Charles Douglas Gilding Studio Gilding classes

(On-line) Pastiglia - The Art of Gilded Raised Gesso.

Pastiglia is is an ancient aspect of the art of Traditional Water Gilding. Its raised characteristic has been used for centuries in manuscript illumination as well as by contemporary calligraphers. It has also been used as Relief ornamentation for frames dating back to the Italian Renaissance and discussed in Cennini’s 15th c Treatise Il Libro Dell’Arte.

Students will be guided through the process of gilding a Pastiglia Relief on Canvas and Picture Frame moulding including preparing the surface, making rabbit skin glue size and gesso, drawing the raised gesso design, applying clay bole, gilding and burnishing in 23k gold leaf, and learning to adhere gold leaf through diaphragmatic breath.

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Roman Gilding...a Study in Bronze Powder and other Powder Gilding Techniques

Roman Gilding is a method of applying a finely ground Bronze Powder to a prepared surface in a water based method embedded in rabbit skin glue as a binder. This is one of several methods of working with bronze powders for decorative finishes often used in the early 20th c for picture frames

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(On-line) Gilded Picture Frame Series: Traditional Water Gilding for Picture Frames… in 23k Gold Leaf

This popular Workshop takes the student on a journey through each step of the ancient traditional water gilding method, from gesso and clay bole to laying and burnishing genuine 23k gold leaf.

Each lesson addresses a specific step of the process, keeping it challenging while not overwhelming. Creating a modern ‘Rub’ where some of the gold leaf is gently rubbed away to reveal the overlapping leaves of gold and color of the underlying clay bole is also demonstrated.

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(On-line) An Introduction to the Art of Book Edge Gilding

The art of applying gold leaf to the paper edges of books

Join us for this very special month long Zoom! Online series on Book Edge Gilding, the art of applying gold leaf to the paper edges of books. Designed for the beginner, students will learn to prepare and seal the paper edge, apply a clay bole ground, prepare an egg white size known as glair, and gild and burnish genuine 23k gold leaf.

Intended as an entry-level introduction to this beautiful method of gilding for book edges this series is well-suited for creating gilt edges for personal use and a perfect starting-point for further study in the book arts.

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(On-line) Gesso Putty

How to Make your Own for Repairs and Restoration

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.

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(On-Line) Gilding for Works of Art

Students explore the various methods of working with Brass metal leaf, Aluminum leaf, and Gold and Silver leaf on canvas, paper, and panels for both background and embellishment. Learn to lay a genuine 23k gold leaf ground for painting while discovering the use of MSA varnish and GAC200/500 for protection of tarnishable metals and providing isolating coats for painting in oils and acrylics.

Instructor Charles Douglas will patiently take you through the intricacies of working with delicate gold leaf and how to tame it with the proper use of the gilder's tip, pad, and knife. Explore such ancient mordants as gum ammoniac, and glair, and contemporary oil size and acrylic emulsion.

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(On-line) Glass Gilding... Introductiojn to Verre Églomisé

A new 6 week Intensive Online Gilding Course introduces students to the art of Verre Églomisé with a focus on achieving a proper balance between brilliancy and bonding between the gold and silver leaf and the glass. Explore the beautiful artistry of gilded mirrors In both Modern solid gild and abraded ‘antique’ Finishes. Learn to gild with precious 23k gold and 6k white gold leaf, choose the appropriate oil paint for ‘backing up’, and etch designs into gilded glass, an historical approach to verre églomisé.

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(In Person) Gold Leaf Restoration: Moulds, Casting, Beginning Water Gilding

Location: Georgian Bay Conservation, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada

This exciting week of gilding in Owen Sound offers a 3-Day Intensive in the world of Gold Leaf Restoration of Picture Frames. Explore a non-toxic silicone method of creating moulds for casting missing frame ornaments in hydrocal, gesso putty for filling holes and gouges, preparing gesso and clay bole, and traditional water gilding in 23k gold leaf.

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(In Person) Gold Leaf Gilding for Works of Art. A Study for Fine Artists

Location: Georgian Bay Conservation, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada

This popular one-day Intensive gilding class for Fine Artists returns to Owen Sound at Georgian Bay Art Conservation. Students explore the various methods of working with gold and silver leaf on canvas, paper, and panels for both background and embellishment.

Learn to lay a genuine 23k gold leaf ground for painting as well as brass and silver colored aluminum leaf. Discover the use of MSA Varnish and GAC 200/500 as an isolating coat to protect tarnishable metals while successfully painting over the gilding with acrylic and the possibilities with oil mediums and other options.

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(In Person) Glass Gilding... Introduction to Verre Églomisé

Location: Georgian Bay Conservation, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada

Spring 2023 brings the return of the popular gilding workshop Glass Gilding: Introduction to Verre Églomisé to Owen Sound, Ontario by Gilder and Teacher Charles Douglas! This special One-Day Intensive Gilding Class, to be held at Georgian Bay Conservation introduces students to the art of verre églomisé with a focus on achieving a proper balance between brilliancy and bonding between the gold leaf and the glass. Explore the beautiful artistry of gilded mirrors and other gilded glass art objects and learn to gild with precious 6k white gold leaf while taking part in a demonstration with 23k gold leaf. This is a hands-on class with a focus on gilding along with general instruction on etching into the leaf and tutoring on backing up the image in oil based paints.

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(On-Line) The Antique Dutch Black Finish...with Gilded Inner Edge

Online Class Project:
Frame: Each Class Series the Dutch Black Finish class creates a completely Finished frame with a gilded inner edge for a specific piece of art.

Join us as we go through each step of the Antique Dutch Black Finish as inspired by 17thc frames from Holland. Before we're finished we'll mordant gild the frame’s Inner Edge in genuine Gold or White Gold Leaf and tone it for aging. A rare opportunity to learn this beautiful finish for picture frames!

All classes are Live on Zoom and Recorded for viewing. Recordings remain accessible for six months. Question and Answer Periods provided during each session.

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(In Person) Glass Gilding... Introduction to Verre Églomisé

Location: Sepp Leaf Products - 381 Park Ave S. Rm. #1301 NYC, NY

For One Time Only during 2023 Spring brings the return of the popular gilding workshop Glass Gilding: Introduction to Verre Églomisé to New York by gilder and reknowned instructor Charles Douglas! This special One-Day Intensive Gilding Class, to be held at Sepp Leaf Products in Manhattan introduces students to the art of verre églomisé with a focus on achieving a proper balance between brilliancy and bonding between the gold leaf and the glass. Explore the beautiful artistry of gilded mirrors and other gilded glass art objects and learn to gild with precious 6k white gold leaf while taking part in a demonstration with 23k gold leaf. This is a hands-on class with a focus on gilding along with general instruction on etching into the leaf and reverse painting.

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(On-line) Gilding with Garlic... and other Ancient Mordants

Gilders throughout history have often depended upon plant gums and resins for use as binders in gilding including gum ammoniac, glair, gum arabic, propolis, and garlic juice (Ilinocopia). They can be seen in manuscript illumination and sacred objects. Join us as we venture into the medieval world of gilding with garlic where we’ll crush these aromatic bulbs with a mortar and pestle, mix the juice with raw gum ammoniac from Northern Africa, and gild with genuine 23k gold leaf.

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Sacred Gilding...Gilding the Buddha

A Two-Part Masterclass in Gold Leaf Gilding

Sacred Gilding...Gilding The Buddha…This Sacred Gilding Masterclass takes students on a journey to the ancient practice of gold leaf gilding of a Buddha.

We begin with the sound of the Tibetan Singing Bowl followed by a brief discussion of the use of gilding in Sacred practice with an emphasis on the technical use of the Mordant Gilding method. A non-animal water-based adhesive is used in the beautiful gilding of the Buddha in genuine gold leaf.

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(On Line) Gold Leaf Restoration: Ingilding

Mould Casting, Ingilding, Toning

The focus of this Gold Leaf Restoration Series: Ingilding, Toning, and Casting is the repair of the gilded surface with new water gilded gold leaf inserted into areas of gilding loss and applied Toning to blend with the existing Finish. Additional attention is paid to mould casting for missing ornamentation and other areas of Restoration.

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(On Line) Mordant Gilded Picture Frames

With Egg Tempera Sgraffito Panel

This new Mordant Gilding for Picture Frames Course is designed for the Picture Framer or Fine Artist interested in learning to gild their own frames. Mordant Gilding is a method that involves either an oil or water-based Size or adhesive to adhere the gold leaf or other metal leaf to the surface of the frame.

Students will learn to make and apply traditional gesso, apply a color undercoats, and gild using an acrylic emulsion water-based Size. Brass leaf, also known as Composition Gold, Dutch Metal, or Imitation Gold will be used for the Online frame project. The brass leaf will then be toned and sealed.

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(On-line) Traditional Water Gilding...for Panels!

Traditional Water Gilded Panels

This Workshop takes the student on a journey through each step of the ancient traditional water gilding method specifically for panels from the laying and gluing of linen, and preparing and applying gesso and clay bole to laying and burnishing genuine 23k gold leaf and an intriguing introduction to granito, the technique of punchwork and incision for decorative embellishment.

Developed for the Fine Artist as well as the student of Iconography, each lesson addresses a specific step of the process, keeping it challenging while not overwhelming. Students will need a set of gilding tools such as the pad, knife, and tip, various brushes, a book of 23k gold leaf and a raw wood panel to gild. (Assistance in acquiring these is available upon request.)

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(On-line) Gilding Kolcaustico Venetian Plaster

Venetian Plaster has been traced back by some sources to the 1st century AD in Mesopotamia, intriguingly the same origin as gilding some centuries before. It remains today as a wall finish of elegant depth and complexity.

A Contemporary Acrylic Venetian Plaster by Kolcaustico has become popular in the architectural field. Due to its nature of allowing the development of texture it lends itself as an intriguing medium that can work in tandem with the ancient art of gold leaf gilding.

For both the interior Finisher and Fine artist working on Panels these gilded textures can take on extraordinary expression while working with a variety of metal leafs, from genuine 24k gold to Palladium, Caplain, and Moon Gold, to Brass and Aluminum metal leaf.

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