Scritch Scratch!

Happy Friday, Everyone!

This week I made myself make time to do a piece of art.

I couldn't resist my friend Rain's Thursday Art Date scratch art prompt.

What's so freeing about scratch art is you can forget about perfection and control.

It has an inherently unpredictable nature. 

This week I worked with crayons and tempera paint

using a process I learned in school as a child

and then used in my elementary classroom for years.

I like to apply crayon colors in a more random than organized way.

I think it makes interesting and unexpected variations in your scratch art.

Then, because I cover everything up with a solid, generous wash of tempera paint,

I scratch away blindly, waiting to see what surprises are revealed.

Pick an idea.  I chose Anasazi petroglyphs.

Pick some colors that work for your idea. 

I chose some vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows 

that I've seen in rocks in the Four Corners area 

(where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah come together).

Pick a tempera paint to cover your colors.  Typically black is used. 

However, I chose a warm reddish brown that also occurs

on the bare desert rocks in my beloved Four Corners. 

Dandelion, Vivid Tangerine, Outrageous Orange, Peach,

Sunglow, Neon Carrot, Sunset Orange, and Scarlet

Aurora, Colorado USA

July 13, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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Start layering colors on your paper.

It's important to press hard with your crayons to get a good coating of color.

It's also important to cover the entire sheet of paper.

It's fun to let go.  There is no right or wrong way to do this!

Go Wild #1

July 12, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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Go Wild #2

July 12, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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Cover the Paper Completely

July 12, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

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The next step is easy and doesn't take nearly as much time as coloring with crayons.

I used about a quarter cup of tempera paint and added a drop of dish detergent.

The dish detergent makes the tempera paint adhere to the paper better.

Tempera Paint with a Drop of Dish Detergent

July 13, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue

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Apply a generous coat of tempera, covering the paper completely.

Such Pretty Colors!

July 13, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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Done

July 13, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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It's important to let the paint dry overnight.  I left mine to dry almost 24 hours.

Today I gathered my scratching tools, a toothpick, a nut pick, and a manicure stick.

You have to experiment with different tools

to see what feels and works right for your piece.

I mostly used the manicure stick.

I also used a soft brush to sweep away the scratched tempera paint.

Brush, Nut Pick, Manicure Stick, and Toothpick

July 14, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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When I picked up the toothpick to make my first scratch, I hesitated.

I didn't have the piece planned out.

I only knew I wanted to start with an animal petroglyph I'd seen

from Monument Valley, a goat-like, horned creature.

I was a little scared to make that first tentative scratch.

It had been over a decade since I had last made a piece of scratch art,

and I was certain I was going to screw it up.

But I chose a spot and scratched.

Woo Hoo ~ It's Working!

July 14, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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Before I knew it, I was happily scritch-scratching away.

I lay a sturdy piece of white paper over the unworked areas while scratching.

It protects the tempera wash from accident-prone me.  

Surprising Variations in Color

July 14, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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Now What?

July 14, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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An Enigmatic Petroglyph

July 14, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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I was really happy with my finished piece.

Considering I just jumped in and went for it, it turned out quite well.

The really surprising things about creating the petroglyph piece

was how much fun it was to do and how therapeutic the process proved.

I need to make more time in my life for creating art!

Ta-Da!

July 14, 2022

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue  

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I'll be taking a break from blogging for the next few weeks.

I'll have a small Insecure Writer's Support Group post on August 3rd,

and then I'll be back for real on Friday, August 12th.

If I have an opportunity to visit blogs, I will, but I can't promise it.

Happy creating everyone! 

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

  My next post will be on 

Wednesday, August 3, 2022.

On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
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