Scratchboard, also known as scraperboard, originated in Britain and France in the early 1900's. It is a very distinct look, in which artworks are created by using carving tools to etch and scrape away the surface of the board. Since you are carving into a thin layer of white China clay that is coated with black India ink, the "drawing" looks like white lines on a black surface when you are finished. This is a very fun method and we recommend it to anyone who wants to expand their horizons!