100 Sheets Imitation Gold Leaf for Arts, Gilding Crafting, Decoration, 14 by 14 cm

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If you’re looking to make a mark in the world of luxury design, gold leaf is a fail-safe material that is sure to make an impact. The material is available in a wide variety of karats and tones to suit any interior style and different techniques can also be used to create alternative effects. Interior design using gold leaf by Kelly Wearstler featured on Architectural Digest Empire and other European countries. If other godly or sacred figures were present, gold leaf was often used to distinguish them from others in the work. Before engraving or polishing gold leaf, at Pigmentti, we prepare the work with 16 layers of Gesso Bologna, eight layers of bole before finally water gilding. Water gilding is used to achieve a mirror finish on glass, but is also used on bole (clay) which means it can be used in interior architecture. Loose sheets of gold are layered on the bole which supplies a flexible surface. Once water gilding has taken place the process of engraving or polishing the gold begins. The bole allows for polishing the gold and gives it a red reflection thanks to the transparent nature of the leaf. Aquarium bas-relief framed with gold leaf and scagliola tiles – Decorex 2018 The material was also popular in sacred paintings and often the sky was made using gold leaf. This was known as “gold-ground” painting and was first known in Italy followed by the Byzantine Gold leaf can be applied on ceilings, walls, canvas, bas-relief sculpture, various decorative architectural embellishments, glass, objets d’art, inlays and furniture. Each creation is unique and distinct thanks to the craftsmanship and skill that goes into creating it. The use of gold leaf in luxury and contemporary interior design is still prominent. Architectural details can be elevated with gold leaf, evoking opulence and highlighting forgotten areas. Gold leaf gilding is brilliant for modern spaces, again bringing to life elegant and considered decor.

Between the 11th to 13th centuries in Venice, craftsman began to play with the precious material. The “Sculoe”, a craftsmen’s corporations, was one first places to “beat” gold and turn it into the finest sheets of gold leaves. This was achieved by inserting a gold ribbon between two layers of animal skin, and beating it to create leaves as thin as a veil. Pigmentti is a multi-skilled decorative artist studio specialising in bas-relief sculpture, trompe l’oeil murals, painted decoration, gilding and gold leaf. This month we’re taking a look at one of our favourite materials in the artistic decoration world: gold leaf. As specialists in luxury decoration, we regularly incorporate gold leaf and other precious metal leaves into our projects and we think a spotlight on this intricate material is deserved. Find out more about the history of gold leaf, its uses in the modern world and why you should incorporate it into your luxury interior design projects today. Applying gold leaf on geometric design What is gold leaf? Creating gold leaf is a time consuming and very detailed process and there are a number of techniques to work with the material. Look out for terms such as gilding, engraving oil gilding, water gilding, engraving, etching, polishing and verre églomisé. Each one takes know-how, patience and precision to get the desired finished result. Gold leaf engraving on bole During the 1800s, gold leaf had a resurgence in popularity and became sought after for use in art, sculpture, architecture and interior decoration. Today, gold leaf gilding is one of the most treasurable and richest crafts techniques. The ornamental decoration process is still seen as a sign of luxury and quality for use in projects that are designed to create impact; not limited to statues, luxury furniture or even frames. Ceiling decoration using gold leaf by Manetti How is gold leaf created?

We’re going to take a look at traditional water gilding, one of the most difficult ways to work with gold but the technique remains unchanged for hundreds of years. The first evidence of human interaction with gold was the Egyptians in around 3,000 B.C. Gold was considered the colour of the gods and the pharaohs and was even referred to as “the skin of gods”. The fine material was used to decorate the luxury rooms of the Pharaoh and served a myriad of purposes, but was predominantly used to showcase wealth and power via interior decoration or jewellery. In ancient Greece, the most famous statues which utilised gold leaf were the chryselephantine statues which combined the luxury materials of gold leaf and ivory. Bare parts of the statue were made of ivory to reflect skin, while the robes and accessories were covered with gold leaf. Archaic Chryselephantine statue fragments at Delphi Archaeological Museum