Scratchboard painting
Skills
This classic craft lets kids scratch the surface to reveal their own colorful creations.
You'll Need
- Large box of crayons
- Poster board or thick paper
- Toothpick or paper clip
Time
30 minutesLearning Stages
Introduce your child to the technique of scratchboard painting. The technique involves etching images on a black surface to reveal the colors beneath. Guide your child in following the instructions below to create his own scratchboard art:
- Using crayons, apply a thick layer of an assortment colors to different areas of a sheet of poster board or paper.
- Apply a thick layer of black crayon over the entire surface of the paper.
- Using a toothpick or paperclip, scratch the picture into the layer of black. A rainbow of colors will come through, forming the lines of the illustration.
For further exploration of scratchboard painting, check out the works of Brian Pinkney, an award-winning children’s book illustrator who uses scratchboard painting in his artwork.