Page:Cyclopedia of Painting-Armstrong, George D (1908).djvu/174

166 upon the tip held between the forefinger and thumb of the same hand. The flowing water catches the gold from the tip, and spreads it out smoothly on the surface of the water in the moment or two between the application and the absorption of the water by the distemper ground. This completes the gilding as far as the matt portion is concerned, except for a final clear sizing and sometimes coloring or coating with ormolu.

The burnished portion, however, requires polishing or burnishing. This is done at the moment the gilding is dry, and before it becomes so hard as to be brittle. An agate or flint stone, set in a handle, is the burnisher. These are of different shapes. They are rubbed lightly against the gold, which takes a remarkably high polish, and retains it. Burnished gold must not be sized.

Burnish and matt gilding are confined to the flat or curved plain portions of the work, and are done first. The enriched and fancy parts are afterwards oil-sized and gilded in the usual manner.

Ormolu for matt gold is prepared from best garnet shellac and white sticklac dissolved in spirits of wine, and tinted to the required depth with dragon's blood, a few drops are added to the usual gelatine or parchment size to produce an even, lusterless and rich surface of any desired depth.

Glass Gilding. Gilding upon glass is done in the same manner as described for water gilding, isinglass size being used in the place of water. The glass is well cleaned, freed from grease, and set before the operator at a slight angle, sometimes the glass is upright, as in a window, and has to be done in that position. The isinglass size, before described, is used in precisely the same way as the water in water gilding, and the gold laid on the flowing size so as to stretch itself out as the size recedes. The size must be used freely and allowed to run off quickly. It must not be strong, the weaker it is the brighter will the finish of the gold be. The less size there is remaining between the glass and the