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Silverpoint

Silverpoint is a metal point drawing technique that was popular during the renaissance but later fell out of fashion. As the name suggests, a silverpoint is made from silver wire that has been deposited on a primed surface. Although silver as a drawing material is precise and delicate in tone, it is less forgiving than other media. For example, once drawn on a surface it cannot be readily erased, and building up shades can be difficult and time consuming. Silver also has a tendency to oxidize, which can be problematic during handling or storage. As more forgiving drawing materials like graphite and chalks became available to artists, this led to a decline in silverpoint. However, in spite of such shortcomings, a silver stylus is harder and more durable than materials such as graphite, and is therefore more suited to fine or detailed work.