Latest sign

[Julie Coffey]

This is one I did for my husbands cousins they are missionaries. (though he still plays D&D <g>)

Initial design- the cross is a paid for design- sorry cant post it.

http://ariaartistry.com/davegina/dave-gina.jpg

First shot of staining the board.

http://ariaartistry.com/davegina/lounsburysign.jpg

After 18k gold leaf- and final clear coat (spar varnish)

http://ariaartistry.com/davegina/dave-gina_final.jpg

Wood- select pine scrap- clean up using the water and blow torch method described here- works like a dream. Stain- Minwax provincial, top coat Spar Varnish.

Thanks for looking!

Julie

[DocWheeler]

Julie,

Very nice, and thanks for the sequence pictures.
There have been several posts metioning gold leaf, are you using real gold leaf, the cheaper kind, or a paint?
I have never attempted using leaf although I have watched it being applied. I whimp-out and just use paint.

[Kenm810]

Julie,
A very special project,
It looks like the fire and water method worked great for you
And thanks for sharing the photos with us

[Ropdoc]

Wow, what a difference from the first raw shot to the finished shot. I would like to start working with gold leaf as well. Do you find it easy to use?

Great work.
Dave

[BoardSilly]

Julie,

One word darlin' -

Sweeeeeeeet!

[Matty]

Fantastic love the finish well done,

Matty

[Julie Coffey]

Julie,

Very nice, and thanks for the sequence pictures.
There have been several posts metioning gold leaf, are you using real gold leaf, the cheaper kind, or a paint?
I have never attempted using leaf although I have watched it being applied. I whimp-out and just use paint.

Actually I have used gold leaf- its fun to work with. But on this particular project I used something different. I do karat gold painting on black lacquer. Where the gold powder is mixed with a clear lacquer and then highlighted by diluted black dye, this allows me to remove excess gold without disturbing the black work, or vice versa since they respond to different types of thinners.

A good example of this work was a sewing box I did for myself, it was one of those 1950's metal picnic type bread baskets, with the fake wicker paint job.

It has 7 coats of black lacquer on it, and I can't even count the layers used to build up the scenes on the side.

http://ariaartistry.com/sewingbox/front.jpg

http://ariaartistry.com/sewingbox/end.jpg

http://ariaartistry.com/sewingbox/back.jpg

http://ariaartistry.com/sewingbox/end1.jpg

http://ariaartistry.com/sewingbox/lid.jpg

http://ariaartistry.com/sewingbox/interior.jpg

I did this many years ago while feeling homesick for the UK. The gentleman I learned this technique from was a master woodworker who was my neighbor in Ipswich. I've seen the gold paints, pens and as I've said used the leaf successfully. This process is by far my favorite. I had a lot of fun with this project, and added to my purple ribbon collection early on with it. As much fun as it is to win, it's even more fun to share

Enjoy

Julie

[SevenCubed]

There there, now. Being a missionary and playing D&D aren't mutually exclusive concepts. =p

Gorgeous work on the gold leaf! The piece didn't really turn my head to look at it in the software, but the finish work you've done Really makes it stand out. Lookin' Sharp. I'll have to investigate this blowtorch method you speak of.

[Kenm810]

Julie, Very nice Gold and Lacquer piece, thanks for sharing

It’s nice to see work done by someone who has fun and enjoys working with gold and gold leaf. We use 22 and 23 Karat gold during our water gilding on art work and frames. I’m kind of from the old school and still use ox and camel hair brushes or feathers and mix my own gesso and rabbit skin glue. We tumble enough Lake Superior burnishing agates in each batch to last us all year. And the powered gold for our pottery, porcelain work has gone up to $300.00 for a small cat food sized tin. No fans or open windows allowed during gilding!!

[DocWheeler]

Julie,
Thanks for sharing the pictures, I will probably never attempt that sort of artwork. I am very impressed with the work that you have shared.

I think that I will leave the gilding and leaf to you and Kenm810 .

My Dad took up wood carving in his retirement and I have his handtools. Since most of them really require two hands to control precisely I mainly just use some of the files. So here I sit with a couple of cases of chisels while you morn the loss of the ones you had in England.

While writing this and seeing myself carve the wrong way with the grain and spoil the work that I've done, I realized that this is why I like iron, if I take off too much, I can put it back on and try again. With wood, the glue shows up too much and messes up the finish. Oh well, that says too much about my lack of artistic abilities.