Page 140 - sarah-simblet_sketch-book-for-the-artist

PORTRAITURE140 or eggshells with animal glue, laid on paper, STRETCHING PAPER
parchment, or wood. The most common
Silver Point metal has always been silver—hence the term A sheet o f paper that has
"silver point." Lead, copper, platinum, and been made wet with the
SILVER OR METAL POINT was familiar to gold have also been used, and alloys work strokes of a paintbrush will
illuminators of medieval manuscripts, on matt emulsion. Note how domestic buckle due t o its uneven
who used it to outline initials and border paintwork marks with a coin, key, or ring; expansion. Stretched paper
characters before painting. Numerous early an exciting indication of how large-scale remains taut as a d r u m , and
European artists also enjoyed its fine drawings could be made on a wall. is therefore useful w h e n using
qualities (see p. 156). Metal point is simply w a t e r c o l o r as well as silver
a strip of metal bound in a holder. Drawn Opposite, I combined silver point with point. Lay a clean drawing
across a prepared surface, it leaves a painted white gouache on a pink ground. board on a flat surface. Take a
deposit, which quickly oxidizes into a gray This is called a three-tone drawing. Pages sheet of any type o f paper (for
line. This browns with age unless sealed by example, white drawing paper)
fixative (see pp.54-55). Metal point does not and cut it to fit your drawing
work on ordinary paper; the surface must board with a generous border
around its edges.Tear off four
lengths of brown paper gum
tape, one to fit each side o f
the board—these will make
the glued frame that holds
your paper in place.

be primed with a ground such as gouache. 142 to 147 are illustrated in silver point and

Historically, artists mixed white lead, bone, techniques are explained on pp. 144-45.

MATERIALS

To begin, you will need t o stretch paper and lay a wash (see right
and opposite), purchase silver wire, and make o r buy a holder. If
working on an emulsion-painted wall, choose a silver object.

1. S O F T FULL BRUSH: W h e n laying a 3. SILVER P O I N T W I R E H O L D E R : These 1Find a clean sponge and b o w l
wash, choose a soft full brush that can carry can b e purchased and t e n d t o b eheavy. I o r deep tray and fill it w i t h
plenty o f liquid. M a k e sure it is c o m p l e t e l y make my o w n from old dip pens. Empty water W e t the paper evenly in
clean t o avoid unwanted streaks. mechanical pencils designed for thick leads the tray o r on the board. Lightly
( s e e p.54) c a n a l s o b e u s e d . sponge off the excess. The paper
2. Z I N C W H I T E G O U A C H E : Dilute with will look buckled, but don't worry.
w a t e r A d d c o l o r i f r e q u i r e d (as opposite) 4. SILVER WIRE: Purchase different
before priming stretched paper. Gesso gauge lengths from a traditional a r t
o r m a t t e m u l s i o n c a n also b e u s e d . I t is supplier o rjeweler. For important
available f r o m all a r t shops. advice on preparation and use, see p.144.

5. METAL OBJECTS: All metal objects
mark a prepared surface, some more
effectively t h a n others. Silver is best.
Find an item that you can hold and
draw with comfortably.

2 Straighten the worst
buckles. W e t one length o f
gum-strip and use it t o fix one
side of the paper to the board.
W e t and fix a second strip t o
the opposite side, and the third
and fourth strips above and
below. Be swift and firm.