Standing Into Danger: Scratch Art

Showing posts with label Scratch Art. Show all posts

Friday, July 15, 2022

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

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

Go Wild #2

July 12, 2022

Cover the Paper Completely

July 12, 2022

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

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

Such Pretty Colors!

July 13, 2022

Done

July 13, 2022

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

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

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

Now What?

July 14, 2022

An Enigmatic Petroglyph

July 14, 2022

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

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
All Rights Reserved

Friday, June 3, 2022

Rain's Thursday Art Date: Pretty in Pink ~ June 3, 2022

No heavy quantum mechanics, philosophy, or national tragedies this Friday.
Today I'm sharing some Pretty in Pink photos for my friend Rain's Thursday Art Date.

Her theme is Colourful June: Pink for June 2, 2022.

And, thanks to Valery-Jael, one of the very talented TAD regulars,

jogging my brain with her vibrant piece Dance to the Song of the Sea,

I remembered that I have one framed piece of my art hung in my home,

and it has pink in it.

I'm excited to share it!

I'll start with my photos which were taken during two trips to Honolulu this winter.

Anthurium

International Market Place

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 6, 2022

Snoopy and Lucy

International Market Place

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 2, 2022

A Standout in Pink!

Waikiki Aquarium

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 2, 2022

Another Standout in Pink!

Royal Hawaiian Center

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 2, 2022

And Another!

Store Window on Waikiki

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 19, 2022

Pretty in Pink

Store Window on Waikiki

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 29, 2022

NOT So Pretty in Pink!

(But Strutting with Attitude)

Outdoor Restaurant on Waikiki

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 1, 2022

Sunset Over Honolulu

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 2, 2022

Pretty in Pink

Royal Hawaiian

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 29, 2022

Pretty in Pink

Siam Square Restaurant on Waikiki

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 29, 2022

So here's my art piece. I've always thought of it as Fish and Coral.

It doesn't have an official name.

Fish and Coral by Louise MacBeath Barbour ~ 1986

This is a piece of Scratch Art which I created

during a required course for my elementary teaching degree.

I remember doing scratch art as a child.

I loved the elements of mystery and surprise as I scratched the black paper

and revealed the vibrant colors under the black wash.

Scratch Art was the inspiration behind the black background on my blog,

because I love the pop that a black background gives to displayed photographs.

I usually had my school kiddos do a scratch art project every year.

It's fun for Halloween, and it's awesome if you're teaching students

about Southwest Native Americans and petroglyphs.

An idea would pop in my head,

and I'd race to the art room and ask our fabulous art teacher Preston,

"What's that recipe for scratch art again?"

He'd patiently say, "A few drops of liquid dish soap in a quart of black tempera paint.

Remember, have the kids press their crayons hard as they apply them to the paper."

Then he'd usually give me a bottle of the paint, and I'd dash back to my classroom.

Away we'd go!

At the end of the day 25 or 30 drying blank black pieces festooned the classroom.

The next morning I'd arrive with a big box of toothpicks for the kiddos to scratch with,

and soon delighted squeals broke around the room as wonders emerged.

I still have those sponge wash brushes I bought for my classroom.

.
Modern scratch art, more formally known as Scratchboard or Scraperboard,

originated in 19th century Britain and France.

It became a popular medium for reproduction in engraving,

because it replaced wood, metal, and linoleum engraving.

If you're interested, you can find more information here: Wikipedia.

Rain's Thursday Art Date is all about creating.

She invites artists to showcase their paintings, drawings,

photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever they like!

Artists can follow the weekly themes or post any art they like!

Stay colorful and creative!

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

My next post will be on

Friday, June 30, 2022

Books Read in 2024

"5 Languages of Love: The Secret to Love That Lasts" by Gary Chapman
"At Home in the World" by Joyce Maynard
"Cockroaches" by Jo Nesbo
"Death's End" by Cixin Liu
"Eruption" by Michael Crichton and James Patterson
"In Darkness" by L. Diane Wolfe
"In My Time of Dying" by Sebastian Junger
"Nothing to Fear" by Julie McFadden, RN
"The Bat" by Jo Nesbo
"The Dark Forest" by Cixin Liu
"The Frozen River" by Ariel Lawhon
"The Last to Vanish" by Megan Miranda
"The Montauk Monster" by Hunter Shea
"The Road to Character" by David Brooks
"The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller
"The Twist of a Knife" by Anthony Horowitz
"The Uninhabital Earth: Life After Warming" by David Wallace-Wells
"The Women" by Kristin Hannah
"Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens
"Writing the Shadow" by Joanna Penn

Pages

Friday, July 15, 2022

Scritch Scratch!

Friday, June 3, 2022

Rain's Thursday Art Date: Pretty in Pink ~ June 3, 2022