Silverpoint
ProgramTechniquesMastersKitProgress
  1. Program
  2. Unit 1

Unit 1 · 7 sessions · about 4.2 hours

Instrument Control

Lines from the shoulder, line weight, pressure and layers, flat tone and gradients, the value scale, the six marks, and tone from spacing.
Line + Mass
0 / 7
  1. 5Lines from the shoulderGhosting, straight lines, and parallel sets30 min
  2. 6Line weightThe weighted box30 min
  3. 7The pressure ramp and layeringDialling tone like a volume knob, and why layers beat force35 min
  4. 8Flat tone and the smooth gradientA square that looks like grey paper, and a ramp built from layers40 min
  5. 9The nine-step scale, properlyRebuild the scale with everything you now know, and learn to name values aloud35 min
  6. 10The six marksA sampler sheet of every hatch family40 min
  7. 11Value from spacingThe etcher's four swatches, and a cube in counted layers40 min
← Unit 0: Before the First MarkUnit 2: Seeing →

Techniques in this unit

Ghosting a lineThe two gripsBoard, light and postureLine weightLight on formThe pressure rampLayering, not pressurePaper and toothAn even field of toneA smooth gradientThe nine-step value scaleSix families of markThe broken lineValue by spacingTone from line

Masters studied

RobertsPiranesiCorotProutMeryonCotman

Silverpoint. A personal atelier. Artworks are public domain or CC0, courtesy of The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Mass before line. Line before detail.

ProgramTechniquesMastersKitProgress