Gilding

[northwest]

Anybody tried to do any Gilding, I quite fancy the idea and have the perfect project for it. Trying to read up on the techniques and look at what I will need, apart from gold leaf of course.

 

[Beanwood]

Didn't @The_Yellow_Ardvark do some on a plane recently?

 

[graffian]

The shiny foil stickers on my bike frame are gilded?
I put gold leaf on the base colour, then a water slide decal for the printing and clear over the top of it.
This was to replicate stickers printed on gold or silver foil.

The first transfer I did was leafed and ready for waterslide n clear to late in the year to get the clear on as I spray outside.
So the frame was hung up for months. I looked at the frame after a few months and the gilding had gone green!
I had a good look at the ads for gold leaf and some say composite leaf, i.e not all gold.

When I bought the leaf I bought the wide brush for handling it, the book of leaf and a bottle of size.
I was painting the size on an area masked with masking film, the leaf tore cleanly when the masking film was removed.
I was surprised to see[or not see] I couldn't see that the leaf was put on in several bits.
I didn't achieve the shiny look of foil, I got a sort of brushed look to it.
I didn't look into how to guild, I just got the idea and had a go.

 

[arther dailey]

dad used to do it on picture frame restoration , watched a few times , think you will enjoy it ,very satisfying .

 

[Seadog]

The shiny foil stickers on my bike frame are gilded?

You don't seem certain

 

[graffian]

You don't seem certain

I wouldn't have called it gilding.
I was just using gold leaf where foil had been used.
I was working from a photo of a treader with the sticker on the frame that I found online when I drew this, I think I got the
different weights right and the angle and size of the dithering.
The gold doesn't show as shiny in this pic but there is no mistaking it's gold when you see it.

I have only just realised that's my logo thingie on here.

 

[voipio]

I get the impression that most gold leaf sold on the internet is not proper gold leaf. For a start, the stuff I got online curls up when it's gently warmed or breathed on. That to me smacks of a very thin plastic film, covered with an even thinner coating of something that might include gold.

 

[Mark 2]

As above, there are differing qualities around.

 

[Misterg]

I get the impression that most gold leaf sold on the internet is not proper gold leaf.

There's 'Dutch metal' that's imitation gold leaf. It's some sort of brass alloy, designed to look like gold, but it will tarnish unless protected.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the thickness of it: 0.3 microns!

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Didn't @The_Yellow_Ardvark do some on a plane recently?

I did.

 

[marlinspike]

There's 'Dutch metal' that's imitation gold leaf. It's some sort of brass alloy, designed to look like gold, but it will tarnish unless protected.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the thickness of it: 0.3 microns!

Same thickness as Lidl bin bags then.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I get my gold leaf and silver leaf from a local craft shop.
Best advice.
Make sure the surface is very clean.
The size needs to be warm enough to flow, but not ball up.
The leaf is best picked up on a decent brush.
Laid on left to settle for a few seconds.
Adding more to cover.
Then buff up a brush of the surplus.