GALLERIES CLOSED FOR INSTALLATION UNTIL MARCH 15

WINTER HOURS: Tuesday - Sunday 11AM - 4PM

DIY Scratchboards

DIY Scratchboards

Objective: Sure you could easily go out and buy a pack of inexpensive scratchboards but where’s the satisfaction in that? Try making them yourself. It’s simple, satisfying, and comes with bragging rights. Turn your scratchboards into birthday invitations, a colorful letter to a special friend, or just a cool piece of art. This is a great project for a rainy day!
Materials:
• White, heavy weight paper such as cardstock or watercolor paper
• Assorted crayons or oil pastels
• Black tempera or acrylic paint
• Liquid laundry detergent
• A utensil for scratching- a fork or pointed skewer work well
Directions:
1) Cover the entire surface of your paper with areas of crayon or your oils pastels. You choose the color combination. Bright, vivid colors work well and offer the most contrast.

2) Mix the paint and detergent together using a 1:1 ratio. The detergent allows for easy and smooth scratching, but we have done this project with just paint alone and it works just fine.
3) Paint over the crayon entirely and let dry. If the paint dries too thin a second coat may be required.

4) Using your utensil, start scratching away to reveal the colors beneath.