My postings are delayed I know.We have been busily crafting yet time to sit in front of either computer has been minimal.My camera is filled with pictures from weeks of March crafting.Which also reminds me to wish you all a Happy Crafting Month! March is the official National Crafting Month. I find myself and the girls do too overwhelmed with ideas.
So what is Scratch art you may ask? Well it is a form of creating duotone art whereupon the artist works in reverse: filling in the light areas and highlights rather than the shadows and dark areas. It is called scratch art because it is done by utilizing a sharp metal object or a sharpened wooden dowel to scratch the black material from the surface of a scratchboard, revealing the white or color coating underneath.
Scratch boards are typically made by coating a board, usually masonite, with fine white china clay, or an equivalent quality clay. Then the surface is coated with an opaque black ink. Once that is dry, the ink can be scratched away, unveiling, ideally, the brilliant white clay underneath.
So what is Scratch art you may ask? Well it is a form of creating duotone art whereupon the artist works in reverse: filling in the light areas and highlights rather than the shadows and dark areas. It is called scratch art because it is done by utilizing a sharp metal object or a sharpened wooden dowel to scratch the black material from the surface of a scratchboard, revealing the white or color coating underneath.
Scratch boards are typically made by coating a board, usually masonite, with fine white china clay, or an equivalent quality clay. Then the surface is coated with an opaque black ink. Once that is dry, the ink can be scratched away, unveiling, ideally, the brilliant white clay underneath.
Some scratch art paper comes with set forms that your child scratches aways and reveals some is just plain and your child will be able to create in free form. For this project we used paper that has multiple colors in the underlay we have used the black and white paper in the past and I have to say I preferred it but the girls beg to differ as the paper with a color underlay is more eye catching.
Scratch art although fun can be difficult because a child must be careful to not scratch too deep. The more you scratch, the whiter for example the area becomes, but only to a point. Once every bit of ink is removed, the limit of how white or colorful the underlay is has been reached. So I find that it is crucial to explain to your little artist the downfalls of scratch art to avoid frustration. By doing so your child will have a more positive experience with this project.
Below are some links to a couple well priced online suppliers of scratch art paper and one with great scratch art kits. Also I have seen that Crayola has version of scratch art and looks appealing and it comes in a wide variety of styles. I believe they are all under the Color Explosion line and are available at local super stores. If you have tried these and find them fun let us know we would love to hear your take on their use and see some pictures of completed works.
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