LORI DUNN SCRATCHBOARD ART
promoting conservation through artistic efforts
Covert
8 x 8
AVAILABLE
This tiny artwork took far longer than I expected. This is often the case with smaller scratchboards. The marks need to be so fine on small boards in order to make an impression to a viewing public that often have their nose inches away from the piece. Larger works can stand up to a bit of haphazardness as the overall impression is seen from much more of a distance. They also reproduce smaller on screen, presenting realism more effectively. Small boards are often viewed on screen at a magnified version, putting them at a bit of a disadvantage in this way. This is why miniature painters will often submit their works with a penny on the image for scale, to remind the judges of this disparity. Depicting colorful birds, such as this male mallard duck, is also a challenge in a black and white medium. One has to pick a dramatic focus other than what color can provide. Usually I turn to high contrast light effects, but in this case, it was the unique spiral composition and sharp edged geometry of the feathers that I decided would fill that role. I hope you like it.
