Art Vacation? Take Scratchboard

by Naquaiya

Are you going on a little vacation but still need to be in touch with your art? Consider scratchboard. It's small and handy. It needs no water, turpentine clean up cans, no big container for tools and brushes, medium mixes, big palettes, watercolor pads or canvas, easels, etc. etc. You can effectively stay in touch with your art by scratching away and having fun while you do it.

Consider drawing a pine cone on your picnic table as you relax on your woodsy holiday. How about capturing the beauty and texture of a tiny seashell as you bask in the sun by the ocean? Bored with same old TV in your hotel room? Pull out your scratchboard and put some time in on your art project.

It's amazing how compact and practical this art form can be. Yet, it's more interesting than the traditional marker on a sketch pad or simple pencil work. I like to keep some pre-cut scratchboards in a sturdy zip lock plastic bag. I use a cosmetic bag with a zipper to carry tools. My kit includes Exacto holder and a few blades, #000 steel wool, tweezers, a soft brush to remove clay dust, a portable magnifying glass, a pastel chalk pencil for sketching on the board, a curved blade tool for removing large areas. I also use small sheets of waxed paper which I can lay my hand on and not have to worry about getting oily fingerprints on the scratchboards. Also carry a few strips of foam (any craft store will have) to protect the boards so they can be stacked. All of this can be packed in about as much space as a hardback book takes.

While you're away, don't forget to have fun. It is a little comforting for the obsessed artist to know that you can be producing work if you choose to. Remember you are away to get away; but if you find your art relaxing, you don't have to be without it.