More on Scratchboard

So here is how to create your own scratchboard:

It is really just like drawing (only in reverse), and it requires deliberate "mark making." Every line that you make shows up.  Scratchboard doesn't take a large investment in supplies.  I use "Scratchbord" by Ampersand which you can buy at Hobby Lobby or Michael's.  You can also order it from www.cheapjoes.com.  They all three have  have these kits with lots of tools:

But you don't need everything in the kit, at least I don't.  In this kit there are 3 scratching tools. I don't like any of them. I use only an Xacto knife to make my marks.  However, some of my students do love the simple red tool on the right of this kit.  I have lots of different tools for my students.  I have taken small nails, needles and straight pens and have attached them to  chopsticks.  I drill a tiny hole in the large end of the stick and glue them into the hole. The chopstick becomes the handle .  My students all have different preferences.  I had one student who took a needle and glued it to an empty ballpoint pen. It worked very well.  I use a regular Xacto knife.  I keep it sharp.  You can turn that blade different ways to make different marks.  Holding it in a normal way creates a nice mark.  If you turn it upside down to use the top of the point rather than the bottom of the point, you can create a narrow fine line.  If you bring the blade down a bit you can create a fatter line.  If you chop, chop, chop with it, you can create stippling, or a series of dots or small slashes.

 What I do like about the kit is the red tool on the left, and the only place you can buy that by itself is through Cheap Joes. That tool is a fiberglass tool.  The tip looks like s tiny block of felt and takes off large smooth areas of the scratchboard.  But be very careful.  You can get some of those tiny fiberglass fibers in your fingers. The only problem with that tool is that beginners over use it and take off too much black. It rubs off the ink rather than making marks, so it looks quite different.The kit also has some white transfer paper and some fine steel wool.

All of that being said, you can get by with an Xacto knife, a scratchboard, a piece of paper, white chalk, tape, and a pencil. If you like it you can buy some of the other stuff later.

The first thing I have my students do is take a small piece of scratchboard and make some practice marks.  They have to make value scales using different marks - hatching, crosshatching, and stippling.  I want them to learn how they can make lights, mediums, and darks by scratching a white line.

Hatching, crosshatching, stippling

Then I have them make some sort of simple form and show shading and a cast shadow.  This one is by one of my sophomore students:

Always think about the direction of your lines.  If you are drawing a round fruit, let your lines follow the contours of the fruit so they will  create a feeling of roundness and three-dimensionality.

Here is an example of a shaded sphere that you could use for this practice:

For your practice pieces you can buy 5" x 7" scratchboards (  a pack of 3 from Cheap Joes's is $7.99) or use an 8" x 10"  ($5.99) divided into 4 sections.  Here is what I recommend for your practice:

1. Make some value scales like I show above.

2.   Do the sphere above creating a full range of values from white to black. (of course, the black is created by just leaving the black ink.)

3.  Next  find something simple that you might like to try - a piece of fruit, an eye, a flower.  For your next practice try to recreate some textures like this practice sheet.  Look around your room and find some textures to draw - wood grain, basket weave, fuzzy fabric, hair, eyebrows, a dog's nose. Also, I kept a small blank scratchboard around for practicing while I scratched the Missouri house picture.  I worked out technique before working on the "real thing."  

Now here is some advice I give all of my students:  Don't scratch off too much too soon.  It is much easier to go back and lighten an area than to go back and darken it.  (I will tell you how to do that later and how to correct mistakes. )

Okay, do you want to do a scratchboard?  If so, read on!

Find a photo or take a photo that was not taken with a flash.  A flash flattens out all of the contours and creates a very hard shadow behind the objects.  A photo with a direct light source from one direction is best.  I introduce my high school art students to scratchboard their sophomore year. I have them take a picture of their dog or cat or find one on the internet.  They have to show a little bit of background of some sort.  The animals usually have good lights and darks and different textures - the fur, the glassy wet eyes, and the bumpy noses.  Another good subject would be a vehicle - an old truck, a car, a boat, a motorcycle, or a bicycle. Here is an example of one of my student's beginning piece:

Let me say something about scratchboard before you start.  Treat your scratchboard with care.  The black surface is fragile and sensitive.  Once you take the plastic wrap off the board try not to touch it more than is necessary.  I place my board in  a regular file folder stapled all around or taped on three sides to protect it.  You could also use a large manilla folder. Also, ladies don't use hand lotion while handling your scratchboard.  It will leave a greasy mark. Sometimes it will wipe off, and sometimes it won't.

Buy a scratchboard the size that appeals to you.  8" x 10" is a good size for a beginner.  Trace the outline of the board onto a piece of paper.  Draw your subject on the paper, working out all problems before starting on the scratchboard.  There are two ways to transfer your drawing to the board:

1.  Coat the back of the drawing with white chalk. Place it carefully on the scratchboard with the chalk side down.  Place masking take on two sides to hold it in place. Try not to let the tape adhere to the ink side of the board.  It should go from the paper to the back of the board. Lightly trace over your drawing,  Peek under to see if it is transferring.

2.  Use white transfer paper sandwiched between the drawing and the board and trace as above.

There are problems with both methods.  The chalk will wipe off as you work on the scratchboard if you are not careful.

The white transfer pigment is sometimes hard to remove from the inked surface.  You should be able to remove it by gently rubbing with a white vinyl eraser, but  . . . . 

Do not draw directly on the inked surface directly with a pencil.  It too is hard to erase and leaves a shiny gray mark. 

I  kept a white soft pastel pencil nearby to recreate lines that disappeared while I was scratching because  I used the chalk method.

Start scratching your picture in the least intimidating place.  Watch for contrasts - value changes - some with soft edges and some with hard edges. 

Now, I know you are asking, "how do I correct mistakes?'  The best advice - try not to make any.  LOL.  Well, of course you will make mistakes, but the fewer the better. Go slowly and think about your values.  There are several ways to make corrections, but the best way is to use the ink manufactured by Ampersand.  It matches the ink on the surface of the board.  I have used lots of different brands of India ink and none of them match exactly.  If you are using a small amount and scratching back into the ink, it won't matter much.  But if it is larger you will see the difference in color and finish.  I just read about some Faber Castel Pitt pens that are good for correcting small spots or for going back in to add black lines.  I order the ink from Ampersand directly.  However, one of my students received a scratchboard set of tools for Christmas and it came with Ampersand ink.  Also, it you want to just darken a scratched area just slightly, you can rub in some compressed charcoal. That is the very black and dense square sticks of charcoal.  

This sounds very complicated when I write it all down.  It really isn't.  Scratchboard is one of my students' favorite lessons.  We win awards every year with our scratchboard pieces.  A few years ago one of my students won best in show at the Mid-South Scholastic Art Competition.  This year this piece won the People's Choice Award at the Mid-South Art Competition and a Gold Medal at the National Scholastic Art Competition.  She accepted the award at Carnegie Hall in New York City at the end of May.

And here are  process photos from a piece a senior did last year and posted on her blog: (Yes, both of these girls are working way beyond high school level!)  

Hope you try scratchboard.  It is fun, especially if you love to draw.