small area beforehand. You don’t want to crease or rip the paper by mistake. Also, make sure it doesn’t smear or leave marks around the space you rub it off. For that, do it gently.
  3. If it works correctly on the test area, you can try it on the colored part. Here, rub it gently once again, but this time you should be even gentler. This type of eraser can smear the color around if you’re not careful.
  4. Use the edges to eraser more effectively. This won’t get rid of all the color but will provide a decent start so you can color over if needed. Or use any other method afterward.

Using a vinyl eraser may not be the best idea, but it can be extra helpful if you’re careful and patient.

03. Erasing with Electric Eraser

Erasing with an electric eraser means breaking the paper off slightly until the color fades off completely.

That means you won’t be able to use this type of eraser on thin paper, but it will work wonders on thick canvas and other kinds of paper.

The Art-N-Fly Electric Eraser is a perfect option.

Want to know how to use an electric eraser? Here’s a small step-by-step guide:

  1. To use it, you need to pass the electric eraser over the area. It will get rid of small paper particles slowly until it eliminates the ones with the pigment.
  2. This should be done gently and with as much care as possible. An electric eraser can be pretty damaging and wear paper down if used with too much force.

The process is simple, and that’s why it is such an excellent choice. However, the effectiveness comes at the expense of a slightly damaging process. So be careful if you want to erase the color without damaging the paper.

04. Erasing with Eraser Pencil

An eraser pencil uses a colored eraser on its tip, but with the shape of a pencil. This is an excellent way to erase colored pencils without making much of an effort, and without damaging the paper.

You may find the Pentel Clic Eraser a fantastic alternative.

Want to know how an eraser pencil works? Here’s a quick video about it – and a comparison to regular vinyl eraser:

05. Easing with Kneaded Eraser

These are also called the kneaded rubber or tap-lift scrub. The erasing effectiveness is excellent, and it works wonders due to its flexibility. Yet, it can be a little complicated to use, especially for its molding capacity.

If you want a high-quality kneaded eraser, the Prismacolor Kneaded Rubber can be an excellent choice.

Here’s how to use a kneaded eraser:

  1. Start by grabbing the kneaded eraser in a way that makes it easy to rub off the paper. Make sure not to smear any of it with the shape you make.
  2. Then start applying the kneaded rubber on the pencil marks. Do it softly, yet try not to go too hard to sparse the color around.
  3. While you’re taking off the color, you can also mush the kneaded rubber around. This will prevent any excess of pigments on the eraser to be smeared around the paper eventually.
  4. Using a kneaded rubber also demands a soft touch. If you go too hard, you may end up creasing or ripping the paper. Be careful when doing so.

If you want to know a few more methods or tools to do so, this video contains 30 extra options to consider. Take a look:

Ways of Erasing Colored Pencil

If you want to erase colored pencils even easier, then you can use erasable ones. Yes, they exist. And they make erasing a piece of cake if needed.

These erasable pencils fade off more quickly, which makes them super easy to erase when you rub the pigments from the paper with an eraser.

They mostly work with kneaded rubbers, vinyl erasers, and colored erasers. An electric eraser won’t be necessary in this case.

The real advantage comes from the ability to last a lifetime on the paper still. Even if they’re easy to erase off the paper, they can also last many years without fading off.

Want an excellent way to erase colored pencils from the paper without making much of an effort? Then get the Prismacolor Col-Erase Pencils.

Why it’s Necessary to Erase Colored Pencil from Art?

Having the chance to erase colored marks from art gives you way more creative opportunities and tons of freedom.

In case you mismark the paper or just mark something you don’t like, then you can always fix it with an eraser.

This will make it easy to start again and keep going with your drawing.

Apart from that, you can always get more done without trying to fix things with more traces. Just erase the thing off and keep going.

Finally, erasing colored pencils from art gives you the chance to finish exactly how you want. If a mark seems off, doesn’t look too well, or you just don’t like it – then you can always erase it.

This opportunity of erasing colored pencils is amazingly practical and something not to ignore. If you have the chance to enjoy it – don’t miss it.

How to Erase Colored Pencil From Wall

While erasing colored pencil from paper can be somewhat straightforward, doing so from a wall might take a few more time and effort. Luckily, it is still possible.

But of course, it depends heavily on the type of wall and the color of the wall. Here are a few things you can do for each:

  • For standard white walls, you can use a pencil eraser. Just rub the marks without crisscrossing or smearing the color around.
  • You may also use a kneaded rubber. This one works wonders for concrete and cement walls. Just try not to rub the kneaded eraser too hard.
  • Using white toothpaste may also work. This one would be an excellent choice for smoother surfaces such as ceramic & stone.
  • In case we’re talking about drywall, you can always use a soft cloth and baking soda. That will do the job as long as you do it gently without smearing the color.

All these options can be the perfect solution to get rid of colored pencil marks from a wall.

How to Erase Colored Pencil From Fabric

Fabrics are often more complicated than walls and paper itself to clean color pigments from. That’s why this is not possible without strong products such as dish soap, cleaning solvents, chlorine, and hot water.

For the mildest of marks, you may be able to get rid of the pencil marks by just rubbing with warm water.

In some cases, you may need to repeat the cleaning process. If required, be careful the second time.

How to Erase Colored Pencil without an Eraser

Now, are you trying to find a way to get rid of the colored pencil without using an eraser? Then this small guide will help you out:

01. Erasing with Artist Tape

The first way to do so is with artist tape. This excellent product sticks to the paper and removes pigments with ease.

You just need to cut a small piece of tape, stick it to the paper, and then remove softly, so it gets the pigments off.

We recommend using it with care as well, as not to remove any part of the drawing that you don’t want to remove. For that, cut the tape when needed.

Also, consider having other erasing tools around so you can get the job done with more effectiveness.

02. Erasing with Retraces

Retracing the marks you don’t like is always helpful. You just need to use a different color or something with more strength to get rid of the old and unwanted colored trace.

This will make it easy and may probably deliver a richer touch in the drawing. And sure enough, it demands less work and time than any other erasing option.

Verdict

So, what are you waiting for? If you’re looking to get rid of an unwanted trace in your drawing – all the previous options will be ideal.

We know that learning how to erase colored pencil won’t be a piece of cake, though. It demands attention and work, especially if you want to do it right without causing damage to the paper.

But overall, you can always get the job done as long as you follow our advice and recommended products.

Don’t waste more of your time with ineffective erasing options and do what we talk about here. You won’t regret it.