About Scratchboard Art

My artwork is done on a masonite board covered in white Kaolin clay and then sprayed with India ink. I transfer my drawing onto the board using white transfer paper. Then using a variety of sharp instruments, my favourite a scalpel, I make small scratches in varying depths and lengths, revealing the white beneath and eventually the image emerges.

This can be left as is at this point or I can “color” it, using thin coats of coloured inks, made especially for claybord, which I used for this rose.

I scratch in again and re-ink several times to achieve the depth of colour and highlights that I want. Other media such as watercolour, pastels and even coloured pencils may be used to colour the boards.

When I am done, I coat it with an acrylic spray sealer, to protect the finished piece.

Detail from Maryann’s Rose