Silverpoint drawing for scientific illustration

The technique is one in which silver is used instead of graphite to make a drawing. The following text is not an attempt to describe silverpoint drawing as done by the old masters, but rather my observations as to contemporary methods of using the silver stylus and the types of surfaces used today. Even though silverpoint drawings do not have a dark tonal range, they can be used effectively for scientific illustrations, particularly if they are used in conjunction with carbon dust and graphite pencils.