Wedding Plaque

[rcnewcomb]

Material: Quarter Sawn White Oak 24"x24"1.25"
Software: Aspire, Dolphins from the VectorArt3D collection
Bits: 0.75" end mill rough
0.25" end mill for detailed roughing
0.125" ballnose (Beckwith Decor)
Finish: Gold leaf and satin lacquer

This is the first time I have done gold leafing on a real project. Up to now it has just been test pieces.

As you can see by the date on the plaque, we finished it up just in time.


1831

[myxpykalix]

Very nice...was the gold leafing a hard project?

[rcnewcomb]

The gold leafing wasn't too bad. The sizing wasn't quite ready before I started applying the gold (I was in too much of a hurry) so I had to do a few spots again. I'm sure it will come with practice.

[myxpykalix]

I've only seen ths done once but the person doing it didn't use sizing but used a raw potato.
I also thought i read somewhere that you are supposed to let the sizing sit for 24 hours before application or am i mistaken?

[rcnewcomb]

quote:let the sizing sit for 24 hours before application
It depends on the sizing. There are different "speeds" available. The slower they are the more working time you have.

[pro70z28]

Cool. I did a plaque for my Niece when she was married a couple years ago. I didn't do gold leaf though. I went the cheap route & used gold vinyl. The gold leaf looks great.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/pro70z28/DSC03991_1.jpg

[myxpykalix]

Gary thats a fine piece of work.....oh and the plaque looks good too! lol. I think making a gift like that has far more meaning than something you buy out of a store. When i do something like that its the appreciation someone has for the work you put into making a personalized gift that has the most meaning. I'm sure she loved it. Good job.

[joewino]

Jack - the raw potato is to keep the gold leaf from sticking where you don't want it. You cut a raw potato, rub it over the area that won't be gilded, then apply the size and gild as usual.

When everything is dry and the gold is burnished, you wash off the starch from the potato with a damp cloth and you don't have the problem of the gold sticking to the background other than in the area where you have applied the size.

Nice job, Randall. Patience is really necessary when working with gold.