Gilding

Gold fascinated medieval society. The medieval love of gold is exemplified during the Byzantine period by resplendent domes, mosaics, icons, and architecture. Illuminated manuscripts echoed these achievements in miniature. Gold became an intrinsic element of the illuminated page.

Here are some gilding tips and tricks that save you lots of time and trouble. Most of these tips apply to gilding on parchment, but many readily apply to gilding on paintings.

Kölner Colnasize is a concentrate and an easily prepared size designed for the adhesion of gold and silver leaf to Kölner Burnishing Clay and Kölner Insta-Clay.

Instacoll is a size (adhesive) for high-gloss, weather-resistant exterior, and interior gilding. It can be used on nearly all substrates prepared using standard methods to create weather-resistant surfaces.

This tutorial describes how to prepare and apply a base for gilding and how to apply the gold leaf and burnish the gold. This tutorial includes working with dry powder or cone bole, such as Selhamin Poliment, or wet paste bole, such as Charbonnel Gilder's Clay Base.

How to make shell gold and apply shell gold to icons and paintings, and its use in icon paintings.

Polimeni—also known as bole—is a clay-like substance used as a gilding base. It is applied to a prepared surface, usually gesso or chalk ground. Gold or silver leaf is then applied over this base. The poliment enhances the tone and luster of the gold during the polishing/burnishing process.

Gilding is an art that requires dexterity, savoir-faire, and skill, qualities that craftsmen obtain after years of experience. There are two basic techniques in applying gold or metal leaf to surfaces: oil and water gilding. Both techniques employ glue to adhere the leaf to the substrate, but the difference lies in the type of glue. This technique uses a water-based glue or size.