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backing up gold leaf window

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

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

hi can anyone tell me the best way to back up gold leaf window. i have used clear poly as size.
thanks
erik winkler
Posts: 1097
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:48 pm
Location: Amsterdam Netherlands
Contact:

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by erik winkler »

Hello Antony

I recommend a search in the forum using these words: back up goldleaf

Erik
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
Mike Jackson
Site Admin
Posts: 1705
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 11:02 pm
Location: Jackson Hole, WY
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Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Mike Jackson »

Hi Antony,
You mentioned using clear poly as a size. Normally, when people are talking about backing up gold leaf on glass, they would have used a small amount of gelatin mixed with distilled water as a water size. The gold is applied to the glass over the water size with a gilder's tip. When the gild is dry, the gold is backed up with one of several different back up paints. It sounds like you used a process some people call surface gilding, even though you might have done so in reverse on glass.

It will be hard for anyone to give you a more specific answer here until you expand on the steps and materials you used.

Good luck,
Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson / co-administrator
Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY

Photography site:
Teton Images
Jackson Hole photography blog:
Best of the Tetons
Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

hi mike thanks for replying yes i may have used the wrong size for a reverse window job.Although i achieved a good finish i want to back up so publican can clean inside. :oops: i think ill have a practice with some gelatine size.You guys have inspired me to try harder to sell my brush work to customers :) thanks again to all for sharing.
Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

hi handletterers; i have been enjoying your work imensely and feel a bit amatuerish now.I used oil size on a reverse window.
can anyone tell me the receipe for size or brand ready made.Also can i risk backing up with solver uv clear that i use to edge seal painted window signs, thanks from tone :D
erik winkler
Posts: 1097
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:48 pm
Location: Amsterdam Netherlands
Contact:

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by erik winkler »

Antony,

Again: Do a search!
Everything you want to know and 100 times more is to be found in the history of this forum.

Erik
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
Mike Jackson
Site Admin
Posts: 1705
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 11:02 pm
Location: Jackson Hole, WY
Contact:

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Mike Jackson »

Antony,
Do this TODAY. Click this link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... es&x=0&y=0

Then buy the book called "Gold Leaf Techniques" by Raymond J. LeBlanc and Kent Smith from one of the vendors.

Once you do that and get the book coming your way, do a Google search for gold leaf and a YouTube search for the same. They will give you some instant information, but you still need the book for a well rounded background and list of terminology.

Buy the BOOK ....NOW.

You can also do a book search on any of the sites like Abe Books or Alibris and find older editions of Gold Leaf Techniques. They are fun to have and equally informative, but some of the materials described in them are difficult to find or out of use.

And again, buy the BOOK....NOW.

For all of us that have put down a single leaf of gold with a gilder's tip, we've probably 100% had that book in front of us as we learned.

Good luck,
Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson / co-administrator
Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY

Photography site:
Teton Images
Jackson Hole photography blog:
Best of the Tetons
erik winkler
Posts: 1097
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:48 pm
Location: Amsterdam Netherlands
Contact:

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by erik winkler »

Mike is absolutely right.
Realizing we are in the 2nd renaissance of the arts.
Learn, copy and trying to improve...
Still in the learning phase ;-)
Amsterdam Netherlands
www.ferrywinkler.nl
www.schitterend.eu
www.facebook.com/Schitterend.eu
Raymond Chapman
Posts: 345
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 5:50 pm
Location: Temple. Texas

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Raymond Chapman »

That's how I learned - from the book. No one in my area was doing gold leaf, so I just had to learn by trial and error....lots of error.
Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

thankyou guys for the tip.Ill order that book tomorrow.Ive got the goldleaf bug. :lol:
Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

heres a photo of my son julian & and my pub glass job.
Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

:oops: ill have another try.
Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

:D
Attachments
pub gold copy.jpg
pub gold copy.jpg (135.67 KiB) Viewed 9959 times
Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

:D
Attachments
julian s copy.jpg
julian s copy.jpg (63.67 KiB) Viewed 9955 times
Anthony Bennett
Posts: 352
Joined: Tue May 11, 2010 4:50 am
Location: England
Contact:

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Anthony Bennett »

Nice one Anthony
oatis
Posts: 66
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 12:33 am

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by oatis »

Antony:

That's a GREAT looking transom! It looks like you got nice, bright matte gild. Do some engine turning on the next one; it'll dance! I assume you used the same black enamel to capture the back of the gold lettering that you used for the outline and shade. That goes a long way to protecting the job. After that has cured, a good coat of window spar will seal the deal. Can you get that in your part of the globe?

And I love seeing your son with a brush! Good-on-ya for breaking in the next generation.

And the LeBlanc, of course, is a must. Mr. Leblanc's introduction in the original 1962 book is the MOST moving and insightful summary of the Letterheads spirit: written thirteen years before the organization was ever founded.

Keep swingin' it.

Mark Oatis
Antony Sands
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 5:24 am
Location: south coast nsw

Re: backing up gold leaf window

Post by Antony Sands »

thanks for the great tips, :julians still at school but i work him hard on holidays.We dont have window spar.
We have solver uv clear that i use to clear tranfer leaf.i think its poly urethane. :D
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