Spend Time Learning the Techniques of Verre Eglomise

Here I am watching Sue's brushwork like a hawk. Not that I needed to, she's extremely creative and picks things up effortlessly. I really enjoy watching students learn a process. Especially with glass gilding because if you begin with a simple stage and carefully add detail after detail you end up with a really beautiful result.

In this picture I'm demonstrating how to open up a colour by adding gold to the glaze. There is nothing like watching how to do something and then trying it yourself. I learnt gilding by watching and copying every step that my master demonstrated (yes that does sound oddly Victorian, but I was apprenticed to Rosaria Titian of Titian Studios and she was a brilliant artist and deserved the title). I don't think there's any substitute for that kind of connection when you're learning a craft. If you'd like to do a class in Verre Eglomise contact me at londongilding@gmail.com

Gilding In My Studio

Gilded Lilies. This is white gold leaf rather than silver. It's a finer, softer leaf, and has a more delicate colour.



Some of my much loved, much used brushes. They're like old friends. The gilded Verre Eglomise Painting behind is called "Falling Petals" and is gilded in rose gold leaf.

My adored pigment box. In the background is a Chinoiserie Verre Eglomise panel based on a wallpaper sample.

Sigh. I really did mean to clean up.

One of my most thumbed books. I use it constantly. The Verre Eglomise frame has a pattern I created for a much larger frame finished in black and 24 carat gold. It works well in blue and 22 carat though.

Photographs by Rhian Ap Gruffydd http://www.rhianaphotography.com/

Gilder's Tools and Class Details

This is my pigment colouring box. It's been used by restorers for a lot longer than I've been around and was given to me by a great friend who's also in the business. Gilder's tools are a bit special. You end up cherishing brushes, and your gold knife feels like part of you when you cut the leaf. Opening up a parcel full of gilder's equipment is a pretty unusual experience. Gold leaf, squirrel brushes, rabbit skin glue, a pigskin pad, a dog's tooth agate. All the materials gilders use haven't changed for centuries.

Gold Leaf Supplies have a glass gilding kit that I recommend students buy for my Verre Eglomise Courses http://www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/ It's great value (£64.95 plus VAT & postage) and full of Gilder's goodies that will delight you. It has everything you'll need to gild glass. It's worth investing in if you want to gild glass, or contact me if you don't know how to do it and would like to learn. My next group class is on the 14th of May at J Hornsby http://www.jhornsbyinteriors.co.uk/ and costs £150.00 for the day. Contact me at londongilding@gmail.com for booking details.

Gilding Courses

A student took this picture of me in the studio. Where possible, I do like to work on antiques while I'm teaching. That way the skills aren't just about how to do them in the perfect setting. If you're working on an antique, all sorts of unexpected things can happen, and that's when a restorer has to draw on their experience and creativity. A student can't learn any of that by gilding a new frame. Antique gold is a world away from new gold. To tone leaf to match something from the 18th Century is a very different process from putting a wash of Shellac over fresh gold. If you want to restore gilding, you need to know how to age a surface. If you want to learn how to do that, I can teach you. It's more advanced than studying how to lay gold leaf, but if you want to master toning techniques, it will really help you get an authentic look to your gold when working on antiques.

Teaching In Your Home

This is a picture of a lovely artist I was teaching to gild yesterday. If you're great company, artistic and make me a delicious lunch (thank you Susan) I'll consider working with you in your own home. Seriously, you don't have to cook for me! I can teach onsite in the London area. It you want to master gilding I can show you all you'll need in a day. Contact me at londongilding@gmail.com for details. It's great fun!

Rose Crystal

This is a rose crystal effect in verre eglomise. The red and violet really glow and sparkle as they're backed in two different golds. I really enjoy making faux crystal in verre eglomise, it's a great excuse to play with colours.

Gold Leaf on White Polished Plaster

This is Tsunami on Charlotte Street http://www.tsunamirestaurant.co.uk/ I gilded the flowers on their walls in 24 carat. I think the gold on the polished plaster looks incredible. I'm quoting this weekend for a job that's similar in its approach and I'm really happy that people are willing to use gold in unusual ways. Gold is so versatile, as you can see from this blog! It's just that often people think it has to be used in a traditional interior. That it's only for Empire chairs or Regency mirrors, posssibly a picture frame. But that's really not the case at all.