La Catrina

About this artwork

Her name is La Catrina and the essence of her story goes deep into Mexican traditions and roots but has been restyled only in the last century. It is believed that the Aztecs worshipped a goddess of death that they alleged protected their departed loved ones, helping them into the next stages. The scratchboard technique is a two-dimensional subtractive process. It involves the use of abrasive tools to directly remove a surface layer of one value (typically dark) to expose a second layer (typically white). The values within the artwork are predominantly achieved by varying the amount of surface layer that has been scratched away or left. The texture and form of all key compositional elements within the artwork must be created by subtractive removal, not exclusively by the addition of paint or ink. Reapplying transparent mediums over the scratching is permissible, but the underlying scratches must remain visible. Works may be color or black and white.