Artists that begin with a white clay-coated board will add their own ink to the surface, and then scratch away the ink in the same manner as described above. After completion, the artwork may be varnished to protect it against damage. Materials and tools Scratchboard itself comes either with a paper (cardboard) backing, or a hardboard support. While the cardboard does have its uses, as it can be easily cut into size, the hardboard is much superior, giving greater stability to the work, being able to be corrected more often. It is more durable and easier to scratch into for cleaner, crisper details and lines. Several tools have been created specifically for scratchboard; however any sharp implement will do though a range of blades of different thicknesses allows the removal of more or less of the ink at will (see variety of tools listed below). Isopropyl Alcohol on a cotton swab or cotton ball, sandpaper and non-oily, fine, steel wool are also useful for removing large areas, and creating texture. Coloring scratchboard, black or white boards, can be done with many media applied with paint brush, air brush, and even cotton balls. Special scratchboard colored inks can be added to the white areas and then scratched again for additional highlights and volume for added dimension. While some artists choose to make their own scratchboards, most artists work on commercially available materials. Some of the tools professional scratchboard artists use for scratching through the ink include xacto blades, scalpel blades, tattoo needles, tips made by speedball (scratchboard tips #112 and 113), tips made by scratch-art brand, small fiberglass brushes, wire brushes, sandpaper, steel wool, parallel-line tool, ink erasers, and more. Various techniques such as hatching or stippling can be used to detail the image. The 14" X 18" scratchboard Sunflower And Silver by Diana Lee is an example of black scratchboard colored with transparent ink. An extreme close up lets the detail of the scratching be more easily seen. Artists Notable contemporary illustrators who have worked in the scratchboard medium include Gary Bullock (UK Illustrator), Michael McCurdy, Peter Blake, Virgil Finlay, John Schoenherr, Sally Maxwell, Gary Houston, Jos Sances, Russ Mullins, Bill Russell, David Klein, Mark Summers, Peter Kuper and Scott McKowen. In 2011, the International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) was launched to help promote scratchboard art as a fine art medium, as well as to help educate the public