Gilding

about gold leaf

Applying gold leaf >

Gold leaf can be bought loose or pressed onto backing paper (transfer leaf) in booklets for easier handling. Loose leaf is extremely delicate and tears easily. It also sticks to skin and cannot be handled directly. You need to use a brush to pick it up.

Follow this link for a list of gold leaf supplies at Amazon.

Imitation metal leaf is a more cost effective alternative to genuine gold and silver leaf. It is thicker than genuine gold leaf and easier to handle. It is generally used for furniture and framing but can make a good substitute in a calligraphy project, particularly for the beginner.

You can also purchase gold powder, which can be mixed with Gum Arabic to produce shell gold and can be painted onto the surface to be gilded. This method gives all the lustre of gold without the hassle of handling the gold leaf.

The video below shows a brief demonstration on how to use gold leaf.