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Combining Gold and Micas

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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Kelly Thorson
Posts: 502
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 11:53 pm
Location: Penzance, SK Canada
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Combining Gold and Micas

Post by Kelly Thorson »

I'm doing an outdoor sign with some 1.5" deep HDU lettering. I'm wondering about the possibility of gilding the faces and using mica for the sides. Is there an attractive way of blending micas into gold? It just seems like I will be using three times as much gold on the sides of the lettering as the faces and that most of it will be either in shadow or out of view. The faces of the letters are rounded so it isn't as simple as just gilding the faces. The overall effect of the sign is an antique 18th century look, so a little distressing would be in order. I was wondering about perhaps blending the micas from a dark (at base) to bright gold (by faces). The lettering is a slender script, caps are about 12" high and lower case about 6" high.
Ideas? Products?
I believe there is no shame in failure. Rather, the shame lies in the loss of all the things that might have been, but for the fear of failure.
Ron Percell
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Post by Ron Percell »

Hi Kelly,

Gild the faces first, then flash the gild and edges with shadow Kaolin, micas can get all over the kaolin will help reduce surface contamination.
Now size the edges and coat with micas when the size is ready.

A great effect is to blend the micas on the edges from dark to light, with a gilded face.

Another way is to intro duce the micas into a clear base, then spray the letters, one dry, you may dust the letters with shadow kaolin, size & gild the faces


good luck.
Kelly Thorson
Posts: 502
Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 11:53 pm
Location: Penzance, SK Canada
Contact:

Post by Kelly Thorson »

Thanks Ron.

I ended up reducing the depth of the lettering and gilding the whole things, which was probably a better call. Your info was what I was looking for though, I'm going to have to try a sample and see what I can come up with and put it in the memory box for next time. What is shadow Kaolin? I like the idea of doing a dark to light blend or perhaps even adding a little colour tone into the blend. Sounds like a fun experiment. Do you start with a base coat of a similar colour to the micas? What do you need to do to protect the micas for exterior use if you are just brushing them over size?
I believe there is no shame in failure. Rather, the shame lies in the loss of all the things that might have been, but for the fear of failure.
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