This work depicts a Blacksmith Plover (Vanellus armatus), which I was fortunate to observe in East Africa. It was a wonderful challenge to create the contrast and structures of the bird’s plumage and head feathers in this technique.

The scratchboard technique allows a very detailed work of black and white pictures. A scratchboard is of a wooden panel covered with a basic clay layer and the surface is stained with black Indian ink. White lines were generated by scratching the surface and the remove of the ink coat.