Silver Point
8 x 11"
1990

I've been asked before what silverpoint is. There are various ways to do it. I learned it from a book on Artist's Materials and Techniques. This is how I work:

I use a Pentel 0.3mm mechanical pencil. At the jewelers I buy a 0.3mm length of pure silver and cut it to the length that the pencil uses for led. So now the pencil has not lead but pure silver to draw with. I sharpen the silver on 0000 sandpaper to a sharp point. Then draw as usual only on paper laid with a coat of Chinese White watercolor. There can be no mistakes because you can't erase. Over time, just like all silver, the drawing corrodes to an indescribable beautiful brown color.

If interested in a work I did using both silver and copper (the eyes are a subtle green), see [link]