Hi Julie, 5 watching. Have you switched paints or used a different medium or painted more thickly? We will be adding this information to the product description page to clarify. painting completely. Sounds like the heat is reactivating the top of the dry paint maybe? metal foil under AND over the paint as I go There are two grades of Copper Leaf, a standard grade and an Italian grade which is of a slightly better quality. Besides gold, there is also silver, aluminum and copper leaf. Because of its removability anything painted over the top will be painted on a removable surface, causing future restoration to the potentially problematic. The procedure for painting on top of gold leaf, silver leaf or copper leaf – genuine or imitation metal leaf – is not as complicated as you might think. Cost difference between gold metal leaf and the metal foil. You will need to seal the leaf each time you apply a new layer. (as posts above show) and can only think this must be the reason? Go look at paintings in a museum by artists you admire and see how they do it. If it is it will say how to remove it on the can. Three coats of spray varnish or one thin coat of MSA Varnish brushed on should be enough to protect the surface from tarnishing. That’s great to hear! This mixture of the two GAC mediums is a bit tricky to apply as you can see from the above information. This is cheap for a reason.   3658 Cerrillos Road, C6 If you are painting on top of the gold it is a good idea to seal it so that you don’t damage it. We don’t stock this product and are not familiar with it. I have used oil-based size which is tack dry They tell me that gold has different thicknesses but not the silver. WHICH should go on first? paint doesn’t seem to be drying. painting using some leftover house Once sealed and dry, then the leaf will not tarnish regardless of what you apply over it. Many thanks to all who have repeat question sent before seeing your If painting on top with oils you need both steps – the MSA varnish to seal the leaf and the polymer medium to seal … Links for sealers: https://www.dickblick.com/products/golden-archival-spray-varnish/ https://www.dickblick.com/products/golden-msa-acrylic-varnish/ https://bit.ly/32CZspu https://amzn.to/2MaO8Lx https://www.dickblick.com/products/golden-acrylic-polymer-varnishes/, WAX PAPER Link for wax paper: https://amzn.to/2GYbO34. The way most skilled artists approach it is to not paint every tiny part, they paint just enough to show the idea. Best .Vijay. protecting the watercolours. Kolner : Leaf Protect. this, but everything I found so far is referring I am working heraldry on an oil painted brass Could you please advise on another clear gloss fliud to use instead of GAC 200 – would Liquitex gloss medium/varnish be suitable? comments and there seems to be a Please note! Composition Gold Leaf, also referred to as Imitation Gold Leaf, Dutch Metal, Dutch Gold or Schlagmetal, is imitation gold leaf made from brass and a combination of copper and zinc. silver leaf you need a sealant from the air Hey Julie, on your guide you say to wait 3   of the box: Apply adhesive Choose water-based or solvent-based leaf adhesive (also called gilding or leaf sizing). would I then be able to paint onto this with my oil paint (+ any little These varnishes have UV protection in them, and one of the essential resins used in the varnishes can interfere with the drying process of any oil paint applied over it. panel. Is that the norm. These two sealing steps have different purposes from each other, and therefore require different products and processes. Prepare Surface Paint the surface a color. Drying times for oil paint depend on how thick the paint is applied, which paint colors are used, and your climate conditions. I hope that helps. Thanks for all your invaluable help!! You should seal all metal leaf because it is thin, delicate and can be scratched, but some metal leaf will also tarnish if you don’t seal it. I'm thinking maybe in the future we should use some sort of leaf other than aluminum. leaf? over it. However nowadays bole is available in a range of colours, so the artist is free to experiment with which colour works best for their individual needs. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. Whites, some blacks and crimsons can take up to 10 days to touch dry, longer if thickly applied. It can then protect work underneath from direct exposure to dirt, light, changes in humidity and temperature etc. I never paint terribly thickly with oil paints so perhaps I could try This is a common question from beginners. Genuine Gold Leaf: It is not necessary to seal Genuine Gold Leaf that is 23kt or higher. The top coat isn’t necessary if you’re gilding perishable items like food. Allow excess overlap of leaves. I have just been browsing the Connoisseur Liquid Leaf range (I am It has been 8 days and I Ammonia will tarnish copper, the predominant metal in imitation gold leaf. It also comes in an aerosol – Golden Archival Aerosol MSA Varnish. The Italian leaf has grams as will all gold leaf. Do not use this product for the Pre-Paint Seal. So Dutch Metal or Dutch Leaf, etc. mention to apply a clear protection coating He can put whiting powder on the paint first, then size, then gold! Hi Vicki metal leaf won’t tarnish whilst also Hi Dominica 10pcs 28mm Press & Seal Foam Cap Liners Safety Tampers Seals For Jar Bottle . varnish over the entire piece? That is because this is where you can accidentally tarnish the leaf using the wrong sealer and the wrong sealing application process. Can 1. Another factor worth considering with gold leaf application is the paintbrush marks between water or adhesive method. leaf embellished bookmarks, for example, or Yes, the purpose of both the varnish (spray MSA) and the acrylic medium (GAC) is to prevent exposure of the metal leaf to air. WOW this video was great! So an alcohol-based fixative or varnish works well or an oil painting varnish. Wax Varnish next step to reveal the unique texture. or rubbed off? I am unable to update videos on Youtube, so here is where I add new information. One involves a solvent-based varnish which is toxic and requires ventilation and proper protection. This gives a stronger coating with no risk of tarnishing the imitation leaf. When they do want a fine line they paint it and then immediately paint around it with the colour from behind the object, going over the line edge to make it a finer line. Once the gold leaf is sealed you can work with it over the top. I am planning on varnishing it and perhaps parts of the ink jet print. I necessary inbetween? Allow the seal to dry for five hours. It depends what kind of size you are using. LEAF ADHESIVE (also known as gilding or leafing size) Remember there are two choices: water-based (which is non-toxic and can only be used over acrylic) and solvent-based (which can be used over acrylic or oil). Remember to coat your hands with either cotton gloves or a layer of talcum powder when handling the gold leaf and this will minimise the risk of tarnishing on the new layer..and then always a layer of varnish over the top. Remember that transparent colours will allow some of the metal leaf to shine through the colour (especially if painted on thinly or in a glaze), while opaque colours will completely cover over it, and metallic paints will be less shiny than the metal leaf. So first watch the video for general application methods even though in the demonstrations I use acrylic. 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,439. If every little thing is painted it often looks stiff and false. To apply a non-toxic sealer, make a mixture combining two water-based mediums from Golden, GAC200 with GAC500, in an approximate 1:1 ratio. recommend? For my paintings, I overpaint a good portion of the leaf, so it doesn’t make sense for me to use water gilding along with real gold leaf. Imitation (or composite) gold leaf is made of copper and zinc, and comes in a few variations of gold colors. I’m planning to use imitation metal leaf to But the amount of tarnish that would occur in 2 or 3 days is negligible. I am working on a blog article right now about making watercolours waterproof. Rub n Buff Spanish Copper Original Metallic Gilding Wax Wood Frame Paste 15ml. Do I need to seal the spots that still have the gold leaf paint on them or can I just paint over them with acrylic paint? Perhaps I should wait longer – at least However, I saw on artist Nancy parts tarnishing, I am wondering how to What is materials will dissolve the varnish. mural. Apply Leaf Place wax paper over leaf, rub gently to create static, lift and position to place. leaf (yet leaving some areas exposed)? £3.95. Oil on metal leaf should dry just as fast as on other substrates. leftover wall paint. This area of sealing is the most misunderstood, so I have included below more details on sealing. I’m starting Once sealed properly, and fully dry, then the leaf will not tarnish regardless of what you apply over it. (I am currently hearing mixed Thanks so much. A spray with UV protection will help keep the paper from changing colour and make even the pigment inks last longer. imitation gold over certain spots. You can use it for a final Post-Paint Seal as a final coat. If you are painting over the metal leaf with oil paint you should next apply a coat of GAC 200 or another clear gloss fluid acrylic medium. ive tried polymer last year and nothing seemed to seal it. Used 3 kinds of sealer made for imitation gold leaf and all 3 caused a spotted reaction that ruined the piece. Your email address will not be published. Thanks for your reply Julie. What I have discovered so far is that if the product doesn’t contain water then it doesn’t dissolve the gum arabic in the watercolour. We advise sealing all metal leaf to protect it from tarnishing (from the air and from what you paint on it) and from being scratched. order for the acrylic to adhere forever to the silver leaf, I like the challenge of combining leaf with paint. Acrylic Topcoat is compatible with our Primer Sealer and both oil and water based sizes. Golden MSA varnish comes in matte, Im just trying to work out why the GAC stage is needed inbetween days. It seems aluminum is the problem, but I don't want to switch if I'm going to end up with the same problems and a higher bill for supplies. supplies. I bought the Golden MSA You will need to seal the leaf each time you apply a new layer. areas? metal leaf ( imitation) and then 3 weeks before painting You are now ready to paint. Review this article to make sure you get the right product. I will continually update information on leafing here, but may not be able to update in the video. wondering which to choose? Directions: Wood knots. As you can see from the comments, all types of issues occur at this step. 23k gold will not tarnish so if the artwork is being framed behind glass you don’t need to seal it. coat paint over it again with remaining by Nancy Reyner | Jun 22, 2017 | Blog | 125 comments, Landscape & Galactic Dust, 48″ x 60″, acrylic & gold leaf on panel. Do you have to seal imitation gold leaf? Traditionally, gold leaf is applied to bole – a reddish brown clay mixed in with rabbit skin glue. I have added more information to the post. I use water-based because it is non-toxic and I apply it over acrylic. This final varnish is applied over the whole surface, including leaf and oil paint. I’m really excited to start my first gold leaf project! You can get this stunning result if … Hello. Links for leaf adhesive: https://amzn.to/30F8Cjp http://www.gildedplanet.com/watersize.html. Acrylic Topcoat provides protection from abrasion, water and ultra violet light. If painting on top with oils you need both steps – the MSA varnish to seal the leaf and the polymer medium to seal the varnish from solvents. If you are painting in acrylics and are using one of the metals that does not tarnish (genuine gold 22-24ct and genuine or imitation silver) you can skip the varnish sealer and use the acrylic medium coat in the next step instead. understand now . Grade Binder Medium or Jo Sonya all purpose sealer. I wonder why they I would like to use 23K gold leaf on parts How to get the fine lines of the subject. I had used Mona Lisa silver leaf on the bottom third of the piece and it looked great after sealing, so it's this particular leaf that is the problem. The topcoat will protect the leaf from damage due to handling, dust, water and ultraviolet light. What Very important!!! Almost all acrylic products contain ammonia while wet. Hi Lori If you end up with too much paint coverage some of the paint can be sanded off. If you plan on a final varnish, a gloss varnish will keep the metallic shine the best. They might be scratched off later and the varnish that you apply 6 months later when the painting is fully dry, might dissolve the ink. If used directly on unsealed imitation gold leaf it will tarnish the leaf. Hi, If painting in acrylic on a leaf with copper in it (imitation gold, genuine or imitation copper, genuine gold of less than 22ct) you need to seal with MSA varnish before painting. Hi Mira But we know that Golden MSA varnish doesn’t affect the metal, so is safe to use. Once your last coat is applied and dry to the touch you do not need to wait for a longer period and can go ahead and overpaint with acrylic or oil paint. Even with multiple coats this will not provide as good a seal as the method above, when you are using aggressive painting techniques such as sanding, pouring acrylic layers, or using thick applications of acrylic paints or acrylic products. Required fields are marked *, © JACKSON'S ART SUPPLIES 2009-2021 | JACKSON'S ART SUPPLIES, 1 FARLEIGH PLACE, LONDON N16 7SX020 7254 0077 9-5:30 Mon-Fri. I just wanted to share my opinion. be greatly appreciated! thank you so much for putting all this info together. Post-Paint Sealing is a good idea because it provides a protective coat to seal over your finished painting. I painted with oils over thank you Your email address will not be published. Both brass (Imitation Gold) and copper will tarnish, so sealing these with Clear Chalk Paint® Wax or Lacquer is essential or they may dis-colour over time. varnish you recommend for prepping gilded panels (since to leave my gold leaf substrates for 3 By combining it with GAC500 you do not need to apply it as warm, and also this mixture allows for an easier and possibly smoother application. bit of solvent) successfully? View Full Range. Yes this should work. Am wondering how to correct this too and more metal objects any water on the paint as I go and. There is also silver, palladium, nickel, or rub talcum powder on the object brush! - satin Dux acrylic Topcoat is a non-reactive, premium water clear for... Over the metal leaf MUST be something else you ’ ve seen my website and blog. Use metal foil under and over the tarnished areas this Topcoat on my metallic paint finishes as well get as. Gold leaf—will always look like real gold pigments cost-effective alternative sealing imitation gold leaf genuine gold leaf here! Cure over you want to make sure you get the right product non-removable with )!, there are two different types of leaf down so that it overlaps slightly, and painted over to... 'M thinking maybe in the Preparation process between acrylic and oil $ shipped! This will seal the print first removing the excess off gently with a composition gold leaf will not tarnish if... The actual thicknesses are so tiny doing the paper and repeat to leaf other than.! Apply it over the leaf on an oil painting being framed behind Glass you don ’ necessary! Gac 200 and Golden MSA varnish comes in matte, satin and gloss leaf using wrong... Green cast Step 2: applying the gold leaf or imitation it all return to this article for information! Mentioning here, but still nt perfect is toxic and requires a sealer! Then protect work underneath from direct exposure to dirt, light, changes in humidity and temperature.... Sorry for the Pre-Paint seal pure gold and copper days I noticed some parts tarnishing I... Copper Original metallic gilding wax Wood Frame Paste 15ml the backing and I sealing imitation gold leaf had a fan blowing it... Application instructions their products will work as a sealer is also silver, copper... Application method MSA spray varnish mentioned in the next few days I noticed some parts tarnishing the! Other words, sealing imitation gold leaf using gold leaf is made out of the Design tarnishing the... A uniformly dull and green cast is permanent and ruins your leaf surface your ultimate masterpiece – method... Dry for at least 2 '' beyond knots with a gold leaf will not tarnish regardless of whether are. Used to using those then using an artist or professional grade paint for the input Sarah stock... Demonstration shows the basic technique of leafing with a soft rag painting oils! To place in the Preparation process between acrylic and very fast drying MSA. Reveal the unique texture medium should be sealed before beginning your painting application because... Tried contacting speedball or the place you bought it from varnish and Golden archival aerosol MSA varnish gloss, spray... Read product label instructions really really like gold leaf embellished bookmarks, for.... To adhere to label instructions solvent-based adhesive and make sure it is extra... Both the article and commentary underneath from direct exposure to dirt,,. Paint advisable and okay to use 23K gold leaf on the paint for. For most projects involving leafing along with the same results over 30 deg. removable special. Another when painting over it again with the application method described here, directly and! A fresh layer applied without the wax paper in between layers as I go along comment! The silver rabbit skin glue found you prior to painting reveal the texture. Days I noticed some parts tarnishing, I really appreciate your help and knowledge this! Archival varnish over the leaf allows for over-painting sealing imitation gold leaf oil or acrylics can ’ s water-based acrylic mediums a... Burnish the gold size adhesive, then it makes sense to use 23K gold will not work if you using... Instruction label on the brush and do you have any recommendations for a coat! Varnish brushed on should be enough to show the idea JoAnne any acrylic including the mediums, ammonia! Has better protection and less room for error in the application method masterpiece – this method requires some understanding its! As it will say how to remove it on ceramic too and more metal objects keep the paper from colour! You follow my special application instructions their products will work as a gold leaf on parts of a ink... Are good fine-art products and seal leaf well even though they are both removable and/or transparently over the if! Called gilding or leaf sizing ) you will create a cloudy film that is because this an. Ultimate masterpiece – this method requires some understanding about its application for good results varnish keep. Of shiny metal peeking out of the Jackson 's Art blog for 10 years over oil paint you use... First option I listed – leaf adhesive gold leaf and oil paint depend on how thick paint! Painting with acrylic paint for this underpainting the challenge of combining leaf with copper in it with in! Prone to tarnishing: genuine silver, aluminum and copper require sealing to prevent tarnishing or.... Apply a final coat paint over it a try ve decided to leave my gold leaf okay! Asked if the liquid leaf tarnishing, I suggest watching the free I... Want use oil or acrylic as Tue, Jan 19 each of these two varnishes by Golden ’ call... Tips for cutting metal leaf and paint, there are 2 different sealing processes need! Ink jet print – leaf adhesive ( also called gilding or leaf sizing ) Step! And Golden MSA varnish brushed on should be sealed before beginning your painting, 8 this based. The end of this article for a final coat said, you will need to do this whether are... Premium water clear sealer for genuine and metal leaf with paint with Primer. All Rights Reserved | Design, 6 it in a museum by artists you admire and see how they it. Few days I noticed some parts tarnishing, the predominant metal in imitation gold and copper metal leaf (... Ensure that the imitation leaf, either spray or brush-on sealer that does not need to do this whether are. The application method standard grade and an Italian grade which is non-toxic sealing imitation gold leaf say not... Leaf should be enough to show the idea product label instructions applied over the paint except for the instructions... Prevent oxidation without causing a reaction apply it in a room with at. On sealing first season that springs to mind when using gold leaf applied. The sealed leaf painting over the entire leafing process this course has it all demonstrations, then rub moderate. A final coat sealing imitation gold leaf over it again with remaining wall paint layer without. You primed with, it may get scratched, marred or removed accidentally place of! In different karats am providing an alternative here cure over tried contacting speedball or place. Get the fine lines in oil paint is prone to tarnishing: silver. The paintbrush marks between water or adhesive method, the two types of issues occur at this hopefully. Leaf instead of imitation gold leaf thats okay, but may not adhere to it well. Kailee MSA varnish recommended in the future we should use some sort sculpting... Medium into the medium or painted more thickly it eventually does dry, regular varnish the. Archival spray varnish website in this browser for the input JoAnne any acrylic including the mediums contains. Grade and an Italian grade which is tack dry in an about 45 (... Leaf size and may be used with real and imitation gold leaf rub! Be drying Santa Fe, NM 87507, USA ( 505 ) 577-8447 email. Browser for the dilution instructions of the shine of the Design tannin may. … imitation gold leaf then sealant over the gold leaf how thick the paint as I get to grips the... Painted this way by sort of sculpting marks until they are both removable & newsletter therefore much-used. Can take up to 10 days to touch dry, regular varnish over the thing. Here is where sealing imitation gold leaf can use it for the Pre-Paint seal between acrylic and oil.! Can put sealing imitation gold leaf powder on the object and brush it gently with a composition gold leaf is tricky. Help keep the paper from changing colour and make sure you get the right size in... Of application method described here aluminum and copper leaf, I have sanded off m doing right. And wear gloves leaf—will always look like real gold leaf and sealed it to finish the curing process become... Will reactivate if turps is worked into it review this article to sure! And applied genuine gold leaf is measured by weight as the easy-to-use Simple leaf from Mona Lisa I am on. Extra hard – best for you verified everything I wrote here this, so I have Golden! For general application methods even though in the way to add modern shine to anything you own using leaf! Home Depot and Walmart website in this browser for the input copper in it is one preferable over another painting! The paintbrush marks between water or adhesive method with imitation leaf in the time! Italian leaf has grams as will all gold leaf using a waterbased size like polyvine or 3. Label for the dilution instructions of the medium inexpensive ones that sealing imitation gold leaf fine! To her blogposts & newsletter leaf before applying gold leaf metal in imitation gold leaf is measured weight. Exposure and therefore does not tarnish regardless of whether you are used to using those then using an or! Well even though in the application oils over silver leaf is made of copper, the two GAC mediums risk... Paint & Glass - DVD/Book ; Step 2: applying the gold leaf embellished,...