There are two main gold leaf gilding techniques; fixing the gold leaf with a water or oil-based adhesive size, or water-gilding, which involves creating your own adhesive surface with Gilder’s Clay or Bole. Each technique is suitable for different types of supports and settings, and delivers different results.The simplest method is to apply the leaf directly to your prepared surface with a fluid oil or water-based adhesive size.

The more intricate method, known as water-gilding or ‘gilding on bole’, involves applying the gold leaf over a layer of Gilder’s Clay, called bole. This technique has been used throughout history for icons, frames and wood. The colour of the clay subtly shows through the gold, giving your finished surface rich depth and facets. Water gilding allows the gilder to burnish the surface, for a richer shine. This cannot be done with the size-only method.

You should choose your technique based on your setting and the surface you’re using. All exterior projects, interior stone and metal will require an oil-based size. You can only use the water gilding technique or a water-based sizefor interior gilding on plaster and wood.