Clayboard Etching a Selfie

Illustrator Dan Nelson walks through the step-by-step process of creating a "faux etching" illustration.

[@Olhamo]

"a control freak's paradise" this really clarified things for me. I was a bit mystified by the horse demo, much as I enoyed it. This is great! I was a rapidograph freak, a number of decades ago, and would often work on eggs. But this --- oh boy. I have to try it at least once. You have turned me on to it. thanks

[@GamesCERO]

He speaks so nicely of his craft. I love that

[@JustinRender]

Very inspiring work, Dan! Thank you so much for sharing. Now I'm going home to draw :)

[@CartumanBrasil]

A complete artist. Your art is inspiring, thanks for sharing these moments of creation. Stay safe, my friend!

[@lauren2882]

Hey Dan, thanks so much for sharing your art videos. I've always wondered how some of these techniques work or can be done with modern tools so it's awesome to watch you work. This scratchwork is cool and your crosshatch illustration is amazing work and looks like a very zen process, I adore the textures and how they bring the image to life. :)

[@elgabenedicta]

such a wonderful artist you are Mr. Nelson!!

[@takedashiki3346]

what a magnificent piece of art work.

[@matini-hd]

Very beautiful and detailed work! Thanks for sharing!

[@caricaturapro]

Amazing work, Dan. Very inspiring

[@iartistdotme]

WOW I never knew all this - never heard of it.Can't understand how it is possible (not to have the reined portion not run. Your etching is wonderful and yes, the final etching was even better than the faux-final. More lively. I just keep thinking WOW. You are so much fun and enlightening to watch and learn from.

[@flyncrc7602]

Very interesting, Mr Dan, and different. Appreciated!

[@am2schmarvelous]

Very cool. I love the etch look and have never been able to satisfactorily replicate it with drawing. I see now I was not planning enough with on where to put my lines and the CLAY BOARD. OMG! To be able to fix the poor choice of line is so exciting.

[@bananaskindevelopment2236]

brilliant, your art and creativity is very inspirational

[@RodCast2012]

Amazing job! I had no idea about that process!

[@Dismythed]

Yes, you have just attracted me to clayboard. Thank you.

[@Barbaroossa]

Your videos are so entertaining and yet so relaxing at the same time. I love this channel.

[@DantheArtMan]

Victor Lourenço Ha! Thanks, Victor! That's encouraging.

[@brainynbrawny9562]

SOOOOO WELL DONE!!!

[@longbeachinthehouse]

By far the best tutorial

[@andrejaya3175]

You are amazing Mr. Nelson :)

[@jinso7648]

An absolute Mad lad! A business asks for a caricature and he bases it off of himself! A mad lad!

[@JK-dj1zj]

You've got me sold on clayboard

[@instagamrr]

Wow, incredible job!

[@Nasoj0Tnek]

I love this man.

[@pmaulik25]

Mr. Dan !! You are true artist with perfections and applies innovative techniques which is fantastic.

[@DantheArtMan]

Maulik Patel THANK you, Mr. Patel, that is very encouraging.

[@creativejourneys2789]

I'm here learning...got my very first smart art monthly subscription and never did this art work before...looks cool

[@WildSnakes]

Thanks Dan!

[@moonblink]

omg. i want this. thanks for the video!

[@solortus]

Great work Dan! Thanks for introducing me to clayboard.

[@ruqzuhair154]

Your videos are so much fun to watch. Also very educational. I’m copying you.

[@corinnexoxo7041]

this is soo AWESOME!!! I've never heard of this before! soo neat..

[@smike13]

awesome. thanks for making this

[@anwarcromekhan6049]

Great tips and tricks this is why i love you tube

[@raydillon]

Wow that clay board really cuts through the ink quick and smooth. I went all digital partially because trying to use white ink over black in was a pain in the butt and not great quality. Wish I knew about this clayboard. Might have to pick some up. Great videos, Dan!

[@DantheArtMan]

Ray Dillon Thanks, Ray! Yeah - give it a try. Your digital work skills will still cross over into manual work, I think.

[@1Ma9iN8tive]

The glove...gangsta - excellent vlog ... Play on playa

[@TheBallsackBandit]

So cool!

[@Nouno470]

*_"virgin surface"_* i like that. imma use that from now on

[@kassyarts]

so awesome ! :O

[@hafiz2664]

Great video Dan. Would be great if you put up more hatching videos. Would love to watch those.

[@DantheArtMan]

Habeas Corpses I am actually working on one right now. Thanks!

[@scottbrenham1341]

I will have to give the boards a try. I have been drawing realistic pictures for years on paper mostly graphite and color pencil. I also worked a little bit with tinted charcoal.

[@DantheArtMan]

They are really very nice -- much more forgiving than paper.

[@MrSirang]

Nice to see you making videos again👍

[@junktube4000]

Wow this video was great. Thanks for making it. Your a nice guy.

[@Ryker_One]

This is amazing. Loved it.

[@OrochiLoveless]

very nice!

Awesome!!!

[@illustrationzone2967]

What pen are you using for the black ink?

[@RodrigoPolo]

You already know, but man, you are a real artist, I always wondered how this kind of illustration was made, now I know, I wish you offer the option to send a picture to get a drawing, because I really want to have this kind of drawing of my family.

[@DantheArtMan]

Hello, Rodrigo-- If you are interested, I would be delighted to do a drawing of your family in this style. The cost would be $350 for ONE person, $550 for TWO people, $700 for THREE, and $800 for FOUR.

[@RodrigoPolo]

@@DantheArtMan Thank you, how do I contact you to send you the images?

[@DantheArtMan]

@@RodrigoPolo Email would work - [e-mail]

[@andreyradostny]

Looks great! But how do you replace drawing from the scratchboard to further production? Scan it?

[@DantheArtMan]

Andrey Radostny Yes. scan it or shoot it carefully in pieces and merge it together in Photoshop.

[@alinesoares9688]

awesome

[@688landerson]

what ink do you use, please? When I apply, say, India ink to clapboard it does not scratch off to reveal white clayboard, rather it just makes a grey mark.

[@alsaulso1332]

wow!

[@Astrobiologica]

I am interested in having a go at clayboard work, much of the equipment is rather dear. for instance I would like to know if other brands of pen may work just as well as the radiograph ? or would it compromise the work too much ? thank you for your tutorials.

[@DantheArtMan]

Stephen Good question! I think that other pens would work as well. I think you would really want WATERPROOF ink or the piece would get messy.

[@Astrobiologica]

i tried off the shelf indian ink in a cartridge as an experiment, the result was that regular indian ink is to thin/runny has too high a flow rate to be used, and therefore technical pen ink of either brand is a must. however I am confident that the Isomars technical pens with regular white scraperboard will do the job.

[@techstro8434]

how long have u been drawing and wat did u start with pencil or pen

[@DantheArtMan]

carlos rivera Since before I started school at the age of 5. Pencil, mostly.

[@jiangshan0515]

First of all, where can I find a model as cool as yours?

[@justtubingby129]

👍🏽

[@DennisCNolasco]

I’ll have to try this out. What’s the cost of the board used in this drawing?

[@DantheArtMan]

I just did a quick search.... 8 by 10 runs about $10. For this particular project I used a clay board panel that had a structural framework on the back. I think it ran about $30.

[@DennisCNolasco]

@@DantheArtMan thanks for checking out the pricing Dan. I'm going to have to try these out!

[@innovationnew4670]

Can this same be achieved using adobe illustrator

[@ramsesleon86]

Learn from the Master

[@Mspalacioss]

que papel se utiliza?

[@juanarayaart]

Will this technique works on any rapidograph and any paper?

[@DantheArtMan]

+Juan Araya Pérez Any Rapidograph pen may be used, although it is not necessary-- a crow quill or fountain pen would work just as well. NO, not any paper will do! It must be CLAY BOARD.

[@juanarayaart]

Thanks you ;)

[@DantheArtMan]

+Chad Roseburg I haven't used those, but I am sure they would work fine-- as you say, not as many do-overs.

[@angela14962002]

[@JoeLercio]

If you mess the board, could you sanpaper it and use it again?

[@TheSangson]

Should be possible, theoretically. You'd have to use very, very fine sandpaper though and then polish it with a rather soft cloth.

[@avabelturbo2024]

what's name of this paper? its looks not like normal paper...

[@DantheArtMan]

Correct - it is not normal paper, it is clayboard. Google that term and you should be able to find what I'm talking about.

[@avabelturbo2024]

@@DantheArtMan wow，thank you so much.i get it.i will try it to classic logo design :D

[@zagatogranada295]

3:58 but when using that instument, the paper is not scraped, only the ink is removed???' help

[@DantheArtMan]

No, no! The top layer of clay Is removed, not just the ink. This is not paper. It is a board with about a sixteenth of an inch of CLAY (sort of like hard white CHALK) on it.

[@user-yy7be8en1x]

как называется этот стиль

[@MattCirby]

thats no paper, where you etched, right?

[@DantheArtMan]

Matt Cirby Right. Everything is CLAY.

[@viktorovna88]

Где достать такую бумагу в России?

[@jya5325]

這用來紋身應該很漂亮?!

[@orlandherrera9720]

Paper or other..???

[@user-yy7be8en1x]

what is the name of this style

[@DantheArtMan]

Костя Сазанов Scratchboard OR Clayboard OR Etching . . .

[@ant_i_am]

Why do you wear glove?

[@DantheArtMan]

+Антон Демченко To protect the paper from the oils in my hand.

[@ripppking]

Lol so that's what those empty pens I found in my moms markers are for.. Lol I figured but never seen anything like them before since they're like a little needle at the tip

[@mariannebrearleylove3936]

Absolutely fab so sad I never investigated this

[@thepochade5992]

Great face :)

[@pharaohbhang1172]

Amazing, as always. However, I don't think you know what a 'selfie' is. Lol

[@DantheArtMan]

Pharaoh Bhang Ha! Yep.

[@paulmark2629]

perfect! haha

[@patwolf7054]

too bad the sound is so distorted. great image work

[@pastuh]

Just random comment, but better get isograph not rapidograph :D

[@DantheArtMan]

Yeah.... I've used both. I have used the Rapidograph a lot more because I often use colored/mixed colored ink. Beyond that, it's probably just habit.

[@SirBartolomew]

I don't want to be *that* guy, but that's not a technically selfie. Well, I guess I can't say that and not be *that* guy. Sorry for being *that* guy. Awesome piece, though.

[@blue_screen_2000]

I guess colorisation was done by someone else ?