Mirror Gilding with Water "Gelatin" Size

Welcome to this Free How To Article on Mirror Gilding with Water "Gelatin" Size By Ron Percell. Instruction on Gold Leaf application.

Gilder's that are Right Handed lay gold from left to right, Left handed Gilder's work Right to Left in which both groups work in direction as in lettering to keep their hands away from the gold just laid.

Gild from top to bottom so as you add more water size, it doesn't wash or flow gold off or out of position

1 clean glass well

2 mix Gelatin size

3 Prepare Gilding Tip to transfer gold leaf

4 Sweat surface with Water Size, wet working areas

5 Transfer Gold Leaf to work area, only over lap Gold Leaf about 1/8 of a inch.

6 Blow Gently to help lay down or smooth out wrinkles in the Gold Leaf after you lay a sheet or piece

7 Apply More water size to areas not gilded every 2-3 pieces of gold leaf laid until all areas are gilded

8 Wait for Water Size to Dry and turn to Mirror

9 After Gild is dry, use a Dusting Mop to Dust off Wrinkles and Flap called Skewings, make sure the surface is dust free with brush. Gold dust scratches gold mirrors

10 Rolled Cotton is torn off roll in hand size piece to buff gilded surface in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions to polish to high sheen, keep checking Cotton to make sure you havent built up gold and or pull cotton apart to clean cotton

11 Expect to see Crack or Imperfections when gilding by hand

12 Repeat the water gilding process top to bottom, patching ungilded ares with smaller cut pieces of Gold Leaf, it's typical for a gilder to make 1-3 gilds with touch ups

13 Final Warm Gild Bath: When satisfied with your gild, make a fresh batch of Water Size at Half strength, pour the half size over entire finished gild to rinse out any additional Gelatin Size and to size down any additional Gold Leaf and this will brighten the gild.

14 Let Gild Dry and prepare paper pattern or print out for your artwork. Poke wholes with needle or with Pounce wheel tool and use Charcol Powder to transfer the design to gilded surface, blow off excess dust

15 Paint Back-Up Enamel paint onto areas you want to lock down, if using a brush, apply 2 coats back to back. wait for Back-up paint to dry.

16 Surplus Gold Leaf Removal Brush or Cotton used almost dry with very little water and Gilders Soap, lightly scrub in both directions to remove gold leaf, don't try to clean all gold off at once, just a little, wipe dry, then move forward and repeat top to bottom, Now repeat. 2nd pass working down reviles more and more. Remember to much water while cleaning off will float the gold leaf off. 3rd pass gets most all off and 4th pass is just detail with a sharpened wood dowel.

Wash an area too much or loose a little detail. This happens less the more you practice, if it does, make fresh water size, carefully wet and gild. When dry touch up and clean up as I taught you in the beginning, just on a smaller gild.

Below are a few videos related to article above for Reference.

A short How To video on Gilders Soap to clean glass when Reverse Glass Gilding with Gold leaf. Learn more on Gilders Soap how to Clean Reverse Gilded Glass, mirrors and art Deco glass for gold leaf work. Advanced techniques are available through advanced workshops, and at Gilders and Letterhead Gatherings.

A short How To video on making "Water Size" for Reverse Glass Gilding Gold leaf. Learn more on How to make and mix Water size with Gilders Gelatin for making reverse glass signs and hand made mirrors. Advanced techniques are available through advanced workshops, and at Gilders and Letterhead Gatherings.

A short How To video on charging a "Gilders Tip" before application of Gold leaf. A charged Gilding Tip will pick up Gold Leaf. Learn how to get your Gilders Tips ready for gold leaf by "Charging the brushes Tip" using Gilders Lard-Oil brush preservative. Advanced techniques are available through advanced workshops, and at Gilders and Letterhead Gatherings.

Video How-To below. A short How To video on Gelatin based "Water Size" Dry Time. Advanced techniques are available through advanced workshops, and at Gilders and Letterhead Gatherings. Learn how to recognize when your water size is dry and ready for the next step. Techniques for Gold Leaf Artists who make Reverse Glass Signage.

A short How To video on Gilders Surplus Gold Removal Brush for Water gilding Gold leaf when Mirroring for fast detail cleaning.Learn how to remove excess Gold Leaf when water gilding by using the Gilders Surplus Gold Removal Brush. Restoration & Reverse Glass Sign artist must have tool. Advanced techniques are available through advanced workshops, and at Gilders and Letterhead Gatherings.

gilding workshop Westcoast gold leaf, great for reverse glass gilding and so much more.