![]() Images of nature become iconic expressions of beauty when the details are isolated against the warm and brilliant tones of gold (click to view enlargements). Gustav Klimt is the most famous artist of the 20th century to have used gold leaf as a primary aspect of his expression. These fine renditions of wild life are still their most popular form of art. It is still popularly used in religious art, in both the west and the east, due to the fact that it’s luminous hue and brilliance gives an enlightening appearance to almost any image it is paired with.Īsia has utilized gold-leaf backgrounds in their fine paintings of animals and nature for throughout generations of dynasties, and hundreds of years. Gold leaf was widely used during the great dynasties of Egypt, as well as in Eastern and Western Europe, evidenced by Byzantine icons and medieval altarpieces. Today, faux versions of gold (actually made from copper) makes the practice of using it much less cost prohibitive. Gold leaf is manufactured by hammering real gold into paper-thin sheets. This is a traditional media which has been in practice some 5000 years, beginning in ancient India. Remember practice makes perfect, try on a small test area first to gain confidence.Today, I turn my attention to the glory of Gold Leaf. it will make the silver or gold leaf go black or discoloured You can use an oil based varnish to seal your gilding project but NO water based varnishes can be used. Don’t forget shellac dries very fast work quickly and evenly over the area, do not over brush the shellac as it will start to dry as you are brushing. Once dry the milkyness goes.ĭepending on the look you require apply one or more coats. As it starts to dry you will notice it becomes milky, don’t worry this is just the drying process. Avoid brushing the shellac onto other areas until ready to do them. Try a test patch in an unobvious area first.ġ5. Using a brush (or it can be sprayed if you have the facilities) apply a thin but even coat of the shellac over the item, one leg or one area at a time. Depending on how much methylated spirits you originally used to dissolve the shellac, once applied it might make the silver leaf look golden in colour, you may need to add more methylated spirits. The shellac is applied over the silver (or gold) leaf to protect and give a durable finish it also stops the silver (or gold) leaf from oxidising.ġ4. finished, right we now need to apply the shellac. REMEMBER this way is optional you may prefer just to cover the WHOLE table top in size, (apply as above) once dry cover the whole area in leaf and rub with soft cloth until excess leaf has been removed.Įnsure all excess has been rubbed off, failing to remove this it could leave table rough to the touch once the shellac (or sealer) has been applied. Now carefully remove the masking tape, and with your soft cloth rub over the whole area until all excess leaf and size have been removed. Have you checked the shellac? It might need a stir.ġ3. Once that square is completed, using your soft cloth lightly rub the excess leaf off until completely smooth. I took the measurements of the leaf 14 cm x 14 cm and drew out with pencil and a large ruler exact squares on the table top, once i was happy, using low tack masking tape (see foot note) I edged one square at a time with the tape.īy applying the size to that area ensuring that the excess had been brushed off and there were no obvious brush marks.ġ2. Again once dry, I started to put on the leaf to the masked out square but don’t worry if to cannot get the full square covered in one go, just keep putting small bits of the leaf onto the square until completely covered. Now for the top! I decided that i wanted to use complete squares of the leaf to create a uniform Pattern. Take a dry cloth rub the leaf until all excess has been removed.ġ1. I completed the legs and frame of the table. 10. Using a dry brush, gently push the leaf into the detail if applicable.
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