About Scratchboard
Scratchboard Art is an art form in which dark ink is scratched off the board to reveal a white or colored layer underneath it.
Scratchboard
Scratchboard, also known as scraperboard, is a black-and-white drawing medium. The board itself is cardboard or panel with a thin coating of fine, white clay covered by a layer of India ink. The drawing surface starts completely black and the technique is scratching white lines through the ink with a sharp tool, such as a scratchboard nib held in a pen holder.
Tools:
- Speedball tip#113 (scoop shape) - for widest
- Speedball tip#112 (pointed tip) – for wide to medium lines
- Small Fiberglass Brush – for softer effect
- #11 scalpel Blade - for finest lines
- #11 Exacto Blade – for fine to medium lines
- Steel wool
The more lines one draws, the brighter the picture becomes. A scratchboard drawing is often very highly detailed, can resemble a wood engraving but it is not a print medium.
About the Medium:
My scratchboard of choice is now Clay board by Ampersand. This is by far the best-quality scratchboard that has ever been made. It’s a durable board made out of masonite. It’s covered with a fine layer of a clay-like substance, and then coated with black india ink. The clay coating under the ink makes the scratching smooth and delicate.
