Teddy Bear, Book, and Rosary Scratchboard

"Emotional comforts: An old teddy bear, the book "How to Meditate" by Pema Chödrön, and my mother's rosary."

This is an 8.5" x 11" still life drawing, done on scratchboard paper, fixed to panel, unframed.

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Prep Bowls and Measuring Spoons Scratchboard

These brushed steel bowls were perfect for a scratchboard drawing, their surfaces literally described with strokes of light.

This is an 8" x 10" drawing, done with an X-Acto knife on an Ampersand smooth gessoed panel, painted with india ink and sealed with spray fixative.

Brushes and Guitar Scratchboard

The hair in these brushes are like the soft, colorful notes of a guitar played with the thumb and fingertips.

Another scratchboard still life, this one on an 8" x 10" Ampersand smooth finish panel, painted with india ink and spray fixative. The tool of choice was the point of an X-acto knife, which created very fine lines.

Failed Scratchboard #1

I tried making my own scratchboards, painting masonite with plaster-loaded gesso, then with gel medium darkened with india ink. The result was an impenetrable surface. And so "gougeboard" was invented. Being a good sport, not one to let failure deter, I commenced to gouge, scrape, smear, rub and generally work the surface until I'd had enough. The result are seven confused-looking abstract panels, children of these dark winter days.

This is a 6" x 6" sheet of masonite, painted with acrylic. It is number one in a series of seven.