Category: Silverpoint

Silverpoint

This is such a natural, inevitable transition–from my ink and ink wash drawings to SilverPoint. I’m too old, the learning curve is too long, and I’ll never have access to press and facilities, the acid baths … no way, or I’d be into etchings. But SilverPoint opens to the kind of effects I’ve been in love with since I first saw reproductions of Piranesi’s prisons.  Work I’ve done with pen and ink are suggestive in this direction. I especially like the Silverpoint will endure for centuries… when there’s not much hope human life will be around even for another 100 years. Kinda like, Fuck you, capitalist pigs! I’ll just make up the “posterity” you’re working so hard to kill off. #396

 

#399

#335 Sidewalk 2Or from my pavement series
#347 12x9 pavement pen & ink

So I spent my food money for Silverpoint ground and a stylus. I have more than enough excess weight to get me to my next SS check!

 

Silverpoint

In two earlier posts, HERE and HERE.

I wrote about my search for a clay coated paper I used some 40 years ago, and have searched for in vein. I realized at some point that this had probably been made for silverpoint. I still couldn’t find that paper, but have become intrigued with the thought of doing silverpoint.

I found a wonderfully informative web page, SilverPointWeb.com. It seems there is a Japanese made paper, called Karma, but only available through a NYC supplier, and they don’t ship. I’m waiting for a reply to a question I left about using Golden SilverPoint ground (another recent discovery).

Whoops… mildly embarrassing. I diligently scrolled through the FAQ looking for reference to the Golden ground, so I wouldn’t be repeating a question that had already been covered. … then going back to the site, I see this on the Page One:

Golden Artist Colors’ new Silverpoint / Drawing Ground is a recent development and is an excellent acrylic formulation, providing ease of use without the problems associated with other acrylic-based products; I not only highly recommend it but also now supply it, in the Complete Kit and separately.

If you Google, Silverpoint images contemporary artists, this is what you’ll see. Though how Dürer and Du Vinci rate as ‘contemporary,’ I don’t know. But so many rich possibilities. I’m so excited to get started with this… waiting from my silver stylus to show up in my mail box. Read everything I can get hold of while I’m waiting.

Clay coated drawing paper

In the 60’s I bought a pad of drawing paper, cream colored, clay coated. I believe it was Morilla Cameo, a paper that was used for silver point. I’ve never found anything before or since as wonderfully responsive to pencil… or to fine ink. You could use pencil as you would use a fine pen nib with ink… with all the shading and modulating power of pencil.

Here are two drawings, the first, from 1969 (crow quill), the second, from 1970 (pencil). I’ve searched in vain trying to find paper like this. If you know where I might find it, please let me know.

Post script: my suspicions were right-that this paper was intended for SilverPoint. Here’s a wonderful site with information on technique, materials and contemporary silverpoint artists.

Pen & ink 1969

pencil clay paper 1970x