How To Gold Leaf
Nothing looks as classy or expensive as real gold leafed objects: the list of potential objects is endless; shells, picture frames, wine glasses, furniture, bed-posts (it will go nicely with your luxury bedding)—anything which has a smooth surface will take gold leaf well, whether it be made of glass, metal, wood or plastic.
You don’t necessarily have to go to an expert gilder to create a beautiful gift for that special person in your life. With a range of gold leaf available online—from low quality metal leaf which resembles gold leaf closely, to high end material which is slightly more delicate but even more impressive—anyone can have a dabble, and spectacular results can be obtained with very little training or research.
1) Firstly, you’ll need some cotton wool, gold leaf, gold leaf size (the special name for the proper glue) and your object. Gold leaf comes in either rolls or sheets. Rolls are much easier to handle and pressure sensitive; all you need do is apply the roll to the object when the glue is ready—this depends on the type you buy and varies from instant, four hours, or twelve hours—and rub its back. Leaves are trickier to handle, and not ideal for the beginner.
2) Don’t worry about over-lapping the gold. The gold will only stick where it is needed. No special technique is needed to make the gold shiny—it will take on the form of the object it adheres too: where the surface is smooth, the gold will be smooth too.
3) Brush away an excess gold. Be sure not to touch any sticky areas with your cotton wool, otherwise it will stick.
4) Finish by buffing the object up with a clean, smooth rag. Do so gently so as not to disturb the gold while it dries; then give it some time to dry. When you come back to it the next day, give it one last buff and there you have it!