tortillon

[ tawr-tee-on, -ohn; French tawr-tee-yawn ]

noun

, plural tor·til·lions [tawr-tee-, onz, -, ohnz, taw, r, -tee-, yawn].

1. a stump made of paper twisted to a point, used in drawing.

tortillon

/ -ˈəʊn; tɔrtijɔ̃; ˌtɔːtiːˈɒn /

noun

1. another word for stump

Word History and Origins

Origin of tortillon¹

1890–95; < French: literally, something twisted < tortill ( er ) to twist ( tort ) + -on noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of tortillon¹

from French: something twisted, from Old French tortiller to twist

Example Sentences

She was like a tortillon, a blending brush, melting harsh lines into gentler curves.

From Literature

Then place the strainer on the easel, and after putting in the cloud effect take the chamois block in your left hand, and, with a tortillon stump in your right, put in the shadows in a strong, clear and decided manner.

From Project Gutenberg

It will also be well to make a chamois block for applying the crayon sauce, to be worked with the tortillon stump.

From Project Gutenberg

On a photographic enlargement or a free-hand crayon after the outline and masses of light and shade have been made with the tortillon stump, as explained on page 55.

From Project Gutenberg

Then place the strainer on which the portrait is mounted on the easel, and put in the shadows with the tortillon stump, producing the lights with the eraser; finish with the No. 0 crayon.

From Project Gutenberg