New Silverpoint Drawing in Miniature, "The Way Home"

The Way Home © Barbara A. Freeman
Silverpoint, 3 5/8" x 3 5/8"

Finally I have a new work to share! It's done in silverpoint (with a bit of watercolor added for interest), on Strathmore 500 illustration board. A great surface, very forgiving, thick and sturdy. I used Golden Silverpoint Ground to prepare the board, and once dry, it's ready to accept the fine silver stylus, (mine was purchased from the silverpoint.com website).

If the trees look familiar, it's because I've used the same reference photo that I've used in other work. Each time I do them, the trees become slightly different. It's really the placement and the way the light hits the trees and surrounding landscape that I need from the photo. I may make the trees with different textures, or placement of limbs, etc when creating a new piece. In this one, I've given the tree an opening for the rabbit to escape to. I added color to the opening in the tree which not only draws your eye in, but also gives contrast to the rabbit's white face and the color is repeated in the eye. The rabbit is from photos that I took of the one that my husband sees when he goes for a run. Wayne has named him Spot. When he comes back from a run he tells me that Spot says hi if he sees him. We think Spot was someone's pet at one time as he allows you to get rather close before bolting. I was able to take photos easily enough moving very slowly.

Below is the frame I'm going to use. I am thinking I'll not mat the work, but use spacers to separate the work from the glass. Thanks again for taking the time to read about my work! Now on to the next one!

The Way Home © Barbara A. Freeman,
Silverpoint, 3 5/8" x 3 5/8"

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, What I'm Painting Now

Here's a preview of the painting I'm working on and how it came about.

Silverpoint on Multimedia Art Board -4" x 4"
(Rejected by me as being too dark and surface not smooth enough)

I did this image as a silverpoint drawing, it was my first silverpoint. I really like how it came out except as I've stated in an earlier silverpoint post, I was tinting the ground too dark. Also this one was done on multimedia art board and I didn't like it as a support, it seems to be too bumpy for a miniature. I now know it can be gessoed and sanded smooth prior to using the silverpoint ground. (So much to learn and since I still have some of the Mulitmedia Artboard left, I may try that!) Anyway, I really liked this image in silverpoint and I am going to do it as a larger silverpoint work later. I already have some very nice illustration board prepared with silverpoint ground, ready to go. However, that will have to wait because I do have another miniature show to submit work to at Kaewyn Gallery's, Miniature Masterpieces and More* annual exhibit in December. (It's an invitation only for the submissions and I'm always happy to be invited to participate in this group show.) *More on that later.

#1 Image on left is the new painting, right is rejected painting. (4" x 4" Gessobord)

Several months ago, I decided to paint this same image, as a miniature. I ran into trouble with the surface in blending the colors in the sky area. I'm not sure what the problem was, but nothing was turning out the way I wanted! So I put it aside and worked on something else. Now I am back to it and so far it's going really well. (As it should since I am very familar with every curve and shadow in this piece!) Notice the mess I made of the sky in the one on the right! That's after I sanded and reapplied paint, then sanded some more! Definitely time to put this one in the reject file! I do keep rejected work, however, because it's good to have as a reference. A reminder of what worked and what didn't.

#2 A close up view of the beginnings.

In the above image, I laid in the shapes and darks of the forest. The rocks and tree forms have been outlined, with a few values added. The sky area has been covered with the first thin layer.

#3

In the above stage, I've laid more values on the front rocks. The forest has been defined further and another layer added to the sky. I find the areas where I get myself into trouble is when I have to blend a large smooth flat space, as in the sky. The paint starts to pick up and then it becomes uneven. The more I paint, though, the better I am able to get past these annoying mishaps! I become more mindful of using a lighter touch and not to over thin the paint. Oh, and to breathe!

#4

In this one, you can see the full view of the surface under magnification. You can see the rocks are being defined further as well as the tree with the small white branch. Still a lot more work to do, but so far, it's coming along without problems! I'll be back soon with more updates. Thanks for looking at my work in progress, untitled for now.

First Silverpoint and a WIP (Work in Progress)

This is my first attempt at silverpoint. I really like the richness and finesse of the line. However with this one, I don't think I used the silver marks to their best advantage. I used it like grahpite. I also didn't like the surface that I chose. It's Multi-Media Art board, (4"x4"), and I'm not sure why I don't like it.... it feels brittle, almost a plastic feel. I didn't like the texture of it and I should have toned the ground because I also didn't like the color of the white either.

Now, that said, I still think this is a good beginning and I now know what I DON'T like and none of it is the silverpoint. I am going to do this one as a larger work. I've got my surface (Strathmore 500 paper) already prepared with a toned ground (Golden Silverpoint Ground) ready to go after I get through doing a few more new miniatures.

Here is another one that I've started. It's on the Strathmore 500 paper, (4"x5") with a toned ground. I like the feel of this surface much better. I'm trying to use the silverpoint where the marks are done with more mindfulness. Sorry this is a rather dark and small image, and silverpoint is difficult to photograph and impossible to scan due to the marks being so reflective. I may continue to see if this one works.