Scratchboard

Scratchboard is a drawing technique in which the artist scratches away a dark surface to reveal a lighter layer beneath. The traditional medium consists of a white, clay-coated board that is coated with black ink. When the top layer is cut away with a sharp tool, the white substrate is exposed, creating lines and textures with high contrast. Some modern boards use a colored underlayer, so scratching reveals color instead of white.

Materials and methods: Scratchboard panels come in various thicknesses. Tools include hobby knives, scalpels, needles, and scratchers. Artists vary pressure and edge to produce fine lines, broad sweeps, stippling, and cross-hatching. Because the surface is removed, the result is permanent and difficult to correct.

Techniques and styles: The medium lends itself to precise, detailed line work and realistic rendering, often resembling engraving. Color scratchboards enable revealing underlying pigments for a different effect.

History and use: The technique emerged in the late 19th to early 20th century and gained popularity with illustrators in the mid-20th century; it remains used by professional and hobbyist artists.

Care and presentation: Protect scratchboard works from direct sunlight to prevent fading of pigments; frame under glass or store flat to guard against abrasion; handle carefully to avoid unintended scratches.