Metal leaf of many kinds
Schlagmetal packs of 100x
Gilding done with traditional Glues and Pastes
Gilding Equipment
Some modern Gilding methods
Click here for the prices of these items
An old technique in a modern world
Gilding has been handed down from our distant past in many cultures around the world. The techniques are complex, but in todays world are done quick - if using the latest equipment .
Metal leaf of many kinds
Here you can find the varieties of metal leaf and tools for gilding metal leaf onto surfaces like papers, cards, calligraphers vellum and wood etc.
Real Gold can be laid down onto many surfaces, in thin loose leaf or transfer form. Transfer gold is pressed onto a tissue paper backing, this makes it easy to handle & cut etc. Loose leaf metal sheets are more troublesome - in that they fold up and must be kept flat while cutting them and positioning onto your work surface.
Three types are shown in this picture (left), If you wish to use real gold, the sheets are approx' 8cm square, that is for either loose leaf or transfer types. The Imitation gold size is 14x14cm, much larger. Imitation gold (also known as Schlag metal), is made to look like real gold, but is made of copper & zinc. As such it will dull and tarnish in time, whereas real gold stays the same brightness.
Alternate shades of real gold are available, the richer the gold content the more you will pay per sheet. Generally there are 4 well known types of gold;
Red 23.5 or 24ct, Yellow 23ct, Green 16ct, White 12ct.
Red gold is also known as Rose gold, and is the purest gold with a reddish hue. 23 carat Yellow gold is the most popular, this is the type of gold used for wedding rings, as it is hardy and valuable. At the other end of the scale is White gold, this looks most similar to platignum or dull silver, it is however higher in impurities and will yellow to some degree in time.
Shell Gold(pictured above), is a small button of 23 carat real gold with only Gum Arabic in it as a binder. So here is a purely gold source that will dissolve easily using water on a brush. Use this type of gold for small decorative gold finishing touches to your artwork. The gold button comes with in its own small plastic palette.
Four types of metal leaf are shown in this picture (left). Real Silver (leftmost) has the same sheet size as gold around 8x8cm. It has the same appearance as Aluminium, which is used as imitation silver. Copper sheet is also available, as well as copper sheet with a variegated finish, this makes multiple colours on the same sheet. The first of these is shown here "Black" variegated", the colours are actually more like prussian blue than black. The variegated range of 5x types, aluminium and copper are all the same size (approximately) as the Imitation gold - 14x14cm square.
# SEPTEMBER 2007. ALL OUR STANDARD VARIEGATED LEAF SHEETS ARE NOW DISCONTINUED ITEMS
Due to the overseas company closing down, our range of variegated shades are finished with the last batch we have now. The well known shades are Black, Blue, Atlantic ocean, Red, and Autumn tint.
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The four variegated metal sheets shown in this picture (left) are all made from copper sheet with different techniques to bring out the various colours. They are very different from each other and the names given on each sheet are self explanatory. The Red, Blue and Autumn tint shades are very bright and almost psychadelic. Any order made for these goods, should use these names. |
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# NEW SHADES OF VARIEGATED SHEETS ARE ARRIVING FROM ANOTHER SOURCE, WITH DIFFERENT TONES AS FOLLOWS; The second picture is SUNSET RED, also with a smoother tonal range than the now discontinued Red & Blue variegated leaf. |
Schlagmetal packs
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Ever-Bright Imitation Gold - or Schlagmetal as it is known. Sold here in packs of 100x loose leaf sheets, at 14 x 14cm square. Use it for any application where a gold effect is needed on top of other artwork, paintings etc. A sealed pack of 100x is priced on the list below. |
Gilding done with traditional techniques (click for prices of these items)
Gilding done with traditional techniques produces two kinds of work, either raised and polished gold, or flat gilded gold. See the following sample of both types beside each other.
The name "William" can be seen gilded in its polished and raised form, whereas the following "Kin" is flat gilded. These are laid on a piece of vellum (calligraphers leather skin), specially bleached and prepared for calligraphy work. To do these advanced gold laying techniques, you will need an expert/teacher for advice or a very good book. We sell the base gesso paste and glue to do this kind of work, but it involves a number of other tools to be able to do it correctly. You will find these items in this section. (This work by Geoff Ford, is on show at our shop in Chatswood)
Gesso
cake comes in two forms, dependant on your
weather conditions at the time you create your raised gold work. For gesso
work done in a dry-non humid period order Form 1 in the English brand or "Dry"
gesso in the Aussie brand. For wet-Humid conditions order Form 2 in the English
brand or "Wet" gesso in the Aussie brand. All these packs have extensive
instructions for mixing and use in each pack.
# UPDATE June 2007. English Gesso is no longer available as the company
has closed down. So while stocks last only for this item.
Gum Ammoniac
is the glue used for traditional flat gilding techniques,
we sell it in granule form in 25gram bags.
For people who have already done some raised gilding, and wish to make their
own recipe. We have some of the ingredients for gesso making. While recipes
vary, there have been a lot over the centuries, the basic added pinkish shade
is from Red Bole pigmentor Armenian Bole. We sell ground bole pigment in 30gram
bags.
Another well known ingredient is white lead, which is unfortunately poisonous,
in the old days they were unable to find a white without possibly poisoning
themselves. We sell Titanium white instead, in 50gram bags.
While there are other ingredients for gesso making we only have Animal
Glue in bottles as a replacement for Fish Glue, which is the more traditional
binding glue in Gesso. CLICK
HERE FOR THE PRICES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
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KEN HARRIS GESSO TABLETS with WHITE LEAD Here is our latest Gesso cake, for laying gold or semi precious metal leaf onto paper, card or vellum. It is from Ken Harris in the USA. They have been made the traditional way with White Lead content. This is a poison, so be careful when handling the tablets. A half page of instructions is included in the small plastic pack, this shows the mixing process and some other details. CLICK HERE FOR THE PRICES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE |
CLICK HERE FOR
THE PRICES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Gilding Equipment
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Our own brand Agate Dogtooth burnisher (left) is on sale now at the shop. |
Burnishers are needed to fully press down your metal leaf onto its glue. Also to polish raised gold when having used a gesso base. Amongst burnishers the most favoured tip shape is the dogtooth, which is able to do most work, both broad and fine. See prices at the end of this page.
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The picture shows on the left side a Pencil burnisher with its burnishing tip made from Agate stone. This is for really fine work, were edges and tight corners in raised gesso may need some pressure to adhere the metal well. Many sizes of tips are available for various types of metal laying jobs, but medium to small sizes will work best for the calligrapher, who only needs to cover small areas with metal leaf. On the right the Silicium burnisher. This is made from imitation Hematite (black mirror like stone). It is known as the best polisher of gold, and along with its round and angled tip it has every useful angle covered to pressure your gold onto flat or raised surfaces. |
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To handle loose (un-backed) metal leaf successfully, a Gilders cushion is the best way. It enables the leaf to be laid flat for uncreasing, as it often gets folded awkwardly, and for cutting to size before applying to the work area. Gilders tip brushes will smooth creases in your metal leaf on a Gilders cushion. Also when moving cut pieces the brush can help. This is a super flat squirrel hair brush, and can be bought in a number of widths, we sell the 2 1/2 inch/60mm & 3 inch/75mm sizes. |
A Gilding TIP:Flat wide spatula's used by oil painters, are one of the easiest ways to cut and move metal leaf about. The edge needs slight sharpening to cut the leaf well. Alternately, a long straight edged pen knife blade can do the same.
Some Modern Gilding methods
For quick work like Christmas cards etc, a quicker way of applying metal leaf of all types is needed. Try our White Gilding Mix, it is supplied in 30ml bottles and is a liquid rubber based glue, like a liquid selotape. It speeds gilding into the current century, with no need of a day or days of work.
Here is the method to apply the glue and make a finished gilding;
It can be brushed onto your paper or card work, or almost any surface.
A calligraphers dip nib will also apply/write well with this glue.
You wait 5-10 minutes and the glue dries to a sticky surface.
Apply the metal leaf on top - using transfer sheet leaf is easiest.
Press the leaf down onto the glue with a burnisher, teaspoon or finger nail.
Lift off the metal leaf paper backing, and brush up the work with a soft brush.
Well there you have it - flat gilding done in a very short time.
Alternate ways of buying this type of glue is in various sizes of texta pens. We sell 3x sizes of these, starting at the thinnest;
Zig brand 2 Way Glue with a fine point tip 7gm
Zig brand 2 Way Glue with a flat 4mm wide tip 11gm
Zig brand 2 Way Glue with a flat 15mm wide texta tip 25gm
The chief feature of these pens is that the glue is blueish colour when wet. As it dries it becomes clear, leaving a sticky surface, just like our White Gilding Mix (above). You apply the metal leaf as shown above.
PRICES FOR GILDING ITEMS AND METAL LEAF:
24 carat "Red" gold transfer single sheet AUD$3.75 each
24 carat "Red" gold transfer book of 25x sheets AUD$90.00 each
23.5 carat "Red" gold transfer single sheet AUD$3.35 each
23.5 carat "Red" gold transfer book of 25x sheets AUD$79.00 each
23 carat "Yellow" gold transfer single sheet AUD$3.00 each
23 carat "Yellow" gold transfer book of 25x sheets AUD$76.00 each
16 carat "Green" gold transfer single sheet AUD$3.00 each
16 carat "Green" gold transfer book of 25x sheetsAUD$76.00 each
12 carat "White" gold transfer single sheet AUD$3.00 each
12 carat "White" gold transfer book of 25x sheets AUD$76.00 each
Imitation Gold transfer single sheets AUD$2.25 each
Imitation Gold transfer book of 25x sheets AUD$50.70 each
Variegated transfer single sheets (any type) AUD$3.00 each
Variegated transfer book (any type) of 25x sheets AUD$72.00 each
NEW Blue Stratos & Sunset Red variegated transfer book of 25x sheets AUD$65.00 each
NEW Blue Stratos & Sunset Red variegated transfer single sheets AUD$2.50 each
Silver transfer single sheets AUD$2.25 each
Silver transfer book of 25x sheets AUD$50.70 each
Copper transfer single sheets AUD$2.25 each
Copper transfer book of 25x sheets AUD$50.70 each
--- Loose Leaf items follow; (loose leaf sheets are not sold singly)
24 carat "Red" gold loose leaf book of 25x sheets AUD$90.00 each
23.5 carat "Red" gold loose leaf book of 25x sheets AUD$75.00 each
23 carat "Yellow" gold loose leaf book of 25x sheets AUD$76.00 each
16 carat "Green" gold loose leaf book of 25x sheets AUD$76.00 each
12 carat "White" gold loose leaf book of 25x sheets AUD$76.00 each
Imitation Gold loose leaf bookof 25x sheets AUD$50.70 each
Variegated loose leaf book (any type) of 25x sheets AUD$72.00 each
Silver loose leaf book of 25x sheets AUD$50.70 each
Copper loose leaf book of 25x sheets AUD$50.70 each
NEW Schlagmetal - Imitation Gold loose leaf sheets in a 100x sealed pack AUD$42.00 each
--- Other gilding equipment and powder ingredients;
Shell gold button 23 carat AUD$97.00
English Gesso cake Form 1 (dry weather)AUD$8.80
English Gesso cake Form 2 (wet weather) AUD$8.80
Australian Gesso cake for dry weather conditions AUD$10.00
Australian Gesso cake for wet weather conditionsAUD$10.00
Gum Ammoniac 20gram bag AUD$10.20
Gum Sandarac 25gram bag AUD$12.50
Red Bole pigment 30gram pack AUD$5.10
Titanim white 50gram pack AUD$4.50
Agate Pencil burnisher. Fine pointed tip AUD$66.00
Agate Dodtooth burnisher. Curved fang shaped tip AUD$77.00
Silicium burnisher. Imitation Hematite stone with a round and angled tip AUD$132.00
Will's Quills Agate Dogtooth burnisher medium size AUD$110.00
Gilders suede cushion for loose leaf handling 18x18cm AUD$21.95
Gilders Tip brush 2 1/2 inch/60mm wide AUD$31.20
Gilders Tip brush 3 inch/75mm wide AUD$36.75
--- Modern Gilding equipment;
White Gilding Mix 30ml bottle AUD$5.00
Flat Broad tip 15mm texta 2 Way Glue pen AUD$11.35
Medium tip 4mm texta 2 Way Glue pen AUD$6.15
Fine point texta 2 Way Glue pen AUD$6.85
DISCONTINUED LINE - SORRY
Imitation Gold powder vials (approx' 7gm) AUD$3.58
Call, fax or email us to define further details
Prices are subject to change without notice
Page last updated Feb 2009
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