Silverpoint predates the use of graphite as a drawing medium and was used by Leonardo da Vinci in his notebooks. A silverpoint drawing can be made with a piece of silver wire held in a lead holder or handmade holder. The paper to draw on needs to be smooth and coated with a thin layer of gouache, poster paint or gesso. The slight tooth made by the layer of paint takes a little of the silver as you rub the point over the surface to make the drawing. The result is very delicate and the marks need to be built up carefully. There can be no effective erasure. To start with the drawing is silvery but over time the silver will tarnish to a rusty black for an old master finish.