how to gold leaf anything...

6/2/2016

for some reason gold leaf has gotten a reputation as being intimidating or difficult to execute. In fact, it's dangerously easy. so much so that you're going to want to start gold leafing everything - which we are fully guilty of! here is our step by step tutorial on how to gold leaf anything - even this 1970's, plastic candle sconce!

Materials:

Any type of metal leaf sheets (we used gold however we have silver and copper also)
gold size
2" chip brush
dark wax
whatever you're leafing!

How to:

step 1: applying adhesive. dip your 2" chip brush into a small amount of gold size. lightly brush gold size anywhere you want leaf - a thin coat will do. let the gold size dry completely (it is dry when it is transparent and shiny) - this is key, you cannot apply leaf to wet size!

step 2: applying the leaf. once the gold size is dry, lightly "float" a sheet of leaf on the surface with either your hands or a dry brush. the size should "grab" the leaf and once it does use a dry, natural bristled brush to tamp the leaf down into the size. repeat this step until your entire piece (or wherever you've applied size) is covered by leaf. you can seal your piece with annie's dark wax to age it a bit and knock down some of the luster (which is what we did). If you'd like an even more authentic look base coat your piece with chalk paint® decorative paint by annie sloan in primer red. this color replicates clay boulle, which would be underneath traditionally gilded pieces - this will add even more authenticity to your gold leaf project (for silver leaf use graphite or napoleonic blue underneath)! check out the video below for our exact technique: