Howdy folks! Hey I'm gilding this quarterboard & am having trouble getting the gold into the centers of the v cut letters. It seems like the gold cracks as I push it down.
Thanks always!
Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
Start the gild from one side of the stroke, and roll it in, rather than "bridging" the stroke.
You might also try using a Q-tip, or, trim a brush with stiff, short bristles to push the paper into the vee.
I'm assuming that you're using patent leaf.
Posted by Mike Languein (Member # 319) on :
I use a soft brush - like a make up blender, that sort of thing. And after laying on as much smooth gold as I can I jam skewings down in there with the softy and polish it out the best I can. I use Chrome Yellow One Shot in with my quick size - that way tiny pinholes and cracks will show up the least.
Posted by Felix Marcano (Member # 1833) on :
Thank you both! No, I'm using loose leaf.
Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
Felix,
If you must use surface leaf, then lay it into the stroke with plenty of slack & then do as Mike suggested with the makeup brush.
Patent will save you a lot of gold in the long run if you're gilding carved letters,
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
I find that gentle is not always best when dealing with gold. Sometimes you really need to PUSH the gold. into the sizing firmly with your thumb or forefinger, pushing against a sheet of tissue from the gold book. Save all loose pieces in a small box and use them to brush into the groove at the bottom to get those hard to get spots. If all else fails, a little pale gold bronze powder on a q-tip will hide the bare spot.Watch out with any bronze touch up, as its bad to breath and can get into everything. Use sparingly
Posted by John Smith (Member # 1308) on :
Felix, Dennis Goddard taught me the technique of using a regular shaving brush to apply gold to carved letters. Watching him for the first time, I thought he was a bit "aggressive" in his approach. He applies the gold as normal, gently brushes it into the incised letters, then comes back and SLAMS and JAMS all the loose gold into the minute areas of ungilded size. I mean he beats it aggressively til he works up a sweat!! then..... brushes out all the loose gold, rubs a cotton ball over it to burnish it up a bit and that was the most awesome gold job on a mahogany quarterboard I have ever seen!! I have the makeup brushes, too, but, they shed too much for me and they just don't have the "body stiffness" like the shaving brush does. Be sure to keep this brush away from ANY oil or thinners or it will be transferred to your gold and that would not be good. Let us know how it turns out .... sounds cool !
Posted by goddinfla (Member # 1502) on :
I wondered if you remembered that John. Slam and Jam. It actually was a makeup brush with masking tape around part of the hairs to stiffen it. A problem with v-groove letters is that the size flows somewhat into the bottom of the groove and will not dry as quickly as the size on the sides. When you go to gild it pulls up some of the size with the brush. I keep going back over the size and spreading it as it dries so there isn't too much of the goo in the v. Otherwise the very bottom will drown the gild.
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
If you can, flip the board over upside down after you size. that trick not only keeps the size from "pooling" in the bottom of the "V" but also allows the the size to dry dust free. Those pesky airborn particles have ruined many a gold job.
Cut out letters can likewise be mounted on a backing board and after sizing turn the whole thing upside down.
