Silverpoint Drawing
5×7″ gray-blue prepared paper
Before the graphite pencil there was silverpoint: a silver stylus is used to draw on a specially coated surface. This drawing medium was used extensively during the Renaissance era, though some of the earliest drawings date to the 12th century. With time the silver lines tarnish to a metallic sepia tone. Metalpoint refers to a drawing made with any metal, including silver.
I prepared the paper with a gray-blue tone and heightened the drawing with white charcoal.
This is a recurring composition for me – glass spheres and pitted beach stones; part of the Meditations series. I have an infinite number of similar works waiting to be born!