Agate
Polished stone with handle is used for burnishing leaf
Asphaltum
Mixture of Tar and Mineral Turpentine used to patinate
Aluminium Leaf (Faux Silver Leaf)
Thinly beaten sheets (160mmx160mm beaten aluminium leaf
Bole
Natural clay base used for water gilding
Acrylic Bole
Acrylic based paint used as a coloured base to simulate natural clay base
Burnish
Polishing of gold or silver leaf to sheer brilliance
Cutting in
To isolate a section of an item to apply a different colour or finish. Allows distinction between one section and another
Cotton Gloves
Used to protect leaf from acids and oils of the skin
Dutch Metal Leaf (Faux Gold Leaf)
Thin sheets of 160mmx160mm brass leaf – alloy of copper and zinc
Gesso
Made of whiting and glue – used to prepare surfaces such as canvas or to hide timer grain
Gold leaf
Beaten gold leaf 80mmx80mm – comes in 25 sheets per book . 23karat is used for interior – 24Karat is used for exterior gilding
Gold Size
Used to adhere metal leaf to surfaces – water based (interiors) and oil based (exteriors)
Methylated Spirit Denatured Alcohol
White Spirit Mineral Turpentine is a solvent commonly used for thinning oil-based paints and cleaning paint brushes and equipment after painting.
Whiting
Finely ground chalk or clay
Gilders Knife
Tool to cut gold leaf
Gilders Tip
Special brush to lift loose gold leaf and place it on object
Gilders Cushion
Board covered with leather used as base to cut gold leaf to size
Magic Polishing Ground (Powder)
Finely ground bole powder
Oil Gilding
A slow drying varnish based is used as a gold size
Patina- general
Is used to change the colour and appearance of metal leaf with washes glazes and acids
Patina washes
Thinned out acrylic paint over gilded item and then wiped off to achieve desired colour/finish
Patina – glazes
Thin layers of transparent colour to change appearance of gilded surfaces
Patina – Acid
Acids are used to create colour and pattern on Brass, Silver and Copper Leaf
Sealer
Oil and water based sealers are used to protect the Metal leaves
Shellac
Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand.
Shellac liquid
Shellac flakes are dissolved in Methylated spirit
Shellac – dewaxed (granular)
Granules are dissolved in Methylated spirit
Skewings
Small pieces of leaf – left-over from gilding can be used to repair small areas
Water Gilding Liqueur
Used to wet surface before the application of gold leaf (water gilding technique)
Water Gilding technique
Ancient and traditional method of gold leaf application to timber frames and furniture
Water Gilding on Glass
By using Gelatine or fish glue a mirror like finish can be achieved on glass
Zapon Lacquer
Brush on Acetone based lacquer to seal the highly burnished gold leaf
