The videos below will give you a brief demonstration on how to use gold leaf.

Gold leaf is usually sold in booklets, each leaf being separated by tissue paper. It can be bought loose or pressed onto backing paper (transfer leaf) 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.

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.

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.

A great deal of patience is required to work with gold leaf and it is important to have the right tools and materials. For a calligraphy project on paper or parchment you need to build up the surface to be gilded with gesso, which can be applied with a brush or a pen. Gesso and other gilding materials can be bought from most good art suppliers. Scribblers.co.uk is a good place to start looking.

Once the gesso is dry, it is breathed on to give moisture and the gold applied to the moist surface. With real gold you need to work quickly and with confidence as the gold will stick readily and removing it is almost impossible. As it is very difficult to cut the gold to shape and size you will always have some excess gold around your gilded piece. This can be brushed away with a soft brush. Make sure you save the pieces for future use.

If there are any gaps in the gold, you can breathe on the work again and stick some of the scraps over the gap. Gold will stick to itself, so there is no further need for gesso. The final stage of burnishing (or polishing) is done with an agate burnishing tool (again, this is available from most good art suppliers). The burnishing will flatten out the creased gold and give it the shine and lustre familiar to anyone who has studied illuminated manuscripts.

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Calligraphy Starter Sets from Amazon.co.uk

Calligraphy Starter Sets from Amazon.com

Gilding  using gold leaf