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Painting in Oil with Gold Leaf
Posted on 4/22/2014 5:36:12 PM
By Kathryn Weisberg
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History of art using gold leaf.
2,000-year-old Hellenistic-style wall paintings have been revealed in Petra through the expertise of British conservation specialists. The paintings, in a cave complex, had been obscured by centuries of black soot, smoke, grease and graffiti. The paintings are said to be exceptional in their sophistication, extensive palette and luxurious materials, including gold leaf.
"Gold-ground" paintings, where the background of the figures was created in gold leaf, was introduced in mosaics in Early Christian art, and then used in icons and Western panel paintings until the late Middle Ages. Extensive gold leaf appeared in religious panel paintings throughout the fifteenth century in most European regions including Germany, Spain, France and Italy.
Cimabue
Madonna enthroned with angels and prophets
Santa Trinita, Florence Italy
ca. 1280-1290
12’x7’
Madonna, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and Saint Paul,
about 1330, Bernardo Daddi
Tempera and gold leaf on panel,
47 1/2 x 22 in
Japanese screen paintings and kinpaku are some of the worlds most beautiful uses of gold leaf on a large scale.
The Japanese even perfected the use of gold leaf to create thread for expensive clothing and tapestries.
Gilded paintings in modern times.
Contemporary painter, Austrian Symbolist Gustav Klimt created some of the most famous paintings employing the use of gold leaf in the beginning of the 20th Century. Klimt did a number of gilded paintings during his “Golden Period”.
The Kiss (Lovers), oil and gold leaf on canvas, 1908–1909.
Perhaps the most interesting and mysterious uses of gold leaf in painting was done by Rembrandt. He would apply gold leaf to the surface of a sheet of copper and paint in oil on top of that surface. First covered with a grayish-white ground, consisting of white lead and chalk then, over the entire surface of the ground, a thick layer of gold leaf was applied, which is visible today at the edges of the painting and as glittering dots in areas that are thinly covered with paint. Rembrandt’s gold leaf paintings show very little of the gold leaf in the final image.
Commonly used contemporary technique.
Since pure gold is an element, not a compound or alloy, it can be compressed to nearly the atomic level without destroying its structure. This means it could literally be pounded in a layer so thin sunlight could pass through it. During ancient times, craftsmen would create gold leaf by placing a quantity of gold between two leather straps and pounding it by hand for weeks or months until it became exceptionally thin. It could then be applied to paintings, sculptures and other religious or royal items.
The modern method of creating gold leaf involves the use of metal rollers capable of compressing gold to a thickness of only 1/250,000th of an inch. The finished product can be cut into small sheets and sandwiched between layers of glassine paper, one of the few substances to which it will not adhere.
The generally accepted (current practice) approach to the use of gold leaf in oil paintings begins with a highly prepared canvas.
1. Start by carefully planning your composition and applying an underpainting to ensure the edges of the coming gold leaf segments are properly placed. Once the gold leaf is down there is little room for error. Apply an acrylic base layer, or "bole," to a primed canvas. Use of a colored ground (yellow, red or black) are the most commonly used and each has a different effect to help make the final gold leaf application more luminous. I do not use a colored ground, though that may change in the future as I experiment with this medium. The gold leaf is more easily worked smooth on a fine weave of canvas with sanding between several layers of gesso. Alternatively you may choose to work on panel.
2. After the base color is completely dry, brush on adhesive, also known as "size." Apply the size on the precise area where you intend to position the leaf. Test the “tack” of the size by lightly touching it with the tip of your knuckle. If it sticks, to your skin it is ready for the leaf to be applied. The function of size differs in the process of gilding from its use in oil painting. In oil painting it is applied in an extremely diluted form to the surface of a support to reduce absorbency and make it more receptive to the application of a painting ground. Let it dry until it is tacky (usually about 30 minutes). It has a milky quality when first applied and will be clear when tacky. I have heard that the size will remain tacky for 24 hours. I have not tested that. Several adhesives are available for this purpose. I like use Dux.
3. Next, slowly peel back the glassine paper from the gold leaf. Placing a book of leaf in your hand, carefully fold back the protective paper to expose the gold leaf. Lay the leaf onto the sized area and 'roll' out the leaf. Hold it firmly yet carefully. Attach leaf to surface. Alternatively, use a cotton ball with a tiny bit of Vaseline on it to lift up the gold leaf and place it onto the tacky canvas. Some put talcum powder on the surrounding area. I have not tried this technique. Sometimes little bits of gold leaf may stick onto areas that have just been painted. The talcum powder apparently keeps the gold from sticking to the paint. You can thoroughly wipe the gold powder off yet there is still some left, even though you may not see it. I purchase “transfer” gold leaf and avoid the difficulty and aggravation of working with loose leaf. It is much easier to place the leaf exactly where you want it and avoid the waste.
4. Once the leaves are down, gently rub to burnish the leaf with a soft brush such as a squirrel mop to ensure complete adhesion. Any leaf laid over an un-sized surface, will lift away. Keep any bits of gold leaf that become excess or tear off to touch up areas that are missing leaf due to lack of sufficient sizing or from leafed areas that may have torn away during burnishing (called “holidays”). Go slowly. This is a delicate and temporal process. Think of it as a meditation of sorts. Just keep burnishing until the surface is burnished and sound.
Following the application of gold leaf, complete your painting. I have used a grisaille/glazing technique thus far. That may also change in the future. Some use a rag to “lift” transparent layers revealing the gold beneath.
5. If the gold leaf is under 22 kt, or is synthetic, you may need to paint on an acrylic top coat. I always shellac the surface of the gilded layer prior to painting or negative “lifting” of paint layers. Shellac also comes in many brands. It is best to mix your own using flaked, dryer shellac and denatured alcohol (2:5) as prepared shellac has a brief shelf life.
Egret (Work in Progress)
6. At the completion of the painting apply a coating of varnish as you would any fine oil painting.
Contemporary artists using gold leaf in their paintings.
There are several wonderful contemporary artists using gold leaf in their paintings. Here are just a few. Fahamu Pecou, Fred Wessel, Brad Kunkle, Jackie Morris, Greg Dunn, Shannon Troxler, Kyosuke Tchinai, Wendi Heath O’Brien and my personal favorite, Makoto Fujimura.
Materials can be found online with a simple search:
One retailer for the purchase of leaf products: LA Gold Leaf Wholesaler
Excellent and trusted source for technical guidance and products:
https://www.naturalpigments.com/gilding.html
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