How do I darken shiny bright gold

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southernmoon

southernmoon

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Posts
110
Loc
Charleston, SC
I'm currently framing 3 Christening gowns in shadow boxes. I ordered Presto's 385 antique gold moulding, but it came in as a bright shiny gold leaf. I called Presto but they said that they only had that profile in the shiny gold. I love the profile, the depth is just right.

OK, now to my question, how do I tone down the gold and darken it to an antique gold? I know I can use steel wool to take down the shine, but what do I use to darken it?

Carol
Southern Moon Frame Shop
 
Carol, I picked up a couple of jars of this gilt cream with the idea of antiquing gold molding. I haven't tried it yet, but you are more than welcome to a jar and see if it will work for you. What sold me on the idea was the label states you can rub it on, allow it to dry and leave it in a matte finish. Let me know, and you can pick it up at your leisure. (I am in North Charleston)

David

http://cgi.ebay.com/LIBERON-ANTIQUE...ryZ75576QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
 
Get yourself some orange/amber shellac, bullseye brand will do fine, some cheesecloth and some raw umber powder pigment. Pour a liitle shellac in a jar & add an equal amount of denatured alcohol. Put some of the pigment on a pallet (a piece of old plexi or glass works great). Dip a brush in the shellac & then pick up some of the pigment with the tip of the brush & quickly pounce it onto the frame. Immediately blot it off with the cheescloth. Keep doing this till the whole frame is covered. Work quickly. Practice first! But it's not hard. You can finish if you like with a thin layer of paste wax. You can also add the same pigment to the wax if you like. After it's set up a few minutes dust the whole (waxed) frame with rottenstone useing a big brush & working it in. Then buff off the whole thing with a soft cotton cloth. This gives it a nice antiquie patina and softens the overall appearance.
 
You can also mix some acrylic medium with water and alcohol and add rotten stone to that and some tone color = raw umber (neutral) raw sienna (warm)
and brush that onto the molding. If it beads up, you need more alcohol. Practice with scrap, first.


Hugh
 
Wow, Terry and Hugh, those are new techniques I'll have to try. Terry, yours is somewhat similar to what I've been doing ...

Usually I use an oil paint such as burnt umber or rose madder, and thinly stipple it with the tip of a bristle brush on the surface after practicing to see what effect I want.

Sometimes I'll just thin the color out with rect. turpentine and linseed oil, or Liquin and brush a coat of color on the frame, let it dry for several hours and wipe lightly with a rag to get the desired uniform appearance I'm after and use rottenstone if desired.

Problem with my technique is that even though I'm happy with the outcome, sometimes it can take a week or more to dry to the point where you can again work with the frame.

Dave Makielski
 
Yeah, shellac dries to the touch in minutes, goes on any surface & then just about anything will go on top of it too. Even with Hughs method if your acrylic diesn't want to adhere a light coat of shellac first should help. Holds up very well too. It's a staple of gilding. Just remember to thin it in half if you're useing the stuff from the can. I't's a 3lb cut (# lb solid to a gal of alcohol) & you want to use a 1 1/2 lb cut.
 
Thanks for the tips. I'll experiment and contact you if I have any questions, comments or snide remarks!

:D

Dave Makielski
 
Terry, your idea sounds very doable, do I get the raw umber pigment at an art supply store?

Carol
 
A trick I was reminded of the other day was the one I learned for Jerry Sanford in Oklahoma City back in 1974...

Wet a diaper slightly, wring out until just damp. Pick up some black wax or old dryed [open and leave lid off for a few months] shoe polish. It will get on the rag but doesn't transfer to the gold so much... just rub it on and out... you can watch the "dulling" with out leaving a lot of wax.

Once you have the waxing done, still using the same diaper... pick up some pumice stone.. and gently wipe onto the wax. As you work, you will notice that the wax sets about as soon as the stone touches it... so the whole process is just minutes.

After you leave it for 10-15 minutes... you can take a clean bit of the diaper [still damp] and rub back any high points you want to shine.... then go fit.

Did one today, putting on the nytril gloves to fitting... 12 minutes @ $75. Changing tone can be a real money maker... if done right.;)
 
Ok, I'll take this one & get it out of the way. You're amazing Baer. I tried toneing a frame with a dirty diaper one time & it wound up looking like crap.
 
Try rubbing the bright gold with a pinch of rottenstone; this may dull the gold enough to do the job. A light touch of a clear coat over the frame would seal it. Caution, try the clear coat on a tiny area to be sure it will not lift the finish.

Jack Cee
 
Pa Rump pump! Good one Terry.....
Jack, you did mean to say "Shellac" clear coat.... didn't you? :thumbsup:


I'll save it for you Terry... "abrad it a little, then give it a good shellacing".
 
deaconsbench said:
Carol, I picked up a couple of jars of this gilt cream with the idea of antiquing gold molding. I haven't tried it yet, but you are more than welcome to a jar and see if it will work for you. What sold me on the idea was the label states you can rub it on, allow it to dry and leave it in a matte finish. Let me know, and you can pick it up at your leisure. (I am in North Charleston)

David

http://cgi.ebay.com/LIBERON-ANTIQUE...ryZ75576QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
Click to expand...

Wow. I'm left to presume my offer was considered much too vile to be acknowledged. Lesson learned! :thumbsup:
 
Terry Hart cpf said:
Ok, I'll take this one & get it out of the way. You're amazing Baer. I tried toneing a frame with a dirty diaper one time & it wound up looking like crap.
Click to expand...

So funny, Terry! After reading this, I went to your profile and it says: "making, drinking, sharing beer" Well, when I first read, "making".... well, I didn't know what to think.....haha

Thanks for my first real laugh of the day.

Amy
 
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