The Scratch Board

Dawn: African Lions. Scratchboard (engraving on Claybord Black) with acrylic ink, 12 x 9 in, 2007.

And here we are in colour and I’m quite glad I did colour it - I think it adds to the sense of early light and early life. I’ve decided against a background for this one. I like the lion’s profiles against the stark black. I won’t be sealing/varnishing this for several days because I prefer to set new works aside to “rest” for a while - it helps me come back to them with fresh eyes and make little corrections, etc. Invariably, if I rush things, I find stuff after I’ve sealed the work and by then it’s too late to do anything about it.

As I worked on the female I was struck by what an amazing musculature she must have lurking under that coat.  It makes sense, as the females do “the lion’s share” of the hunting, that she would be strong. But I don’t think I’d ever really thought about how strong she must be: the environment is unforgiving, she must hunt, as well as bear and raise young. Not that the male gets a free ride: from the moment he attains a pride of his own he must be on constant alert for any outside threat to their territory. After all, they must have a home from which to hunt. I’ve only ever seen lions in zoos and look forward to the day when I can see them in on the African plains.

WIP: Dawn: African Lions. Scratchboard (engraving on Claybord Black), 12 x 9 in, 2007. 

Here I am at step four, the etching complete and the board is ready for colour. When I get to this step I frequently find myself putting off colouring the works. But with this one, I had envisioned the finished project in colour - I think aided by the original sketch I did - and will likely have this one finished soon.

One would think that the dangers of doing scratchboard are obvious, after all my tools look like they could easily double as prison shanks. At the very least, I never have to worry about losing any of my tools - people usually let out a fairly loud yelp whenever they come across one I’ve mislaid on the couch.

But there are other dangers about working with scratchboard that aren’t so pointedly obvious. Fibreglass brushes, for example. A fibreglass (also spelled “fiberglass” but I’m from Canada, eh) brush is used to remove areas of black ink without leaving a hard edge. It’s quite a handy tool and seems innocent enough, but…

Here’s excerpts from a fact sheet published by the American Lung Association about working with fibreglass - keeping in mind that these safety recommendations were designed for people working with the building insulation form of fibreglass:

Skin:

• Wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved clothing and long pants.
• Do not tape sleeves or pants at wrists or ankles.
• Wear gloves.
• Do not scratch or rub your skin if fiberglass particles accumulate on your skin.
• When you finish, wash skin or shower with mild soap and warm, running water.

Eyes:

• Wear safety glasses with side shields.
• Wear a hat.
• Do not rub your eyes while you are working with fiberglass. Be sure to complete clean up before rubbing your eyes or scratching your skin.

Nose, Mouth, and Throat:

• If you experience irritation of the nose, mouth, or throat you should consider wearing an “N 95″ particulate respirator approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
• If you are working in a dusty environment, or are working with fiberglass insulation overhead, a disposable dust respirator may be a good idea. Be sure to read and follow the respirator manufacturer’s instructions regarding selection and proper use of respirators. Most home improvement stores sell these types of disposable respirators.

Installation and Clean-Up:

Follow these steps and be sure to read and follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully.

• Keep your workspace clean.
• Do not handle fiberglass scrap more than necessary. Have a waste bin or plastic trash bag close by at all times.
• Use correct cutting tools such as a sharp utility knife and a straight edge.
• When cleaning your work area, be organized in your approach so that you do not spread fibers back into an area you have cleaned previously.
• Make sure all installed insulation is never left exposed in an occupied area. If the insulation does not have any protective covering or facing, it may cause irritation to anyone coming into direct contact with the glass fibers. If the insulation has a paper or foil covering it presents a potential fire hazard.
• Change work clothes after you finish your fiberglass insulation project.
• Wash work clothes separately and wipe out washer after cycle is complete.

Apparently, fibreglass doesn’t affect everyone the same way, but I happen to be one of those who is quite sensitive to it. Even with the safety precautions and goggles, I still end up with rashes and dry, painful eyes. It just wasn’t worth it. I’m not saying you shouldn’t try the brush yourself, I’m just saying you have to treat it with a little more respect than an eraser.

Well, after all the trouble we had to go through getting our hands on a good piece of scratchboard, I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear that scratchboard tools are a dime a dozen - or whatever the going rate for sewing needles is at your local craft shop. You can buy “real” scratchboard tools, but my favourites are not purpose bought items. Depending on the size of the image and detail required, I tend to use one of two tools most frequently:

The first is number 11 X-acto blade in holder and the second, a regular sewing needle in an X-acto blade holder. Both make nice clean lines, although I find the thickness of the X-acto blade line more variable and this makes it very well-suited for hair. The needle lines are much finer and I prefer to use it on smaller baords like the 5 x 7 and 8 x 10 sizes.

I do use two “real” tools, both are scratch nibs made by Speedball number 112 and 113 scratchboard nibs:

As you can see, the 112 nib is very pointed and makes marks similar to the X-acto blade, except a bit wider, and the 113 nib is like a tiny shovel with which one can “gouge” out larger areas of white. I know there is a purpose made tool for clearing large areas of white, a fibreglass brush tool, but I’m not a particular fan of that tool.

Other “tools” I use are a nylon brush from Loew-Cornell for brushing the clay dust off the board as I work, Staedtler Pigment Liner pens for making minor corrections, and for colouring finished boards, FW Acrylic Artists’ Inks.

Next time: safety issues around scratchboard.

I know scratchboard must seem like a mad sort of medium: artist hunched over a flat board, crazily etching hundreds and thousands of tiny scratches into a black board in the hopes of capturing some fleeting image in light and dark. And, yes, it is very much like that, but with much more muttering.
One might think that because scratchboard is such a basic process – scratch through one surface to reveal an underlying layer – that there would be a multitude of scratchboard products available. Sadly, no. Unlike other art mediums like painting or drawing where the artist can literally choose from any one of hundreds of varieties and brands of canvas or paper, scratchboard artists are much more limited in their choices. Scratchboard is only made by a handful of companies, and of those only a few are suitable for the serious or professional artist; well, at least that I’ve found – if you have other scratchboard you’d like me to review, send it along and I’ll happily give it a try:
 

Scratch-Art Paris Scratchboards: http://www.scratchart.com/

The Scratch-Art company makes a variety of boards, but only two are traditional black and white scratchboards – one is a student grade and the version is the professional grade. Even if you are a student, I would recommend the “Paris” grade. The clay layer is much thicker, which means you can make some corrections and re-scratch coloured areas for highlights, and the cardboard support is much thicker, which means it won’t accidentally bend and flake the ink off the clay. I know it’s tempting to go for the cheaper student grade, but it really behaves quite differently from the professional grade and it’s almost as though you have to re-learn your technique on the pro board when you move up, so you might as well start there anyway (yes, that is the voice of experience). The one thing I’m not a fan of with this product is the “slick” glossy feel of the ink layer. Think of the difference between hot-pressed and cold-pressed paper and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. On the plus side, Scratch-Art is a very popular brand in North America - I’ve even seen it in local craft/hobby shops. Finished works on Scratch-Art must be framed with glass
 

Essdee Scraperboard:

This British company hand makes their scraperboard (as it’s called in Europe) and it’s a very nice product – I actually like it quite a bit better than the Scratch-Art board because the inked surface is less glossy. Somewhat thinner than Scratch-Art’s “Paris” grade, it still has enough weight for corrections and re-inking. However, I’ve only ever had a small piece to work on and it’s quite hard to get on this side of the pond – even the big mail-order art supply stores have trouble keeping it in stock. Finished works on Essdee must be framed with glass.

Ampersand Claybord: http://www.ampersandart.com/

Ampersand Art Supply in Texas makes what I consider to be the ultimate scratchboard surface. With a hardboard backing and thick clay layer, this is a premium surface that can be scratched, re-inked and re-scratched far past the limits of other boards. The ink layer is very smoothly applied with a lovely matte sheen. I know some early reviews of this product complained about the strange circular marks in the surface (made from the orbital sander used on the clay layer) but the company has long since resolved those issues. And that’s another plus in Ampersand’s column: they are very responsive to the needs and suggestions of artists. Because scratchboard isn’t as popular a medium (yet…) it still is a bit hard to simply pop over to your local art store and pick up a board or two, but ordering from the big mail-order art supply companies is usually quite painless (although, do beware the shipping/customs fees if you’re not in the United States – we are talking about hardboard here, it’s heavy).

Next time: scratchboard tools.