I finished this piece and posted it a couple of months back. I was initially happy after discovering I could still gild, but I was using size meant for imitation gold, and a metal base coat which was designed to help you see where you were putting the size. For the weekend artist I suppose the stuff is acceptable and the only reason I purchased it was because it was the only thing I could get locally. Not only that, but the base coat required a solvent cleanup, and it ruined an expensive sable sword brush of the tiny variety - about a dozen hairs - that I'd had for well over 40 years. I was disgusted. That was about the time I met up with Abraham Lincoln on the web, and I asked if he was the very same person I'd purchased a gold size product from at least twenty years ago.
My renewed interest in gilding and calligraphy to incorporate in my old paper art has also led to his revelation of past mail art which he has shared over time with me via his blog. Abe and his family had made a business of selling useful products for the calligrapher, but had moved on to other pursuits including some great photography which he now pursues with a passion.
I recently purchased a product called PVA - it is an all-in-one adhesive that accepts gild using the old method of illumination without the drawbacks of LEAD-based gesso products. Once the PVA is dry (it dries clear) you activate it by breathing on it. I use a paper straw, as the paper absorbs some of the inherent moisture that might otherwise fall on your paper (bad) if you used a plastic straw. I'm really happy with the 'pillow' I'm getting with it. I regilded the A. B. Chase portion of this, and I can tell distinctly that I'm not only getting a good raise, but luster from the burnish is also brighter.
For anyone interested in pursuing the use of REAL gold leaf in their art work, and they want a high luster and raised images, the product name is PVA, and it's sold on the web by a company called LINECO, Books By Hand You might find other useful products if you're into journalling, or scrapbooking, or anything paper related.
Thanks for the plug and link. I seldom get them nowadays but there was a time when links got around by real first class mail and even air mail. I sometimes wish we would have had computers in those days when we were in business. I wonder what would have become of us then.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit and the comment.
Back to thank you for the visit. Most of us didn't use guide sheets for ordinary writing back and forth. And then I had posted somewhere about how guidelines were to be used based on the old monk's rules and preferences. They had to write either "on" the line or under the link or between the lines. Lines in those days were made with a silver stylus and made a dent in the skin which, over time, came back out leaving only the awl pricks at the ends in the margins.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is beautiful! Thanks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteFascinating technique, Dave. And the inherent difference between a paper and plastic straw ... who would've thunk? Absolutely lovely! Lilies will be next?
ReplyDeletePVA. It's as common as mud here in NZ. But acid free PVA? Now that's something else...
ReplyDeleteI use PVA in my book binding at work here. NEVER thought to use it with gold leafing...? Just assumed it would be too harsh a glue.
Received my mail yet?
I hope it makes it to you...the address was rather difficult to locate on the envelope, apparently.
Oh Dave...guess what was in my letter box yesterday? Dang and Blast it! I will now put it in another envelope; mail art that one, then send it to you with an address that the NUMPTIES at NZ post can see.
ReplyDeletePS. have you seen this lady's blog: http://andreajoseph24.blogspot.com/
I saw a resonance between yours and her work.
glad you got straight on the correct size product
ReplyDeleteyou shouldn't let the gild and calligraphy sit on the side...it needs to be incorporated in your work!