Reviving Renaissance Techniques: My Goldpoint Portrait of Filomena Camacho

Video showing the goldpoint portrait of Filomena Camacho

Time has a way of slipping by, and only this week did I finally manage to properly photograph my drawing of Filomena Camacho—a portrait created using 24-karat goldpoint on a specially prepared surface. This meticulous technique follows the historic methods used by Medieval and Renaissance artists before graphite pencils were even invented.

A Journey into Historic Drawing Techniques

This drawing is deeply connected to a special experience I had with the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in London. I was honored to be invited as a guest artist to teach these historic techniques, guiding artists and educators through the very methods employed by Leonardo da Vinci, Hans Holbein, Albrecht Dürer, and Rembrandt—all of whom had their masterpieces featured in the Encounter: Drawings from Leonardo to Rembrandt exhibition.

As part of this collaboration, I led an intensive studio workshop focused on goldpoint and other traditional drawing techniques. The NPG described the course as follows:

"Guest artist and historic drawing techniques expert, Nelson Ferreira, leads an intensive studio workshop inspired by the 'Encounter: Drawings from Leonardo to Rembrandt' exhibition, featuring portrait drawings by some of the outstanding masters of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. This full-day workshop supports teachers in exploring portraiture through traditional methods, including goldpoint, and offers an opportunity to exchange ideas on integrating these historic techniques into the classroom."

Beyond the practical workshop, I also had the privilege of giving a talk at the Ondaatje Wing Theatre, delving into the significance of these techniques and their continued relevance for contemporary artists.

The Legacy of Goldpoint

Goldpoint, along with its sister technique silverpoint, demands precision and patience. Unlike modern pencils, these tools do not allow for easy erasure, requiring careful planning and execution. However, the results can be truly luminous—silverpoint, in particular, develops a warm, subtle glow over time as the metal interacts with the air. By contrast, Goldpoint remains unchanged, preserving its delicate luminosity indefinitely.

Creating Drawing from Life: Filomena was both a technical and artistic challenge, but one that reaffirmed my passion for reviving these time-honored techniques.

A huge thank you to the team at the National Portrait Gallery for making this collaboration possible!

Drawing from Life: Filomena (41x51cm)

24K Goldpoint, white pencil, specially prepared board

#Metalpoint #Goldpoint #Silverpoint #HistoricDrawing #RenaissanceArt #MedievalTechniques #PortraitDrawing #FilomenaCamacho #LeonardoDaVinci #Holbein #Dürer #Rembrandt #NationalPortraitGallery #NPG #TraditionalArt #DrawingTechniques #FineArt #ArtHistory #ClassicalDrawing #ArtistAtWork #OldMasterTechniques #ArtWorkshop #TeacherTraining #NelsonFerreira