abendgules (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
abendgules) wrote2012-12-25 10:56 am
abendgules) wrote2012-12-25 10:56 am
30 day challenge day 15 - Happy Christmas to meee, happy Christmas to meee...
Ok, I'm taking a liberty, because some of these 'days' have overlapped in real-time - so I actually did the research over two days, not just one, and did some shopping on the same day as I did some research. It's my blog, and my challenge.
Yesterday after skiving out of work in the mid afternoon I took myself to my favourite shop, Cornelissens, for a Christmas treat.
I'd been resisting buying the specialist gilding equipment for a long time - looking for homemade bodge-fixes instead, because I'm not a gilder, I'm a calligrapher, right? - but I've decided I don't want to fight with my tools. If they'll make the difference between frustration and success, I'm willing to spend some money.
My stocking included:
- a glass muller: I was sold on this when Mistress Oriane asked 'what are the lumps in your gesso?' and truthfully I had not done nearly as much grinding as is suggested in 'the gilded page'. So today's project is to Get It Right, or at least follow the instructions.
I was surprised to find that the Cornelissens mullers are made individually, so they vary even within the small med and large designations. So the staffer brought up three for me to fondle, and number 2 was a perfect fit for my hand. It was striking how different it felt in my hand.
- a gilder's pad. The staffer started describing the destinctions between the 'economy' and the 'professional' pad, and I told him I'd only ever planned to buy the economy one. (Honestly, he was struggling to explain the difference - AFAICT it was nicer finishing nails round the edge). I could have made one, but that would cost me more in time and fuss than the £27 it cost me. If I ever get to gild a wall, I'll make a bigger one for myself.
- a thick gilder's tip, the specialist brush that I saw all the cool-kid gilders using on YouTube.
- starter pack of loose gold. This is not really a bargain, you're better off buying a standard pack and sharing it, but I wasn't clever enough to plan that. If I finish this pack, I'll know I'm keen enough to buy more.
- more titanium dioxide dry pigment. I found some watercolour version, but am sticking to dry til I get a working gesso, then I can play with the recipe to find out what can change.
- a bunch of 15ml containers. I'm finding our small-container supply stretched as I mix and collect bits, and we can only consume so much mustard in tiny pots.
Why am I blogging on Christmas Day? Because our Christmas is spent very quietly at home.
If you don't own a car, and get out of London on 24 Dec, you're stuck in the city for 2 days, because the Tube doesn't run on 25 Dec, and the near-traditional Boxing Day Tube strike is on 26 Dec. (Given the flooding this year, lots of people are stuck in crap places anyway - I'd rather be at home.)
So we take advantage of it, and hole up with food, drink, holiday TV (Dr Who! Her Majesty in 3D!) and crafts.
It's the best holiday imaginable.
On Boxing Day we're headed to Sir Vitus and Lady Isabel's house for a feed, but til then...gild on.
Yesterday after skiving out of work in the mid afternoon I took myself to my favourite shop, Cornelissens, for a Christmas treat.
I'd been resisting buying the specialist gilding equipment for a long time - looking for homemade bodge-fixes instead, because I'm not a gilder, I'm a calligrapher, right? - but I've decided I don't want to fight with my tools. If they'll make the difference between frustration and success, I'm willing to spend some money.
My stocking included:
- a glass muller: I was sold on this when Mistress Oriane asked 'what are the lumps in your gesso?' and truthfully I had not done nearly as much grinding as is suggested in 'the gilded page'. So today's project is to Get It Right, or at least follow the instructions.
I was surprised to find that the Cornelissens mullers are made individually, so they vary even within the small med and large designations. So the staffer brought up three for me to fondle, and number 2 was a perfect fit for my hand. It was striking how different it felt in my hand.
- a gilder's pad. The staffer started describing the destinctions between the 'economy' and the 'professional' pad, and I told him I'd only ever planned to buy the economy one. (Honestly, he was struggling to explain the difference - AFAICT it was nicer finishing nails round the edge). I could have made one, but that would cost me more in time and fuss than the £27 it cost me. If I ever get to gild a wall, I'll make a bigger one for myself.
- a thick gilder's tip, the specialist brush that I saw all the cool-kid gilders using on YouTube.
- starter pack of loose gold. This is not really a bargain, you're better off buying a standard pack and sharing it, but I wasn't clever enough to plan that. If I finish this pack, I'll know I'm keen enough to buy more.
- more titanium dioxide dry pigment. I found some watercolour version, but am sticking to dry til I get a working gesso, then I can play with the recipe to find out what can change.
- a bunch of 15ml containers. I'm finding our small-container supply stretched as I mix and collect bits, and we can only consume so much mustard in tiny pots.
Why am I blogging on Christmas Day? Because our Christmas is spent very quietly at home.
If you don't own a car, and get out of London on 24 Dec, you're stuck in the city for 2 days, because the Tube doesn't run on 25 Dec, and the near-traditional Boxing Day Tube strike is on 26 Dec. (Given the flooding this year, lots of people are stuck in crap places anyway - I'd rather be at home.)
So we take advantage of it, and hole up with food, drink, holiday TV (Dr Who! Her Majesty in 3D!) and crafts.
It's the best holiday imaginable.
On Boxing Day we're headed to Sir Vitus and Lady Isabel's house for a feed, but til then...gild on.
no subject
no subject
Gilding
Did you get their glass plates that can be used with the muller? I have a couple from Cornelissen's (I've gone there on my trips and have had friends bring home stuff from their trips... they told me they almost got stopped because of the "bomb making materials" they brought home for me - Fuller's earth, asphalteum along with one of the poisonous pigments) and they've served me very well.
There are these little glass cups (I think they are called dappen - they are used for soaking fingertips when doing a manicure - you can probably get them at a beauty supply shop, though John Neal Bookseller also has them in stock), that have worked really well when reconstituting the gesso and applying it. I've used thick shot glasses, but have small hands and mixing to the bottom is a little tricky.
Hope you enjoy using your new tools:-}
Merry Christmas!
Re: Gilding
I'm grinding on a marble slab rather than glass plate.