Scratchboard art is a form of direct engraving. The panel starts out solid black and then the artist scratches to expose a layer of white clay under black ink. The working surface is a three-layer medium made up of a 1/8" Masonite panel as a support. Scratchboard has a smooth, absorbent kaolin clay ground that is evenly coated with India ink. Scratch easily with controlled, crisp, clean lines to create exquisitely detailed white-on-black art. Tiritilli's passion for drawing and painting began when he was a young child in Chicago and still remains with him. Self taught, he has painted with oils, work with pen and ink, but now he is concentrating his attention to scratchboard art. Utilizing the scratchboard process is ideal for his "perfectionist" nature. There is no forgiveness in this tedious medium - one wrong scratch or errant stroke - the drawing may be ruined. Scratchboard art is as much of a game as a skill. The skill is to manipulate and/or stimulate the observer. The game is to not let the observer feel they are being manipulated, tricked or coerced. To the artist the creative process is both relaxing and genuinely original in a way beyond description. Without color, this has induced both a challenge and satisfaction for that tests your innate skills. Robert learned years ago that scratchboard art is both a simple and a complex process. It's "Simple" because you can concentrate and focus on the subject while leaving much of the background open. It's "Complex" because there is always the question of what to eliminate; what to accentuate; and what to observe and focus on. The images he draws stimulate the observer's eye and brain in a way that fills in the missing pieces without allowing them to make bold or presumptuous statements. Since the scratchboard technique leaves out parts or substantial parts of all images, it demands the observer to compare the visual to the images' total result. One of the most rewarding ways to collect art is to discover an emerging artist whose artwork you love. Robert A. Tiritilli is one of those artists, whose favorite medium is working with the non-traditional scratchboard because of its sensitivity to touch and its archival qualities.Tiritilli is quickly becoming known as one of the premier wildlife and old American SouthWest scratchboard artists of today. His mastery of the difficult scratchboard medium is evident in the outstanding quality of each of his works. Highly detailed and realistic, his scratchboard art is often mistaken for photographs at a distance. Tiritilli's work is instantly recognizable due to its anatomical accuracy, strong compositions, and sense of light which help bring the viewer into the world of his artwork creations.Scratchboarding is regarded by many artists as one of the most difficult mediums to master as it requires excellent drawing skills and attention to fine details. The medium does not allow for many mistakes and Tiritilli is able to convey many different textures all with just lines or dots. This scratcher's work is filled with intricate and meticulous designs underscored by mesmerizing contrasts and textures. Seeing him slicing his knife across the paper is like pitching a perfect game in baseball-it seems he never makes a mistake while creating something creative and inspiring.To truly appreciate the intricacy of his work, allow yourself to see close-up all the details in his elaborate scratchboard art. Award-winning artist, Robert Tiritilli won 1st PLACE in the drawing category at the SIXTH ANNUAL LA JOLLA ART & WINE FESTIVAL (LJAWF). The judges awarded Tiritilli 1st place due to his outstanding scratchboard and pen and ink artwork. Robert is showing off his blue-ribbon award with his business partner, Charles Hellman. This two-day juried art show (Oct 11 -12 2014) has quickly garnered a reputation as one of the most prestigious art & wine festivals in South California.
