To start off the second semester, the art students of Armuchee High School are doing scratchboards.  A scratchboard is a base, often cardboard, typically with a layer of thin white clay on it, and on top of that a layer of India ink. India ink is a type of ink that is made from carbon black, which is a durable pigment that is made from ash and a binder such as a liquid. When working with scratchboards, abrasive scratching tools are used to remove the ink and create a variety of dimension and value. Values are shown in the lightness and darkness of the piece. The lighter the abrasive tools are used, the less the ink is removed.

To start the scratchboard process the students use a 2B pencil to draw out their images. After doing that they use a needle to scratch out their highlights and shadows, and create values. Teresa Yandell, Art teacher and Volleyball coach said, “The main step, and also the hardest step, is creating different values with scratchboard. The medium values being the hardest.” Yandell said, “If the students practice and use examples of other people’s scratchboards to help them, then the hardest parts aren’t so hard anymore.”

While some students may have had started with similar ideas for scratchboards, no two projects are the same. Yandell said, “Fine art is all about originality. I would not allow two students to do the same project.” Every student doing scratchboards has been very creative with his or her ideas. Sophomore Logan Lively did her scratchboard of  a dandelion blowing in the wind (see photo). Lively said, “My scratchboard is depicting the dandelions in the field of my grandparents’ house when I was young. It represents growing up.”

Yandell said, “Every student brings their own unique perspectives to their artwork. That is what makes teaching art so interesting.” She said her expectations for scratchboard are very high, and that in the past she has seen the best drawing skills depicted in it.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Sophomore Logan Lively's scratchboard is a dandelion blowing in the wind. Her inspiration comes from the dandelions in the field at her grandparents' house when she was young. It represents growing up.