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Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Dan Seese
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by Dan Seese »

Things have been pretty quiet here on the forum. Hopefully that's an indication that people are busy with jobs and don't have time to check in here!

A few years ago Roderick had started a thread on the forum, inviting folks to showcase their glass signs. At that time I had just finished doing some prismatic copper gilding on several windows for a bank in the LoDo distict of Denver, so I posted a couple of photos from that project. Here's how it had turned out:
ANB-Window_close-up.jpg
ANB-Window_close-up.jpg (219.83 KiB) Viewed 8255 times
Last week I put together a step-by-step on my website, in case you're interested in seeing how this is done. There were no photos taken of me doing the project, so the step-by-step consists of some diagrams and verbal description but it's not that difficult to do. It's a pretty cool technique.

If you have any questions, corrections or suggestions feel free to post them at my site or here! Check it out here:
http://www.danseesestudios.com/blog/201 ... ealed.html
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
BruceJackson
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Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:28 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by BruceJackson »

Beautiful effect. I really like the brushed patina.

Thanks for the step by step info too...i wondered how you protected each side while burnishing. Using acetate sheet, very clever.
Mark Summers
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Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by Mark Summers »

I wonder if copper leaf will tarnish with time Dan. Job well done!


Mark
Ron Berlier
Posts: 245
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 3:27 am

Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by Ron Berlier »

A beautiful job Mr. Seese :!: Can't recall seeing this technique ever done in copper leaf, but looks mighty good.
Ron Berlier
Wherever I go, there I am.
bob gamache
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Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by bob gamache »

Beautiful job Dan!
I did see this job when you originally posted it and still admire it!
Thats a keeper!
Bob Gamache
Tyler Tim
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Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:12 am

Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by Tyler Tim »

I remember seeing that when I first started looking around here... very nice and classy looking.

The balance of the window was that painted or just cut?
Sure I paint thing for my amusement and then offer them for sale. A brushslinger could whither en die from lack of creativity in this plastic town my horse threw a shoe in. :shock:
Dan Seese
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Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by Dan Seese »

Thanks, Bruce, for your comments. There may be a way to cut acetate but what I actually did was to use "electro-cut" vinyl (the kind with a transparent plastic liner.) I flipped vinyl liner-side-up on my plotter and set the knife to score the liner so that it almost goes all the way through. The vinyl itself acted as a liner to hold it all together. Then I removed the vinyl and snapped the open areas out of the plastic liner. Worked great but maybe there's a better product out there. (I also tried static-cling, which would have been pretty nifty, but it lacked the needed rigidity.)

Mark - I wondered the same thing about tarnishing when I did the project. I've had varying results with copper. On the one hand when you back it up it seals it from the oxygen. At the same time, sometimes what you use to back it up continues the oxidation process. The sample I have in my shop still looks good. Maybe someone else can jump in and clue me in on the PROPER backup to use.

Good to hear from you, Ron. Maybe we'll run into eachother again sometime.

Bob - glad you liked it. I've admired your work. Have probably photographed some of it in my visits to New York City.

Tyler - the other lettering on the window is simply high performance vinyl.
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
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DAVE SMITH
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Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:12 am
Location: ENGLAND

Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by DAVE SMITH »

Hi Dan. Lovely job mate!Nice and clean! great design also. I have used this same technique on window work with registration marks. Have you tried it by burnishing the whole letter one way and then painting some of the convexed areas (correct light source)letting it dry and then burnishing again the other way and so on for 5 to 6 steps .Basically using the varnish as a mask. It takes longer due to the paint having to dry between burnishing .I use a quick drying varnish, 10 minutes and less ,you can get some nice effects with this technique . I have been meaning to try it on a reverse pictorial by burnishing gold in various ways along with some engine turning here and there ,either by hand or a screen set up with 6 different layers of one illustration. Time has been against me to try it though..


Thanks
Dave
Lee Littlewood
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Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by Lee Littlewood »

So, Dave, are you still talking about copper leaf?

The multiple-mask idea sounds great - no need to cut little masks out of acetate and hold them in perfect register while you rub - but how often can you go over a leaf before it refuses to show the latest burnish? And if you could do it slowly, with a slower protective coat, when does the goldsize give up the ghost and refuse to burnish?

What a cool idea! Thinking about it in a pictorial makes my head hurt...
where am i? Now, when i need me...
Dan Seese
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Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
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Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by Dan Seese »

Dave,

I'm fascinated by what you've described.

When you refer to using it in a pictorial, would this be something where you have black line-work defining the pictorial and then you give it body and depth with the gold? Is it something where you have color and transparant glazes, backed up with gold? Is it done entirely with gold? I'd love to give something like this a try since I enjoy both the pictorial work as well as the gold work. Just trying to wrap my mind around your description. Any examples?

I follow you on the using the varnish to create the isolating mask as you proceed with different directions which is a great idea I haven't tried. Using the acetate masks worked well on this particular project there were several windows I was doing and I could just take the same mask and go from window to window.

Having 5 or 6 steps is more than I've ever done. Copper leaf is pretty tough and can endure multiple burnishes hither & yon. With Lee I wonder how long it would be before gold leaf - much thinner & more fragile - just gives up being manipulated so many different directions but it's worth a try. I'd like to play with this myself.
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
DAVE SMITH
Posts: 1213
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:12 am
Location: ENGLAND

Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by DAVE SMITH »

Dan and Lee. I have only done it on small panels. It works great! My vision for large panels would work nice I think. My approach was all gold and silver (12)crt but you could also have a lined illustration before hand. Imagine one block of 23crt matt gold with areas left to add 12crt. Now with your drawing pictorial sketch on the front of the glass the gold and silver can be painted with a varnish or slightly coloured so you are able to see what your doing ,each layer could be a different shade of colour infact you could paint like a painting by numbers illustration like the ones we coloured in when we were kids ( i still feel like a kid even now!) As each colour dries you can burnish with a velvet pad different directions taking notes of the directions .The velvet pads I supplied in the Smith tip boxs work like a dream! Engine turning would also work in areas. maybe 4 to 5 shades would be enough. The gold would need to be fully gilded without holes. Transfering the design either by pounce or setting up a screen of the five layers which would probably be easier. An epidiscope or projector, projecting the design on the reverse would be another way to go. Exciting possibilities! I've always fancied projecting an image onto the back of a water gild and then scratching the design into the gold, the detail could be marvelous! wire wool the shading scratch out the lines and paint it black (ver eglomise), blend some gold and silver together too. Endless! we need several life times!!. all of us.
Off to Dubai next week ,see if i can sell some work over there. wish me luck! family hols too!
Dave
Dan Seese
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Re: Prismatic Copper Leaf on Glass

Post by Dan Seese »

Dave,
If there's anyplace in the world where you should be able to find clients willing to pay what your kind of work is worth, it's Dubai. (That is, if you can complete your orders before that gold mine caves in.)
Looks like an interesting and unique place for a family holiday. Let's hope the political atmosphere is favorable!
I look forward to hearing about any work you pick up as well as inspiring design influences.
Bon voyage.
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
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