Gilding (gold leaf) an eagle finial on lamp

[MarkG]

Thought I'd share a few pics of a recent gilding project here at Gasser Signs. We have a lamp in front of our house with an eagle 'finial' on top that has become quite tarnished and basically ugly over the years,

Being in the traditional sign business, I have some real gold leaf and size sitting around and some extra time, so I thought I'd give the forlorn eagle a royal rejuvenation with a real gold leaf job.

For those who may not know, gilding is the art of adhering real gold leaf to objects or lettering. Since real gold is inert, it will last for a very long time if it isn't handled. This is why it has been used since ancient times in gilding domes and all sorts of other architectural details, and a multitude of other applications, including gold leaf lettering.

A small 3D object like this is tricky to gild because the leaf itself is thinner than you can handle by hand without breaking it up into basically 'ash'-----in fact, that's what it's like to handle!

I double-gilded this eagle because there were plenty of 'holidays' in the small nooks and crannies and it just looks better to double gild something like this.

I'll post a finished pic of it once it's installed back atop the light tomorrow. It's rainy here today and I want to let it cure thoroughly. This pic is after the first gild----after I thought about it, I decided to add another gild to this to take care of the pinholes, breaks, etc. and I'm glad I did-----looks a lot better than this now! Sorry pic is out of focus for some reason. I'll try to get better pics of the finished job tomorrow. I'll get a pic up when it's back up. The second gild really made it much better than this!

 

[Warrenator]

Love it! How much would the gold leaf cost for a job like that? My first instinct would be to use precious gold-tone spray paint from Kmart.

 

[MarkG]

Thanks. I don't have the cost of a pack of gold handy, but it's not cheap and it's a very finicky, detailed, somewhat tricky art. The leaf is thin as smoke, I tell people! You can't pick a piece up with your fingers without tearing it, you need to use a 'tip' or else use patent gold which is attached to a backing, but thats hard to work with on an object like this eagle. Once you lift it from the book, the loose end is floating around seeming to defy gravity------in other words, this stuff is THIN, like a giant wood ash, which is what makes gilding a object like this so tricky.

This happens to be 'Wehrung & Billmeier' ** Deep Gold, if you want to Google it and see what one 'book' costs. The difference is that spray paint will quickly fade, dull, flake, lose luster, besides not having NEARLY the look that the real thing does. There are gilded things around that were done ages ago and still look good. Gold is inert. If done right, I should never have to re-finish this thing in my lifetime. You don't put any sort of coating over it, that's part of the reason for it's longevity. The leaf alone will last ages, but obviously there are limited areas where you can leave leaf uncoated like this, but it's been done a lot on architectural details and embellishments throughout history. Goldleaf on a sign or truck door that may be touched, washed, etc. will need to be clear-coated, so now you're putting something on top of it that doesn't have nearly the lifespan and durability of the bare gold leaf, but on it's own, it has a long lifespan. The leaf itself is covering/protecting the size that bonds it, so the size never sees the effects of the sun, etc. and the leaf is inert, which is why it lasts so long, if it's not seeing any physical wear or handling.

 

[SteveH-CO]

Looks great! Is any sort of adhesive applied before the gold leaf, or is it just burnished into the base metal underneath?

 

[four.cycle]

yeah you use a "sizing" as he mentioned.

actually pretty much anything that has an adhesive property will hold it to a surface. I've used clear acrylic medium (similar to what they use for decoupage) and aerosol "Grumbacher Myston" workable fixative to adhere it to rice paper when making kites.
pretty fragile stuff to work with - you don't pick it up with your fingers - you use a flat brush ("Wikipedia" shows them using what they're calling an "ox-tail" brush, but any good flat watercolor brush will work) or a pocket comb that's been loaded with static electricity by running it through your hair.

 

[AMCguy]

Linseed oil is a good sizing because it polymerizes as it dries.

Love the eagle.

 

[hobie1dog]

My older brother is an old school sign maker and he did a race kart lettering job for me years ago in gold leaf, thanks for the pictures

 

[MarkG]

Looks great! Is any sort of adhesive applied before the gold leaf, or is it just burnished into the base metal underneath?

Yes, use what's called 'size'. It's a paint-like consistency, but it has different properties, although some guys have used paint, if you want it to really last, you need to use the right materials (surprise!) I believe size is more elastic allowing more seasonal expansion, etc. without causing cracking, etc.

Size comes in 'slow' and 'fast' depending on the amount of time it is 'open' after it reaches tack. There are proper places and reasons to use both.

I'll get a pic of the finished thing up tomorrow-----I did a second gild on it today, which really made it pop and covered any pinholes/cracks in the first gild.

You handle the leaf with a 'gilder's tip' or just 'tip'----a flat wide brush that is just a few bristles thick, which you charge with static electricity by brushing it back and forth in your hair (if available!) or on an article of clothing. The leaf will stick to the tip by static and you can then place it in the sized area.

After totally covering the area, it's burnished lightly with cotton to remove the loose 'flags'. Other effects can also be added at this stage----engine turning, stripes, etc. all created by the light scratches you can put in the gild with a wad of cloth or a 'spinner' either by hand or with a drill (carefully!)

 

[four.cycle]

"... if you want it to really last, you need to use the right materials (surprise!)"

Thanks. I suppose I should have mentioned that as a caveat above.

Model airplane dope works too, but it's a mess.

 

[MarkG]

Thanks. I suppose I should have mentioned that as a caveat above.

Model airplane dope works too, but it's a mess.

My guess is that trying to 'substitute' anything else for a high-quality gold size will result in a premature failure of the gild. This art form has been around for centuries, even back to bible times, and the good manufacturers have got things dialed in as to what works best by now, so I'd stay away from trying to reinvent the wheel or substituting products for the right ones!

Variations in temp, humidity, etc. would probably have anything less than the right size peeling/flaking off in one season. The right product has some 'give' to it when dry, I believe. At the very least------it's a proven product for the application. If you're going to spend $$$$ on real gold leaf, trying to save a few cents on the size is false economy.

 

[four.cycle]

It wasn't a matter of saving money, it was the application. Using the proper sizing wouldn't work on rice paper or model airplane paper - not the same as working on wood or metal. I needed a transparent adhesive, so I just made it up as I went along. Additionally, using the "Grumbacher Myston" allowed for the application of a watercolor (or gouache) wash over the gold leaf.

Longevity wasn't one of the objectives. If art imitates life, maybe it should be transitory.
Sometimes I wonder if any of those pieces actually still exist, they were so fragile - just rice paper or airplane paper on spruce or bamboo frames.

And gold leaf was pretty cheap when I was doing that - about $8 or $9 bucks for a package of 20 4" x 4" sheets - it was quite a while back.