How to Scrimshaw

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 2, 2019 References Approved

Scrimshaw is an American folk art form in which designs are etched into ivory or bone, then colored with ink. Although you can’t legally use whale ivory, it’s still possible for you to practice this folk art as well! Once you’ve gotten the right materials, it’s just a matter of tracing, etching, and inking your design onto a piece of ivory substitute or bone.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preparing and Sealing Your Surface

1
Find a piece of ivory substitute or bone to make your scrimshaw on. Bone would be the most traditional and effective surface to use instead of ivory. However, if you don’t have access to bone, the next best ivory substitute to use for scrimshaw would be polymer or shell.^{[1]
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- You can also use old ivory piano keys or even white acrylic, if you have access to it.
2
Get a scribing tool or a needle and pin vise to make precise etches. A pin vise is a small, handheld tool used to better hold a pin or other small object in place. A small, sharp scribing tool or needle will give you the best means of making controlled, precise etches onto your piece of ivory. You can also use a pen-like X-acto knife with a replaceable head if you don’t have access to a pin vise.^{[2]
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- Insert a pin into the front and secure the pinhead inside the knife.
- You can also use a pocket knife to make your scrimshaw, if you want to be more traditional. However, note that it’s harder and a lot more dangerous to make your art with a knife than with a needle or scribing tool.
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3
Make sure you have a workspace with a great light source. Being able to clearly see the etched lines and dots on your ivory surface depends a lot on having a well-angled light above the surface. For best results, use a light source you can move around and reposition to find the best angle possible when you’re working.^{[3]
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- An adjustable lamp with a bright bulb would be best.
4
Use a cloth to apply the beeswax by hand if you don’t have a Dremel. Spread the beeswax across the surface of a microfiber cloth. Then, work the beeswax into the surface by hand for about 5 minutes. Rub the wax cloth over and over against the ivory until it has a uniform surface.^{[4]
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5
Apply beeswax with a wheel and Dremel if you have access to one. Attach a buffing wheel to a Dremel tool, then hold up a block of beeswax to the wheel as it’s spinning to “charge” it. This will coat the wheel with a layer of beeswax. Then, use the wheel to apply the beeswax evenly to the surface of the ivory to seal it.^{[5]
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- Be sure to coat the surface of the ivory or bone completely in order to properly seal it.
- It’s important to seal your surface, especially if it’s ivory, since it’s likely to be very porous. Sealing keeps the ink that’s tattooed into the ivory from spilling over into unwanted sections, leaving an inky cloud.
- You should do this with any surface you intend to use for your scrimshaw art.
6
Buff the ivory with a clean cloth to remove the beeswax. Before you begin etching your ivory or bone surface, all the beeswax you’ve just used to seal it needs to be removed. Use a separate, clean cloth to wipe the surface completely clean before moving on. This will remove the excess beeswax and leave you with a sealed surface to work on.^{[6]
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- When you’re done, the ivory should look shiny but not feel very waxy.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Transferring Your Design

1
Find an image of the design you want to draw and shrink it to the ivory’s size. First, measure the surface area of your bone or ivory where you’ll draw your image. Then, scan your design to a computer or find an image of it online. Finally, shrink it down so that it’s slightly smaller than the surface area of your ivory.^{[7]
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- For best results, shrink the image so that there’s about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) of extra space on all sides.
- You will want a small detailed drawing to use as your scrimshaw design. A sketch-like image with good outlines and some shadowing is best for scrimshaw.
- This is technically not required, since you could also draw your design by hand. However, unless you’re experienced in this kind of art, it’s much harder to make precise outlines on such a small surface by hand.
2
Print the image or copy it to a sheet of paper. You’ll have to copy your image to a sheet of paper if you weren’t able to find a digital version of your design. In either case, have a copy of your design on a sheet of paper that you can place overtop of your piece of ivory.^{[8]
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- If you have to copy your image by hand, make sure draw it so that it’s about the size of the surface area of the object you’re working on.
3
Cut the design out of this sheet of paper in the shape of your object. Place the ivory or bone on top of the design on the sheet of paper and draw an outline of the object over it. Then, cut out this outline so that you can easily place your design on top of the object.^{[9]
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4
Place the cutout of your design on the ivory and use a cloth to transfer it. Lay your design face-down on top of your bone or ivory object. Then, wet a cloth with acetone nail polish remover and rub the back of the cutout with it very slightly. Continue doing this until the acetone has soaked through the paper.^{[10]
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Tip: If you don’t have nail polish remover, you can also trace your design onto the object by using your scribing tool to poke through the paper along the lines of your design. Just make sure that you hold the paper in the exact same way against the object throughout this process.
5
Lift up the edge of the paper and peel it back quickly. You don’t want to move it around on the surface, or it will smudge your outline. Discard the paper once you’re done with it.^{[11]
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- If the outline didn’t come off onto the bone clearly enough, use sandpaper to “erase” the etching. Then, wax the surface of your object and start the transferring process again.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Etching

1
Etch the outlines of the illustration with your pin or scribing tool. Begin applying pressure to the bone while holding the pin as vertical as possible. This will create a tiny dot in the surface. Repeat this process to create multiple little dots along the outline of your illustration. The dots will be close enough to each other to give the appearance of a rough dotted outline of your design.^{[12]
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- Be sure to replace your pin as necessary if it begins to dull.
Tip: Dotting the surface this way is a method called “stipple” scrimshaw.
2
Etch the most difficult parts of the design next. The most difficult parts of a design, such as the eyes or face of a person, are where the artist is most likely to make a mistake. This way, by doing these parts first, you’ll only have to sand off a little bit of the ivory if you make a mistake.^{[13]
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- If you make a mistake in your etching, the way to “fix” it is to use sandpaper and sand away the surface of the bone until your etching is gone. Then, start the etching process over again.
3
Place dots especially close together to create shaded areas. If there are any parts of your design that need to be darker than other parts, place the dots much closer together in these areas. This will create a much darker appearance later on when you add ink to the design.^{[14]
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- For example, if your dots are all about 1 centimetre (0.39 in) apart, then placing dots in one area only about 0.5 centimetres (0.20 in) apart will make that area noticeably darker than the surrounding surface when you go to ink it.
4
Continue etching the design to complete the outline of the illustration. Check to see if there are any visible mistakes or places that still need to be etched. Don’t worry if you can’t see all the mistakes right now; you’ll be better able to spot them once you apply ink to the surface.^{[15]
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Inking and Preserving

1
Use a cotton swab to apply ink to the surface of your object. Dip your cotton swab into the ink and use a swirling motion to spread a generous amount onto the surface of the ivory. Wait 10-15 seconds for the ink to dry. Then, use a lint-free rag or cloth to quickly wipe the ink off of the surface.^{[16]
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- For best results, use squid ink or India ink to fill in your etches. You can also use colored varieties of ink if they’re available at your local art supply store.
- Some small amounts of ink will be left inside the dots that you etched into the surface. This will give you a good indication of what your scrimshaw art will look like when you’re done.
2
Re-etch any areas that you want to be darker and apply more ink. If there are any spots where you want your image to be darker or your lines to be smoother, simply use your scribing tool or pin to etch those spots a bit deeper or place more dots along the lines. Then, use another cotton swab to re-apply ink to those areas. Finally, use a clean area of your lint-free rag to wipe the ink off again.^{[17]
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- Repeat this process as necessary to finish creating your image.
3
Use a clean, lint-free cloth to wipe the extra ink off of the surface. The process of applying ink to your etched design will probably have left the rest of your ivory or bone dark and swirly. Luckily, all you need to do is rub these areas with a clean cloth to get all this ink off.^{[18]
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4
Re-apply beeswax to your piece twice a year to preserve it. This will help to maintain your scrimshaw’s shine and glossiness, especially if it’s made of real ivory. For best results, use Renaissance Wax or warm beeswax when polishing your piece.^{[19]
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- Note that this is most important for works made of real ivory, but you should still do this at least once a year no matter what material your scrimshaw is made of.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I apply scrimshaw to elk or deer antlers?

Community Answer

Yes. Scrimshaw is commonly applied to antlers, horns, bone, and even teeth and tusks (wild boar, etc.), provided that the surface is prepared properly by sanding to smooth the surface as necessary. Once the surface is perfectly smooth, it may be prepared and scrimshawed as above.
Question

What kind of ink is recommended for this type of project?

Community Answer

Use only black India Ink (Higgins is a good brand), if you want authenticity. Whalemen used a combination of soot (called "lamp-black") from the inside of oil lamp glass, mixed with whale oil. When you use colored inks, they are pretty, but you loose all credibility.
Question

Should I over the etching with a Dremel tool when I'm done?

Community Answer

You may lightly polish the finished surface with a felt bob attachment on a Dremel tool, charged with beeswax or a fine conservator's wax. Care must be taken to ensure that you use a light touch, as Dremel tools rotate at high speeds, and there is a risk of scorching or burning the finished surface if too much pressure is applied.