Silverpoint /
Metalpoint
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I 'discovered' silverpoint when I was exploring old master copies. I had done a few in various mediums, but wanted to try some in both the style and in the original medium that was used by the artist. I was amazed at the level of detail that could be achieved with silverpoint, and decided that I had to give it a try! The drawing on the left was my first try at silverpoint. I researched it as much as I could on the web, then made my points, and started drawing. My initial attempts were done with sterling silver on gessoed hardboard. I really like working on the hardboard, and have yet to find a better ground. I no longer use sterling silver, however- I have switched to pure silver, as I am able to achieve a darker mark with it. |
As I mentioned previously, It was my intent to do old master copies in Silverpoint to improve my draftsmanship skills, as well as my Silverpoint skills. DaVinci's silverpoint work has always interested me, so I decided to do a few copies of his work, the first of which is on the right. |
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DaVinci copy. I learned the hard way on the first one that I attempted
that when you are emulating the style of a left handed artist, it is FAR
easier to do a mirror image! This is also done on a tinted ground, which give the impression of age, and 'dulls down' the glaring white background that you get with plain gessoed board. That pure white is appropriate for some drawings, but not too well suited for this kind of work. |
| I have enjoyed working in Silverpoint, and in addition to the master copies that I have done, I have also done some work of my own. This is a macro of a snail's shell. It is about 3" x 3"- One thing that I have found with silverpoint is that it is a SLOW medium to work in, so I like to keep my drawings small so I don't loose interest in them before they are complete! |
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