Silverpoint is a careful and meditative drawing medium popular in the Renaissance with Da Vinci, Raphael and other artists.  It was used for drawing before the discovery of graphite mines in England in the sixteenth century.  Siverpoint became mostly out of use after this time

The silverpoint implement is a silver wire (up to 99 % pure silver) held in a stylus.  Drawings are made on prepared surfaces, notably paper and wood.  Marks cannot be erased and shading is done by repeated line making or crosshatching.

Workshops in silverpoint are held regularly at Clare Island Art.