Scratching the Surface: A Showcase of Scratchboard Illustration
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There are some illustrators who take their talents a little bit deeper, while still scratching the surface. Bad pun aside, scratchboard illustration is an amazing artform, one that we our turning our inspirational spotlight on for this new post. By scratching their works from these special surfaces, and at times combining them with paints or inks, these creative illustrators give life to some truly inspired pieces.
Below is a collection that features just a few of these very talented artists working with this breathtaking, and time consuming artform.
Scratching the Surface
Mark Summers
Mark Summers has a gallery that is full of so many sensational illustrations that it was hard to narrow it down for the post. His caricatures and illustrations are richly detailed and overflowing with creativity.
Heather Lara
Heather Lara (also known as heatherzart on DA), has an overly impressive body of work which tends to focus on animal portraits. Her scratchboard illustrations, those with color and those without, highlight the delicate pieces that can be etched from the surfaces of these boards.
Love Me The Most by Heatherzart
Eric Sabee
Eric Sabee has a gallery of work that differs from some of the others on the list. Not only are they some of the more colorful scratchboard pieces showcased, the illustrative characters and imaginative fantasy works show another side of this inspiring technique at play.
Cristina Penescu
Cristina Penescu is another artist whose work focuses on animals, with an impressive collection of work in her portfolio. So many pieces that are not only finely crafted, but that also capture so much emotion. Brilliantly capturing the heart and beauty of nature and her subjects.
Other Fine Works and Artists
Scratchboard & Clayboard by Patrushka
Walden Scratchboard by Caitlyn Knepka
Steeplechase Jump Jump by Tifani Carter
Walls of Separation by Carl Licence
Tall Girl – Colored by shonechacko
Walls of Separation 2 by Carl Licence
scratchboard flamingo by rah-bop
Your Turn
Now that we have wrapped up this end of the showcase, we want to hear from you. What were some of your favorite pieces or artists from this collection? Do you know of any other pieces or scratchboard illustrators that didn’t get a mention? Feel free to let us know in the comment section.
(rb)
Superb!
Wow. Inspiring! Makes me want to revisit the medium! I have a few you can view on my website on the Illustration page, the first 3 in the slideshow are all done on black Claybord by Ampersand. Funny how Day of the Dead lends itself so well to scratchboard. Thanks for posting these.
You need to check out the International Society of Scratchboard Artists at http://www.scratchboardsociety.com you’ll find more outstanding scratchboard art there.
This is sick!
I’ve been looking around for this type of artwork. I had no idea it was called Scratchboard until now. Thank you so much for this post!
Great work! Good to see scratchboard (scraperboard in the UK) still appreciated as a medium, and artists still prepared to go analog.