My Course Combining Acrylic Painting with Gold Leaf!
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Welcome to my course combining acrylic painting with gold leaf! This document is taken from my book Acrylic Illuminations. Here you will find a variety of techniques to try with acrylic paint and gold leaf. Enjoy! Snake River, 48”x 60”, acrylic and gold leaf on panel, Nancy Reyner ©Nancy Reyner PAINTING SUPPLIES In addition to general leafing supplies, here is a list of painting supplies for experimenting with the painting techniques in this course. Palette for mixing colors Choose any of the following: Disposable plastic plates, a sheet of glass, freezer paper, a palette pad Tools: Palette knife or mixing knife (with stepped handle), a variety of brushes in different sizes and bristle types, water container, paper towels, blow dryer to quick dry paint, water spray bottle, a soft lint free rag for applying glazes (I cut up old shirts for this. After having been worn and washed many times they are usually soft and lint free), waterproof sandpaper 220 grit. A variety of acrylic paints colors Get at least one of each of the primary colors - red, blue and yellow. My favorites list: Quinacridone Magenta, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Anthraquinone Blue, Phthalo Blue green shade, Green Gold, Nickel Azo Yellow, Titanium White, Carbon Black, Ultramarine Blue, Pyrrole Red, Hansa Yellow Medium, Turquoise Phthalo, Dioxazine Purple. For the faux tarnish effect use Golden’s Iridescent Bronze Fluid Paint. Acrylic products (I use Golden brand but feel free to experiment with other brands): • Molding Paste (this is NOT the same as Golden’s Light Molding Paste) https://amzn.to/2GlYt38 • Golden’s Gloss Glazing Liquid. You can also make your own by adding 15% Retarder to 85% any acrylic gloss medium. If you like texture you can use a gloss gel instead of the slow drying medium. https://www.dickblick.com/products/golden-acrylic-glazing-liquid/ • A matte medium or matte gel for translucent effects, and for extra fun try Golden’s Glass Bead Gel. https://bit.ly/2xWlCoj • Golden’s Light Molding Paste. There is no substitute for this. It is a great product and one of my all-time favorites. Please note: this is not the same as Golden’s Molding Paste, which I use under the leaf to create a nice textural surface. https://amzn.to/2Y9ULEb Essential Tips for Metallics Metal leaf refers to squares of metal hammered into very thin sheets sold between pieces of tissue for ease in handling and storing. Metal leaf comes in many forms and is easily obtained from art stores and gilding supply companies. In some cases using real gold leaf is essen- tial, especially for traditional water gilding methods. For the techniques in this book it Metal Paint Versus Metal Leaf is not necessary to use real gold leaf. When a There is a big diff erence in refl ective qualities between the metal paint and metal leaf surface is eventually covered with layers leaf, shown here. Fluid Iridescent Gold (Fine) paint is knife applied on the left, while imitation gold leaf is adhered on the right. Iridescent paints refl ect more than of paint, mediums or placed over texture, it is regular paints, but leaf still wins out regarding high sheen. See Technique 5 to get not worth spending the extra cost for real gold. the most refl ective eff ects. Imitation leaf is still made of metal and has its own luminous metallic sheen and qualities. The demonstrations in this section that use imita- tion leaf can also be used with real gold leaf, thicker sheets of metal or metal paint. Feel free to substitute metal sheeting or metallic paints for most techniques in this section that call for metal leaf. Leaf needs adhesive to adhere to a paint- ing surface. There are two types of adhesives (also called glue or size): water-based or sol- REAL GOLD LEAF IMITATION GOLD LEAF vent-based. Either one can be used for the Gold Leaf and Metal Leaf techniques in this section. The solvent-based Real gold leaf is often confused with imitation gold leaf. Real gold leaf comes in adhesive levels out easier for a smoother look, squares measuring 3¼" × 3¼" (8.3cm × 8.3cm). Prices vary according to the price of but is toxic, so I prefer the non-toxic water- gold. Imitation gold leaf is commonly referred to as gold leaf but is made with a com- bination of zinc and copper, containing no real gold. It comes in squares measuring based version. Some imitation leaf is available 5½" × 5½ (14cm × 14cm) and is signifi cantly cheaper. already prepared with glue on one side, but its mesh texture becomes visible on the surface. I Metal Leaf Comes in a Wide Variety prefer using the loose or unprepared leaves as IMITATION GOLD MADE WITH IMITATION SILVER MADE OF COPPER AND ZINC COPPER ALUMINUM they can be applied without this texture. Layering gold leaf over a surface is called gold leafi ng or gilding. Traditional water gilding is the most diffi cult approach, with its process remaining virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. Water gilding produces a very smooth and glossy sheen useful for framing and icon painting. I prefer adhering leaf with size which reveals the artists hand and will better integrate visually with added paint techniques. The water gilding technique is not included in this book as it requires a book in itself and there are other comprehensive ones already available. LOOSE PIECES VARIEGATED 22 UU1065_020-051_S2.indd1065_020-051_S2.indd 2222 88/8/13/8/13 88:29:29 AAMM Mountain Poem in Silver Nancy Reyner Acrylic and silver leaf on panel 16” × 12” (41cm × 30cm) Compare how the gold and silver leafed back- grounds in these paintings evoke warm or cool undertones. Stargate Nancy Reyner Acrylic and gold leaf on panel 48” × 36” (122cm × 91cm) 23 U1065_020-051_S2.indd 23 8/8/13 8:29 AM TECHNIQUE 1 BASIC APPLICATION OF GOLD LEAF MATERIALS LIST Create a dramatic metallic surface with gold leaf or other types of metal leaf on most painting surfaces. The last step Substrate in this demonstration seals the leaf to inhibit tarnishing, Any painting surface and to enhance adhesion between paint and leaf. For more information on leaf, see Essential Tips for Metallics. Tools Before applying the leaf, consider your preference for the A large fl at soft paintbrush, a small fl at stiff -bristled fi nal outcome. The smoother the surface under the leaf, the paintbrush, rag (or cotton balls or cheesecloth), more glossy and shiny the leaf appears, while a textured sur- waxed paper face such as canvas or those with applied textural grounds Products off er a softer satin appearance. Prepare the surface accord- Gold or metal leaf in square sheets, oil or water-based ingly by following Technique 5 to smooth a surface or Tech- leaf sizing, solvent-based clear gloss acrylic (i.e. MSA nique 3 for adding texture. The smooth premade wood panel Gloss Varnish for brush application or Golden’s Archival used in this technique needs no preparation. If desired, paint Spray Gloss) the surface with your preferred acrylic paint color. It will only be visible in small areas where the leaf does not stick. For Clean Up Water, water container, paper towels or rags 1 Apply Adhesive to the Surface 1 Using a soft brush, apply leaf adhesive (also called glue or sizing) to the dry surface in a very thin layer. Do not dilute the size with water to thin, instead work quickly with moderate pres- sure on the brush to spread it thinly. To avoid applying thickly, see how far a small amount of sizing can extend instead of continually loading up the brush. Let dry until sizing goes from wet to tacky, about 20 minutes in average climates. This can stay tacky for up to 24 hours giving ample time to apply the leaf. Test for correct tack by touching the applied adhesive lightly with your knuckle. If size is tacky but still stays on the surface and doesn’t transfer to your knuckle, it’s ready. Like most acrylic products, the sizing is white when wet and dries clear. 2 Handling the Metal Leaf 2 Cut a piece of waxed paper slightly larger then the square leaf. Lower this fi rmly down onto the leaf and with the side of your hand wipe gently over all the wax paper area creating static which temporarily sticks the leaf to the wax paper. 24 U1065_020-051_S2.indd 24 8/8/13 8:29 AM 3 Adhere the Leaf 3 4 The leaf, attached to the waxed paper, can now be easily carried to your support and positioned over the area it will be placed. Take a moment to see where it’s going, then lower it down. Rub gently with your hand over the wax paper and leaf so the leaf transfers, sticking to the size. Remove the wax paper. Repeat with more leaf, allowing each square to generously overlap with each other, until the surface is fully leafed. 4 Fix Gaps as Necessary For gaps accidentally occurring between squares, simply fi ll in with smaller pieces of leaf 5 6 using your hand. 5 Burnish the Leaf Using a cotton ball, soft cloth or cheesecloth, rub the entire surface using fi rm pressure over wax paper to protect the leaf while burnishing all leafed areas. 6 Clean off Excess Leaf Gently pick off the excess leaf in overlapped areas using a small stiff bristle brush. Let dry at least three days. TIPS • Almost any surface can be used for leafi ng, however, rigid sturdy panels work best if planning to continue overpainting the leaf with other techniques such as sanding or pouring.