Now a few days ago I featured this picture by Derrick A. Lea
And the following day my friend Ann responded with a description of how Mr. Lea made the picture.
Scraperboard is a sheet of card, coated with a black surface, and you use a fine knife or scriber to reveal the underneath white surface.
I remember trying this at college, and may even have taught it as an alternative drawing technique.
Reverse drawing, in a way!
For the sky, the black area was cleared off, revealing the white surface.
Scraperboard was popular in the 50/60,S for illustration and adverts.
I've just had a memory jog. When I was very young, 3? I lived with my parents at 237, Barlow Moor Rd, opposite the entrance to the Cemetery, and the chap next door taught me how to draw a very simple dog, my first drawing lesson.
His name was Mr Lee. Or Lea? He must have known something about drawing. Coincidence? This would have been about 1945.
My grandmother died that year, and we moved to live with my grandfather, at 523."
Location; Chorlton-cum-Hardy, 1955
Picture; Chorlton-cum-Hardy, 1955, Derrick A. Lea
Scraperboard was also available without the black coating, so you could just apply the ink by brush or pen exactly where you needed it, and then use the scraping techniques to add fine detail, tones etc. This was more efficient than having to scrape off acres of black. Looks like that is what was used here. It gives a similar appearance to an engraved woodblock but without all the carpal tunnel damage.
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