The Best Scratch Art

Scratch paper art has emerged as a popular pastime in recent years, both for kids and adults. The concept starts with a canvas that has a black foreground and a hidden colorful background. Simply scratch off the top surface to see what lurks beneath, similar to scratching off the foreground on a lottery scratch-off ticket to reveal the prize beneath.

With scratch art, you scratch designs and patterns into the top layer to create an interesting effect. It’s fun for kids and can even be a stress-reliever for adults. You can make scratch paper yourself by coloring heavy-duty paper with bright oil pastels. You’ll then use black paint to paint over the entire canvas in a solid color. You’ll wait for the paint to dry, then use a sharp wooden tool to scratch off the top layer to reveal the colors of the bottom layer.

But you don’t have to make your own scratch paper. In fact, you can buy it ready to go. With pre-made scratch paper, you’ll find the beneath colors can be luminescent in color, almost giving your art projects a glowing effect. As much fun as making your own scratch paper can be, having it ready to go is great, too, especially if you’re traveling.

One thing to consider as you’re shopping is that scratch art can be a group activity. You’ll need a stylus for each child who will be participating. Most scratch art sets are sold with at least a few scratchers, but check to make sure you’ll have enough stylus pens to go around.

Speaking of accessories, take a look at the extras that come with your kit. Some sets ship with a sharpener so that you can keep your stylus in peak performance. You also may get stencils and stickers for even more fun.

• Scratch art is, first and foremost, all about having fun. But it also helps with honing your artistic skills, giving younger household members the space to make their projects their own.
• Most scratch paper sets will come with black matte foregrounds. But you’ll get a variety of background options, including a rainbow of colors, silvers and golds. By combining all the different color options, you may find you can encourage your young artist’s creativity.
• The size of the page comes into play, as well. Larger pages give you more room to work with, but smaller pads are easy to take on the go with you.
• Some scratch art sets come with stencils. This can come in handy for adding various objects to drawings. A stencil can also help a reluctant artist gain confidence.
• Over time, your stylus will dull. A sharpener specifically made for the stylus scratchers that come with art sets can come in handy. You can buy scratch art stylus sticks in bulk, though, so it may not be worth investing in a set specifically for the sharpener.
• Scratch art is a fun way to keep kids occupied while you’re traveling or dining out. The stylus ends can be sharp, though, so make sure you keep an eye on younger kids while they’re using them.
• Just as the pages vary in length, so do the stylus sticks included with the sets. Some are longer than others, which can make it easier for some kids to hold.
• Although scratch art paper comes in bundles, some are grouped in smaller sets. You’ll get, for instance, five bundles of 10 pages each rather than one set of 50. This comes in handy if you need a takeaway gift for a party or you just want to make children get separate sets to call their own.
• The background doesn’t just vary in color. Some are more luminescent, while others feature a standard finish. Pay close attention to the color pictured when you’re buying to make sure you’re getting the look you want.