Completed! Work In Progress, Another Silverpoint/Metalpoint!

Cropped image above is the final metalpoint work, untitled for now.

Finished metalpoint work above before cropping. Notice the wonkey horizon line! (I don't know why I didn't notice this earlier!)

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted! I was determined to finish this and am finally calling it done! YAY!! I am so glad, I'm ready to move on! Thank you, to all you who have followed this work in progress and for your support. Thanks to you too, Karen Hull, for linking to this post! I'm happy I've gotten some of you interested in trying out this incredible medium! I'm looking forward to hearing what you think, Karen and seeing your lovely style of working done in metalpoint!

There are some things I would do differently in the next metalpoint, (I will do more!). First, until I am more familiar with using the different metals, I am only going to use one at a time. It will be interesting to see how the two metals I used in this one, (silver and copper) age in the image. I have seen where other artists have used both successfully together, but I'm not sure what I think about it in my own work. Next, even though I was able to use an eraser to lift off some of the metal to change the image, I will wait and see how or if the erasing will change the surface, to see if it leaves any residue. Remember to keep a clean cloth or sheet of paper under your hand to prevent oil from you skin getting on your surface. Also, I would be sure to have my composition worked out completely. It's difficult to correct or change things. Another thing I would try to be more aware of is not to get dark too soon. I found that the darks have a different appearance when they are built up lightly rather than using pressure like you would graphite. It's similar to when you build up layers in colored pencil, except it's using the same pen. It's also difficult to photograph the beauty of the look of the metalpoint. It has a glowing appearance to it that doesn't come through on the screen.

I did like using the Golden Silverpoint Ground. The liquid brushes on evenly and yet the texture comes through. I think this is probably why I find metalpoint so great for doing things like rocks and trees.

Now, as to why I felt the need after all that work to crop the image... I used several photographs to extend the landscape to include the water and island on the left. Unfortunately, after it was completed and I downloaded it to screen, the area on the left side didn't look right to me, the horizon line didn't make sense. In using the photos, I should have made the line of the beach area on the right, higher to match and continue the horizon line across. My husband pointed it out to me after I told him I thought something was wrong! It's always good to step back from your work to look at it from time to time. If I had been working with graphite, it may have been possible to lift up some of the graphite and correct the problem areas. Not so in silverpoint! I think my only solution to make this work stronger is to crop the image as I have done above. I think I will darken the small area of the rocks on the far left side at the bottom, just to separate them from the larger rocks. Doing this makes the metalpoint drawing look like my painting, Time is a Patient Sculptor, that I did of it in miniature. Oh, well, it must be that this is the best composition anyway. At last, I am ready for a new project!

Silverpoint.com is the best website on silverpoint with a lot of useful information, history and links on this fine medium.

Metalpoint/Silverpoint Tools and Work In Progress, Another Silverpoint/Metalpoint Continued...

Above are the tools that I use to create my metalpoint drawings. At the top left you can see the copper wire, purchased from the hardware store to make my copper points. Under them are two pens for the two different sizes of points. Next to the copperwire pens are the two silverpoint pens purchased from the *silverpoint.com website. I placed my order online and they arrived quickly. The putty and the click type eraser I use for all my drawings including graphite and colored pencil. Metalpoint, however, is difficult to erase. If the mark is light enough, sometimes it can be lifted. Try not to rub the surface too hard or it will become too smooth and the marks won't adhere to it. When you do go back over the surface with the pen, do so lightly and allow the marks to build up slowly. I always keep a hake brush handy to brush away any lint or specks. The sandpaper is used to shape the metal into a point or smooth the point. What I have here is Gator Grit, 180-C Waterproof sandpaper. Be careful that the point is not too sharp, or it will cut into the ground. The ground I use is Golden, Silverpoint Drawing Ground, you can buy at most art supply stores. There are recipes on the silverpoint website if you want to make your own ground. I really like the look and feel of the Golden ground. It can be used on many surfaces, anything you want to draw on. I am now working on a piece of Strathmoore 500 Series Illustration board .

You can see above where I stripped off the top of the outside covering of the wire. I think one is around .05mm and the other may be around .07mm. I don't remember what the actual sizes are. I just looked at the wire in the hardware store, and bought several sizes in about 6 inch lengths. Some have several strands of the wire in them. Then I just took old pens apart until I found ones that would work for the wire sizes. Leaving the outside covering on the wire and just peeling it back helped it to hold in the pen more securely. In the smaller pen I also put some of the putty at the base of the pen, which helped hold the point steady, (you can see the gray area at the bottom of the pen on the copper wire pen in center).

Above you can see the different marks the pens make, copper on top and right, silver, both on bottom. Below is a closer view.

I don't know if you can see it clearly, but in this abandoned silverpoint miniature drawing that was started several months ago, I've added new silverpoint marks next to the aged marks. Notice the color differences (at the base of the tree, right side). This is another one of the beautiful characteristics of metalpoint. I'm looking forward to seeing how this new work ages, especially since I've combined the two different metals in it. Please keep in mind that I am new at using silverpoint/metalpoint, so I am learning as I go. So far I can say I really like the look and feel of the metalpoint on the ground. My first successful work, (as far as I was concerned) was done as a miniature called, The Silent Ones. The one I'm working on now as a work in progress I'm hoping will be a successful piece. If you wish to see more of my attempts at silverpoint, just click on the word "silverpoint" in the labels section at the end of the post. I'm already thinking of what I'd like to do next! If you love to draw, I say it is definitely worth trying.
*Silverpoint.com is the best website on silverpoint with a lot of useful information, history and links on this fine medium.

Here is what I've recently done on the work in progress. I really had a great time doing the large rock, I love the texture, and metalpoint is great for doing textures!


Above are two closer views of the area. I'm ready to bring this one to a close. Looks like I still have more to do though! (sigh) Until next time...

Work in Progress, Another Silverpoint/Metalpoint continued....

I've done more work on the metalpoint. Above is a close up of the rocks with all their great textures. I think this was one of the big attractions of this scene for me. There is a great range of values I'm trying to get and I find metalpoint is great for achieving this. I just have to remember to be mindful of what it is I'm doing. When you want a very dark area, you add small cross hatching or circles over and over softly to build up that dark. You do NOT press hard, the metal point of the pen can scratch through the ground and you don't want that. You can see the dark area in the back forest where I'm trying not to get carried away! I've found the silverpoint to give a much darker mark than the copperpoint. I still don't know how this will age color-wise. It will be interesting to watch as I've mixed them in working and pick them up according to whether I want a softer or darker value. I'm still adding the forest, trying to show the shapes of trees, bringing some forward, pushing some back. I've also added the suggestion of the seagull.

Below is a detail of the upper tree and rock. There will be more branches added on the left side. The bottom photo is a long shot of the piece. There is still so much to do!

As you can see, it's difficult to photograph metalpoint due to the reflective quality of the metal. It doesn't look like this in person. The surface is a warm white. Thanks for looking and taking the time to read this. I hope you find it helpful if you want to use metalpoint in your next work. If you aready are a metalpoint user, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this interesting medium, especially if you've mixed them in the same work.

Next post will be on showing my materials, so I hope you will stop by again!

Work in Progress, Another Silverpoint/Metalpoint

I've started a new metalpoint drawing in a larger format, 8 1/4" x 10 1/2". It's from the same landscape of the tafoni rock formations that I've recently finished as a miniature in acrylic, seen here and as a miniature silverpoint, here. It's slow going, but I wanted to share what I've done so far. It's hard to photograph metalpoint, but I think you can see it well enough to get an idea of the work. I'm calling it metalpoint because I've used both copperpoint and silverpoint to create it. I've not used them together in the same work before. I find the copperpoint to give a softer look, it's supposed age to a greenish color. With the silverpoint, I am able to get darker values.

This is a shot of the whole piece so far. I think you can recognize it from the painting I just finished, except this is a wider format.

Here is a close up of the trees. This is slow going and I'm having to invent some of the things as I go. There is not a lot of information in the photos I'm using. I guess I should have done some sketches first since I can't erase the metalpoint, but I didn't! Most of this was familiar since I just painted it, however, not all, especially this section under the trees of the rocks and cliff. That area and to the right is where I'm working now.

This is a close image of the tafoni rocks in progress. The image as it appears on my screen is a sepia color, but is in reality, actually a warm white. Now time to get back in the studio and to work! As always, thanks for taking the time to look!

The reason I've been absent here is it's been a rough week and a half. First I had an outbreak of hives that lasted over a week. I have no idea what the trigger was. I've never had hives like that and wasn't even sure what they were at first. They weren't the itchy kind, just the burning, stinging kind, but they spread and were very uncomfortable. I didn't want to be seen! Then I had some family issues to deal with. I don't think the hives are caused by stress, but I can tell you they definitely get worse with stress! Then, if that wasn't enough, our hot water heater died and dumped water in our garage where we have boxes of books and I had some portfolios of old art work. I was able to dry out what was worth saving and consolidate everything. It was dirty, hard work that we hadn't counted on having to do!! Now the garage is all back together, along with a new hot water heater! Thanks goodness we were able to contact our landlord in time. He was leaving the country the next day for vacation! Luckily his son is a plumber and we had our hot water by 9:30 that night! Oh, that hot shower felt so good! So now I think things are as resoved as they can be. My hives are gone and we have a cleaner garage and hot water! Still worried about family things, but we do what we can and take one step at a time. Sorry, I needed a rant so, thanks for listening!