A Detail Lover's Dream Scratchboard is a simple concept You scribe or scratch lines into a black drawing surface to expose a white under color. But there is so much potential with this technique that provides great contrast and is easy to do. Once considered a less than serious art material, or perhaps a material best suited to children's art, scratchboard has been elevated to a much higher level through the refinement of composition and the introduction of new products created for use by professional artists. The most basic of scratch art materials is actually scratch paper. It consists of strong, lightweight paper that is first coated with white or brightly colored chalk and then covered with black ink and is the least expensive scratch art base available.
Finished drawings can be dramatic because scratching reveals rainbows of color.
A basic scholastic quality scratchboard is made of heavy paper base coated with a smooth coating of china clay. Black ink is then used to cover the clay surface. It is lightweight and great for student or study work. Scratchboard created especially for the professional artist has set new standards of excellence. Made by a number of manufacturers, most professional sheets are handmade to ensure a specific degree of smoothness.