Best Gold Pen to Use on Mount Bevel?

[Cactus]

Hi There!

Great forum by the way, most informative...

For decoration on the bevel edge, I have been looking for a good gold pen for some time but with no success; they either blob and make a mess, or the gold hasn't got the lustre I am looking for.

I am currently using the Colourmount Deep Bevel Tape (old gold), but it is a bit overkill for my needs and very time consuming especially when double mounting a large quantity.

If any of you seasoned professionals could point me in the direction of a good gold pen to use it would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance for input or help.

Mark.

[Roboframer]

If you mask the bevel with 811 removable tape (which you position and cut through, so the bevel is perfectly masked off) then the pen that 'blobs' might be OK, otherwise, using the same method, you'll get better results with stuff like goldfinger or gilt creams, which can be buffed.

[prospero]

The trouble with gilding bevels is that the board is quite absorbent so it's hard to get the shininess by applying the gold directly. There are a number of acrylic paints that come in metallic shades. You might have to apply more than one coat to get the shine. Mask the bevel as Robo says. You might get a nicer effect by applying a basecoat(s) of acrylic in a flat colour first. Red Oxide will give the classic gilded look. Then stroke the gold on gently so that the red ghosts though. Liberon Gilt Varnish works OK, but you need a basecoat. Whatever you use, apply it very 'dry' with a lightly loaded brush or it will be sure to bleed under the masking somewhere.

For the ultimate bling, paint the bevel with acrylic size and use metal leaf.

The pens are a bit of a PITA. Hard to get into the corners.

[Jonny2morsos]

Strangely enough I did one of these today. I use the Liquid Metal paint from Lion which I think is made by Robersons.

Here is a link to the relevant information on Lion website http://www.lionpic.co.uk/Catalog/Produc ... rch=liquid metal

It is a bit time consuming so I only do it on special jobs that have a good return.

[Cactus]

Thanks to everyone for their prompt and informative responses.

Yes, I have noticed the issue with absorbency and loss of shine. I am also trying to avoid the need to mask in order to save time since these are only mass produced low price small double mounts for small antique botanical prints.

I bought a couple of mounted prints from a competitor of mine as I really liked the finish; there are definitely a gold pen / gold ink finish as the corners are slightly rounded. The gold covers the bevel and a couple of mm onto the face of the mount.

I am just charging my camera and hope to post a photo or two in half hour or so.

Thanks again.

Mark.

[Roboframer]

I don't colour bevels that often so masking isn't a problem - also allows me to be pretty careless - but I mask the bevel whether painting it or using a pen. I only use a pen for black - and then not always, but when I do it's a chisel-tipped 'calligraphy' felt tip.

Soooooo - maybe this pen would work - (click) - in the best width for a bevel. I have a set but have never used them for this, they come with a squeeze-fill adaptor, so you could use gold ink/paint - but you'd have to clean the nib and filler really well afterwards.

Welcome to The Forum BTW

[Cactus]

Example photos can be found here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.ferra ... 009a/1.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.ferra ... 009a/2.jpg

Sorry the photos aren't posted directly; I kept getting an SQL error.

Thanks Roboframer, I think you may have something there.

I think these were done with a round tip, and I do think it must be the type of pen you have suggested with a gold paint refill rather than ink You can see the lustre on the bevel in the photos that seem to suggest that paint has been used rather than ink.

Thanks again!

Mark.

[Not your average framer]

I've never been happy with any of the gold felt tip pens, no matter which manufacturer makes them. The result never looks pukka quality and for me just too many things are mediocre these days.

For gold ruled lines, I use a ruling pen and a top quality gold ink and gold bevels you really must have sufficient layers of paint or gesso to get an authentic looking hand finished bevel.

Hand finished bevels on standard thickness mountboard don't cut it for me! I like a decent thick bevel, with nice radiused corners on the bevelled window....Now you are talking CLASS!

Good quality metallic paints can be made to look very good, but real gold leaf makes everything else look second rate. Guilding takes some serious practicing to get classic looking results, but the feel good factor when you can do it is megga!

[Roboframer]

Looking at the way those mounts in the photos are done they were surely masked (to carry the paint/ink on to the face of the mount) - maybe with another window mount held with bulldog clips or something?

Here's an idea if you want to replicate that look with no risk of anything but a perfect result though. Do an inlay mount - cut that skinny area out, paint it, let it dry and then tape it back in the way it came out. Slightly tricky on a manual mount cutter perhaps, but maybe not, I know I've increased the size of many an aperture by just a few mm when I've forgotten to account for a fillet. Doddle on a CMC.

[Not your average framer]

Having just realised there are some photos and had a look, there is an easier way of doing this!

Individually masking each mount will take forever to do, but it would be much easier and quicker to do with a prepared stencil and a spray can.

The secret is to make the sencil from a material which can be cleaned from time to time, without causing deterioration to the stencil. This will allow you to spray the reverse side of the stencil will a repositionable spray adhesive.

There is one which is an adhesive similar to the adhesive on "Post-it" stickers and this will enable you to stick the stencil down and prevent the paint creaping underneath the edges, but will enable you to pell off the stencil afterwards.

[Cactus]

Thanks for the recent posts; yes, I think some sort of masking will need to be done in order to get the desired effect.

One thing does perplex me, there are glittery remnants on some of the mounts I have (like children's glitter glue!) which I don't think could be left by gold paint or ink.

I will experiment further with your ideas when I get the chance and let you know how I get on!

Thanks again,

Mark.

[misterdiy]

It looked like Hammerite to me

[Roboframer]

Maybe it's foil stuck on to a brushed-on adhesive such as wunda size.

[Cactus]

It looked like Hammerite to me

Maybe it's foil stuck on to a brushed-on adhesive such as wunda size.

Good guesses - thanks for the input! The photos do give a good indication, but from the feel of the gold on the mount, I really do think it is some sort of paint. It's just the glittery effect that is flummoxing me!

[Cactus]

I may be on to something after a quick google search...


How to Create a Gold-Effect With Non-Gold Paint

http://www.ehow.com/how_7834998_create- ... paint.html