There are some illustrators who take their talents a little bit deeper, while still scratching the surface. Bad pun aside, scratchboard illustration is an amazing artform, one that we our turning our inspirational spotlight on for this new post. By scratching their works from these special surfaces, and at times combining them with paints or inks, these creative illustrators give life to some truly inspired pieces.

Below is a collection that features just a few of these very talented artists working with this breathtaking, and time consuming artform.

Scratching the Surface

Mark Summers

Mark Summers has a gallery that is full of so many sensational illustrations that it was hard to narrow it down for the post. His caricatures and illustrations are richly detailed and overflowing with creativity.

Madhatter

Lincoln

Wagner

Brahms

Gilbert & Sullivan

George Eliot

Edgar Allen Poe

James Joyce

Heather Lara

Heather Lara (also known as heatherzart on DA), has an overly impressive body of work which tends to focus on animal portraits. Her scratchboard illustrations, those with color and those without, highlight the delicate pieces that can be etched from the surfaces of these boards.

Gotcha! by Heatherzart

Love Me The Most by Heatherzart

Izu 4

Billy

Narmada 3

Pombe 1

Tiger 1

Cheetah Snuggle

Unexpected Guest

A Glimpse of the Past

Eric Sabee

Eric Sabee has a gallery of work that differs from some of the others on the list. Not only are they some of the more colorful scratchboard pieces showcased, the illustrative characters and imaginative fantasy works show another side of this inspiring technique at play.

Great Omen Raven

Dimension Diver

Jimi Hendrix

Black Watch Elite

Sadranis

Arbiter of Fate

Cristina Penescu

Cristina Penescu is another artist whose work focuses on animals, with an impressive collection of work in her portfolio. So many pieces that are not only finely crafted, but that also capture so much emotion. Brilliantly capturing the heart and beauty of nature and her subjects.

Desperation

Hunger Crisis

Cautious Observation

Bearly Interested

Into the Light

Hopeful

Focused

Within Reach

Other Fine Works and Artists

Scratchboard & Clayboard by Patrushka

SCRATCHBOARD by Kevin Fleming

Walden Scratchboard by Caitlyn Knepka

Steeplechase Jump Jump by Tifani Carter

Walls of Separation by Carl Licence

SCRATCHBOARD by Kevin Fleming

kitteh by ohin

Tall Girl – Colored by shonechacko

Walls of Separation 2 by Carl Licence

scratchboard flamingo by rah-bop

SCRATCHBOARD by Kevin Fleming

Your Turn

Now that we have wrapped up this end of the showcase, we want to hear from you. What were some of your favorite pieces or artists from this collection? Do you know of any other pieces or scratchboard illustrators that didn’t get a mention? Feel free to let us know in the comment section.

(rb)

As we celebrate various life events, one tasty, sweet centerpiece that often makes an appearance is a cake. Over the years, cake designers have really taken their art to decadent and daring new heights. The artistic approaches to cake design have wrought some spectacular examples that not only spark your imagination, but also your appetite.

Below we have collected a small sampling of the artistry displayed through this area of culinary expertise. So take a tour of this flavor rich showcase of cake designs that is packed with imagination and inspiration.

Taste in Design

Alice in wonderland cake by Naera

Super Mario Wedding Cake III by Verusca

Izumik wedding cake by see-through-silence

Sushi Cake by cootiedoon

Monster book of Monsters cake by darkfirewizard

Louis Vuitton Hand bag cake by Dragonsanddaffodils

TARDIS Cake by Girl-on-the-Moon

Dead Man’s Farm Cake by ohnoono

Cat Cake 1 by Shoshannah84

Head Over Heels by Sliceofcake

Peacock Wedding Cake by ArteDiAmore

Super mario – chess- cake by anafuji

Opus Paint Tube Cake 1 by HighBornTalon

Happiness by Naera

Cinema Cake by Verusca

Alice’s sweing basket by see-through-silence

Dragon Storybook cake by darkfirewizard

milk + white fruity choc wraps by Dragonsanddaffodils

Davy Jones Cake by ohnoono

Violin by Shoshannah84

Needs More Candy by Sliceofcake

Steampunk Owl cake by ArteDiAmore

Day of the Dead by atrotter719

My First Big Cake – BtVS by peeka85

Proud Auntie by Naera

3D Corset Cake by Verusca

Casino cake by see-through-silence

60th birthday dessert by Dragonsanddaffodils

NIN_Catacombs Inspired Cake by ohnoono

Ninjago by Sliceofcake

The Black Pearl by ArteDiAmore

Pumpkin Cake by DancesWithWacom

Sewing Machine Cake by reenaj

Colorful Roses by atrotter719

Mike Dirnt Bass Cake by ParadoxAndPlaid

Bright Colorful Cake by ArteDiAmore

Playable Angry Birds Cake by Sliceofcake

Artist Palette Cake by Verusca

Barry’s Dalek Cake by Dragonsanddaffodils

Pillows by Naera

No More Room

That finishes off this tasty treat of a showcase, well at least on this end. Now, as always, we hand the proverbial fork over to you! Fill us in on what your favorite of the cake designs featured here was, or if you know of another that is stored away somewhere else, by all means leave us a link.

(rb)