By,Lady Oksana Goncharova

There are two types of gilding: Oil gilding and water gilding.

Oil gilding, also known as mordant gilding, is done with a varnish or an oil-based gold size. Transfer (Patent) gold can only be used with the oil gilding method. Transfer gold is the gold that comes attached to a paper backing. Oil gilding is used for surfaces that will be in contact with water, such as glassware. Oil gilding can also be used for painting. The surface of the oil gilding is duller than the water-gilded surface.

Water gilding is the only technique where one can burnish the surface of the gold. Water gilding starts with a clean, dust free gessoed surface. It can be done on a flat surface or an ornate frame. Several coats of a glue size mixed with clay (bole) are applied. The gold leaf is applied using water or water mixed with alcohol and a glue size. Burnishing can be done when the surface has dried. 24K gold leaf is best to use for water gilding. Composition gold is cheaper and comes in loose sheets. I have used both with success, although the composition gold will fade.

The glue size is traditionally made with fish glue and a bole mixture. Bole is red clay sometimes called Armenian bole. This clay can also be found in yellow, gray, white and black. Red clay is used when the surface will be burnished. Rabbit skin or hide glue can also be substituted for the fish glue. Theophilus tells us to use calf vellum in place of fish glue. Modern “Titebond wood glue”, (The original, not “Titebond” 2 or 3) can be used also. “Titebond hide glue” is problematic (My experiments have proven it to be too sticky.)

The bole mixture for painters is different than the bole mixture for illuminators. Illuminations need to have a flexible surface. Illuminators use similar fish and bole mixtures with the addition of slaked plaster, white lead and some form of sugar, usually honey, (for flexibility).

There are literally hundreds of various recipes for gilding on panels. Cenninis’ mixture for mordant gilding is garlic juice, white lead and the bole. The mixture can be kept for years, simply mix with a little urine and you’re good to go. (Sounds a little smelly to me!) He also tells us for water gilding to take beaten egg whites and mix with the bole. Either way four coats are used. Allowing each coat to dry slightly before applying the next coat.

Gold is applied first to the painting, as gold will adhere to an already painted surface. Painting can be done on the gold surface with the application of egg whites to the areas to be covered. (You can even use the powdered egg whites you find in cake decorating places.) After the egg whites are applied then the bole is painted on top. This process is called “Assist.”

For this class we are using a bole mixture with prepared fish glue. The recipe is a 50-50 mixture of fish glue and bole. The bole comes dry and has to be soaked in water. The wet clay is then sieved through cheesecloth or an old nylon stocking. Sieve 3-4 times, making sure there are no lumps. Mix this wet sieved clay with the liquid fish glue 50-50. I have also had success with a 3/4 bole and 1/4 fish glue mixture and vice a versa. The mixture should be barely sticky. The mixture should level out by itself, letting the brush strokes disappear. Four coats of bole should be painted on. Let each coat dry slightly and then turn the painting 90 degrees and paint another coat, etc. Use long strokes, trying to leave few brush strokes. The bole is then left to dry overnight. A 150 grit sandpaper is used to sand any bumps down. The surface is then wiped off of any dust from the sanding before beginning the gilding process.

The method of gilding we are using is a water gilding technique used by icon painters. Instead of water being used to lay gold, we are using our hot breath.

Icon painting is very symbolic. Gold is the “Divine Light” (Heaven and God), the bole represents mankind. (Adam formed from clay), and the two come together with the “Breath of Life”.

There are three different decorating techniques used in gold leafing:

• Mirror finish (Burnishing the gold with an agate stone.)

• Overlay (Overlaying the gold in a pattern)

• Incised lines (Lines are impressed in the gesso)

• Pastiglia (Raised bole or gesso with bole over top)

• Stamping or punching (A punch is hammered in a design pattern)

Bibliography

Biringuccio, Vannoccio, The Pirotchnia. (The Classic Sixteenth-Century Treatise on Metals and Metallurgy), translated and edited by, Cyril Stanley Smith and Martha Teach Gnudi, Dover Publications, 1990.

Cennini, Cennino d’ Andrea. The Craftsman’s Handbook. (Ill Libro dell’ Arte, 1437) translated by Daniel Thomposon. Dover Publications, 1954.

Evans, Helen C. edited by. Byzantium Faith and Power (1261-1557). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2004.

Grafe, Joyce. Secreta, Three Methods of Laying gold Leaf. Oregon Historical Society, 1990.

Mactaggart, Peter and Ann. Practical Gilding. Archetype Publications, 2002.

Merrifield, Mary P. Medieval and Renaissance Treatise on the Arts of Painting, original texts with English Translations. Dover Publications, 1967.

Ramos-Poqui, Guillem. The Technique of Icon Painting. Search Press, 1990.

Theophilus. On Divers Arts. Translated by, John G. Hawthorne and Cyril Stanley Smith. Dover Publications, 1979.

Thompson, Daniel. The Materials and Techniques of Medieval Painting. Dover Publications, 1956.

Trubetskoi, Evgenii Nikolaevich. “Two Worlds in Old Russian Icon Painting,” Article in “Iconofile,” The journal of icons and sacred visual arts. Volume 1 Number 1. Spring 2003.

Vasari, Giorgio. Vasari on Technique> (Reprint of Vasari’s introduction to his 1550 and 1568 edition, “Lives of the Artists” which contains practical directions about materials and processes.) Dover Publications, 1960.

Wagstaff, Liz. The Gilding book. Annes Publishing Limited, 1996. (Gilding using modern materials: ie: readily available, (creative anachronism).

www.sandraschubert.beliefnet.com. Article called “Gilding in Sacred Art,” By, Patricia Miranda of the Gabriel Guild and Miranda Arts.