Ampersand - Scratchbord
Scratchbord
| SKU: | MPN: |
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| Texas Art Price: | $34.15 |
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Product Information
- Clay-coated panel with India ink surface
- Scratch knife reveals white clay beneath
- Works with hobby knives and steel wool
- Creates precise line drawings and illustrations
- Waterproof ink prevents smudging during work
- Ideal for high-contrast black and white art
Scratch through ink to reveal luminous white clay beneath
Professional illustrators know that conventional drawing surfaces impose limits, graphite smudges, ink bleeds, corrections look patchy. Scratchbord eliminates these frustrations by reversing the drawing process entirely. Instead of adding marks to white paper, you remove black ink to reveal brilliant white clay beneath. This subtractive technique produces crisp, luminous lines impossible to achieve with traditional drawing methods.
Ampersand coats hardboard panels with multiple layers of kaolin clay, then applies Higgins Waterproof India Ink as the final surface. The smooth, durable coating responds cleanly to scratch knives, hobby blades, and abrasives like steel wool. Fine tools create delicate crosshatching and precise detail work; broader implements produce dramatic textural effects. The dense black surface and bright white clay create exceptional contrast that reproduces beautifully in print, one reason editorial illustrators and printmakers favor this medium.
Mistakes become opportunities rather than problems. Reapply ink to scratched areas and rework passages until they're exactly right. The rigid panel won't buckle or warp, maintaining a stable working surface through multiple revisions. Available in standard sizes from small studies to exhibition-scale pieces, Scratchbord handles everything from wildlife illustration to architectural rendering with equal precision.
