Michael Halbert is a founding member and Signature Member of Heartland Art Club. A career illustrator, he specializes in pen and ink on scratchboard.
By Michael Halbert
Scratchboard is like pen and ink on steroids. It allows artists to draw with either black or white lines, creating bold graphic shapes or rendering fine details that rival steel engravings. This medium is ideal for depicting realistic animals, portraits, landscapes, and other subjects where detail, contrast, and dramatic lighting are desired. Its printability and striking contrast make scratchboard popular among both commercial and fine artists.
So, what is scratchboard? It is both a drawing surface and a method of creating artwork on that surface. The drawing surface consists of a ridged board, such as illustration board or hard board, which is covered with a smooth, firm layer of white clay. This layer is then coated with a thin layer of black India ink.
The primary technique an artist uses on the board involves scratching off the ink to expose the white clay beneath. This process creates white lines on the black surface, a technique known as white line drawing. I consider white line drawing as drawing with light. The most fascinating aspect of this technique is witnessing the image—hidden within the black—gradually reveal itself with each scratch, as if the light is being turned up.
Scratchboard can be purchased either with or without the coating of India Ink. I prefer the uncoated variety. This option allows me to determine which parts of the clay should be covered with black ink and which areas can remain white. For instance, if I want to create a portrait on a white background, I can leave the clay white and apply black only where necessary. If I were to use a precoated black board, I would have to scrape away the ink in the background, which is time-consuming and creates unnecessary mess.
“Columbia Bridge,” pen and ink illustration on scratchboard, by Michael Halbert.
“Golden Labs,” pen and ink illustration on scratchboard, by Michael Halbert.
However, many people, including members of The International Society of Scratchboard Artists, believe that only artwork made on boards precoated with black can truly be called scratchboard art. I respectfully disagree. I believe that it is the white clay coating that defines scratchboard, while purchasing it precoated with ink is merely a matter of convenience.
What drawing tools are used for scratchboard?
In theory, any sharp tool can be used for scratching off the ink, but some common tools include scratchboard knives, X-acto knives, craft knives, etching tools, scalpels, wire brushes, fiberglass erasing brushes, and sandpaper. The choice of scratch tools ultimately depends on the personal preference of the artist.
To draw with black lines on the white clay, artists can use the same tools as those used for traditional pen and ink drawing, such as technical pens, felt-tip pens (like Microns), brushes, and even dip pens.
Which brand of scratchboard should be used? There are several brands of scratchboards available, each with different levels of quality. Student-grade boards are lower quality, featuring a thin substrate and a light coat of clay. While these are suitable for practice, they are not recommended for serious work.
In my experience, after trying various professional-grade boards a few years ago, Ampersand offers the best scratchboard currently available. Their white scratchboard is called Claybord, and their black scratchboard, which is Claybord coated with India ink, is called Scratchbord. I typically use the 1/8-inch-thick boards, but they come in various thicknesses. Ampersand also produces boards designed for other art techniques, such as oil painting, watercolor, and pastel.
