On this foam-board I will use a dark transfer paper to transfer the design. Once you have
transferred the design I will sometimes lightly trace it with a blue #8041 stabilo pencil, these
pencils are soft and the marks can be removed with a lightly dampened cloth. You can put
sample designs on any surface you like; I use foam-board because it is very light. Spray a
light coat of clear and let it set up before doing any drawing or painting on the surface of the
board, this allows for removing or changing lines easier. Once the design is transferred you
must identify where the gold leaf will be applied. (on the sketch I filled in with color that
area).
Material list for what I’m about to show you. Foam
board, Gold leaf Size, one Shot Kansas City Teal paint,
Mineral Spirits to clean brushes, One Shot Reducer,
Kafka no. 5 Scroll Brush to outline leaf, No.1 lettering
Quill to do fine Scrolls, Mack Striping brush, and No
5 lettering brush. Black Transfer Paper, Varigated Gold
Leaf.
Using “OneShot Fast Gold Size” and a #5 lettering brush I start brushing in where the gold
leaf will be. Do NOT thin this Gold size; this size is a varnish and is already thin. Apply it
so you have a minimum of brush strokes, brush lightly. When brushing into a point or edge
of a design rotate your brush and lift up just like you are outlining a design. This size, even
though it is called “fast size” can take time to tack up. Since it has a yellow tint it is easy to
tell if you missed any spots by also adding a drop of darker OneShot viewing becomes easier.
You also may need to backstroke the brush to smooth out some of the areas. Backstroking
meaning starting at the opposite direction. You may need to lift your brush and work only
on the edge of the brush to reach some of the tighter areas. The Gold size flows quite easy
though.
Time yourself when starting to apply the size. Even thought there is not a lot of area to be
done, it takes about 45 min. to get to this point of applying the gold leaf. At 45 min. gently
glide your knuckle over the sized area, if you get a squeaking sound and no marks on the area
where your knuckle touched then the area is ready for the gold leaf. When first starting out
with this technique, you might wish to have a practice piece next to the actual work applying
the size in the same time frame. This will allow you to test the size on the practice piece and
not the actual work.
When applying leaf you can use a gilders tip brush or do it by hand. Since this is Variegated
Red Leaf, it is a little heavier, I will do this by hand.
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