News Update

[this post has been edited on March 5, 2010]

I was going to remove this blog completely, but since I like many of the pieces on here, & it does get some traffic, I'm now resolved to leave it here. However, I will be removing the prices, as they were very low compared to what my work usually goes for. Most of the pieces will still be available, prices available on request.

I haven't done any silverpoint drawings for quite a while, as the "drawing a day" format forced me to sit down & create a silverpoint drawing every morning (or afternoon or evening in a few cases). While many people might find this kind of discipline useful, I personally found that it was having a reverse effect -- I seemed to be creating less work than I might otherwise, as all my efforts were being channeled into the one particular piece for the web site.

So, I may create & post some more silverpoint pieces, but it will not be on a day-by-day basis. I shall leave the existing 50 daily pieces here (including the 2 by Jim Stevenson, unless he requests I take them down for any reason), & add to them on an ad hoc basis.

Thanks,
William T. Ayton

Day 49: The Penultimate One

The title of this silverpoint drawing of a head derives from the fact that it is the second to last one in the series:


The Penultimate One by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on tinted card, 10" x 8". WTA108. Created today.

Tomorrow should be the last day of the series of 50 silverpoint drawings. I hope to have something interesting uploaded.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 48: The Warrior Reflects

A new silverpoint drawing on light Mars Yellow over light blue ground:


The Warrior Reflects by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on tinted ground, 10" x 8". WTA107. Created today.

I guess this is a kind of anti-war image (in the spirit of my installation, The War Room), where the hero reflects on past wars & perhaps has some kind of realization.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 47: Young Orpheus

Silverpoint drawing on light yellow ground over magenta ground:


Young Orpheus by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on tinted ground, 10" x 8". WTA106. Created yesterday.

Depiction of the mythical Greek poet as a youth.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 46: Dissolving Head

This silverpoint drawing was done on a Mars Yellow tinted ground, over a magenta-tinted ground:


Dissolving Head by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on tinted card, 10" x 8". WTA104.

The theme of a head dissolving into the landscape/background was most likely influenced by Leonardo's "sfumato" ("rendering in smoke") technique, whereby the outer lines of an object blur into the background or other parts of the image.

This drawing also contains more cross-hatching than usual to define the tonal regions.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 45: Grotesque Yet Melancholy Profile

New silverpoint drawing on blue. Done today (Saturday). I hadn't intended to work on the weekends with this blog, but I missed a day a while ago, and this means the series of 50 silverpoints should be finished this coming Friday.


Grotesque Yet Melancholy Profile by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on blue-tinted card, 10" x 8". WTA103.

Inspired by yesterday's somewhat grotesque image, and also by Leonardo's grotesque heads, and the monstrous inventions of Bosch...

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 44: Craggy Profile

A new silverpoint drawing on blue, done today:


Craggy Profile by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on blue-tinted card, 10" x 8". WTA101.

Partly inspired by the work of legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby, whose work I mostly followed from the mid-late 60s to the early 70s. His work often featured characters with literally stony faces, from Ben Grimm to Darkseid. Here's to you, Jack.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 43: Vestiges of a Forest

Silverpoint drawing on light blue:


Vestiges of a Forest by William T. Ayton. Silverpoint drawing on blue-tinted ground, 10" x 8". WTA099.

Mostly tonal drawing of trees, etc. Inspired by surrealist "landscapes" of the 1930s & so on (Magritte, Tanguy, Dali, Ernst -- the usual suspects.) You could also see this as a small ecological statement...

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 41: Figure Stuck Between Two Walls

Silverpoint drawing of a male figure on a light blue-tinted ground:


Figure Stuck Between Two Walls by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on pale blue ground, 10" x 8". WTA097.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 40: Figure on Magenta

Silverpoint drawing of a figure on magenta-toned ground:


Figure on Magenta by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on toned card, heightened with white pastel pencil, 10" x 8". WTA096.

A silverpoint drawing of a crouched figure in a rocky landscape.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 39: Woman on Magenta

Silverpoint drawing on a magenta-toned ground:



Woman on Magenta by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on magenta-toned ground, highlighted with white pastel pencil, 10" x 8". WTA095. Created today.

The ground was almost too lurid & powerful. However, I think the image survived.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 38: Young Man

New silverpoint of a young man's head, done today:


Young Man by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on toned ground highlighted with white pastel pencil, 10" x 8". WTA094.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 37: A Winged Man

Silverpoint drawing on ground toned with Mars Yellow:


A Winged Man by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on toned ground, 9" x 7". WTA093. Created today.

From an ongoing series of angels/winged figures, partly inspired by the Duino Elegies of Rainer Maria Rilke.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 36: Head of Leda sketch

A silverpoint sketch, done yesterday:


Head of Leda by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on toned ground, 10" x 8". WTA092.

I didn't highlight this one with white, so the contrast isn't as great.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 34: Man's Head

Silverpoint of a man's head on a ground tinted with Mars Yellow:


Man's Head on Mars Yellow by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on toned ground, heightened with white pastel pencil, 10" x 8". WTA090. Created today.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 33: Three-Quarter Head

A small silverpoint sketch on gray-toned card:


Three-Quarter Head by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on gray-toned card, 9" x 7". Heightened with white pastel pencil. WTA089. Created today.

There is a tiny flaw in the ground on the cheek, and a tiny splash of colored paint on the bridge of the nose. Personally, I like tiny flaws like that as they add character to a piece, but I'm mentioning them in case certain collectors might have a problem with them. They're almost invisible. My scanner has also picked up & exaggerated minor bumps in the paper, which, when framed under glass, will flatten out completely.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 30: The Bather

New silverpoint on gray-toned card done today:


The Bather by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on gray-toned card, heightened with white pastel pencil, 10" x 8". WTA088. Created today.

Image of a figure in water, related to the Narcissus works.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 29: Head Metamorphosing into Rocks

New silverpoint drawing on gray-toned ground, created today:


Head Metamorphosing into Rocks by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on gray-toned card, heightened with white pastel pencil, 10" x 8". WTA087.

Heads emerging from or turning into geological formations is a consistent theme in my work. I might have been inspired in this by Mantegna, for whom rocky landscapes were a staple.

The number 87 in the lower left signifies that this is the 87th (more or less) finished silverpoint that I have created. This is an original drawing, not a print of any kind.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 27: Young Man on Ochre

A silverpoint drawing on ochre-toned paper:


Young Man on Ochre by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on toned paper. Highlighted with white pencil. WTA056.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.

Day 26: Woman's Head on Blue

A silverpoint drawing on a blue-toned ground:


Woman's Head on Blue by William T. Ayton, 2009. Silverpoint drawing on blue-toned ground, highlighted with white pencil, 11" x 8.5". WTA052.

A delicate sketch in silverpoint.

This piece is signed & dated, it was scanned before being signed, however. It also bears the serial number #52--this is purely for the artist to keep track of the order in which these pieces were done. This is a unique, hand-done piece & NOT a limited edition print or giclee.

Price available on request. Please leave a message on this post, or email "info" "at symbol" "ayton.net". Thanks.