Gold Paint

[birdman]

We have been asked to repaint a customer's old frame that he wants to keep and spruce up. It is a beaed scoop frame and is currently a very faded gold. He would like it to be brighter, but doesn't want to spend a fortune, so no gold leaf. We have found it difficult to find any paint so far to does the job effectively giving a nice smooth shiny finish.

Does anyone who does hand finishing know of a supplier, a make of paint or have a recommendation of a product that we could use.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Rolf

[gesso]

What about metal leaf?

[prospero]

Hi Birdman.

It's not really the paint that decides the shininess. It's what goes underneath. If you just slap it on top of the original finish it will look very nasty. You would have to strip the frame down to the gesso and polish it to a mirror shine with fine steel wool. At this stage you could leaf it with imitation gold leaf. Not expensive but there is a knack. It also produces a very bright 'in your face' finish that needs to be toned down.

Powder gilding is easier. Paint on two coats of artists acrylic. Red Oxide is the classic, but Yellow Ochre stippled with diluted Raw Umber gives a lighter, softer effect. For the gold, Liberon Gilt Varnish is good. Trianon is the best colour. (get a 250ml tin. It's only just over double the price of the 30ml jars). Poilsh the acrylic coats and lightly stipple on the gold. Not too thick and a little at a time. Work it over the surface until it looks right. If you get too much on, just take a rag and white spirit and wipe some off. You can do this even when it's dry. It dries quite fast. When it is dry you can distress it a bit with steel wool. For the final touch, paint the whole frame with white emulsion with just a smigeon of black acrylic mixed in. Very diluted. It will bead up on the surface but keep brushing it around, wipe it off leaving residudue around any grooves or carvings. This knocks back the shine a tad. Or you can dust it with rottenstone, but do this in conjunction with the next stage*.

Finally dip a duster in wax polish and scrunch it. let it dry for a while. If you apply it to the gold when fresh the solvent will strip the gold. (*Dust it here) Give it a good polish. The high points get more polish, so this simulates an authentic ageing pattern. Finish off with a clean(ish) duster.

Remember, the smoother the undercoats, the shinier the gold.

[The Crofter]

This may be of interest:

http://www.upkeepers.co.uk/Product/UGL-23503

Cheap enough to try and see what the effect is.

[birdman]

Many thanks for the feedback guys, it has been very useful, particularly Prospero's description that I have printed off to try out.

I also found an article in the US PFM - Picture Framing Magazine (July 2009) issue, titled "Easy Ways to Customize Stock Mouldings" that pretty much shows how to do what we've been asked to do, finding the paint and lacquer in the UK might be difficult though, but we'll try to adapt the process somehow.

I'll let you know how we got on in due course.

Rolf

[Dermot]

Rolf have a look at these companies same group they have lots of US products

www.behlen.co.uk
www.mohawk-finishing.co.uk
www.generalfinishes.co.uk
www.furniturecarecollection.co.uk

[prospero]

Rolf. As a footnote, you can mix your own gilding varnish. I have used the Liberon stuff for years, but I have heard on the grapevine that it is going to be changed to a water-based formulation. For my technique, this is no good as the current stuff is solvent based and can be stripped when dry without disturbing the basecoats. One upon a time the base varnish was available seperately in 1ltr cans but alas, no more. I have been trying to find a substitute with the same properties and it hasn't been easy. But this one: http://www.marabu-creative.com/gb/02mfa ... /lacke.php seems to work well. It's nice and thick and is the right price. And it dries fast. I find approx 50/50 mix of varnish/white spirit works well. Add to this mix about the same volume of loose gold powder (widely availble in lots of colours) and you have a nice liquid for gilding. The whole art of it is how you apply the gold. A stippling action gives a good result and keep dabbing it as it dries. Not too much on at once. With a bit of practice you can get some suprising results. If you apply a light coat of clear first over a marbled basecoat and then dab patches of gold on before the clear coat dries, you can get some very pleasing effects.

[prospero]

The part of the "Laura Ashley" range.


Dark green and salmony pink spodges over an ivory base + gold dabbed into wet varnish.
Light grey wash in the ornaments.



(sorry for carp photo)

[WelshFramer]

I have heard on the grapevine that it is going to be changed to a water-based formulation.

Presumably for the same reason that the Govt is planning to ban glasses in pubs (Radio 4 this morning),

!! WE MUST BE PROTECTED FROM OURSELVES !!


P.S. I think they were talking about drinking glasses so it should remain OK to wear reading glasses.

[prospero]

I'm having mine boarded up.

[framemaker]

This is not a method I use much myself and would not suggest using it on frames of any value, but I do know a couple of framers who use it regularly.

The old frame is painted with red oxide metal primer, which is a solvent based paint which is intended for use on metal surfaces, but it has good adhesion to most sound surfaces and provides quite a traditional base colour (although somewhat darker than clays used in gilding) It can also be sprayed on, which undoubtedly gives a better finish than brush application but requires more equipment. Its a choir but I wear, (and always make staff wear) a respirator with A1 organic vapour filters when using any high VOC content material and would recommend this to everyone as a good habit to get into.

I have seen red oxide primer available in spray can but have no experience of this paint.

The primed frame can then be painted with the gold paint of your choice, as Prospero said stippling the paint on always looks better (and again spraying is better still as brushing on lifts easily and it can be difficult to avoid brush marks)

I think the best gold paints are made from mixing bronze powder with either glue size or the Roberson cellulose based ormoline medium, but there are various different binders available. I would suggest the Goldleaf supplies catalogue for a good selection.

[prospero]

I have used cellulose Red Oxide on occaision. It works well on solid plastic mouldings and wood mouldings with a plasticy compo finish. I used to use car metallic colours on cheapo black cushion. Sticks like the proverbial and is tough. I think the solvent must weld itself to the finish. The thing is to test a small area first to check adhesion. You should not be able to scrape it of with your finger nail.

Not too sure about the Ormoline varnish as a binder for the gold. It may eat into the primer unless it's sprayed on. Not too sure about spraying it either. A perfect flat gold tends to look a bit - well, like a sprayed on finish. Apply it by hand and it gives the finish a certain 'humanity'. Look at a leafed finish. It's not dead flat. There are all sort of creases and splits and joins that give it it's distintive character. Same with a powder gilded finish. The gold will naturally build up thicker on the high points and in some places left slightly mottled or scratchy. It's all in the wrist action.

[framemaker]

Right you are Prospero, done some checking and the ormoline contains both toluene and xylene which are not suitable paint solvents for use over red oxide primer.
I have only ever used metal leaf and bronze powder in RSG over red oxide sealed with acrylic spray, which as a 'least expensive' revival for old frames, doesn't look that bad.
Going back to the the question from Rolf, I suppose it all depends on what the customer has in mind and what sort of finish they want, does he want the frame to have a bright smooth shiny finish or a more distressed aged look? For Rolf it is important to give the customer what they are looking for, which is not always easy!

[birdman]

I'm amazed by the variety of suggestions resulting from my posting and I thank everyone for their kind responses.

We have obtained a selection of paints and intend to experiment after the Bank Holiday. As to what the customer wants, well he said "can you tart it up a bit". He's not looking to spend a fortune but we don't mind because we're treating it as a learning experience. He'll probably pay no more than if we had just replaced the frame with a standard gold moulding. As he is a local Minister, no doubt he's praying we'll do a good job. If we do it will be down to your help.

Cheers .

Rolf

[Spit]

You can get good results with plaka metallics, just done this for the wife... Plaka silver & yellow gold, 75% silver/25% gold mix, (don't like yellow gold on its own) applied with a very coarse washing up sponge. Side was made knobbly with B&Q ripple paint applied the same way, finished with plaka black mixed with a splash of yellow gold, the last coat 50/50 with wax finish varnish. the finish is surprisingly tough, and shimmers silver or gold depending on the viewing angle.

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[birdman]

Nice finish Steve, although sadly the gold doesn't come over very well in the picture at this end. I see a nice black and silver effect but that's good too. I like the side view, interesting finish and nice smooth interface between the front and sides. Where do you get your Plaka paints from?

Rolf

[Spit]

Its only a hint of gold, but its not truly silver. Thats why I mix the paints, as I don't like either in their standard form!

Plaka are available from Lion.

[WelshFramer]

There used to be a red anti-rust paint that had a lot of filler for priming rust spots on cars. Because of the filler it would give a smooth finish when painted over rusty metal. I wonder if that would work - if it's still available.

Unfortunately I can't remember what it was called.

[Spit]

One of the hammerite range?