Participants will be tutored by award-winning scratchboard artist Joan McKay who has been practicing in watercolour painting for 30 years, and Scratchbord for 6 years. Over 2 days, 10-3pm both Sat & Sun, this workshop will provide participants with sufficient time to learn the mark making techniques, including stippling & cross hatching, to create a 5”x5” image of your choice of bird on an artist-quality Ampersand Scratchbord. You will learn various ways to scrape the Indian Ink surface to uncover the layer of white smooth clay beneath its surface with tools provided including an X-Acto-type blade and a tattoo needle. Textures, shading, coloured ink and fine tuning will help to show form and contrast bringing your bird to life.

Joan will bring a range of scratchboards for you to examine, looking at composition and techniques used and learn about the scratchboard world, spraying, framing, and more. Participant will go home with: 1 finished piece, 1 practice scratchboard, 1 blank scratchboard to continue working on in your own time
Joan McKay SSA is a Signature member of the International Scratchboard Society of Artists and a member of ACT Wildlife (caring for macropods and birds). She was represented by Traffic Jam Galleries, Sydney.

“I am aiming, by using scratchboard media, to portray the vulnerability, beauty and character of some of the flora and fauna I have had a chance to cross paths with - each unique and with a story.” The process she uses to create scratchboards involves using several types of blades and other tools to carefully scratch through the Indian ink surface of Ampersand Scratchbords, exposing the white kaolin clay underneath. Several layers of colour can be added using pigmented ink and re-scratched in between. Finally the surface is sprayed for protection with Krylon artist quality UV varnish. *Workshop fee includes all materials required. All materials included in fee. Aimed at beginners and up. 16+ We are a wheelchair-friendly facility.