Friday 22 February 2013

G is for Gilding




Greetings everyone, I hope you are all keeping warm and cosy!
  In calligraphy, Gilding is the process of adding Gold leaf to lettering.  Gold leaf is extremely thin Gold, which is applied to Gesso or Gilding paste.
This week I started by writing a Gothic ’G’ using both gesso and gilding paste.  These first letters were not perfect, but I have kept them in my Calligraphy Abecedary as examples of the stages involved in applying gold leaf.
The first two samples are written with gilding paste, the first left ungilded.  The second is an example of what happens if you apply the gold when the gilding paste is not dry enough, resulting in the backing paper being stuck too!  For the third sample I used Gesso, with both smooth and more textured surfaces, then applied the gold leaf by gently pressing the gold onto the slightly tacky gesso.
For my final tag I used gilding paste and a dip pen to write a different style ‘G’ .  This is the double-stroke alphabet I used a few weeks ago.  After applying the gold leaf, I burnished it to a Gloss- shine.  Then I painted some Geranium flowers and leaves behind the illuminated letter. The tag is finished off with a Gold ribbon.I found it impossible to take a decent photo that captured both the Gleaming gold and the detail of the painting, it looks better in real life!
I’m a bit behind this week, but I will be around later to see all your Gorgeous tags,
Bye for now, 
Jane xx

11 comments:

  1. Gorgeously glittery gilding Jane :0) Mo

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  2. Love gilding-- so rich!

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  3. Hey Mo, you pinched my comment :(
    So I'll just have to say 'Great Glitz Girl'
    Thanks for letting have a 'Glimpse' :D

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  4. Brilliant! I have always loved illuminated manuscripts and have tried this, it is harder than it even looks! Lovely work. X

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  6. Gorgeously golden gilding! Valerie

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  7. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL WORK! I've done some building, but I don't feel I'm very good at it. Blessings!

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  8. Lovely tag again Jane - I really want to try Guilding - I may just give it a go especially as Creative Expressions have just started carrying their own range of flakes and they look quite reasonable.

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  9. Just beautiful Jane - I love gold flakes and tend to whop them on PVA glue (I once opened the tub of flakes and forgot I had the ceiling fan going - I can't begin to tell you what a mess they made!) - I'd love to try and use them properly but it does look tricky! This is just exquisite work - I'm very impressed, and I'm enjoying your informative posts each week.

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  10. Wonderful gilding. Would love to learn how to write so beautifully but am sure I would just get ink blobs on anything I attempted. Hugs Mrs A.

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  11. This is beautiful Jane the effect is amazing the finished image so delicate! x

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