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Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

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

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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Olivier Gaudry
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:47 am
Location: France - Toulouse
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Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Olivier Gaudry »

Hello !
I hope i'm not boring with all my questions but to be honest that place is a 'goldmine' of informations for me who's in a country where those handcrafted jobs have disappeared ^^

I'm really interested in gold leaf technique so that i ordered the Kent Smith's book to have a first approach.
I would try my hand to this technique but having seen different merchant web-sites and video tutorials it would appear a lot of material is needed.

My question goes in that way ... which tools are required to begin ?
(i would try to gild some inside letters with black outlines on a reverse glass)

Thanks a lot !
Olivier.
Terry Colley
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 2:26 am
Location: Stockport England

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Terry Colley »

For starting out the materials are few, black paint for your outlines and back up ,gold leaf , oil size or gelatine if you want a miiror finish and varnish to back up there are a few suppliers here in the Uk which is not that far from you although I am not sure what paints can be posted. On the tools side a couple of lettering brushes and malstick , tracing paper , pencil thats a minimum, what tools do you have already?
Cheers Terry
Terry Colley
Stockport, England
Signwriter/maker
Danny Baronian
Site Admin
Posts: 638
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2004 2:16 am
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Danny Baronian »

Hi Terry,

not sure what you mean by 'I am not sure what paints can be posted'. If that's in regards to a supplier or paint brand by name, post away.

From the looks of the posts coming from Europe, supplies for the sign / sign writers trade seem to be sparse over there, so any sources / products available, list them here.

We're fortunate here in the States and Canada for the resources we have.

Oliver: welcome to the forum!

Danny
Danny Baronian
Baronian Mfg.
CNC Routing & Fabrication
http://www.baronian.com
Terry Colley
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 2:26 am
Location: Stockport England

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Terry Colley »

Hi Danny
Since 9 11 oil based paints and varnishes cannot go via air mail . We did a gilding job in Madrid a few years back and had to source le franc locally in Spain. On the supplier side we do have a few good ones here in the uk I get most of the signwriting and gold leaf from Wrights of Lymm , Handovers also have a good range
Terry Colley
Stockport, England
Signwriter/maker
Olivier Gaudry
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:47 am
Location: France - Toulouse
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Olivier Gaudry »

Hi Danny and Terry !
I already have a bunch of tools like : Quills, outliners, flats, pencils, mahl stick, tracing paper, and enamel paints ...
Some of the goods comes from Wrights of the Lymm and i found 1Shot paints from a dealer here in France.
I faced this problem of flammable materials but it seems that the package i received from Wrights had taken the train, anyway i would manage to bring the goods home.
Thks,
O.
Tyler Tim
Posts: 209
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:12 am

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Tyler Tim »

Kent's Book is a good the place to start from.

A stainless steel camping cup makes a good container for making water size in. Also you'll need a gilders tip to apply leaf to glass. If you can find some Bon Ami powder in the yellow or red can not the gold foil one, grab it. Some quality cotton.
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:
Olivier Gaudry
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:47 am
Location: France - Toulouse
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Olivier Gaudry »

Hi Tim !
i have not yet received the Kent's book and even though i'm not an English's master, i'm sure it'll be very useful.
From what i've read or view it seems that there's few techniques for applying gold leaf : Water Gilding and Transfer ... Isn't it ?
However, terms and things like "water size" and that powder used are unknown to me ... and i still don't know how it cames on details so precise.

Wrights of the Lymm sells different starter kit here :
http://www.stonehouses.co.uk/product_list.php?id=911

To be continued :)
Kent Smith
Posts: 569
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:41 pm
Location: Estes Park, CO
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Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Kent Smith »

The book has a list of needed items, feel free to email me for some ideas to convert to available materials.
Tyler Tim
Posts: 209
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:12 am

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Tyler Tim »

For glass work you want loose leaf gold. If I was to purchase a kit it be this one http://www.stonehouses.co.uk/product_desc.php?id=4389

PM me your address I'll send you some fresh 00 gelatine caps for making up water size.

Tim
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:
Olivier Gaudry
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:47 am
Location: France - Toulouse
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Olivier Gaudry »

Kent Smith wrote:The book has a list of needed items, feel free to email me for some ideas to convert to available materials.
Sure ... Thank you !
Tyler Tim wrote:For glass work you want loose leaf gold. If I was to purchase a kit it be this one http://www.stonehouses.co.uk/product_desc.php?id=4389. PM me your address I'll send you some fresh 00 gelatine caps for making up water size. Tim
Yep :)
erik winkler
Posts: 1097
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:48 pm
Location: Amsterdam Netherlands
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Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by erik winkler »

Hello Olivier,

Hello from Nederland.
In France there are some people who do the gilding, some better then others.
In France there is goldleaf available from mainland Europe, English goldleaf and US goldleaf is made in these two countries.
The best brushes in the world are made in France and Germany.
So save yourself a lot of money, waist of time, shipping and buy European.
Just research, research and research.
Succes!

Erik
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
Olivier Gaudry
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:47 am
Location: France - Toulouse
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Olivier Gaudry »

erik winkler wrote:Hello Olivier,
Hello from Nederland.
In France there are some people who do the gilding, some better then others.
In France there is goldleaf available from mainland Europe, English goldleaf and US goldleaf is made in these two countries.
The best brushes in the world are made in France and Germany.
So save yourself a lot of money, waist of time, shipping and buy European.
Just research, research and research.
Succes! Erik
Hello Erik !

You're probably right, there must be some gilders here who are renovating frames (but none, from what i know, are working on glass even in Paris) ... and there's no exchange of knowledge like here, i found people on this forum very very open-minded ! Sure that a lot of brushes are made in France but i haven't been able to find for example some Lettering Quills ... another example, when a gilders cushion costs around 60 euros in a massive merchant web-site in france, it's less expensive from Wrights of the Lymm, even the gold leafs are more expensive here. Even with the shipping costs i'm saving some money and i'm sure i'm not wrong.

;) Thks for your time.

Olivier
Danny Baronian
Site Admin
Posts: 638
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2004 2:16 am
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Danny Baronian »

Olivier,

if you need a pad, make your own.

Instructions and pictures here: https://handletteringforum.com/forum ... gilder+pad

Danny
Danny Baronian
Baronian Mfg.
CNC Routing & Fabrication
http://www.baronian.com
erik winkler
Posts: 1097
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:48 pm
Location: Amsterdam Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by erik winkler »

I am sure you are.
Roderick Treece knows a glass gilder in Paris.
It is up to you ofcourse if you do not want to do further and proper research.

Erik
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
erik winkler
Posts: 1097
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:48 pm
Location: Amsterdam Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by erik winkler »

Roderick Treece pm me and apparently forgot the name, but we posted about him a few times here on the forum.
It is Lucien Helle from Paris.
https://handletteringforum.com/forum ... ilit=Helle
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
Olivier Gaudry
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:47 am
Location: France - Toulouse
Contact:

Re: Gold Leaf Starter Kit :mrgreen:

Post by Olivier Gaudry »

Very good idea Dany !

Erik !
Without you i wouldn't have found his name ... hence the extreme utility of this forum, isn't it :)
I'm get in touch with him and see if he wants to share his knowledge ...
Thks again.
O.
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