Gesso Putty… How to Make Your Own

How to Make your Own for Repairs and Restoration

The GildedPlanet.com is excited to partner with the Charles Douglas Gilding Studio to provide you with the highest quality, hands on training for the gilding arts.

How to gold leaf book edges.

Gesso Putty… How to Make Your Own

Gesso putty - from making, to filling to shaping! Join us for this special one-part 90 Minute Masterclass on this important component in the restoration and conservation of gold leaf gilded frames, furniture, and other antique gilded wooden objects. Most of historical and contemporary forms of gilded wood includes the use of gesso, the foundation for gilding which fills the grain of wood and in the case of traditional water gilding, allows for the burnishing of gold leaf.


Whether through damage or natural degradation, gilded gesso can delaminate, suffer gouging, dents, or other loss through impact or other environmental causes. A putty made from the same materials as traditional gesso is often used in the restoration and conservation of gilding.

Learn to prepare gesso putty from a proper mix of rabbit skin glue, calcium carbonate, and water. Discover its important use for filling holes and other areas of gesso loss and develop techniques for shaping gesso putty for various situations in preparation for gilding. A must for any serious student of restoration in the gilding arts!

All Online gilding classes are Live on Zoom and Recorded. Recordings are viewable for six months. Enjoy a Question and Answer Period after the Live Demonstration. ~

Materials: This Gesso Putty Masterclass is intended as a Demonstration. Students are not expected to work along during the class, although they may choose to.. It is generally good to simply watch and engage in the after-session Question/Answer period and practice making putty with the recording. Materials include Rabbit Skin Glue, Calcium Carbonate, and Distilled Water.


Date Location Time Price Status Register Now
March 29, 2023 On Line 11am - 12:30pm PST (2pm - 3:30pm EST) $55.00 AVAILABLE REGISTER NOW

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