safariknut
01-26-2004, 05:31 PM
OK so I'm a little fired up from this past week.I was out in the shop today and decided to do a small panel to demonstrate my way of doing gold leaf.
I will have a list of tools(some high tech;like the talc jar with the piece of sock over the top affixed by a cable tie)at the end of this.I don't know how many parts it will be but I'm starting part one while the gold is drying and besides my floppy disc was full so I had to come in anyway.
I'm using a piece of gray primed aluminum as a demo panel.After cleaning it thoroughly with wax and grease remover,I set it aside to make the pattern.
It's not necessary to make a pattern if you are only doing one of a particular job,but it is almost essential if you are doing multiples.And besides it will give you an idea of pattern making.
I select a piece of trusty butcher paper and draw the design on the uncoated side.It isn't necessary to have it exactly on center as you can juggle it as you lay it on.However when it's drawn out you should make a center line reference on it to ease in alignment later.
When it's drawn to your satisfaction,a pounce wheel(looks like a miniature pizza cutter)is run over the outline of the letters to perforate the paper.A note here:My drawing board is coated with galvanized sheet(I normally use an Electro-Pounce but my friend took his back)and if you try to use the pounce wheel on it,the wheel will dull quickly and the paper won't perforate very well.I stick a piece of heavy drawing paper under my design to cushion the wheel and allow the wheel to go down through the paper.Don't use cardboard as it's too thick and will make the design tear.
Once you have the design pounced,center it across your panel and affix it with a couple pieces of tape(on the top only as you need to be able to lift the pattern to see if the powder is coming through properly.)and then taking your Hi-Tech pounce pad(the talc bottle)squeeze it slightly to get some powder in the head and then begin tapping lightly all over where the perforations are.I usually tap for awhile and then rub the head across the surface to settle the powder through.Pick up a corner to check it to see how it's coming.
When satisfied,remove the pattern and blow off any excess dust.Take some cellophane(Scotch is good;don't use cheap stuff it leaves residue and sometimes sticks TOO well)tape and lay down on your top and bottom of your letters.Do them individually folding over a corner to make removal easier so it doesn't go under your round letters(O,S,G,etc.).The bottoms of those letters have to protrude slightly above and below the straight bottomed ones.It's a visual thing.
Mix up some 1-Shot gold size in a cup with a hint of color in it(so you can see what you're lettering depending on what the surface color is)and paint your letters as usual(see previous post part II).When finished lettering,pull your upper and lower guide tapes immediately. I usually paint a test strip before I start and after I finish on another surface to test the tack of the size.This is important because if you lay the leaf on when the size is too wet,it will be absorbed by the size and if you put it on when the size is too dry it won't adhere.
To test the size,lay your knuckle on the test strip and pull it away quickly.If the size is set properly you will hear a slight snapping sound.Old sign guys used to do it right on the letter and you use your knuckle because there is no skin oil there as opposed to your fingertip.The oil will mess up the leaf adhesion.
The illustration shows the two basic types of leaf I use:The larger is variegated gold(bronze leaf that has been chemically discolored)and is much sturdier than real gold(the smaller sheet;23K window leaf(no imperfections)but about 1/10th the price.I'll be using the real gold here because I want to demonstrate how I get an "engine turned"effect and the variegated leaf is kind of resistant to that(and it's hard to see on all the colors).
The easiest way to put on leaf is to roll it.I must say here that when doing this you have to have a wind free environment (and don't breathe hard either)unless you are using leaf that is adhered to the tissue.I use loose leaf which is very susceptible to breezes.
Take the package and expose part of the leaf.Align the edge with the bottom of the letter(allow a little overlap)and very carefully roll the package upward gradually exposing the whole sheet.Be careful not to let the tissue hit the sizing or the leaf won't stick there.Repeat this process using a slight overlap until all the letters are covered completely.
I then take a cotton ball and very lightly tap down the leaf all over until I'm sure it has covered everything.I then take an old camera brush(another hi tech tool I got a a flea market for a dime;used for dusting camera lenses)and VERY GENTLY(because it does scratch the leaf)dust across the letters paying particular attention to the edges.I then dust all excess leaf off the surface and let dry for awhile(overnight).
The leaf is now ready to be burnished(engine turned)which will happen in Part 2. Stay tuned!
Ray
I will have a list of tools(some high tech;like the talc jar with the piece of sock over the top affixed by a cable tie)at the end of this.I don't know how many parts it will be but I'm starting part one while the gold is drying and besides my floppy disc was full so I had to come in anyway.
I'm using a piece of gray primed aluminum as a demo panel.After cleaning it thoroughly with wax and grease remover,I set it aside to make the pattern.
It's not necessary to make a pattern if you are only doing one of a particular job,but it is almost essential if you are doing multiples.And besides it will give you an idea of pattern making.
I select a piece of trusty butcher paper and draw the design on the uncoated side.It isn't necessary to have it exactly on center as you can juggle it as you lay it on.However when it's drawn out you should make a center line reference on it to ease in alignment later.
When it's drawn to your satisfaction,a pounce wheel(looks like a miniature pizza cutter)is run over the outline of the letters to perforate the paper.A note here:My drawing board is coated with galvanized sheet(I normally use an Electro-Pounce but my friend took his back)and if you try to use the pounce wheel on it,the wheel will dull quickly and the paper won't perforate very well.I stick a piece of heavy drawing paper under my design to cushion the wheel and allow the wheel to go down through the paper.Don't use cardboard as it's too thick and will make the design tear.
Once you have the design pounced,center it across your panel and affix it with a couple pieces of tape(on the top only as you need to be able to lift the pattern to see if the powder is coming through properly.)and then taking your Hi-Tech pounce pad(the talc bottle)squeeze it slightly to get some powder in the head and then begin tapping lightly all over where the perforations are.I usually tap for awhile and then rub the head across the surface to settle the powder through.Pick up a corner to check it to see how it's coming.
When satisfied,remove the pattern and blow off any excess dust.Take some cellophane(Scotch is good;don't use cheap stuff it leaves residue and sometimes sticks TOO well)tape and lay down on your top and bottom of your letters.Do them individually folding over a corner to make removal easier so it doesn't go under your round letters(O,S,G,etc.).The bottoms of those letters have to protrude slightly above and below the straight bottomed ones.It's a visual thing.
Mix up some 1-Shot gold size in a cup with a hint of color in it(so you can see what you're lettering depending on what the surface color is)and paint your letters as usual(see previous post part II).When finished lettering,pull your upper and lower guide tapes immediately. I usually paint a test strip before I start and after I finish on another surface to test the tack of the size.This is important because if you lay the leaf on when the size is too wet,it will be absorbed by the size and if you put it on when the size is too dry it won't adhere.
To test the size,lay your knuckle on the test strip and pull it away quickly.If the size is set properly you will hear a slight snapping sound.Old sign guys used to do it right on the letter and you use your knuckle because there is no skin oil there as opposed to your fingertip.The oil will mess up the leaf adhesion.
The illustration shows the two basic types of leaf I use:The larger is variegated gold(bronze leaf that has been chemically discolored)and is much sturdier than real gold(the smaller sheet;23K window leaf(no imperfections)but about 1/10th the price.I'll be using the real gold here because I want to demonstrate how I get an "engine turned"effect and the variegated leaf is kind of resistant to that(and it's hard to see on all the colors).
The easiest way to put on leaf is to roll it.I must say here that when doing this you have to have a wind free environment (and don't breathe hard either)unless you are using leaf that is adhered to the tissue.I use loose leaf which is very susceptible to breezes.
Take the package and expose part of the leaf.Align the edge with the bottom of the letter(allow a little overlap)and very carefully roll the package upward gradually exposing the whole sheet.Be careful not to let the tissue hit the sizing or the leaf won't stick there.Repeat this process using a slight overlap until all the letters are covered completely.
I then take a cotton ball and very lightly tap down the leaf all over until I'm sure it has covered everything.I then take an old camera brush(another hi tech tool I got a a flea market for a dime;used for dusting camera lenses)and VERY GENTLY(because it does scratch the leaf)dust across the letters paying particular attention to the edges.I then dust all excess leaf off the surface and let dry for awhile(overnight).
The leaf is now ready to be burnished(engine turned)which will happen in Part 2. Stay tuned!
Ray