Scratch a Numbat, with Joan McKay (NEW)

Step into the world of numbats for a weekend and while you are there, develop skills,
techniques and understanding of the medium of scratchboard, with internationally-recognised artist Joan McKay. This course is suitable for beginning and continuing students.

Date: 8 and 15 February 2026
Days/Times: Sundays, 9:30am – 4:30pm
Location: NatureArt Lab, M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith

Once you have registered, you will be sent the materials list to complete the project. 

About the course:

Become familiar with using tools such as craft blades and tattoo needles to scrape away the black Indian ink on Ampersand scratchboards to expose the white clay layer beneath and the greys in between. Become confident in rendering objects with a range of mark making techniques.
Create a numbat with layering and shading to show form, and techniques to depict eyes, and fur. Fine tune your image with highlights, contrasts and colour. Consider composition and backgrounds to aim “to bring your numbat to life”.
Also, examine the anatomy of a numbat, its habitat and risks. Analyse scratchboard images of a range of furred animals created by well recognised artists. Image preparation, spraying and framing will be discussed.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop the student will be able to:

• Knowledge of materials and equipment used in scratchboard.
  Use scratchboard tools: a craft knife, tattoo needles and other tools, to demonstrate techniques including creating textures, form and contrasts on Ampersand Scratchbords.
• Understand the process of creating an image on a scratchboard - from adjusting a
  reference photo, tracing an image, using tools to work layers, using ink to add colour, and fine tuning, through to the final varnish and framing.
• Increased knowledge of applying composition, contrasts, tonal values and colour
  while referring to exceptional international and Australian scratchboards and master paintings.
• Knowledge of a fascinating and endangered Australian animal. 
  

Suitable for students from beginners through to intermediate students.

Materials
A $30 kit will be given to each student at the start of the workshop. Please bring $30 to the first class. A materials list with a few household items will be provided well before the start of the workshop.

About the tutor:

Joan McKay will be teaching the scratchboard workshop. She is a Canberra based
scratchboard artist who also has a passion for drawing and watercolour, studying the latter two since her 20s and scratchboard since 2017. Joan is a wildlife carer in Canberra specializing in birds and macropods. She has an interest in vulnerable and endangered species and was asked to exhibit her work in “On the Edge: Species at Risk”, the 2023 exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. She has found scratchboard to be an ideal medium to portray the animals and birds she has cared for as well as the more endangered species. Gum blossoms, mistletoe and other flora also appear
in her work. Joan is a Signature member of ISSA, the International Society of Scratchboard Artists and was recently a resident artist for 2 years at Traffic Jam Galleries in Sydney. In 2024 she held an exhibition at Strathnairn Gallery in Canberra and has exhibited in many group exhibitions.

Scratchboard created by Joan McKay from a photo reference: S J Bennett. "Numbat: A numbat at Perth Zoo." Photograph. 13 July 2013. Flickr.