Lisa M. Martin
The first thing I do is find a picture that somehow captures my attention; sometimes it’s the eyes, or the expression, or a feeling I get when I look at the picture. Then I recreate the picture using a medium called scratchboard, where it starts solid black, and I use various tools, patterns, and pressure to scratch away the black, revealing only the white underneath. I love the precision needed and the amount of detail I can get using scratchboard.
When working on a project, I tend to move around the piece, from the farthest back, to the closest, but almost always doing the eyes first. I save the absolute brightest areas for last, and the tiniest wisps of hair, fur, or whiskers for the very end. Comments like “he looks so soft” or “it looks like he’s about to jump off the page” are satisfying and terrific to hear.
I appreciate animals, both wild and domesticated, and respect that they are simply trying to survive on a planet where often their habitat is dwindling and hope that my art can somehow bring awareness to their struggles, whether it is in a jungle, ocean, or in our very own streets and back yards.
