HOW TO DIY SCRATCH PAPER FOR LETTERING

STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL TO SHOW YOU HOW TO DIY SCRATCH PAPER FOR YOUR LETTERING. YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN MAKING AND LETTERING ON THIS PAPER!

I don’t know what happened when I was little, but apparently, I missed the memo that scratch-off paper existed.

That was until a couple of weeks ago I posted this video on Instagram to welcome the new year. Little did I know, DIYing scratch-off paper was a thing – a very fun one!

I learned how to make it and now I’m showing you how to do it too!

If you’ve never lettered on scratch paper, you’re missing out!! So many cool cards, signs, and other projects to make with your lettering + this awesome paper!

HOW TO DIY SCRATCH PAPER FOR LETTERING

See exactly how to make your DIY scratch paper for your lettering in my tutorial video (or keep scrolling if you prefer a printable step-by-step photo tutorial):

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MATERIALS TO MAKE THIS DIY SCRATCH PAPER

View my Amazon shopping list with the items we used to make this project!

Sturdy paper, like watercolor or marker paper
Crayons or you can also use oil pastels
Toothpicks
Brush
Toothpicks or Liquid Dish Soap
Liquid Dish Soap

COOL TO HAVE:

STEP BY STEP DIY SCRATCH PAPER TUTORIAL

STEP 1: COVER THE PAPER WITH CRAYONS

Before you start coloring, you can tape the corners of your paper or all around with painters tape like I’m did here. I like to tape the paper so it doesn’t move or curve as I’m painting. And it’s also less messing when it comes time to add the acrylic paint.

Color the paper using the crayon colors or your choosing. I’m using rainbow color and painting diagonally. Coloring is up to you! Do whatever design you want.

Make sure the whole surface is covered with crayons. You don’t want to have any white space.

STEP 2: MIX 1 PART OF LIGUID DISH SOAP AND 2 PARTS OF BLACK ACRYLIC PAINT

Mix 2 parts black paint with 1 part dish soap, mix well but not too fast you want to avoid bubbles in your paint.

PRO TIP: make sure you shake your acrylic paint before mixing it with the dish soap. You want an even thick consistency. I didn’t think this made a difference, but IT DOES!

My first try doing this scratch paper I just poured the acrylic paint and mixed it with the dish soap. Turns out that most of my acrylic pain was sitting at the bottom and the one I poured was very watery. Hence, the combination was very liquid. You want to have a thicker mix of paint and dish soup.

STEP 3: PAINT OVER YOUR PAPER WITH THE MIX OF SOAP AND PAINT.

Grab a brush and paint over it with the combination you made from the previous step. If you’re using this scratch paper for lettering, then make sure you paint in one direction ONLY.

You want the black paint to be a thick layer. The thicker, the better for cleaner lines you’ll get when you’re doing your lettering.

Let it dry completely and apply another quote. The more dry it is between quotes the better it is when you’re scratching the paper.

I’d say about 1 to 2 hrs to wait between coats. Or you can use a heat gun like I did. It dries much faster this way.

I ended up doing 4 coats of the soap and paint mix! You can do as much or as little as you want. I just wanted the colors of my paper to be completely covered in paint.

STEP 4: HAVE FUN WITH YOUR LETTERING!

Once you’re satisfied with your scratch paper and it’s completely dry, let the fun begin!

I’m using a bamboo skewers, but you can also use a toothpick or even a paperclip to scratch off the top layer of black paint, and watch as they reveal the rainbow of colors hidden beneath.

This is the most fun and satisfying part!

As you might expect, the paint layer will flake off and create a small mess, but it cleans easily from table surfaces without water.

It’s so satisfying to write on this scratch paper! And the colorful background makes it super cool. I really love how it turned out.

Want to learn how to do Modern Calligraphy like this?

I used a technique called Faux Calligraphy, where you can use a regular pen or any instrument – like bamboo skewers to imitate the look of calligraphy. Check this blog post for a complete tutorial.

Also, make sure you get access to my Freebie Library, full of FREE calligraphy and hand lettering practice worksheets, you can use to start learning and practicing Modern Calligraphy.

Hope that you guys liked this tutorial and have fun making your own DIY scratch paper to make cool projects with your lettering. If you try making this paper, share a picture and tag me on Instagram @vialdesigns.

Also, come to the Facebook Group and share with like-minded lettering-loving people!

How To Diy Scratch Paper For Lettering