If one of these tips is passed over the paper with sufficient pressure, it will leave a trace made up of very fine metal particles. It was widely used in the manuscripts Depending on the metal, they produce a very delicate brown or light gray line of metallic reflections. The surface (paper or parchment) needed a special base made from pulverized bone, water, gum arabic and dyes. The metal tip is used by Van Eyck, Botticelli, Leonardo and Durero, among others.
