Definition: A tortillon is a rolled stick of paper fiber, shaped to a point at each end, used to blend and smudge pencil and charcoal. Tortillons may be purchased from an art store, or you can make your own by tightly rolling a tube of paper. A piece of clean rag wrapped over a finger or folded to a point can also do the same job. Make-up applicators and cotton q-tips can also be used, though results vary according to the absorbency of the chosen material.
Pronunciation: tor-ti-yon
Also Known As: blending stump, torchon
Common Misspellings: tortilon, torshon
