Rubbing

This article is about the method of recording and reproducing textures. For other uses, see Rub (disambiguation).

Rubbing a book cover

Rubbing is a reproduction of the texture of a surface with something to deposit marks, most often created with Charcoal, Wax, Crayons, Chalk, or various forms of Blotted and Rolled Ink. Blotting can be produced with many other substances too. There can be different other forms of rubbing such as "smudging" or "scratching". Rubbing is generally physical activity of brushing two substances against each other. Common uses for this technique include: Massages, wiping, and also clearing off my face. It may be used to produce static electricity.

• Brass rubbing, to make copies of monumental brasses, which involves getting a special type of paper, available at many stores, and something to rub with.

• Forensic uses including finding out what was written on a sheet of paper removed from a pad by rubbing the impressions left on subsequent sheets or other backing materials. Formal Rubbing is when a sheet of Paper is placed on top of Carbon Paper, this can then be rubbing onto another sheet to re-create the document. Commonly used in banking and accountancy, this technique is very effective.

• It is also a technique used in frottage, a form of surrealist art.

• Grave Rubbing, is when someone uses materials similar to those used in brass rubbing (see above) to copy the inscription on a grave.