|
Quick Links
|
 |
|
|
 May 15, 2010
|
Summer Classes
Save with Early
Registration!
3-Day Workshop
Traditional Water Gilding
August 13, 14, 15
~
New!
Water Gilding Refresher Class
for Returning Water Gilding Students
August 21
* Need help with preparing gesso & bole?
* Can't get the leaf to do what you want it to do?
*Feeling Overwhelmed?
Spend the day with gilder Charles Douglas who will provide personal attention to help you with the challenges every gilder must face when learning this beautiful and beguiling ancient craft.
~ Guidance in cutting and applying gold leaf
~ Understanding the recipes of gesso & clay bole
~ Learning to create a beautiful gild
Early Registration Details Below
|
|
|
Traditional Water Gilding:
Burnishing Gold Leaf
|
|  Burnishing gold leaf is the process of polishing a
gilded surface with a smooth stone, often an agate although other stones such
as hematite or any variety of precious stones may be used. The burnishing tool is made of a wood handle
with a brass or aluminum ferrule which holds the small stone in place at the
tip of the handle.
Burnishing gilding, whereby the gold or silver leaf
is brought to a brilliant luster, is limited to water gilding and manuscript
illumination which uses many of the same materials as water gilding.
Subsequently, an oil gilded surface cannot be burnished; there are ways to
achieve a bright surface when using the oil gilding method but there is no
comparison to a beautifully burnished water gilded finish.
There is both a craft and art to gold leaf gilding. I
view the use of the various recipes of preparing rabbit skin glue, gesso, and
clay bole as the craft aspect of gilding, where following the steps properly
will result in a successful gild. What one does with the gilded surface is the
art of which burnishing is an important element.
Water gilded gold leaf is satin in tone when left
unburnished; only when drawing the stone across the gilded surface does the
leaf begin to shine. The process also compresses the gold or silver into the
prepared ground, adding greater strength to the bond between leaf and bole
which, together with the multiple layers of underlying gesso, is polished
underneath the leaf through burnishing, causing the gold to shine so
brilliantly that it can take on almost a black hue in certain light.
The most common shape of an agate burnisher is one
that looks like a hook, or a dog's tooth, which is what gilders once used as
described by Cennino Cennini in his 15th Century Treatise Il libro dell'Arte. This is the style
burnisher I have used most often for over 20 years on gilded frames, furniture,
and in restoration. Two other shapes that I would recommend are the pencil-thin
Point for use in small, tight areas,
and a Flat for contemporary gilded
frame profiles.
If possible, choose the darkest agate you can find. Although I
have found no documentation on its benefit, in practice I have found dark
agates provide a better burnish than the lighter colored stones. Also be
careful not to drop the burnisher as they tend to crack fairly easily when thy
hit the ground - an expensive mistake!
It's important to know when a water gilded surface
is ready to be burnished. Once gold leaf
has been laid, it takes some time for the moist gesso to dry. If burnishing is
done too early not only will the gold leaf look dull, it's very possible that
the burnisher will break right through the gesso, pulling the material from the
wood. If burnishing is done too late, the gilding could be somewhat scratchy
which can ruin the appearance.
Generally, it's good to let the gilding dry for
a couple of hours. For beginners it's best to wait until the next day. Room
temperature and relative humidity will affect the overall drying time so a good
way to test the surface is to gently tap the surface with the agate. If the
tapping sound is dull, the surface is still too damp. What you want to hear is
a sharp click. I tend to like to
burnish when there is still a slight element of moisture in the gilding as it
provides a nice, soft, brilliant burnish. This can also help in areas where
complete adhesion of the leaf to the bole is in question; the compressing of
the leaf into the bole with the agate can override minor suspected adhesion
areas.
Burnishing gold leaf can be a relaxing and enjoyable
process after having invested significant time preparing a flawless surface.
However, it is very important to have a clear plan on which areas are to be
burnished and which areas are to remain satin. Water gilding is unique in that
it can be either be left with a gentle, matt tone or made very bright with the
agate.
Often, a two tone effect on a frame is desirable as it adds interest and
complexity. Once the leaf is burnished it cannot be undone, so a design should
be well thought-out ahead of time, a fact understood well by the architect Adam
who would provide the carvers and gilders detailed diagrams specifying areas to
be burnished on commissioned gilded furniture.
Next
Issue: Antiquing and Toning
|
Ask The Gilder...
|
| Questions submitted by our members
Q. Is there a way to apply gold leaf to glass that will allow electrical conductivity? This could be useful in the laboratory for reserch. ~ California
A. Yes, actually this is possible. I wrote about the experience of doing such an experiment which can be read on my blog. Here's the link:
www.gildingstudio.blogspot.com/24kt_Gilded_Beaker
|
|
Back Issues of The Gilding Arts Newsletters |
|  New Member? Missed an Issue?
The Gilding Arts Newsletter periodically publishes technical information concerning the various methods of gold leaf gilding. Some of these topics are in series formats such as the current series on Traditional Water Gilding.
To receive back Newsletter issues, simply send a quick email to Charles Douglas Gilding Studio at charles.studio@usa.net to request a particular series so you can stay current. Back issues are normally sent out by email within 48 hours.
|
|
|
