Gold Leaf

[bpfohler]

I made some sample signs and picked up some cheap patent leaf. I want to add some gold leaf to my signs so I want to practice.
After the sign has been masked and carved I was going to seal with shellac before applying size.
Now do I leave the mask on when I apply the size and then remove it before leafing?

[john_l]

Not sure if there are set rules for it, but I've always left the mask on until after I size AND lay the leaf. As long as I timed the drying of the size correctly, I get a sharp line at the letter edges.

[joe]

Be sure to lay down a good coat of imitation gold for an underlayment. 12 hour size will give you a better chance at the process. When laying down the size, give yourself a couple of test swatches to check the proper tack.

It's a fun job.

[bpfohler]

Do you mean imitation gold paint or gold leaf. Why is yellow chrome painted on top of the shellac coats?
I assume a drop of one shot paint is added to the size to better show where it has been applied. So if you paint the letters the same color as the paint used to tint the size what's the purpose of the paint.

[myxpykalix]

I know nothing about doing gold leaf other than what i've watched on tv and i recall that you should have a cut raw potato on hand and dab the perimeter where you do not want gold leaf to stick. I assume the starch in the potato does that?

[joe]

OK, here's the process.

Apply mask to your painted panel and burnish it down before carving
After carving apply a coat of sealer to raw wook. Shellac is good.
Lightly sand the well of the letters. 400 grit.
Apply the gold size. Should be the thickness of coffee cream.
Apply the gold or imitation leaf when size is at the right tack. I lay down 12 hour size in the evening and apply the next morning.

If you have painted the panel with oil based enamel, it's necessary to leave the mask on till last.

I know this description is sketchy. I strongly suggest you find a Letterhead near you and see if he'd let you watch the next time he's gilding.

[joe]

http://www.letterheadsignsupply.com/gold_leaf_gilding_supplies.htm

Sepp. has a very nice selection from double thick 24K down to pale 16K.

Have fun.

[donchapman]

I do what Joe does except that after sealing the freshly routed letters with shellac or the same paint I used on the background, I apply a coat of One Shot Chromatic Yellow or One Shot Metallic Gold so that tiny holidays in the gold leaf (now or later) will not show. Often, if I can catch the One Shot at the right dry-knuckle-snap stage of tackiness during drying, I apply the gold leaf directly to the One Shot and don't bother with the gold leaf size. It works just fine and weathers as well as the gold size technique, but real gold size provides a wider time window of correct tackiness so I'd recommend being successful with it before trying my One-Shot-paint-as-size technique. The biggest mistake most new gilders make is applying the leaf while the size is too wet so that it floods and dulls the gold. The dry-knuckle-snap test is when you can feel a snap of tackiness as you lift your knuckle from the size, but no size transfers to your knuckle.

[joe]

Your right Don,

I forgot the underlayment color.

I'm sure you include a drop or two of yellow One Shot in your size as I do. I haven't taken the time to experiment with adding just a touch of size to Chrome Yellow in order to extend application window. Reversing the order.

My only problem with using enamel as a size is the speed with which it can set up. On a hot dry day here it's too dicey. The enamel can set on one end of the panel before I finish up at the other.

I love 12 hour size becuase I sooo lazy.

Today, Sunday, I'm laying 23k directly on epoxy tinted with chrome yellow. My epoxy is a six hour type. Plenty of time. I have five panels to finish for installation on Monday. Epoxy gives the brightest, cleanest, gold reflection.

Over the years I've grown to love roll gold on letters. Far and away it's more economical since the gold is matched to the stroke of the letter. That is 1/2" gold for 1/2" letter stroke. It's allmost too fast. I can lay down a 1/4" border by about as fast as you can walk around a panel. No trick to this technique.

I seldom see anyone using roll gold and wonder why. I posed this question to my gilding friends in Scotland last year. Since they only work with gold I felt sure they would be with me on this one. Nope! Thy said it would probably work but since there leafing all day every day it wasn't much of a consideration.

Good point about the under color. It's good to have craftsmen watching for my mistakes.

[donchapman]

Forget about the "senior moment" Joe, they just get more frequent with time.

Your technique of using rolls of gold leaf makes a lot of sense since I now take scissors and cut whole books of gold leaf into strips, grab a stack and slap the gold strips onto the ready size.

I haven't use a gilder's tip (thin brush to pick up and apply leaf) in years.

I've bought rolls of gold in the past for gilding borders but I don't remember if the rolls work like patent leaf or loose leaf. Which is it and how does the cost compare?

Even if the rolls are a bit more expensive, I'm sure the time saved would be worth it since almost always in signmaking its the the time, not the material costs that matters most.

[joe]

Don

Roll gold is Patent and is priced at the same weight price. I think it cost less as there's very little waste.

When doing prism or round over letters, I've found loose gold to be easier and faster than patent. You just lift the gold with a gilders tip and let it drape over the letter. Gently pat it down with a soft brush. One of your wifes soft face brushes works very well. I'd probably get permission first.

If you get a chance, check with Letterhead Sign Supply to see if they still offer the sample kit of Mica Powders. You get a couple of dozen of the most beauftiful packets. These are used in conjunction with gold size. There perminent and give life to an otherwise dull painted sign. I applied some of the rouge on one of Ken Zey routed panels at the Kansas Camp. It really brightened up his sample. Much easier and less expensive than gold.

[zeykr]

Joe, They still have the Mica sample kit, but not on the website, you have to call. It's $30 -have mine on the way.

Thanks again for passing on your knowledge at the Kansas camp!

[wcsg]

You can Try McLogan too

http://www.mclogan.com/