Scratchboard Works in Progress

Here's a studio view of some of the new scratchboard pieces I'm working on.  I'm in production like a wild factory trying to scratch out at least 10 new large (11"x14" to 24"x36") pieces for my solo show at the Fayetteville Underground in September.  Not enough time?  Maybe, but I'm sure game to try!  In fact it's helping me to develop a better approach to design and execution.  Used to be I would draw a small rough sketch from a photo or my imagination and then just freehand it on the board and go at it. There would be lots of unknowns, and I would develop and discover the design elements as I worked.  Now, I'm doing the sketch full size, refining it and then using the chalk on the back technique (rather than carbon paper), transferring it directly to the board.  Faster, better and I'm finding myself more intensely involved in the actual design from the beginning.  In the past the initial portion of the drawing was not as interesting to me.  Just a means to an end.  Now I feel totally passionate and engaged from the start.  And it's easier to have 2 or 3 or 4 pieces going at the same time, most importantly I can focus on each of them, going from one to the other seamlessly.  The boards are my favorite medium, Ampersand Art scratchboards. They will be framed with Illusion floater frames from Jerry's Artarama. Subjects are monkeys and dogs,  I'll probably throw in a few other animals, and maybe a surprise creature, we'll see, I'm sure I'll be surprised where this all goes!