Sgraffito with oil pastels

What can we use if oil pastels, black tempera, or a stylus are hard to find?

If you don't have oil pastels, use soft wax crayons applied in thick, bright layers on your cardstock and blended with a tissue, swap the black oil pastel/tempera for matte black acrylic or a softened black crayon for the top layer, and use a sharpened wooden skewer or ballpoint pen cap as a stylus.

Why aren't my scratches showing the bright colors or why does the black layer smudge?

Practice scratching on scrap paper to find the right pressure, ensure the black tempera is totally dry or the black oil pastel layer is thick and even before you scratch with the toothpick, and gently brush away any loose pastel dust after scratching to reveal clean color.

How can I adapt this sgraffito activity for different age groups?

For younger kids pre-draw big simple shapes on thick paper and let them use blunt tools like a popsicle stick and crayons for the top layer, while older children can draw finer pencil designs, practice on scrap paper, and use a sharper stylus or black tempera for more detailed sgraffito.

How can we enhance or personalize the finished sgraffito picture?

Enhance the piece by layering metallic or neon oil pastels underneath before adding the black layer, use stencils for patterned scratches, gently brush and frame the final work, and photograph it to share on DIY.org.