I draw out a pen and ink cartoon the same size as the finished piece. This drawing although dated March 2011 is based on a quick sketch drawn in 1987. This is then carefully traced onto the Scraperboard. In this case I'm using white board. I prefer to use white rather than black as I find it more versatile. I can ink up the areas which I want to be the darker tones and leave the paler tones white. I'm trying to to make a drawing that has its own character, rather than replicate a wood engraving.
I then start to ink in solid areas of black. These will either remain black or will be engraved into with a stylus to reveal the white board beneath the ink.
Having established the black areas with a brush I start to draw into the paler areas, mostly with a fine pointed mapping pen but also brushing some marks to represent different types of vegetation.
The drawing stage (above) is now complete, so I put the drawing aside to let the ink dry before engraving into it to bring out the finer details below.
The Road into Conistone-Wharfedale. Pen and Ink Scraperboard.103mm x 149mm. 