Question Basic Gilding question

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Finest Fabric

Finest Fabric

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
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May 20, 2005
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connecticut
i.e nothing fancy - and quick.....

Is a few layers of acrylic gesso to seal the grain on a raw profile, sanded, then spray painted with a thin base color an acceptable lasting base for gilding (water based size) with metal leaf?

I know this would be somewhat rough - but that's kind of the look I'm going for.....

If not this treatment, then what should I be using?

Also - anybody know of a mill that sells pre-gessoed mouldings in length? I know Foster is great - but everything ships raw.....

Thanks in advance!

-Bryan
 
APF-Munn used to have a line of pre-gessoed length moulding.


Yes, acrylic gesso have be used as a base for gilding with oil size and or polymer based size. Gesso can be pre-tinted to eliminate the painting step.
 
JFeig said:
APF-Munn used to have a line of pre-gessoed length moulding.


Yes, acrylic gesso have be used as a base for gilding with oil size and or polymer based size. Gesso can be pre-tinted to eliminate the painting step.
Click to expand...


Notice that he said water based size, not oil based.

Plus, I think that spray painting a base color would cover the gesso which has to be water activated to work. You could spray a colored bole onto the gesso and THAT would allow water based gilding.

You would still need to sand the bole smooth before laying the leaf.

Oil gilding is alot quicker but you can't get that really shiny gold look from oil gilding.

Hopefully, I'm still remembering my gilding classes from long ago.
 
While it would work, acrylic gesso doesn't sand very well. You might get a nicer surface with maybe one thin coat of the gesso topped with a couple coats of shellac.
 
Why even mess with gesso.... primer comes much more sand-able
in a rattle can. You could lay three coats of Krylon primer.... OOOO
the thing and shoot the Wonda size... home in time for Dancing
with the Who?
 
Oil gilding could be done to a high luster. Almost as shiny as water gilding. Russian altars done that way you would never think it's oil gilding.
 
What are the Russians altering?
 
Acrylics work fine. Burnish the gesso with an old t shirt. Burnish fast and hard,the friction will create a glossy smooth surface.Frankly,I'd skip the leafing and do the whole thing in burnished acrylics. Yup. L
 
The dome is gilded the same way, look how bright they are. Just different technique from oil gilding on frames.
 
For a high gloss metal leaf; very smooth base, and then waiting, patience, waiting, waiting, the tack is almost gone, then leaf. Often, how you do it rather than what you do it with, as Laura is pointing out. And as Anatoliy says, you can achieve a very high gloss with oil gilt gold; but it's all in how you do it.

Baer, your spray primer approach sounds good. I'm gonna, in the finest framers tradition, steal that one; another post on my lazy gilders blog. :D
 
Most of the bling in any gilding comes from the undercoats. You can use red oxide acrylic underneath and polish it. You can get a high shine with oooo steel wool. But the smoothness comes from how you prepare underneath that. On bare wood you need to fill the grain, by multi-coats of gesso - sanded inbetween. My own personal method is to use thick paint that is meant for walls or ceilings. the stuff I use comes in 5lt tubs and is quite cheap. You can slap it on with alacrity. It sands very smooth when dry. Usually three coats is enough for a smooth base. You can do more and get it smoother (depends on how grainy the wood is). But after three coats the improvement per extra coat diminishes. Acrylic gesso sets very hard, an although you can polish it, it is hard to flat out the bumps and brushstrokes. Great for textured finishes though. You can even thicken it up with dry pigments.

I almost exclusively gild with powders bound in varnish. More versatile than leafing.
 
If you want a very fast gesso that sand easy....

find a drywall company. Ask if they will give/sell you a
quart or so of dry powder 20 minute dry-wall mud.
You also want as much 20 minutes or Rapid Topping mud
powder.

mix with equal amounts of powder.... stir/mix dry...
then add a little water... until you have a thin pancake batter.
Paint on with a foam brush.... sandable in 30 minutes.

Final coat, sand with green Scotchbrite pad... then lightly
with OOOO.... then polish with linen waste.

Spray with red oxide Krylon.... re-polish with the linen in
about an hour.... rattle can Wonda size.... wait about 20-30 minutes...
push down with cotton linter or waste.
 
Like Baer, I use Krylon when doing a small job or touch up. But on large frames or multiples, I prefer an automotive lacquer primer that I get at our local NAPA store. I can mix it the way I want, it penetrates and flows well, dries faster, (depending on thinner) and sands much easier, and the finish is harder. I like to do the backs of the frames with it and then top off with a clear coat.
 
Personally I like to top off with a little Orange Sherbet with a drizzle
of dark chocolate sauce.....

oh, you're still talking about frames.... sorry.
 
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