How to Gild Leather
Jake Berlin
Gilding Leather.
Gilding is the application of thin sheets of gold or other metal
alloy such as copper or silver, to a surface. The sheets are
hand or machine beaten until they are extremely malleable and
thinner than the thickness of tissue paper. Gilding was often
used as decoration on book covers or picture frames in the past,
and gives a look of richness to objects. When applied to finely
detailed, carved leather the effect can be quite striking.
Sizing
You'll also need an adhesive or glue to stick the leaves to the
leather. This glue is called size. A commercial-based size
works perfectly. In addition, cheesecloth or other lint-free
cloth, a stiff artist's brush to apply the leaf and some Q-tips
to remove excess gold leaf are needed, as are a pair of
square-ended rather than pointed tweezers for moving and
positioning the bits of gold leaf.
Dye The Leather First
In order for the gild leaf to adhere, the background of the
leather carving should be dyed first. Alternatively, you can
apply dye to the entire carving. Either way results in
interesting effects once you apply the under-finish. By dyeing
only the background, you preserve much of the fine detail.
Alternatively, the texture and grain of the leather can be
enhanced by the extra wetting involved in dyeing the entire
area.
Go Slowly!
Apply the under-finish only to those areas that will receive the
gilding. Go slowly and carefully here. If you make a mistake,
wait until the under-finish is tacky, and then gently scrape it
off with the point of an x-acto knife. Wait until the
under-finish is completely dry before applying the size.
Getting Tacky
Glues vary in the length of time they require to achieve a tacky
state and remain workable, and this time is generally indicated
on the tube or bottle. When gilding a small carving, you
probably need glue that is tacky within an hour and remains
workable for another twenty minutes or so. Use a small brush to
apply the glue only to those areas that received the
under-finish. Then check for tackiness, bearing in mind that the
glue might reach that state earlier than indicated on the
bottle, depending upon environmental variables such as heat and
humidity.
Go for the Gild
Now it's time to apply the leaf. Wash your hands to remove any
oils that can affect adherence, and carefully lift the sheet
with the tweezers and your hands. Do this in a draft-free room,
as the leaf is thinner than tissue-paper. If you need to trim
the sheet, use a dull butter knife or your finger nail, placing
the leaf on a pad of buckskin. Then take the sheet and apply it
over the area that has been sized, patting it down with a wad of
cheesecloth, gently at first, then gradually increasing the
pressure, pressing the leaf into the carving.
Use an artist's brush to tamp the leaf into the detail of the
carving. A stiff brush, ¼ to ½ inch wide works well. Pay
attention to the edges, making sure they are well tamped down
for a nice finish. You can brush the excess bits of leaf away,
saving them in a jar for touch-ups later. Brush along the edges
until all the pieces that didn't adhere are swept away.
The Final Touches
You can now rub the gold leaf with a soft cloth to bring out the
burnish and smooth any wrinkles. Once the glue is completely
dry, you can rub the gilding a little more vigorously to achieve
an antique appearance. This will rub away some of the gold leaf,
revealing the sizing and antique under-finish. Don't overdo it
though, and rub only on the high spots of the carving by rubbing
in a line across those high parts and ridges. An antique finish
can then be applied, followed by a lacquer or clear finish to
protect the leaf from wear and tarnish.
Tools to Use
* Gold (or other metal alloy) leaf
* Antique under-finish
* Antique finish (Leather Glow)
* Leather top finish (Super Sheen)
* Cheesecloth or other lint-free cloth
* Glue
* Square tweezers, artist's brush
* Q-tips
* Lacquer or clear finish
* Dull butter knife
Summary
* Dye the leather to be gilded and/or surrounding areas
* Apply an under-finish to the areas to be gilded
* Apply glue to the under-finish; wait until tacky before gilding
* Pat the gilding down, gently at first, then more firmly into the
carving
* Buff the gilded area with a soft cloth
* Apply an antique finish, followed by a lacquer
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