Introduction to Scratch Art

Posted by: Bev Morgan

We will be spending the day, learning basic techniques in Scratch Art.
What Is Scratch Art?
Scratch art is a unique art form using scratchboard. Scratchboard is a paper or wooden panel coated with a layer of white clay and then sprayed with a layer of black India ink.
The original design is lightly scratched into the black ink surface using very delicate tools; concentrating on lights and darks until the desired effect is achieved. Each image is literally thousands of scratches allowing for precise detail and control of lines, enabling the artist to bring the piece to life. The picture can then be painted with acrylics or watercolors etc, or left as a black and white.
In the morning, we will be making a bookmark with birch trees and in the afternoon a bookmark with a sand-hill crane. At the end of the day, the bookmarks will be laminated.