Project #2 : Let's Metal Leaf Something!

Do you like stuff shiny, but not too shiny? Yes, please! Well alright then, let’s metal leaf something!

You’ve probably heard about something being gold or silver leafed. Frames, ceilings, even furniture is commonly metal leafed. Here are some images of metal leaf in action:

copper leaf

silver leaf

gold leaf

But, what is metal leaf, and how does it work?

Metal leaf, is an extremely thin piece of real metal. The metal can be a precious metal like silver or gold, or more common metals like copper, brass, or aluminum. There are even composites now, that are made up of various metals for different effects. The process of creating metal leaf is actually pretty cool. Traditionally, small pieces of metal were pounded by hand (with hammers obviously) until they got so thin, that a breeze could tear them apart. Some metal leaf is still made by hand, but most is manufactured in large presses now. It’s a lot faster, and a lot less labor intensive. Just FYI, the average thickness of gold leaf is about 3.5 millionths, or 0.0000035 inches thick.

I’m a fan of silver leaf, personally. I’ve silver leafed several picture frames, a bowl, and a large ornately carved wall mirror, and it's actually easier than it looks! What’s amazing about metal leafing something, is that you instantly make that thing look about 100-times more fancy and expensive.

So, how do you metal leaf? Well, I’m sure there are more technical instructions on the web somewhere, but here is my straightforward take on the process:

Tools/Materials you’ll need:

• Metal leaf
• Primer (acrylic paint, optional)
• Sizing (an adhesive that makes the surface sticky)
• Several brushes (1 for the sizing, and at least one soft bristle brush like a ladies powder brush, to apply the metal leaf and press it onto the surface)
• Soft cotton cloth or cheesecloth for softly burnishing
• A clear acrylic or polyurethane top coat to seal the finished product, and help protect it from oxidation and scratches.

Here are a couple of good websites for materials:

http://www.artsparx.com/store_gilding.asp

http://www.dickblick.com/categories/goldleaf/

http://search.utrechtart.com/index?N=1338&in_dim_search=1

Process:

1. Pick something to metal leaf. 
2. Make sure the surface you’ll be covering is clean and totally dry.
3. Working in manageable portions of the surface, apply the sizing and let set according to the instructions. It’ll usually take 20-60 minutes or so for it to dry to the correct tacky consistency
4. Ok, here’s the tricky part….Take the soft brush reserved for leaf application and brush it gently up and down your inner arm a few times. The brush will pick up microscopic oils from your skin.
5. Lift the paper sheet of the metal leaf book, and gently poke the leaf with the brush.  The leaf should lift with the brush.
6. If the brush trick doesn’t work, you can try picking up the metal leaf sheet with very clean, very dry hands.
7. Maneuver the metal leaf over the prepared surface, trying to cover the most  amount of surface at one time. Lower it slowly until the leaf is making contact with the surface.
8. Hopefully, you've been able to avoid wrinkles, but it's not too big a deal if there are some. The leaf not adhered to the surface will just brush off once it's all dry.
9. Continue to cover the surface, working in sections of the surface if necessary, until the piece is completely covered.
10. Let it dry overnight.
11. After completely drying, take your cheesecloth or other soft cotton cloth, and gently wipe it across the leafed surface, ideally over a trash can, or in an area easily cleaned. All the non-adhered pieces of leaf will come right off!
12. When all the extra bits are off (use a soft brush for carved or recessed areas) you can polish the surface gently with the cloth, and achieve a nice dull shine
13. Cover the finished piece (at least the metal leafed potions with a clear acrylic or polyurethane for protection, and voila! You're done!!!

Don't be afraid to think “outside the box”, and consider how you can apply metal leaf in ways that are uncommon and special. Maybe create patterns, or images? Here are some examples on 8"x8" plywood, of different techniques you can use:

straightforward, full coverage on a flat surface

using tape to mask off areas; create a pattern

use wider tape and an Xacto; create more organic shapes

So basically, it's all possible. You can metal leaf just about anything. Wood, glass, stone, whatever you want. Give it a try!