What are the best practices for a DIY scratch off card tutorial?

A reliable DIY scratch off comes down to protecting the message and mixing the coating correctly. Follow the sequence below and test before you commit to a full batch.

• Seal first apply clear packing tape over the hidden message before painting, so the scratch layer never touches the ink.
• Mix two to one combine acrylic paint and dish soap at a 2:1 ratio to get a coating that scratches off cleanly.
• Thin coats apply two to three thin layers with a foam brush, letting each dry fully before the next.
• Test one scratch a single finished card to confirm the coating lifts before making the rest.

These steps prevent the most common failures, where the coating either will not scratch off or peels the message away with it.