Monster Media 1993 #2/Image.iso/magazine/s_m0793.zip/S&M-02

Text File | 1993-06-20 | 5KB | 80 lines

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 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░Gold Leaf Paint░░░░░░░░░░░░░by Phil Gottfredson
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        Ever need to use powdered gold?  Know to make gold paint from it?
Here's a way that you can make your own gold leaf paint.

        Take a pint jar and put two tablespoons of honey in it. Take
gold leaf (real gold or imitation) and put it in the jar with the honey.
        Stir it for 10 minutes or so, until all the gold is very fine
particles.  Now pour hot water in the jar and stir it around very well.
The gold will settle to the bottom of the jar. Now pour out the liquid.
Add more hot water, this time put one tiny drop of dish soap in the
water, stir gently. The soap breaks down the surface tension of the
water allowing the gold to settle to the bottom faster.
        Let the gold settle out again and drain off the water. Again add
hot water, repeating the washing (but without the soap this time) until
you are sure all the honey is out. After you are sure all the honey has
been washed out pour out all the water again until you have about a
tablespoon of water left with the gold. Now empty out the gold onto a
plate, so the water can evaporate from the gold. When the gold is
completely dry, take a soft sable brush and gently break up the clumps
of gold powder.
        Now when you want to make a gold paint from this, just take your
sable brush and dip it in shellac. Then dip the same brush into the gold
powder. The powder will pick up on your brush of course; now brush out
the gold on a piece of glass, or plate. If it's too thick, add some more
shellac, if not enough gold, add more gold powder.
        Only use shellac! Laquer, varnish, whatever will dull the gold,
it will loose its metallic sheen. Shellac will keep the gold brillant,
then you can apply varnish or laquer over the shellac if you want a
tougher finish without loosing the metallic sheen.  You can also use
Rabbit Skin Glue to make your gold paint. The advantage is that you
can burnish the gold with an agate stone.  And by the way, you can
buy shellac flake for about $10 a pound. One pound will make about two
gallons of shellac or more. One pint of shellac already prepared will
cost about $4. All you need is denatured alcohol and a glass container.
If anyone would like to know how this is done I will be happy to tell
you.
       How much gold leaf should you put into that little bit of honey?
About ten leaves should go into the honey, but use your discretion. And
no, the varnish over the shellac won't dull the gold. In situations
where you are applying gold leaf to wood that will be exposed to the
elements (such as when refinishing a wooden canoe), you would be wise
to use a 23 kt gold -- imitation, (or Dutch metal it's called) will
tarnish. BTW, the ratios of gold to honey isn't important.
       There are basically three methods by which one gets the gold leaf
to stick to a surface.  The adherants are referred to as "Size". There
is synthectic polymar size, varnish, and glue. Glue size is made from
rabbit skin glue. The glue is mixed in to the bole or red clay which is
brushed onto the surface of the gesso ground. It then is burnished with
an agate stone making it smooth as glass. When dry, the gilder using a
sable brush applies water to the dry bole which causes the glue to
become tacky. A leaf of gold is then laid on the wet surface. This is
called water gilding. This causes the gold to be perfectly smooth and
mirror-like in texture.
       Some people think that running the brush through their hair will
create static electricity and make it easier to lift off the gold in
one solid piece (and make it go on the same way). Contrary to popular
belief it isn't the static electricity one wants, its actually a slight
amount of oil from your hair or face that is most desirable to pick up
the leaf.
       A leaf of real gold is 180,000th of an inch in thickness. If you
hold it up to the light you can see light through it.
       The traditional material used for gold leafing is Gesso and
Gilder's Clay or bole. The formulas and the making of these materials
is very exacting, and again comes with practice. What's interesting is,
there has never been a good replacement for Gesso and Bole, many have
tried and many have failed.
       It is a real art to master leafing, something that requires a lot
of practice to handle the gold with precision.  But the real skill isn't
all in your ability to pick up and place a leaf of gold where you want it
without tearing it, or crumpling it, it's also in the preparation of the
surface its going on. The gold will magnify the tiniest flaw in the
surface to which it is applied. The surface has to be flawless to
achieve the richest results with leafing.

                                    -end-
                      Copyright (c) 1993 Phil Gottfredson