Hello,
I want to try using gold/silver leaf with oil painting (the composite kind, not the real kind), and I was wondering how I should do it? I’ve used it with acrylic before and just gilded over top of the paint, but my understanding is that you shouldn’t gild over oil paint because it takes an extremely long time to try.
Would it be best to guild the panel first after priming, and then seal it (with what?) and then paint over it?
I was going to try this approach:
1. Size panel with GAC 100
2. Prime panel with acrylic gesso or oil ground and let dry for a few weeks if oil, for 1 week if acrylic
3. Draw out composition with watercolour pencil and then gild the panel where I want the gilding with Speedballs liquid size
4. Seal it with speedballs liquid sealer
5. Let dry for a day
6. Begin painting
There are a number of ways to approach this that should be successful. What you propose should work fine but I do wonder about the use of watercolor pencils over an oil ground. Likely it would work but why watercolor pencils in this instance. I have fewer issues with the general procedure since it is on a panel but do wonder about the use of slick sealers under oil paint due to the possible reduced absorption and tooth. Perhaps this layer could be micro abraded using a chalk slurry or micromesh to provide a tiny bit of tooth but still have a protective coating over the leaf. Again, very likely this would turn out to be a fine technique.
However, I do question the use of cheap copper containing leaf. Unless you are working in a larger scale or simply experimenting, it is preferable to use gold (sliver is a separate issue as it tarnishes to a far greater degree than the cheaper substitutes, although they do not possess the same hue and quality). I totally understand if finances preclude this and only mention it because this is a public forum and want to make sure that we mention the relevant issues.
