Faux Gold Leafing/Gilding

[Danny Baronian]

OLD FORUM POSTS

Faux Gold Leafing/Gilding Posted by Dennis Davis on March 23, 2004

Trying to get set up to do some glass etching, blasting, and chipping. I'm wondering if there is a product that simulates the look of gold leaf? This is a beginning hobby for me and I'd like to keep costs down until I get comfortable working with glass. Any suggestions for products or reading material that would help me get started?

Thanks...Dennis

Bill Blumberg

Dennis: There is nothing like REAL gold leaf.. Ya just gotta think of it like this: A fifth of scotch cost about $30, A case of imported beer costs about $30, A tank of gas costs about $30, a book of REAL gold costs about $30. Buy the gold, save on fossil fuels,stay sober,and learn something new that will be as satisfying and enduring as anything you'll do in life. I've worked with REAL gold leaf for 45 years and its still as exciting now as it was the first time I picked up a book of leaf and a tip. Good luck.

Sarah King

Well, Angel Gilding is real gold - and about one-quarter the cost of leaf.

Joe House

Sara (or anyone else) Which would be easier to learn - Angel gilding or gold leafing? (Not trying to pick a fight, just wondering.)

Joe

Mike Jackson

Joe,
Generally speaking, Angel Gilding is great when it works and where it works. Most of us have had pretty good results when working flat in our little "vats" and under relatively controlled conditions. Personally, I'd say you NEED to learn how to do it the old geletin and water way, and then use Angel Gilding when it makes the most sense. It is possible to Angel Gild vertically, and on office doors, but I think it has limits.

Andres went around the country touting the system of vertical application of solution gold, but it never caught on with signmakers. Rick Glawson was able to do it on vertical glass using a Prevail Spray bottle and the solution mixed just right. Timing was crucial. I don't know many people who ever used the product vertically. Extra care is needed to collect all solution before it hits aluminum extrusions or it stains the aluminum, tile, or carpet.

If you know how to lay leaf with a gilder's tip, you can usually tackle most projects.

Hope my perspective helps.

Mike Jackson

Sarah King

I would agree with Mike. Rick always said that if you can leaf you can do solution gilding. I think you learn things from applying leaf - like the importance of clean glass and a feel for what the end result should look like - that make it easier to learn - and appreciate - Angel Gilding. Mastering first prinicples makes great things happen.

Joe House

Thanks for the input. I've started to play around with gold leafing. Bought Kent's revision of Gold Leaf Techniques and been reading what I can here. Thanks for all the tips.

Joe

Mike Jackson

Joe,I believe Ron Purcell at www.letterheadsignsupply.com is selling beginner gold leaf kits with all the basic supplies and tools. Check out his site and give him a call. When I talked to him not long ago, he said he is selling a LOT of kits, so there must be quite a bit or renewed interest in glass gilding.

Take care,
Mike Jackson

Larry White

Bruce Jackson has some great introductory information on his website. Well worth a visit.
Also check out the Rick Glawson pages on this website. You can also obtaian a lot of info by combing over this BB.
I also wrote up a booklet on a glass sign I made. You can find that under the Techniques section of my website walljewelry.com.
The Glue Chipping Glass Signs book is good, if you can find one. Also, Gold Leaf Techniques.
My suggestion would be to practice with what you'll be working with. You're better off biting the bullet and getting real gold leaf and learning how to use it cause you'll have to anyway. Just start with smaller projects to keep the cost down.

http://goldreverre.com/techniques.html


Raymond Chapman

As far as I know there is nothing that looks or acts like gold other than gold.

Whatever you might use as a substitute is really not going to help you learn gold gilding because it will not handle or react like real gold. Therefore, all of your practice will not be of any benifit when you try to real stuff.

Yes, it is a little expensive, but any endeavor will cost you something during the learning process. That's just the cost of gaining experience.

Good luck in your new venture.

Dennis Davis

Thank you to everyone who posted information, ideas, and suggestions. I'm sure others have benefited from this series of posts. You folks are super!!