Welcome to the first installment of my WTF series of questions.
I started a project on what is basically card stock. The intent was to use a blade to do some scratching. The paper did not comply. My question is, can any paper be used for scratch work if prepped right, or is the choice of paper the deal breaker? Assume I know nothing, because I don't.
Your opinion is appreciated.
I think most of what you need to know has been posted already. The simple truth is that the support you choose will have a huge impact on sgraffito (scratching) techniques, as will how you prep the surface. Porus supports such as watercolor paper will be next to impossible to scratch or erase on without damaging the paper. So if you plan on erasing, choose a support that is less porus and has a tighter or smoother texture. Vellum, photo paper, synthetic papers, hot press plate finish cardstock, filled and gessoed canvas well sanded, clayboard, etc.
The downside with these is that they are more prone to spidering, or runs. So it is a tradeoff between control and erasability. So you should experiment and find out what works for you.
For freehand, as an example, I like yupo lightly sanded to add a little tooth, otherwise I find it too slick. If I am going to be working with frisket, I prefer illustration card. So it depends on what your goals are.
Clear coating a rough surface is generally a bad idea as you get the spidering problems without getting much more erasability, and it ends up costing more than just going out and getting a higher grade paper. However some swear by it, so... your millage may vary.
More than anything tho, work in as light layers as you can. Even cheap typing paper can stand up to some erasing if you work as light as you can.
Blade work and scratching however require that you put down enough paint to keep it moist when moving to a blade or stick, and nothing makes porus papers more unhappy than moisture.
Maybe consider making your own clayboard. It is inexpensive once you have the materials and is a dream for airbrush artists to work on.
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