We utilize The Virtual Instructor for my daughter’s art instruction in our homeschool. Each year I work on building her curriculum and build a supply list because the nearest art supply store is over an hour from us. In planning for the Scratchboard Bee, the course says “white pastel” is needed, but when I click the link it takes me to an Amazon link of Winsor Newton Watercolor set. I’ve briefly scrubbed through the videos to see if I can figure it out and I can’t. Haha If anyone can offer help, I would most appreciative. I just need to know if it is something else or if I really do need to spend $60 on that watercolor set.
Hello Amanda @abcathome
Your daughter is going to LOVE this lesson. I did it as my first ever scratchboard project and it is now one of my favorite media.
In response to your question . . . The white pastel is a stick of soft pastel (color white) or a white pastel pencil, and definitely NOT a watercolor set. If you watch lesson 2 (at 3 minutes and 50 seconds into the lesson) the reference to the white pastel is quite brief saying you use the white pastel to transfer the image onto the scratchboard.
Let me explain . . . what Matt did was take a copy of the reference photo, colored the back side with white pastel (with either a stick or a pastel pencil). Then he turned the reference image right side up, placing it on the scratchboard (probably taping down one side so it doesn’t shift) and then tracing the outline of the important parts of the bee. This will be the guidelines for knowing where to scratch.
When you lift the reference up, you will see the white line drawing on the scratchboard. Most times the pastel leaves a bit of a mess on the scratchboard, so the kneaded eraser is used to clean up the unwanted white debris.
I buy most of my art supplies on-line (often from Blick Art Materials or Amazon if they have what I need).
But, I would do “SOMETHING ELSE” as I have done on scratchboard projects of my own after this lesson. Buy the following:
Saral Wax Free Transfer Paper, color white. It comes in a box like wax paper comes in. In essence it is WHITE CARBON PAPER made for artists to trace an image onto a dark surface. The box is $13.07 from Blick, or $18.99 from Amazon. There is a lot in a box and since it comes in a 12 inch wide roll, you just cut off the size of sheet that you need. You can even use it over and over again so don’t throw it away.
In other words, one box of this stuff can be used for a lot of transfers and will last for years (money well spent).
Here is a photo of what I’m talking about . . .
I used this transfer paper to trace my Peacock outline from a recent Live Lesson at The Virtual Instructor, because the project is on a black paper. Here is what the resulting tracing looked like.
I hope this is helpful. Ask if you need clarification or have other questions. I suggest you look for your other art supplies on-line so you don’t have to drive so far and can get exactly what you want. For instance, you can buy the scratchboard from either Blick or Amazon also. I often use Amazon because I can order enough to get free shipping making it more affordable.
Terri Robichon
PS - One last thought. Why don’t you post your daughters finished projects here on the Forum. We’d love to see her artwork and she’d get lots of support from our members.
Thank you SO much for the response! It was VERY helpful. We just didn’t think it should be the watercolor set and finally did find the oil pastel in the video after searching for a bit. Haha I like the idea of the Saral paper…that’s cool! I’ll keep that one handy.
I know we have other questions…I never want to bog down the forum! But I know that when we were looking at some of the painting courses, the colors used in the videos (or materials list) are outdated and we can’t figure what to use instead. That’s a whole different topic! HA!
We have a Blick that’s about an hour and a half from us and my daughter LOVES going in there. It’s like a candy store for her! So I don’t mind building up my list and then taking her there. I just want to make sure I can get my list organized before going. (We also order often from Blick and have always been very pleased. Amazon…well, so often when we order pencils and things there they come broken. It’s a trade off!)
Thank you for the encouragement. I will definitely upload some of her items. She’s LOVING pen and ink and doing soooo well with it. Thank you for sharing your image! Soooo neat!
Hi Amanda @abcathome
I just want to clarify something for you. Oil pastel is VERY different than soft (chalk) pastel. You don’t want it unless you are doing an Oil Pastel drawing. I often say it’s like drawing with lipstick, and it never dries. Don’t let the shared word “pastel” confuse you.
Feel free to send other questions our way and we will do our best to help. And yes, Blick is a very reputable store and fun to go to. I first went to their store in the mid-1970’s when I was in college and have liked it since then.
Terri with 2Rs