An Introduction to: Scratch Art

Exactly, what is Scratch Art?

Scratchboard, also known as scraperboard in the UK, is a three-layer structure consisting of a either a heavy-weight paperboard or a thin piece of masonite (depending on brand) which is coated with white clay and then airbrushed with a very light layer of black India ink. When you first get the board, it is solid black and by the use of various tools, which will be discussed later, you scratch through the black to the white layer below. You can also purchase the product before it has been inked (the white clay layer is exposed) if you would like to ink it yourself. That product is usually called clayboard.

How do I choose a reference? Not all photos make good scratchboards. Those with excellent contrast are usually the best for scratching. I like to convert images to black and white before I start, as I find it easier to see the shading and decide if it will make a good scratch. Often times increasing the contrast in a photo program can make a picture better for this medium. The photo also needs to be sharp so that the direction that the fur lies can be seen.

Change your image to black and white before you print it so you can tell if it has good enough detail and contrast to make a good scratch art drawing?

Works best for scratchboard? What subject matter Works best for scratchboard? Almost any texture can be created with scratchboard, but the artist needs to keep in mind that scratchboard is a form of etching and everything must be done with either dots (stippling) or lines. The impression of shading is created through the use of lines/dots that are thinner or thicker and either closer together or further apart. Pure white areas can be achieved by scratching all of the black off to reveal the white clay below, and solid black by simply leaving an area unmarked. In general there is no gray, only black (unscratched) or white (scratched).

Fur comes in many different lengths and finenesses, often varying on different areas of the same animal. To create animals that look realistic, the artist must pay attention to the length and coarseness of fur in different areas on an animal.

Each individual hair on an animal has a specific shape Each individual hair on an animal has a specific shape. It is widest at the base (shaft) and narrows at the tip. This can be replicated by making sure that your stroke with a tool ends in the same direction that the hair ends. Since you naturally decrease pressure when ending a line, it creates a shape similar to a hair. Hair also has a direction that it grows in. It is important to be attentive to the direction of hair and where it changes direction. Sometimes it has a smooth transition and other times more abrupt. A very clear and detailed photo to work from can make this much easier to see. While hair does have a general direction, areas of hair are not 100% parallel to one another, but rather with slight variation. To create a realistic look, vary the angle within 5-10 degrees from the general growth direction.

Each individual hair on an animal has a specific shape Each individual hair on an animal has a specific shape. It is widest at the base (shaft) and narrows at the tip. This can be replicated by making sure that your stroke with a tool ends in the same direction that the hair ends. Since you naturally decrease pressure when ending a line, it creates a shape similar to a hair. Hair also has a direction that it grows in. It is important to be attentive to the direction of hair and where it changes direction. Sometimes it has a smooth transition and other times more abrupt. A very clear and detailed photo to work from can make this much easier to see. While hair does have a general direction, areas of hair are not 100% parallel to one another, but rather with slight variation. To create a realistic look, vary the angle within 5-10 degrees from the general growth direction.

While most mammal skin is generally covered by fur, there are areas that are not furred, including the eyes, tip of the nose, lips, gums, teeth, tongue, etc. Also domestic animals may be wearing a collar or tack that is smooth. Smooth areas are best created with very small cross-hatch lines and stipple. Because smooth areas do not have a direction per se, you want to vary the direction of the lines or use dots (or a combination of the two).

The first step is a good line drawing on regular paper The first step is a good line drawing on regular paper. I like to outline major changes in shading or coloration and sometimes also make note of major changes in the direction of the fur, especially if it is complex with multiple changes in direction (fortunately, there are usually not too many complex hair changes). An accurate initial drawing is imperative to the accuracy of the finished work. I then transfer my line drawing to the black scratchboard with black graphite paper. I have tried a variety of ways to transfer to the black board and this is my favorite. The lines can be seen but are not overly visible and mostly dissolve with a final fixative spray at the end. Since they are only a slight shade different than the board itself, my scanner does not pick them up to show you.

There are a variety of tools that are commonly used for scratching your board; however, with a little imagination even more can be found. Anything sharp will scratch through the ink layer, so trial and error can yield some fun and interesting results.

Scratchboard is a relatively little-known medium throughout most of the world, though increasing in popularity. It is easiest to get supplies in the US. There are three primary makes of scratchboard at the time of writing. Scratch-Art is common in the US and is mostly a school-grade product. It is semi-glossy ink sprayed on paperboard. I do not find the quality of this product to be good for fine details as the black ink will at times chip off and heavy scratching can go through to the cardboard layer leaving an undesirable result. I do not recomend it for the serious artist. Essdee is a British company and can be sometimes difficult to find in the US. It is a semi-glossy ink sprayed on illustration board. I have limited experience on this brand of scratchboard, though have taked to several respected artists that prefer it, as it has a slightly thicker layer of ink sprayed on it. My prefered brand is Ampersand Scratchbord. It is a matte black ink sprayed on masonite, which will not flex or bend. The ink is sprayed quite lightly so it will pick up very fine scratches. I have heard other artists complain that it will scratch off with pressure from the hand if you have very rough skin (I've personally never had this problem). This brand has been picked up by the commercial company "Hobby Lobby" in the USA and can be purchased there or online.

While ampersand does make a scratchboard tool kit with several tools in it, I prefer the ones pictured above. I do at least 95% of my scratching with an exacto with the #11 blade. This tool can yield lines from very thin to medium thickness depending on the angle it is held at and the amount of pressure applied. These tips can be resharpened many times. I do use a couple of tools made specifically for scratchboard. Specifically, I use the #12 and #13 speedball tips. #12 is a sharp point, which yields medium to thick lines and #13 is a scoop-shaped tip that creates thick to very thick lines (useful for taking off larger areas of black quickly). I occasionally use a small amount of oil-free steel wool (sold by Ampersand and comes in fine, medium and hard), which gives a soft, dreamy look that is difficult to achieve with any other tool. The down side is that the shavings from the wool can embed in your finger tips and it is difficult to be very precise with it in small areas. Some artists also use a small fiberglass brush to give soft edges. I have never gotten the knack of this tool, but have seen it used with great skill by others. If you wish to try this tool, it should be used with gloves and a face mask as inhaling the particulates from the brush can be harmful.

Transfer your photograph or drawing using white transfer paper. All you need is the general placement, outlines to begin. Detail work will all be done with Scratch art tools.

Once you have your line drawing transferred, you just start scratching Once you have your line drawing transferred, you just start scratching. I generally like to start with the lightest areas and eyes first. Light areas let me refresh my feeling for my Exacto since I have to do many lines to get it light enough. I can play with different angles and see how sharp my tip is. I like to get the eyes in early as they give life to the piece and make it feel like a living, breathing animal right from the start.

From here out, I just keep building the drawing From here out, I just keep building the drawing. Continue to pay attention to fur direction and shading always. Sometimes I jump down to an area that has a different texture just for a change.

Here is the finished piece Here is the finished piece! I usually add in whiskers last as they go over the top of other hairs. In this case there are black whiskers too. I added those back in with a fine black marker.

OOPS, I scratched away something I didn’t really want to. What can I do? While it would appear that scratchboard is very unforgiving, it can actually be re-inked to repair minor mistakes. Ampersand sells a small bottle of black ink in their ink set (inks that can be used to add color, which this article will not cover). You can use the black straight out of the bottle to go back to total black, or you can dilute with water to create shades of gray. This is very useful if you scratch something too light or just want to tone down an area that is close to black, but not quite. Once the ink dries, it is ready to be re-scratched again to the desired shade.

What if I want to add some color? After you are all done scratching, you can either leave the piece as it is, in black and white, or you can color it. There are many ways to add color including scratchboard inks, watercolor paints, diluted acrylic paints and more.

How do I take Care of my Scratchboard Drawing? The best way to protect your drawings, whatever medium they might be, is to matt and frame them under glass. If that is not an option, you should at least matt it, with a hard back and cover it with paper and tape

Assignment: Find a good reference, with high contrast and a lot of detail Do a scratch art drawing on 8 ½” x 11” scratch art paper. Show good proportion good detail good darks and lights -have at least 5 different values good form Use a variety of lines, such as hatching, cross-hatching, thin and think lines, wavy, and etc. Spend quality time inside and outside of class to complete your drawing to the point it receives The exclamation of WOW!! We are probably talking 30 hours of concentrated work. Do not procrastinate!!!!