Gold Leafing?

[Jm419]

So I've been working on a wooden and putty prop in my garage for some time now. That's all well and good; they're mediums I'm familiar with, and comfortable working with. However, as the prop is a sword, and I'm sculpting the hilt myself, I want it to look metallic; literally, gilt.

I'm curious; would gold leaf work for this? I found some within my budget, but I wanted some advice from the geniuses here. Has anyone worked with gold leaf? How well does it adhere to surfaces? Does it show imperfections? How much coverage do I get? Do I need to double layer it, or even triple layer it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

 

[Ozymandius]

Yes, it would work. And no, you can't really layer it. And not only will it show every imperfection, but it will magnify it greatly.

It's also very fragile but with enough clear coats it could be strong enough.

 

[ATL Kenobi]

JM419,

I've used real and imitation gold leaf on various projects for my house. As Ozymandius suggests, the key to a bright, shiney, true metallic finish, is dependent on how smooth the wood is before applying the gilt. Apply several coats of a good spray polyurethane, wet sanding between each coat with finer and finer sandpaper. I would allow each coat of polyurethane to dry thoroughy; usually a couple of days (it sands better and won't gum-up your sand paper). You should finish with 600 to 1200 grit paper.

To adhere the leaf, I simply used one last coat of polyurethane (spray). Once it gets tacky, 20 minutes or so, I'd pick up a square of the leaf with tweezers, lay it on the wood, and smooth it with a very soft paint brush (I borrowed :rolleyes one of my wife's make-up brushes). Word of caution - turn off all fans and do not sneeze- seriously.

If you're using imitation gold leaf, then yes you really do need to apply a clear glossy finish (polyurethane?) to keep it from tarnishing. However, if you are using genuine 23.75 karat gold, (from what I've read, and in practice), DO NOT clear coat it. Real gold does not tarnish, and applying a finish actually reduces the appearance.

Hope this helps!

ATL

 

[Steamtech]

I worked with real gold leaf on some projects before and I can tell you everything Ozymandius and ATL Kenobi said is very true.

I honestly found it much more difficult to work with than I expected. It is so amazingly thin and delicate I swear you can tear it just by looking at it wrong!

A final note, we used watered down Elmer's Glue on wood and plastic and had no issues. It was for some stage props for the NJ Shakespear Company and only had to last one season though, so I'm not sure the longevity of that method. Amazingly for the cost of the gold leaf they didn't intend to reuse the props!

 

[Jm419]

Well, it's going to be imitation gold leaf, not the real deal. I can't afford that, lol.

So, can I handle it once it's on? How delicate is it? Should I just lock it up in a case, or can I hold it in my hands or something?

 

[Ozymandius]

I meant delicate in that it scratches easily. You can handle it in your hands just fine. If you want to wear it for costuming then you'll want to give it about 4 good coats of clear.

 

[Jm419]

I meant delicate in that it scratches easily. You can handle it in your hands just fine. If you want to wear it for costuming then you'll want to give it about 4 good coats of clear.

Even for hanging it on a wall and then taking it down every now and then?