Gilding Fabric and Tissue Paper

Gilding has been used throughout history to accentuate decoration, craftsmanship, and elegance. It has always signified prominence, and remains so today.
Despite being a delicate and time-consuming technique, gilding can be quite easy to master. Here are the basics: 1. Prepare the surface to be gilded. Use painter’s tape to cover any areas that you want to remain ungilded.
Sizer
For gilding, you need a special size to adhere the gold leaf. The size is a linseed oil-based varnish-like substance that is applied to the surface of the object you wish to gild, and acts as an adhesive. There are different sizes available based on their drying time – usually 3 hours or 12 hours.
When evaluating whether an oil gilding size is dry, gently touch it with the back of your hand. It should be sticky, but not wet or dripping. Humidity and room temperature can also affect the drying process, so keep these in mind when assessing if the size is ready to work with.
Gold Leaf
The gold leaf is a very thin sheet of pure or nearly pure gold. One leaf is 1/10,000 of a millimeter thick -- the size of the tip of your fingernail.
Successful gold leafing depends on applying the leaf when the gilding size is at just the right tack, or degree of stickiness. The easiest way to test this is by gliding the surface of the size with your knuckle. The tack should be firm enough to leave a slight tick mark behind.
When the adhesive on your gilding fabric is fully dry (which will only take about twenty minutes, depending on the temperature), put on some cotton gloves and brush a very thin coat of gilding size on the area where you want to apply the gold leaf. You can also spray a thin layer of gilding size onto your gilded area.
Brush
Gilding tips are used for many art projects such as signage, carved dimensional lettering and picture frame restoration. They can also be used for reverse glass lettering and mirroring, as well as decorating pinstripes on cars and trucks. They are great for alcohol, oil and water gilding with gold or silver leaf.
When the surface of a gilded object is soiled or damaged, the soiled area should be treated with a specialized gilder's wax or paste to prevent further degrading. This treatment can often be less expensive than repairing the broken or soiled surface of the object.
It is important that the gilder has a quiet place to work, as areas of lost gilding can easily be disturbed and airborne contamination may enter the unprotected wood. This can be a result of the object's environment, such as exposure to continuous abrasion or light from fluorescent lights. To avoid this problem, a quiet room with a "Do Not Disturb" sign is preferred.
Tissue Paper
Tissue paper is a lightweight paper or light crepe paper made on a paper machine from virgin or recycled paper pulp. It is used for various purposes, such as hygienic tissue paper, facial tissues and paper towels, and as packing material. It can be glazed or unglazed, and it can have various surface properties, such as softness, absorbency, bulk and stretch.
It can be embossed, which improves several properties such as porosity, hygroscopicity, softness, absorbency and thickness/bulk. The main properties of tissue paper are influenced by the wood species and pulping process, which influence its mechanical and cellulose characteristics.
It’s also easy to handle, making it a good choice for beginners. It works well with oil-based sizes and can be used to apply loose or transfer gold leaf. It’s also biodegradable and doesn’t harm the environment. It’s a sustainable alternative to expensive metallic foils and can be used for a variety of crafts, including flower making, paper mache and origami.