View source for Gilding

Gilding is the application of gold to an object, be it a wooden sculpture, stained glass window, food or [[illumination|illuminated manuscript]].  There are many different techniques for each of the various things that can be gilded. 

==Types of Gold for Gilding==
* Leaf (loose, beaten)
* Patent Leaf (attached to paper by static for ease of use)
* Powdered
* Shell Gold (gold powder suspended in a pigment binder.)

==Tools for Gilding==
* Gilder's tip (brush)
* Gilder's pad
* Gilder's knife
* Brush for applying size 
* Fluffy brush for removing excess gold
* Stamps or stylus for incizing decoration into raised gilding
* Burnisher

==Manuscript Gilding==
Gilding is applied to a manuscript page after the initial drawing and ink has been done, and before [[illumination]]. The gold will stick to paint, thus why it should be applied first. 

===Gilding sizes===
*Hide glue, Fish glue, Rabbit skin glue
*Armenian Bole (gilder's clay) mixed wtih hide glue, Slaked Plaster and honey
*Garlic juice
*Wood glue prepped with denatured alcohol (modern)

==Gilding on Food==
Gold may be adhered to food by the use of a sugar solution, egg white or honey. See <u>Delights for Ladies</u> (1609) or <u>Banquetting Stuffe</u> for a description of using egg white to gild desserts. 

See also: [[Cooking]]

==Gilding on Leather==

I have seen a reference to using egg white and heat to gild on leather (in [[Bookbinding]]  specifically). The area to be gilt is painted with the egg white, the gold applied and then a heated tool is used to emboss the gold into the leather. (memo to me: Dig up your reference and post it here!) 

Probably one of these: 

Foot, Mirjam, ed. <u>Eloquent Witnesses: Bookbindings and Their History</u> British Library. New Castle Delaware Oak Knoll Press 2004

Marks, P.J.M. <u>The British Library Guide to Bookbinding</u> Toronto, Buffalo  University of Toronto Press, 1998

See also [[Leather working]]

==Gilding on Wood==
Gilding on Wood may be done to decorate furniture, sculpture or for wooden pannel paintings.

===Gilding Sizes===
* Armenian Bole and Hide Glue
* Wood glue prepped with denatured alcohol (Modern)

==Gilding on Glass==

[[Category: Arts and Sciences]]