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| Water Gilding Workshop Update! |
Traditional Water Gilding
December 10, 11, 12
Join us for the
Last Water Gilding Workshop for 2010
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New Expanded Studio!
(Enrollment: Maximum 8 Students)
Register Below
or visit: www.gildingstudio.com
2011 Workshop Schedule Coming Soon!
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FREE Gilding Demo ~ Monday Dec. 6
| |  Daniel Smith Fine Artist Materials Seattle, WA ..... 2 - 4 p.m.
Just scheduled today!
A new demonstration at the Daniel Smith store in Seattle. Come join us for a presentation on Gold Leaf Gilding. The informal and relaxed environment at Daniel Smith is a great place to ask some of the questions you might have on gilding. This particular demo will be covering a general overview of the various methods used for gilding wood, glass, metal, and stone along with some simple, hands-on demonstrating of laying genuine 23k gold leaf.
Location: 4150 First Avenue S. Seattle, WA 98134
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Dear Friends...Just a few words to greet you as we begin our farewell to 2010. We've even had o ur first (Seattle style) snow storm of the season and Winter has yet to come!
The relocation of Charles Douglas Gilding Studio to the Gasworks Gallery Building in Seattle was a big step and already the studio has grown. A space next door became available so before long we knocked down the dividing wall and now have a studio that will comfortably allow a few more students for gilding classes as well as those large frames to be gilded or restored!
So here's to everyone's celebration this season ~ wishing you joy, hope and clarity.
~ Charles
"If you want to learn to play the flute, then play the flute." ~ Socrates
 | | Outside the studio for lunch, meditation, conversation. |
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Ask The Gilder...
| | Questions submitted by our members and others from around the Artworld...
Q. Concerning Shellac: "What does it mean to bloom?"
~ Rob, San Francisco
A. The use of a protective topcoat in gold leaf gilding is an important aspect of the process, not so much because it's always required but that when a clearcoat is needed, there are a number of questions that arise and decisions that need to be considered.
The term bloom refers to the white, cloud-like film that can sometimes appear when shellac, and sometimes lacquer, is applied.This occurs because alcohol, which is mixed with shellac flakes to form what we refer to as shellac, is hygroscopic - is absorbs moisture from the air. It's the presence of the moisture in the shellac that creates the bloom.
Q. What kind of gilding is used in the Paramount Theatre in Seattle?
~ Seattle
A. Theatres across the United States and throughout the world often can be found lavishly decorated with gilded architectural acoutrements of Greek and Roman origin.The original gilding at the Paramount, although may appear as gold, is actually a silver colored leaf, most likely aluminum, used due to its non-tarnishing qualities in most environments. It would have been applied using the oil gilding method whereby an oil size or varnish would be coated onto the areas to be gilded and allowed to dry to a low tack before the leaf is laid.
Once gilded, this particular leaf - much less costly than genuine gold leaf - is coated with a toning medium often comprised in part of Gamboge and Dragon's Blood, resins found in Southeast Asia which are dissolved in alcohol and mixed with shellac. It is this coloring that gives the aluminum a golden hue and an appearance of 'old gold' when further toned with pigments such as raw umber. This technique was sometimes used in 18th century France on gilded furniture.
It's interesting to look closely at the gilding at the Paramount and if you look at some of the columns and along the walls you will see some of the brilliant silver tone peaking through.
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Gold Leaf Gilding
Workshops
2010 Winter Schedule
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3 Day Workshop Traditional Water Gilding
December 10, 11, 12
An intensive hands-on class that will take you through each step of this ancient craft,
from preparing gesso and
clay bole grounds to laying
and burnishing genuine 23k gold leaf
Registration
$600.00
Includes gold leaf and all materials,
use of all gilding tools, and
Museum Field Trip
Register Early!
Class Size limited to 8 Students
December 10, 11, 12
 Location:
Charles Douglas Gilding Studio
Gasworks Gallery Building
3815 4th Avenue NE (off N. Northlake)
Seattle, WA 98105To Register by Mail: Click Here to download the Registration Form (PDF).
Need to download Adobe Reader? (Click Here) |
Glass Gilding:
Creating Gilded Glass Mirrors
as based on
The Art of Verre Églomisé
1-Day Workshop
Coming in 2011! |
Back Issues of
The Gilding Arts Newsletter
Now Available Online! | |  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.
As a new benefit to Newsletter Members, all Newsletters are now available online in an Archived format. Simply go to the www.gildingstudio.com website. The Gilding Arts Newsletter can be found on the left-hand side navigation bar. The ARCHIVE Link can be found at the top of the page.
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