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Article: 5 things not to do when gold leafing, guilding or foiling

5 things not to do when gold leafing, guilding or foiling
Tips

5 things not to do when gold leafing, guilding or foiling

Want to add a bit of ‘je ne sais quoi’  to your artwork? An extra dimension to your linocut, collagraph or monotype prints? Foiling, guilding or gold and silver leafing can add an extra shimmer to many objects including artwork, but can be pretty tricky for the uninitiated. But hang on in there for some tips - useful not only for artists but for anyone wanting to add some glamour to artefacts and objects.

Having recently undertaken a linocut print project that involved adding gold leaf details, I thought I would share some tips on metallic leafing:

1. Don’t use any old adhesive

PVA or general adhesive just won’t do the job. Metallic leaf is floaty delicate stuff and your usual glue will muddle with it and dull the finish. You need a special foiling or guilding ‘size’ or adhesive. Choose a water based for paper and oil based for wood or canvas. 

2. Don’t rush the drying time

After applying the adhesive to the areas you want to guild, pop off and make a cup of tea, fuss the dog...anything but proceed until the time is right. Follow the instructions and wait until your glue is tacky to the touch. We are aiming for post-it note tacky.

3. Don’t be too heavy handed

Float your leaf onto the areas you want foiling and gently press in place with your fingers. Start with a soft brush sweeping out, increase the pressure a little and you will find the superfluous leaf will detach and you can brush it away. At this stage, you can burnish a little with a tougher brush if you like the effect.

3. Don’t lose hope!

Lines not crisp enough? Fret not, a trusty scapel or fine knife can be used to scrape tiny amounts of leaf away and define edges. If you missed bits, you can always repeat the process adding small pieces of leaf on top.

4. Don’t Stop there

Real gold or silver leaf is pretty pricey, so most of us will be using a faux version. It’s important to seal your guilding to prevent it tarnishing long term. You can do this with a clear sealant designed for the job, glossy or silver acrylic varnish or shellac which is what I use! Simply brush or spray onto the areas gilded. 

I hope you found these tips useful! Follow me on social media or sign up for my newsletter for more updates and tips. 

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